Bittersweet

ToolTime2

<Kaeru> RUN INITIATING… Run: Bittersweet | Arc: Orpheus Looks Back | Action: Combat, optional Stealth/Social, potential backup/rescue | Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfMCmLxqWBo
<Glacon> Kaeru: NateWantsToBattle: Bones - length 4m18s - 4721↑37↓ - 256,612 views - NateWantsToBattle - Give Heart Records on 2018.06.01
<Kaeru> Bastian.
<Kaeru> Temporarily reassigned to the remote biological research facility known often as ‘Lilypad-186,’ you’re wrapped in a heavy waterproof jacket against biting winds and icy ocean mists.
<Kaeru> You’re on a pretty small island a decent distance from the Washington coast- no permanent residents, the lighthouse and the facility being the only structures present on the rocky-shored plateau. In the fog of a gathering storm on the mainland coast, the regular flash of spinning lighthouse beacons is the only sign of life or existence beyond the breaking waves and clouded horizons you can see.
<Kaeru> Even so, those glimpses alone are something of a blessing; you couldn’t see anything at all from your assigned watch-post along the rocky shoreline- you’d climbed the old lighthouse instead. Sure, not technically where you were posted, but it’s a better vantage point- and you’re still well within radio range, so what’s the harm?
<Kaeru> Damn, though, it’s chilly.
<Kaeru> You hope that storm sticks to the coast.
<ArseneLupin> He pulls his coat around himself tighter. He never really liked the cold
<Kaeru> You shift to pull your coat around you and movement catches your attention in the corner of your eye. One of two mounted rail gun-like weapons positioned in windows of two of the island’s concrete watch-posts- normally pointed up, out, at times scanning side to side. But that’s not the motion you notice- what you see is the nose of it drop idle, like it’s slumping forward, no longer actively raised and readied.
<Kaeru> But the tiny green light hanging by the door and linked into controls within the post remains lit. All clear.
<Kaeru> The wind swats at it and it flickers as it bounces gently against the stone; you imagine the little clink-clank too far away to hear.
<Kaeru> So all is well. Those things aren’t light- taking a momentary break from aiming them forward is far from cause for concern.
<Kaeru> You dismiss it.
<Kaeru> … For a moment.
<ArseneLupin> Yeah he is NOT the type to dismiss shit that easy
<ArseneLupin> He's scoping in on that shit
<Kaeru> Bad feeling, hm? You look over to the other post you know to contain a similar weapon, scope in for a better view to spite a mediocre angle.
<Kaeru> You’re glad you did. All you see is the tiniest swish of the weapon’s shadow out of sight. And the smallest ghost of a shadow, a figure through the light.
<Kaeru> You could easily write it off. Coincidences, happenstance, nothing to worry about. But perched atop the old lighthouse, ducked out of the path of the swinging spotlight so it passes unhindered overhead, there are a few things you know.
<Kaeru> You know you were brought here as security for the moment until the little offshore site could get more agents of its own.
<Kaeru> You know you're sitting right next to the lighthouse's comm unit, a direct and secure line to the mainland not linked into any of the frequencies or communications on the island itself.
<Kaeru> You know you're not at your post like guards are meant to be- so anyone here who isn't supposed to be might not know where you are.
<Kaeru> You know you're a temporary assignment- so more importantly still, you're not on the facility's dossier. Not only might they not know where you are, they might not be looking.
<Kaeru> Tick. Tick. Tick.
<Kaeru> You only hesitate a few moments.
<Kaeru> You radio the mainland.
<ArseneLupin> "I think we have a problem. Guns went down and I think I see someone."
<Kaeru> You have a feeling that storm is interfering with coms. You get a response, but it's somewhat broken up. «opy. H-stile -rce? Sh sen- bacp?»
<ArseneLupin> Luckily he can fill in the blanks. "I think so. Backup might be a good idea."
<Kaeru> «Afmat-ve. On- -h— -ay- st-y- wh-re you ar-» Maybe they finished their sentence, but that doesn't much matter one way or the other. The coms sputter out to mostly interference from the storm. You might be able to reach the mainland again, but no real guarantees.
<ArseneLupin> Coms arent worth the risk most likely. But this position gives him an advantage. He can keep an eye on some things at the very least for the moment, so back to the scope and the figure
<Kaeru> The light is still on within the watchpost you think you saw someone's shadow from- the interior light as well as the green all-clear indicator.
<ArseneLupin> Is the shadow still there?
<Kaeru> Not that you can see. It just passed in front of the light for a moment, how you saw it.
<ArseneLupin> Then he'll hold his position and wait, scanning the area as best he can
<Kaeru> Noted.
<Kaeru> The breeze carries mist and threatens rain.
<Kaeru> Bastian? Roll perception right about now.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 Oh dear
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Oh dear: 5 (4df+5=0, 0, 0, 0)
<ArseneLupin> Spicy neutral
<Kaeru> It's foggy, your hearing taken up by the sound of waves against the rocks along the shoreline. No sounds of struggle or conflict, though, which is good.
<Kaeru> You could swear you here something else- another sound along with the sound of the waves, but just as you try to focus on it, it quiets and is gone from your perception.
<ArseneLupin> Maybe the silence is good, but this place was understaffed to begin with was it not? Hard not to get paranoid that if something is happening they're being efficient
<Kaeru> Not particularly- but enough to want a few extra call-ins until more permanent assignments could be made.
<ArseneLupin> Either way the noise puts him on alert all over again
<ArseneLupin> Another sweep with the scope couldnt hurt
<Kaeru> Where are you looking?
<ArseneLupin> Probably one sweep of the shoreline if he can see it and one towards the site
<Kaeru> Hmm. Just waves and fog, motion of the wind.
<ArseneLupin> He hmms. If there WAS someone, they probably moved on. Heading down to take a quick peek in one of the guns is smart
<Kaeru> Didn't command tell you to stay put?
<ArseneLupin> They did, but he'd come right back to the tower. More intel for the team who arrives is only good
<ArseneLupin> It'll take what, 5 minutes? 10 tops.
<Kaeru> You head down to the base of the lighthouse.
<ArseneLupin> Roll stealth to not be an idiot?
<Kaeru> It's already been a good few minutes since you called backup. But you don't know where they're coming from. How long will it take them to get there?
<Kaeru> Roll stealth.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 9 (4df+6=+, 0, +, +)
<Kaeru> You open the door and slip out, closing it silently behind you and sticking to the lighthouse base to keep in its shadow. You scan- and see nothing but open ground and grass, the open sort of courtyard-like area between the dock, the main building, and the watchposts on the coast.
<ArseneLupin> Then lets make a quick jaunt to the closest watchpost
<Kaeru> You could get to the nearer of the two posts without crossing the open area. You stick to the coastline, or close to it- the sound of waves hides your footfalls.
<ArseneLupin> All according to keikaiku
<Kaeru> Best to go to the window rather than around to the door, maybe? The door opens into the courtyard. A bit obvious.
<ArseneLupin> Yeah, a peek into the window is smart
<Kaeru> You head up to the window that sports the nose of the mounted gun poking out from the concrete frame.
<Kaeru> A dim glow from interior lights- you could probably climb into the post through the window, if you moved the gun to point aside a bit. And looking in, well- you don't see much. Which is odd, in itself.
<Kaeru> Because you don't see anyone posted there. No one behind the mount.
<Kaeru> But the light's on, and the all-clear signal would say someone was there and hadn't sounded any alarms or warnings.
<ArseneLupin> He slips in then
<Kaeru> Roll stealth or acro to keep quiet moving the gun and climbing in.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 4 (4df+6=-, 0, 0, -)
<ArseneLupin> Sneak
<Kaeru> Moderately sneaky. The nose of the gun clanks a bit against the concrete window's side and you can't help flinching at the sound of it. Hopefully the waves masked that.
<ArseneLupin> Hopefully
<Kaeru> You climb in and- almost step on something. Look down to see an agent sitting against the wall to your left- unconscious, it seems. But you don't see any obvious signs of harm.
<ArseneLupin> He looks him over for a moment and tries to tap him on the shoulder to see if he can be woken, hand ready to clamp over his mouth
<Kaeru> …
<Kaeru> Nothing.
<Kaeru> He's still out.
<ArseneLupin> Nothing to be done there then
<ArseneLupin> So this all clear
<ArseneLupin> What would happen exactly if he turned it to an alarm
<Kaeru> Well, it'd switch the whole facility to alarm-mode. Warning would turn lights across the facility to yellow to signify a potential danger-
<Kaeru> either would alert allies and enemies alike.
<ArseneLupin> He thinks on that for a moment. If someone was willing to be so bold as to do something like this
<ArseneLupin> They're confident
<ArseneLupin> Probably strong
<ArseneLupin> Might do something rash with that strength if things turn on them quickly
<ArseneLupin> He knows for a fact something is up
<ArseneLupin> Backup is coming
<ArseneLupin> He decides
<ArseneLupin> And goes out the window, back towards the lighthouse
<Kaeru> Alright. Roll perception.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 6 (4df+5=+, +, 0, -)
<Kaeru> You see someone. In the fog, the dim light, you can't tell who- but a silhouette near the entryway to the courtyard from nearer to the docks. Armed.
<ArseneLupin> He stops in place and scopes in. How far off?
<Kaeru> Not incredibly- but a decent ways, since you stuck close to the shore.
<Kaeru> You scope in- something about that gear feels familiar-
<ArseneLupin> Im assuming this is at an angle he couldnt get at the Lighthouse?
<Kaeru> No, just on the ground fairly close to it. You could've seen from the lighthouse, but you didn't really look straight down.
<Kaeru> Whoever it is is walking forward- but your eyes are pulled by an electrical POP! A spark in the mist of protesting electronics.
<ArseneLupin> He turns to the pop, slowly so not to draw attention
<Kaeru> Not unexpected, if there's enough electrical interference to mess with coms.
<ArseneLupin> Bah, distractions. He turns back to the figure
<ArseneLupin> Tracking them
<ArseneLupin> If he can
<Kaeru> Gone.
<Kaeru> Not where you saw them a moment ago, anyhow.
<Kaeru> Roll perception, if you want to stay put long enough to try to take a closer look around.
<ArseneLupin> He lets out a very quiet curse and tries to find them again, searching the direction it started walking
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 8 (4df+5=+, 0, +, +)
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6 Sneak as well to stay hidden if needed
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Sneak as well to stay hidden if needed: 3 (4df+6=-, -, 0, -)
<ArseneLupin> …ouch
<ArseneLupin> If that roll was needed please let me know because I may reroll that
<Kaeru> You see them- but you have a feeling you stayed in the same place too long. You're too easy to see. More than one person-
<Kaeru> You see three, where you are now, flattened close to the ground to avoid being noticeable.
<ArseneLupin> Moving would attract MORE attention, so best to try to stay put
<ArseneLupin> He sxamines them as best he can
<Kaeru> Doesn't that gear seem familiar, Bastian?
<ArseneLupin> Bad familiar or good familiar
<Kaeru> Hmm. Good? Hard to see in the fog, the dim and the odd angle, but-
<Kaeru> it seems military?
<ArseneLupin> Do they seem to be looking his way?
<Kaeru> Yes. At least two of them have noticed you, you'd guess.
<Kaeru> They haven't fired, though.
<ArseneLupin> Hmm, it's a risk but yeah
<ArseneLupin> They havent fired, and he DID call backup
<ArseneLupin> He slowly raises one hand
<Kaeru> The two that seemed to have seen you raise hands in response. A standard gesture in the Foundation for a question, from one of them, perhaps asking if they're able to be heard.
<ArseneLupin> Once he sees the hand signal, he makes a motion for them to head over
<Kaeru> One of the figures- the one who made the signal- stands fully, one hand still raised and weapon at his side, and approaches.
<Kaeru> Yeah, the closer he gets- that's foundation gear. Standard. That's-
<Kaeru> Ezekiel.
<ArseneLupin> He lets out a bit of the tension he's had this whole encounter and stands up the rest of the way
<Varren> Ezekiel approaches with a grin and holds up an arm to cross bump in greeting. "Hey, almost shot you."
<Varren> He isnt loud mind you, not much above a whisper
<ArseneLupin> He bumps back. "Same here. Motion the others over, things are definitely going down."
<Kaeru> You're thankful for the sound of breaking waves against the rocks.
<ArseneLupin> He is also almost whispering for posterity
<Odocoileus> Tally power hugs Bastian and stays silent
<ArseneLupin> He lets out a quiet oof as he's hugged, and tries to pull out of it after a moment with a small smile
<Varren> Ezekiel crouches down and shoulders his rifle. "Alright Bastian. What do we have as a situation?"
<Odocoileus> She let's go immediately
<Odocoileus> She keeps look out while Bastian and zeek talk.
<ArseneLupin> "Guns are down, might have been nothing so I headed down to check it out." He gestures his head towards the nearby gun encampment. "Unconscious."
<Odocoileus> "injuries?"
<ArseneLupin> "I think I saw a figure before you guys came in, might have been you though but not sure since they were alone. No apparent injuries."
<Klurg> Tanya is here
<Odocoileus> "human figure?"
<Odocoileus> She tilts her head
<Soulless> Avery sees Bastian.
<ArseneLupin> He nods
<Soulless> He moves to hug him.
<ArseneLupin> He gives Avery a quick hug
<Kaeru> Bastian, if that watchpost agent was unconscious, the other one probably is, too.
<Kaeru> What does that mean for those in the main facility?
<ArseneLupin> Trouble
<Kaeru> You can't check in on them. Coms are out, with the storm.
<ArseneLupin> "We should get moving as soon as possible, I dont like the implications of all this."
<Odocoileus> "yes. Now. Go."
<Varren> Ezekiel nods and frowns. "Alright in this case the guards are probably fine and we should push into the main facility to cut this person off asap." Ezekiel stands up and looks at the main building. "Yeah, are we ready?"
<ArseneLupin> He nods. "Ready."
<Soulless> Avery Go.
<ArseneLupin> (Klurg dont forget to add Bastian's stealth of 6 to that sweet average)
<Kaeru> You'll have to cross the open field to get to the main building.
<Klurg> Tanya leads the way
<Klurg> Can we still stealth somehow?
<Kaeru> The fog only does so much. But then again, you can't even know anyone's watching, for sure.
<Kaeru> You can still attempt stealth.
<Klurg> The groups average is 4df+5
<Klurg> Someone else needs to roll it though
<Kaeru> You may roll as a group, if you choose.
<Klurg> Because my luck is shite
<Varren> I say attempt it
<ArseneLupin> I can do it if you like
<ArseneLupin> Or Varren
<ArseneLupin> I like that idea better
<Varren> 4df+5 group stealth you chose….
<Glacon> Varren: group stealth you chose….: 4 (4df+5=-, 0, -, +)
<Soulless> 4df+5 fuck it
<Glacon> Soulless: fuck it: 7 (4df+5=0, +, +, 0)
<Varren> Oh, soul gets it
<Soulless> :3
<Kaeru> Since you both rolled about the same time, sure, I'll give you all the 7.
<ArseneLupin> (\0/)
<Kaeru> You make your way across the open field through the thin cover of fog. You don't feel as though you're being watched.
<Kaeru> The first thing you notice under the lights of the main building's entranceway is the door slightly ajar.
<Kaeru> How do you proceed?
<Kaeru> Lights are on within the compound, from what you can tell. Lights on, seemingly business as usual- or it would seem that way, if it weren't quite so quiet.
<Klurg> "Yep, they're in." Tanya peeks on inside.
<Klurg> 4df+3 perception
<Glacon> Klurg: perception: 3 (4df+3=0, 0, 0, 0)
<Kaeru> Spicy neutral!!!
<Varren> Ezekiel posts up by the door and waits with his rifle ready. Someone sneakier should go first
<Kaeru> Tanya, you don't see much. You peer inside and see the white walls of the facility's interior, the green of plantlife adorning the area. A pleasant sort of little lobby area, from what you can tell.
<Kaeru> But the door's not that far open.
<Kaeru> You hear even less.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian looks to the others and then looks at the door, asking if they should go in
<Kaeru> The crashing waves behind you, the stirring of the wind. The occasional lapse in those allows you to hear the hum of lights.
<Klurg> "Not much here, go carefully." Tanya motions to follow and leads the way.
<ArseneLupin> Sneaky follow
<Kaeru> You open the door fully, I assume?
<Soulless> Avery follows.
<Odocoileus> Tally follows
<Varren> Ezekiel heads in after Bastian. Hopefully tanta checked for trips wires and stuff like traps
<Kaeru> You didn't see her do so… she glanced around, though.
<Odocoileus> Tally keeps her gaurd up.
