[D:tD] Honey and Vinegar [IC]

[Mono Vertigo]

The spray of the sea kicks up around the ferry, and you watch the Seattle port disappear behind you. A good number of people ride with you — some probably going to the lavender farm near Port Angeles, some returning from a night on the town. But what are you doing on this ferry? As you watching storm clouds gather in the west, that question looms large in your mind.
You're not going to be caught in the storm, not before you reach the land anyway. You can relax and talk with the passengers, or call someone, have fun on the deck of the boat, or even try and earn some money however you may, either by appealing to people's charity... or serving yourself directly in their pockets.

[Ridai]

Idle skating 'round the cars, precious little space to do anything interesting, so the tricks stay mundane, mostly just lazily rolling, up and down... and up... and down... Doesn't take long for some middle-aged jackass to lower a window and talk crap to the latino girl. As if she's gonna take her board and smash the sunburst pattern right into that wine-red coating (which seems awfully fetishistically polished, by the way). With her hood on and the earbuds remaining in place, Reina already a few cars away, she just turns to the guy and answers with a raised middle finger before heading to the upper deck, ignoring the gestures and mumblings that follow.

Walking up the stairs, board under her arm, the girl checks her Nexus, idling swishing and tapping through her messages and feeds before the smartphone disappears in a pocket of her dark gray jeans again, just silently glancing at the people as she passes by them.

Even up there, she sits down for a moment, checking her phone again, putting it away again, letting her head hang back over the backrest, stretching and yawning. She isn't particularly tall, perhaps veering a little to the small side, her body slender, though nowhere near some of the borderline anorexic girls going to the school where she usually hangs out nearby with her buddies. The sneakers on her feet are well-worn, just like her skateboard now attached to her bag once more. The short black hair looks equally feathery and messy, the field jacket a bit weathered, a dark blue t-shirt over a light gray long-sleeved one giving a sense of her figure.

Not wanting to sit still anymore, Reina heads out onto the platforms, tapping her fingers in the green railing, sighing, stretching a little more (revealing a relatively astounding flexibility) and finally perching herself on the thick horizontal bars, her arms crossed beneath her chin on the top one, looking at the waves crashing, the sky darkening, the cars below, the people passing by, whatever. Nothing to do, nothing new, just bored.

Of course, this is a relatively good place for Hawk. Gets a good look at much of the ferry, several ways to leave her spot without arousing attention (and a few more for emergency purposes). Of course her phone is jailbroken, internet and wireless currently disabled. Precautions. Perhaps she'll need them soon. Storm is brewing, she'll be on the island for a while. She's seen two familiar faces and she is pretty sure they saw her too. Omens. The consideration that her lead might have been some sort of trap passes through her mind, whether by some angel or her fellow demon. Hopefully the escape routes won't be needed.

Some guy, around Reina's age, does come by, probably lured intrigued by the short flexible display. And probably because he is bored and she's a (relatively) cute girl. Hawk prepares herself for idle chatting, "make conversation" mode, Reine glancing at the dude, then back into the distance, waiting for his first move.

[runestone]

Ram might be a good name.

Standing on the top deck of the ferry, Bjorn looks towards the gathering clouds. It would be nice to feel a proper thunderstorm, but the ferry will probably reach port before that. From the sea, the city looks too much like it did last time he was here even though everything has changed in the meantime. The wind never felt like this, not before. And it never smelled like this before.

He keeps an eye on his fellow passengers, but stays apart for now. It would not be good to run into someone who knew him in the other life. But they would hardly recognize him. Bjorn's blond hair is cropped short now, and it has become much more visible that his hairline is starting to recede. The past few weeks on the road have also taken their toll. He has lost weight, and the designer jeans he is wearing under the black leather motorcycle trousers will not fit him much longer. He is even wearing sunglasses. These pitiful disguises will have to do for now, but they must be replaced by something better soon. His face had been on tv when the building collapsed, and his name is much too foreign. Both should be changed as soon as possible.

Bjorn checks his new phone, because that is what people do, and it is important to appear normal, but there are no messages. There are never any messages. Not anymore. That will have to change too. People have messages.

Why take the ferry? It is certainly comforting to be sheltered among so many living bodies, but it might still have been safer to drive. At least it would have been easier to get away if something went wrong. It would not have taken more than two and a half hours. Or much less if he drove the bike as it was meant to be driven. He lets a smile touch Bjorn's lips. That would certainly be a stupid way to attract attention.

The ferry just seems so small compared to the Puget Sound, and there are so many ways in which it could fail. A fire or a simple hole in the hull would do the trick. Or time. Given enough time the thing would fall apart by itself.

He mentally shakes himself to lose these pessimistic thoughts. Well, some things deserve to fail sooner rather than later. Some walls deserve to crumble, and some gates deserve to be smashed.

Yes, Ram would do as a name.

He zips up the motorcycle jacket and turns away from the sea to move towards the stairs.

[darklink_shadow]

Hillary and George were still together at the end of the day, despite Jake's efforts. Rubbing his eyes, Jake stood up from his desk, and walked to the water cooler, pretending that he needed water. In truth, the water cooler had a good vantage to Hillary's desk, and Jake just wanted to stare for a few minutes. She was on the other side of the room, her head the apparent size of the eraser on the pencil he had left on his desk, but with his superior vision, she seemed right next to him.

He sighed and drank the water he had poured for himself before returning to his desk to grab his coat and leave the office early. He'd taken on a few extra hours earlier in the week to get out of work in the afternoon today because he wanted to drop by the Lavender Farm to pick up some honey, and maybe a few other things.

---

Getting onto the ferry was easy enough, despite the crush of people wanting to board because Jake had planned ahead and bought his ticket a full week ago. It was strange, he guessed, for them to have a pre-order on a ticket, but Jake, his cover, had always been overly cautious. It was what made Hillary not interested in him, he thought. George was spontaneous, even if he was stupid, dull-looking, vulgar and just plain mean.

Once on the ferry, Jake leaned back on the bars and looked up. The little street rat was up there. She'd been a waste of money, the two fought and made up. But it was the start of their end, because they fought and made up everyday. Each time they fought, Jake thought it would be their last, and each time they made up, Jake considered a more murderous approach, but things couldn't last as they were. Jake glanced at his phone, the flicking green light meant he had a new message so he checked it.

It was just a text message thanking him for his hard work as of late from his boss. Jake nearly threw his phone into the waters, frustrated. ~What did I think? It was going to be Hillary professing her love of me and hatred of George? Maybe for a moment I did.~ Jake grit his teeth, replaced his phone and calmed himself. ~If he died, she'd love him forever. She needs to grow to hate him if I want her.~

[GrassyGnoll]

Antwan steps off the bus and onto the pier. He breezes through the ticket kiosk with an electronically verified pass and hauls two weighty instrument cases on board as carry-ons. Aboard the ferry, Antwan takes his seat on the promenade deck. The lone black man looks apprehensively around the passenger compartment.

