A new New York (IC)

[Lamech]

Opening Scene
Roughly a week ago, 6 day to be precise, word started spreading that there would be a "celebration" at Weatherby's today. Fliers appeared in places frequented by the supernatural community, and rumors started to spread. At first no one believed it, Amanda said said she knew nothing about it. Then rumors started to trickle in, the Red Court had vanished; things certainly did seem quiter. Eventually, a few brave (well foolish) souls checked out a Red Court nest. Every vampire there was dead; their hearts had burst out of the chests. Just yesterday, the official word trickled through paranet. The Red Court was gone.

Which brings us to today. There certainly was a celebration at Weatherby's. The onwer was happy for the business, and for the first time in a while the place was cheerful. Everyone was safeish again, no longer fearing spill over from the war, and a major predator removed from the food chain. The paranoia is gone, just a week ago people would kept to themselves, been on alert, and shunned newcomers. But today they were talking with strangers, singing songs and getting drunk.

Presently a man climbs onto a chair, and yells "I have a few things to say to-". As people continue on and ignore him, he pauses for a second and says "Is anybody listening?". When he gets no response he says, I'll buy everyone a round if I can have a minute of your time. Then the tavern goes silent. "Alright then, I'll be brief. I've confirmed that every vampire I knew about a week ago is dead. Even a couple that should have been well protected from magic, so the Red Court really is dead. Now many of you here, you know who you are, helped against the Red Court. You took up arms against the dark. I would just like to say, your work is not done. Dark creatures still threaten us. But a major threat is gone, so now is the time to push the advantage. If you strike now, you can use that advantage to cleanse our city. And with that I leave you to your celebration."

Anyone is free to try and find someone in the crowd, but I'll need an Alertness roll from everyone.

[Eldest]

I turn to look for anybody she knows in the crowd. A party isn't right without somebody to share it with. I dodge around groups of chatting patrons as I look around the tavern, waving aside offers of beer. I also try to keep track of where the man who just spoke went.
Alertness
[roll0]
I call the color green for speaking.

[Lamech]

Eldest: You see the bouncer, Sam, and the owner, Amanda. A few people you've seen around the magical community would be here too, unless you avoided the community completely somehow. And of course, the other PCs.

The first thing the guy who just spoke does is goes up to Amanda, and appears to be paying for something. She then yells, "Okay, next round is on this guy." He then walks over too a golden eyed lady, and he says something before leaving. The lady looks like she's in her twenties, but its hard to tell.

OOC: Anyone else with the alertness rolls?

[Aneurin]

Jane

It figured. After days of walking and hitchiking to the airport, after scrounding a last minute visa on the first flight out of there, arranging to meet everyone at Weatherby's, after an exhausting flight and miserable search for a taxi; there just had to be some kind of party going on, didn't there? Either that or James had invited everyone he knew, and everyone they knew, too.

Looking tired and travel stained, Jane had leant by the door for the entire speech - having arrived just in time for it - with her hands stuffed in the pockets of her old felt great coat.

When the speaker seems to have stopped talking, Jane looked slowly over the assembled crowd, before letting out a long, exhausted breath, and with a visible effort of will steels herself and begins pushing through the crowd to the bar, working on the theory that if her old friends weren't at the bar, someone at the bar might know where they're sitting.


Alertness: [roll0] +1 for 0 overall.

Going to use a pretty purple.

[Rizhail]

James was sitting at a table near the middle of the room, telling a story to a small crowd over beer. "...and then the blood-sucker rushes at me, thinking I must be out of juice," he says, leaning over the table and grinning. "And right as he's about to leap at me, BAM! I gave the bugger both barrels from my sawed-off. The look on his ugly face was priceless."

He leaned back and started nursing his mug, looking over the crowd for familiar faces. Settling on Allie, he grinned wider. "Hey, Allie! Over here!" he yelled, waving her over while trying to clear some space for her to sit. Another figure weaving through the crowd caught his eye, and James yelled again. "Jane! Hey! Take a seat!"

Downing the rest of his mug, he slammed it on the table. "It's not a party 'til the gang's all here!"


Alertness: [roll0] +4 base skill = 5 (superb).

Going with brown for speech.

[Eldest]

You sure drinking that much is a good idea? I smile as I say it, sitting down next to James and pulling out a chair for Jane. Then I wave at the others in the group, calling them over.

[industrious]

Voodoo Eddie

Eddie approaches the rest of the group, face covered in an unseasonal black balaclava. Most people instinctively part way for him; it's a consequence of being a rotting corpse. The smell isn't something that you can just shower off. Even if Eddie's tried before.

"If today isn't a day to celebrate, then what is?"



Alertness: [roll0] = Fair

[Lamech]

James, and Allie, notice one thing odd, well odder than normal. Now, a bunch of people are dressed oddly, such as Eddie. The people in particular are dressed in coats or sweaters despite the toasty temperature inside from all the people. They seem to be going around, all individually, bumping into people shaking hands, or clutching someone's arm for a couple seconds, but very light on talking. By itself, this doesn't seem to odd, in fact there seems to be a college-aged girl, in what looks like a Victorian era dress doing something similar.

Now the thing that really sets the coats and sweater team aside, is every so often they head over to a corner, talk to someone dressed like themselves, and go back to the weird touchy routine. Then the person they talked too, pulls out a notebook, writes in it, puts it away, and goes back to staring off into space.