<Klurg> Tanya said that she didn't see much here and to go carefully
<Klurg> So yes she opens the door quietly
<Varren> Well door is already opened..unless i am allowed to look for that stuff as it is swinging open
<Kaeru> Tanya, you push the door open-
<Kaeru> and you hear a bone-chilling sort of click-
<Odocoileus> Tallys ears perk up.
<Kaeru> you freeze, your mind immediately going to the possibility of triggering some mechanism you hadn't seen- but you let out that breath when you see the floor.
<Kaeru> The edge of the door clicks against a standard assault rifle on the floor.
<Varren> Ezekiel stops dead and grips the back and Bastian's vest to yank him out in case of an explosion. But when he sees it…he relaxes
<Odocoileus> She looks at the gun quizzically
<Kaeru> But after relaxing initially, you realize.
<Kaeru> That in itself is rather unsettling.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is yanked and tightens his grip on his rifle once he sees the gun
<Kaeru> You step further into the facility's entryway- and see that the weapon continues to the hand of a security agent, fallen behind the door, lying on his side. Helm and visor still on and down, no blood beneath him or near him that you can see.
<Varren> Ezekiel moves to pick it up after letting go of Bastian's vest loop
<Kaeru> Pristine white walls.
<Odocoileus> Tally goes to check out the body
<Klurg> "Dropped rifle…" she checks to see if he's still breathing
<Varren> Oh. No he checks for life signs
<Kaeru> He seems to be. Shallow, but he's breathing.
<Kaeru> You press fingers to his neck- his skin is oddly cold. But you feel his pulse, so it's not the chill of death.
<Odocoileus> "sir? Are you okay? Can you hear me?" She says quietly
<Kaeru> No response.
<Odocoileus> She checks his eyes to see if they dialate with light
<Klurg> "Still alive. Looks like the intruders are using nonlethal methods possibly."
<Kaeru> You'd have to remove his helmet or raise his visor, Tally- but assuming you do, you see no sign of harm on his face either, and his eyes react normally to light.
<Varren> "Then we should move quickly to catch up." Ezekiel looks down the hall.
<Kaeru> He's just unconscious.
<ArseneLupin> He hmms quietly. "Tally you're a tracker right?"
<Odocoileus> She nods
<ArseneLupin> "Think you can find a trail?"
<Odocoileus> She salutes and gets on the case
<Kaeru> Roll it, Tally! Survival, for tracking.
<Odocoileus> 4df+7 eagle eye!
<Glacon> Odocoileus: eagle eye!: 6 (4df+7=+, -, -, 0)
<Kaeru> Hmmm. You look around- not much to go off of, in a clean, clear-cut facility like this. But in some ways, even more to go off of. You notice another figure lying on the ground further into the lobby area, near closed doors opposite that seem to lead outside again, partially hidden behind a bench and a potted plant and slumped against the wall next to them. Another off to your left, down a hallway, also against the wall. You notice on
<Kaeru> the floor by the door you came in through-
<Kaeru> the slight tracking of dirt and moisture from outside, solid bootprints. It's difficult to tell if it's two sets or one that simply crossed the area more than once.
<Odocoileus> Are the boot prints the same size?
<Kaeru> Your attention is drawn to the unconscious figure on your left, Tally. Something off about that one. Different. You'd have to get closer to tell.
<Kaeru> They appear so, yes.
<Odocoileus> She gets closer to the odd one and sniff sniffs
<Odocoileus> She is very cautious as she approaches and begins to examine.
<Kaeru> You smell sea foam and- something else? A sharp sort of undertone you can't make out. Too subtle. But something else that does stand out enough to identify-
<Kaeru> smoke. Gunpowder. The smell of fired weaponry.
<Kaeru> Roll perception again, or survival.
<Odocoileus> 4df+7 if eagle eye again for hard to identify clues
<Glacon> Odocoileus: if eagle eye again for hard to identify clues: 4 (4df+7=0, -, -, -)
<Odocoileus> Oh okay
<Kaeru> Hm. Odd. This one seems the same as the others, after all.
<Kaeru> Tanya, Bastian, Ezekiel, Avery- you see Tally approach this figure against the wall.
<Odocoileus> She motions over for the others.
<Kaeru> You may follow, or choose to explore elsewhere.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian looks the man over as he's motioned
<Odocoileus> She doesn't trust this..
<ArseneLupin> Perception?
<Odocoileus> The smell of gunpowder is off putting
<Klurg> Tanya takes a look at him
<Odocoileus> "this one fired gun."
<Soulless> 4df+4 spend a long time quiet- survival
<Kaeru> The lobby is a wide forward hallway, benches against either side along with potted plants, wildlife paintings on the walls above them. A hallway off to either side, doors across from you.
<Soulless> 4df+4 spend a long time quiet- survival
<Glacon> Soulless: spend a long time quiet- survival: 4 (4df+4=+, -, +, -)
<Klurg> 4df+3 Perception
<Glacon> Klurg: Perception: 1 (4df+3=+, -, -, -)
<Kaeru> You may roll survival for tracking skills or perception for- well, perception.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 LOOKIE
<Klurg> *sigh*
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: LOOKIE: 3 (4df+5=-, -, 0, 0)
<Odocoileus> Is he still alive?
<Kaeru> Seems to be. Cold, but alive, like the one near the door.
<Odocoileus> Can tally preform a closer examination on him?
<Kaeru> Sure.
<Odocoileus> Perc or survival?
<Kaeru> Either would apply.
<Varren> 4df+3 look
<Glacon> Varren: look: 6 (4df+3=+, +, 0, +)
<Odocoileus> 4df+5 well they both are 5
<Glacon> Odocoileus: well they both are 5: 3 (4df+5=-, -, +, -)
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, that's-! What is that? Something small on the floor a few feet off-
<Odocoileus> Thank you Ezekiel.
<Kaeru> you take a step towards it and find a bullet. Not a shell- a bullet, fired and crushed as if on impact but lying crumpled in the center of the floor. No impact marks on the nearby walls. No blood or sign it hit a person.
<Kaeru> No real sign it hit anything at all.
<Kaeru> Except it must have, the state of it.
<Kaeru> The lights flicker with the little tink-tink sounds of lightbulbs. Maybe that storm is getting closer.
<Varren> Ezekiel looks at the thing and points at it "bullet….impacted something." Any impact point around?
<Kaeru> Not that you see, Ezekiel.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian looks around. There was an obvious trail of bodies?
<Odocoileus> Tally tenses up and sniffs the air. Does it smell like electricity?
<Soulless> 4df+5 logic- what's going on here
<Glacon> Soulless: logic- what's going on here: 2 (4df+5=0, -, -, -)
<Kaeru> An occasional unconscious figure you can spot, but not in any clear trail, that you can tell.
<Soulless> o ok
<Kaeru> You're not sure, Avery.
<Kaeru> Tally, no, not really. Just like the ocean and the filtered facility air.
<Kaeru> The subtle lingering tang of gunpowder.
<Odocoileus> 4df+7 eagle eye Tally crawls about and looks around for the trail
<Glacon> Odocoileus: eagle eye Tally crawls about and looks around for the trail: 9 (4df+7=+, 0, +, 0)
<Kaeru> You look around. Hard to see any tracks beyond the doorway- but you do notice another slumped figure- a woman in a lab coat, unconscious sitting against the wall next to descending stairs.
<Kaeru> It does occur to you, Tally- this was careful. This was calculated, deliberate, methodical.
<Kaeru> Not random.
<Kaeru> So whoever did this- they knew what they were doing. And why they were doing it. What are they here for, anyways?
<Kaeru> It's a tiny remote bio-research lab. Weather isn't even all that pleasant, especially not today.
<Kaeru> So why here? Why now?
<Odocoileus> She frowns. "We go down stairs now. We hurry they are here for something specific."
<ArseneLupin> He nods and starts moving quietly
<Kaeru> Maybe information? Data gathered here? Maybe something else?
<Odocoileus> "no more lingering. Please yes?" She looks back at her team as she stands by the stairs with her gun ready
<Varren> "Hmmm. We may want to move further into the faci-yeah that."
<Varren> Ezekiel is ready!
<Odocoileus> Tally takes point and follows the trail
<Klurg> Tanya follows downstairs
<Klurg> As usual helping out with the stealth
<Kaeru> You head towards the stairs. Down, down- you hear the odd sound of moving water that seems to surround you once you near the lower level.
<Varren> "We are under water now. Try not to cause explosions." He keeps following
<Kaeru> It's a bit dimmer, in terms of lighting, down here. Hallways to your left and forward. To the left an odd bluish, shimmering, wavering sort of light when the corner turns.
<Soulless> 4df+8 science- what does he know about the site? tehe sorts of things it studied? specific anomalies?
<Glacon> Soulless: science- what does he know about the site? tehe sorts of things it studied? specific anomalies?: 6 (4df+8=0, -, 0, -)
<Odocoileus> Tally keeps an eye out for water that may be flooding the facilitie
<Kaeru> Tally- You don't see any. Seems pretty intact- completely, you'd wager. No signs of any damage at all, that you can see.
<Kaeru> Avery- this site was dedicated to the study of living anomalous biology- animals, mostly aquatic but sometimes other areas if the situation arose.
<ArseneLupin> (Frosty wants to freeze the ocean and usher in a new ic- I'll stop)
<Odocoileus> Tally keeps moving forward with her gun ready
<Odocoileus> Is the trail still obvious to her?
<Kaeru> Study of bioluminescence, of cellular regeneration among ocean lifeforms, of deep-dwelling life and nocturnal aquatic life such as octopi. Other creatures, sometimes, that dwell in moist areas- crustaceans, cave bats, burrowing and water snakes.
<Kaeru> There isn't a trail that you see anymore, Tally, no.
<Odocoileus> She is very alert now that there is no trail.
<Odocoileus> "we spread out and look? Yes or no?"
<ArseneLupin> "No, if they're knocking people out this easy we are sticking together."
<Odocoileus> She nods
<Kaeru> You can head down the hall forward, or the oddly blue-lit (at the end at least) hall to your left. Both seem empty, quiet aside from the muffled sound of water moving.
<ArseneLupin> From his time here, would Bastian know where each leads or has he not been here long enough
<Varren> "Watche your corners and the dark places." He looks at the blue hall. Seems like a good idea to him.
<Odocoileus> Tally will let Bastian take point if he knows where this leads
<Kaeru> Bastian, you haven't been to this level much, but you've been here once or twice. The leftmost hall leads, if you follow it to the end, to a sort of observatory area- glass windows out into open waters. Forward is more towards labs and containment areas in the majority of the level.
<ArseneLupin> "We should head on, blue hall is just an observation area. Labs are this way."
<Soulless> Avery nods.
<Soulless> He writes down his Words on little sheafs of paper.
<Kaeru> You head forward, then?
<ArseneLupin> He leads, vaguely knowing where he's going as he heads toward labs
<Kaeru> Alright.
<Kaeru> Roll perception- and stealth, if you're trying it.
<Odocoileus> She follows
<ArseneLupin> Klurg: Want me to roll the stealth
<Varren> "I am gonna take a small look real quickly." Ezekiel heads for the blue room to look at what the observatory is observing
<Klurg> Yes
<Klurg> Very much so
<ArseneLupin> I'll hold off for Ezek
<Klurg> 4df+3 perception
<Glacon> Klurg: perception: 4 (4df+3=+, 0, -, +)
<Kaeru> It's a ways off, Ezekiel, down a hallway- you'd have to break away.
<Soulless> 4df+2 no perc
<Glacon> Soulless: no perc: 4 (4df+2=+, +, 0, 0)
<Odocoileus> Tally will stick with Ezekiel
<Soulless> 4df+6 he sneaky tho
<Glacon> Soulless: he sneaky tho: 8 (4df+6=+, +, 0, 0)
<Odocoileus> If he do go
<Kaeru> Do you go, Ezekiel?
<Klurg> Or we can all go together
<Varren> Sure, just a quick peek
<ArseneLupin> Well if they split off, 3 sneaky people can head ahead
<ArseneLupin> Just for a peek
<Kaeru> Head on up to HI2, Ezekiel, and you too Tally, assuming you're following.
<Kaeru> Those of you staying here, roll stealth.
<ArseneLupin> Better rolling seperately with this group I think
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 5 (4df+6=0, -, 0, 0)
<Kaeru> You creep forward…
<Kaeru> You're confident in your silence, but the quiet here is itself unsettling, the water sound soothing but strange in its isolation.
<Klurg> 4df+7 my true stealth power has been revealed (environment is still dark right?)
<Glacon> Klurg: my true stealth power has been revealed (environment is still dark right?): 7 (4df+7=+, -, -, +)
<Kaeru> You see, from a ways off, a woman- not in security gear, but not in a lab coat, either- on her side, a pistol in her hand, in the middle of the hallway floor.
<Soulless> (wait is avery heading out
<Soulless> (or is he stil, here)
<Kaeru> There's something odd about the hallway around her that you can't quite make out.
<Kaeru> Avery, if you would have followed Ezek and Tally to the observatory area, you can. But otherwise you're still here.
<Soulless> Avery heads out.
<Kaeru> Ezekiel and Tally are in HI2.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian scopes in on creepy woman who is laying on the floor? Standing?
<Kaeru> Lying. Appears to be unconscious, maybe? Not moving.
<ArseneLupin> He hmms and slowly approaches
<Klurg> Tanya slowly creeps towards her, making sure to stay out of sight
<Kaeru> She's in more easily movable clothing than lab gear- maybe a technician of sorts. Has an ID badge on her shirt, clipped, and a radio on her hip. You can see that from maybe ten feet away- but…
<Kaeru> Roll perception.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 7 (4df+5=+, +, -, +)
<Klurg> 4df+3 pla
<Glacon> Klurg: pla: 2 (4df+3=-, +, -, 0)
<Klurg> pls*
<ArseneLupin> (I'm telling you hug the bot)
<Kaeru> Bastian, you stop dead in your tracks, when you notice it. On the floor. The walls, too, up maybe 3/4 of the way to the ceiling above. And fading away quickly enough to see, so either it was very extensive originally or it's rather recent, logically.
<Kaeru> It's like frost. Bluish semi-reflective tint to the floor, up the walls.
<Kaeru> Melting away quickly in the ambient heat.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian puts an arm out to stop Tanya and points
<Kaeru> You see crystals of it on the muzzle of the woman's pistol, too, and on her hand.
<ArseneLupin> "Recent. We wait for the others."
<ArseneLupin> Can he see a direction it's melting towards? Or is it a straight shot hall
<Klurg> Tanya halts, and nods. "could we go to them instead? Or you think it's best to stay here and keep watch?"
<Kaeru> It's melting away, closer to the woman as if receding, lowering on the walls.
<ArseneLupin> "Staying here seems like the better idea, cant say why."
<ArseneLupin> "Just feels better."
<Kaeru> Hmm. You're staying, then?
<Klurg> "I dunno…"
<Kaeru> Are you continuing forward, or waiting for the frost to be gone before trying to go forward?
<ArseneLupin> "They ARE taking a while."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian at the very least aint touching that shit
<Kaeru> Wait a second.
<Kaeru> You finish your sentence, Bastian, and you hear an odd sound.
<Kaeru> Like- crackling?
<Kaeru> The lights flicker.
<ArseneLupin> He jerks his head towards the sound. "…Storm might have finally hit."
<Kaeru> It seemed perhaps to come from further ahead. Maybe something electrical malfunctioned?
<Kaeru> You don't hear rain overhead, though. You'd probably be able to hear it if it were raining heavily.
<Klurg> "Ok, really wanting to go back now."
<ArseneLupin> He rubs his face. "Fine, we need to grab them yes. I cant sit here waiting anymore, we're wasting time."
<Klurg> She nods, and leads the way back to the group
<Kaeru> Lights flicker. One above you and back a bit sparks and pops out, casting shadows but nothing more.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian REALLY hates leaving this lead for even a moment
<ArseneLupin> But he follows
<Kaeru> You head back the way you came.
<Kaeru> To the stairs, turn the corner to the hallway the others went down.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian takes a look back before they turn the corner
<Kaeru> You hear water, waves high above, see the bluish lighting. Hear nothing else.
<Kaeru> Bastian, you see-
<Kaeru> well, you're honestly not quite sure. A spark, you guess, or an electrical arc. Maybe from the lights? But it wasn't all that near the ceiling.
<Kaeru> If it's an electrical storm, lines might be overcharged. Maybe you should watch out for that.
<ArseneLupin> Mmmm, he dont like that.
<ArseneLupin> HI2?
<Kaeru> No need.
<ArseneLupin> (Not concerning at all)
<Kaeru> You walk into the observatory.
<Kaeru> It's a bit like the lobby above, a shallow arc with benches and plantlife, paintings, low coffee tables. A researcher lies on his side near one of the benches, a coffee cup that's presumably his on the table nearby still subtly steaming.
