[ismilealot]

@ Feathers  Nbungu's reply is prompt, >>They are indeed expensive my friend. 1k for the vial. Although it grieves my soul to it's core that the tears of tortured children is a commodity at all.<<

The reply from the FFM agent is terse. >>Not much that isn't pure speculation. But we have been able to determine that the most likely target is a young mage currently living in the sewers. The triggering event is consistent with what could be expected and corresponds with the most likely timeline. Conventional brute force searches of known blood mage tactics and resources have drawn a blank. Thereby confirming this event as the triggering event and target.<< 

The evening chill is wrapping the neighborhood in it's embrace. Still, the rain washed a good deal of the Barrens stench out of the air. It won't last long, but for now the air is cleaner. Even if no one is safer. Yet.

[Triskavanski]

"You can call her raven. And the beast is quite vague, thats its nature. Imagine your worst nightmare brought to life. That pales in comparison to this thing. However im intrested in who else was telling you about this thing.But first... " she gets up and goes to get the pizza he wanted so badly

[Imveros]

That still don't answer any of my questions. Have you ever come across this creature or has raven? Seen any of it's moves? How can i be expected to protect raven from somethin i know nothing about? As for who's talkin, well it may be easier to tell you who isn't talkin about this damn thing. Strength of 10 trolls, secret azzie experiments, the devil itself made flesh, heard so many rumors I have no idea what to believe. Hey if you're going for that pie, make it a Puget Pounder. Saw that thing on the scream sheets outside and it looks right up my ally After Jimma leaves the room Johnny rests his forehead on his palm This Jimma better have something, anything, for me on this thing. I need the money but i need to keep breathing more.

Johnny's stomach starts to growl and ache slightly as the smell of the kitchen wafts into the office Hmmmm i hope soy Canadian bacon tastes like regular bacon Johny licks his lips at the thought

[Triskavanski]

She comes back a few moments later. "Devil made flesh is a good one. Try invisible, tentacles and laughing too. The hardest part about a spirit like this is that it kills everything. Dont think for a second you can reason with it. Reason is beyond comprehension. But one thing it doesnt like is bright light. Ultraviolet... at least we are guessing on that. "

[Imveros]

Johnny arches an eyebrow at the creatures description.Flying invisible tentacles?! Have you seen this thing yourself, or is this just more rumors? At least you know one of its weaknesses, that's something at least. Just have to hold it down or distract it till the sun rises. I have a feeling that is easier said than done, but you did mention building an army. I'm willing to meet with this Raven of yours and hear her tale. As for payment, i ain't here to shake you down or nothin. I know you have a business to run and gotta eat, but so do I. You got cred that works, you got some do-dads i think i can move, or maybe just keep these pizzas commin for me and mine. That is all assuming this goes as swimmingly as you say Johnny leans in toward Jimma Still i gotta ask, whats this Raven to you? You seem to be going out on a limb for her here. She your sis? Daughter? Lover? Johnny shrugs his shoulders Not that it's any of my biz, but i like to get to know a little about the people i work with

[Triskavanski]

"Oh, she is a very close and dear person to me. I just couldn't go on living if she died." She shrugs, "The army thats togethe is going to be focused on killing it, using her as the bait. You needn't worry about killing it as well, only keeping her safe. The pthers will use the spell to stop it and kill its controller."

[Imveros]

Fair enough, didn't come here for a life story, just to see if i could help you with your problem and you with mine. You can count me in. When and where do i meet this raven of yours? Seems to me the sooner the better. It's getting dark out there and she may need our help sooner than she would like

 Why am I saying yes to this? I don't know this Raven through a hole in the wall, and this Jimma is hiding something. I'd bet the ranch on it. Still this community is more tightly knit than i thought. If i can get in their good grace it can only end well. Maybe this will even help Two-Bit and Tom in some way. Two birds, one flying tentacle beast

[ismilealot]