[Eldest]

I point out a few of the odd people, and the woman in the dress. Any of you guys know them?

[industrious]

Voodoo Eddie

Eddie blinks, and focuses more sharply on the figures Allie has pointed out.

"Don't think so..."

So much for a nice, boisterous time with everyone.

Investigation: [roll0]+4=5(Superb)

[Lamech]

Eddie
You notice that the girl seems to know a few people as those people stop her and talk to her for a bit, and when she goes to the bar to get a drink she definitely seems to know the bartender. She also seems a more considerate, if she can't shake someone's hand she moves on. She definitely seems to be enjoying the atmosphere of the place as well.

The other guys seem to avoid talking to anyone and no one goes up to talk to them, if they can't get someone's attention they'll just grab their arm. They shove their way through the crowd, and they haven't gotten anything to eat or drink. All in they seem stiff and out of place.

They also seem systematic about how their going about it. If someone gets up to leave, and they have not "gotten" the person, then they make sure they do before the person is out the door. One more detail you note, the golden eyed lady seems to be keeping track of the the guy with the notebook; not staring or anything, but keeping a decent line of site to him and keeping him in the corner of her eye.

[Aneurin]

Jane

She hears James shout, and turns to where he's sitting, raising an arm to wave over the shoulders of the crowd and she begins to make her way over to the table.

As she sits down, you can see her face is pale with dark smudges under her eyes. She swings her rucksack off her shoulder under the table, taking a moment to check on the "umbrella" handle that's sticking out of a rolled up blanket. She sinks into a seat that's facing the door. She doesn't remove the leather gloves she's wearing, or her coat, though.

"Hey, I know you missed me but did you really have to invite all of New York to welcome me back?" she says with tired smile. "What's going on? Who was that guy talking when I came in?"

[Rizhail]

"As far as I can tell, he's some fella who's real pleased that the vamps are gone," James replied almost absently, focused on the odd men wandering around. Noticing the way the made physical contact with everyone, his paranoid wizard instincts began to kick in. "Now why would anyone want to walk around touching everyone and taking notes...?" he mumbled, stroking his chin for a moment and glad that he hadn't had more than a single mug of beer thus far. "We're in the meeting place of most of the talents in NYC, minor or major. And if two talented folks make skin contact, they can..."

His eyes widened in shock for a moment, then narrowed, his mouth twisting into a snarl as he started counting how many of the odd men were wandering around the room. "Dammit all, they're making a list of practitioners," he practically growled beneath his breath, just loud enough for his comrades to hear him. "Some prick Reds did the same thing a while back, trying to hunt down anyone who could be a threat to their operations."

He stood up and ran a hand over the leather bracer on his right forearm, murmuring under his breath and activating the magic held in the copper and silver embedded in the leather. "I can tell you're tired as hell, Jane, and the rest of us just want to relax for once, but ya'll mind watching my back? Someone needs to see whether these pricks are up to something, or just plain antisocial."


Activating the mystic capacitor to give Jimmy the Supernatural Power Source aspect for the rest of the scene.

And a question on aspects: would taking the straight forward confrontation route and trying to figure out what these guys are up to fall under Jimmy's If I Don't Help, Who Will? aspect as a compel? The train of thought here being that, while he's happy to keep his head down (Low-Profile is half of his high concept, after all), there's a couple of really suspicious folks hanging around and no one seems to be noticing or doing anything.

[Eldest]

I'd rather not jump straight to a fight, if it's all the same to you. Despite my words, I stand up with James and follow him over.
Hey, I noticed them! :smalltongue:

[Aneurin]

Jane

"It's good to see you again, too," she says with a tired smile. "I've no idea what you're talking about, but I'll be over here if you need me. Scream or something so I wake up. Unless you want me to go over there as you? Just tell me who I need to talk to and what about."

[Lamech]

As James and Allie start to head over to the guy with the notebook he first tries to move out of their line of site a bit, and puts the notebook in his coat. When that doesn't work he turns, whistles and starts a brisk pace towards the front entrance. His four friends, upon hearing this stop, one in mid-handshake, and also head towards the entrance. A few people turn and stare when one of them as they pushes through a group of people.

Rizhail that definitly works as a compel.:smallsmile:

[Lamech]

Double post so this migrates to the front page.

[Eldest]

Hey! I start to walk after the strange people, looking back to make sure James is with me.

[Rizhail]

Eyes narrowed at the strangers' attempt to leave, Jimmy waved toward the door. "Bas!" he called to Sam Bastion, making sure the bouncer noticed the odd balls trying to get out the door.

He waited a moment, letting the five men get near the door and away from most of the people in the restaurant. James raised his left hand, the silver and copper threads on his glove glowing slightly as he channeled the energy from his bracer through it. "Aegis," he whispered, unleashing his will toward the door.

The air in the doorway shimmered, seeming to solidify; after a moment, it was like looking through fogged glass, though the fog effect was constantly shifting. "I don't know who the hell you are, fellas," James said, planting his feet and crossing his arms, his voice loud and clear, "but we didn't just get through all the BS the vamps threw at us to have someone else start something up. Who in the hell are you, and why are you IDing us magical folks?"

He didn't show it, but James was already working another spell in his head. That keeps 'em here, but it's best if we get a shield up on this side of 'em, too. Just in case.