<Kaeru> The main wall across from the arc is just glass. Reinforced and sectioned into full-height windows, but without obstruction, out into the deep blue water beyond.
<Kaeru> You can look up towards the crashing waves of the surface, see the way the wind whips and stirs the water. Fish dart in and out of view, across the area you can see, floor-dwelling creatures skittering along the rocky upward incline you can see to one side.
<Kaeru> There's an open file on the table, as if discarded.
<Kaeru> Empty, otherwise.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian looks around and then looks at Tanya
<ArseneLupin> "Where the hell did they go??"
<Klurg> Good question." Tanya takes a peak at the file. "Can you look around for clues?"
<ArseneLupin> Is there just the one hall out or multiple?
<ArseneLupin> He clenches his fists and just looks annoyed as he looks around more. "They said they were gonna be right back. And now we gotta hunt them down while whoever did this heads towards Containment and the Labs uncontested."
<Klurg> While Tanya reads the file, she radios in. «Excuse me but where. Are. You?» she states, quite obviously annoyed.
<Kaeru> There's a similar entranceway to the one you walked in through on the opposite side.
<Kaeru> Radios are out, Tanya.
<Kaeru> Electrical storm.
<Klurg> "Fuck's sake."
<ArseneLupin> He sighs. "Come on, let's keep going there's only one path."
<ArseneLupin> He heads towards the other entryway
<Klurg> She nods, and keeps going, staying in stealth mode.
<ArseneLupin> As does he
<Kaeru> You turn around the corner- there's two directions. Forward and off to the left.
<Kaeru> You listen and- you can hear- voices? Lowered, quiet. No- just one voice- to the left-
<ArseneLupin> Bastian rubs the bridge of his nose and follows the voice
<Kaeru> you turn and see your teammates, presumably following that very sound. But you can also still hear that crackling, Bastian, up ahead.
<Kaeru> it's bothersome, like a twitch. Like static. Distracting.
<ArseneLupin> He gestures for Tanya to follow and tries to join them, very cautious of that.
<Klurg> Tanya follows, starting to wonder who she's gonna have to chew out."
<Kaeru> Head to HI2- you're a ways behind, and they appear to be sneaking, so maybe don't rush up.

HomeImprovement

<Kaeru> RUN INITIATING… Run: Bittersweet | Arc: Orpheus Looks Back | Action: Combat, optional Stealth/Social, potential backup/rescue | Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfMCmLxqWBo
<Glacon> Kaeru: NateWantsToBattle: Bones - length 4m18s - 4721↑37↓ - 256,610 views - NateWantsToBattle - Give Heart Records on 2018.06.01
<Kaeru> The mission alert you all get is not a request. Nor is it a reminder or a call to the briefing room.
<Kaeru> It calls you to gear up and get to the bay within the next eight minutes. Sooner, if you can.
<Klurg> Tanya scrambles from her show, grabbing her weapons and gear and heading to the bay.
<soulonphone> Avery arrives with everything, including the tin foil hat.
<Varren> Ezekiel arrives loaded up and ready to go, just a day after getting out of medical
<Odocoileus> Tally is there (kinda)
<Odocoileus> She sits next to Ezekiel and smiles up at him
<Varren> Ezekiel puts a hand on the top of her head and smiles.
<Kaeru> You're given no explanation before being loaded into a transport built for speed and little else. It only has room enough for five passengers and the pilot in the cockpit.
<Kaeru> Once you're off the ground, headsets block out the roaring of the engines enough to let the pilot speak to you.
<Kaeru> "We just received word that one of our own agents called for backup from his temporary assignment on security at lilypad 186," he informs you briskly through the only fair quality sound of the over-ear headsets.
<Varren> And no lucky seat. Ezekiel is now a little nervous about this. He gets the headset in and waits for this rushed brief
<Kaeru> "All clear is still broadcasting, but a storm on the coast is stopping us from checking in. Electrical. Coms interference. And the agent in question requested backup."
<Kaeru> "We don't know what to expect. But if there's a hostile force on the island, they don't know we're coming. We're keeping it that way as long as possible. We'll be landing at a station on a larger island nearby in a few- someone there'll boat you over. Move as fast as you can without calling attention to yourselves- if they need backup, they need it A-S-A-P. But you've got fog from the stormfront on your side- it might be the only
<Kaeru> advantage you'll get. Don't waste it."
<soulonphone> Avery is silent the whole time.
<Varren> Ezekiel nods along but says nothing just yet in case there are more. Really he is just surprised they arent low or high altitude air dropping them in.
<Kaeru> Rather noticeable, dropping in, you figure.
<Kaeru> With the fog and a water entry, you can maybe manage getting onto the island without being noticed on approach.
<Varren> He pauses and speaks up. "Are we aware of what we might be going against? Group? Numbers? Anything?"
<Kaeru> "No. Only that the two mounted guns in watchposts on the island apparently went idle in succession- and that the agent who reported it said he may have seen someone."
<soulonphone> “Who “
<Klurg> Tanya nods in affirmation. "Alright, trouble it is. Who sent it any-" then Avery asks what she was thinking
<Kaeru> "Don't know. He didn't say." The engines roar. "Almost there. Before we land, I'll give you the 4-1-1— lilypad 186 is a remote island bio-research site off the Washington coast a ways. Partially underground and underwater, but over all a small facility, no landing strip. Meant to be secluded."
<Kaeru> You hear the telltale whipping of wind and feel the shift of gravity as he angles the nose of the plane towards the ground, descending already.
<soulonphone> Avery doesn’t like the water.
<Kaeru> Off the coast of Washington? Damn. You made good time.
<soulonphone> He lets out alarmed chirping.
<Kaeru> "No worries, you don't need to know how to swim," the pilot comments in a joking attempt at reassurance. "It's no different than our site. Just under water instead of sand. Completely self-contained."
<Odocoileus> (I am kinda here)
<soulonphone> Under water sounds even worse
<soulonphone> Avery looks even more alarmed.
<Odocoileus> (hands are frozen but I'm alive)
<Kaeru> "Landing." He warns you all a few moments before the engines resonance shifts and the sound of wind flattens against the sides of the jet- moments later still the plane jumps just barely as wheels touch solid ground.
<Kaeru> You hear the air resistance- hear a sound like snapped-out fabric as the plane slows impressively quickly after touching down.
<soulonphone> Avery is very quiet after.
<Kaeru> A hiss of pressure and light through the lowering entry ramp. "Your stop, agents," the pilot calls over his shoulder. "Make good time!"
<Varren> Ezekiel stays calm this entire time. He figures it's a landing system like on an aircraft carrier
<Varren> "Right. Thanks for the speedy insertion." Ezekiel gets up and exits the plane
<Kaeru> The pilot raises a thumbs-up.
<Klurg> "Will do." Tanya makes her way out of the plane.
<Kaeru> Outside is that sort of cold that's sharp- misty and near-stinging, that icy water in the air, fog hanging low over the flat area around you and the crashing waves you can only hear barely over the sounds of the island station.
<soulonphone> Avery scurries out!
<Kaeru> Lights mounted on tall poles cast clear cones of light in the fog like cutouts, wind stirring grasses beside the landing strips.
<Kaeru> You're waved over by a nearby agent standing by a dock set into the rocky shoreline.
<soulonphone> He scurried towards the Agent.
<Varren> Ezekiel walks over in a hurried manner and looks at the fog withbthe faintest smile at a memory but it's gone quickly.
<Odocoileus> Tally sticks close to Ezekiel
<Kaeru> "C'mon! Let's move- we've gotta slow down on approach so we're not loud as a fog horn, I'd like to make up for that time," she beckons.
<Varren> "Hello agent, wanna give us a low down while we move? Or are you just dropping us off?" He climbs into the boat and offers help to others
<Kaeru> She gestures for you to load into a half-covered little turbine boat
<Kaeru> "I'll be sticking near the docks to make sure you've got a ride out of there if you need it. But I'll back you from there, if I can."
<soulonphone> She follows
<Klurg> Tanya makes her way to the agent, keeping an eye out for intruders or stalkers. After all, they got here somehow and may have left someone to watch their backs on mainland. Perception?
<Kaeru> Sure, go for it.
<Klurg> 4df+3 first roll of the evening
<Glacon> Klurg: first roll of the evening: 0 (4df+3=0, -, -, -)
<Klurg> And we can see where it's going already
<Varren> Outlook not so good
<Kaeru> Well, you're distracted. You've still got to get to 186's island, and you're in a bit of a rush.
<Kaeru> People could be in trouble. One of our own agents, too- you never did bother to ask who that was, did you?
<Varren> "Thanks for the wait but make sure you watch your back too." Ezekiel sits in the boat when the others are in and checks over his gear. "Alright, detail us up on the facts of this?"
<Kaeru> "We don't know much. Storm's knocked out coms between the islands. But we got called as backup, so I figure you go in planning to be just that." Let's hop. She'll take you close enough to see the dock before she slows down to move more quietly, guided by the spinning beacon of a lighthouse.
<Odocoileus> Tally sniffs the air and looks around.
<Varren> Ezekiel is close to her, he leans in close to her ear. "By the way. Who are we backing up?"
<Kaeru> It smells like the ocean and the damp soil smell of approaching rains.
<Kaeru> "One of yours, transferred for extra security until 186 can get more of its own guys."
<Odocoileus> Tally seems uneasy by the smell of approaching rain.
<Kaeru> "I wanna say he's an Anderson."
<Odocoileus> "Anderson?"
<Varren> "One of ours?" Ezekiel blinks. "Like..Anderson Robotics?"
<Kaeru> "No- like his name," she replies flatly.
<Odocoileus> "Bastian!?"
<Varren> Ezekiel makes a shush motion at Tally
<Kaeru> "Hm-? Oh-" she frowns- "Bastian- Sebastian? That sounds right," she muses.
<Varren> "Sniper?" He looks at the island and rubs at his chin in thought.
<Odocoileus> She shuches up.
<Odocoileus> She looks away.
<Kaeru> She shrugs. "Don't know. It'd make sense, though. Call came from the lighthouse radio."
<Varren> Ezekiel's hand brushes Tally's shoulder and he speaks a little above a whisper "remember to keep it quiet for now. We dont know what we are walking into and the fog always makes things seem louder to me." He just meant whisper Tally
<Varren> "Alright team, we hit the lighthouse first and move on from there. Good?"
<Odocoileus> She nods and curls up.
<Odocoileus> "let us go."
<Kaeru> The boat slows to a crawl as you finally approach the dock, creep into place beside it. The driver motions for you to hop out and head on up onto the main area of the island.
<Kaeru> The shores are rocky and the island itself a sort of plateau, flat and grassy above the few feet of rocks along the edges.
<Varren> Ezekiel scrambles up first and gets his Galil out to secure the area
<Odocoileus> Tally follows Ezekiel and sniffs around.
<Kaeru> Are you attempting stealth?
<Klurg> Tanya moves up, taking point and helping the group stealth
<Klurg> Yea
<Odocoileus> She can and she wants to look around
<Klurg> (You guys up for using Tanya's stealth spec?)
<Klurg> (To help the less sneaky of the group)
<Varren> Sure, why not!
<Odocoileus> Yus
<Kaeru> Roll stealth, you sneaky bastards.
<Klurg> 4df+4 for the entire group (average was 4.5)
<Glacon> Klurg: for the entire group (average was 4.5): 2 (4df+4=+, -, -, -)
<Kaeru> oh
<Klurg> …ok you know what someone else can roll the group stealth rolls
<Klurg> Next time that is
<Varren> …welp
<Varren> Wait
<Klurg> Because between glacon and jackal sniPers I AM DONE
<Kaeru> You have a RROTD if you'd like to use it, but that's up to you
<Klurg> Nah, too early for this bullshit
<Varren> Since this is a group roll does ezek's lady luck kiss apply?
<Varren> Sine technically his roll?
<Kaeru> Hmm. Ezek, yeah, I'd guess it would.
<Varren> 1d3 lady Luck's kiss
<Glacon> Varren: lady Luck's kiss: 1 (1d3=1)
<Varren> No change….
<Varren> I volunteer my rrotd
<Kaeru> Up to you.
<Soulless> 4df+6 stealth
<Glacon> Soulless: stealth: 5 (4df+6=-, -, 0, +)
<Kaeru> Tanya's spec lets you all roll as a group for stealth.
<Soulless> oh ok
<Soulless> nvm then
<Soulless> you can have avery's rootd
<Soulless> he dont need it
<Kaeru> Will you all use a RROTD? If so, you may roll it again.
<Klurg> Wait if we all need to use an RROTD it's not worth it
<Klurg> Let's just
<Klurg> Keep going
<Varren> All? <_< probably shouldn't
<Varren> Agreed
<Kaeru> No, you can use one for the group reroll with a +4.
<Kaeru> But there's the fog, and the sound of waves, on your side- you'll have a harder time seeing or hearing people, but the same will go for anyone trying to see or hear you.
<Klurg> Let's just go and just go with the two
<Varren> ^
<Odocoileus> ^
<Kaeru> Alright.
<Kaeru> The island ahead is foggy, but it's clear that it's a fairly open, flat courtyard sort of area, a sizable area of grass taking up the most of the island.
<Kaeru> Across from you is the front of a low-sitting building- the facility itself, not very large at all. Then again, you do know at least some of it is underground/water.
<Kaeru> A lighthouse stands to your right, and two watchposts exist on either side along the open shorelines. Little green all-clear lights on them are still lit.
<Varren> Ezekiel will flop belly down and look for any odd signs of people
<Odocoileus> Tally will crawl like the tiny person she is and see if she can scout out how many people are near.
<Soulless> Avery Looks around.
<Soulless> 4df+5 determination
<Glacon> Soulless: determination: 7 (4df+5=+, -, +, +)
<Kaeru> You drop to the damp soil and grass and begin to look around- but your eyes are pulled by an electrical POP! A spark in the mist of protesting electronics.
<Klurg> …math was wrong, was supposed to be a +5. Total roll was a 3. Still bad
<Kaeru> Avery, you see the ambience you're used to seeing. Maybe a bit more clear than usual- but maybe that's just the effect of the white-ish backdrop made by the fog.
<Odocoileus> Tally flattens out like a scared rabbit at the sound of the electrical pop.
<Kaeru> Not unexpected, if there's enough electrical interference to mess with coms.
<Kaeru> Wind blows and stirs the grass, bringing sea spray and icy mist.
<Soulless> Avery chills out and looks around at the pop.
<Kaeru> Roll perception, all.
<Varren> Ezekiel also looks for the source if the pop but hasnt moved, he motions for the others to get down as well, at least for now
<Odocoileus> 4df+5 Tally sniffs the air for the smell of electricity.
<Glacon> Odocoileus: Tally sniffs the air for the smell of electricity.: 4 (4df+5=0, -, +, -)
<Varren> 4df+3
<Glacon> Varren: 4 (4df+3=0, +, 0, 0)
<Kaeru> Just an electrical malfunction in the storm-charged air. Probably, at least.
<Odocoileus> That's a plus one if she is hidden from enemies
<Kaeru> Simplest explanation, right?
<Odocoileus> Can Tally smell where it is coming from?
<Varren> Nope, they said the gun were down. Ezekiel is Suspicious
<Kaeru> You're being watched.
<Varren> How close is the lighthouse?
<Kaeru> A figure-! Off to your left- close to the shoreline, somewhat low to the ground and- it's hard to see quite right but- scoping through a rifle, perhaps? Almost halfway around the lighthouse from you.
<Kaeru> The lighthouse is maybe 30 feet to your left.
<Odocoileus> Tally is tense and quietly takes point. She protect! She alert
<Klurg> 4df+3 belated perception and fuck you glacon
<Glacon> Klurg: belated perception and fuck you glacon: 1 (4df+3=-, 0, -, 0)
<Odocoileus> Lol
<Kaeru> You don't see anyone, Tanya.
<Klurg> (yep my preemptive fuck you was warranted)
<Soulless> 4df+2 perc
<Glacon> Soulless: perc: 2 (4df+2=-, 0, 0, +)
<Odocoileus> Can tally tell which way they are facing or how armed they are
<Kaeru> They're facing you. Avery, you don't see them either.
<Varren> Ezekiel swivels to see the person and he grimaces "everyone. Stay out target by the lighthouse. I will catch attention. One of you sneak around them."
<Varren> Oh
<Kaeru> They have a rifle. Not a small one, either- a high-grade sort.
<Varren> Did ezek see them?
<Odocoileus> Tally motions for them to stay quiet and low
<Kaeru> They haven't fired, though.
<Kaeru> Ezek, yes, you did.
<Odocoileus> Do they see us or??
<Kaeru> The figure, slowly- they see you, that much is obvious especially now- raises a hand.