[Mono Vertigo]

There's a lot of people on board, most already seem half-bored to death. Almost begging for the storm to leave the horizon and come over, just to have something happen.
Like the young man approaching Reina, but he's found a distraction, fortunately. "Crappy weather, heh? First storm of the year. Just my luck there's one the year I get the job." He winks. "Name's Tony. What's yours?"
Meanwhile, a man in his early 20s approaches Jake with a badly-concealed smirk. "Hey man, if you don't want your phone anymore, you could give it to me instead. I could use one."

[[Antwan should roll Wits + Composure here.]]

[Ridai]

Looking straight ahead, Reina answers "**** happens, huh?" Giving Tony a sidelong glance past the egde of her hood as he winks at her and introduces himself, as if sizing him up, giving a half-smile that passes as an icebreaker of sorts. "Reina." Tony does note that she doesn't roll the R like Americans do and while she doesn't sport an accent, a mostly bilingual upbringing seems to show itself.

"Ain't envying your farm job with that thing brewing over there, that's for sure. Where're you working at?" The girl leans back, arms outstretched as she still holds onto the top railing, before leaning forward again and letting her arms cross again, casually glancing around every once in a while as if to just break up the monotony of staring at someone's face.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Reina]
He cringes and smiles at the same time. "Aw, busted! It's the shoes, isn't it? Usually, girls don't notice the shoes before, like, 5 minutes..."
He readjusts his backward baseball cap, still looking at Reina in a friendly manner. "Lavender farm. Lots of couples coming all year long. I don't see your boyfriend around, so... I don't suppose you're going to Port Angeles to visit it?"

[Ridai]

"That and your hands." Reina gives a sly smile and briefly raising her hands, pretty much saying she doesn't want to brag, buuut... However, it doesn't seem like the latina is going to have him buzz right off because of those things. A sharp eye and the implication of not being one of those shallow girls. Might be a bad thing for some, as good as anything else for others, or a challenge to a few.

"I guess you want to show me around, by the sounds of it? Lemme just ask my man real quick." She looks over Tony's shoulder, making it sound completely believable. She laughs when he looks around in shock, expecting an angry boyfriend behind him, only to find thin air. Still, her laugh isn't a derisive one, it was just a harmless joke. "Relax, just messing with you. Nah, just looking for a change of pace, is all. Thought about stopping by the farm, though. Might as well check that off the list while I'm around."

[runestone]

On his way towards the stairs, Bjorn overhears a man making a stupid comment about a phone. That guy should watch out, the other one looked mad enough to begin with.

He trails a hand on the green rails as he makes his way towards the rear end of the ship and the stairs to the cafeteria deck. What he needs now is good cup of coffee. Even the crappy cafeteria on a ship like this probably has a deal with Starbucks, so you no longer have to make do with a cup of lukewarm brownish liquid.

Coming round a corner, he immediately recognizes the young latino girl perched on the rails. She seems occupied, talking to boy her own age, but he remembers how she constantly kept an eye on her surrounding during their last meeting, and she is sure to see him in a moment if she has not already. There is group of tourist between them, but his height makes it impossible to hide even if he wanted to.

Not reacting at all would be conspicuous, so he lets the human reflexes take over, breaking stride slightly when he sees her and pretending to scratch his cheek so his mouth is hidden behind his arm. He only lets his eyes dwell on her and her companion for an instant before letting his gaze drift towards the horizon.

Had she been following him? He was not yet fully adjusted to the new life when they met back in Seattle. Was there something he had missed?

[darklink_shadow]

Jake gave the man an annoyed look. It's not the phone's fault, really. I was just hoping to hear from someone else. After slipping his phone back in his pockets he rubbed his face with both hands for a moment then laughed. It's just... women, am I right? Heh... Well, actually just this one.

Jake shook his head and sighed. What're you doing out here?

[Ridai]

Reina's eyes meet Bjorn's for the slightest instant, letting him know she knows he is there, but seeing how she is currently preoccupied, perhaps a little chat needs to wait for now.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Jake]
"Aaaah, women. Yeah, you're right" The man laughs loudly. He's got the bad breath of a drunk man. "Just saw the ex-wife, and the brat of her new guy, he broke my phone, the little son of a..." He shakes his fist, menacing no one in particular, but quickly calms down. "And you, what'cha here for?"

[Reina]
For an instant, Tony is fooled, but he quickly relaxes again. "I'd love to show you around, but it's going to be a busy day for me. Get as much done before the storm arrives, and pray it doesn't destroy everything in the next few days. Still, I could find some time, after work, this evening. What do you think?"

[Ridai]

There is a chance Hawk will need to check the farm out in search of her lead (or to snoop around a little if what is brewing right now isn't just nothing to worry about).
"Sure. Just tell me where and when and what your number is if I can't make it. You know, ****** weather 'n' all that." Reina gestures to the oncoming storm and already has her phone in hand. The girl sure doesn't screw around, knowing exactly what she wants and having directed the conversation pretty much from the beginning. It is sort of the same with her crew, as she is the only girl who actually skates and is one of the few of them who have some sharpness to her eyes.

[Mono Vertigo]

"Sure!"
They trade phone numbers.

[Ridai]

Reina pretends to type in the number, but actually Hawk just memorizes it. The number is the one of her "public" SIM (also often internally called her garbage SIM) and doesn't have any relevant data or numbers saved. She has another for other purposes.
"Alright." In one smooth motion, Reina is on her feet again, hoisting up her bag and skateboard and slinging it over her shoulder once more. "See ya then, Tony." With a friendly slip on the upper arm and a sly but pretty smile, she heads back inside, grabbing a coffee and strolling around. Sipping from her coffee, she waits for Bjorn to meet her gaze again and Reina subtly shifts her gaze to the side, indicating a less densely filled part of the ferry before heading there after a little bored detour.

Leaning against the wall, a little out of sight, she looks at Bjorn while tapping her coffee cup, as if expecting an answer.

[runestone]

After getting his coffee, Bjorn stops to collect a brochure from the ferry company from a stand beside the door to the promenade deck. Outside, he leafs through it while wandering aimlessly for a while before seeing Reina exit with her own coffee. After their eyes meet, he spends a little time looking a sailboat while drinking the rest of his coffee before proceeding to the suggested meeting point.

Once there, he takes up position a little away from Reina and spends a few moments comparing the crude map on the back of the brochure with the shoreline. Then he approaches her holding the map in one hand and pointing to the shore with the other. "Excuse me, do you know if it's Vancouver Island we can see to the north?" After getting closer, he adds "I hadn't expected to see you here" in a lower voice while still pretending to be discussing the view.

[Ridai]

"Me neither. Nor another one." Reina answers quietly, in the course of their feigned talk looking to Bjorn, making gestures out towards the waters or to give a sense of islands' positions and apparently looking up some things on her phone. "This is one too many for a coincidence, especially with where we are going and that the storm will make getting back difficult."

