Iron Station Savage Masks IC II

[InTheMachine]

Good Cop, Bad Cop
Jackie glances up at Louis before he hangs his head again. "Y-yeah. I'll tell you what I know. But I'm just a runner for Seth. I've only seen the boss in person once, from a distance, when he came by to talk to Seth after Vic got popped and he took over the set."

He turns and wipes his nose on his shoulder. "Since Coldfront's been knocking over our hideouts, the boss has been layin’ low. The Crowns have been pushing into our territory— the ****in’ Dragonovs killed Todd Osrick, the guy that ran the St. Rhais set yesterday.”

That catches Ryker’s attention, but he stays quiet as Jackie continues.

“They’ve been scrambling to figure who’s gonna take over. My money’s on Ollie—“

Ryker starts to grab another one of Jackie’s fingers, and the Rook flinches and shakes his head. “Okay okay okay! To answer your question though, I don’t really know what the boss is up to. He’s been real quiet the last year or so. The sets have kept pretty separate. I think the leaders meet every month or so, but like I said, I’m just a runner.”

“What did your buddy do?” Ryker asks.

The Rook swallows. “You mean RJ? The bald guy I was with earlier? He’s muscle. Tryin’ to work his way up to enforcer for Seth.”

Haunted House
Crowe’s blast of darkness knocks a chunk of stone out of the statue’s shoulder, but it reforms back into it’s original shape.

While it’s distracted putting itself back together, Mercury crosses the distance and punches it in the knee with one silver fist. The statue wavers a moment before it backhands the metal hero, sending him sliding over close to Dee.

Dee’s spell makes the statue pause in its movements for only a moment before the blank face swings to face him, and it crosses the distance between them much more quickly than something that size should be able to. The smell of rotten blood and sulfur envelops Dee as it attempts to slash him with it’s long fingers that have sharpened to blade-like edges.

As the first finger is about to slice into his shoulder Dee feels a hand grab part of his cloak and yank him out of the way of the statue’s attack.

The blank face jerkily turns to glare at Mercury, the one who’d pulled Dee out of danger, and it rakes its claws across his chest. They cut right through his armor and deep into the flesh underneath. He falls to one knee as red and silver blood spills onto the ground.

Zodiac snarls in response and leaps at the statue, but she’s unable to harm the stone with her fangs and claws.

Initiative:
The statue soaks the damage from Crowe’s attack and beats John in the test of wills with an 11
9s… Mercury goes and the statue soaks again before counter attacking, but it fails to surpass Mercury’s armor.
7s.. the statue goes! It misses Dee, and then attacks Mercury. He gains 3 wounds! (Oof)
5s… Zodiac goes, but doesn’t hurt the statue.
Initiative resets!
Kings… Dee has Initiative!

[mmdeforrest]

Haunted House
While it’s distracted putting itself back together, Mercury crosses the distance and punches it in the knee with one silver fist. The statue wavers a moment before it backhands the metal hero, sending him sliding over close to Dee.

Dee’s spell makes the statue pause in its movements for only a moment before the blank face swings to face him, and it crosses the distance between them much more quickly than something that size should be able to. The smell of rotten blood and sulfur envelops Dee as it attempts to slash him with it’s long fingers that have sharpened to blade-like edges.

As the first finger is about to slice into his shoulder Dee feels a hand grab part of his cloak and yank him out of the way of the statue’s attack.

The blank face jerkily turns to glare at Mercury, the one who’d pulled Dee out of danger, and it rakes its claws across his chest. They cut right through his armor and deep into the flesh underneath. He falls to one knee as red and silver blood spills onto the ground.

Zodiac snarls in response and leaps at the statue, but she’s unable to harm the stone with her fangs and claws.

Initiative:
Kings… Dee has Initiative!

“Get out of there, Mercury,” Dee barked, shifting his tactics to buy his teammate time to put some distance between him and the statue, striking simultaneously at the form and the mind behind it as magical tendrils leap up from the ground around it.

Spoiler: A Spell Dee Should Have Cast Slightly Differently

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Spellcasting — Ensnare/Stun/Jinx: 1d12o12+2 12 1d6o6+2 7

Ensnare (3), Very Strong (2); Stun (2); Jinx (2); Ranged Touch Attack (2) All Contingent on Ensnare (-2)=9

The statue is bound by Ensnare and can do nothing but attempt to break free, using Strength or Agility at -4.
The Master Summoner must make a Smarts roll or be Incapacitated.
If the Master Summoner attacks me, any one on any skill die results in a mishap.

[InTheMachine]

Haunted House
The statue strains against its bonds before they tear and break. It focuses on Dee before more reddish-black fluid spews out from the runes in its face, all over the magician. The smell is horrendous and any exposed skin starts to burn.

Zodiac growls as the fire around her paws flares, leaving scorch marks on the stone.

Initiative:
Jacks… the statue goes! It breaks free of entanglement (and stun) and attacks Dee! He takes 15 damage, and needs to make a Spirit Roll, TN 10, to resist having all of his Attributes reduced by 1 step
10s… Zodiac goes! She wounds the statue, but it soaks!
8s… Crowe has Initiative!

[Roguewolf]

Haunted House
The statue strains against its bonds before they tear and break. It focuses on Dee before more reddish-black fluid spews out from the runes in its face, all over the magician. The smell is horrendous and any exposed skin starts to burn.

Zodiac growls as the fire around her paws flares, leaving scorch marks on the stone.

Initiative:
Jacks… the statue goes! It breaks free of entanglement (and stun) and attacks Dee! He takes 15 damage, and needs to make a Spirit Roll, TN 10, to resist having all of his Attributes reduced by 1 step
10s… Zodiac goes! She wounds the statue, but it soaks!
8s… Crowe has Initiative!