<Varren> Exactly. He raises a hand back and makes a simple hand motion, a Foundation standard motion for a question, checking if he can be heard
<Odocoileus> Tally narrows her eyes and raises a habd
<Kaeru> Avery, Tanya, you see your teammates do this.
<Kaeru> You can follow their eyes to locate the figure by the coastline.
<Kaeru> The figure, as you look over, stands up a bit more and beckons you over once they've seen the hand signal Ezekiel uses.
<Klurg> She looks to the direction
<Varren> Ezekiel looks at the others and whispers. "If they drop me. Open fire. I will check it out."
<Kaeru> They do seem to have a rifle- but then again, who were you expecting to meet here, that you knew?
<Varren> Ezekiel slowly stands with one hand still up and starts over at a slow pace, Galil at his side. Always better safe than sorry
<Odocoileus> Tally is ready to back up Ezekiel as needed and let's him do what he as too
<Soulless> Avery is ready to hide.
<Kaeru> Yeah, the closer you get, Ezekiel- that's foundation gear. Standard. That's-
<Kaeru> Bastian.
<Varren> Ezekiel then leaves the others to follow him and approaches Bastian with a grin
<Kaeru> He stands up the rest of the way, seeming to relax noticeably.
<Kaeru> He's in TT2!
<Soulless> Avery tenses up when Ezekiel leaves.
<Kaeru> The other three of you- Avery, Tally, Tanya- are you still keeping a lookout, other than paying attention to the person Ezekiel seems to be happily approaching?
<Varren> Oh, that was supposed amto be waves
<Varren> Not leaves
<Odocoileus> Tally sniffs the air and watches Ezekiel like a hawk.
<Kaeru> Then the three of you were waved to follow Ezekiel.
<Kaeru> Do you?
<Klurg> She does indeed, and yes Tanya is keeping an eye out
<Odocoileus> She follow!
<Klurg> Not that it matters
<Klurg> Because shite rolls
<Kaeru> Tally, Tanya, the boys are in TT2.
<Kaeru> Avery, are you following as well?
<Soulless> Avery follows.
<Kaeru> Head to TT2, then.

HomeImprovement2

<Varren> Ezekiel moves down the hall to the door and tests the handle slowly
<Odocoileus> Tally follows Ezekiel.
<Kaeru> There's no door, actually, Ezekiel. The hallway turns and opens into a wider area.
<Varren> Ohbthen he approaches slowly and crouch walks
<Kaeru> It's a bit like the lobby above, a shallow arc with benches and plantlife, paintings, low coffee tables. A researcher lies on his side near one of the benches, a coffee cup that's presumably his on the table nearby still subtly steaming.
<Odocoileus> She silently crawl.
<Kaeru> The main wall across from the arc is just glass. Reinforced and sectioned into full-height windows, but without obstruction, out into the deep blue water beyond.
<Odocoileus> She goes over to the researcher and checks out if there are notes on the desk near the cup
<Varren> Oh it looks out into the ocean. He searches the scientist for items that might be useful
<Kaeru> You can look up towards the crashing waves of the surface, see the way the wind whips and stirs the water. Fish dart in and out of view, across the area you can see, floor-dwelling creatures skittering along the rocky upward incline you can see to one side.
<Kaeru> No notes, Tally, that you see- but a file, yes. Closed, right now.
<Odocoileus> She takes the file and looks through it
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, you find an ID card. Faring, Nicholas A. Biologist.
<Varren> He pockets it and goes over to Tally.
<Odocoileus> She has a file in her hand.
<Varren> He peeks over her shoulder at the file. "Quick read then we head back. Yeah?"
<Kaeru> You flip it open, Tally. It's a study- information gathered about- well, oddly enough, cave bats.
<Soulless> 4df+8 science- any hints of what they were doin here?
<Glacon> Soulless: science- any hints of what they were doin here?: 7 (4df+8=0, 0, 0, -)
<Kaeru> Obviously their scope of study wouldn't normally encompass cave bats- but maybe sometimes, since they tend to live in moist areas, they might overlap with other studies they were doing. Must have been relevant to some other project, the bats.
<Odocoileus> She tilts her head a little
<Kaeru> Avery, bats, bats- why does that seem to stick in your mind? Like there's something obvious you're not quite getting- some link to be made- what was it?
<Soulless> 4df+5 logic?? y bats
<Glacon> Soulless: logic?? y bats: 4 (4df+5=-, -, +, 0)
<Soulless> oh okay
<Soulless> WAIT
<Soulless> It's a 7 akshually
<Soulless> So that's a 6
<Kaeru> Why is it a 7?
<Varren> "Huh.. something with echolocation?" Ezekiel looks and frowns. "We should get back to the others."
<Soulless> It's quiet!
<Soulless> Unless it's not quiet, then nevermind.
<Odocoileus> She nods and makes a motion to stay silent as they head back
<Kaeru> It's not very quiet, Avery, with the water- but quiet enough, I'll give you that this time.
<Kaeru> Avery, it clicks.
<Kaeru> Bats. A creature shockingly resembling a bat in some traits that you can recall from reports-
<Kaeru> wasn't Julian Gale moved off-site after the incident with the paradox machine?
<Varren> Ezekiel waits for them to be ready
<Odocoileus> Tally looks around for any shiny.
<Soulless> Avery goes from calm to Alarm.
<Soulless> "Julian Gale was a bat-hybrid creature."
<Soulless> "He was moved off site after the paradox incident."
<Odocoileus> She blinks and her eyes widen.
<Varren> "Oh him. Yeah i remember…oh." Ezekiel blinks. "We need to get back to the others."
<Kaeru> Roll perception.
<Soulless> 4df+2 blinks
<Glacon> Soulless: blinks: -1 (4df+2=-, -, 0, -)
<Soulless> RIP
<Varren> 4df+3
<Glacon> Varren: 4 (4df+3=+, -, +, 0)
<Kaeru> That's not blinking, Avery, that's just closing your eyes! //s
<Odocoileus> 4df+5 o.o
<Glacon> Odocoileus: o.o: 4 (4df+5=+, -, 0, -)
<Kaeru> Avery, you're deep in thought, but Tally, Ezekiel- you notice.
<Kaeru> A sound, just below the sound of swishing waves and moving water.
<Kaeru> … Voices?
<Odocoileus> She looks to Ezekiel.
<Varren> Ezekiel makes a shushing noise, where are those voices coming from?
<Odocoileus> She listens closer
<Kaeru> … Voices. Or- at least one voice.
<Kaeru> Then another. Speaking.
<Kaeru> A little ways off- towards the other side of the area you're in, not the way you came from.
<Varren> Ezekiel points a finger in the direction and then at his ear. Then back at the direction
<Odocoileus> She nods and starts to silently head that way
<Kaeru> You walk towards the opposite entryway to the observatory.
<Varren> He follows slowly, quietly
<Kaeru> Round a somewhat similar corner, but it quickly breaks off into two halls. You turn left, following the sound. Voices become more distinct.
<Odocoileus> Tally is crawling along the floor on a fours faster now and quietly.
<Kaeru> The voices aren't raised, so they're hard to understand. There's a lapse in the conversation- and the next words spoken sound somewhat tired, or perhaps discouraged. "Ironic, isn't it?"
<Soulless> Avery follow.
<Varren> Ezekiel is mimicking this a little but not fully because gear scraping. He tries to make out words
<Kaeru> "… I guess I just wish I had more time." The same voice.
<Soulless> 4df+6 avery sneaks forward a bit faster
<Glacon> Soulless: avery sneaks forward a bit faster: 7 (4df+6=0, +, 0, 0)
<Odocoileus> Tally creeps along and stops when the voice is clear enough to hear
<Varren> Ezekiel listens
<Kaeru> You can see the door up ahead, Avery, where the voices are coming from. Open slightly, and light from within. No more voices.
<Kaeru> Maybe the person talking said what they needed to say.
<Varren> Ezekiel takes up the rear to avoid making more noise than needed
<Varren> Is the door open?
<Kaeru> Slightly ajar, yes.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is sneaking behind, slowly making his way to them
<Soulless> Avery peeks in, looking around.
<Odocoileus> Tally pulls out a small mirror and uses it to look in the room
<Kaeru> You'd have to push the door open a bit more to get a good look at the room, Avery.
<Kaeru> Or slip inside.
<Kaeru> It's barely open- you can't see much inside.
<Soulless> Can avery use his 7 to slip inside
<Kaeru> A smallish room, furnished, secure. An observation window on the wall you can see.
<Kaeru> You can, Avery.
<Soulless> (he's slippin insidesomething alright)
<Soulless> He slips inside!
<Kaeru> There's- that's odd.
<Kaeru> There's only one person. You could swear you'd heard two voices, approaching.
<Soulless> 4df+5 DET he Look around
<Glacon> Soulless: DET he Look around: 6 (4df+5=+, +, 0, -)
<Kaeru> But there's just one. Sitting on a bed against the far wall, a bit slumped, fingers interwoven and elbows on his knees. Long, somewhat messy hair.
<Kaeru> In the red, he shimmers. Reddish twists dance around him.
<Soulless> He approaches him carefully.
<Varren> Ezekiel can see this?
<Odocoileus> Can Tally slip in after Avery?
<ArseneLupin> If he can do so without drawing any extra attention Bastian is slipping into the group of his teammates
<Kaeru> He looks up, slowly. Then blinks. Looks confused. Tilts his head a bit.
<Kaeru> It's Julian.
<Kaeru> Questioning in his tired eyes. Curious.
<Kaeru> Tally, sure, you can.
<Klurg> Tanya arrives, entering the group slowly.
<Kaeru> Bastian, you can as well, and Tanya too, since they've stopped moving.
<Varren> That's odd…Ezekiel looks at Bastian and whispers. "Did you find the intruder?"
<Klurg> She's about the chew somebody out, before she sees them stop.
<Varren> Once Bastian is close that is
<ArseneLupin> "We found signs of them, frost, but we couldnt follow because we were alone." He looks similarly nettled
<Soulless> Avery approaches Julian.
<Odocoileus> Tally slips on in and watches Avery carfully
<ArseneLupin> Since all the cool kids are doing it, Bastian is heading in
<Kaeru> He doesn't make any move to get away or stop you, Avery. Just sits there, looking a bit confused. Watches you as you approach. Wordless.
<Kaeru> Doesn't look away from you, even when others enter the room.
<Soulless> "Julian. There were two voices."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian smiles just a bit at Julian, glad he's alright
<Varren> Ezekiel also enter then, waves at Julian and the red lines, furrows his brow and closes the door to a crack so he can watch the hallway without being seen
<Kaeru> He blinks again. A few moments of pause. "… Yes," he says eventually, a bit quietly. "There- were."
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, you can't see the red.
<Varren> Then nevermind that part!
<Odocoileus> Tally looks around the room
<Kaeru> Fairly empty. A containment cell of sorts- a bed, desk, chair. An observation window, one-way glass.
<ArseneLupin> "Second voice?"
<Soulless> "Who was here?"
<Varren> Ezekiel, still watching the hall through the crack. Nudges Tanya and whispers. "Hey, what did you guys see the other direction?"
<Kaeru> "I was- speaking to-" he looks around a bit, confusion dull in his eyes, movements slow like he needs time to process things. Tired. "Where is he? He was right here…"
<Odocoileus> She narrows her eyes and heads back out into the hall. She stands gaurd
<Soulless> "Who was he?"
<Kaeru> There's something odd about his eyes. You see it when he looks around.
<Soulless> 4df+8 science! WTF is going on here
<Glacon> Soulless: science! WTF is going on here: 8 (4df+8=-, 0, +, 0)
<Soulless> He looks into 'em.
<ArseneLupin> "He's been saying some random stuff lately so try not to get confused with what he says."
<Kaeru> A bit too pale, like a white film over dark irises. And dark, too-dark circles under his eyes that aren't just under, but shadows that continue around the sides of his eyes, strangely, subtly.
<ArseneLupin> "No offense Julian."
<Odocoileus> Tally seems to be anxiously pacing and walks up to Julian and sniffs him.
<Kaeru> "… None taken…? I-" he blinks. Doesn't seem to know what else to say.
<Klurg> "Frost on the other side, our intruder's been that way." Tanya responds to Ezekiel.
<Soulless> "…Something has happened to your eyes."
<Kaeru> He looks up, slowly, at Tally when she approaches. He smells like stone, Tally, stone and ocean salt.
<Soulless> Can he try to collect something
<Kaeru> Collect what?
<Odocoileus> She narrows her eyes at him a little. She hands him a sticker.
<Varren> Ezekiel frowns. "So Julian isnt the target. They were doing research on bats…probably with him." Ezekiel holds up the I D. Card he found. "Might help out later if it has access.
<Kaeru> He looks down, slow moving, at the sticker. "Do you like stars?" That's an odd thing to say.
<ArseneLupin> "As much as I hate saying it we need to move I think. Containment and the Labs are the other way."
<Kaeru> He doesn't comment on his eyes when you note them, Avery.
<ArseneLupin> "We can talk to Julian when everything is safe."
<Odocoileus> "friend?"
<Odocoileus> She is insisting with the sticker. It is a very shiny pink rabbit
<ArseneLupin> "He's talking about stars again, probably gonna get a bit upset in a moment."
<Soulless> He tries to collect a bit of eye film on a cotton swab.
<Odocoileus> "please do not be the upset."
<Kaeru> Avery, you reach over- and a hand snaps up. Fast- every other movement is slow, dull, like it's muffled or delayed, but that was a split-second reaction. He grabs your wrist.
<Soulless> Avery's wrist is grabbed.
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Hold him down."
<Kaeru> His skin is- dark. Ashen. Rough, sandpapery, not smooth.
<ArseneLupin> "Avery no. We dont have time for this."
<Odocoileus> "why not just ask politely Avery?"
<ArseneLupin> "Whoever is doing all this is heading towards important parts of the site. This isnt new behavior for Julian right now."
<Soulless> "…Okay. Let's go."
<Soulless> "Let's go."
<Kaeru> Claws and leathery skin between the fingers, subtle and not much of it beyond just the edges.
<Kaeru> He blinks and lets go, a few moments after slowly looking over at his hand as if just realizing he'd done anything.
<Soulless> Avery touches the hands.
<Soulless> He realizes.
<Soulless> Suddenly.
<Soulless> "No. Not again." He whispers.
<Soulless> "We need to find the party responsible. But keep Julian close.'"
<Soulless> He gets up.
<Odocoileus> Tally hands Julian the sticker and a couple more. "More stickers so the other does not get the lonely." She smiles at him sweetly and heads out quickly to the hallway.
<Kaeru> He looks at his hand. Frowns at it.
<ArseneLupin> "In the state he's in I think leaving him here is best. He might blow our attempts at being quiet. Sorry Julian."
<Kaeru> "It's happened before," he mutters, mostly to himself. "Quara thinks it's deliberate, but I think it could've been a mistake…"
<Kaeru> He doesn't respond, Bastian.
<Soulless> He notes Quara.
<Soulless> He nods to Basitna, gets up, begins to speedsneak out.
<Varren> Ezekiel opens the door and slides back out into the hall
<Odocoileus> Tally sniffs around for a trail
<Kaeru> The lights flicker and there's an odd feeling, a sound, a tiny trembling perhaps from above, or from beyond, behind. It's hard to tell.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian follows, giving Julian an apologetic smile. "Come on, I'll show you where me and Tanya saw the frost."
<Odocoileus> She follows Bastian.
<Klurg> Tanya follows behind
<ArseneLupin> To the frost hal!
<Soulless> 4df+6 SPEEDSNEK
<Glacon> Soulless: SPEEDSNEK: 5 (4df+6=0, -, -, +)
<Soulless> Maybe too much speed
<Kaeru> You head back to where you'd seen the frost. Back across the observatory area, back up the hall towards the stairs and down the other direction.
<Soulless> Avery is lightly jogging.
<Odocoileus> Tally follow
<Kaeru> The woman- the technician- still lies on her side, pistol in her hand. But no more frost. Not on the walls, or on the gun, or on her hand. Just little red marks like scattered cuts on her fingers and across her hand, damage to the muzzle of her pistol.
<Kaeru> One of the lights in the hallway is out, casting a little area of small shadows.
<Odocoileus> Tally sniffs and looks her over.
<ArseneLupin> He lets out a tiny huff of annoyance
<Odocoileus> "where do we go?"
<ArseneLupin> "Try to find a trail?"
<Soulless> 4df+5 logic- where would one go after this
<Glacon> Soulless: logic- where would one go after this: 8 (4df+5=+, 0, +, +)
<Kaeru> She smells of iron, of blood, but barely. More dulled, as if something else is there to muffle it. But nothing stands out.