Sat evening 19:20

Jimma looks relieved, "Thank you. I'm afraid with all the business lost because of this thing I can't hire you, or even pay you in anything other than a few pizza's right now. But, if this monster is killed you'll be helping this neighborhood, including yourself out. And she knows a lot of people. She'll be in a much better position to help you in the future because of this. It's getting her known to several powerful people." "Or at least it had better be. Not that I've got much choice here. I'm either bait with people around me trying to kill the beast, or I'm prey while it follows my 'scent'." he thinks. Masquerade smiles at Johnny brightly "I'll give her your number and tell her she's got her own personal cowboy riding shotgun for her." "At least I think that's the term. shotgun, buckshot, shot glass??? whatever, it's said now. Now I've got to finish this up and get out of her fast."Looking at Johnny she says, "I'll have her call you first thing in the morning and give you all the details. I can guarantee you she'll call."  Masquerade thinks quickly, he can't get away with much in his Jimma persona. But, he's been here a few times, and he's seen her give away pizza's to friends. She could probably get away with giving a couple of pizza's to this guy. He eyes him again. Ok, a couple isn't going to cut it, maybe four, four if he brazens it out. "Oh well, no one will ever know it was me and at least I'm not paying for any of this. And if this troll can't keep me out of harms way no one can."  She smiles at Johnny, "But I can give you a few pizza's. How about 2 Puget Pounders and 2 Heart Attacks, those are our two with the most meat." She gets up and ushers Johnny out of the office. "Micah, I need 2 Puget Pounders and 2 Heart Attacks. Marquita, I'll ring him up myself when they're ready." Masquerade points Johnny to a chair while she tries to look busy doing 'pizza place stuff', thank her parents for her memory. Who knew folding these stupid boxes was harder than it looked. As soon as the pizza's are ready she shoves them quickly into boxes burning her hand a little in the process. "I have got to get out of here before I'm busted." she waves Johnny over. "Thanks again, sorry I couldn't offer you a job here." As soon he takes the boxes she turns and say's. "I'll be busy in the back for the next few minutes." She dashes back out and hauls Jimma's bodily into the building. Her skin is icey, but, she's breathing. Masquerade dumps her body beside the ice machine, moving a few boxes out into the space in front of it. You hear a voice calling, "Jimma, your boyfriends on the line." Masquerade yells, "Tell him I'll call him back." and rushes to get the apron off and get out the door. As she hits the cold air of the back alley she breathes a sigh of relief. "One chore down." And hitting the sidewalks she's sees people walking with bright flashlights, "I'm telling you the only thing you're doing with this light is letting the gangers know where we are to roll us." you hear one guy say, "I need to see don't I, 'sides can't hurt to have it, just in case." There's a few more flashlights on the street further down, moving away from you.   

[ismilealot]

Sat. afternoon :
@ Feathers  >>Best case scenario would be to perform the ritual tonight and every night in case the beast is getting stronger and feeding more often. But, honestly with it having fed this morning it probably won't feed tonight. That will give us a little bit of grace to get things into place. And I won't have my killer in place any earlier than tomorrow anyway.  My intel tells me that our best chance is having them forcibly separated. So that's what I'm trying for with you and this ritual. I will expect you to have everything in place by tomorrow night. So, if you don't have anything else for me. . . . . . . Webster out.<<

Sunday 02:12 :
@ Arc  The alarm pings for sensor S2, and the feed shows a small, very thin eleven girl in rags walking towards it and then climbing out of the sewers. The one good shot of her face shows the eyes blank and empty.

[SgtBoomCloud]

Sunday 02:12 :
@ Arc  The alarm pings for sensor S2, and the feed shows a small, very thin eleven girl in rags walking towards it and then climbing out of the sewers. The one good shot of her face shows the eyes blank and empty.

Arc was already quite done with the fix on Micah's car, having retired to her living room to sit and relax in some modicum of comfort.  Dressed down to her undies, the human was curled up on her couch, a blanket over her lap as she snacked, keeping an eye on the sensor grid while watching some late night trids.  Ooh...horror night...interesting when the holidays are so close.  Frag it, let's see what they got...  Turns out, it was time for some classics: The Grudge, the Ring, and all the spinoffs associated.  It was a weird sensation; she knew she should be tired, and that she should get some rest, but with the caffeine-laced drug coursing through her system, she just didn't feel the need to.  In fact, she was certain that she couldn't.  So, munching on what passed for popcorn, she let the minutes tick by into hours, the night and bad scary movies dragging on, until..

<<MOTION DETECTED, S2>>

It flared in front of her vision during a tense moment in the movie, causing Arc to sit up straight in surprise.  "The Frag?  Okay, here goes..."  Dismissing the alert, she pulled up S2's camera to see what was up, getting a gloomy, dimly lit view of the sewer pipe.  She could barely make it out at first, but then she saw the figure.  Small, wearing tattered rags, clearly thin to the point of emaciation...but she could barely make it out, even as it got closer.  "Come on...closer...closer...not the ladder...frag, it's going for the ladder...you ain't getting away from me..."  Pressing an ARO button she had set up, She snapped a picture just in time as the thing's head seemed to glance in the sensor's general direction before going up and out.  "Gotcha..okay, time to zoom and enhance...frag it, come on!"  The image seemed to freeze as the programming froze up for a moment, and the human wished she could simply hit it to make it render faster.  One minute led to two..then three...four...