Crowe keeps his eyes focused on the statue and considers a possibility. It was a hunch, but he had to try for it. "Something tells me the runes are a weakpoint! I can't explain why but my gut says it!"

Spoiler: Assess the Situation

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Assess the Situation: 2d6+2 7
How can we best end this quickly? Answered in Discord

Crowe takes aim at the runes on the face and fires.

Spoiler: Rolls, Mechanics, OOC

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Crowe fires a blast at the Statues face! Called Shot and Heavy Weapon!
Shooting: 1d10o10-4 0 1d6o6-4 -1
OOC: Benny to Reroll!
Shooting: 1d10o10-4 3 1d6o6-4 4
OOC: PLEASE!

Damage: 4d6o6 23

[InTheMachine]

Haunted House
Crowe’s blast of darkness impacts the runes and breaks through, leaving a hole where the statue’s face was. It starts to crumble as it falls down to its knees. One arm extends outward, palm down, and presses into the ground before the stone completely disintegrates. No skull appears in the crumbled bits of statue.

Zodiac rushes over to Mercury’s side as struggles to get back to his feet. “Drake, don’t move. You’re losing too much blood.”

“I’m fine, Zodiac. Where’s the skull?” Mercury asks as he stands.

She looks up at him and then back over at the remains of the statue. “It didn’t come out.” One ear flicks and she looks intently at the floor before she trots over to the stone door, staring at the ground. “I… can hear it. It’s burrowing through the stone and it’s headed wherever that door leads.”

Combat Ends!

[mmdeforrest]

Haunted House
Zodiac looks up at him and then back over at the remains of the statue. “It didn’t come out.” One ear flicks and she looks intently at the floor before she trots over to the stone door, staring at the ground. “I… can hear it. It’s burrowing through the stone and it’s headed wherever that door leads.”

Combat Ends!

“Mercury, try and cage her with the rebar in the floor — or at least slow her down. She can’t fight us both easily. I’ll work the concrete and entrap her in a magical sphere once we draw her up out of the floor!”

Magical sphere? Come on, John.

At least it’s direct.

Dee focused, ignoring the burning sensation on his jaw and scribed another spell, reach through the stone to find his quarry. He opened a fissure around the path of the skull and drew the skull up from the ground within a magical bubble that hovered three feet above the floor before turning to heal Mercury.

Spoiler: Spellcasting Roll

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Spellcasting Reroll: 1d12o12 13 1d6o6 2
Force Control (2), Matter Control (2) Contingent (-2) = 2
One Bennie spent to reroll.

[InTheMachine]

Haunted House
Mercury grits his teeth and bolsters Dee’s efforts, using the rebar in the floor to cut off the skull’s escape so that the magician’s spell can capture it.

The skull twists around inside it’s prison, locking its gemstone eyes on Mercury before he coughs and doubles over, vomiting blood onto the floor. The open wounds on his chest grow wider and deeper as he collapses onto his hands and knees, breathing heavily through clenched teeth.

“Release me,” the skull demands in its whisper voice. “Or I will kill him.”

Zodiac wines as Mercury starts to try and say something. His eyes get wide with pain as a new rend opens in his armor, across his throat, and a thin horizontal line of blood appears.

“Damage me, and my spell with be completed,” the skull continues. “Release me.”

[mmdeforrest]

Haunted HouseZodiac wines as Mercury starts to try and say something. His eyes get wide with pain as a new rend opens in his armor, across his throat, and a thin horizontal line of blood appears.

“Damage me, and my spell with be completed,” the skull continues. “Release me.”

Dee’s face darkened as he drew and cast a flattened ring from his jacket pocket at the skull in a single, fluid motion. As the ring cleared his hand, it stretched and accelerated towards the skull, unfolding into multiple interlocking, rotating circles and twisting Space-Time as it sought out its maker’s target — its higher dimensions taking hold almost instantly while lower dimensions shifted through time to catch up.

A wrenching hum pitched in the eyes of those in the room as ten circles began to twist in and out of existence around the skull as they shifted through visible and invisible spectra, replacing the magical sphere Dee had conjured with a synesthestic torus that severed the skull off from its ability to impact the worlds around it.

Spoiler: You have no idea who you are dealing with, do you ‘Master Summoner’?

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Unleashing His Power: 2d6+2 11

John sighed, feeling the weight of his Work as it took hold in the Mundane world, shuddering at the thought of what Seraph was having to bear with all of the wards that he had laid to protect himself and others.

Dee shifted his focus back to the here and now as he assessed the results of his Work. The development of the Circle of Amun-Set had been attributed to any number of ancients in a variety of secret texts — Pythagoras, Hermes Trismegistus, Amenhotep, and others. It had posited four-dimensional theory long before Einstein, demonstrating magically what modern physics later proved. Following the publication of the Poincaré Conjecture in 1904, several magicians had begun work on updating the Circle to include a fifth dimension.

John’s mathematical genius had allowed him to push those calculations to include the ten of the eleven dimensions now known to science.

No one — including John — had ever seen it used before now. Indeed, only he knew his improvements existed.

He was glad it had worked.

“I trust you will excuse me for a moment,” he said to the skull somewhat acidly as it rippled within its prison, as if seen through heat distortion. “My friend is quite robust but you appear to have done him a serious injury.

“I had hoped we could at least be civil with one another,” Dee continued as he turned to treat his friend. “I was under no illusion that we would probably come to blows but to jump straight to the battle without the traditional exchange of names and, were appropriate, titles is quite beyond the Pale. I would have expected better from someone who claims the title ‘Master Summoner.’”

He was intentionally quiet as he cast the spell to heal Mercury — more for effect than out of any need. He wanted the skull to have a moment to think about its position.

