[Jack_Spade]

Assensing: 8d6t5 4 [8d6t5=4, 1, 6, 5, 6, 6, 4, 3]

A single woman in Japanese garb without visible protection - this sight immediately let alarm bells ring in Isaint's head.
A quick peak into the astral confirmed his suspicion: A mage and a pretty powerful one at that, asking for their lost guide.

He wanted to say "who are you", but Al talks to her as if he knew her - correction: Al knew her, of course.

"Introductions seem to be in order - I am Isaint and this is Jackhammer. It is worrying to us that Iris seems to have vanished - what did you say was your relation to her?"

[obidancer]

If on the physical plane nobody was paying attention thanks to his ghost's power, the Astral plane was obscured by his powerful Mana barrier. Powerful yet subdued. The artifact was emanating  this dark energy that was, at least for the Chaos Mage, corrupting the whole area around it. And more scary, it seemed it kept intensifying at an alarming rate.

Deckard was feeling very uncomfortable. Gone was his light humor and even his appetite. His focus was on maintaining the barrier so to avoid any trouble get rid as soon as possible of that artefact.
The group stopped for a asian woman asking about Iris...
He whispered to Robyn. Do you know that woman? Is she one of from Below?

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn whispers back, "I do not know her personally, but I have seen her before, but not in Below.  She has links to some of the people I know in Mitsuhama.  I have worked in the past for a man named Nobu Harakiru and I remember her from a meeting I had with him.  She was in the background and I would think that he was her superior.  Iris lived......lives.......as much in the Overworld as I do and has many contacts here.  I have no idea what her relationship is to this woman or her superior.  I would like to know if it has anything to do with my missing......friend."

[obidancer]

Deckard was itching to assense the newcomer but between his own Mana barrier and the fog of dark energy from the artefact, he wouldn't get what he wanted out of it. It would have to wait for later. He scanned the physical plane observing the small crowd. If that lady was a high rank, like Robyn seemed to think, it would be surprising that she would come alone... unless she had well enough skills to handle things on her own.

My japanese really suck...  but old Al seems full of surprises

[DireRadiant]

[Yukika Karasu - Sunday July 5th, 2076; Embankment Tube Station, London Below]

They know her! But how well? The Dirty Old Cheater looks like he is trying to recapture his youth looking like one of the Below ruffians. And now he looks lost in the middle of introductions. Middle, hardly even started. Ah, yes the Oni speaks, it is at least polite. I am curious if the Steel Fisted Oni, Jackhammer is it, can speak for himself, he let the other one name him. Maybe they are a couple.

Look at those two whisper like children. How rude.

I let my eyes see their feet.

"Iris, neh? There is a powerful debt between us. This woman is the one with pointy ears and hair of sun colored honey. A child woman who glows. She is the one we know? The Black Witch?"

And has a heart blacker than mine.

[adamu]

"Heh heh. Throw in a beaudacious set o' ta tas an' that'll be her, all right."

He was lighting up a cigarette and wondering if he could take Isaint's ridiculous hippie jacket off - no point in looking like a clown-groupie now that they were back to civilization.

[DireRadiant]

[Yukika Karasu - Sunday July 5th, 2076; Embankment Tube Station, London Below]

Vanished. Unexpectedly. Good.

Honor compels. There cannot be an outstanding Debt. My feet hurt. Definitely an hour of massage and the hot tub.

I now raise my eyes to waist level. I straighten, less cowed. We are conversing. Blood and violence are less immediate. Though with the Black Bitch there -will- be blood.

"Vanished unexpectedly? Unfortunate." for someone! Not for me.

"Please, what should I do now?"

I cast bread on the waters. Let us see what comes to nibble. The Dirty Old Cheater is always interesting. Perhaps this Polite Oni is really leading them? Barbaric. The whispering rude ones are so guarded, what secrets do they think they can keep from me?

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint avoided a groan. Another problem it seemed, waiting to be solved. But the word problem and opportunity were - as a lot of people erroneously believed - the same in Chinese.
A delicate task, especially when he had to talk to a woman who came from a culture that reviled his metatype. He couldn't be sure if she had identified him already - after all he wore a mask, had changed his facial structure and on the whole didn't look much like an Ork anyway - but his aura probably wasn't as well disguised as he.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Karasu was it? Maybe we can deliver a message to her from you should we see her. But before I commit to such action I'd need to know what kind of debt we are talking about. Since you both seem to be sorceress, I'd be reluctant to get my team involved in another blood feud."

'Damn it, the artifact is getting stronger by the minute. We need another of Deckard's mana barriers around that thing.'