Jimmy's casting an evocation to make a block against the gaggle of odd folks trying to get out the door. Specifically, he's erecting a wall of force in the doorway as a zone border.

The math behind the spell:

Wall of Force
Spirit Evocation, Defensive Block
Power: 7 shifts (Superb Conviction, +1 power specialization, and +1 power focus means a cost of 1 mental stress only)
Control: Rolling Superb Discipline, + 1 for control specialization (+6 total)
Duration: 3 exchanges
Effect: Erects a zone border at the door of Weatherby's, requiring a Great (+4) or higher Might roll to break.

Control roll (I put the +6 into the roll itself): [roll0]
EDIT: Tagging the 'Supernatural Power Source' aspect on Jimmy for +2 to the roll, bringing it to +7, just enough to control the spell.

James' Status:

Stress Tracks:
Physical Stress: oooo
Mental Stress: •ooo
Social Stress: oo

Fate: 2

Consequences: None used
Available:
•1 Mild (+1 for mental stress only)
•1 Moderate
•1 Severe

[Aneurin]

Jane

From the table there comes the audible slap of someone bringing the heel of their hand into sharp conjunction with their forehead.

"I'm back in New York for less than five minutes and he's trying to start a fight,"

[Lamech]

When the shield goes up over the door, while it takes a few seconds for everyone to notice the conversation stops. The guys attempting to leave spin around, eyes focusing on James, and put there hands up as if ready to fight. Sam (the bouncer) previously lounging in a chair, unfurls his arms and stands up. He growls, at James I'm not sure what exactly you think these guys are doing, but I know for certain we are NOT starting a fight inside. So I'll ask you kindly once, drop the barrier and leave.

A lady from the crowd steps towards James. She looks like she's in her late twenties, with dark hair and brown eyes. She asks "What exactly is going on here?"

[industrious]

Eddie

Eddie stands up after the lady speaks; his voice carries over to the whole of the inn.

"Well, apparently, these folks were making a list of all our talents. And I don't think they're the Paranet."


Spending a hero point to tag a Scene Aspect (Quiet and Tense). Using Rapport as a maneuver. Placing "Suspicious" on the people trying to leave.

[roll0] +2 Rapport, -1 Living Dead, +2 from the tag.

[Lamech]

The lady says Umm... while they may be creepy I don't think that's possible since they weren't practitioners. At least the one who shook my hand wasn't. She thinks for a second. Well, maybe there is a slight chance... Better safe than sorry! She approaches the coat and sweater team Can I see that book you were writing in? Everyone's just a touch paranoid and this would clear everything up.

[Eldest]

I step towards the coat and sweater guys, and give them a second look, to see if there is anything else odd about them.
This is where her trouble could come in, now...

[Lamech]

Allie
You look at them, and they begin to fall away. Their skin melts and flows into the ground. Behind are vaguely man-shaped clouds of darkness. There are pulsing, glowing lumps of green inside of them, yet you cannot seem to pinpoint them. In fact you can't even seem to pinpoint the people themselves. You can see them, but you can't tell where exactly. You thought there were five of them, but now you can’t tell? Are there four? Maybe seven? Or maybe it’s just one? Then they all look at you and smile revealing rows of razor sharp teeth.
If this somehow begins to cause trouble its worth a fate point; you could freak out; it would be really bad if you got into combat too.

Everyone: If you have anything else to do before the NPC's start acting up you should post it.

[Rizhail]

At Sam's request, James snapped his fingers and the barrier dispersed. While he knew he could be reckless, he wasn't a fool.

Only fools refused to do as Sam asked.

Still, James was ready for the odd balls to do something. He focused his energy, ready to erect a shield or shove the strangers out the door if they tried something. Otherwise, the wizard remained calm and quiet and let the strange woman do her thing.


Making a maneuver via Discipline to try and place an aspect on James, something like 'Focused' or 'Locked and Loaded, Magically Speaking'.

[roll0] (the +5 for James' skill is already in the roll)

[Eldest]

They have no skins... Skinless! They're Skinless! I recoil back in horror and start to shift to wolf form, heedless of the surroundings.
Do you have a problem with the Skinless being a Cherokee horror story that Allie's mother told her about. Nothing actually concrete, just like the Boogieman or Slenderman. "Stay inside at night or the Skinless will get you".

[Lamech]

When the barrier falls Sam puts his hand on the guy with the notebook, Alright then, we are going to get a good bit away from here, and then we can all sort this out. he glances at James also you're coming-
Then he gets cut off by Allie, when he sees her start to transform he rushes over
Its okay, its okay their leaving. and the lady who asked what was going on looks at Allie, panicked and says Wait, what's a skinless?

Four of them get out the door and start running, the last one steps outside and saysWe would love to sort this out and put everyone at ease. But right now we appear to be causing much distress to the lady, and so we must depart in haste. He also turns to run.

The golden eyed lady begins to move towards the door as well, muttering to herself.

Allie The skinless are outside the door, and then there is only one of them. It puts its head back, opens its mouth and lets outs shrill scream.

That is a good aspect, and Skinless sound like great monsters to tell a child about.
And fate point for Eldest

[Aneurin]

Jane

Scooping up her rucksack and slinging it over one shoulder, Jane dodges through the crowd to arrive at the door with more-than-human speed.