<Kaeru> No blood on the floor below her, or anywhere else- just red cut lines on her hand, open but- oddly- not bleeding at all.
<Odocoileus> 4df+7 tally looks for a trail
<Glacon> Odocoileus: tally looks for a trail: 5 (4df+7=-, -, -, +)
<Odocoileus> …
<Kaeru> Tally, you're not sure. But Avery?
<Kaeru> How she's positioned, she'd been facing the way you came from when she fell. So if someone was trying to get past her, they'd have continued on forward.
<Varren> Ezekiel is covering the room with his rifles moves a tiny bit forward and kneels
<Soulless> Avery heads forward.
<Soulless> No hesitation.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian follows
<Varren> Ezekiel follows close behind Avery to protect him if needed
<Kaeru> You see pretty quickly what room they might've been headed towards. A control area, centralized, inputting and outputting the facility's signals. Responsible for broadcasting the ALL CLEAR to the mainland sites.
<Odocoileus> Tally is bringing up the rear
<Soulless> Avery begins to walk a little faster.
<Kaeru> The door isn't completely closed. You could just push it open- not latched.
<Klurg> Tanya follows and organizes stealth as usual
<ArseneLupin> Bastian readies up
<Odocoileus> Tally is on edge
<Kaeru> It's just a few steps away, Tanya- and walking into a semi-closed room isn't the stealthiest thing of all time.
<Kaeru> Do you approach? Enter?
<Klurg> Finns take a peak from outside
<Klurg> 4df+3
<Glacon> Klurg: 4 (4df+3=0, +, -, +)
<Kaeru> You push the door open, then, Tanya?
<Varren> Ezekiel shoulders hisbrifle and slowly pushes open the door, aiming as he enters-well he does this after she looks of course
<Soulless> Avery gets ready to fuck up a brain.
<Kaeru> The room is larger than you expected. A security station of sorts, a control panel in a semicircle on the far wall and above it two rows of monitors. Security feeds. A smaller control panel to the right controls outgoing signals, the all clear being broadcasted as indicated by the message saying so in large, slowly flashing green lettering on a screen.
<Klurg> Yeah she creaks it open
<Kaeru> You still can't see the whole room until you're inside or have opened the door fully, but what you can see of it is empty of people.
<Odocoileus> Tally waits for the rest of the group to enter before she heads.
<Kaeru> Other than a security agent, of course- who lies idle, once perhaps sitting against the wall and now slumped onto his side.
<Klurg> She heads on in
<Kaeru> Pistol still in his belt, as if never drawn.
<ArseneLupin> No frost?
<Kaeru> Nobody here, Tanya. But security feeds- that could be useful as all hell. Just gotta get a better look.
<Kaeru> No frost you can see, Bastian, no.
<Varren> Ezekiel clears the corners and looks for recent activity in the room
<Kaeru> But you do see something else. A strange mark on one of the monitors. Like a smudge, or a scorch mark. Small, subtle. Maybe one of those electrical malfunctions hit it.
<ArseneLupin> Oh hello, cameras? Any strange activity on them?
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, you can see the all clear has been locked in place, and needs authorization to be turned off or unlocked.
<Odocoileus> Tally stands gaurd
<Kaeru> You approach, Bastian, and start scanning over the monitors.
<Kaeru> Tally- you look into the room and you see something. The guard there- a mark on his neck. The side, near the back.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian consumes the camera feed and takes it's knowledge for his own
<Kaeru> Avery, you might see it, too.
<Odocoileus> She goes over to the gaurd and checks it out.
<Klurg> Tanya keeps on watch, these people can technology better than she can (hopefully)
<Kaeru> It looks almost like a burn mark, Tally.
<Kaeru> That's rather inconsistent.
<Varren> Ezekiel pulls out that ID from earlier and looks at it.
<Kaeru> Maybe the electrical storm has been causing current jumps. Could've hit him, knocked him out.
<Odocoileus> She tries to clean it with a cotton ball to see it better
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, that might work. What are you trying to use it for?
<Odocoileus> Is it a funny shape?
<Kaeru> It's certainly a burn, Tally. Blackened and pinpoint, specific. Consistent with electrical burns.
<Odocoileus> Like a taser?
<Varren> What would turning off the all clear do?
<Kaeru> Alert the mainland sites to the fact that something was wrong.
<Kaeru> Then again, you're not sure if the signal is even getting through the storm in the first place.
<Odocoileus> "he has burn from electricity."
<Kaeru> Maybe, Tally, but not two points. Just one.
<ArseneLupin> Anything on the cameras or is it all blank?
<ArseneLupin> As in no activity
<Varren> Either way that sounds useful! Smhe approaches the console and swipe the id
<Soulless> 4df+5 logic- where is that camera
<Glacon> Soulless: logic- where is that camera: 5 (4df+5=+, 0, 0, -)
<Odocoileus> She is very alert now and stands gaurd outside the room.
<Kaeru> It's live, but not a lot going on-
<Kaeru> until the lights flicker and the screens go black at the same time the room does.
<Kaeru> It's only dark for a split second.
<Kaeru> Then bright white bolded letters appear on the screens- a letter each monitor on the two rows.
<Odocoileus> "I do not like this.."
<Soulless> Oh boy.
<Kaeru> The glow casts shadows more than it does light.
<Soulless> What's it read?
<Kaeru> [T-H-A-N-K]- on the lower row- [Y-O-U]
<Kaeru> the letters appear one by one.
<Soulless> O_O
<ArseneLupin> "Fuck!"
<Kaeru> Then they stay there, for a few moments-
<Kaeru> then disappear-
<Soulless> 4df+5 What why (logic)
<Glacon> Soulless: What why (logic): 6 (4df+5=+, +, -, 0)
<Kaeru> [F-O-R] [Y-O-U-R]
<Kaeru> pause- gone-
<Klurg> "…hoo boy."
<Kaeru> [C-O-O-P-E-R-A-T-I-O-N]
<ArseneLupin> "We let them in."
<Klurg> "Or we came to them."
<Kaeru> A sound snaps your attention away from the screens.
<Kaeru> The door slamming shut. The lights flicker back to life a second later.
<Varren> "Wait…" did Ezekiel just cause that?
<Klurg> Tanya scrambles into a hiding spot, motioning others to do the same
<Kaeru> It doesn't seem that way, Ezekiel. The monitor went dark before you'd fully scanned the card.
<Soulless> Does Avery understand what they dod?
<Varren> Ezekiel looks back at the door and then back at the console. He panics and tries to scan the card, tries to lock down the site and alert the outside
<ArseneLupin> Bastian tries to open the door
<Odocoileus> Wait tally was out side the door standing gaurd was she locked out?
<Kaeru> You can try to lock down, Ezekiel, but turning off the broadcast is easier. The monitors return to life-
<Kaeru> No, tally, you weren't quite outside yet.
<Odocoileus> O
<Kaeru> Bastian, it's stuck.
<ArseneLupin> He kicks the door angrilly
<Kaeru> Not unmovable, but it'll take some doing.
<Kaeru> Security feeds flick back to life, and there's movement on them.
<Odocoileus> Can tally pick the lock?
<Kaeru> Roll mel to fuck up the door, sebby
<Kaeru> tally, it's not locked. Just stuck.
<Soulless> Avery can!
<ArseneLupin> 4df+1 It's mostly stress relief tbh
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: It's mostly stress relief tbh: 2 (4df+1=0, +, +, -)
<Odocoileus> O
<Varren> Ezekiel turns off the broadcast to alert the other site.
<Soulless> Avery looks at the security feeds. but like.. does his 6 logic get him anything
<Kaeru> The card successfully disables the all clear, Ezekiel. The monitor alerts you of this.
<Kaeru> Avery, you see someone. You see a person moving across a security feed- just a glimpse, then static on that monitor, back after a moment and he's gone.
<Kaeru> Another monitor shows the hallway towards the lobby. And someone else. Two- and you recognize both of them.
<Soulless> Who are they?
<Kaeru> The first is guided by a firm grip on his arm, almost dragging him along. Hair messier still than it had been, eyes startled, confused. The other is identifiable by a featureless black mask.
<Odocoileus> Tally looks for a vent she could slip into.
<Soulless> Avery's eyes widen.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is finally calm after kicking the door
<Kaeru> None but small ones- too small to get into- near the upper portions of the walls, Tally.
<ArseneLupin> Until he sees the feed
<ArseneLupin> 4df+1 And he kick again
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: And he kick again: 1 (4df+1=0, 0, -, +)
<Soulless> He attempts to hack the security dooor
<Kaeru> Bastian, you make it move- but it doesn't open fully. You do it again-
<Soulless> To get out
<Klurg> Tanya goes on out, and goes to the door
<Klurg> Is there a lock on it?
<Kaeru> Crack. It comes unstuck.
<Odocoileus> "Avery where are they?"
<Soulless> Avery begins to run out and towards where the camera was pointing.
<Kaeru> Scorching on the handle and frame on the other side show the metal somewhat melted together- that's what stuck the door closed.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian follows Avery, he's pissed and running
<Kaeru> They're upstairs, Avery.
<Odocoileus> Tally follows
<Kaeru> You can hear their footsteps above you.
<Varren> Ezekiel makes a small attempt to lock do the main entrance to the site at least
<Kaeru> They had a head start. They'll be nearly outside by now.
<Soulless> He runs.
<Varren> Shit ..then he runs
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, that card won't do that, unfortunately. Not a high enough level, and not security, so it can't initiate lockdown anyways.
<Varren> Spronts for the main entrance
<Soulless> (also he pushes the NO ALL CLEAR signal)
<Odocoileus> Tally is full sprint
<Kaeru> You sprint the way you came, up the stairs, towards the lobby.
<Kaeru> You hear the door swing open, hear the breeze and waves from outside.
<Soulless> Avery runs.
<ArseneLupin> If Bastian gets even a glance of them he's shooting
<Kaeru> You get to the lobby. The door outside stands open, wind from outside blowing in.
<Odocoileus> Tally is full sprint at this point as she runs outside
<Soulless> Avery looks.
<ArseneLupin> RUN RUN RUN
<Varren> All the running. Pistol drawn, ready to shoot to disable
<Soulless> 4df+5 Determination he Looks.
<Glacon> Soulless: Determination he Looks.: 4 (4df+5=0, +, -, -)
<Kaeru> It's oddly light outside. Like the sun has appeared, rays cast on the open field of the island through the clouds. The fog is cleared somewhat, too. The wind is gentler.
<Soulless> 4df+5 RROTD?
<Glacon> Soulless: RROTD?: 4 (4df+5=0, -, -, +)
<Soulless> oh ok f u
<Kaeru> Nothing.
<Odocoileus> Can tally see which way they went?
<Kaeru> Two figures halfway across the open field, one leading the other.
<Kaeru> They're not trying to hide. He's not trying to hide.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is shooting Apollo
<Soulless> Avery rushes over.
<Kaeru> They're a ways away, Avery.
<Kaeru> And Bastian, your shot will reach them first-
<Kaeru> roll.
<Soulless> Avery keeps running.
<ArseneLupin> How far away? Further than 60 meters or nah?
<Kaeru> Not quite, Bastian. Sorry.
<Odocoileus> Tally just keeps sprinting
<Varren> Ezekiel aims his pistol and fires where Bastian fires, at the leader.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+8 Light Ranged at the fuck
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Light Ranged at the fuck: 10 (4df+8=+, +, 0, 0)
<Varren> 4df+8 also shooting if allowed
<Glacon> Varren: also shooting if allowed: 6 (4df+8=-, 0, 0, -)
<Kaeru> The shot cracks out in the quiet, muting the waves and all other sound.
<Kaeru> Before you fire, Ezekiel-
<Kaeru> Bastian fires, and his shot is dead-on- his target spins at the sound of the gunshot, a hand raised, palm out-
<Soulless> Avery already knows./<Kaeru> Bastian, you remember how he'd reacted when you first tried to shoot him. But he's too far for that, by a long ways, this time. You feel somewhat smug, because of that.
<Soulless> The fucking bullet. He run.
<Kaeru> But you're only smug for a moment. Because something else happens.
<ArseneLupin> A smile grows on his face-oh
<Kaeru> It happens just in front of your feet, Avery. You're running- and the shot flies past you towards Apollo-
<Odocoileus> Tally just keeps running?
<Kaeru> A massive stone spire breaks through from beneath the ground in front of you and twists with a sound like splintering bone. Spiraling, like an inverse drill.
<Kaeru> The shot cracks against jagged stone.
<ArseneLupin> "MOTHERFUCKER!"
<Odocoileus> Tally picks up the pace and avoids the big ass bone drill.
<Varren> Stone cornered crystal?
<Kaeru> No, Ezekiel, not crystal. Stone- pure, jagged, crack-covered stone. Like a stalagmite.
<Soulless> Avery keeps trying to head up, grab his friend back. He can't lose another friend.
<ArseneLupin> He keeps running and goes to go around the pillar
<Varren> Ezekiel fades left and runs straight that way to smget an aim around the pillar
<Kaeru> It falls away, back into the ground after a moment. And Apollo, expressionless with that black mask, still holds to Gale's arm.
<Odocoileus> She is so low to the ground she is practically running on all fours as she tries to push her speed faster.
<Kaeru> He shoves the man aside, out of the way and back behind him somewhat.
<Kaeru> Roll initiative.
<Varren> 1d20 let's do this
<Glacon> Varren: let's do this: 5 (1d20=5)
<Klurg> (Add speed or just raw d20?)
<Soulless> ^
<Varren> Fucker…..
<Kaeru> Add speed- so Ezekiel, you get to reroll, lucky nerd.
<Klurg> 1d20+3 LEEROY!
<Glacon> Klurg: LEEROY!: 19 (1d20+3=16)
<Soulless> 1d20+3 speed
<Glacon> Soulless: speed: 6 (1d20+3=3)
<Soulless> rip
<Varren> 1d20+6 woo! Thank
<Glacon> Varren: woo! Thank: 21 (1d20+6=15)
<Odocoileus> d20
<Glacon> Odocoileus: 18 (d20=18)
<Varren> Ayyyyyyyy
<ArseneLupin> 1d20+3
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 15 (1d20+3=12)
<Varren> Minus 3
<Odocoileus> Wait shit
<Odocoileus> Add one to tally
<Kaeru> 1d20+3 Gale
<Glacon> Kaeru: Gale: 4 (1d20+3=1)
<Kaeru> 1d20+2 Apollo
<Glacon> Kaeru: Apollo: 20 (1d20+2=18)
<Klurg> Still foggy/dim outside?
<Kaeru> Nope.
<Kaeru> Unfortunately for all of you, Apollo is first in initiative.
<Odocoileus> D:< rood
<ArseneLupin> (Fook off ya wanka)
<Kaeru> Apollo raises his hand skyward and shouts something in a language foreign to you- said like a command. Out of the corner of your eye, the very top edge of your vision, you catch the slightest glimpse of brilliant golden movement streaking through the air before a thin, beautifully crafted arrow comes into view. The color twists and shifts to an icy blue even as you watch in that split instant-
<Kaeru> All of you, roll defense.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 RES
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: RES: 7 (4df+5=+, +, -, +)
<Klurg> 4df+6 acro
<Odocoileus> 4df+5 DEFENDING
<Glacon> Odocoileus: DEFENDING: 4 (4df+5=-, -, 0, +)
<Glacon> Klurg: acro: 10 (4df+6=+, +, +, +)
<Odocoileus> Oh rip okay
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, Avery, defend.
<Soulless> 4df+3 acrobatics if he can
<Glacon> Soulless: acrobatics if he can: 2 (4df+3=-, 0, +, -)
<Varren> 4df+6 dive!
<Glacon> Varren: dive!: 4 (4df+6=-, 0, -, 0)
<Soulless> Avery gets fuckin dunked on
<Varren> Now listen here
<Kaeru> 4df+6 wrath of sol
<Glacon> Kaeru: wrath of sol: 6 (4df+6=-, +, +, -)
<Kaeru> Bastian, Tallulah, you dodge as icy blue arrows- larger than arrows should be- streak from the sky and imbed themselves in the earth near where you'd been.
<Kaeru> Rather- Tanya succeeds, not Tally
<Kaeru> Tallulah, Ezekiel, Avery- you see the color twist and shift to an icy blue even as you watch in that split instant- and then it pierces your armor, shocking and cold and paralyzing with the frigidity of it but burning at the same time, numbing and cold and creeping in the flesh around the wound and spreading outwards-
<Kaeru> 1d2+1 numbing cold
<Glacon> Kaeru: numbing cold: 2 (1d2+1=1)
<Kaeru> all three of you take 2php damage.
<Soulless> Avery whines. He still gotta go get to Gale.
<Odocoileus> She shivers and whimpers
<Kaeru> The arrows- those that hit and those that miss- quickly seem to dissipate into mist, leaving only chill behind.