"MOTHER SLOTTING HELL!!!"

The image filled her vision, a zoomed in horror of the pale, blank-eyed elf girl not unlike from the horror films she was just watching.  The dirty, ratty slick hair over the face, the bestial look, the haunting expression hit her like a truck, causing the soda she was drinking to spray out as she jumped up and back out of her seat, flipping over the couch and landing flat on the ground, upon which she quickly scrabbled against the wall, the girl breathing quickly and heavily.  "Mother...fragging...drek...drek...that's her...frag it, it's the slitch.  Ain't no other slitch gon' look like that...frag...

It was several minutes before she got up, noticing the chill as she shook in her underclothes.  She had to let someone know.  For some reason, in the fog of her mind, she could only think of those who were at the prof's meeting that she's talked with recently.  Pulling up a message, she fired it off before settling back down.

<<Message to: Feathers (Arc), Sunday 2:23
<<I just positively identified our witch.  She's mobile.  If we got a plan to work both these fronts, I think we all gotta hears it.  Here's my place, here's the pic, come by whenever.  I ain't sleepin'
<<Attached: Arc-home.gps, Witch.jpg

<<Message to: Raven (Arc), Sunday 2:24
<<You were right, homie.  I just spotted her a couple clicks southa her home.  On the move.  You know where I live.

By the time the morning sun was peeking through, the trids were gone and Arc was sitting on her couch in sweats and a tank, looking only slightly bleary-eyed, hair definitely bedheaded as she stared at the screens, trying to locate the keeb again, nerves still a bit shot, almost distractedly acknowledging Duck's hurried entrance after she messaged him about the Russian keeb coming.

[Csjarrat]

@ Feathers  Nbungu's reply is prompt, >>They are indeed expensive my friend. 1k for the vial. Although it grieves my soul to it's core that the tears of tortured children is a commodity at all.<<

I'd rather it weren't either but we need it for this binding ritual if we're going to have any chance of performing it well. If we need more, is it only price that stops us acquiring it?

The reply from the FFM agent is terse. >>Not much that isn't pure speculation. But we have been able to determine that the most likely target is a young mage currently living in the sewers. The triggering event is consistent with what could be expected and corresponds with the most likely timeline. Conventional brute force searches of known blood mage tactics and resources have drawn a blank. Thereby confirming this event as the triggering event and target.<< 

I mean no offence as I say this, but you'll need a lot more than one operative if you're planning on getting into the sewers. We scouted it out in the astral this morning and it was strong enough to repel four of us easily. That's not counting the ghouls and critters that live down there as well. They won't be happy to see outsiders. What's the current plan and timescales?

[ismilealot]

@ Feathers  Nbungu's answer is terse. >>It is mostly price. And I will need to get it from a different supplier. Most reputable suppliers either don't carry it, or will carry only 1 vial at a time. Such is the case with the supplier I obtained this from. The other supplier that is in the Americas charges a bit more and the shipping is also a bit more.<<

Webster tells you. >>My killer is resourceful. I'm sure she will obtain whatever aid she requires in order to assure the kill. Webster out.<<

The rest of the evening is busy. Tom & Marion stop by to see if you're still going ahead with this. When they find out you are they pause and look at each other. Then Marion turns back to you and say. "Ok, I've been practicing my spells. And Tom spent the better part of the afternoon practicing defensive spells. We may not be the best you've ever seen. But, we will be there right beside you." They leave then and not long after Two-Bit stops in. The diminutive woman actually looks better than you've ever seen her, even if she does look exhausted and wrung out, there's color in her cheeks and a spark in her eye. "Well, I haven't lost my touch that's for sure! Even managed a Phase against a young troll. Thank the aether for troll resilience and strength, it gave me the challenge I needed. Even managed two summons at once!" she tells you a bit proudly. "I'll be there, no matter what." there's a grim determination is behind those words as she looks at you, then, the moment broken, "Came by for a cuppa. I could use it, and you quite frankly don't look much better," You get a message from the Order, >>Two competent summoners that are willing to come. Message a date, place & time<< Even Junebug stops by, "Not much help from a burned out mage I'm afraid. But," he looks down then, "I came to give you this." he swallows then, and unwraps a kukri. You feel the thrum of magic in it as he hands it to you. "It's my foci. Bit of a conceited ass in my younger days. Thought I was so tough. I enchanted the kukri with everything I had at the time and a bit of help from my girlfriend back then, if I'd had any sense I'dve married her." he gives a short laugh then and shakes his head. "It's still one of the best foci I've ever seen. And a bit better than yours I think. I want you to use it. Give it back when you come out of this alive." he looks you straight in the eye then, holding the foci out to you.