"Every time I come to America there's trouble. Maybe I should take that as a hint?" She pats Allie on the shoulder as she goes past without slowing down, and looks out the door. "I don't suppose anyone saw which way those charming people went? I for one don't like the idea of leaving 'skinless' wandering around the place, whatever 'skinless' may be."

[Eldest]

I let out a snarl and jump forward, snapping at the Skinless's lower legs. They might not have hamstrings, but usually legs are important to movement.
[roll0] Fists maneuver to put a aspect similar to "Hamstrung" on the one Skinless Allie sees.
And she now has 4 Fate points.

[Lamech]

Allie
You snap at where the creatures legs should be, but the skinless drifts back, and sinks into the ground, about up to its knees. Then it lifts up its arms and long steel claws materialize at the ends. The claws shoot towards you; the arms stretching unnaturally.

Everyone Else
As Jane reaches the door, Allie charges at the man's legs. He steps back, but Allie nicks his leg, and he falls to his knee. He brings his hands together above Allie and starts to bring them down.
People back away, and Sam stands up and yells Everyone just stay back!


Hamstringing someone seems more like a consequence, but you can certainly The skinless also landed a roll of three, so it only qualifies as a temporary aspect, but you do put it off balance. Also he is attacking Allie with a roll of three.

[Rizhail]

James initially wanted to get between Allie and the odd man, hoping to avoid an outright fight (even if James was being a bit aggressive earlier), but he backed off a step when Sam yelled.

Deciding to take a chance, James slipped out the door quick as he could, around Allie and the odd ball, and looked for the others running away. Upon spotting the one with the notebook, the wizard summoned up his will and attempted to rip the notebook out of his hands with a spell.


All of this is assuming that James can still see the guy with the notebook. If not...well, crap.

The actions: sprinting outside (if the dude with the notebook is one of the four who started running), then casting a spell. I'm assuming notebook guy is a runner, so a -1 on the casting roll due to sprinting outside. If he's the guy in the doorway, add one back to the casting roll because James won't have to move.

The spell: A force based maneuver. The intent is to place an aspect on the guy (more specifically, on the notebook he's carrying): Telekinetic Tug. If the guy resists (I'm thinking Might is the appropriate counter, holding onto the notebook against James telekinetic pull), nothing happens, but if he fails, James will immediately tag the aspect to declare that the notebook flies out of the odd dude's hands and into James' grasp.

The math behind the spell:

Telekinetic Tug
Spirit (Force) Evocation, Offensive Maneuver
Power: 6 shifts (Superb Conviction, +1 power specialization, and +1 power focus means a cost of 1 mental stress only)
Control: Rolling Superb Discipline, + 1 for control specialization (+6), -1 for sprinting (if necessary) (+5 total)
Defense: Might (or any other skill at Lamech's discretion)
Effect: Places the Telekinetic Tug aspect on the target (specifically, the object he's holding).

Control roll: [roll0]

If necessary, I'll end up tagging the Focused aspect I set up earlier (Assuming the Good roll was enough to make it). EDIT: Tagging that aspect for a re-roll in the OOC thread. If that aspect didn't get placed, I'll spend a fate point and invoke Low-Profile Wizard.

EDIT the second: As said in OOC, James will take 3 physical stress as backlash, as the re-rolled control check also failed by 3.

James' Status:

Stress Tracks:
Physical Stress: •••o
Mental Stress: ••oo
Social Stress: oo

Fate: 2

Consequences: None used
Available:
•1 Mild (+1 for mental stress only)
•1 Moderate
•1 Severe

[Eldest]

Allie whips out of the way of the Skinless's clumsy blow, and then jumps at the thing, savaging it's torso before moving out of the way again.
Fists:[roll0]
Will tag Off Balance if needed to hit. Damage will have a plus 1 for claws, and a plus one or two (can't remember which, away from books right now) for inhuman strenght.

[Lamech]

James
You see the group slowing down to turn into an ally. More importantly you see the notebook just poking out of one of their coat pockets. You reach out with your magic for the notebook and latch onto it. As it begins to slide out of the pocket, the man notices and grabs on. You pour more power into the spell than safe by binding the force to your own bone and sinew. The man pulls the notebook back and clutches it to his chest anyway, and you can feel his incredible strength tearing at your muscles.
The spell works, but the guy rolled well...
Allie You tear into the monsters chest. When you bite down, the feeling is all wrong. It is hard to close your jaws on the smokey darkness, but it feels like nothing is there, and it tastes like nothing as well.


Its a hit with 5 fists, and the strength is +2 damage and claws is weapon:1. He got a three on his defense roll so he takes 5 stress

Everyone
The guys hands come down hard; on the pavement thankfully but crack spider web out from the impact. Allie tears into the guys chest, and when she does the wound is a mix of blood and green goop. He's also strangely unfazed by a wolf ripping into his chest.

Sam is still trying to keep people away from the fight, the golden eyed lady had to stop the brown eyed one who stepped out of the crowd earlier from going outside.

[industrious]

Voodoo Eddie

The reanimated man presses a button, and extends his baton.

"Now that's just disgusting. And I once had to sow together my spleen."

He flicks his weapon once, and whipping it far more than his narrow, lean frame would have one believe, cracks it against the creature's back.