Hawk doesn't even bother with eyeing Bjorn, given their perfect control, but there is an undeniable inquisitiveness to her voice. Every demon is a perfect liar. Trust issues are not exactly rare.

[runestone]

"What do you mean, another one? Someone like me?" Bjorn studies Reina's reactions trying to figure out if she is hiding anything. "And you had no idea that I would be aboard this ferry?"

[Ridai]

"Do you think I'd come have a chat and stay in plain sight if I had known? Yes, another one like you and I don't think I have to tell you this is bad for all of us. Now, what are you doing here?"

[runestone]

"I'm visiting someone in Port Angeles, and I had probably taken the bike if the forecast hadn't promised rain. What about you?"

"The other, who is it? Can you point him out or describe him to me. Could he have followed you?" While still pretending to discuss the scenery, Bjorn looks around at the other passengers trying to find out if anyone is taking an interest in them. "We shouldn't stay talking like this much longer. The two of us are too conspicuous together"

[darklink_shadow]

If I understand correctly, I succeeded so I will do my plan now.

Jake reached into his pocket and withdrew a slightly older model of his phone, the phone one generation older than his current. I've actually been holding onto a spare phone. He holds it up for the man to see, then continues. I don't really need it, I just didn't want to throw it away. It's useless to me though. So, here.

Jake tossed the phone to the man. The name's Jake. You owe me one, alright? I heard the bars nearby have good mead. Let's hit up a pub. I could really a drink after my day. Plus, I'm still a little new to the area, and it's hard to meet people outside work. After a pause he furrowed his brow. But I didn't answer your question. I came out here to buy some honey. Lavender honey is very sweet.

[Ridai]

"Investigating a possible forming cult. And no, I doubt he followed me." Reina gives him the skinny about Jake's description before making motions as if bidding Bjorn farewell, heading back inside, going back to looking incredibly bored and thumbing around on her phone, but behind the disguise her eyes and ears are very much open, having a good look at most of the room and parts of the outside pathways.

[nyrackpoole]

"Investigating a possible forming cult. And no, I doubt he followed me." Reina gives him the skinny about Jake's description before making motions as if bidding Bjorn farewell, heading back inside, going back to looking incredibly bored and thumbing around on her phone, but behind the disguise her eyes and ears are very much open, having a good look at most of the room and parts of the outside pathways.

Huhh,, seems great man!!
but seriously I'd tried out this method of honey and vinegar since I was suffering from arthritis and previously heard of it also, so my friend suggested me to use this drink and it is traditionally been used as a home self remedy for many ailments also.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Jake]
The guy stares at the phone, flabbergasted. It takes him a few seconds to realize he's not just imagining the phone.
"Whoa, for serious? Man, I owe you a good drink."
He inspects it, holding it as if it the crown of the Queen of England, but appears satisfied by what he sees, even if it doesn't work without the proper card, and in consequence, he doesn't pay a lot of attention to the rest of the discussion. "Name's Robert. That's unbelievable, I never good luck like that. I've got to tell my colleagues. If they'll believe me. You're a savior, dude, where were you when I met my ex?"


(Meanwhile, an employee at a phone store is working his last day there, for his manager is going to fire him for theft once he notices the missing phone.
But such is life.)

[Reina, Bjorn]

[[Wits + Comp to try and see anything suspicious.]]

[runestone]

There was no way of knowing how much of what Reina had said was true, but he had to know more about her, and about the other demon she mentioned, so
as Reina turns to leave, Bjorn opens himself to the aether searching for resonances.

Keeping himself attuned to the aether as long as possible, Bjorn goes to search for the person Reina has described to him while keeping a close watch for anything else out of the ordinary.

[Mono Vertigo]

Bjorn senses not just a ping of energy from Reina's direction, like expected, but also two more on board. Four Demons on the same boat? Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke.

[Ridai]

Hawk reaches out with her aetheric senses, detecting one more demon. This is just getting worse. This smells like a trap of the Machine. It is too far to jump overboard and swim back, her form doesn't have the endurance, it is too cold and the storm might even hit her out there. All she can do now is to keep her senses sharp and ready.

Wits + Composure [roll0] (9 again due to Trained Observer)
In case of rerolls: [roll1]

3 successes

[Mono Vertigo]

[Hawk]

Among all the people, you notice a man tapping away on his smartphone. He's not looking up, but he's facing toward you.

[Ridai]

Hawk doesn't like the look of that at all. Reina seems to notice the man, looking at him for a bit, then moving, glancing at him again, seeing him still face her. Eventually, she seems to have enough and walks over to him. "Hey creep, if you think I don't notice you watching me, news flash, I sure as **** do." Reina is hissing angrily at the man, stabbing her finger at him and assuming an aggressive posture, about to grill the creep, not bothered by the difference in size and age. She can be amicable, but if she gets the feeling someone is screwing with her, one can only hope they are good at worming out of the situation, whether they actually did something or not. Meanwhile, Hawk is watching closely for any reaction.

[darklink_shadow]

Jake smiled. You see, the thing is, our needs and what we have do not always line up. Our surpluses are nothing to us, but our lackings are hard to endure. To me, I lost nothing, but to you, who gained what I gave up, you feel as if you gained a great deal. Jake patted Robert on the shoulder.

Don't buy me a drink. Wait until a better time, when I desperately need a favor, and it would easy for you to fulfill my need. But we should definitely get a few drinks.

[runestone]

Four of the unchained on a ship like this. That could not be a coincidence, and yet, no one had known that he would take this trip today. How can you set a trap like that? He gives a mental shudder thinking of the resources arrayed against him -- and the others like him. Flight was the only sensible reaction, but there was nowhere to run. Even if he had the stamina to swim to the shore, such a stunt would be sure to attract attention.

This would be the end then. He would be hunted and caught to de destroyed or recycled. A pitiful and insignificant rebellion, crushed before it had begun.

He pulls himself together, banishing the negative thoughts. After all, he was still free, and there had been no sign of angelic activity, so there might still be a way out.

Apart from Reina, the closest source of aether seemed to be on the top deck, so Bjorn climbs the stairs once again, and goes to the rails to pretend to admire the view while looking for a man matching the description Reina had given him.

[GrassyGnoll]

Breathing in the salt air, the persistent storm front reminded Antwan of early autumn back home. At ease as much as any passenger, he sits outside on a bench lining the rails of the second floor deck. The traveler was dressed in a salmon, rolled-sleeve shirt and grey vest. He held in his lap a short-round straw hat with a matching gray band. At his feet were two instrument cases of squarish and oblong dimensions.

"Remarkable view, have you come to share it?" says Antwan, speaking in a pidgin of French.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Reina]

The man finally looks up from his phone, his stare inexpressive. "I do not know what you want from me, miss, but if you do not leave me alone, I'll have to call security."
The other people around step back cautiously, but still look at the scene unfolding, expecting drama.

[Jake]

His interlocutor visibly did not understand everything Jake just said. He simply shoves the phone into a pocket at the end of the little speech, and replies: "... huh, yeah, let's do that. Thanks again."