Spoiler: Healing Mercury

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Healing (5)
Spellcasting Reroll: 1d12o12 10 1d6o6 5
John heals one of Mercury’s Wounds — because the player forgot to include the -3 penalty and the result should be 7, which is one frustrating point short of the raise needed to heal two wounds.

John watched as the pooling metallic blood retreated from the floor and stitched itself back into Mercury, closing the wounds but leaving ugly bruises and a scar that, he suspected, would fade away in time. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you, Mercury,” he offered apologetically. “I fear Seraph will have to take it from here.”

“Now,” he said as he turned, scribing the spell again — this time for himself, “perhaps we can try this again.“

Spoiler: And you have irritated me by potentially making me look bad before I take Emi to dinner!

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Spellcasting — another Healing spell: 1d12o12+2 5 1d6o6+2 4

John heals one wound on himself — although you would think I would have remembered to include the -1 penalty this time….

“I am known as Dee,” he said as the burn damage faded from himself and his uniform and he crossed his arms. “A humble practitioner. To whom am I speaking?”

[InTheMachine]

John
As soon as the skull is trapped within the Circle of Amun-Set, John hears an echo of Emi’s voice that slowly gets stronger.

“John… John? What happened? I heard something in the back of my mind, like a whisper that I thought was you, but then I couldn’t locate you. Until now. Are you alright?”

Haunted House
Zodiac helps Mercury get to his feet, letting him use her shoulder to steady himself. He spits out a globule of blood to the side and wipes his mouth with the back of a gauntlet. “I can’t complain, Dee. Thanks.”

The skull is silent for a moment after it’s addressed. “I am Rizaska Kisharha,” it says simply.

[Roguewolf]

Haunted House
Zodiac helps Mercury get to his feet, letting him use her shoulder to steady himself. He spits out a globule of blood to the side and wipes his mouth with the back of a gauntlet. “I can’t complain, Dee. Thanks.”

The skull is silent for a moment after it’s addressed. “I am Rizaska Kisharha,” it says simply.

Crowe's face darkens and then goes back somewhat ass Dee traps the skull and heals Mercury. "The hell is that thing?" He turns to Mercury and then back to Dee at the healing job. "Still a hell of a patch-up. Now just pissed that blast didn't get the skull too from that statue."

"No healer but what can I do for ya Mercury?"

[mmdeforrest]

John
As soon as the skull is trapped within the Circle of Amun-Set, John hears an echo of Emi’s voice that slowly gets stronger.

“John… John? What happened? I heard something in the back of my mind, like a whisper that I thought was you, but then I couldn’t locate you. Until now. Are you alright?”

“Testing comms,” John said as a smile spread across his face. “Do you copy, Mimi?”

Now that I can hear you clearly? How could I not be? John responded to the psychic message. Sorry — I should be more professional. A Master Summoner was blocking me. My comms didn’t work and I wanted to ask if you could contact Seraph, Harbinger, and Dr. Riviera to let them know we had found another Stone. In the course of the battle, I…we have contained it and the skull the Master Summoner — one Kishara — is inhabiting.

We got a little banged up but are okay. I have Mercury to thank for that. We do need to continue our investigation here. I don’t know as it is worth interrupting Dr. Riviera for information about Rizaska Kishara. It is probably worth letting people know about the Stone, though. I’m testing my comms to see if she was blocking them as well.

Haunted House
Zodiac helps Mercury get to his feet, letting him use her shoulder to steady himself. He spits out a globule of blood to the side and wipes his mouth with the back of a gauntlet. “I can’t complain, Dee. Thanks.”

The skull is silent for a moment after it’s addressed. “I am Rizaska Kisharha,” it says simply.

“Rizaska Kisharna inhabits this skull, Crowe,” John said, inclining his head toward the skull in recognition, “prolonging her life — and her service to House Vaneya by directing the Cult of the Red Dawn, unless I miss my mark. I’d tell you more but I can’t say as I am familiar with her name and works. She must work in different traditions, much different regions, or, over the long years, have had her works lost to time.

“Do I have that right, Rizaska?” John asked as he stepped towards the door and examined it for Wards. “Or were you given a different goal by House Vaneya and the Cult was more of a hobby to pass the time?

“Given the sloppiness of their work, I can’t imagine that you were devoting that much time and effort to them. I understand that it is perennially difficult to find good help but really! The mistakes they made were so basic that I can’t help but think you sent them to their deaths intentionally.”

Spoiler: John has a cunning plan….

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Occult: Searching for Wards on the Stone Door: 1d12o12+2 8 1d6o6+2 3

John is attempting to Provoke Rizaska Kisharna — hoping her wounded pride inspires a fit of villainous verbosity, where she tells us about herself and her nefarious plans.

Provoking the Skull: 2d6+2 13

[PK-Leon]

Good Cop, Bad Cop

Jackie glances up at Louis before he hangs his head again. "Y-yeah. I'll tell you what I know. But I'm just a runner for Seth. I've only seen the boss in person once, from a distance, when he came by to talk to Seth after Vic got popped and he took over the set."

He turns and wipes his nose on his shoulder. "Since Coldfront's been knocking over our hideouts, the boss has been layin’ low. The Crowns have been pushing into our territory— the ****in’ Dragonovs killed Todd Osrick, the guy that ran the St. Rhais set yesterday.”

That catches Ryker’s attention, but he stays quiet as Jackie continues.

...

Ryker starts to grab another one of Jackie’s fingers, and the Rook flinches and shakes his head. “Okay okay okay! To answer your question though, I don’t really know what the boss is up to. He’s been real quiet the last year or so. The sets have kept pretty separate. I think the leaders meet every month or so, but like I said, I’m just a runner.”

"A lot can change in a years time." Louis says, nodding in understanding. "I'm gonna need some names Jackie. I wanna know who runs each set now, their right hands, and a rough idea of what they've been working on."