Weapons Roll: [roll0]
If it hits, it's a Weapon: 4 Attack

[Aneurin]

Jane

She looks startled as the wolf pushes past her, and more so when the man breaks the pavement.

"I must be slowing up," she says, blinking, before whispering under her breath; "Ceilte,"

As if in response, the man vanishes from sight, but by the same token is unable to see as the heavy-handed veil blocks off vision both inside and outside.

She then takes off at full speed after the men who vanished down the alley.

Using a Faerie Glamours Veil on the turtleneck guy, then moving two zones for free thanks to Supernatural Speed.

Discipline to resist attempts to see through the veil.
[roll0]

If possible, I'd also like to spend a Fate point to place an aspect on the scene; "Rainy Day" and tag it so that all this is unobserved by the vanilla types wandering around.

[Eldest]

Allie
I shift closer to where the Skinless was, leaping again to knock it back. I don't need sight to find it. Sent is good enough for a wolf.
All this is assuming that I get to go again, if not then I'll delete this. Things have kinda moved fast IC today.

Alertness to find the Skinless [roll0]
And I'm not really sure what the Supernatural Senses would do, again away from the book.
Fists to put Staggered on the Skinless [roll1]

[Lamech]

Everyone The dark sky lets down a sheet of rain sending the few normals watching the chaos scurrying inside. Then the skinless already on the ground barely even tries to avoid the blow from Eddie, and the hit lands square across his back, and he starts to blend in with the ground until its hard to even see him. As Jane starts to close with the fleeing skinless they dart into the alley, worryingly a sickly green glow comes out of it.
Allie
A corpse wearing tattered rags, Eddie, lurches forward, and swings a beam of light through the skinless. The cloud loses its cohesion and begins to spread out across the ground. The green glows start to dim. Although you can still smell it, even though it doesn't smell like anything.

His defense roll was 2, so that is a nice seven stress hit which takes him out. Also what is the baton made of?
Aneurin your declaration does work. Mechanically the alleyway is three zones away and another zone to actually get inside.
Eldest: the guy is taken out, I'm not sure if you want to change your result based on that. Although still attacking the downed skinless would be a reasonable compel (of visions or go for the throat) if you want to self-compel*, takes you out of combat effectively and quite possibly kills the skinless.
*I don't really want to initiate a compel that has a result of "removed from the scene". It seems a bit unfair.

[Aneurin]

Jane

Without bothering to look over her shoulder, Jane continues to run after the other strangers. She mutters; "Deargéitheach" as she runs, and slows a moment as her form shimmers and reforms as a copy of the turtleneck guy - clothes and all.

With that done, she darts into the alley after the other turtlenecks feverently hoping that the green glow was just a glow stick.

Right; Seeming up to look like turtleneck, and moving two zones to enter the alley-way as a supplemental action. Trying to be inconspicuous about the very obviously faster-than-human speed.

[Lamech]

Eep! I meant three zones from the rest of party and one to enter it. You would only be one away and another two enter it. I swear I will stop making mistakes soon.

[Lamech]

Jane
You turn down the alleyway, the glow was definitely not a glow stick. The people are in a circle holding hands, and a green glowing cloud billows up from the center. The guy behind the cloud seems to be mumbling. Blood and a bit of green dripping down their mouths, and more of it pools on the ground in front of each of them. As you approach the chanting stops and lighting lashes out from the cloud striking one of the men in his leg, sending him sprawling to the ground. Then cloud begins to clear revealing not the alley way, but a dead field the cloud marking the edges of the portal. The man with the notebook steps out from behind the portal and the others turn to look at you. Notebook man asks "You're unhurt? How?"


Alertness Rolls to pierce the veil: 3,0,2,4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3410339/) Invisible Castle hates you. On the plus side, thuramaturgy has left them in poor shape, with wonderful aspects for tagging. (Blood Loss on all of them and Seared Leg and the guy who rolled a 2 specifically) Roll well! (Also I'm pretty sure you roll when someone opposes the veil not when making it, although we can change that if you want. )

Allie
You chow down on the darkness snapping at the skinless you smell in the center. As you do one by one the green lights wink out and the cloud clears, all that this left behind is a man with his skin flayed off and his muscles shredded and hanging from bone.

Everyone else Allie shreds the downed man, unless he is truly survivable he the bite to the throat sealed his fate, assuming he wasn't already doomed from bites to his side and leg.

All right then next turn. The skinless in the alley have finished their portal, and their action was piercing the seeming. (Well trying at least.) Industrious and Rizhail, actions like sprinting to the alley, or really anything that wouldn't attack them outright can probably be slotted in retroactively.

[Aneurin]

Jane

Slowing and stopping panting, Jane in her disguise looks around at the group, and says in an attempt at theturtleneck's voice;
"Bruises. They were too busy stopping the one who turned into a wolf from causing a scene in the middle of the street to stop me, but they'll be coming after us soon."

I rolled the last veil under the assumption people would be trying to pierce it from the second it went up - particularly the guy who was being blinded by it. Seemed easiest to save time.

Deceit for the disguise; [roll0]

If possible, I'd like to tag Blood Loss to penalise their opposed rolls as they're a bit woozy.

[Eldest]

Allie looks up from the corpse of the Skinwalker, and shakes her muzzle off. She then sprints towards the alley where she saw the others vanishing into, a low growl escaping as she goes.
Athletics[roll0]+1 zones moved.