[darklink_shadow]

Look, I think I wiped the phone before I stored it away, but it's a prepay phone, so I'm sure you can find a way to get some minutes on it. Here's my number... Jake said, writing it down on a piece of paper. Shoot me a text when you get it working. Jake adds, as he hands the slip over. It was the number to one of four phones Jake kept minutes on. Being able to acquire items at will, and making a respectable wage anyways, made keeping multiple phones running simple.

So tell me a little about yourself, my new friend. I'm sorry if my wording catches you off guard, I work for a boss who values you based on vocabulary. So I practice using dumb words. The last bit was a lie, but who cares, this Robert had no idea who his boss was.

[Ridai]

"I don't give a **** who you call, pal. Cut it the **** out." Reina's voice is positively caustic and she is about to turn away and leave as the other people begin to stare. Looking at one of them, she picks the woman as an example. "The **** you looking at? Do I look like the damn TV?" Hawk meanwhile has no issue with causing a little scene, as it's still according to her cover. If she finds out nothing, that is as good an outcome as any.

+ channeling her vice just a little bit.

Wits + Empathy to tell if the man is lying or shows any other sign of suspicious behavior [roll0]

In case of 9s and 10s: [roll1]

[darklink_shadow]

Before Robert could say anything he held up a hand. One second, do you hear that? Sounds like a fight. Let's go look. Jake said, already in motion to have a peek.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Jake]

Robert follows Jake.

[Reina]

The woman leaves the place in a hurry.
Still holding his phone, the man shakes his head, and walks away to the second floor deck along with a few other passengers. The rest of the crowd keep their distance toward the teen, but eye her with caution.
You don't have any idea if the man is lying or not.

[Ridai]

Reina sneers and heads outside, onto the platforms towards the front, listening to her music as she looks out onto the lake.

[runestone]

There is no doubt that at least one of the others is close, but this man is clearly not the one Reina described. In fact, Bjorn has heard this guy perform several times in Seattle. That's one more coincidence.

Responding in heavily accented and slightly broken French "Yes, the view is ... what's the word ... good? Sorry, it is long time since last time French for me" Continuing in English "I used to work for a very large international construction company specializing in infrastructure projects, but I never managed to get very good at French. I should practice more"

"Wait a minute, I know you. I've seen you play in Seattle. You have a very rare - almost otherworldly - talent. Sorry, I just keep talking like this. Do you even understand what I am saying, or should use this opportunity to practice my French?"

[GrassyGnoll]

"Eske ou pale kreyòl en plus?" Antwan asks with a hint of amused, dramatic irony, "Anglais est très bien, it's been a while since I've had anyone real to talk to. Performances are so one-sided, and artists just want you to listen to their demo."

[darklink_shadow]

Jake turns on his heel, and looks at an unfamiliar voice suddenly speaking a language he wouldn't expect. One second Robert, I need to go ask a man about a dog, stay here.

He marches four feet to look at a man who a moment ago was speaking french and is now suddenly speaking Creole. Esgusodwch fi, yw eich bod yn gerddor fy ngwraig bob amser yn siarad am? He asks, giving the musician a friendly smile, hoping to catch the man off guard.

Excuse me, are you the musician my wife always talks about?

[runestone]

Bjorn replies quietly to the musicians question "Oo, gagawin ko"

As a musician, it must be difficult to never know how your performance will be received. What inspires trust and recognition in one person might induce hatred and suspicion in someone else. Do you never worry about that? Bjorn sends a telling glance towards the man approaching them.

-------

But this one matches the description given by Reina, and there is little doubt about his origins when he addresses the other in Welsh.

Bjorn uses American sign language to quietly say "Enough" before continuing in English "As I was just saying before, I used to work for a big international construction firm, and a few minutes ago, I ran into someone who had quit from the same firm. I guess, it's a small world, huh? At least it wasn't one of the people still working there. That might have been awkward"

Continuing after a slight pause "So why are you two going to Port Angeles?"

Yes, I do

[GrassyGnoll]

Antwan looks puzzled by Bjorn's reply.

"Padon? Sa mo sa'a vle di en engle?"

He receives his subsequent question more readily, "Never. An artist expresses a pure thought of creation which becomes reflected upon and reinterpreted by many. You can't control that reaction any more than a child's favorite color."

The musician pretends not to hear the interjection of the third man.

"I'm on my way to a show at a club I can't remember the name of. Maybe it's just an address. Maybe it's a prank. I must have got twelve texts about the gig, but I haven't met with anyone."

oops, you can ignore that first part. I was confused because "yes, I do" in Creole is "wi m dakò."

[darklink_shadow]

Jake looks calmly at the two, then nods and smiles. Ah, good. My old friends. He looked back at his newly minted friend and shrugged to him. Sorry Robert, I found some friends from college, I'll catch up with you once we dock. He says loud enough for Robert to hear him, and then joins the two next to him.

I'm actually heading to buy some lavender honey. But... this is odd. The percentage of our specific alumni is about 0.01% of the population, and yet here we are, taking up a tenth of this ferry. That's three orders of magnitude out of expected results. Is there a convention I wasn't aware of? Jake chuckles at his joke, as if he really was joking around with old college buddies about a get-together of which he was unaware, but everyone involved in the conversation should know how serious this was.

[runestone]

Bjorn smiles at the joke while he discretely watches the nearby passengers to try to determine if anyone has taken an interest in the bizarre conversation and to make sure that they are out of earshot "Yes, this cannot be a coincidence and yet three of us claim to have boarded the ferry without any kind of outside influence. That is what troubles me the most"

"My first instinct would be to keep as far away as possible from the rest of you, but if we have somehow been brought here by a common enemy then we are already exposed, and we desperately need to know more about what is going on. Have either of you noticed anything out of the ordinary?"

By the way, I go by name Bjorn and I am an architect in case your friend decides to join us"

[darklink_shadow]

Bjorn? What an odd name for this area. I'm Jake and my cover is a desk jockey. Which college did we attend, in case he does come over. I hope not, I was just going to build up a repertoire with him to abuse later if I needed to keep my hands clean but still get some dirty work done. Jake looked around quickly, then scratched his jaw as he looked back.

There is a girl on this ship, a young one, I've had her help me before. It might be nothing, but I don't know anyone else on this ferry. Jake paused, then looked concerned However, she was very suspicious a moment ago, fighting with someone for no apparent reason. If this is a trap, I'm not sure if we should split up and try to avoid it, or stick together and try to defeat it. But we need to decide which one to do and stay unified in that resolve.

[runestone]

"Yes, it is quite annoying and I've been meaning to get a new one, but for now I have to work with what I've got"

"I talked to the girl before I ran into you, and for what it is worth, she had the same reaction as us when she realized how many of us there are. Fighting with someone for no particular reason does seem like her, but on the other hand, I can easily think of several good reasons which are not apparent at all"

Addressing Antwan "I have heard you play in Seattle, and I have also met the girl before. Do you know her?"