He pulls out his phone and starts typing into a notepad app once Jackie speaks up again.

Spoiler: Different Faces, Same Streets

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Louis attempts to recall anything notable about the various names and locations Jackie potentially lists.

Streetwise: 15

[InTheMachine]

John
“I’ve contacted Seraph and Harbinger. Seraph’s on his way, and Harbinger will along shortly,” Emi says. “Let me know if you need anything else, John. And please, be careful.”

Haunted House
Dee still only gets static from comms and Mercury shakes his head. “We’re too far underground,” he says before glancing over at Crowe. “I’m fine. Worry about this crazy skull first.”

Spoiler: Notice TN 6

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Drake is not fine. Despite his efforts to act tough and try to keep people from worrying, he wavers slightly on his feet. His jaw is tight and his breath is shallow from the pain.

After Dee speaks, the skull’s jaw unhinges and it lets out a quiet cackle. “Though your magic is powerful, your words reveal you understand little. No, House Vaneya-ket answers to me. I know not what has happened in recent years with the cult that once worshiped me, as I have been enshrined here for many years and no one has disturbed my rest since the failed summoning of Jarek Vaskiina-ros.”

Dee feels a ward on the other side of the door, similar to the one he and Crowe spotted on the stairs.

Good Cop, Bad Cop
Ryker pulls a slightly squished pack of cigarettes out from his pocket and taps the carton on his palm before pulling one out. “I’m curious too, Jackie. Did Jesse replace me?” he asks as he lights it.

The Rook hesitates, looking between Louis and Ryker, until the former villain leans in a little closer and ‘accidentally’ flicks an ember onto his lap.

“The Big 4 ain’t changed in the last fifteen years, until Ozrick got murdered. There’s Lady Orchid and her daughter Violet that own Tupelo. Bramble, Pat Masterson, and his right hand lady Haze, Lauren Shogo, have Redhill. Mire, JT Braxton, runs the Palisades set with Marrow, Mason Price.”

“Ozrick and Two-Tone ran St. Rhais, and I don’t know who’s gonna take over for them. Then there’s the smaller sets like Belcaro and Hayes— they have a lot of turnover. We keep pretty separate, unless the boss has a big job. I just work for Seth and Leo.”

“I ain’t seen the boss, and I haven’t heard of him picking up another enforcer.”

[mmdeforrest]

John
“I’ve contacted Seraph and Harbinger. Seraph’s on his way, and Harbinger will along shortly,” Emi says. “Let me know if you need anything else, John. And please, be careful.”

I will, Emi, John replied gently. I am currently hoping that I am not in the process of adopting another supernatural being today. Seraph’s patience — and his ability to bear this kind of weight — has its limits and I would prefer not to test either. And as much as I would like to try to impress you with some daring-do, I don’t want to cause you any worry. So, I promise to be careful.

Haunted House
Dee still only gets static from comms and Mercury shakes his head. “We’re too far underground,” he says before glancing over at Crowe. “I’m fine. Worry about this crazy skull first.”

Spoiler: Notice TN 6

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Drake is not fine. Despite his efforts to act tough and try to keep people from worrying, he wavers slightly on his feet. His jaw is tight and his breath is shallow from the pain.

Spoiler: John doesn’t even have to turn around to know he is lying.

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Notice Roll: 1d10o10+4 18 1d6o6+4 6

“I suspected as much but given Rizaska Kisharna‘s ability to mask telepathic conversations, I thought it worth testing. And while I know you are as strong as an ox and tough as a boar, Mercury, I trust you will allow Seraph to attend to you when he arrives — if only to make the three of us feel better about you.”

After Dee speaks, the skull’s jaw unhinges and it lets out a quiet cackle. “Though your magic is powerful, your words reveal you understand little. No, House Vaneya-ket answers to me. I know not what has happened in recent years with the cult that once worshiped me, as I have been enshrined here for many years and no one has disturbed my rest since the failed summoning of Jarek Vaskiina-ros.”

Dee feels a ward on the other side of the door, similar to the one he and Crowe spotted on the stairs.

Of course,” John responded as borderline patronizingly as he could manage, hoping to continue to antagonize more information out of her, “Master Summoner and all. That said,” he continued without a hint of condescension, “I am honored you think my magic powerful. Given the difficulties we had with you and the strength and subtleties of your wards — including the one on the other side of this door, I consider that high praise.

“The philosophical distinction between whether one serves a Demon House or whether the House serves you is an interesting one,” he continued in a more conversational tone, “especially given your deft avoidance of what happens after death to those who engage in such things. As one who has recently entered a kay’al, my own deliberations have become somewhat more than academic, though.

“But you asked about your Cult. They were believed to have destroyed themselves in the failed summoning you mentioned but have recently made a reappearance. They attempted to summon Zalta’lastura Vaneya-ket — although she was sent back soon after her arrival. They appear to have successfully brought someone else across — perhaps Jarek perhaps another Prince. I’m afraid the name was destroyed when they completed the summoning — although expert assessment hints that they may have destroyed themselves again, based on their poor scribing of the circle. They may have gotten more sloppy after years without your expert direction.

Dee cast another spell as they spoke, summoning a lens that permitted him to look through the walls and into the space beyond. As with Nightgaunt’s room, he studiously avoided the doorway.

Spoiler: Clairvoyance!

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Heightened Senses: Infravision (1), Low Light Vision (1), Spatial Sense (2), Contingent (-2)
Spellcasting Roll: 1d12o12 11 1d6o6 4

“Do you think they would have attempted Jarek after a decade,” he asked as he examined the room beyond the wall, “or would they have tried to reach someone who was better matched to Zalta?