<Kaeru> Tanya. It's your turn.
<Klurg> So we're out in the open, in a plain?
<Kaeru> Yes.
<Varren> Ezekiel holds the spot and growls angrily
<Klurg> Gods damn it. ALRIGHT LET'S DO THIS!
<Klurg> Tanya rushes Apollo, getting to medium range and firing her magnum at him
<Klurg> 4df+6
<Glacon> Klurg: 8 (4df+6=+, -, +, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+6 armored resilience
<Glacon> Kaeru: armored resilience: 7 (4df+6=+, 0, -, +)
<Kaeru> You hit. Roll damage, Tanya.
<Klurg> d6
<Glacon> Klurg: 5 (d6=5)
<Kaeru> You hit his shoulder and he drops the arm he'd raised skyward- his other hand snapping to the wound- you can see an anger in him conveyed only by his stance, since his expression isn't visible.
<Kaeru> He just seems pissed off.
<Kaeru> At least now you know- what's the saying?
<Kaeru> Gods don't bleed.
<Kaeru> Looks like Apollo isn't all that invincible after all.
<Kaeru> Ezekiel. It's your turn.
<Varren> Ezekiel, since there isnt a stupid stone shield there, doesnt need to do his awesome move and just aims for Apollo's mask!
<Varren> And head of course
<Kaeru> Roll.
<Varren> 4df+8
<Glacon> Varren: 10 (4df+8=+, +, -, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+7 on edge res
<Glacon> Kaeru: on edge res: 6 (4df+7=-, +, -, 0)
<Kaeru> Roll damage, Ezekiel.
<Varren> 1d4
<Glacon> Varren: 2 (1d4=2)
<Kaeru> Your aim is sure- but he sees you line up the shot. Raises an arm- your shot hits his forearm instead, biting through the fabric at the edge of a glove and pinning it somewhat against the sleeve.
<Varren> "Mother fucker-dont make me do crazy shit!"
<Kaeru> In frustration, he lowers his arm and grabs at the glove with his other hand- pulls both off, casting them aside.
<Kaeru> His hands are criss-crossed with little scar lines, skin dark and paler on the palms.
<Varren> Ezekiel swaps to his Galil and switches it to single fire
<Kaeru> Tally, you're up.
<Varren> Oh, are those scars like the ones he felt on Omen's hands?
<Kaeru> No, just various little scratches and cut marks.
<Odocoileus> Tally gonna take her turn to flank ahead of Apollo.
<Kaeru> Alright.
<Kaeru> He probably sees you- the area is far too open for him not to- but you go around him, past him.
<Odocoileus> He still running right?
<Kaeru> No, he's standing still.
<Kaeru> Facing back towards the group.
<Odocoileus> Oh. NVM lol
<ArseneLupin> Bastian gets closer to Ezek and whispers
<Odocoileus> Actually Tally will still try and close the gap and get get closer for a sure hit.
<Kaeru> You can do that, Tally.
<Odocoileus> Can …can she get close enough to throw mud/dirt in his eyes?
<Kaeru> Probably not. He'd be able to react, if you tried to get that close.
<Varren> Ezekiel nods at Bastian and gets ready
<Kaeru> Plus, Tally?
<ArseneLupin> He grins
<Kaeru> He's wearing a mask.
<Odocoileus> Fuck it why not.
<Kaeru> what are you trying to do, Tally?
<Odocoileus> Distract him so he can't block shots.
<Kaeru> How?
<Odocoileus> You know just fuck it
<Odocoileus> 4df+6 she just shot
<Glacon> Odocoileus: she just shot: 5 (4df+6=-, 0, -, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+6 resilient
<Glacon> Kaeru: resilient: 9 (4df+6=0, +, +, +)
<Kaeru> well okay
<Odocoileus> VoV
<Kaeru> Your shot hits armor when he turns slightly to make certain it does.
<Kaeru> Bastian. You're up.
<Varren> Ezekiel flanks and moves to the right. Further from the lighthouse and circling a bit wide!
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, comboing your turn I'll allow but it'll move you to after Bastian in the turn order. Is that okay?
<ArseneLupin> So we're in the open courtyard by the guns right?
<Kaeru> In the open, yes. On either side are the doors to the watchposts with the guns mounted in them that act as turrets out towards the water.
<Varren> I dont see why not?
<Kaeru> Eg- it'll take your turn, and you'll be up again after Bastian next round.
<ArseneLupin> Varren: If you dont want to mix order I can hold
<Varren> In that case Ezekiel is gonna move in a very flashy manner to get attention on him more than anything
<Varren> I am fine with it
<Varren> I dunno if I get another action but yeah, combing turn is fine
<ArseneLupin> And while Ezek is a distraction Bastian is going to try to sneak off to the side and try to sneak up the lighthouse to get a perch
<Kaeru> Roll stealth. Ezekiel, roll, uhh
<Kaeru> something under charm maybe?
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 5 (4df+6=0, -, 0, 0)
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6 RROTD
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: RROTD: 4 (4df+6=+, -, -, -)
<ArseneLupin> Fuck
<Kaeru> oh
<Kaeru> i figure RROTD works kinda like advantage so 5
<Varren> 4df+4 unless a purposely missed but flashy attack would work
<Glacon> Varren: unless a purposely missed but flashy attack would work: 4 (4df+4=+, 0, -, 0)
<Kaeru> It might, if you'd rather try that.
<Kaeru> Up to you.
<Varren> Hahahahaha
<Kaeru> It might make it less obvious you're trying to get his attention.
<Varren> As a flashy attack it's up to you if I can add kuck but Ezekiel draws back his arm and swings wide with pistol in hand, turning it as he does so and shooting two-year. Do the Wanted bullet curve move to make it flat right at him and them barely miss Apollo
<ArseneLupin> (I think I know what's coming)
<ArseneLupin> (Yesss)
<Varren> 4df+8 gotta love luck function
<Glacon> Varren: gotta love luck function: 8 (4df+8=0, 0, 0, 0)
<Varren> …add enough to work up to 4 lol
<Kaeru> (spicy neutral!!!!!) No defensive roll, since it's a deliberate miss.
<Kaeru> I'll add two and say that'd solidly get his attention enough that he doesn't seem to be paying attention to Bastian.
<Varren> (I have been waiting a while to use this attack lmfao)
<Kaeru> Bastian, you get to the lighthouse.
<Soulless> (wirnesx meee)
<ArseneLupin> I assume next turn I can do things?
<Kaeru> You can use the time before your next turn to get up to the balcony, yes.
<Soulless> (when is avery's turn again)
<Kaeru> Avery, actually, right now is you!
<ArseneLupin> Exactly what I need
<Soulless> How close is Avery to Gale rn
<Varren> "Yeah. That got your attention! Next time I wont miss." Ezekiel flashes a cocky grin
<Kaeru> Not very at all. Gale is to the side and somewhat behind Apollo, having been shoved and fallen- he sits on the ground with one hand braced on the grass, staring up at Apollo near him.
<Kaeru> You're a ways off.
<Soulless> Avery keeps running straight to Gale then.
<Kaeru> You'd have to run straight at Apollo.
<Kaeru> Are you still going to do that, Avery?
<Soulless> He does that.
<Kaeru> Apollo will be able to react.
<Kaeru> He seems to think at first it might be a feint-
<Soulless> Avery fully intends to wander around Apollo and just
<Soulless> huddle Gale
<Kaeru> but after a moment of Avery running at him, at Gale behind him, he takes a half-step back. Half-turns, raises a hand- ungloved now- and points in your direction as you approach.
<Kaeru> Seemingly on reaction, not as calculated an action, he shouts- "Nihel!"-
<Soulless> Avery reaches in- Omen can you help me?
<Kaeru> and something odd happens. The world in front of him seems to shiver, blur like it's distorted by steam.
<Kaeru> Avery, roll acro.
<Soulless> 4df+3 rip[
<Glacon> Soulless: rip[: 5 (4df+3=0, +, 0, +)
<Soulless> oh ok
<Kaeru> Omen flat refuses- refuses.
<Soulless> ~Ok understandable~
<Kaeru> From a strange shimmering, yellow lines trace a circle and circles within, a strange design that shatters when something breaks through it, charges through where it had been pointed-
<Kaeru> 4df+5 red rover, red rover
<Glacon> Kaeru: red rover, red rover: 3 (4df+5=0, -, -, 0)
<Kaeru> You dive away and skid out of the path of a massive creature of sandstone that leaps from the glowing circles and bounds across the grass, skidding to a stop and half-turning a ways further.
<Soulless> Avery keep rann.
<Kaeru> Bright aqua gems for eyes and one sitting in its chest, a segmented tail that flicks back and forth. A roar that grinds like sandpaper to the ears, unnatural and somewhat like a lion's or another large cat's- but grating and strange.
<Odocoileus> Tally eyes the shiny and oooos
<Kaeru> You move to one side when you dodge, Avery, and end up with a better path to Gale- who has scrambled somewhat backwards away from Apollo. You move to one side of Apollo, far enough to not be in danger from him you think.
<Kaeru> Avery, you reach Gale.
<Soulless> Avery hugs Gale tightly.
<Soulless> Then he begins to encourage himself and Gale to find somewhere to lay low.
<Kaeru> He tenses- scared and not entirely trusting.
<Kaeru> You can try to guide him away, but- Tanya. You're up.
<Klurg> So to make sure I know who's in the battlefield
<Klurg> Stone cat
<Klurg> Appolo
<Klurg> Us and gale
<Kaeru> Apollo seems somewhat distracted- less quick-moving, reacting, glancing to every moment and change. Focused on the stone creature.
<Kaeru> But yes.
<Klurg> She shoots at the mask, wondering why he tried so hard to protect it
<Klurg> 4df+6
<Glacon> Klurg: 6 (4df+6=0, -, +, 0)
<Soulless> "Julian. Julian it's me. Avery."
<Soulless> "You remember me."
<Kaeru> 4df+7 reactionary
<Glacon> Kaeru: reactionary: 7 (4df+7=0, 0, 0, 0)
<Klurg> RROTD?
<Kaeru> Not quite, Tanya. Hard target to hit, that.
<Kaeru> Oh- I guess? If you want?
<Klurg> 4df+6 i wanna hit it
<Glacon> Klurg: i wanna hit it: 3 (4df+6=-, -, -, 0)
<Klurg> (Fine I guess)
<ArseneLupin> (God has cursed us for our hubris and our work is never done)
<Klurg> Turn
<Kaeru> Avery, he shakes his head jerkily side to side- "No- nono- can't you hear- the stars singing-" he mutters, then- "Rhyming- chiming- every hour, every- minute-" Puts hands on the sides of his head, curls clawed fingers into his hair.
<Klurg> Actually… wasn't he more distracted though? Or does aiming for the mask negate that?
<Kaeru> Tallulah.
<Kaeru> Yeah, he got a bonus for the target choice unfortunately
<ArseneLupin> (His mask is Enchanted)
<Kaeru> (yeah it curves bullets and everything //s)
<Odocoileus> How big is kitty?
<Soulless> "I can help you Gale-"
<Kaeru> Uh- think small bus, big van?
<Kaeru> big.
<Odocoileus> Tally tries to get close to kitty and shoot the gem off its chest.
<Odocoileus> 4df+6 "please give me your shiny or friendship!"
<Glacon> Odocoileus: "please give me your shiny or friendship!": 8 (4df+6=+, 0, 0, +)
<Varren> (Ooc indignant scoff from Ezekiel)
<Kaeru> Avery, Gale grabs your upper arms, intent and urgent. Speaks directly to you, an attentiveness to his strangely somewhat whited-out eyes, in the moment perhaps for the first time. "Something caused the blackout," he says carefully, trying to convey something he seems to feel is very important. "Took power- straight from the grid-" -might he be referring to the blackout agents had investigated when they found him?
<Kaeru> 4df+5 glowing centerpiece
<Glacon> Kaeru: glowing centerpiece: 4 (4df+5=-, 0, -, +)
<Kaeru> You hit! Roll damage, Tally.
<Odocoileus> 2d2
<Odocoileus> 2d2 glacon hello? There was no space
<Glacon> Odocoileus: glacon hello? There was no space: 3 (2d2=1, 2)
<Odocoileus> Thank you
<Kaeru> you hit the glowing gem in its chest- a large oval- and hear the bullet crack against the smooth stonelike polished surface. It bares its teeth and raises its haunches- that hurt.
<Kaeru> Bastian. You reach the landing.
<Odocoileus> "yes I would like the gem please, thank you very much for cooperation"
<ArseneLupin> So
<ArseneLupin> With the space between him and Apollo, alongside his newfound height
<ArseneLupin> Does it hit 60 Meters?
<Kaeru> You find yourself lucky- to spite the new addition to the field, you feel Apollo's attention is somewhat drawn to it. Is it wishful thinking to think maybe Apollo is an easier target now?
<Kaeru> It's 60 meters, Bastian.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian grins
<ArseneLupin> Time to show this fucker what Sebastian Anderson can do
<Kaeru> Breathe out, scope in-
<ArseneLupin> He scopes in right on the mask with his rifle
<ArseneLupin> And takes his shot
<Kaeru> Roll away.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+9 Medium Ranged + Vantage
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Medium Ranged + Vantage: 11 (4df+9=+, +, -, +)
<Kaeru> holy shit
<Odocoileus> Woah
<ArseneLupin> This is what happens when you let the sniper snipe
<Kaeru> 4df+5 he doesn't know you're there
<Glacon> Kaeru: he doesn't know you're there: 2 (4df+5=-, -, -, 0)
<Kaeru> well fuck ok
<Odocoileus> Wow
<ArseneLupin> Question
<Kaeru> sup
<ArseneLupin> This is a Sneak Attack
<Kaeru> yes
<Kaeru> yes is the answer
<ArseneLupin> But can I roll my damage dice to see if I proc Modified Weaponry?
<ArseneLupin> Which if I max my roll it gives me another
<Kaeru> oh sure
<Kaeru> fuck sure
<ArseneLupin> 2d3
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 4 (2d3=3, 1)
<ArseneLupin> Ah well
<Kaeru> meh
<ArseneLupin> Still 6 damage literally
<ArseneLupin> TO THE FACE
<Klurg> actually technically speaking sneak attacks might count as maxing your roll
<Kaeru> yep
<Klurg> Depends on your POV
<Klurg> Up to DM really
<ArseneLupin> I'm fine with 6
<Kaeru> The rest of you see the glint of sunlight off of a raised scope at the banister of the lighthouse overlooking the makeshift battlefield.
<Kaeru> You hear the shot, a distant snap.
<Kaeru> And, much closer, you hear the brutal, paralyzing sort of sound- the crack- as the shot connects with the smooth black surface of the mask over Apollo's face.
<Varren> Ezekiel grins
<Kaeru> He staggers. Miqui spins towards him and seems somewhat to waver itself- a hand raised to his face as the cracks spread across parts smooth surface not already chipped, shattered, broken away-
<Kaeru> He takes another half-step back to steady himself. Grips the sides of the mask in a hand and yanks it free of his face entirely, crushing what remains of it in a hand, not seeming to care when the shards cut into his palm.
<Kaeru> He throws it furiously aside. His head snaps up and he turns to face the lighthouse- the source of the shot. Staring right at the scope.
<Varren> Ezekiel looks for the face! Is it another model attractive bastard?
<Kaeru> And without the alteration, the strangeness of the mask filter on his voice, when he shouts up at the sniper, his voice is so familiar. Too familiar, to most of you.
<Kaeru> He snarls-
<Kaeru> "I happened to like that mask."
<Soulless> What does it sound like?
<Varren> Yeah does Ezekiel know that voice?
<Kaeru> Dark skin and darker eyes, hair pulled into dreadlocks that knot in a tight bun. Rings of matte silver through the bridge of the nose, just between the eyes.
<Varren> Wait
<Varren> Oh
<Odocoileus> O.O
<Odocoileus> No
<Varren> ….o h
<Odocoileus> Nonono is this why you askedif Eliza was active
<Kaeru> It doesn't sound like them. By god, it doesn't sound like them. They were never that angry. But that's their voice.
<Varren> "…….o h. Fuck"
<Klurg> Tanya blinks.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian freezes up
<Soulless> Avery stops.
<Soulless> He gets up and he starts running to Apollo.
<ArseneLupin> Looking through the scope in pure disbelief
<Klurg> Tanya holsters her gun.
<Klurg> Takes out her baton.
<Klurg> Just looks wordless
<Odocoileus> Tally doesn't know who dis is and runs to shoot them.
<Klurg> "New goal! Aim to capture, not kill. And make it hurt."
<Odocoileus> "no kill?"