[Triskavanski]

She didn't wait up, or to finish any other plans. Time was etching closer.. It wasn't long until she was there knocking on Arc's door in full reguilua. She also makes sure to send a message to


<<Greetings, have you heard the word?>> she sends a text as soon as she was at Arc's door.


<<To Lash: Here is the address to meet your ward>>

[ismilealot]

@ Arc & Masquerade  As you watch the sensor network it pings a few other times. But, for all your nerves it's normal creatures that would be expected in the sewers. Save for the ghoul pack that flashed by on the hunt. The creature that they hunted tried to escape out of the opening. But it was night & the ghouls followed. The creature was still alive and screaming when they dragged it back in, but that didn't last long. The way they tore it apart was like a bad horror trid, until it spattered an entrail in your direction. You almost missed the ping for W-4 when it happened. And when you turned it was to stare right into the face of a ghoul. That immediately backed away, and then there were three of them. Bowing. Or more like groveling. And a pair of ghostly pale, emaciated legs suddenly came into view. She was carrying something in her hands, something that she put to her lips and chewed. She walked uncaringly past the ghouls, seeming not to even see them, her eyes a blank stare until she turned. The ghouls scrambled to get out of her way, still groveling. And then she was gone, and so were they.
The rest of the night was uneventful except for the ordinary, harmless creatures that have always been in the sewers. Nice and harmless like the ghouls. It finally occurred t
Morning finally came, and Arc received a comm the sax player from yesterday and it finally occurred to Masquerade to call Johnny.

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc's Garage, Approx. 3:30 AM, Sunday

Arc had just slipped on a comfortable tank and some sweats, her Ingram in her hand as she answered her door, seeing the familiar Raven waiting entry.  "Frag it, come in.  What word are you talking about, Rave'?"  Waiting for the answer, she shut and bolted the door behind her, leading the way into her living room, still cluttered but not dirty by any means.  "Check this out..."  Using her projector, she broadcasted her sensor grid on the wall, every camera and sensor UI in display in a neat grid, completed with a map of the Barrens labeling where each was.  Pointing at S-2, she gave a sigh.  "I found our slitch walking here.  And then...wait, here..."  She answered the ping of the ghoul pack on the hunt, cringing a bit.  "Get fragged, drekker...dayum...huh?" 

Hitting a couple ARO buttons, she flipped to W-4, taking a step back upon seeing the ghoul's face head on, all lifeless and grisly, dead eyes denoting their ever present hunger.  "Ehh....good thing I ain't sleeping anyway...wait...what the..."  She tried to enhance the image, seeing the pack back away, faces to the ground.  "They don't act like that usually, do they?  Oh....OH!  OH!"  She pointed open-mouthed at the pair of legs walking away from the camera, recognizing it as belonging to the knife-eared witch, seeing her eating.  "OH, FRAG, GHOULS FEAR HER?!  The frag we gon' take this slitch down?!"  The little human groaned, slumping back on the couch, turning to Raven.  "I hope you have a plan...this slitch moves...need a way to keep her in one spot...hmm..."  She trailed off, pensive, her mind forming and rejecting ideas.

8:30 AM, Sunday[/u]
The call from the Russian keeb "Olena" had just ended, and Arc had just finished sending a message to Duck, informing her that Raven was with her as well.  Turning to the odd Raven, she gave a nod.  "Got a keeb coming by under claim that her bike needs a look...a really fraggin' nice bike, I ain't gon' lie I wanna see.  Thinkin' she's Ancients muscle...hit-slitch.  Don't think she gon' try to slot us, but you never know, wiz?"

By the time Yelena would pull up, Arc was sitting on her workbench, the garage door half-open, her Ingram resting on her lap with the sensor uplink on her peripherals, the human facing the garage door in a relaxed stance, her pouch of grenades sitting comfortably on her hip.