[Rizhail]

James hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to chase after Jane or stay and sort out the fight between Allie, Eddie, and the oddball. The turtleneck slamming his fists through the concrete made up Jimmy's mind; the thought of his friend facing four of them alone, even with her powers, shocked him into action.

Pouring his will into the silver ring on his right hand, James ran after Jane and the four strangers with the speed of a trained sprinter, the magic within the ring granting him a few moments of extreme agility.

Upon seeing her work a seeming to blend in with their foes, James held back a bit from the alley. He listened from around the corner, ready to support Jane if things went (further) south.

And with a moment to stop and focus, James began to feel wrathful. We can't go a week without some new pricks targeting folks around here, the wizard thought, feeling his anger growing while waiting for some sign that Jane needed his support. Then, something occurred to him. The way that one back at Weatherby's bled, and with how he strong he was, means they aren't human.

James drew upon that anger and began prepping another spell.

Which means that, if all else fails, the First Law doesn't apply.


The retroactive turn: Sprinting after Jane. Activating the haste ring for one exchange of Superb (+5) Athletics to allow James to actually have a chance at keeping up.

Athletics: [roll0]

Current turn: Using a Conviction maneuver to place the 'Rage Fueled Mage' aspect on James, to be tagged for combat magic if need be.

Conviction: [roll1]

EDIT: Now where were these rolls when I was trying to grab that notebook? :smalltongue:

[Lamech]

Allie
You dash forward to the edge of the alley and see four more of the skinless, and someone wearing a bad skinless costume, sort of a loose, black rubbery jumpsuit. They are loosely in a circle around a gaping hole in the air. One of the skinless is holding a ball of green light in its hand and moves to offer it to the person in the costume, and the remaining three move between you and the costumed person, claws out and watching you.

You get there in time, I assume that without the visions you would be able to tell who Jane is, and attacking your own party member would definitely be worth another fate point. The skinless are working together, and manage to cobble together a mighty block of 5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3428340/) (Ignore the second, and third roll if you look) to prevent you from getting to Jane or the portal.

Rizhail you get your aspect

Jane
As Allie comes into view, the one with the notebook yells, Don't let that girl in here! then he turns back to you, and holds out the notebook You haven't left blood everywhere; you're the best choice for getting this back to base. Use the maze obviously. Once you're underwater we'll head back on the other route. Oddly the notebook doesn't seem to be getting wet in the downpour. So I'm definitely going to make sure at least one bad guy has good alertness in the future. Yes, you can take the book without any trouble. And no the people defending you aren't watching for you to betray them so you don't need to worry about the block, although getting through three people still counts as a border of say, 1. (Not that it really matters with supernatural speed)

[Aneurin]

Jane

Jane shoots the portal a look, then nods once, grasps the book and hops through the portal in to the field beyond. As soon as she's in, she scans the area, making sure it's safe; if all's well, she looks over her shoulder to see if anyone's watching.

If she's unobserved, she Veils herself, and steps to the side of the portal - out of the path of anyone else going through - and watching it carefully for any signs that it might be closing.

[Rizhail]

"I've got your back, Allie!" James called as he stepped out behind his friend the werewolf. Looking over the scene in the alley, he realized that he couldn't throw out any big spells without hurting his friends, so the wizard changed tactics.

"Aegis!" Jimmy shouted, focusing his energy and willing a bubble of force to appear around Allie, the magical construct acting to retard incoming force without affecting her movements or attacks.


Variant of the Aegis spell
Type: Spirit evocation, defensive
Power: 7
Control: Discipline (+5) +1 for specialization
Duration: 2 exchanges
Effect: Fantastic (+6) block vs. physical attacks (guns, swords, punches, etc.)

Control roll: [roll0] vs. 7

Will tag 'Rage Fueled Mage' temporary aspect if need be. Jimmy really doesn't want to see his buddies hurt here.

EDIT: Yeah, tagging the aspect for a +2 to the roll, bringing it up to the 7 I need to succeed.

[Lamech]

Allie
The skinless continue to hold. Claws out, watching you, but not yet attacking. The air in front of you begins to shimmer.
Jane
You scan the area. Its a field of tall grass, all dead. Bits of blood are on the grass and bones are hidden beneath. It goes on for miles in all directions, the only thing except the dead grass, within miles is a pool of water just behind the portal.
When you glance back through the portal the skinless are watching Allie. You think the portal is closing just a bit, the edges are wavering a bit so you aren't sure. If the portal is closing it is closing slowly.

James
The shield springs up around Allie, and the stand off continues.
The skinless continue there block on keeping anyone from getting behind them. 9 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3452849/) all together. Rizhail your spell works.

[Aneurin]

Jane

Jane looks around uneasily at the field. There was definitely something unsettling about it. She removes her backpack for long enough to draw a short, wide-bladed sword from a scabbard that has been cunningly glamoured to look like an umbrella. She reshoulders her pack, and edges over to the pool to look in it, keeping an eye on the portal the whole time.

[Rizhail]

James hesitated for a moment, unsure quite how he wanted to proceed now that a confrontation was occurring. As much as he wanted to take the oddballs down, clearing a path for Jane was more important.

Focusing his will again, Jimmy attempted to put a visible force effect on the feet of each of his foes, hoping to keep them from moving for a moment to give Jane a chance to get to safety. Considering she was disguised, though, he avoided calling out to her, knowing that she would likely pick up on what was happening.


