Princess: The Hopeful (Fight For What's Light!) {IC} Embers Kindled [Archive]

Wuff

2021-07-19, 08:07 AM

The Nobility and the Nakama of Beaux Rêve
You came together naturally. You all shared a common goal and a desire to see the world as a better place. You may have your own motivations, but you set aside any differences to make this group work. There are small number of other princesses in the area due to a localised mass blossoming a few years back, but as far as you know, they all have cliques or are difficult to work with in other ways. You keep in touch with the others on NobleNet, a popular forum disguised as a roleplay site for girls who want to play-pretend princesses. Nobles spoke there in secret messages and distinguished themselves with humorous royal tongue euphemisms or metaphors.

This is a markedly unusual number of nobles gathered in one city, nearly fifteen but you all have plenty of work to do between you, and already have suffered some casualties. You are the only Nakama present. Others either operate in pairs or Cliques who have little impact on the city and were friends from before the blossoming.

The supernatural community here doesn't stop at Princesses though. You know there are werewolves in this city, you've seen them prowling the streets on dark nights. You know there are all manner of other creatures here too. The NobleNet speaks of meetings of strange men and women in coffee shops at night. Self-proclaimed witches in stores selling herbs, crystals and tarot cards often possess sparks of real power. The city seems like a nexus of strange happenings waiting to erupt. Sometimes it feels like there are more magical creatures in the city than ordinary mortals, but that's most likely just a matter of the circles you hang around in and like-finding-like.

Your biggest problem, the darkness finds a perfect breeding ground in this city. Many people are deeply unhappy, and social problems are left to fester. You formed this Nakama to tackle it, to make a difference and you'll do so even if it consumes you.

Episode One: Embers Kindled

Wednesday
~~~

It was a terrible day. The rain had been going since last night and the roads were slick. The more scenic paths to the education complex just looked dreary. The weather had been like this for a while, and it was really dampening the mood of everybody living in Beaux Rêve. A lot of the slum kids had come in with a cold and the shivers today, or not at all.

All were gathered in the gigantic central assembly hall after lunch, a wide collection of different ages in the crowd. The hall was most often used for school events. Competitions, plays and career fairs were generally placed here, although the complex had more than enough free space to have multiple events running at once.

Today you'd been gathered to hear some sad news, although nobody knew what it was, some people had whispered that there'd been a death, perhaps a student? The school counsellor tried to start things off in a positive tone, talking about how the main library was now still off limits, but was undergoing repairs. An off-hand remark was made regarding the strange proportions of the room and frequent unfortunate delays to the work. She was probably trying to make a joke of it, but it rings hollow. Eventually, she just comes out with it. Her voice lowers a pitch or two from her usual chirp as she explains:

"We're really sorry to say that one of our students has lost a parent this morning in a car crash. Now, you might know who we're talking about. If you do, give her some space, be kind and polite as always. If you're her friend, then maybe reach out to her.

I also wanted to talk to you about the risks of driving in conditions like this while I'm speaking to you, if you drive, be careful on the roads, especially in this weather." She checks the mood of the crowd, and seems to deflate with the sombreness reflected back at her. She gives a few more pre-packed pearls of wisdom about driving safely before moving on.

"I'm always here to talk if you need any support regarding this issue at all. If you're concerned about driving, you want to know how to support this poor girl through this issue, or this has reminded you of anything you've experience in the past, you can come to speak to me after booking an appointment. It's on the complex, so please do come and visit!" She stresses the last sentence, and then nods once.

"Stay safe everyone, and be kind. You never know what others are going through at home."

The rest of the day was quite muted. Most of the teachers had heard the news, and rumours spread fast. By the time everyone was going home, her name was on everybody's lips. According to the gossip, she'd been pulled out of class and told to go home before the announcement was made. Jasmine Chaput. She was known for coming into the complex with the hottest fashion and tech. She wasn't known for her academic brilliance but her reports would often be littered with praise and come with overly generous grades.

The night was pretty tame, even in the supernatural world.

Today
Saturday, Midday
~~~

The Nakama meet up every Saturday to discuss the happenings of the week, these generally take place while transformed. You take turns to talk about the individual run-ins you've had, give a general sit-rep and explain where you're up to on current projects. You'd already achieved some good together, but you had more room to grow as a team, and there were so many problems to solve.

This morning, there had been a number of reports of Arson on the complex. Mostly small, but escalating. The group had sent out some probes on the NobleNet and now had some information on possible leads. It was decided that it would be best to split up and cover more ground, to carry out two investigations at once.

One possible lead was in the industrial district investigating a spate of recent fires, another was in the complex itself, looking at the damage that had already been done. There were no other free teams to help, but one pair who had been great to work with in the past had offered to pop in if they were necessary.

Wikimaster

2021-07-19, 08:46 AM

Ken Aizawa

"I'd like to volunteer for the Industrial District investigation," Ken Aizawa, as a Champion with some degree of protection against others' Magic, thought it was a no-brainer for him to take the job which offered the most physical danger. "Also, we should also examine if the burnt areas had Taint on them before they were destroyed - While the loyalty of our Storms Princess is unquestionable, there might be others who follow the 'Seraphic General's' precepts whom we don't know about and might be trying to take the easier and more destructive way to destroy 'Taint'. Or it could be Hunters, and not the ones I have some contacts with..."

Togo

2021-07-19, 09:30 AM

Carla Promise

Carla pauses in her typing, the aura from her holographic keyboard making her pale skin seem bright with technical energies, Her large oval glasses reflecting the myriad images of the holographic screen in glitteringly sharp detail. Then she continues, more slowly. In truth, I could join you, in the streets, seeking danger and the next strike by our pyrophilic antagonists. She says this carefully, with the air of someone being fair to a proposal they don't favour. But I'd far rather look at the actual sites of the fires, see if there is anything at the scene. She waves her hand vaguely, causing the keyboard, still tracking the position of her fingers, to stretch and distort alarmingly. More things to examine, and I don't have your talent in dealing with people.

It's not clear who that last remark is directed at. Knowing Carla, it could be everyone.

Even if we don't understand what we find, we can still add it to the search, see what comes up.

DeTess

2021-07-19, 10:51 AM

Ashley Devane
Ashley shook her head to try to focus on the matter at hand. The incident with her grandfather a couple weeks back still weighed heavily on her. Since then she'd resolved to talk to him, explain what she was but... putting that into practice was another thing entirely.

"Ehm..." What had they been discussing? Oh, right, the fires. "I'm fine with joining either team. I'm not much of a fighter, but if a fight does break out you'll want me close by. On the other hand though, the locations here in the complex are as likely as not to be locked up so you might want to have me along to get in."

Illven

2021-07-19, 01:18 PM

Rebecca Himura

The student council president, checked up from her phone for which she had sent a text.

Hey, thinking of you Jasmine. If you need to talk to anyone, my phone is open. :)

I'd probably be best at the complex. I can talk to anyone around and see if they saw anything strange. People are kinda my specialty.

We should bring in anyone who offered to help, the best way to build bonds is to work together! She added as an afterthought.

tonberryking

2021-07-19, 04:43 PM

"I haven't killed anything in that area." 1nOnly_Cloudburst responds to the earliest message with an air of finality before letting Wally take back over message duties. Rina flops back on her bed, staring at the shadowed ceiling, with only the drawn window curtains and the glow of her PC illuminating the room. She wondered if another storm princess was leaving a mess rather than there being so many arson fires in the area, but she dreads bringing the idea up, lest they start blaming her for anything.

"...Hey Wally? Could you tell them I'll be on the District team watching for new fires? Nobody needs me to play detective at the other place." she finally says impassively, going back to staring. She should probably rest up before tonight...