[Roguewolf]

Haunted House
Dee still only gets static from comms and Mercury shakes his head. “We’re too far underground,” he says before glancing over at Crowe. “I’m fine. Worry about this crazy skull first.”

Spoiler: Notice TN 6

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Drake is not fine. Despite his efforts to act tough and try to keep people from worrying, he wavers slightly on his feet. His jaw is tight and his breath is shallow from the pain.

After Dee speaks, the skull’s jaw unhinges and it lets out a quiet cackle. “Though your magic is powerful, your words reveal you understand little. No, House Vaneya-ket answers to me. I know not what has happened in recent years with the cult that once worshiped me, as I have been enshrined here for many years and no one has disturbed my rest since the failed summoning of Jarek Vaskiina-ros.”

Dee feels a ward on the other side of the door, similar to the one he and Crowe spotted on the stairs.

Crowe glances back at the skull and then again to Mercury.

Spoiler: Keith ain't buyin' it

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Notice: 1d6o6+2 7 1d6o6+2 3

He shakes his head. "Have to agree with Dee, still gonna worry but I got my sights set on it." He smirks a bit eyeing the skull as Dee questions it, ready to make a move of he needs to.

"Besides, starting to feel like myself again." He keeps his eyes glued to the skull as Dee examines the door. He was curious about what was behind it, but figured it best to let Dee do his thing.

"Pickin' up anything behind it?" He asked Dee without turning away from the skull. Seems that today just kept getting more and more interesting.

[InTheMachine]

Haunted House
As Dee looks through his lens, he sees another large chamber on the other side of the door. There’s another ritual circle that’s been carved into the floor and in the center is a pool of blood twenty feet across, twice as big as the circle that they used for Zalta. There’s a small circular dais at the exact center of the circle that has a stone pedestal atop it with similar runes and markings as the skull Dee has trapped.

It looks undisturbed, though the blood is still liquid and fresh.

“They attempted to summon Prince Jarek against my advice and they paid for it with their lives. I could feel his wrath from above, so I protected myself with several wards that have since faded with time,” the skull says. “I tried to tell Isla, the leader of the Red Dawn before this incident, that 1st plane demons were too powerful for her to control, but she did not believe me.”

“Without my help, and without Isla’s experience, there is no possible reality that the remnants of this cult summoned Prince Jarek. If they managed to summon Zalta, then one of them may have found the grimoire that Isla scribed under my tutelage. This is speculation, of course, as I have been dormant for many years.”

Raphael

And We're Back:

"See?" Raphael says quietly with a smirk. "I told you all that was left was to wait." He looks up at the sky and holds his hands up in supplication. "Why, why don't more people just listen to me?" He intones with mock severity.

A muffled buzzing sends one pale hand digging around in his pocket. He frowns when he sees the text is from John, but shelves it to focus on the good news.

Spoiler: Text Back To John:

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"The effect was almost immediate, the conventional wisdom of the staff is she could still take several weeks to completely resuscitate, and then a lot of therapy to be mobile again.

If you're near Seraph, if you'd float the idea of getting her transferred to an AEGIS facility, that'd probably be useful. We can't stand watch over a public hospital waiting for demons and riverfolk to show up.

The pale vampire does a double take at the nurse reappearing and smoothly steps not quite between her and Stella. "Actually, I just got off the phone with him. He indicated he'd stop by to visit sometime in the next few days." He offers in a pleasant tone and a warm smile. Years of lying to almost every soul he encountered made it shamefully easy.

The nurse smiles at the two of them. “That’s great. I bet he was just as ecstatic. You know, I didn’t see him yesterday, or last Monday. Is he okay?”

Stella nods. “Very busy at work,” she manages to say.

“Tell him I said hi, Estelle,” the nurse says before she closes the door again.

The sorceress takes a deep breath before looking up at Raphael. “Thank you, bouille,” she says with a smile at the vampire. “Tu es le meilleur.”

Raphael’s phone chimes again.

Spoiler: Text from an Unknown Number

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Miss von Stein wants me to talk with you. Meet me at 5th Chapter at 5pm. Ask for Feris.

[mmdeforrest]

Haunted House
As Dee looks through his lens, he sees another large chamber on the other side of the door. There’s another ritual circle that’s been carved into the floor and in the center is a pool of blood twenty feet across, twice as big as the circle that they used for Zalta. There’s a small circular dais at the exact center of the circle that has a stone pedestal atop it with similar runes and markings as the skull Dee has trapped.

It looks undisturbed, though the blood is still liquid and fresh.

“They attempted to summon Prince Jarek against my advice and they paid for it with their lives. I could feel his wrath from above, so I protected myself with several wards that have since faded with time,” the skull says. “I tried to tell Isla, the leader of the Red Dawn before this incident, that 1st plane demons were too powerful for her to control, but she did not believe me.”

“Without my help, and without Isla’s experience, there is no possible reality that the remnants of this cult summoned Prince Jarek. If they managed to summon Zalta, then one of them may have found the grimoire that Isla scribed under my tutelage. This is speculation, of course, as I have been dormant for many years.”

“Hubris, I sometimes fear, will catch us all someday. Was there a particular reason your acolyte wished to summon Jarek Vaskiina-ros or would any Prince of that House have sufficed?”

“You’ve been dormant for decades,” John observed, “and yet the blood in your chamber appears quite fresh. All told, quite a remarkable feat for one who has lain dormant for all this time. It must have cost you to preserve it over that time. Or did you summon something to bear that burden for you?”

The detachment he felt when observing the blood pooling around the central dais surprised him — although he suspected that was a defense mechanism. We’re he to attach that blood to a name — or, worse yet, a child, he wasn’t sure how his reaction might change. Affecting the cool, professional magician — detached and above mundane matters — might risk his reputation with his friends but it would keep him mentally whole.