Leg Lock
Spirit Evocation, Defensive Block
Power: 7 shifts (Superb Conviction, +1 power specialization, and +1 power focus means a cost of 1 mental stress only)
Control: Rolling Superb Discipline, + 1 for control specialization (+6 total)
Duration: 1 exchange
Effect: Places a force effect on each of the enemies in the zone around the portal, creaing a +5 block against them moving (assuming Might or Athletics would be the skills they'd need to counter with).

(Power breakdown: 7 shifts total, 5 for the block effect and 2 to make it affect targets in an area)

Control roll: [roll0], need to get a 7 to succeed.

EDIT: I'm consistently rolling two below what I need. :smallannoyed:

I'll take the 2 points needed as backlash. These guys have already proven that I can't afford the weaker effects fallout would generate.

I'd rather burn off my spare mental consequence than take up my general one. I might need that physical consequence space should the buggers get past Allie, and I'd honestly prefer to hold onto my measily two fate points. :smalltongue:

So, Mild Consequene: Splitting Headache work?

James' Status (Yay, mental stress!)
Stress Tracks:
Physical Stress: •••o
Mental Stress: ••••
Social Stress: oo

Fate: 2

Consequences: Mild Mental Consequence: Splitting Headache

Available:
•1 Mild (+1 for mental stress only)
•1 Moderate
•1 Severe

[Eldest]

Allie growls but holds her ground. She smells James' magic, and it's bad to be next to the baddies when James uses his magic.

[Lamech]

Jane
At the bottom of the pool you see a shaft cut through rock, and filled with clear water. As it goes down it gets narrower and it has what look like openings to the sides. The whole tunnel looks distorted somehow although you can't place your finger on it. The portal continues, to hold fairly steady. Although you are almost positive it is shrinking just a bit.

Allie
Tendrils of light come up around the Skinless, and wrapping around there legs. They struggle and scream, but their legs stay firmly planted on the ground.
James
Your spell works wonderfully. One of them says, Alright then he should be in the maze by now, lets get out of here. When they try and move there legs however... All they can do is strain.
The spell works and the Skinless are unable to flee.

[Aneurin]

Jane

Jane looks at the blood-and-bone-strewn field, then at the portal. Field, portal. Field, portal.

"Blow this for a lark," she says with a shrug, and alters her Glamour to that of a male Sidhe Knight of the Summer Court before stepping back through the portal with her sword drawn.

[Eldest]

Allie pauses and then lunges forward, moving through the Skinless formation and ramming into their legs, knocking them off balance.
Fighting check for a maneuver, putting Knockback on one of the Skinless.
[roll0]

[Lamech]

Sorry for the wait, finals have taken a bite out of my life. (But they're done now, so...) Anyway, James is spent, so I think its okay to move without Rizhail:

Jane
The skinless begin to scramble back to the portal (one of which is on the ground). When you step out of the portal and into the rain, as soon as the skinless see you, quickly look very distinctly not at you. One of them says I don't think he's one of the creatures from the field, but still don't look at him. He pauses for a second and as he's passing you says Lord, we swear we want no conflict with you, we just want to pass. We apologize for the rudeness, but it would give us great piece of mind if you didn't say anything. They slip around you step into the portal, and you here one of them say Alright then, he appears to have made it too the maze, and it still seems to be day here. We need to move...
James
What appears to be a summer fey steps out of the portal, and the skinless stumble around it and into the way.
Allie
You slam into the skinless, knocking backwards as he falls to the ground. A person steps out from the tear in the air. He has bits of leaves and vines woven into his hair. The skinless shrink from this figure and retreat through the hole in the air. The one on the ground does a surprisingly quick scramble and sort of dives through the hole.

Everyone Its still raining, you are rather very wet and the blood in the alleyway is slowly being washed away by the rain. And the green goop seems mostly dissolved by the rain at this point.

(Aneurien assume you aren't letting the notebook be readily visible.) Also you and Rizhail should probably make opposed checks to see if James can break the veil. And unless someone really wants to stop them the skinless are all cashing out.

[Aneurin]

Jane

The figure that steps through the portal is quite unmistakeably inhuman. Eyes the colour of fresh-mown grass, hair the shade of sun-ripened corn. Slender and supple. Unearthly grace and beauty. In one hand it holds a broadsword crafted in the Faerie style - intricate patterns of engraved lines spiral and spread across the blade in an unknowable pattern. The figure wears mail crafted from some form of green and golden metal.

He gestures grandly and courteously to the turtlenecks and allows them to pass him; once they have, however, he winks broadly at Allie and James, before turning to face the portal and taking up a guard position, ready to meet anything that should attempt to come through it.

Curiously, the figure almost seems to shimmer, and nearly reveal another shape underneath as the rain touches it.



As all this goes on, Jane fights the shiver that runs down her spine at the mention of creatures in the field. It was not a nice-looking field

Oops. I'd actually forgotten Jane had that notebook!

[Rizhail]

((OOC: Sincerest apologies for not updating IC. It was me just being horribly forgetful. :smallredface:))

Much as he wanted to go after the strangers, Jimmy held back. The aching in his joints from his earlier backlash and his splitting headache told him quite clearly that continued heavy magic use would be a bad idea.