Wuff

2021-07-22, 02:13 PM

The Industrial District
Saturday, Lunch Time
~~~

Wally slams the keyboard as commanded, his keystrokes unnervingly accurate for how the action actually appears, then flops to turn back to Rina: "I know a seal who would be great on the case!" He slaps his flippers against his plush body.

Rina and Ken head out to the industrial district with Patricia promising to join up with them soon. They meet outside what appears to be a Worker's Café near the centre. Straight away, they can see signs of fire damage in the area, a long streak of ash and scorch marks mar the beauty of the area, but most of the builds are untouched. People walk past maybe giving it a sideways glance or two, but their attention quickly snaps back to the path they're taking.

Fires weren't exactly unusual in Beaux Rêve. The supernatural generally either had a fascination or an aversion to fire, and it was the main way of getting rid of darkness. But most people were normally a little more secretive about what they were doing. Whoever had done this, or whatever, had no interest in the public watching or hiding their actions.

Shopkeepers and weekend workers loiter around, taking their break to smoke or just enjoy the rare clear day. The sun peaked out from behind a moody cloud, a sign of more rain to come. At least it was harder to set fires when the city was so damp. The street dwellers were pretty happy about the break in the weather, seeming relieved. The recent rain had cleared up a lot of the smog common over the industrial district as well, but a heavy cloud still lingered near the factories.

Most of the people who worked here would live here, if not somewhere near the area.

You can roll Wits + Investigation to try and gain some insight into what happened.

You can approach people on the street with Manipulation + Streetwise to see if anyone has any helpful information.

Or, you can approach the local residents and workers with Presence + Persuasion to see if they have anything useful information.

If you have any appropriate charms or powers you could use to piece together some clues or guide the investigation then feel free to use them too freely.

You can attempt two of the above before the streets pick up with everyone getting back to work.

The Educational Complex
Saturday, Lunch Time
~~~

Ashley, Carla and Rebecca arrive at the complex quickly enough.

There were still students in the complex over the weekends, practising, revising or taking part in hobbies. Clubs for different sports, art classes, science hubs, political seminars and board games were running in different buildings. The community tended to gather around the complex sometimes, using it as a shared resource when weekly classes weren't running.

This whole complex was massive, almost the size of a district, it was like walking through two or three whole universities. Security for who could come in or go was fairly lax on the weekends, but there were still guards around to make sure that nobody was breaking in anywhere. You managed to easily avoid them with your combined sneakiness and knowledge of the complex. You didn't have time to answer their questions right now. The cleaners would come and clear any evidence when it got a little later in the day.

Arriving on the scene you noticed immediately that there were signs of a fire, and you noticed that this fire led to the old ruined library building. Students very rarely go there, it's apparently very dangerous inside, and logically, this should mean that it would be swarming with students. There was just something about the building that seemed to push at the nerves...

If you want to investigate the tower further you'll have to roll Composure + Resolve + Inner Light.

You can look around with a Wits + Investigation roll.

The grass around here is scorched in a very particular way. You could roll Intelligence + Science to determine the patterns, or Intelligence + Occult to look beyond the mill.

Some antisocial students linger around, Manipulation* + Streetwise might get them to open up, and any sort of slum status could be leveraged against them...

Wikimaster

2021-07-22, 06:53 PM

Ken Aizawa

Ken walks towards a group of workers, his transformed form being slightly taller than he was and thus able to pass as an adult in the right light. Due to said 'ideal form' being based on the JSDF Infantry's uniform, he also looked like an actual soldier. He then clears his throat and says, "Greetings, Civilians. My name is Corporal Leon Masuda of the 2nd Infantry Division. Our superiors have tasked me to be part of the investigation into the recent fires. Rest assured that I am only here to ask a few questions, which you have the option of refraining from answering. Mind if I ask them?"

Rolling Presence+Persuasion in the Dice Rolling thread once it is made.

tonberryking

2021-07-22, 08:24 PM

Standing near the edge of the tallest building overlooking the Industrial scene, Cloudburst seems to be poised as dramatically as possible, her feather patterned half cloak wafting in the breeze under her metal Sandogasa hat, gloomy as the gathering storm above her.

Wally the sherbet magenta and aqua green seal plushie was deposited nearby in a dull black gym bag, though as Ken operates below, she tries to do what she can from above... which, sadly is mostly guesses.

Wits+ investigation:
[roll0]
[roll1]

Hemnon

2021-07-23, 06:10 AM

Patricia Henrietta Neumann

Patricia had arrived a little late compared to Ken or Rina. Being 15 years old on top of that made it even more awkward when not transformed.

She did arrive tho, finally, full transformation of course - And even though she looked like some fairly stunning and late-medieval age warrior lady in her 20s (articulated platemail and all), no one else seemed to really give it any notice. At least none that Patricia had ever detected before. But being a Hopeful for only a scant half a year at most by now really wouldn't make her to expert.

Patricia stood a little off from Ken and Rina tho, just to make sure and decided to push out her already-hyperactive Taint Sensitivity Sense to try and get a feel for what level of 'spooky' she and her fellow Hopefuls were dealing with.

Togo

2021-07-23, 09:54 AM

Carla kneels, running long fingers along the scorch marks, trying to feel their texture.

Then she looks up, and takes a deep breath as she stands, starting to wander, taking in the scene, the pattern, trying to see it all as a whole.

Intelligence plus Occult
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]

DeTess

2021-07-23, 10:54 AM

Ashley looked over at the old library building. The scorch marks seemed to be pointing that way, and it would make for a halfway decent hiding place. However, like when fixing a car engine or dealing with a disease, she knew she had to go about it methodically. Jumping to conclusions would get you in trouble, especially if it meant you overlooked obvious stuff closer by.

She instead let her eyes wander over the traces of fire and the surroundings, trying to figure out the answers to a whole lot of 'W' questions. Why set fire in this area? When would the fires have been set? What kind of person might have done this?

[roll0]

total of 3 successes (see OOC thread for roll for exploding dice, got another success there).

Illven

2021-07-23, 10:17 PM

Rebecca swirled her baton swaying it over her head in an elegantish dance, strapping the baton back to her hip she approaches the group of neer-do-wells.

Intoning Fair welcome. [roll0]

Hello, good sirs and madams. The stunningly striking redhead approaches. I was just wondering, the library has been abandoned for ages. Surely you'd rather go there where you have some shelter from the elements correct? She feigns being cold in her frilly revealing outfits.

Certainly one of you would accompany lil old me~

Manipulation+streetwise+Striking looks [roll1]

Wuff

2021-07-25, 02:06 PM

The Industrial District
Saturday, 30 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Ken

The workers seem incredibly startled at Ken's appearance. Clearly, they're not used to seeing soldiers around these parts, and something recent has set them on edge. The collected group is made up an older woman from a bar not far from here, a young man from the Worker's Café and an older mechanic, still covered in grease from work.

The barkeep seems to take the lead, actually stepping forward to answer the questions, in her own blabbering way. "Oh, oh gosh. Of course! It must be serious if they're sending the army out. Well we thought they would send somebody after what happened last night. We've been too scared to speak about it but we thought the police would come! Not an army man." She points to all the mess on the floor which has been trodden through slightly.

"I live just around the corner. I saw something bright outside and thought it was a fire, or well, it looked like one. I was worried it would set up all my stock up! There was something wrong about it, and afterwards we heard the most terrible howling. We thought," and she gestures to her companions while lowering her voice, "We thought that someone really disturbed had set a stray on fire, but we came outside to these terrible scorch marks. It must have been a grenade! Is that it? Are you chasing a stray military convict? Because I saw her, I can describe her to you!" The woman goes ahead and does so, before the other two cut in and give their own accounts of the girl they'd seen.

The different descriptions clash, but can work out that someone had walked past with dark hair and a really strange costume on, like a kind of armour. She also had what you believe to be a large flammenschwert after some research. By all accounts she looked very "scary."