<Kaeru> He- they?- turns to Miqui and shouts something. Hebrew, a familiar intonation. And the creature leaps off to one side, vanishes into a similar gold spiral it had arrived with.
<Kaeru> And god, that voice. It's wrong- it's right, it's theirs, but it lacks that same- it's- they were never angry, they never sounded so hateful, so cruel-
<Varren> "No kill!" Ezekiel aims his galil and curses not having nonlethal implements.
<Kaeru> And his eyes snap back to the scope on the lighthouse.
<Kaeru> You feel like he's looking right at you, Bastian. Meeting your eyes.
<Klurg> Question: are any of the limbs robotic?
<ArseneLupin> He stares back, just… unable to do anything right now
<Kaeru> And he speaks at an unraised volume. So that only a few of you near to him can hear.
<Odocoileus> "why are you all hesitation!?"
<Soulless> Avery tries to grab his friend.
<Kaeru> Tanya, not that you can see- most is covered, but no synthetic musculature on his neck like you know there should be, and two hands to spite there having once been one mechanical.
<Kaeru> "Sonic," he says flatly, a tone cold and burning, "Take out the high ground."
<Kaeru> You're close enough, Avery, you hear this.
<Klurg> Would Tanya hear it?
<Klurg> As she moved to medium range
<Kaeru> Yes.
<Klurg> As stated by her first turn
<Soulless> is avery the closest to Apollo?
<Klurg> "BASTIAN WATCH OUT!" She yells
<Varren> "Tally. That's a Foundation agent." Ezekiel
<Kaeru> Yes, Avery, you are. But not quite close enough to touch him, at least not yet. You hear that before you reach him.
<Klurg> Too of her voice
<Klurg> "GET OUT OF THERE!"
<Odocoileus> "then why do they wish to hurt us?" She hisses and aims her gun at Apollo
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is only somewhat broken out of his stupor by that. "W-what?" He asks, much to quiet to be heard
<Klurg> top*
<Klurg> So, Apollo's turn still right?
<Kaeru> Bastian, you're brought further back to the moment by motion in the corner of your vision.
<Odocoileus> 4df+6 Tally shoots out his kneecap if she can?????
<Glacon> Odocoileus: Tally shoots out his kneecap if she can?????: 4 (4df+6=-, -, +, -)
<Klurg> (We are in turn order I believe, so not Tally's turn yet)
<Kaeru> You see someone. A figure atop the main building- a hand raised- you see arcs of electricity- palm out-
<Kaeru> maybe it is time to move.
<Odocoileus> U:
<ArseneLupin> If he can he tries to get down, shakily, pretty much using all his brainpower to move
<Kaeru> Roll Acro first.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+3
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 2 (4df+3=-, +, -, 0)
<ArseneLupin> That's fair all things considered
<Kaeru> 4df+4 lightning rod
<Glacon> Kaeru: lightning rod: 3 (4df+4=-, 0, 0, 0)
<Soulless> can Avery do something or does he have to wait his turn
<Kaeru> 1d6
<Glacon> Kaeru: 4 (1d6=4)
<Kaeru> Bastian- you see it, hazily, as a light like a bolt of lightning lances towards you. It strikes your shoulder like the impact a car would have- sends you half-staggering, spun, and you find yourself half-hazily very glad for the bannister around the lighthouse balcony.
<Kaeru> You hit it hard, practically thrown into it, the metal contorting slightly on the impact. But it's the only reason you don't fall. You hold onto it and push yourself back upright and fully onto the balcony and consider yourself more than a bit lucky for that.
<Odocoileus> Her eyes grow wide as Bastian is hit.
<Kaeru> It's hard to see yourself as lucky right now, though.
<Kaeru> Avery, your eyes are drawn to the new attacker on the roof of the main building. But-
<ArseneLupin> He yells out in pain as an impulse more than actually registering the pain in full right now
<Soulless> But?
<Kaeru> You're so close, you see Apollo turn away from the lighthouse.
<Kaeru> See him take a step, then another, away.
<Kaeru> Ezekiel, you'll have the next turn.
<Soulless> Can Avery reach out, touch him, speak to him?
<Kaeru> You can- or you can try, at least.
<Kaeru> You know something of what he's capable of.
<Klurg> Are we out of turn order or can I have Tanya act?
<Soulless> "Mah Nishma?" He tries to grab his arm.
<Odocoileus> "you do not hurt my friends you piece of SHIT!"
<Kaeru> You can't know what else he can do.
<Kaeru> Not out of turn order, Tanya.
<Soulless> oh we're not? ok
<Soulless> he'lll dio thgat on his turn
<Kaeru> o7
<Varren> Ezekiel takes a knee and fires at "Apollo's" left calf with his galil "dont forget me!"
<Varren> 4df+6
<Glacon> Varren: 7 (4df+6=-, 0, +, +)
<Varren> Might as well try to piss him off to keep heat off the others while trying to disable
<Kaeru> 4df+6 resilient
<Glacon> Kaeru: resilient: 8 (4df+6=-, +, +, +)
<Kaeru> Not quite, Ezekiel- unless you'd like to get a bit lucky.
<Varren> D<
<Varren> Eh, sure. Add one
<Varren> 1/5 havoc
<Kaeru> Roll damage.
<Kaeru> Nope- 3/5 nerd-
<Varren> 2d3 << I added two yeah you are right
<Glacon> Varren: << I added two yeah you are right: 5 (2d3=3, 2)
<Varren> My bad lmfao
<Kaeru> You hit his leg- for a half moment he stumbles, almost begins to fall to one knee but stays standing. Practically growls- whips back around halfway- "Give it up already!"
<Kaeru> Avery, this is the moment you find your opportunity to get to him.
<Varren> "Nope! You are coming back with us! I am only shooting you because I care!"
<Soulless> Avery reaches up and then just. Gives his torso a big hug.
<Soulless> "Mah Nishma?" He murmurs.
<Soulless> (Wait, what was the passcode or whatever)
<Kaeru> (that's the right phrase, if you're going for what I think you are)
<Kaeru> Having turned mostly away from you, Avery, you rush up and grab him- and he goes stiff like a coiled spring-
<Kaeru> you find it so odd, you feel him take a short breath in- there's something so strange, so different, and when you see his hands again you realize what it must be- because his left hand is skin like his right, untouched as if it were never metal at all- and that must continue to some degree, you think.
<Kaeru> "I don't know, Ave," he hisses, voice tense- "What do we hear?"
<Kaeru> What you hear is a crackling like forming frost. What you feel is a chill starting in your heels and creeping upwards from the ground.
<Soulless> "Come home? We'll make babka again."
<Soulless> Avery holds tight.
<Kaeru> The frost continues, a creeping chill that seeps to the bone.
<Kaeru> Energy slowly fades, devoted to shivering you can't control.
<Soulless> Roll antipsy, Apollo.
<Kaeru> Which phrase are you attempting?
<Soulless> The first one.
<Soulless> (It has to go in order)
<Soulless> 'Do you remember the way Susan looked when the morning light hit her hair on the way to school?'
<Kaeru> 4df+4 hollowed mind and fractured bond
<Glacon> Kaeru: hollowed mind and fractured bond: 3 (4df+4=-, -, 0, +)
<Soulless> Apollo is disoriented!
<Soulless> 1d4 mhealth damage
<Glacon> Soulless: mhealth damage: 1 (1d4=1)
<Soulless> He is beginning to gain a bit of confusion, maybe some nausea. -2 to Apollo's next roll. Will Avery keep going?
<Soulless> Or is it Klurg's turn
<Kaeru> A gasp- eyes widen for an instant and for just the moment he almost looks the way you remember- but then a snarl grows in his expression and he raises his shoulders, grabs the arms around his torso.
<Kaeru> And near-hisses- "Oh, you're going to regret that."
<Kaeru> Avery, roll ACRO, if you're going to attempt to get away- he pries your grip from him.
<Soulless> Avery doesn't attempt. He just grips as hard as he can. Let me know when he can say his next phrase.
<Kaeru> You almost get the chance to- but something stops you.
<Kaeru> A sound like splintering bone behind you, the feeling of massive, jagged fingers, crackling and snapping as they uncurl, wrapping around your torso.
<Kaeru> It yanks you away, snatches you from the ground, its grip crushingly strong and jagged and firm for the moment it holds you before it snaps to one side and tosses you like a discarded toy to tumble across the ground a ways away.
<Kaeru> 2d3+1 crushing + impact
<Glacon> Kaeru: crushing + impact: 7 (2d3+1=3, 3)
<Kaeru> well ok
<Soulless> Avery is knocked unconscious.
<Kaeru> You feel the edges of sharp-jagged crack-covered stone dig into your sides for moments, hear the shifting, crackling, snapping stone as it feels almost as though it crumples you like paper.
<Kaeru> Of course, it doesn't- but for that moment before you fall unconscious, it feels as though it does.
<Kaeru> And it tosses you aside- and you're out before you hit the ground.
<Kaeru> Tanya.
<Klurg> Could Tanya sneak up on Apollo while they're distracted would it take her turn?
<Kaeru> Apollo just knocked Avery out cold and turned to walk away without a second glance. The stone hand crumbles behind him. You could get to him, sneaking or not- if you'd like to try.
<Kaeru> But there is, perhaps, a larger threat on the field.
<Kaeru> The world dims as stormclouds gather overhead.
<Klurg> There is but Tanya is currently very one tracked currently
<Klurg> 4df+6 stealth
<Glacon> Klurg: stealth: 4 (4df+6=0, -, 0, -)
<Klurg> Wait is it still dark?
<Kaeru> Not dark enough.
<Kaeru> What are you attempting?
<Klurg> Sneaking up on Nova to baton them either on the head or kneecaps
<Klurg> Er, Apollo
<Kaeru> You know for a fact this Apollo has stopped bullets by putting his hand over the muzzle of fired pistols.
<Kaeru> Are you sure you want to fight him hand to hand?
<Kaeru> You may, if you wish.
<Klurg> And he's also
<Klurg> And he's capable of being damaged so yes
<Kaeru> Roll melee.
<Klurg> 4df+8 light baton
<Glacon> Klurg: light baton: 7 (4df+8=-, 0, -, +)
<Klurg> (ffs glacon)
<Klurg> (This is why I'm not nice to you)
<Kaeru> 4df+6 hmhm
<Glacon> Kaeru: hmhm: 3 (4df+6=-, -, 0, -)
<Kaeru> well okay then
<Kaeru> roll damage
<Klurg> No sneak?
<Kaeru> No sneak.
<Klurg> d4 in the kneecaps it is
<Glacon> Klurg: in the kneecaps it is: 1 (d4=1)
<Kaeru> He saw you approach, half turned to face you before you struck.
<Soulless> (apollo does take a -2 to his next roll if that counts)
<Kaeru> (yep factored in) You're smarter than you realize. Ezekiel had shot him in the leg- you strike the same, and he stumbles, drops to one knee.
<Klurg> "So many months~"
<Klurg> "Worried about you. Then this~ this is just grand!~"
<Klurg> (Turn)
<Kaeru> He looks to you with a rage in his eyes you never expected to see. Not from those eyes.
<Klurg> Tanya looks back with an unhinged smile.
<Kaeru> He growls. "Amir." He continues in another language. A few short words. And you just see a flash of light in time to step back before a crack of power hits the ground at your feet-
<Kaeru> the source, Sonic, stands on the ground in the field now, hand raised to defend his ally.
<Kaeru> But it's not his turn. Tally, it's yours.
<Odocoileus> 4df+6 Tally is just straight up pissed at this point and shoots apollo
<Glacon> Odocoileus: Tally is just straight up pissed at this point and shoots apollo: 2 (4df+6=-, -, -, -)
<Kaeru> oh
<Odocoileus> Lololololol
<Soulless> take my rrotd if I didnt use it already
<Kaeru> you used it
<Odocoileus> No she shoot a random bird in the sky
<Soulless> rip
<Kaeru> rude! what'd that bird ever do to you!
<Odocoileus> Idc
<Klurg> can we get an f in chat for birb
<Odocoileus> Yeah no I'll rrotd
<Kaeru> you haven't used your reroll tho— yeah
<Odocoileus> 4df+6 Tally gonna get close to Sonic bruh and shoot em
<Glacon> Odocoileus: Tally gonna get close to Sonic bruh and shoot em: 5 (4df+6=-, -, 0, +)
<Kaeru> oh! okay!
<Kaeru> 4df+4 not looking, so res not acro
<Glacon> Kaeru: not looking, so res not acro: 0 (4df+4=-, -, -, -)
<Kaeru> oh alright glac's having a day then
<Odocoileus> Lol!
<Klurg> >implying he's never not having a dat
<Klurg> day*
<Kaeru> Roll damage, Tally!
<Odocoileus> 2d2 u:
<Glacon> Odocoileus: u:: 2 (2d2=1, 1)
<Kaeru> okay glac first of all rude
<Kaeru> 2d2
<Glacon> Kaeru: 3 (2d2=2, 1)
<Kaeru> we'll do that
<Odocoileus> Oh ok
<Kaeru> i feel like a crit fail defense earns better than min dmg
<Kaeru> tbh
<Odocoileus> ,:3
<Kaeru> You shoot at him- hit him in the back, his side, and he yelps- his hand, raised to defend Apollo, falls and snaps with the other to the wound in his side.
<Kaeru> He hisses through his teeth and shouts to Apollo- not quite loud enough, perhaps, to be heard, but somehow he seems to be anyways.
<Kaeru> Says first his name- then something in a language you don't understand. And Apollo looks at him- and shields his eyes with an arm.
<Kaeru> The strange light, the way the sun had cut through the gathering stormclouds, the clearing of the fog- that all fades in a matter of moments.
<Kaeru> Thunder rolls.
<Soulless> LMK when Avery is conscious again
<Kaeru> Close, closer, directly above you- rain begins to fall from the darkening sky. Lightning crackles overhead and into the ocean on every side.
<Kaeru> Those of you who know of Sonic realize exactly what seems to be happening.
<Klurg> (He's going fast?)
<Odocoileus> Tally is uneasy with the rain.
<Kaeru> Stormcaller.
<ArseneLupin> …and Bastian is currently in a high tower
<ArseneLupin> This can ONLY end well
<Kaeru> He raises a hand skyward and lightning lances from the stormfront above to meet his fingertips.
<Kaeru> It crackles out around him and into the ground by his feet, cracking and arcing and jumping in circles around him like an aura, orbiting sparks and a violent yellow glow to his eyes.
<Kaeru> And he grins.
<Kaeru> "Now we're talkin'."
<Kaeru> Bastian. You're up.
<ArseneLupin> So
<ArseneLupin> He's on the ground now?
<ArseneLupin> Sonic that is
<Kaeru> He is.
<Kaeru> He's in the field.
<ArseneLupin> And Bastian is still in the tower
<Kaeru> yep.
<ArseneLupin> 60 meters away
<Kaeru> In a tower.
<Kaeru> In a lightning storm-
<Kaeru> with a stormcaller entity in play.
<Kaeru> Up to you what you'd like to prioritize.
<ArseneLupin> Could he maaaybe shoot and book it?
<Kaeru> Unlikely. You need time to descend the tower. If you shot, you wouldn't make it to the bottom.
<ArseneLupin> But he'd make it part of the way down?
<Kaeru> Would that be better or worse, if Sonic attacked?
<ArseneLupin> You know that's a very good question and Bastian is NOT rational right now so
<ArseneLupin> 4df+9 Vantage Tagged LETS FIND OUT
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Vantage Tagged LETS FIND OUT: 9 (4df+9=-, 0, 0, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+7 supercharged
<Glacon> Kaeru: supercharged: 3 (4df+7=-, -, -, -)
<Klurg> …wow
<Kaeru> HI GLAC TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL
<ArseneLupin> This is the second fight
<ArseneLupin> Where he has rolled shit
<ArseneLupin> Glac hates this boy
<Kaeru> its true
<ArseneLupin> 2d3 Medium Damage
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Medium Damage: 5 (2d3=3, 2)
<ArseneLupin> So close
<Kaeru> yowch
<Soulless> Is that knockout dmg?
<Klurg> Nope
<Klurg> 6 is KO damage
<Kaeru> You hit him, Bastian. You hit him flat in the chest. But when he turns glowing, sparking yellow eyes to face you, you have a feeling you should move before you celebrate the victory.
<ArseneLupin> Moving
<ArseneLupin> Turn
<Kaeru> Ezekiel.
<Kaeru> You've fought him before, haven't you?
<Kaeru> But not like this.
<Kaeru> (skipping Ezekiel; if Varren gets back we'll put him back in)
<Kaeru> Avery- you'd be up, then. Roll DET to see if you wake up.