It was not just that, he had to admit. The way she spoke of House Vaskiina was of immediate and personal concern. There was the real possibility that, if the reconstituted Cult of the Red Dawn had found Isla’s grimoire and attempted to summon Prince Jarek, he could be looking at having a kay’al with one Prince of Vaskiina while opposing another Prince within the context of the latter possessing the body of his friend’s brother and neither having a home to return to on their native plane.

And could the absence of such a Prince have been enough to precipitate House Vaskiina’s fall? It bore considering, given Prince Zylas’ current state — and location.

Spoiler: Princes, Princes, everywhere….

Show

Occult Roll — Who is Prince Jarek?: 1d10o10+2 8 1d6o6+2 3

As frightening as these possibilities were, they were still easier than thinking about the blood.

So much blood.

It isn’t on the plinth — as it was when it was sprayed up to Victoria’s knees.

Focus, John. This is Iron Station and not London.

This is now — not then.

Emi is out there, should you need to reach out and ask her to help you anchor yourself.

You will be fine. You are strong enough for this.

Focus.

“I must confess to a certain amount of curiosity,” he continued, playing for time and hoping to learn more. “If your circle is complete in the other room, who is it charged for — or is it not a summoning circle and more a place of power and protection for yourself. The patterns on the pedestal, after all, do match those on your skull. I assume it is all of a piece — although, as you have pointed out, my knowledge of such things is limited in the way I suspect yours would be of my own area of practice.”

Spoiler: Circle? Are you sure it isn’t an oval?

Show

Occult Roll — how much does John know about the circle and the matching patterns: 1d10o10+2 3 1d6o6+2 7

[InTheMachine]

Haunted House

Spoiler: John’s Occult

Show

John does remember a small amount of information; Jarek is the eldest of the Vaskiina-ros children.

The circle looks like it would be able to use the skull as a focus point if she were put on the pedestal.

“There is a just a simple spell woven into the circle that keeps the blood fresh,” the skull replies. “It takes very little to maintain.”

“Isla would have been happy with any 1st plane demon. She just happened to find Prince Jarek’s Name. She refused to tell me where. I believe she made a deal with a demon from Urvaan-et, but that is just speculation. The Circle in the next room is incomplete— It was meant to summon the High King once all preparations were complete.”

[mmdeforrest]

Haunted House

Spoiler: John’s Occult

Show

John does remember a small amount of information; Jarek is the eldest of the Vaskiina-ros children.

The circle looks like it would be able to use the skull as a focus point if she were put on the pedestal.

“There is a just a simple spell woven into the circle that keeps the blood fresh,” the skull replies. “It takes very little to maintain.”

“Isla would have been happy with any 1st plane demon. She just happened to find Prince Jarek’s Name. She refused to tell me where. I believe she made a deal with a demon from Urvaan-et, but that is just speculation. The Circle in the next room is incomplete— It was meant to summon the High King once all preparations were complete.”

“An interesting coincidence, that — if your suspicions are correct and she did receive his name from House Urvaan,” Dee observed, “From what I have heard, Isla would now find it very easy or very difficult to summon Prince Jarek. House Vaskiina fell to House Urvaan sometime relatively recently — the exact time frame remains somewhat unclear. Prince Jarek is likely on the run or destroyed. It was some time ago, but I wonder if her being provided with his name was an early move in House Urvaan’s plan to supplant Vaskiina.

“Summoning the High King is an ambitious and audacious plan,” he continued, not liking what he was hearing. “Were you planning to do so in order to achieve so great a feat and tick off a professional goal or were you partnering with someone to achieve a broader plan?”

A broader plan, John thought, like moving the King of Hell to a different plane in order to further political ends and ambitions in Hell — like consolidating a power base in a series Houses in order to usurp the current King.

[InTheMachine]

Haunted House
The skull takes a moment to digest this new information. “What better ultimate goal for a summoner than to pull the High King of Vanuusha to this world and bind him to your whims?”

Seraph’s voice calls down the stairs. “Dee? Crowe? You down there?”

[mmdeforrest]

The skull takes a moment to digest this new information. “What better ultimate goal for a summoner than to pull the High King of Vanuusha to this world and bind him to your whims?”

Dee nodded. “You climb the mountain because it is there and the King of Hell is the biggest mountain before you. It would be the ultimate test of your skill, your ability, your cunning, and your power. My mountains are much different than yours, of course, but I can appreciate what you would be striving for, Rizaska Kisharha — although I trust you will understand why I am glad you did not achieve your aim.”

Seraph’s voice calls down the stairs. “Dee? Crowe? You down there?”

“We are, Serpah,” Dee replied, “along with Mercury, Zodiac, and Rizaska Kisharha. Mercury could use some attention from you, if possible. My own work helped but our fight with Rizaska Kisharha took a bit out of him. Indeed, it would have taken more out of me if it weren’t for his timely intervention and a well placed blast of Shadow from Crowe.”

Which reminds me, Dee thought. If you happen to be describing our activities come up while within certain parties’ hearing, Emi, I thought I would pass along that it was Crowe’s well aimed blast that disintegrated the construct housing the ritual skull that Master Summoner Kisharha is inhabiting. If such a thing would impress Burnout, that is. I haven’t been formally introduced to her in an informal context yet and don’t know if she would consider that interesting information or not.

Since he is at least as anxious to impress her and I am to impress you, I though I should at least mention it.

[Roguewolf]

Haunted House
The skull takes a moment to digest this new information. “What better ultimate goal for a summoner than to pull the High King of Vanuusha to this world and bind him to your whims?”

Seraph’s voice calls down the stairs. “Dee? Crowe? You down there?”