"She's dangerous! So watch out. She started banging on doors all up and down, asking questions. She attacked poor old James down the street. You look like you could handle her!" And the verbal onslaught finally stops. Ken is sure that if it had gone on any longer, his ears would have started bleeding.

~~~

Cloudburst

From Cloudburst's vantage point she has a much better view of how things potentially went down. She can see that there are trails in the ashes where bodies have been dragged and patterns in the scorch marks. And she spots something else as well, traced into the ground where she stands. Somebody else had used this vantage point before her, and carved the mark of their court into it.

"You been doing the rounds lately? I didn't know you patrolled this area."

Cloudburst's response is cut by a detail emerging in her mind. The trails all lead into one alleyway, and before that train of thought can fully play out, Wally pipes up again.

"Oh! I know where we are! That rich Autocrats PR lady comes here every morning for her coffee. I love her blog!" Wally claps his flippers together and then pauses. "Her content got very repetitive lately. I think people are sending her death threats because of it. Something about car crashes. People here are terrible! Mrs. Chaput might have some intense politics but she's a nice lady!" Wally had been brushing up on his politics in this world, and clearly he'd been reading some blogs too in his research.

~~~

Patricia

Patricia can feel the darkness of the city flooding in, crushing and overwhelming for a moment. If she weren't transformed right now, this could be enough to break her. But with her magic so easily at hand, she pushes away the heavy fog.

She can sense the darkness in the city. It grows with each passing day despite the efforts made by every princess in the city. But right now, what's Patricia is picking up is the scent left behind after purged darkness.

It smells like ozone in the area to you, but other than some residue of darkness, you feel that things are safe right now and right here.

The Complex
Saturday, 30 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Carla

As Carla takes in the scene and opens up her a mind a little, things begin to click like clockwork. Symbols seem to come together in her mind and unfold. Flowers are arranged in bundles that indicate meaning Carla can't quite understand but know are meaningful.

Magic. Cantered around the old library, reflecting outwards. It's not something that most people would be familiar with, but Carla knows just enough to know that this library building is warded. Plants and bugs seem to recognise the barrier and refuse to cross over it.

Carla gains a +2 dice bonus to breach the warding magic and recognises something Arcadian in the patterns.

~~~

Ashley

As Ashley takes in the scene, she realises something alarming. There were multiple fires here, and the most recent one had to have happened only hours ago. Whatever, or whoever did this was recently here. She recognises some of the same things as Carla, noting the way things seem to halt in a circle but for the moment, doesn't make the connection with magic.

Instead her mind runs over the scene in different ways. Ashley knows a little about heat and combustion, so she can work out that whatever did this was extremely hot, and seems to have flashed up instantly on the spot.

Whoever set these fires was angry, angry enough to rotate all around the library and continue flaring it up for quite a while. The fire is still very limited though, which is bizarre. Notably upon doing a full circle and checking all over the grass, there's also no sign of any accelerants or fuel for a fire.

Everything points towards this library being whatever had set the assailant off.

~~~

Rebecca

Rebecca's charm backfires, exposing her to the same effect she'd attempted to leverage. The result isn't terrible immediately, if anything, it lends her request a little more authenticity in the moment.

The group are just... Loitering. They show some interest in the ongoing investigations but are doing a great job of feigning disinterest. They seem to step into a formation, like a pack. Three boys and an older girl, just younger than Rebecca.

"We don't know you, and everyone knows that the library is haunted or something. But... We dare you to touch that door, we'll stand watch for anyone else if you can." Of course, Rebecca feels like these people are her friends now...

Rebecca gains a +1 bonus to breach the barrier, her resolve hardened by the dare and her attitude towards the group. She isn't immediately compelled to do this but would be easily pushed into it.

Illven

2021-07-25, 10:27 PM

Rebecca for her part is even more eager then usual to please/impress the suddenly much prettier girl. I'll do it! She gives a confident nod to the four.

She heads towards the door, strolling her baton as she does so trying to project an air of confidence to stop the growing fear in her heart.

I can do this, I can do this! She says looking up at the expansive tower in her mind, the imposing burnt walls looming large cutting into the skyline.

Resolve, Composure, Inner light, +1 [roll0]

Wikimaster

2021-07-26, 08:45 AM

Ken Aizawa

Ken said, "I and the rest of the Beaux Reves Defense Forces will do whatever is needed to ensure the security of the city, do not worry about that. Now I must visit this 'Old James' - Can one of you guide me to his home? The presence of a member of the Army might scare him if one of you aren't accompanying me..."

Presence+Persuasion again:
[roll0]

DeTess

2021-07-26, 10:36 AM

Ashley looked over the library once more as she finished her circuit. The fires are definitely pointing at the library, but more importantly, the way the fires burned is too bizarre to be natural. It would have taken real effort and noticeable preparation to keep the fire from running out of control, yet there was no sign of any of that. And it was clear that whoever had lit this up had done so recently, and would probably still be in the old building somewhere.

Things seemed pretty clear to her. The arsonist was still holed up in the old library somewhere, and it'd be difficult for them to leave unseen, or for her and her companions to approach unseen. The smartest thing would be to make contact with the other group, meet up at the library and go in as a team, prepared for whatever... she noticed Rebecca heading for the library's door, heading already covered most of the distance.

"Aw hell..." She quickly looked around, trying to catch the eye of her other companion, and then gestured towards Rebecca. She couldn't really leave her to go in alone, especially with the arsonist lurking around, so with a sigh she headed off after Rebecca.

[roll0]
result: 1 succes

Togo

2021-07-26, 12:25 PM

Carla drifts up as Rebecca approaches the library. She doesn't try and go first, but it's obvious she's looking forward to going in, and all that remains to be settled is how to do it. Carla may be afraid of her classmates, drawing attention to herself, speaking out of turn, large dogs, getting a 'B' on a report card, and pretty much anything to do with sports. But not libraries. Never libraries.

She takes a careful step aside as Ashley approaches, in case she was somehow in the way.

Arcadian. she says softly, just loud enough for the two girls to hear. And heavily warded. See, even the plants and bugs don't cross the threshold.

tonberryking

2021-07-26, 05:11 PM

Wikimaster

2021-07-26, 06:02 PM

Uh oh...

Quickly making her way over to Wally, and her phone, Cloudburst quickly starts texting the others, and keeps screwing up until Wally offers to type what she dictates.

Shortly thereafter Ken and the others are forwarded a message:

<1nOnlyCloudburst> We may have a problem. Another Storm Princess has been in this area; I don't know if she's the one who caused these fires, but I found some trails from up here, and she left the Court symbol carved up here. Like it's her territory. I'll keep watch up here...in case she makes herself known.

Rolling... Int + Investigation to try to study the trail to see if it leads somewhere, while moving from roof top to rooftop on the move.

[roll0]

As Ken waits for a response, he receives a message on his high-end phone and answers:

<PrinceBornOfHunters> I guessed - The workers here have been saying that someone who fits the description of a Storms Princess with a flamethrower is going around setting things on fire and beat up an old man. Now I'm going to see said old man for more information - Maybe pay his medical bills if he accepts.

Wuff

2021-07-26, 09:18 PM

The Industrial District
Saturday, 35 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Ken

Ken manages to convince the two men who were standing near the barkeep to come along with him, they're known to the old man. The woman herself though, makes an excuse about having to get to work. It's not certain whether she's slightly intimidated by Ken or just wants to get out of seeing James.

The two workers understand his request and say they can leave the store for a while to help out. They walk with Ken to the home and even offer to knock on the door.

When the door does open, an older man of some distinctly European descent steps out. He's alarmed at first by Ken's appearance, and looks like he's been thoroughly thrashed by the mysterious girl, but is quickly calmed down by his companions. There are no visible lasting wounds or scarring marks, but he does hobble slightly, covered in home first aid plasters and bandages rather than any hospital issue supplies.