Catching his breath, James looked over the strange fae that had stepped from the portal. Is that Jane, or do I need to dive into that portal after her? He was familiar with his friend's illusionary abilities, but the fae realms were strange; a Sidhe randomly walking out of a portal would not be the oddest thing Jimmy had encountered.


I'm assuming an Alertness roll (Jimmy's alertness: +4) to see past the glamour: [roll0]

[Aneurin]

Jane

The figure Jimmy sees walking through the portal is very similar to that of the version of Jane he's used to seeing. However, there are more angles to her face, she's far paler than she normally is and her eyes are very, very different. Instead of the usual blue, they're violet. Instead of a human pupil, she has the feline-like slit pupil. There's something distincly inhuman about how she moves, as well and all her features seem slightly... off somehow.

While Jimmy's not seen Jane without her protective glamour on in quite a long time - since about the time they first met, in fact; he can be pretty sure that it's really her.

[Eldest]

With a final growl after the Skinless, Allie shifts back to human form, and finally notices the rain. Anybody got something I could wear? It's raining and... kinda public.

[Lamech]

Aneurin's veil roll was a one in the OOC thread. So you can tell its clearly an illusion, and its seems like who ever is under it probably has a fairly similar build to Jane. Otherwise you probably have a couple minutes before anyone pokes their heads out of the tavern.

[Lamech]

Eventually the golden eyed lady pokes her head out of the tavern. She asks Is the fighting over? If it is we might want to figure out what to do with this body, and get your friend her clothes back.

[Aneurin]

Jane

Jane holds her position in front of the portal until it's closed, increasingly nervous at the mention of "creatures" in the meadow. As the portal narrows, though, she becomes increasingly more relaxed and her guard lowers.

With the portal finally being closed, she sheathes her sword, and shrugs out of the 'mail' and holds it out to Allie. With Jane's grip on it gone, the 'armour' turns back in to an old navy-blue greatcoat. Seconds later, the faerie knight is gone, and in his place is the familiar face of Jane Goodway.

She lets out a long sigh.

"I hate holding a glamour in the rain. Let's get back inside," she says, vaguely waving the book at the others to let them know she has it.

[Eldest]

Allie shrugs into the greatcoat, buttons it all the way up, and walks back into the pub, picking up her cloths and carrying them to the washroom, where she changes back into her cloths.

[Aneurin]

Jane

Already somewhat bedraggled by the rain, and becoming more so by the minute with the sacrifice of her coat to the Greater Modesty, Jane hurries back to the bar - although she does keep her hurrying to a speed vanilla mortals are capable of.

As she steps back in to the main room of the bar, she raises the book she holds above her head and shouts across to the room;

"All right - what am I bid for one mysterious book, much desired by many? Acquired at great personal risk, I might add. Bidding opens at one pizza. Any takers?" she looks around the room, taking in some of the more bemused stares. "What? I've not eaten today,"

Rolling Presence to try and apply an aspect of 'Paying Attention' to the audience.
[roll0]

[Rizhail]

James follows the ladies back to the bar, trying to focus past his headache and mentally kicking himself for pushing his magic too hard.

"I'll trade you two pizzas for that book and an aspirin," he calls out to Jane as he takes an open seat, holding his head in one hand and trying to focus.


Gonna let Jane do whatever she's aiming to do, so no real actions for Jimmy at this moment.

[Lamech]

Everyone
Well everyone does stop their conversation to look at Jane, the mention of selling the book just given away is a bit important. The golden eyed lady says, "You cannot possibly be serious..." Another woman (the one who golden eyes stopped from getting in the middle of the fight earlier) Wait, is this the book with the supposed list of talents? A man starts to speak before being cut off Very important everyone, don't talk about the dead guy outside to the cops without a lawyer. I would prefer we not all get arrested.
She pauses for a few moments, before pointing at Jane and saying
And back to the auction.

Allie
After you have shifted back the world slowly begins returning to normal. By the time you are changed into your clothes, everything seems right again.

You definitely do get the aspect. Also I am so sad you didn't explicitly auction it, that would have been the best compel ever.

[Aneurin]

Hey, I'll auction the thing - that was the plan! Just giving everyone a chance to get involved.

Jane

"This is indeed the book of talents - which in fact reminds me of something. Next step in the bidding is two pizzas and an explanation of why, exactly, there's a dead guy out the front and I just got dragged in to the Nevernever. Takers?"

[Rizhail]

"I'm more curious who those guys were. Supernaturally strong and tough, access to some kind of magic or innate ability to open a Way, and a crappy fashion sense," Jimmy piped up from his seat. "And there aren't a lot of guys out there who can counter my magic through sheer strength. Even the vamps had trouble with that."

[Lamech]

Everyone in the crowd is silent for a few seconds mostly looking at Jane, but a a couple people, most notably Amanda and Sam, are looking at the two woman who spoke earlier. I can certainly get pizza. Now since they seemed to have red and green blood, and the green blood dissolved away they appear to be partly physical, and partly made of ectoplasm. Although that is a lot of stuff, some kinds of faerie's, some vampires, or maybe even humans with... things grafted on, would all qualify.

The brown-eyed lady speaks after the first finishes
If the other four escaped, did you manage to wound them at all? I know people who might be able to track them down if I had a blood sample, if it hasn't all washed away that is.