Veil of Smog, Chapter 1

[Batcathat]

"As promising as the fact that he seems to be getting more used to getting scared half to death sounds, I'm sure you and your colleagues would like to get back to making sure he doesn't get worse quite so quickly, doctor Kohler, so perhaps we could see the patient now?"

[Xihirli]

Leif nods and, noting where Yume detects the magic, opens one of the windows connecting to the fire escape.
"Come on, let’s go in."

[Charybdis1618]

"Come to the observation window with me. If we hurry, you may get to witness the next attack."

Leif and Yume walk room to room, finding the rooms she identified earlier. For the first couple, no one stops you. When you walk in, you quickly track down the source of the magical signature. A fine, powdery dust, looking almost like ash, accumulated on the lip of an air vent.

As you walk towards the third, a security officer stops you. "Where's your visitor badge?"

[However you respond, roll appropriately please.]

[Esprit15]

“Sure, lead the way, Doctor.” Wow, that was faster than expected. Most people need a little prompting before they do something that would get them as disciplined as… Sarah pauses for just a moment… Something was off. He is too lax. He’s eager to show the man off to us. Sarah’s heart begins pounding, anticipating… something. Whether this man was a thrall or their culprit was hard to tell. She shouldn’t abandon Rufus, but without her bow here she was less than useful.

The others. Yume would be walking the halls invisible. The others would be looking for a way in. The commando woman especially was likely to have something to get them out of a jam if this turned out particularly bad.

At worst she could improvise something.

Right?

“So how long have you been with the hospital, doctor?”

[Xihirli]

"Come to the observation window with me. If we hurry, you may get to witness the next attack."

Leif and Yume walk room to room, finding the rooms she identified earlier. For the first couple, no one stops you. When you walk in, you quickly track down the source of the magical signature. A fine, powdery dust, looking almost like ash, accumulated on the lip of an air vent.

As you walk towards the third, a security officer stops you. "Where's your visitor badge?"

[However you respond, roll appropriately please.]

Leif reaches into his pockets and, hoping that Yume has some illusion that will help him, pulls out nothing whatsoever.
"I’m checking out a suspicious substance that was found in the building," he says as calmly as he can manage.

[Izzarra]

Yume Tsukiyomi Kitsune Shrine Maiden Conditions: None

Yume observes Leif pull nothing out of a pocket. She may not go around causing problems like the yako, but she is still a kitsune and does enjoy watching humans get themselves into silly problematic situations. She waits a few seconds as the security guard reacts and Leif starts to sweat before acting.

She pulls an ofuda from her sleeve, charges it with ki, and throws it at the forehead of the guard to make him fall asleep.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Invisibility makes the target vulnerable to your attacks: active defense ranks are halved (round up fractions).
Not sure if the security guard falls under minion rules so I will roll.
Attack: (1d20+5)[23]
Sleep Tag: Affliction 5 (Resisted by Will; Fatigued, Exhausted, Asleep), Ranged

[Charybdis1618]

The guard looks more confused than startled for a moment. He reaches up, pulls the ofuda off his forehead, and looks at it, one eyebrow raising. The effect overwhelms his mind a moment later. His eyes roll back into his head, and his knees give way.

[MechaAce]

The Shroud

What is Shroud looking for during recon? And how?

The Shroud wouldn't admit it, but hospitals of this sort are on the edge of her comfort zone, having spent some time in one after returning from her service. One can't do what she's done without it leaving a mark.

So for the moment, she's using her drone from her van, checking the roof for anything amiss, strange protrusions, ritual spaces, things like that, then lowering it to sweep across the windows... and then trying to keep an eye on the team through any, starting with Rufus, who would need the most physical backup.

[Xihirli]

"I don’t think we can count on the next one to be so hesitant. How about we grab some of that powder and get out of here?" Leif suggests.

[Charybdis1618]

Dr. Kohler taps his badge to a reader, and opens a steel door for you. One wall of the room beyond is dominated by a wide bay window, apparently darkened. A press of a button under it turns the window clear, revealing a dimly-lit hospital room beyond. Spike soundproofing foam covers the walls and ceiling like stalactites. Three standard hospital beds sit against the opposite wall, made up with stark white sheets. Two sit empty. The center one contains a man you recognize as Jeremy Villareal from the picture. Dark circles sit under his eyes, reaching down nearly to his shaggy mustache. His close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair has evidently receded recently, from the variation in the skin tone of the scalp. His gown is rumpled and sweat-stained.