"James, he just has a few questions, he's going to help find the person that did this to you and make sure they don't hurt anyone else." Ken isn't sure if those are the exact words he'd used but it seems to be what they believe he is here for.

James eventually invites Ken in after more back and forth, offering some tea, coffee or biscuits. He's a kindly man, but recent events have shaken him up enough that he keeps his distance and cowers at sudden movements.

~~~

Cloudburst

Cloudburst would have to jump down to get closer, the main trail leading into a dead end alleyway full of ash, as if a lot of something had been completely burned here. There seem to be multiple piles of ash, in fact. Any more detail would require much more thorough inspection, but her mind is switched on enough at this point that she'll automatically deduce a number of possibilities without needing any more further mental effort.

Wally's gaze is fixed on James' home, actually a store for various handcrafted goods, often on the more witchy side of things. The craftwork calls to him, but the poor plushie seal is, like his bonded Noble, too far away to make out any details.

Cloudburst can automatically draw some information if she inspects the ash piles without further rolls.

Wally can realise something about poor old James if he gets a closer look at the crafts. Both might be quite time intensive, and Wally isn't incredibly capable by himself.

The Complex
Saturday, 35 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Rebecca

Rebecca strides across the boundary, looking from the outside as if she has absolute confidence. There's only a momentary pause as she actually has to push through mentally, but it's barely noticeable from a distance.

The loitering teens clap, not too loudly as to not attract attention, but loud enough that it gives her a genuine sense of pride in her heart for having made it across.

"Oh, sick! She actually did it!" The youngest boy in the group laughs, points towards one of the others and laughs out, "I can't believe the cheerleader playing princess dress up is braver than you are!" His reward is a painful but friendly jab to the shoulder from the girl, who looks genuinely impressed.

As promised, they close in a little and block sight of the entrance, warning that they'll whistle if anyone else comes close.

Now, she stands before the door, which, now that she's close up, she can tell is bolted up and locked, the lock rusty and worn, no key in sight. How anyone got into this building, she couldn't tell.

Rebecca may roll Intelligence + Occult to recall some information prompted by Carla.

~~~

Ashley

Ashley manages to push through the ward as well, although she's a little more uncertain than Rebecca is, and in her reluctance, feels something trip, like an inaudible alarm. She feels the vibrations rather than hears or actually senses something, as if she's stepped into the web of a spider, and knows that her presence is noted.

Her passage earns a second bout of soft cheering and clapping.

She's really not supposed to be here, for multiple reasons. Surely, this is dangerous, and probably illegal? The winds whisper their approval of her actions, urging her on to commit more transgressions, to sneak over more boundaries, break them down if really necessary.

Ashley can attempt Dexterity + Larceny to try and open the lock and fiddle the bolt subtly.

She will be able to apply Aria without cost if her actions constitute a continued trespass in this dangerous area.

~~~

Carla

Watching her friends pass over the circle is like a challenge, and the teens are watching for Carla's next move, wondering if she's going to take that step over or remain where she is. Her mind is racing though, recalling more information as she considers the circle and remarks on the flowers.

Carla can make another Intelligence + Occultism roll. The results of this will differ from Rebecca's as the two noble's fields of knowledge probably differs, but both may be able to come to the same conclusions if there's a particularly bright flash of insight.

Carla could instead, on a mad hunch, try to convince or force one of these completely mundane mortals to cross over the barrier. For science, of course!

Wikimaster

2021-07-27, 03:45 AM

Ken Aizawa

"Sure, Mr. James," Ken said with a smile as he stepped in, "I'd love some tea and biscuits."

After taking a while to let the old man settle down, Ken continued, "My name is Corporal Leon Masuda of the 2nd Infantry Division - I'm here to help." He then followed up with, "And to help, I need information on the recent incident involving the person who... Physically assaulted you - That way, we can pursue her faster."

He looked around at the old man's house, noticing the occult paraphinelia around, before saying, "Can you provide me an account of the incident?"

A side glance to find out if the objects related to the occult were actually supernatural or otherwise connected to the hidden side of the world, or if they were fake.

Presence+Persuasion
[roll0]

Wits+Occult+1 Willpower Point
[roll1]

Reflected Light (Wits+Invocation Bonus because Ken has no dots in Empathy, spending 1 Wisp+1 Willpower Points)
[roll2]

Once he was done, Ken decides to add, "While my superiors frown on me spending too much money for this investigation, they allow me to make private purchases from time to time. How many of your wares do I need to buy to cover your medical bill?"

I will attempt to fulfill my Virtue by procuring an item/items at least one resources dot above my current Resources Merit (1), thus losing my access to that merit for a full month. This will allow me to refill the two dots of Willpower I lost.

DeTess

2021-07-27, 10:20 AM

"Whoever set those fires is still in there, and now probably knows where coming." Ashley whispered quietly to Rebecca as she caught up to her. "Carla 's picked up on a magical barrier around the library, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how someone could have set those fires without the help of magic, so whatever is in there probably knows fire magic." Ashley let out a sigh. "Welp, it seems we're committed now, so I hope you're ready for trouble."

Ashley kneeled down in front of the door's lock, a set of lockpicks coalescing from thin air in her right hand, and set to work on opening the door.

I'm using the skeleton key charm to try and open the door. Assuming I get the free invoke of Aria, I get 4 successes, otherwise only 3.

Togo

2021-07-27, 06:15 PM

Carla approaches the library, and lingers near the wards, fascinated by the effect. She looks over at their watchers speculatively and starts to get their attention.

Hey guys, could you... ah... never mind. She trails off, blushing. Luring bystanders into the wards just to see what they do is immensely tempting, but... In defiance of probability, none of these people have actually done anything mean to her. Yet.

She sighs.

They're probably deliberately restraining themselves in order to inconvenience her. For a long slow moment the feeling rushes through her. All her power, all her responsibility, and yet she still spends her life ducking in fear of those who would harm her, those who take deliberately lingering joy from grabbing the humanity dignity of their target and slowly ripping it away. The familiar sick helplessness floods through her, her fists clench, and her vision starts to blur with tears.

But these tears harden, like crystals in the eyes, and bring everything into oh so sharp focus, the invisible world laid bare to eyes that shine with their own inner light.

And with that, there is nothing to fear. She pushes through the barrier slowly, trying to see what it does and to what purpose.

Spending one wisp to invoke Magical Girl's Eyes

Intelligence plus Occult roll for the suggested flash of insight
[roll0]

Hemnon

2021-07-28, 06:08 PM

Patricia Henrietta Neumann

Patricia wrinkled her nose at the smell. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but compared to the... well, 'smell' of rampant, active Darkness infused beings were far more vile to her senses.

At least they were dealing with a post-purging of something having contained Darkness, so that was some worthwhile information she'd want to give on to Ken and Rin when she had the chance. For now she merely waited for the two others to be ready to fully meet up - compare notes and such, if you will.

tonberryking

2021-07-28, 07:58 PM

With Ken occupied, Cloudburst hops down from roof to lower roof until she's in the alleyway with the ashes, Wally and his travel bag hidden for the moment by her cloak. She lets him get a good look at James' store while she inspects the fire's remnants, drawn to it, as if perhaps she knew ahead of time to find something there...

Wuff

2021-07-28, 10:17 PM

The Industrial District
Saturday, 42 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Ken

Ken is welcomed in, and immediately feels a wave of many small supernatural auras hit him, as if the door had been holding them in the house. In fact, brushing against the door even sends goosebumps running up his arms with the magical energies. All over the main area, which serves as a sort of living room and shop at once, various representations of time and fate have been scattered around. Handcrafted hourglasses, crystal balls, carved wooden tarot cards and various bouquets of wooden or glass flowers.

A lot of the objects in here are genuinely magical. Honestly, an alarming amount of the objects in the room are. It would have taken considerable time to lay down all these workings. The old man himself registers as entirely mundane to Ken's senses.

James makes tea in record times, bypassing what seems to be a few important steps, such as properly straining the leaves he's using, or even heating the water. Yet when he pours it out, the result is a pretty normal, spicy-sweet exotic tea. The mug he'd poured it into (clearly drinking receptacles was where the line had been drawn on tradition) was placed in front of Ken before he went into the back kitchen to pour his own and reach into what is quite clearly an empty tin of biscuits from the way his fingers clink against the bottom. Yet, when his aged hand comes out again, there are quite clearly a number of biscuits clutched in it. He deposits them onto a plate before hobbling back into the front room and store area. He doesn't show any sign of acknowledging that what he's doing is clearly not normal.

Weirder still, Ken would notice that it is mostly the everyday and household objects in here that bear some kind of charge. "Ah, I'll answer any questions you have, of course, of course." He pauses to sip. "My daughter got me this teapot. She's a very thoughtful girl. I wish she'd visit more." It seems that Ken's efforts to put him at ease had maybe left him a little too comfortable, but he quickly snaps back to the topic.

"Well, I was assaulted! I don't know at what hour, but this young lady, your age, wearing this costume... She tries to break my door down with this big sword! Well. I was very confused. She couldn't get in, obviously." He says this as if it is obvious that a girl with a massive sword could not enter his home.

"So I opened the door to ask her what the problem was, and she just barges in! Causes a scene. All the neighbours were gathered round and they watched as she attacked me! It took one of the labourers in the factory to step in before she left, and it took him a while to show up!" This much is obvious by how injured he looks, quite badly, actually, for a man his age. "I'm not as strong as I used to be. Time just really... Slips away, doesn't it?" He looks to Ken for an answer before shaking his head and focusing.

"She kept asking about my daughter, and obviously, I don't know where my daughter was! She was shouting about some agent of darkness and raving about how the storm would wash away all these streets one day. It was quite something! Of course, I would have been fascinated if she hadn't been busy trying to realign my ribs!" He chuckles softly, and then clutches at his chest. Ken doubts he has broken ribs, but a chest injury wouldn't be unexpected. Ken does notice, just as a point of curiosity, that he looks better than he probably should. As if it had been a few days since the attack, and not a few hours.

"My daughter will sort this all out for me, she always does. It must be a misunderstanding. Oh! The girl, she went away when she realised who my daughter was. I should call her, see what it was all about. She never answers her phone, but when it's important... She'll pick up." He nods to himself.

At first he seems reluctant to accept help, but in the end he gathers up a sizeable assortment of various pieces around the room and places them into a paper bag for Ken to take home. Most of it is random religious or arcane symbols, but some pieces are actually quite unique and artistic. "Now, I do have a no returns policy, I've had a lot of weird complaints about my products and it feels like people are trying to get my work for free sometimes." He looks very apologetic, but not willing to compromise at all. "That would cover it though."

"Sorry, I got a little off track, was there anything else you wanted to know?"