Dee nodded. “You climb the mountain because it is there and the King of Hell is the biggest mountain before you. It would be the ultimate test of your skill, your ability, your cunning, and your power. My mountains are much different than yours, of course, but I can appreciate what you would be striving for, Rizaska Kisharna — although I trust you will understand why I am glad you did not achieve your aim.”

“We are, Serpah,” Dee replied, “along with Mercury, Zodiac, and Rizaska Kisharna. Mercury could use some attention from you, if possible. My own work helped but our fight with Rizaska Kisharn took a bit out of him. Indeed, it would have taken more out of me if it weren’t for his timely intervention and a well placed blast of Shadow from Crowe.”

So the King of Hell was her goal and what caused most of the destruction? Guess that would do it. Crowe just shrugged. He was kinda lost in most of the information flow here.

"Impressive as it would be." Seems more answers and questions were coming up. He kept his responses short since Dee led the interrogation.

Hearing Seraph and the response from Dee, he nodded on instinct and kept his focus still on..... eh whatever the name was. White had made the off hand comment, 'Mrs. Skullhead No Hands.'

"Just hate the placement wasn't sooner," he responded back. "Zodiac and me are relatively alright. Think you'll find Rizaska Kisharna rather interesting too."

[InTheMachine]

Haunted House
A strong, flickering light illuminates the stairwell as Seraph carefully descends. He emerges in the doorway, sword drawn and ablaze in heatless golden flame.

The skull’s green-black eyes glitter. “This is who you were attempting to speak to earlier? A true Erelim?” she asks Dee.

“Would you please take a look at Mercury, Seraph? Dee healed what he could on the surface, but I think he has some internal injuries,” Zodiac says with a whine as her ears fold back.

Seraph takes in the scene and makes his way over to Mercury before putting a hand on the metal hero’s shoulder. Fire washes over him and the angel takes his time making sure everything is back to the way it should be before he turns his attention to the skull.

“Do you think we can get more information from it?” he asks Dee in Angelic.

John
“I wouldn’t share details of your mission unless you wanted me to, John,” Emi answers. “But if it comes up, I’ll be sure to tell her Keith finished it off.”

[PK-Leon]

Good Cop, Bad Cop

“The Big 4 ain’t changed in the last fifteen years, until Ozrick got murdered. There’s Lady Orchid and her daughter Violet that own Tupelo. Bramble, Pat Masterson, and his right hand lady Haze, Lauren Shogo, have Redhill. Mire, JT Braxton, runs the Palisades set with Marrow, Mason Price.”

“Ozrick and Two-Tone ran St. Rhais, and I don’t know who’s gonna take over for them. Then there’s the smaller sets like Belcaro and Hayes— they have a lot of turnover. We keep pretty separate, unless the boss has a big job. I just work for Seth and Leo.”

“I ain’t seen the boss, and I haven’t heard of him picking up another enforcer.”

"I find it hard to believe he hasn't found a replacement in a year's time. Unless you think he's been keepin the spot open for ya?" Louis says, giving Ryker a sidelong glance. "Earlier you said that Leo's usually over on Summit right? Is he the only one that stays there or does he keep a couple of Rooks posted there to watch the place while he's out?"

[mmdeforrest]

Haunted House
A strong, flickering light illuminates the stairwell as Seraph carefully descends. He emerges in the doorway, sword drawn and ablaze in heatless golden flame.

The skull’s green-black eyes glitter. “This is who you were attempting to speak to earlier? A true Erelim?” she asks Dee.

“Yes,” Dee responded. “He is one of the ones I was attempting to reach.” He thought it best to leave the exact number vague. It would keep her a little off balance but keep him in the ‘good cop’ position he had managed to cultivate.

“Would you please take a look at Mercury, Seraph? Dee healed what he could on the surface, but I think he has some internal injuries,” Zodiac says with a whine as her ears fold back.

Seraph takes in the scene and makes his way over to Mercury before putting a hand on the metal hero’s shoulder. Fire washes over him and the angel takes his time making sure everything is back to the way it should be before he turns his attention to the skull.

“Do you think we can get more information from it?” he asks Dee in Angelic.

“I fear I am beginning to reach the limits of what I will learn from Rizaska Kisharha,” John replied in Angelical. “She once was worshiped by the Cult of the Red Dawn and taught them how to summon demons. She has taught one of her past students — one Isla — how to summon and led her in the writing of a grimoire. She believes Isla to have died in the attempt to summon Prince Jarek of House Vaskiina. Unless we have her body, we should probably at least consider the possibility that she was possessed by him during the ritual that resulted in the destruction of this building.

“We do have someone we can ask about Jarek’s recent movements, at least,” Dee observed wryly. “His firsthand knowledge of the Princes of House Vaskiina will be advantageous in that regard.

He nodded in the direction of the door. “The door is warded. Beyond is a circle with pooled, magically preserved blood that the Rizaska had planned to complete and use to summon the King of Hell as the ultimate test of her skill. I’ll need to attend to that before we leave, I suspect. I can appreciate the audacity of her plan but I don’t think it prudent to leave it half completed.

“We have not yet discussed the Stone in her possession. It might be worth at least trying to learn more about that.”

It would be an interesting test, Dee thought. Kisharha had indicated she could recognize Angelical. Could she understand it as well? The offhand, unnamed reference to Zylas and nodding to the Stone might be enough to flush that knowledge out, if the implicit threat in Serpah’s question was not enough.

“I wouldn’t share details of your mission unless you wanted me to, John,” Emi answers. “But if it comes up, I’ll be sure to tell her Keith finished it off.”

If it would be usual for you to do so, John responded, then you probably shouldn’t. I was hoping to give him a little help but if it looks like I am meddling, it won’t help him. Seeing as she has built a more carefully arranged contingency plan for her departure than is usual, I was hoping to give him a bit of help. My trying to influence things on his behalf would, I suspect, make her using that more likely rather than less.