"He can't see you," Dr. Kohler assures you.

As you watch, his shoulders twitch once. His eyelids flutter open, and seem to stare wildly at the ceiling. His limbs convulse once, then freeze in their contorted positions. His back arches, lifting his hips and chest off the mattress. You see a thin shape, almost like a wisp of smoke, creep out of his left ear. As it coagulates into a cloud over him, about the size of a motorcycle, you can see where Japanese folklore got their idea from. The figure does sport a bulbous, nearly round body supported by spindly limbs. There seem to be no joints anywhere, every piece of its round form bending wherever needed to move it as it desires. Its head is nearly round, with two blank eyes like moonstone orbs. It leans down over Jeremy's face, and a tendril extends from where its mouth should have been. The tendril forces its way down Jeremy's throat, but he cannot seem to retch as he so desperately wants to. After a moment, the tendril withdraws, and the creature scurries up the wall and disappears into an air vent high up the wall. Too late, you notice that Dr. Kohler was watching you intently the whole time.

As Leif and Yume get the grate of the ventilation duct, Leif finds himself face-to-face with what looks like a thick smoke cloud. Two blank white eyes stare into his soul. A limb extends forward, seemingly from the center of the head, and grabs at him.

[Esprit15]

Sarah watches the baku go at its work, equal parts transfixed and unable to do anything to the glass. As the creature climbs away into the vents, Sarah has a stony look on her face, as though she just bore witness to a crime. Her voice is level. “I’m going to need the security video of that room, Doctor. I don’t know what I just saw but it is certainly evidence of something against code.”
Much as she wanted to fight here and now, she lacked her bow. “The door, please.”

[Charybdis1618]

Sarah watches the baku go at its work, equal parts transfixed and unable to do anything to the glass.

(Are you actively attempting to mask your reaction? And is Rufus? If so, please roll Deception.)

[Charybdis1618]

"Oh, certainly. Leave an email with the desk, they'll get it forwarded to you. Mr. Villareal is about to receive his lunch. Will you want to speak to him then? It's usually one of his more attentive times."

Dr. Kohler is all professional smiles as he pushes the door bar with the edge of his clipboard, opening it back into the hall.

"Will you require anything else from me? I must review the medication distribution for our somnambulation study group."

[Xihirli]

As Leif and Yume get the grate of the ventilation duct, Leif finds himself face-to-face with what looks like a thick smoke cloud. Two blank white eyes stare into his soul. A limb extends forward, seemingly from the center of the head, and grabs at him.

Leif reels back and brings his hands together, clapping then inside of the smoke cloud to disperse it.
"Yume, I think I found Sandman."

[Izzarra]

Yume Tsukiyomi Kitsune Shrine Maiden Conditions: None

Unsure of the exact nature of the smoke cloud, Yume pulls a slip of paper and charges it with ki to try to bind its movement.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Invisibility makes the target vulnerable to attacks: active defense ranks are halved (round up fractions).
Attack: (1d20+5)[17]
Binding Tag: Affliction 5 (Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized), Ranged, Extra Condition, Limited Degree

[Esprit15]

“Yes, that sounds good. Here,” she says, taking out a business card. On it work contact info - name, office, extension, email. In pen as well was the requested period of time that the video must cover - from the moment they stepped in, through the next hour. When did she write that down? “Where would you like us to wait for him to wake up?”

[Charybdis1618]

"He's currently awake. The paralysis should fade in just a minute. He'll be lucid enough to answer your questions in another minute."

[Esprit15]

“Ah…” there is just a touch of concern in her voice at the mention of paralysis. The woman head to the door to speak to the victim. And possibly give the room a quick look over.

[Batcathat]

Rufus simply nodded at the doctor and followed Sarah. Behind a mask of detached professionalism his mind was working overtime to analyze what he had seen. There was also the question of how much doctor Kohler's knew and what role he played in what was going on.

Not to mention the fact that his bag was starting to slightly move, as if someone inside was getting bored.

[Charybdis1618]

Jeremy has cranked the back of the hospital bed up into a sitting position. You enter just after the attendant with the food tray. He pulls the plastic closh off, and sighs at the scratched plastic plate underneath.

"Salisbury again. I wish you people would find something else that went with rice. Oh, who is it this time?"