~~~

Patricia

Patricia gets to spend a moment with Wally as he examines various pieces of art produced by James, nodding his little seal head along approvingly, as if he is some maestro of the crafts.

He appraises each piece of work extremely carefully, and then does something with his flippers. After that, he just winks and nods at Patricia, hoping that someone will come pick him up so he doesn't have to crawl on the streets.

~~~

Cloudburst

As soon as she arrives, Cloudburst can see what drew her here. The smell of singed fur is overwhelming here, and she can see that whatever burned here was some sort of canine creature. Massive, potentially tainted canines. The Princess who had been here before her had clearly been putting in some work, but her methods left a lot to be desired. The mess she'd made was absurd, and she must have started fighting these things in the street. Even at night, it was dangerous to fight in areas where people lived or worked.

A matchbox lays discarded near the wall, empty but for one match. The sensation of stormy rain settles on Cloudburst's skin as she stands nearby, and the smell of fresh-struck lightning. The weather for now though was sunny apart from the forming rainclouds and those were a short while away.

Involuntary shivers claim her for a moment, before releasing their grip as the feeling passes.

The Complex
Saturday, 42 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Ashley

The winds rejoice, curling about Ashley as she sets about her task, granting her alacrity and preciseness beyond her usual capabilities.

Ashley slips the lock open without issues, and uses her tools to jiggle the latch just out of place so that it no longer acts as an obstacle. The door opens seemingly of its own volition, revealing the old damaged library. Something had happened in here that had left the place inhabitable. Or so all the students had been told. In reality, a lot of the damage looked mostly fixed, with the odd bit of chipped wood here, or a torn book there.

Nothing is immediately visible on the first floor, but some sort of ethereal music trails down from the top floor...

~~~

Carla

The library lights up as Carla activates her vision, strange symbols appearing before her eyes in a cylinder. Strangely, with this new sight, the library building looks far older than it did before, with vines crawling up it that were not there previously. These vines pulse with energy and power, like a connection.

This magic is supposed to repel mortals, and even some of the supernatural. It was built to keep prying eyes away, but allow some visitors. Mortals would always be turned away, but others might able to break through.

The ward itself seems at first to be a mental barrier, something which convinces her to turn away the more she pushes into it, but with her magical vision, Carla can tell it is something else entirely. The ward makes what would be a rather simple bit of mental magic into a convoluted structure of fate, turning away those deemed "unworthy" of entering, by relatively arbitrary standards. Carla can also tell that the magic is incredibly strained, cracking in places, with some of the complicated, magical codework of runes and symbols starting to fade.

Whoever set up these wards wanted to be left alone.

And Ashley just cracked open the front door.

Wikimaster

2021-07-28, 10:56 PM

***PtH on Giant in the Playground Forums***

Ken Aizawa

Ken nods and says to the man, "Who is your daugther, if I may ask? Would you mind calling her? I normally wouldn't ask, but judging from what you've said, you've been treated by a bona fide terrorist. This means that we're going to have to know all we can in order to finally get the person who attacked you 'dealt with'."

If one of us picks a fight with a Mage, the Princesses of Beaux Reves are dead or worse. We need to resolve this dispute before those Witches get involved...

Presence+Persuasion+Invocation (Minus 1 Wisp)+Willpower
[roll0]

DeTess

2021-07-29, 10:01 AM

"Hmmm." Ashley looks around the library's first floor as she slips inside. This wasn't what she'd been expecting. She'd been worried some fiery creature had taken residence, but this didn't at all look like the lair of a being like that. If what they'd been told about the library was true, than whatever was hiding out here was more likely to have been working to fix things. But then, what was the reason for the fiery traces outside?

She shot a look over her shoulder at Rebecca, feeling unsure again. "This is not at all what I'd been expecting." She whispered quietly. "Do you know of anything that burns scorch marks in the grass and maintains libraries?"

Togo

2021-07-30, 03:42 AM

Carla slips in behind Ashley, gazing around with glittering eyes.

Wards suggest someone was trying to keep people out. she says softly. Maybe it was one of those kept out who had the fire?

tonberryking

2021-07-30, 06:30 AM

Cloudburst goes for the matchbox, picking it up and turning it over. This is like a mystery novel, right? Maybe the cover of the box advertises a bar or a motel or some other potential clue that could help unravel the mystery...

DeTess

2021-07-30, 09:59 AM

"Maybe...." Ashley takes a moment to mull over Carla's suggestion. "Yeah, I can see how that would make sense. The Fire Being tries to get in here, but can't due to the barrier, get's angry and throws a fiery tantrum. They must have come back a couple times too, because some of the scorch marks looked older than the others, which means they really wanted to get in here." She looks up towards the higher floors of the library towers, from which the soft music was still coming. "Whoever lives here will probably have seen something that could help us, but... well, whoever they are, they clearly aren't exactly normal, and they might be dangerous as well."