[InTheMachine]

Good Cop, Bad Cop
Ryker takes a long drag on his cigarette. “He stabbed me in the back. Ain’t no way he’s leavin’ a spot open for me,” he scoffs.

Jackie gives Ryker a look of confusion before he nods and glances back up at Louis. “Yeah. That’s his usual place. A lot of the Belcaro set will crash there though. There’s usually a couple lookouts keeping watch for cops or Coldfront.”

Haunted House
“I can ask the detective to look missing persons to see if we can find her,” Seraph replies. He switches back to English as he addresses the skull. “What was Isla’s surname? How old was she?”

“Her name was Isla Adelita. When I knew her, she was just entering her third decade,” the skull answers.

“Ask her about the Stone,” Seraph says back in Angelical. “I’ll destroy the ward and inspect the circle. I’ll get a team from AEGIS down here to catalog it before I destroy it.”

The angel crosses the room and puts his hand on the stone door before pushing it open and entering the second chamber.

[mmdeforrest]

Haunted House
“Ask her about the Stone,” Seraph says back in Angelical. “I’ll destroy the ward and inspect the circle. I’ll get a team from AEGIS down here to catalog it before I destroy it.”

The angel crosses the room and puts his hand on the stone door before pushing it open and entering the second chamber.

“He’s on a bit of a tight schedule,” John offered half apologetically to Kisharha and keeping the lens that permitted him to see into the next room in his peripheral vision. He suspected he could learn from Seraph’s approach to addressing the circle there. It was more than that, of course. He had been cautious about entering the room, lest there be any surprises lurking there and wanted to be ready to assist the angel if he needed it.

It was probably best that he not learn some of the combinations of runes on that circle, though. As much as he would have liked to know the formulae for binding the King of Hell, that likely fell well within the category of Things Man Was Not Meant To Know.

Not that it would be that difficult for him to uncover.

He returned his attention to the skull floating nearby, floating within the torus he had conjured.

“So, where did you manage to find your Stone of Vanuusha? I’ve only seen one before today. It cannot have been easy for you to obtain.”

[InTheMachine]

Haunted House
As Dee continues to watch the adjoining chamber, the room gets uncomfortably bright as Seraph clears out all the remaining wards.

“I do not know,” the skull answers. “I was on my deathbed when the ritual was preformed on me. My sister was the one that found it, or maybe she bartered for it. It was a very very long time ago. The Stones have a tendency to slowly come together and then separate once more. They wish to become whole, but their power eventually makes them repel one another back into the far corners of the world. There are several Stones that have lain dormant here for some time, and they have slowly attracted the others to this city.”

Mercury tilts his head as the skull replies. “Why have you been so straightforward with your answers?”

The skull is silent for a moment. “I know I am about to finally pass on to the afterlife after almost 4000 years of unlife. I have been caught and beaten by a few children. The Erelim will not let an abomination like myself to continue to exist. I have nothing to hide from you.”

[mmdeforrest]

Mercury tilts his head as the skull replies. “Why have you been so straightforward with your answers?”

The skull is silent for a moment. “I know I am about to finally pass on to the afterlife after almost 4000 years of unlife. I have been caught and beaten by a few children. The Erelim will not let an abomination like myself to continue to exist. I have nothing to hide from you.”

Dee turned away as Seraph’s light flared, listening carefully as Kisharha explained herself and admitted to what he knew was the inevitable ending of their conversation.

“Have all the Stones arrived or are some already en route? There is a greater demon attempting to find them and we have, as of yet, no way of determining how many he has gathered to himself.” He sighed. “I am going to have to try to determine how to seek them out, I fear.”

“It is kind of you to educate us here at the end,” Dee observed. “What was your sister’s name, if I might ask, and where did the two of you live? Four thousand years puts you back before well understood recorded histories. Civilization as we now — in our pride — define it had only just begun. Do you think you will see her when you cross over?

“I am sorry that I can foresee no other path forward for you right now. Doubtless, we could learn much from you still, if we had the time.” John considered. He did not expect a positive response to his next questions but they were the right thing to ask. “Do you have any last requests that are in our power to grant to ease your passing? Even now, it is not too late to turn toward the light and cross over to a better place.

[Roguewolf]

Haunted House
As Dee continues to watch the adjoining chamber, the room gets uncomfortably bright as Seraph clears out all the remaining wards.

“I do not know,” the skull answers. “I was on my deathbed when the ritual was preformed on me. My sister was the one that found it, or maybe she bartered for it. It was a very very long time ago. The Stones have a tendency to slowly come together and then separate once more. They wish to become whole, but their power eventually makes them repel one another back into the far corners of the world. There are several Stones that have lain dormant here for some time, and they have slowly attracted the others to this city.”

Mercury tilts his head as the skull replies. “Why have you been so straightforward with your answers?”

The skull is silent for a moment. “I know I am about to finally pass on to the afterlife after almost 4000 years of unlife. I have been caught and beaten by a few children. The Erelim will not let an abomination like myself to continue to exist. I have nothing to hide from you.”

Crowe tilts his head to the side in thought. "4000 years you say? And they repel and attract each other? Suppose we'll see more of them soon then with that in mind. How many stones are there?"

He thought a bit on what the skull had mentioned about her sister making the deal and with the ritual. Who wouldn't make any sort of deal to keep someone they cared for alive? "Was she a practitioner as well?" He was actually curious. This skull in front of them was now just acting human, even though it had tried to kill them all just a few minutes beforehand. Knowing she would die, Crowe hoped she could find some comfort in thinking of the past and family. Again, he felt odd thinking that since Kishara had tried to kill them, and curse Mercury.

He shrugged. "Sorry had some of the same questions he did. Thank you for the information and being so forthcoming with us."