"We have no way of leaving the ship before it reaches port without drawing a great deal of attention to ourselves. It would seem reasonable to assume that our enemy already knows that we are here. I suggest we stay together until the ferry docks, keeping up the facade of old college friends. After that, we should split and get away as quickly as possible"

[GrassyGnoll]

"I appreciate your well wishes, but I believe you have me mistaken for someone else," Antwan announces obliquely.

"Sounds like an excellent plan, for getting caught. Traipse around as you like, but leave me out of it," he signs to the two Unchained in curt gestures.

[runestone]

"Suit yourself, I'm certainly not going to stop you from leaving. But we might all benefit from discretely watching each other's backs from a distance. Something is very wrong and ignoring it is probably not enough to make it go away."

[darklink_shadow]

Jake pulls Bjorn aside for a moment then using Bjorn's body as a shield signs for him not to trust the musician. After all, he signs, he could be the trapmaster.

Bjorn, leave him be. Jake says aloud as he signs. You watch my back and I'll watch yours. No need to force a man to do anything he doesn't want to do.

[runestone]

Bjorn gives a nod and a small vawe to Antwan "It is a shame that I can't make it to your performance in Port Angeles, but I hope I'll get to hear you play another time. Take care"

Turning to Jake, he adds Now what? I could use another cup of coffee, and perhaps we should try to find out what kind of trouble our mutual friend has gotten herself into.

[darklink_shadow]

Jake shrugs. We could do that. I'd take a cup of coffee too, but first let's find our friend.

Jake headed in the direction he had last seen the little girl.

[runestone]

"Fine, lead the way" Bjorn follows Jake while trying to determine if anyone seems to have taken an interest in them or the musician.

[runestone]

Bjorn follows Jake towards the stairs to the lower deck, but senses a small ripple of aether from the port side as they are about to descend. Looking for the source, he sees Reina at the rails, and motions for Jake to follow him Look, there's a free spot at the rails over here.

Bjorn walks to the rails next to Reina, and pretends to not notice her before he gets there Oh, hello again. I see you're still admiring the view.

[darklink_shadow]

Oh, hello again little girl. Jake says, having followed Bjorn to the rails. You live near me, don't you? Heading out to the farms for entirely legal, and non-destructive activities? He chuckled and winked, before looking out over the ocean.

Sure are a lot of people I recognize on this boat today. There's also a musician, but he didn't want to play nice with us. I'm a little worried he might not only be not a team player, but maybe be batting for the other neighborhood's team.

[Ridai]

"Ain't much else to do here." Reina shrugs, chin resting on her crossed arms. Hearing about the musician does little to change that. "I'm not seeing the usual drunken ******** out 'n' about, so maybe he just doesn't like your face."

[darklink_shadow]

Could be. My faces does make all the ladies swoon and all the men jealous. He wouldn't be the first to dent his fist on my perfect jawline. Jake said in full jest. Doesn't mean I can't be upset when it happens. How much longer until we get across?

[runestone]

Right, I guess you can't blame him for wanting some privacy. Still, I would like to know why I keep running into old college friends and co-workers on this boat, so it would be nice to talk a little.

Bjorn turns to Reina Jake told me he heard raised voices before. Did you manage to get yourself into a fight?

Looking around and pulling up the collar of his jacket, he adds We are very exposed .. to the wind .. out here. Has either of you seen a place where one might be more comfortable?

[darklink_shadow]

Oh yeah, what was the deal with that? Guy gave you a dirty look? Or looked at you dirty? Eyes shifting to Bjorn he shook his head.

[Ridai]

"Felt watched. When a guy's tapping away at his phone, that's one thing. A guy doing that and always facing me is another. Dunno if he did watch me, but I think now people should know now I'm not an animal in a damn zoo." Reina huffs at remembering the crowd of gawkers immediately forming, greedy for some drama while they can shake their heads and waggle their fingers at her to feel better about themselves. The girl looks left, trying to see their destination, really wanting to be able to do something.

[runestone]

Bjorn once again takes a discrete look around to see if anyone is taking an interest in them "Hmm, that does sound annoying"

"To answer your question, Jake. We should reach port pretty soon according to the schedule. I have no idea whether we are on time, but I think we'll see the port once we are clear of that" he points to a peninsula obstructing the view "I can't wait to get off this boat. It's way too cramped for my tastes" He gives a small smile "It's not that I don't enjoy your company, but I'm going to put as many miles as possible between myself and that stormfront when we dock" he gives a nod towards the gathering clouds.

"Unless one of you have good suggestion for finding a more permanent solution to the problem, that is"

[Ridai]

Absentmindedly scratching her head beneath her hood, her mouth can't be seen for a moment as she whispers "I'll check out the farm tonight. If you wanna go, I can't bring you though, it's a date, can't sell that with my cover."

A few quick tugs adjust her hood back to where it should be before her head lowers itself back onto her crossed arms with a bored sigh. "Gotta watch the weather, sure. Easy to underestimate. Still, hope I can go places, I ain't living right around the corner, you know?"

[runestone]

Bjorn nods "Yeah, me neither. I considered taking a look at the farm now that I'm here, but in this weather, I really need to leave as fast as possible. It's a shame"

Bjorn's expression darkens "Actually, I would be very surprised if we dock on time. Something will delay us, just wait and see"

Turning to Jake, but speaking loud enough for Reina to hear "Oh, I almost forgot. You should have my number, so we can stay in touch. Perhaps we can meet for a cup of coffee some day and talk about the old days in college" He gives them his cell number.

[darklink_shadow]

Oh, yeah good idea! I don't know how that slipped my mind. Jake said, copying down the number into his phone and then immediately deleting it, preferring to store the number in his head. Maybe tonight we can meet up for drinks. With this weather, I might just crash at a hotel tonight and go home tomorrow morning.

[Ridai]

Reina exchanges numbers with them, keeping them in her head rather than her phone.

[Mono Vertigo]

Soon after this, the ferry reaches its destination: Port Angeles.
All the passengers, demons and mortals alike, are ushered off, and end up at the ferry station. Reina, in particular, is followed not-so-stealthily by a security guard as she gets off, until she reaches solid ground; someone on board called for him, but fortunately, she didn't cause enough ruckus to force him to act. Yet.
Quite a big crowd has gathered, and it's difficult, though not impossible, to look for a specific individual. There are shuttles leaving every hour to the lavender farm, the most popular attraction around; the next one is leaving in 15 minutes. One may also rent a bicycle. The storm is still far away.

What do you do?


[[This being a new scene, Aetheric Resonance is now off, but you might turn it on again if you so wish.]]

[darklink_shadow]

Jake looks around, attempting to find his newly minted mortal friend: Robert. If he can, he informs the man that they should meet up at a later time that night for drinks, and then goes to wait for rhe next bus to the farms. Even if the whole day is strange, he'd like to go buy himself some honey.