Illven

2021-07-31, 12:43 AM

Do you think maybe they'll try to come back in again? Perhaps if that's the case we can try and talk down this fire user. Rebecca muses.

How long ago are the two different burn times? If you can tell that is. Rebecca turns to Carla.

Wuff

2021-08-01, 10:39 AM

The Industrial District
Saturday, 50 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Ken

The old man pauses for a moment, looks into his cup for a long time and then looks up. For a while, he scrutinizes Ken, and then nods as if confirming something to himself.

"I'm sure I can trust you." He nods again. "My daughter used to run one of the libraries at Beaux Rêve. She got involved with a lot of troubled kids there, and in her spare time, well... She always had an interest in strange things. She gets visitors asking about her work all the time. I got into making these trinkets for her, and the extras are profitable enough to keep a roof over my head."

He frowns. "Some of her visitors are a bit eccentric or intense, and some are like the girl who came around last night. She normally deals with them. She has a way about her. This time, she must have missed one though."

He indicates to a framed picture. 1985, says the frame. The picture is of James, although much younger, alongside a woman his age and a younger adult with owlish features and circular rimmed glasses. The picture shows what seem to be Beaux Rêve at night, from the vantage point of a rooftop. The city is beautiful, far different to how it looks now, cramped and imposing.

"She said I should only ever give out one of her names to strangers. And, well... I trust you enough to give you the one I gave her. Gabriella Polane."

"She's had a rough few months. Her library was destroyed, and she lost a lot of her books in the mess. And... The accident, well, she's lost so much. I've tried to reach out but she never takes any of my calls." He looks to his landline mournfully, before moving to pick it up.

"If it's important, she will pick up. She knows when it's important." With the press of two buttons, the phone starts to ring.

Ken gains the informed condition.

Informed (Gabriella Polane)