His eyes don't quite focus on you, and he makes no effort to hide the rasp in his voice.

[Esprit15]

“Sarah Stillwater, Human Services Department,” she says for the unpteenth time today. “My boss saw your story in the newspaper and sent me to do a checkup on how the hospital was handling its patients.”

She looks to make sure an attending nurse isn’t present. “If it’s alright, would you mind discussing your treatment since arriving here? Only what you feel comfortable sharing.”

[Batcathat]

As he wasn't sure what his role in this particular play would be, Rufus just took position next to the door. As he appeared to be absentmindedly moving his cane around, he transformed the door's hinges into solid lumps of metal – though taking care to keep their outside appearance the same.

That should keep out any unexpected visitors. Well, any unexpected human visitors, at least.

[Charybdis1618]

"You got it boss. They've done what they can. Which isn't much. They've had me on a dozen different pills, all of which helped a little, and none of which helped enough. They feed and water me enough. Food's ****, but it sure beats an MRE. I let them get measurements and observations and whatever else they want, and they can write it off as research expenses and not charge me as much. If I do ever get out of here, at least I won't be completely broke. I'm just lucky the attacks started after I set up direct deposit on my pension checks. Otherwise I'd really be ****ed. I've always had nightmares, mind you. Desert Storm was hardly easy on any of us. I woke up miserable when they hit, but at least I slept. This is different. The nurses keep up their bull**** smiles, but I can tell they're losing hope for me. God, what I wouldn't give for a beer, though. You want something for your report? How about 'He still thinks they're better than the VA hospital?' That sums it up alright."

He downs the salisbury steak and rice quickly, and knocks back the small cup of orange juice like a whiskey shot.

[Esprit15]

Sarah nods, taking mental notes. "Good good. Thank you. My father served as well, so I can empathize to a certain extent. Nearly enlisted myself, but I couldn't pass the swim test." The woman gives a gentle smile. "You mentioned research expenses though?" she asks rhetorically. "What where you informed of with regards to the research?"

[Charybdis1618]

"Doc told me that he's seen sleep paralysis before, but not like mine. If I agreed to be a guinea pig, they could publish a paper, and it'd save someone else from going through this. Also mentioned the cost savings. I signed what they put in front of me. Don't know the specifics behind it, beyond the phrase 'lack of REM' sleep and such."

[Esprit15]

"Great..." She fishes into her pocket and hands the man a business card. "Please let us know if you ever come to regret that. Voluntary patient experimentation is a... well, a fraught field. Lot of unscrupulous types who would take advantage of a veteran who just wants to get back to his life. Just because you signed something doesn't mean you lack rights.

"That said, have all your treatments just been medications? Or have there been others as well? Physical therapies, exercises, et cetera?"

[Charybdis1618]

He puts the card on his bedside table after a quick glance.

"They gave up on physical therapies pretty quick. I just don't have the strength for any sort of exercise anymore. Same with counseling. I just pass out halfway through describing-"

A yawn cuts off the back half of whatever he was going to say next.

[Esprit15]

Another gentle smile. “I understand. Insomnia is terrible. I’ve definitely battle sleepless nights before, though nothing like what you’re enduring right now.” She looks back to the door and Rufus, nodding her head over to the glass and then pointedly closing closing her eyes for a second before popping them back open.

Sarah turns back to the man and leans down by his bed. Her next question, the voice is lower. More serious. “Are you sure there’s nothing else that you have seen that you wish to bring up with us? Anything unusual, or that made you concerned for your safety? Periods of lack of responsibility. Odd things doctors have said to or around you.

“Stuff where you fear retaliation if you brought it up and they found out.” She scans his face not just for honesty in a response to the question at download on set

[Charybdis1618]

He sighs. "I definitely get the feeling that they're letting the **** play out for observations. No one's said much around me, and I don't understand enough of the medical terms to know what they are saying. Doc keeps asking me to describe what I see. I can barely remember when I wake up, and it changes every time. No idea what he's getting out of it, but he keeps asking. Otherwise, nothing untoward. Nurses catch me when I pass out in the shower. It's happened once. Like I said, this sure beats my last stint in a VA hospital."

[Batcathat]

Rufus raised an eyebrow and interrupted the conversation for the first time. "So what do you see, Jeremy?" He gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile – thankful that his customers rarely required much hand-holding, as he was already losing patience. "Anything you remember can be helpful to give us more insight."