<Soulless> 4df+5 argh
<Glacon> Soulless: argh: 6 (4df+5=+, -, +, 0)
<Kaeru> With the noise, and the starting downpour, and the crushing, piercing pain in your chest, you wake gasping.
<Kaeru> But you wake.
<Kaeru> Avery, you may take your turn.
<Odocoileus> I thought rolling to wake up was his turn
<Kaeru> oh, fair, yeah
<Soulless> Avery doesn't get to do anything?
<Soulless> OK, he wakes.
<Kaeru> Not for the moment
<Soulless> OK
<Kaeru> Tanya- you're face to face with Apollo as he gets slowly to his feet. Looks over at Gale, nearby in the downpour, staring at Sonic. Follows his gaze to the center of the storm- and smirks. Tanya, he looks at you. "Have fun, bubbles," he mocks- and raises a hand, with a word opening a red rift behind him-
<Soulless> Where is Gale while this shits going down
<Soulless> ah shit
<Kaeru> you can try to stop him, Tanya. Keep him here. But you run one very key risk.
<Kaeru> If you try to keep him here, you could both end up going through the rift.
<Klurg> "Oh no you don't!"
<Kaeru> And he knows that.
<Klurg> Tanya yeets her baton at him. Could that be a medium ranged attack?
<Kaeru> Sure. But to be fair, if anything, that might knock him back into the rift. Still going to go for that?
<Klurg> …fuckit if he's gonna escape, she's gonna make it hurt. The alternative is shooting him but that might kill him
<Klurg> 4df+6 YEET!
<Glacon> Klurg: YEET!: 5 (4df+6=-, 0, -, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+6 mmmm
<Glacon> Kaeru: mmmm: 5 (4df+6=+, 0, -, -)
<Kaeru> attacker's. Roll damage.
<Klurg> d6
<Glacon> Klurg: 2 (d6=2)
<Klurg> …ffs
<Odocoileus> Lol
<Klurg> Question: is he surprised by this?
<Kaeru> You hit him- and he takes a half-step back, blinks, scowls.
<Kaeru> And steps backwards into the rift.
<Kaeru> It closes behind him, seals into nothing.
<Klurg> "…" she turns to sonic. "Don't you think of going anywhere."
<Kaeru> And all you're left with is the rising rain and flashing lightning-
<Kaeru> He isn't going anywhere.
<Kaeru> You get the feeling of everyone here, he may be the only one who wants to be here.
<Klurg> (That was Tanya's turn right? Or was that an attack of opportunity?)
<Odocoileus> Tally looks so pissed.
<Kaeru> That was your turn, Tanya.
<Kaeru> Tally, you're up.
<Kaeru> You're pretty close to a very bright stormcenter entity.
<Soulless> "Nova-Gale-" Avery sounds so forlorn.
<Odocoileus> 4df+2 she pistol whips this motherfucker and fires a shot near his ear drum
<Glacon> Odocoileus: she pistol whips this motherfucker and fires a shot near his ear drum: 5 (4df+2=+, +, +, 0)
<Kaeru> 4df+3 ow
<Glacon> Kaeru: ow: 2 (4df+3=-, 0, -, +)
<Kaeru> roll damage!
<Odocoileus> d4
<Glacon> Odocoileus: 2 (d4=2)
<Odocoileus> "garbage." She scowls at him.
<Kaeru> Gale is still there, Avery, if a bit soaked in the rain and perhaps too paralyzed to move from where he is.
<Kaeru> Tally, you hit him solidly in the jaw- in the moment of opportunity, you line up the barrel beside his ear and pull the trigger.
<Kaeru> The sound is deafening even to you- you can't imagine what it sounds like for him.
<Kaeru> His head snaps up, bright eyes wide, and he gasps-
<ArseneLupin> (Is it loud like /thunder/?")
<Kaeru> You hear the intake of breath- to spite the downpour, the echo of the shot, the waves, the whipping wind-
<Kaeru> you hear it.
<Kaeru> Because the rain stops.
<Kaeru> No, not ceases to fall-
<Kaeru> No, each droplet freezes in midair and hovers for a moment, suspended, wavering, still.
<Kaeru> Spheres, drops of water immobile in their places.
<Kaeru> And he moves, as if the only thing that can. He looks at you, Tally, eyes still a bit widened.
<Kaeru> And within a few feet of him, the force hits you like a truck.
<Kaeru> The suspended water flies away from him, with force but not enough to harm. No, it's not the water that's the threat. It's what comes just after it— a wall of electricity, rising like a tidal wave from the rain-soaked ground and chasing away from the man just beyond the wall of water.
<Kaeru> Everyone, roll RES to defend. ACRO does not apply.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 oh
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: oh: 5 (4df+5=0, 0, -, +)
<Odocoileus> 4df+5 and I said biiiiiitttttccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
<Glacon> Odocoileus: and I said biiiiiitttttccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhh: 2 (4df+5=0, -, -, -)
<Odocoileus> Oh..
<Soulless> (lol)
<Kaeru> Tanya, Avery, defend.
<Klurg> 4df+1 why
<Glacon> Klurg: why: 4 (4df+1=+, +, 0, +)
<Kaeru> oh
<Soulless> acro acceptable?
<Kaeru> nope.
<Soulless> 4df+2 ok
<Glacon> Soulless: ok: 3 (4df+2=0, -, +, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+5 shockwave
<Glacon> Kaeru: shockwave: 6 (4df+5=-, +, +, 0)
<ArseneLupin> (Where's that picture for our Hubris and work never ending)
<Kaeru> 1d6+2 well i guess we're all praying now
<Glacon> Kaeru: well i guess we're all praying now: 7 (1d6+2=5)
<Kaeru> yknow
<Kaeru> i guess i could've expected that
<Soulless> This is over Avery's phealth
<Klurg> Can
<Klurg> Can we RROTD the damage away?
<ArseneLupin> Can we power of friendship this
<ArseneLupin> What if we all put our hands in a circl- no wait that makes the lightning travel better
<Kaeru> don't prey on the fact that i feel mean for this
<Kaeru> this is bullying
<ArseneLupin> Yeah
<ArseneLupin> You're bullying us
<Kaeru> glacon is bullying you
<Klurg> tbf a 1d6+2 is a 50/50 chance of KO
<Kaeru> 1d6+2 i know i feel mean
<Glacon> Kaeru: i know i feel mean: 3 (1d6+2=1)
<Kaeru> Range gradient:
<Kaeru> those in close proximity to Sonic, the source of the shockwave, suffer the full 7 damage.
<Kaeru> As I have the field mapped out, these players are:
<Kaeru> Tallulah. Avery.
<ArseneLupin> Did you mean
<ArseneLupin> Both characters with Med Dice
<Klurg> Thank you based glacon
<Klurg> …wait
<Klurg> Fuck
<Klurg> Based GM*
<Odocoileus> Lololololol
<Kaeru> Other players are far enough to only suffer 3 damage. Bastian, the shockwave damage is low enough at that when it hits the lighthouse, you hear the walls begin to crumble-
<Kaeru> but the force is not enough to bring it down entirely before you're able to escape.
<Kaeru> The 3 damage you take is from the falling debris around you.
<ArseneLupin> Rude
<Kaeru> Of note, there's one other person within the initial range of the shockwave.
<Kaeru> Julian Gale.
<Kaeru> But unlike others this close to Sonic, he doesn't fall unconscious in the force of the blow.
<Kaeru> Instead, the wave passes over him, tosses him similarly to others too close- but when he lands, he lands crouched, a hand dragged into the ground to slow his movement. Claws that dig into the ground and wings that unfold stutteringly, brokenly, jerkily- slowly, from his back.
<Kaeru> Bastian, you race out of the falling lighthouse to see the shifting, white-out eyes lock to yours. Teeth that morph to fangs and claws stretch into the ground. Wings jagged and fur brittle.
<Kaeru> And he almost looks sorry.
<ArseneLupin> He gets a sad look on his face at this
<Kaeru> And he takes a few running steps forward before his wings stretch to his sides and he leaves the ground, crashing into Sonic's chest with a shoulder and continuing in his path, curving upwards.
<ArseneLupin> (You stay, I go)
<Kaeru> And you realize exactly what he's doing only moments after he leaves the ground. He grips to Sonic's shirt. He carries him over water.
<Kaeru> Out of your hands, now.
<Kaeru> There are other places for you to be.
<Klurg> Could Tanya shoot Sonic out of spite?
<Klurg> Or would it risk Gale?
<Kaeru> You'd risk hitting Gale.
<ArseneLupin> (Like a toaster in a bathtub)
<Klurg> Tanya just makes incoherent noises of anger.
<Klurg> "WAIT WE DIDNT EVEN FIND THE ICE THING!"
<Kaeru> You did.
<Klurg> (Redact then)
<Kaeru> You remember seeing the icy arrows lance from the sky- you'd dodged, but others had not.
<Klurg> "Well this was A DAMN BUST."
<ArseneLupin> Combat over???
<Kaeru> Combat's over.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian goes to slap Tally out of it so Avery doesnt fucking die
<Kaeru> Perhaps a sort of victory, knowing now what you did.
<Kaeru> Perhaps the defeats outweigh it all.
<Kaeru> Either way, you feel as though few words describe what you are, where you are, the events of tonight.
<Kaeru> Bittersweet.
<Soulless> Avery is dying.
<Soulless> 1d20-11 death clock
<ArseneLupin> (oh fuck you Kaeru, no callbacks)
<Glacon> Soulless: death clock: 1 (1d20-11=12)
<Odocoileus> Tally doesn't appreciate being slapped awake and gets up to heal Avery
<Klurg> (Eeyyy)
<Klurg> (He's stable)
<Kaeru> Not very.
<Kaeru> Tally, roll DET…
<ArseneLupin> May I roll Melee to assist by slapping
<Kaeru> you may not. that would do the opposite of help
<Odocoileus> 4df+5 SLAP ME BITCH
<Glacon> Odocoileus: SLAP ME BITCH: 5 (4df+5=-, +, 0, 0)
<ArseneLupin> ZACH WONT LET ME
<Kaeru> i mean if you really want to
<Kaeru> i can't stop you
<Klurg> Tanya goes to try and shake Tally awake
<Odocoileus> Wake me up™
<ArseneLupin> Tippy tap slaps
<ArseneLupin> Not hard
<Klurg> Also thatsa good roll
<ArseneLupin> Just baps
<Kaeru> Tally, you're awake.
<Klurg> "Tally, Avery dying, need help!"
<Odocoileus> Tally is feeling it Mr. Crabs™ at 6 ph she hurries over to Avery
<Odocoileus> Can she use multiple med dice on him?
<Odocoileus> She got 2
<Kaeru> You need to roll med.
<Klurg> I mean only one is needed
<Kaeru> Avery went far beyond 0.
<Klurg> And emergencies are- wait that's not how death clock works- oh
<Odocoileus> 4df+2 FML please
<Glacon> Odocoileus: FML please: 2 (4df+2=-, 0, 0, +)
<Kaeru> Tally, you have enough in terms of medical knowledge to- well.
<Kaeru> To know something.
<Odocoileus> She does something! Idk what but she do it!
<Kaeru> Not to do something. But to know something.
<Kaeru> And what you know is there's nothing you can do.
<Odocoileus> Oh.
<Kaeru> Not here. Not now. Not with the equipment you have, not with the state he's in.
<Kaeru> He's alive. Right now, he's alive.
<Odocoileus> "we need evac yesterday!" She wheezes out
<Kaeru> But you know better.
<Odocoileus> She still gonna try
<Kaeru> It's surprising on its own he's still breathing now.
<Klurg> «NEED EVAC NOW, AGENT DOWN, BRING MEDICAL!» can Tanya give an assist another roll without risking Avery?
<Klurg> (She was radioing in)
<Kaeru> Tanya? Did you forget? The electrical storm.
<Kaeru> But a few moments into your attempt to radio into the interference-
<Klurg> Oh right.
<Kaeru> there's a flash, behind the main building.
<Kaeru> Light, lightning, electricity crackles out across the ocean in a massive wave, sparking and shimmering and flattening the horizon, chasing away a wall of fog and clouds.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian looks far off and starts mumbling to himself. "Can any of you Red Forest things hear me? I… dont want to lose anymore friends. Please."
<Klurg> Does that mean no more interference?
<Kaeru> It does, Tanya.
<Klurg> She radios in for evac and medical, and for instructions to help Tallulah at least keep avery alive
<Klurg> At least long enough for evac to arrive and a better equipped team.
<Kaeru> Bastian, the marks, on Avery's hands. Some impulse drives you to take one of his hands with yours, when you speak.
<Kaeru> And Bastian?
<Kaeru> They're listening.
<ArseneLupin> He follows the impulse. "Just keep him alive long enough for us to help him. Please."
<Odocoileus> Tally is doing everything in her physical power to keep Avery stable
<ArseneLupin> To anyone watching it would almost seem like Bastian's praying
<Odocoileus> Tally is too fucking busy
<Soulless> The last sense to go, so science theorizes, is sound.
<Soulless> *is hearing
<Kaeru> Bastian, you see red.
<ArseneLupin> Oh dear. I mean what did I expect, but oh dear
<Kaeru> You look up to see a strange rift in the air not far from you. Across- on the other side of Avery, from you.
<Kaeru> You see darkness and shadows beyond, the flick of strange orange like a too-large neon tongue.
<Kaeru> Movement in the dark.
<Kaeru> Movement too large to fully realize.
<Kaeru> And in front of it, a figure. Standing. Small. Looking down. Looking- sad.
<ArseneLupin> His eyes widen and he suddenly regrets ever so slightly
<Kaeru> Shoulders slumped. Eyes tired. Long, curly dark hair and unmoving eyes.
<Kaeru> He sighs.
<Kaeru> "Oh, Avery," he murmurs, quiet- "What have you done now?"
<Soulless> Avery is limp. Almost peaceful. All the damage was internal, after all.
<Soulless> He looks a little wet, a little dirty. Gently asleep.
<Kaeru> He takes a step forward, then another. Crouches next to Avery in the grass.
<Kaeru> "Time is such a spiteful thing, Avery," he says, near whispering. "You had to know that, going in. It won't stop for you."
<Kaeru> He straightens back up, stands up fully. Eyes, unseeing, still downcast.
<Kaeru> He speaks to you, now, Bastian. Voice a bit raised so you can hear him.
<Soulless> Avery has no way to respond. If he could hear, and even that is dubious.
<Kaeru> "You know what the choices are, don't you." Not a question. Not really.
<ArseneLupin> "I-im not sure…"
<Kaeru> He recites quietly. A verse you somehow know.
<Kaeru> "Flowers have the most beautiful cycles."
<Kaeru> "Seed, rebirth. Seed, rebirth."
<Kaeru> "No beginning, no end, no death, no blood to wash away."
<Kaeru> "Destruction, decomposition, chaos, order, growth, life eternal."
<Kaeru> "…This is not death," he says, after a small pause. "There is no death."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is reminded of everything Avery has said. "…would he want that."
<Kaeru> "It is only the passing of time that fools us into believing that we are not eternal."
<Kaeru> He sighs.
<Kaeru> "He made a choice."
<Kaeru> "Even if I do nothing, he ends up in the same place."
<Kaeru> "It's the question of if he's there as a fragment of himself or if he gets to stay there as he is."
<Kaeru> "As him."
<Soulless> Avery's a fairly stubborn bastard. It'd be difficult to fragment him.
<ArseneLupin> "…do what you think is best…"
<Kaeru> He closes his eyes. "… I'm sorry." There's movement in the rift, the claws of a massive bronze-brown almost skeletal hand. It reaches past Omen and lifts Avery effortlessly from the ground, long fingers wrapped completely around him with much room in between him and them.
<Kaeru> He turns, takes a step towards the rift. Then stops. Speaks over a shoulder.
<Soulless> Avery is lifted!
<Kaeru> "You should think of today as a victory, if you can," he attempts, quiet, conflict in his voice.
<Kaeru> "Sonic is gone."
<ArseneLupin> "…no."
<ArseneLupin> "It wasnt."
<Kaeru> He closes his eyes. Just nods, and steps into the rift.
<Soulless> Avery gone.
<Kaeru> And the hand, so strange to see it carry Avery almost delicately- it also departs, with him. And when the rift closes moments later, it's quiet.
<Kaeru> The kind of quiet that breathes. And stings.
<Kaeru> And it sits heavy on your shoulders until the sound of helicopter blades cuts it apart.
<ArseneLupin> He waits for evac quietly
<Kaeru> It arrives in the grass within minutes.
<Kaeru> It almost feels spiteful, that. A few minutes, since the storm cleared. Such a quick response time.
<Kaeru> Not quick enough.
<Kaeru> the transport brings agents to sweep and clear the facility. And it leaves with you.
<Kaeru> Carries you home.
<Kaeru> —FIN