One of the trinkets given to him is a miniature sandstone sundial which can be used to track the movements of the sun perfectly, even underground.

~~~

Cloudburst

After the initial sensation, so familiar to one of the court of storms passes, nothing new happens with any further examination. The only symbol noticeable is a cloud, although it has been carved into the white, otherwise blank matchbox with a pin or other small pointed object.

When Cloudburst looks up, she can see a figure on her perch watching her, before it dashes off, something flowing behind her as if caught in a wind that isn't there. The sound of a thunderclap rings in her mind, and her heart starts to beat faster involuntarily.

The Industrial District
Saturday, 50 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Ashley, Carla and Rebecca

The noble can now see into the library. The inside is immaculate compared to the outside, and it looks far better than it did before the library was damaged. In fact, it looks amazing, far beyond the funding normally allocated to the complex. There's a slightly lived-in look to the place as well, although cleaning is clearly a priority here, with not a bit of dust to be seen.

The music seems to get louder, and the stairs are ever so inviting... But there's plenty to look at and examine down here. Strange books lay open, recently scrawled on or written in with fresh ink. The shelves are fully stocked with various books about magics of various kinds. There is definitely a magical vibe to this whole area even to those without magical sight.

Carla can see clearly that there's a fairy tale like quality to everything in the room, every image exaggerated and every symbol blaring bright. This is the home of a very prolific magic user. Those who have been here before will realise that the nonfiction shelves have all been cleared out and replaced with stories about princesses of the mundane variety, knights, dragons and faerie courts. The amount of books stacked in the shelves seems to make the bookshelves bulge, as if they were stretching to accommodate more fiction.

The old occult section remains intact, now filled with much scarier looking books than before. A collection of newspaper articles pinned on the wall has been replaced, changed from stories about the school and the history to stories about weird happenings in the city across the centuries. It's almost like stepping into another world, or as if another world is imposing itself on this space.

Carla notices with her magical sight that... Time flows slower here than it does in the outside world, and there's a haze of good fortune hanging around, as well as a number of powerful defences against intrusion. Again, the word Arcadian springs to mind, powerful this time. The wards have either failed through not being attended to, or somebody has allowed them to come in.

As the three Nobles get used to their surroundings, a trilling singsong voice comes from above.

"Three princesses in my tower! Oh! But not of my Gentry. Oh, they serve different courts altogether!"

A smooth male voice responds with very regal tones, "We were expecting visitors. Shall we invite them up?"

And then after another slow moment, the crystal clear tunes of a phone begins to fill the air, bouncing across the whole library.

Wikimaster

2021-08-01, 08:42 PM

Ken Aizawa

Ken waited for Mr. James to explain to Gabriella what exactly was happening, before asking, "Mind if I talk to her?"

If the phone was handed over to him, Ken would say, "My name is Leon Masuda, Corporal of the Beaux Reves 2nd Infantry Division. We wish to ask you a few questions."

His voice then lowered to the faintest of whispers, "There is a terrorist threat to the district of Beaux Reves your father lives in - I'm trying to stop the source. It doesn't help that one of the terrorists may have mistaken you or your father for the... Enemies she is trying to root out. Would it be okay if I ask if you know anything about the 'misunderstanding' and potential reasons behind it? We want to get to the root of this incident as soon as possible. So, what sparked this case of mistaken identity?"

Presence+Persuasion+Willpower+Informed
[roll0]

DeTess

2021-08-02, 10:27 AM

Some of the tension left Ashley as she processed what the female voice from above had been saying. "Seems that at least one of this tower's occupants is another princess, like us." She murmured, more to herself than her companions. "If that's the case, asking them what has been going on here couldn't do much harm, right? They might even be able to help us with more than just information." She said to the others, sounding a bit more confident than she felt.

tonberryking

2021-08-02, 06:35 PM

Cloudburst tips her hat up to peer closer at the matchbook, becoming Wally over before her senses alert her and she spies the one spying her. And for a brief moment her mask slips. Not the jade oni domino she's wearing over half her face, but her metaphorical one. A look of blunt confusion can be read behind that mask, shock that another of her court not only exists i this town but has been operating with her knowing beans about it. What a rotten world she works in...

The moment of surprise is over in the blink of an eye, however, the samurai themed Noble grabbing wally and stuffing him into the bag before she wall kicks up and over, trying to get to the roof in order to give chase.

"Hey! Wait!!!" she fruitlessly yells in her pursuit.

I'm assuming... Dex+Athletics to NES Batman up the walls?
[roll0]

Illven

2021-08-02, 11:04 PM

Rebecca nods to Ashley.

We would be very glad to receive your hospitality, princess! Rebecca calls out loudly to the library. So that we may talk about matters of mutual interest, and soothe our souls! May we ascend higher up, princess? Becca says this part on bended knee in case the princess can see them.

Hemnon

2021-08-04, 04:50 AM

Patricia Henrietta Neumann

Patricia only really knew a lil' bit about this Wally Plush thingy. But she was 15, it was a cute plushie, and Wally seemed like he'd prefer not being on the ground.
As Patricia was about to get herself into gear and just pick up the Wally-plush, that other Hopeful, Cloudburst? seemed to speed past, Wally in hand or some such? It all happened pretty fast and honestly Patricia wasn't gonna start running around like crazy.
Seeing as the two she was supposed to have met up with was running all over the place, she decided to instead trying and see if she could follow a Darkness-trail. The lingering presence should have come from somewhere, yes?

Wuff

2021-08-04, 04:44 PM

The Industrial District
Saturday, 52 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Patricia

Patricia finds herself drawn into the alleyways, hovering over the pile of ashes that Cloudburst had found, searching for something nearby. For a moment, there seems to be nothing, and then a horrible yelping sound comes from further in, followed by the scrabbling of paws.

Ken

The voice that comes down the line is slightly high pitched, sharp.

"Oh, hello! A terrorist threat? That's not good. Is my father okay?" The voice pauses for a while before continuing. "Oh! I see. There's definitely been a mistake here. Yes, there is somebody targeting me. I believe I might have inconvenienced somebody close to her. I know who she is, I'll deal with her shortly. Thank you very much for letting me know. Let my father know that there will be no issue from now on. I have guests, I have to dash soon, is there anything else?" There's a clicking sound, then a confused noise as she fumbles with her phone.

After a second, her voice shrills out:

The Abandoned Library
Saturday, 52 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

"I'll be down in a minute just wait there!"

Something begins to trundle down the stairs, not visible at first over the banister. As it travels downwards, you can properly take it in. A knight made up of what looks like glass or crystal approaches the group of nobles. He wears a full set of battle regalia, although this is in no way the regalia of the Nobles here.

"Hello, the lady is currently occupied. Can I fetch you anything, a book, or something to eat?" Now that he is closer, his voice holds a notable clarity, precise and sharp. He has no distinguishable accent but a lofty tone. There's an attempt to smile at the group, a light inside him glowing a warm, comforting orange, and refracting through his whole structure. Something eerily human and at the same time distinctly alien stirs within him.

Those present may perform an Intelligence + Occult or Wits + Occult to gain varying information.

On the Rooftops
Saturday, 52 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Cloudburst

Cloudburst takes chase. The storm princess casts a glance over her shoulder before continuing to dash away without a word. The chase is perilous, but both are mostly evenly matched, with the new foreign princess slightly faster by virtue of some charm, a trail of sparks with every step.

The two dodge through a variety of obstacles, sliding around dangerous jutting pipes and wires.

"Just leave me alone! I have business to take care of!" She shouts.

Cloudburst can roll Dexterity and Athletics to chase.
Cloudburst can also roll Wits + Streetwise to gain an advantage in the chase.

Wikimaster

2021-08-04, 06:41 PM

Ken Aizawa

"Nothing for now," Ken said. "I need to see what some of my... fellow officers are doing. Good day, and be safe."

He then puts down the phone, then turns to Mr. James, "I need to check on the others sent to investigate this mess. Keep yourself safe - I'll either come for the items when I'm back or send some people over to fetch them. That said..." He took a set of luminous dice, "I'll be taking these for luck."

And with that, he went off to see what Patricia and Cloudburst were doing!

DeTess

2021-08-05, 10:42 AM

Ashley just about manages to clamp down on the first question that came to mind as the crystal knight...butler...thing approached them. She didn't specialize in etiquette, but she was still fairly certain that asking 'what are you?' would be rude. "I think I'm okay for now... or.. Actually, there wouldn't be a copy of 'magical wards for dummies' around here, would there?" She asked. She phrased the request in a light-hearted way, but if there actually was such a book in there that she could borrow, she certainly wouldn't turn it down. She'd sleep a lot better if she knew that places like her grandfather's shop and home, or doctor Bescon's clinic had wards in place against things that haunted the night.

Illven

2021-08-07, 10:04 PM

Or a "How to investigate Arson for dummies. Becca adds to Ashley's comment, giggling slightly as she says so.

Hemnon

2021-08-08, 06:25 AM

Patricia Henrietta Neumann

Patricia took some silent, swift walking-steps down the direction she'd heard the yelp - nerves on high-alert and her senses equally so.

Togo

2021-08-08, 05:44 PM

Or you could recommend something to us. says Carla, seemingly more interested in looking at the shelves rather than in the direction of the voice. I'd be fascinated to see what you'd suggest.

Wuff

2021-08-10, 09:12 AM

The Industrial District
Saturday, 55 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

The old man walks Ken to the door, bids him farewell and closes up shop again just before an angry yowling begins to erupt in the alleyway. Patricia feels her sickness burst out all of a sudden as something tears out from a dim hole in the alleyway, her lungs seeming to fill all of a sudden with a suffocating smog of darkness. The ash and the lingering taint here had been concealing something that had been partially burned away.

Creatures seem to slip from somewhere else, a lightless world imposing itself without warning, drawn here by the warmth of the hopeful. Ken has enough time to move into position before the creatures push forward, growling and gnashing. Fortunately, the street is still not bustling, but it will be soon.

There are two canine-like creatures of darkness and heaps of ashes in the alleyway. The dark canine creatures stand on their hind legs in an awkward imitation of humanity, or perhaps... Humanity degenerated into something else.

What's the plan of action?

The Abandoned Library
Saturday, 55 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

The knightly figure inclines his head in respect once more before retreating to a bookshelf. With a complicated motion. Shoving his hand straight into a bookshelf, sliding past the books on display and straight into some space behind, he rummages around for a few moments, clasping a number of books and leaflets in his firm crystalline grasp.

He returns to the group bearing his findings as the other woman in the room begins descending the stairs, each step echoing around the room with a rhythmic, horselike click and clack. Clearly... She's walking down the stairs in some kind of heel or flat shoe.

The knight bows his head again, the formality starting to become repetitive at this point. He slides in to present the books, neatly depositing the reading material into the hands of the requester.

Carla knows that this stuff isn't really in the realms of the Hopeful. She can pretty much immediately recognise this for what it is, a blend of Awakened and Arcadian magic. She knows that these books don't contain power that she can hope to master, but still, something nagging at the back of her mind drives her to read them anyway. There is a world of knowledge out there to be explored, a dangerous world full of secrets and ancient knowledge. This library holds thousands of books, tomes, pamphlets and magazine clippings related to the strange world over the hedge. There is so much to discover and explore.

Carla gains the obsessed condition, gaining 9-again on rolls related to Arcadian Lore or Acanthus Witches.

Ashley receives a primer on the metaphysics of shielding spells and veiling spells, although there'll be incredibly little information relevant to her own magic in there, it would grant some basic insights into some aspects of awakened magic.

Ashley is also given a copy of a small bestiary which details the banes of various supernatural creatures.

Rebecca is first handed a textbook about simple forensic science and crime scenes, then a slightly scrunched dissertation on the intersection between forensic science and occult phenomena. The knight also produces a scrumpled up note describing Tempesta from the point of view of one of the Storm Wracked.

Carla is given what seems like a novel revolving around fairytale seeming descriptions of noble courts and a bizarre gentry. She is also given a grimoire of herbalism and spells for "Acanthus" witches, well worn and used, full of various flowers which still hold their scent.

tonberryking

2021-08-10, 02:23 PM

Cloudburst just takes the response as a challenge to increase her own speed, trying to keep pace with the sister Storm.

"No! You nearly burned this whole place down and I aim to know why! At least so nobody blames ME for your actions; I have a hard enough time already! Wally, can you talk sense to her?!"

Her metal sandals strike sparks of their own, but relatively minor ones comparatively as she puts on a burst of energy.

[roll0] Athletics + Dex to try to overtake her...

Wikimaster

2021-08-10, 07:35 PM

Ken Aizawa

Ken does not hesitate and draws a burning sword, well aware that his decision to strike with full force has made sure that he can freely access his Invocation. He was going to smite the minions of the Darkness here today.

Initiative Roll
[roll0]

Add 4 to the final roll.

Illven

2021-08-10, 10:13 PM

So um. Thank you kind sir, May I have the pleasure of your name? Rebecca asks cautiously curtsying in time with his bows. You may call me The Scarlet Crusader.

DeTess

2021-08-11, 11:01 AM

"Ah, thank you." Ashely quickly skimmed over the covers of the books the knightly apparition had given her, then slipped them in her backpack. "Oh, right. You may call me Angel." She introduced herself, mostly managing to hide the embarrassment she felt for the name. By the time she even realized she needed to get herself a new name for when she was out and about transformed, rumors had already picked the name for her, and now she was stuck with it.

Wuff

2021-08-14, 11:16 AM

The Rooftops
Saturday, 56 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Cloudburst manages to hold pace with the girl, not gaining any ground in the chase but at least managing to keep within a distance close enough to see. Close enough for Wally to call out and be heard:

"We're here to help you, we know what happened!"

The other princess pauses, and then seems to vanish. Cloudburst catches up to where she had been, and then before she can look around and survey her position, is yanked hard into a dark corner, suddenly face to face with the other noble.

Cloudburst can only make out parts of her costume in the strange lighting here. The massive Zweihänder is somewhat intimidating. The military camo bouffant dress should really look like some sort of crime against art but bizarrely, it sort of works, torn up in the right places to make it look more tomboyish or costumey than outright fashion disaster. It's still incongruous, but not as offensive as it could be.

"What do you know? Tell me now, or I'll send you to our queen early. Don't think being a part of my court will make me like you."

The Alleyway
Saturday, 56 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

Ken springs to action before the creatures can get a bite in, so consumed they are in their howling and threatening movements, their awkward hindleg trot adding absolutely no alacrity to their actions. The walls are scorched from previous fighting and marked with scattered ash.

The Abandoned Library
Saturday, 56 Minutes into Lunch Time
~~~

"You are very welcome, ladies." The knight figure bows yet again.