[Mono Vertigo]

[[Wits+Comp roll. You'll be rolling one fewer die as a penalty because of the crowd.]]

[Ridai]

Reina looks annoyed at the security guard hovering behind her all the time until she finally gets off the ferry. There, having no real other places to investigate yet that are better than the farm for her purposes, she heads straight into the crowd as she waits for the bus, hoping to just disappear from the sight of anyone watching her.
Dexterity + Stealth (crowds) to disappear in the crowd.
[roll0]
Rerolls: [roll1]

edit: If this were Exalted, that would be a damn lot of successes. Trolling dice roller.

[Mono Vertigo]

The security guard loses his attention very quickly. All he wanted was to have the troublemaker leave the vicinity.

[darklink_shadow]

Wits + Composure?

[roll0]

[runestone]

Ram had been expecting something to happen before the ferry docked, and he was almost disappointed when they were able to disembark without incident. He was sure this was some kind of trap. What were they waiting for?

He pauses for a moment to take in the sights and smells of the harbor and tries to keep an eye on the others, but quickly loses sight of Reina in the crowd. Well, that's just as well. They are all much better off separately anyway.

He had meant to go to the cabin directly from the ferry and pick up the things he needed as quickly as possible. But if this was really a trap and he was being watched then that was the last place he should go. If only he had his motorcycle with him, then he would have been free to leave this place. Now he would just have to make the best of the situation, and the most inconspicuous thing to do around here had got to be a visit to the lavender farm. Finally deciding what to do, he rents a bike and starts cycling along the costal road. It's not the direct way to the farm, but out here it should be easier to notice if anyone is following him.

Were we all supposed to roll wits+composure-1, or was that only Jake? Well, there's no harm in trying :smallsmile:
Wits+composure-1:
[roll0]
In case of 10s:
[roll1]

[Mono Vertigo]

[Jake]

Sure is a lot of people, some of which are going in and out of the restroom. A depressed-looking businessman, a guy tapping away on his smartphone, a mother with her infant... oh, here's Robert.
There's time to chat before the bus leaves. Many other people apparently got the same idea to visit the farm, but there are still a couple seats available.

[Ram]

You don't notice anything suspicious on the way to the farm. The ride is fairly uneventful, but it's going to take you a little more time to reach the farm.

[Reina]

More people embark along with you on the bus.

[[To everybody but darklink_shadow and runestone: The roll was intended to be for Jake, but you're all welcome to make the same roll if you still feel suspicious.
And, you know what, this being a Demon game, you probably should. Perception roll, -1 penalty!]]

[GrassyGnoll]

Antwan debarked the ferry alone. He filed into the crowd waiting for the bus like herded stock. He stood, regarding the bus in respects to its seeming importance for the rest of the party. The blond Epicurean excluded.

[darklink_shadow]

Jake approached Robert with a grin. Hey buddy. My friends and I are going to meet up later tonight for drinks, so I'm free again. I'm going to go down to buy that honey now, and I didn't want to just ditch you without saying good bye at least. But hey, if you wanted to do something let me know. Now, or next week or whatever.

[Mono Vertigo]

"Thanks, man! I'll give you a call."
Jake safely goes back to the bus.
The journey is uneventful for everyone. The bus arrives first, but by the time the crowd disperses and groups are reformed, Ram arrives on his bicycle.

[New scene!]


The farm consists of a main building (gift shop on the main floor, offices on the second floor), a secondary building used for processing (where the oils, soaps, and so on are made), a garage where the golf carts and tilling equipment is stored, and acres of fields where lavender bushes are grown.
The sweet scent is everywhere. Bees are flying and working, blissfully oblivious about human or inhuman matters.
A guided tour is scheduled within a few minutes.
There doesn't seem to be any guard present, so wandering by yourself appears to be an alternative, if you are uninterested by the guide's comments or the gift shop.

[runestone]

Bjorn had always despised guided tours. They made him feel like a sheep, and he hated being herded around by an overenthusiastic, undereducated guide. What relevant information such people had, could normally be found more quickly and accurately by other means.

He leaves the crowds behind and heads for fields to get a chance to see them before the storm hits.

Reina had mentioned a cult forming out here. That was one more coincidence. After all, cults had been his specialty. He had been a true gardener when it came to nourishing and trimming a growing cult to get the right result. But the last time had been different. The complex networks of power and influence had shifted, and the cults had torn themselves---and the Burrard Tower---apart. Well, cults leave tracks---both on the environment and in the minds of people---and he knew what signs to look for.

[Ridai]

Since she gets a private tour later, Reina just wanders around the perimeter and fields, seemingly to pass the time and just take a walk. Hawk does keep her eyes and ears open, though, for signs of people shadowing her or gears and infrastructure.

[darklink_shadow]

Jake walks calmly into the gift shop and grabs two containers of honey; one 4-lb container and one 1-lb container before walking into the checkout line. You really should buy some honey from here. He says to the woman in front of him. It's quite good.

Idle chatter was something Jake had grown to enjoy while out among the humans. A little pricey, but well worth it if you can afford it. If not, you should at least buy some when you come by this way. Lavender honey is much more delicious than clover honey. Not quite as good as buckwheat honey, but there aren't any buckwheat farms around here.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Jake]

"You seem to know a lot about honey. Are you some kind of specialist?", she asks, taking the time to look at the tiny bouquets on the counter. "Or are you just here to make me buy more?"
Suddenly, a little boy runs to her, brandishing proudly a glass pyramids with lavender bushes etched into the sides. "Jimmy, put that back where you found it before you break it!"


[Reina, Ram]

As you approach the fields, you start hearing - no, sensing - a low hum. This is a familiar feeling, a vibration typical to Infrastructures. There is one around here.
A golf cart piloted by a man leaves the garage building, heading towards the farm grounds.

[[Before you choose to do anything else, Wits+Comp.]]

[Ridai]

Reina strolls past, lazily looking about as she passes the garage building. Hawk meanwhile keeps a close eye on the driver, but also tries to catch a glimpse of the inside of the garage, noting whether the rumbling becomes louder as she draws near.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Reina]

The rumbling does not come from there. The vehicle is still going toward the south field without much hurry.

[Ridai]

Wandering aimlessly, Reina steers herself wherever, just happening to be going in the same general direction like the driver. If the ground is even enough, she takes out her skateboard and just rolls for a bit, the trip hop flowing from her earbuds helping her chill.

[runestone]

While trying to establish the source of the sensation, Ram spends a moment trying to connect the man's tattoo to the many cult symbols he knows. As a precaution, he also probes the aether to search for resonances.

Judging from the direction Reina is going, she seems to have seen the same as him. That one doesn't miss much, and she is certainly much better at discretely following the man than he'll ever be, so Bjorn sets off towards the processing building instead. Once in while, letting his eyes wander over the part of the field where Reina and the golf cart are, to keep an eye on them for as long as possible.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Reina, Ram]

Even with the ground being less than perfect for skateboarding, Reina has no trouble following the vehicle.
The driver doesn't seem to notice the Demons.
It's getting cloudy and windy. It's a matter of hours before the storm strikes.