<<Guys and Gal, you probably can drop the disguises. We are next to the exit and if that woman hasn't spotted you yet, it would be interesting to see her reaction to your appearance.>>

#335

[obidancer]

Deckard looked up at nothing, speaking to his bound spirit whom he perceived as a ghostly figure when in the astral. You've heard the man, my friend. Thank you for your service.
As soon as Deckard had spoken the Concealment dropped and Robyn, Halfpint's drone and himself were still standing there just more obvious to the eyes of the onlookers.

He also dropped his sustained Mana Barrier which was useless against the corrupted mana around them. But now that he wasn't blocked on te Astral he attempted to pierce through the background count and assense the Japanese lady.

He approached her and bowed as he has seen on trids, returning the reverence of the woman. There was something familiar about her, like a bound that couldn't really exist since he had never met her.

Assensing: 13d6t5 5

Another strong awaken, healthy, no cyber nor bioware. There was some weird mana lines running through her, probably not a magician, more like those fancy Mystic Adepts who liked to pretend they could outshine real Magicians. She had a decent level of power but he wasn't  impressed the way he was when he first saw Iris. What business the two had together was unknown, but the Dryad was pretty good at attracting attention anyway.

My name is Deckard.



#50

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn steps forward as well, bowing low in respect.  She introduces herself in Japanese.  "Hello respected one.  My name is Robyn Lysander.  I have been employed a couple of times in the past by Nobu Harakiru and have seen you in his presence.  Are you here on his behalf?"  She switches back to English.  "Does your business with Iris have anything to do with a missing mutual friend?  If so, I would beg of you to share that information with me.  I am now very worried about both of them."

[obidancer]

Deckard looked at Robyn. What, you too are missing somebody? It seems like everyone coming here is looking for someone else. For all we know the Dryad may have simply changed her mind on the job and leave it to us to handle it. Who's that person you're missing? I take it she disappeared while Below... crazy place...





#51

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn turns to face Deckard, sightless eyes still concealed by her multi geared dark glasses.  "Yes, I am seeking a very good friend by the name of Calista.  She and I had a run in with the House of Pleasure and she disappeared while I was recovering from the surgeries I needed afterwards.  That was months ago and I have been looking for her since.  Iris is a mutual friend of hers that is helping me find Cali, and now she has disappeared as well.  I will not give up, but it is frustrating to not know.  And yes, she disappeared from below."

"Below is a crazy place, but it is my home about half the time, and I really find it no more crazy than many places up here."

[obidancer]

House of Pleasure... sounds like a cheesy brothel to me. But the 'requiring surgery' part makes it not part of my kinks for sure.
That's just hypothetical, but do you think the two may have disappeared because of you? I'm sorry I don't want to make you feel bad or anything but, your friend Calista helps you and she disappear, then your mutual friend helps you then she disappears... you're the only one that hasn't disappeared, yet you're the one who bear the protection mark...


He turned towards the petite Japanese woman. Well, Ms Karasu, I take it you might want to chat a little more with Ms Robyn, here.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn shakes her head.  "It is a brothel, but hardly cheesy.  You can satisfy every sort of sexual fantasy you can think of.  But there is also pain.  Believe me, a great deal of pain.  I was tortured there for some time, which was why I needed the surgeries.  And I have not wondered before about whether I was the cause of the disappearances.  That is a new thought, and I will consider it."

She waits patiently to see if the newcomer wants to speak with her about Nobu Harakiru or Iris.

[DireRadiant]

[Yukika Karasu - Sunday July 5th, 2076; Embankment Tube Station, London Below]

I am about to respond to the Polite Oni, when the Veil of Illusion is removed. It was not working well in this cursed place. The Kami complain to me.

They chitter like monkeys. So revealing.

I look to their feet again. I ready to speak.

More chatter. The Unclean Hound Mistress I remember, one of the reasons I attend Harakiru-san's meetings.  The Man's bow is passable, but he needs the cane a few times to improve his form. No amount of beatings will help the The Unclean Hound Mistress's form.

Chitter chitter chitter. Oh yes let's chat about my life as a sex puppet and all my friends are having bad things happen to them and are dissappearing. Why would I want to be near the Unclean Hound Mistress? I will add this to The Black Bitch's ledger. Along with my hurting feet.

I answer, "Please, I was summoned here by Iris to meet her while she was working with you. Ours is not a Blood Debt. That is all I know."

I raise my eyes and look at them all.

"Please, do you know why you might need a Shinto Priestess?"