"My name is Sam Halls. Or, it used to be. Now I'm just known as Valiance in my circles." The knight looks uncomfortable for the last moment it takes for his companion to reach the bottom of the stairs. He snaps back to attention when she reaches his side, then visibly winces when she begins speaking.

"It is always lovely to have visitors in here! People haven't been around a lot since someone blew up my old library! Although, I have to thank them for that! Whoever it was has really set me on a new path!"

At this point, it's clear to those in the room that she is almost certainly not a Noble. She bears no recognizable imagery, there's no sign of a phylactery on her, but plenty of other little trinkets hang from various belts and out of pouches. She looks... Pretty much like an archetypal librarian. It's such a prominent impression she makes that it's hard to see her as anything else BUT a librarian.

Carla's intuition and sight tells her that something is extremely not right about how the world, fate and time seems to bend around this woman. Something tainted and magical practically radiates from her, a rotten, static thing kept at bay through raw power and... Destiny? Carla's mind is nearly overwhelmed by the abstract concepts being forced into her head through her vision, and a growing headache begins to set in the longer she continues to observe the librarian with her magical sight.

"And you can call me... Floret!" The librarian ponders what name to give for a moment, as if she has many names, and giving the wrong one out could hold power or reveal her identity.

Wikimaster

2021-08-14, 07:12 PM

Ken Aizawa

Ken strikes at the Darkspawn with a flaming sword which appears out of nowhere, the joy of fighting for a worthy cause filling him...

Activating Kensai: Burning - Strength + Weaponry + Invocation Bonus. This attack also has the 9-again roll...
[roll0]

Illven

2021-08-14, 11:33 PM

What new path do you mean, Lady.Floret? If you don't mind me asking that is. Rebecca asks curtseying slightly

DeTess

2021-08-15, 03:28 AM

Ashley took her cue from Rebecca and gave a slight bow, though she couldn't match the princess of heart's grace. She kept a careful eye on the woman that had introduced herself as Floret though. She had expected another Noble, but that didn't seem to be the case. Ashely wasn't exactly sure what she was, though if there was such a thing as a goddess of libraries, it'd probably look like Floret.

tonberryking

2021-08-15, 05:14 PM

Nearly screaming not to be touch, Cloudburst tenses up, trying to get out of arm's reach of her camo clad sister in court.

"I don't like anybody." she huffs and scowls, forearm resting on her sword, "Wally, can you tell her we're all trying to protect this place? Nobody's telling you to like me, either, but I'm with a team and while you and I are just here to kill things, I don't want those Nobles to turn on me; stuff's hard enough already."

Hemnon

2021-08-18, 04:32 PM

Patricia Henrietta Neumann

Patricia had frozen in place for just a moment - at least it was not overwhelming, that sense towards Darkness she had, when she was transformed like now - clearly indicating her 'ideal form' is a lot better made to handle the sensitivity than her mundane form.

Without missing a further step, and not wanting to be shown up by Kan, Patricia pulled forth her Levinbolt Bow and fired off one of those Darkness slaying arrows, straight towards whichever of those canine... things that would be at the best angle to outflank at

Initiative: [roll0] +6 = Init of 14.

Free Fuoco Invocation activated cuz going all-out with full lethality against the Crispy-Doggo things.
Will add the +2 Invocation bonus to the Attackroll. Also the attack gains 9-again.
Levinbolt Attack: [roll1]
9-again rolls as needed: [roll2] - so that is overall a total of 12 Successes yes? meaning-

Damage is 2+2(Str)+N(Every Success to hit beyond the first success) Lethal Damage with Fire Attribute to it in case that counts = 15 Lethal (Fire-based) Damage to Crispy Doggo.

Togo

2021-08-19, 10:25 AM

Somewhat absently, Carla says Oh, thank you Floret. and gives a bow, but her eyes are already on the book. Without taking her eyes off it, she reaches for the nearest chair, fails to find one, and settles down onto the floor, leaning against a shelf. The book is already open by the time she reaches the ground.

After an alarmingly brief time she turns the page and keeps reading. It's not clear if she has simply forgotten about Floret and Sam, or whether she has just assumed they would have no interest in her.

Wuff

2021-09-01, 05:40 AM

The Alleyway
Saturday, End of Lunch Time
~~~

The alleyway seems to erupt in a blaze of fire as both nobles invoke Fuocou, adrenaline and hopeful magic heightening the senses before the scene settles into just a blisteringly hot, dry heat. One of the shadow creatures is practically bisected, Ken's sword shearing it like a knife through butter. The other is pinned against the wall by Patricia's arrow, the shaft poking through where any normal hound's heart would rest. It has no time to scream, only to let out a strangled whimper, and then fall still with its body held up only by the force of the bolt.

Both hounds burn up and quickly collapse into ash before they can be further studied. All that is left is the hole from which they emerged. In the light of the nearby nobles, it both shrinks back and expands. This mould-like circle radiates a cold hunger. Somebody else had tackled this opening, as can be noted by a wound in the circle.

A bustle erupts from the streets behind the pair as people finish their lunches and return to work. There'll be little space to deal with this right now, but leaving it could be dangerous.

The Library
Saturday, End of Lunch Time
~~~

Floret beams a bright, librarianish smile. She fixes an approving gaze on Carla before turning her attention to the remaining standing group.

"I do love a reader." She murmurs softly, and a clock above begins to chime, no particular pattern noticeable. The world seems to slow as the final chime rings out, and then normal pace seeps back in.

Her eyes literally glow as she enters a brief ramble: "My new path... Yes! The path I found when I left my broken library. Literally and metaphysically, I followed that path and now here I am! They fired me, but I didn't care! I'm still here, working my library. This is who I am now, and I have never been happier!" Floret enters a moment of lucidity and grasps at an invisible thread in the air before finishing. "I had always known that there was something hiding in the hedges."

It's starting to make sense why the library has been taking so long to be repaired.

The Rooftops
Saturday, End of Lunch Time
~~~

Cloudburst is pushed back slightly by the storm as Wally, with extreme dexterity, slinks out of her backpack to show his face to the other princess. The princess warms a little, perhaps sensing something of a kindred spirit. Her outwardly hostile demeanour doesn't change though. Wally barrels in before the stranger can speak.

"We worked it all out, we want to help you, we just need to see the whole picture, why don't you explain it to us?" Wally's voice is friendly and high, and while the other storms princess definitely does not seem particularly partial to it, she still seems to melt at the sign of a friendly figure, relaxing slightly. Her shoulders slump and her form opens up a little as she makes herself vulnerable.

"Really? I've been alone for so long in this, and after what happened... I need some help. I need someone to understand what is happening right beneath their noses." She addresses Cloudburst next. "I'm sorry for being so hostile, I haven't seen a friendly face in a while. I'll make sure that people know you weren't involved in these incidents, but you have to understand why they were necessary. I need to set things right, I need to fix things. I have to bring her back."