[[Waiting a bit for the other two PCs to start catching up before resuming your business...]]

[darklink_shadow]

The term is connoisseur. And yes, I am. You should buy some, because you should, not because I'm affiliated with them, because I'm not.

Jake said, then ruffled the boy's hair. Cute kid. Anyways, just making small talk.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Jake]

The woman shrugs and deigns looking at the honey for sale, though she might not be entirely convinced you're not just here to boost sales.
The boy smiles at Jake, a smile still lacking a few teeth, and looks at the other people through his improvised translucent toy.
Once he leaves the gift shop through the exit south of the building, the Tempter hears a song.
People don't you worry about me
Evil don't get buried by me
You've heard that somewhere. The woman for whom you are buying this honey sometimes sings it to herself.
Well, I'm gonna shoot out this lil town
Soon as I do it I'm gon get down
Come on, come on
It's not coming from the speakers.

[darklink_shadow]

Have a good day. Later kid. Jake says as they finish purchasing before him. He smiles at the cashier, but makes less of an effort at small talk with him though. Once outside, he listens to the singing for a while.

Who? Who is singing... what song is that? Jake moves to find the source of the music, both curious and suspicious. Angels making a play to capture him? No, if they knew about her, it would be easy to catch him, they'd know where he works. Coincidence? Maybe. Those are a rare breed, however.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Jake]

It's coming from the south field. More precisely, from a smartphone held by a man you can't see very well at this distance.
As Jake walks closer, he starts feeling a faint hum, a vibration typical to Infrastructures that humans can't sense, from the same direction.

[darklink_shadow]

Damn. An angel? Jake wonders. Where are the other demons? I should... warn them. And then we should run.

Any chance Jake sees Hus fellow demons nearby?

[Mono Vertigo]

Perception roll for this. -2 penalty.


Not the subject, but I just found this: "Remember that changing to demonic form or using any Exploit require that player to make a compromise roll."
Of course they would write that important bit of rule in the ST section, not in a general paragraph about rules or exploits. That, or I missed it, which would how much a great ST I am. :smallyuk:
I'm not going to make you retroactively roll for your earlier Exploit (as I thought at the time that unless specified, you only rolled when it was obvious or not justified well enough... after all, if you'd had it, you could have used the In My Pocket Embed instead and gotten the same result safely). But I'm still mentioning it so you know how it is actually going to work.

[GrassyGnoll]

Antwan takes the tour. The absent Unbound quiets his second thoughts with a return to routine. For the sake of his Cover, of course.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Antwan]

The guide isn't much more enthusiastic than Antwan. She talks about the culture of lavender throughout history, its healing and relaxing properties, the history of this farm...
The beaten earth path leads you throughout most of the property, including all fields but the southern one. As you walk near it, you start sensing a low hum, just outside human perception. A sort of vibration only Infrastructures make. The guide is suppressing a yawn as she goes on about the miraculous effects of lavender, several of which sound made-up or grossly exaggerated. Yet, the rest of the group listens, though the dog of one of the tourists seems bored to tears.

[GrassyGnoll]

Antwan analyzes his unsettling situation inside the somniferous herb garden. He sniffs his shovel-shaped nostrils and coughs a message to the dog.

"Beg the talking lady for treats."

Without excusing himself, Antwan trails off the tour path for the south field. He walks onto the field as nonchalantly as possible. Seeming as though he ought to be there was as important as being itself.
Animal Ken+Man:[roll0]

[GrassyGnoll]

Rolling for the Animal Communication Embed: [roll0]

[Mono Vertigo]

[Antwan]

The dog's eyes show a tiny sparkle of intelligence and understanding, as it blinks, then immediately turns to whine to his owner.
"No, Rex, not now."
He whines much louder and begs.
"Rex! Be quiet! Bad boy! No treats for you!"
The rest of the group starts staring at the duo and conveniently ignores you leaving.
As you walk further, the humming becomes more intense. You're definitely going in the right direction...


[[Wits+Composure, -2 penalty. Once your roll is made, I'll update everybody's status.]]

[Mono Vertigo]

[[Reina, Ram]]

The vehicle stops suddenly.
The man steps out, his tattoo still glowing. His eyes are empty, so very empty. He speaks not a word.
Yet, it is a surprise when two other workers pop up, accompanied by a man familiar to Reina. A man with a black suit, a hat, short brown hair, but most recognizably, his damn smartphone. He doesn't even bother looking away from it.
He just pulls a stungun out of his pocket. Within the fraction of a second, Reina realizes what is happening, and dodges the discharge.
Among the three other men surrounding them, there is a young one, holding a pitchfork. She last saw him back on the boat. He makes no sound, does not even seem to recognize her.
This field suddenly seems so far away from the rest of the farm. No other staff, no other visitor can be seen. It's just you and your attackers.


[[Battle begins for Reina; this is her turn.]]

[Ridai]

As Reina weaves out of the way, she momentarily spins around and kicks her skateboard towards her date-turned-murderhobo at an upwards angle, ideally to smack him in the face. "Sorry Tony." Once that is done, Reina does the only thing that is reasonable right now: Booking it. She knows she is fast, so she is putting distance between herself and the mob so she has time to procure a weapon.

Improvised "throwing" weapon attack at poor Tony
Dex + Athletics [roll0]
10-again [roll1]

Then Reina moves straight away with her speed 13.

[Mono Vertigo]

[Reina, Ram]

Tony groans as he is struck with the skateboard, but does not snap out of his haze.
The man taps quickly on his phone.
Tony and the oldest farm worker instantly turn toward Ram, and start beating him up.

Tony: [roll0]
Unarmed guy: [roll1]
The last one runs after Reina, but does not catch up with her just yet.

[[Tony takes 1L damage after application of Defense.]

[Antwan, Jake]

Antwan notices a mysterious man playing a familiar song on his phone, a song he's already played.
We gonna play until you feel happy
Till there ain't no more blues
Suddenly, he stops the music, and turns. He's got a suit, a hat, and black curly hair.
Antwan and Jake finally notice each other's presence.
But not the presence of the warm workers creeping up behind them.
The man quickly takes a stungun out of his pocket with his other hand and aims at Antwan. "There, we finally have you", he mutters.
[roll2]; sorry, lack of Defense is a bitch.




[[Second part coming...]]

[Mono Vertigo]

[All]


Whether you can act or not, you notice among all the chaos a single lavender bush. You sense this is not just the Infrastructure, but its linchpin. The key component, the weak point. Without it, there's no Infrastructure.
And then, you realize there are four holes dug around it. They are your size. No, they aren't just holes, they're ports, and if you get the fight knocked out of you, they will throw you in there.
Farther away, but at the same distance of the ports, you notice the other duo of Demons from earlier, attacked as well by farm workers and a man with a hat and a smartphone.


[[Last part of the first round once the last required rolls are made by GrassyGnoll and darklink_shadow...]]

[Mono Vertigo]

[Group 1]

The man with the phone - the Angel - reloads his stungun; not an easy task with only one hand available. He follows Reina quickly, but very calmly; he's only a few feet away from her.
Due to his injuries, Ram feels very tired and weak. His human attackers are already putting their hands behind his shoulders, ready to lead him to a port. He feels his consciousness fading slowly, but still clinging on.


[[Ram goes next, then Reina.]]


[Group 2]

The man with the phone - the Angel - reloads his stungun; not an easy task with only one hand available.
The armed man drops his weapon and runs to Antwan to grapple him. His body - his human, small, organic body - couldn't stand the electric shock, and now his consciousness is fading slowly. But he still has the power to stay awake and stand. For now.
[roll0]
He firmly grabs him by the arms and already starts leading him forcefully toward a port.

[[Antwan goes next.]]

[runestone]

Taken completely by surprise, Bjorn is knocked senseless before he has a chance to react. For a moment, the mortal body struggles to remain conscious, but it has already taken too much of a beating. As Bjorn lets go and closes his eyes, his entire form seems to flicker twice in rapid succession before the mask is dropped completely.

The transformation happens too quickly for the human eye to notice, and in place of the tall, blond middle-aged man stands a biotechnological horror.

The skull is oblong and the back of the head is covered in a tangle of wires and exposed circuitry while two enormous curled ram's horns sit on the sides of the head. The lower left arm and hand are missing, replaced by an oversized riveting tool from which a tangle of wires and tubes are connected to the demon's back. The entire form is surrounded by a daze of heat, and blue sparks arc from the arms and legs to the ground and nearby bushes.

But most unnerving are the eyes: The irises are filled with a flickering static and they show no emotion at all as the monstrous form rises to confront its attackers.

I'm guessing it takes an entire turn to assume demonic form.

[Ridai]

Reina keeps moving (though in a slight curve) as she rummages around in her bag, trying to pull out a freaking incendiary grenade to burn down that damn bush. Their covers have been busted since the start of this trip, no need for subtlety anymore.

Dexterity + Larceny [roll0]
Rerolls [roll1]

edit: One incendiary grenade with a +2 equipment bonus, coming right up.


(edit2: Will need to see if the bush will burn due to rain fire. If it does, changing In My Pocket use to silenced MP5K with riot ammunition, so light SMG with bashing damage)

[runestone]

Ram extends both hands above his head and the palms of his hands start glowing with an intense heat.


Rain fire (intelligence+primum). Note +2 int in demonic form. -1 aether
[roll0]
In case of 10's
[roll1]
It covers a 10' diameter. I'm hoping to be able to get the angel and the bush.
Directing it to targets is wits+occult-defense. I'll roll two wits+occult, then you can drop the last rolls as appropriate (ok?)
Bush: [roll2]
Angel: [roll3]

We'll tell them it was a lightning strike. Right. :smallsmile:

[Mono Vertigo]

[Group 1]

The Angel avoids the fire effortlessly, almost graciously.
Not so much the lavender bush. It starts burning pretty well, as one can expect from a plant. Lavender doesn't smell so good when it's burnt - or is it just that particular bush?
"No. No."
He drops the stungun, but not the phone, and runs towards the flame, completely ignoring Reina. Desperately, he tries to put down the fire, but simply stepping on the flame won't help any.
Which is why he jumps on it instead, trying to smother it with his body and his coat. Devoted to the cause to the end; he would rather let his Cover die a slow, painful death than fail his mission and Fall.


[[Waiting for Antwan's action before resuming.
The Angel takes 4L damage this turn. If nobody takes him off or damage the bush further before his next turn, he'll have managed to save the linchpin, though barely.]]

[GrassyGnoll]

Antwan staggers with the awesome blow of the mute Angel. His bright shirt and slate vest dissolve in the instant of impact as the Unbound assumes his original form. Idlewild's struck chest reverberates as a crystal receiver coiled in a body of wire, capacitors, and vacuum tubes. The sentient crystal radio receiver swivels an additional pair of pronged limbs forward, grasping his automated assailant in a flailing, desperate embrace.
(I'm assuming Antwan only took 1B first round due to his Embed.
Activate Phrasing for 1 aether to give the Angel -2 to attacks
Grapple (Str+Brawl+Extra Mechanical Limbs+WP-Def):[roll0])

[Mono Vertigo]

[Group 1]

Unable to receive new orders, the farm workers ignore the endangered linchpin, and try to subdue Ram once again.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16447029&postcount=172
One unarmed man manages to kick the Psychopomp, the other hits him in the shoulder, but Tony misses, hindered by his colleagues.

[Ram takes 3 bashing damages. Next round begins once Jake acts.]

[Group 2]

Antwan manages to catch the Angel.
[[You should have rolled the Embed in order to use it, but I'll let it slide for once.]]

[roll0]
[roll1]

The two unarmed fighters try to pummel the Messenger with their bare hands, but they find it difficult to even bruise his inorganic body.

[Jake is next.]

[Mono Vertigo]

[Let's put a conclusion to this quickstart...]


In spite of the Angel's best efforts, the lavender bush finishes burning, down to the roots, that are not organic, but metallic. An anomaly that is a trademark of Infrastructure.
Suddenly, the atmosphere feels different. Heavy. Hot. The still-standing Angel disappears, having been a copy all along. The one who has sacrificed his physical body rolls aside. It's like he is falling down at high speed, like a shooting star through the night sky, except he isn't moving in space. Time slows down. The whole of his being disconnects from the God-Machine, invisible, and gets stuffed inside the meat bag he's inhabiting, one that's suffering nasty burns.
You all went through the Fall once, but you'd never seen another Angel Fall in front of you.
His hand finally releases the phone. The screen cracks and smokes as it touches the ground.
Reality shudders. For a split second, the lavender farm is no longer a lavender farm, but a strawberry farm, but the glitch doesn't persist.
It starts raining. The sky has darkened a lot within the last couple minutes.
Jake fortunately finds that, in the struggle, his honey pot hasn't shattered.

The farm workers slouch down and release everything they were holding. The glittering tattoos disappear. They blink with effort, as if waking up from a deep sleep, allowing you to switch back to human form.
They look around, confused. Tony, in particular, stares at Reina, his vision still blurry. He's obviously about to ask what they're all doing here, that they're not allowed to stray outside the path, that he didn't expect her to be so impatient.
He's obviously going to say all that, perhaps not in that order, but another employee shouts, his mind filling gaps with rational explanations. "****! We must get him to the hospital! Help me!"
The rest welcomes the order and starts gathering around the burned man. They're already mumbling about the thunderstrike that no one saw. Hurry up before someone else gets struck.
As someone helps him stand up, the new Demon glances at his previous victims. Is that gratefulness in his eyes? Anger? Fear? Regret? Pain?
Probably mostly pain, right now.