Pulp 001

7:37 PM] Theo: Alright. It is November 10, 1935, a week since the 'Celestial Phenomenon', as the newspapers are calling it. Experts seem to be arguing about weather it's some mass hallucination or some kind of weird atmospheric illusion. Enough people saw it that it's not easy to discount, but it wasn't universal.

[7:42 PM] Sandy: ((That'd be the other planet?))

[7:43 PM] Theo: You'd guess!

[7:43 PM] Theo: People reported seeing a celestial body in the sky. Not everyone saw it.

[7:45 PM] Theo: But it's been a week now and since there's no pictures or footage of it, it's struggling to remain the public consciousness before it gets shunted aside as a 'oh, that's weird, oh well', situation.

[7:48 PM] Blackwell: hasn't mentioned seeing it to anyone.

[7:53 PM] Theo: So other than that, nothing else odd has happened in the last week or so. You're able to get back to a semblance of normalcy, except for the fact that you seem changed after the incident. Joe in a more.... quantifiable way, but both Ke and Sandy notice some weird things in the next week too.

[7:56 PM] Blackwell: absolutely doesn't tell anyone about that.

[7:56 PM] Sandy: will share these changes with August.

[7:58 PM] Theo: With Sandy and Ke, it's less obvious? But certain things just.... become easier. Feel more natural. Following your instincts becomes more beneficial. Listening to those gut feelings.

[8:05 PM] Theo: In any case, about a week after the disturbance, you all come home one day to find an envelope waiting for you.

[8:06 PM] Theo: The envelope has a note, with a time, and a date -- 8pm, two days from now -- and a very detailed hand drawn picture of the planet you saw hanging in the sky.

[8:08 PM] Qiaolian Ke: ((No location?))

[8:08 PM] Theo: And a location, yes.

[8:09 PM] Theo: A location in the Back Bay, near the waterfront.

[8:09 PM] Blackwell: will be there, and early.

[8:09 PM] Sandy: will note it and make sure to go there.

[8:10 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will scout out the area the day before and then get there  early on the day.

[8:11 PM] Theo: Okay! Give me an investigation roll.

[8:12 PM] Qiaolian Ke: (( 6,8,8))

[8:15 PM] Theo: Are you trying to remain unseen?

[8:15 PM] Theo: If so, give me a Stealth check.

[8:17 PM] Qiaolian Ke: ((1,3,4,6,7,8))

[8:18 PM] Theo: So, you do some scouting! The address seems to be an unoccupied house in the Back Bay, which is a somewhat posh area of Boston.

[8:20 PM] Theo: You notice a couple of guys in suits lowkey watching the place.

[8:21 PM] Blackwell: will turn up in a sleek black car, by himself. About 15 minutes early.

[8:22 PM] Theo: ((Well, this is a day before, as Ke is doing some scouting.))

[8:23 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will note all that and find a location to come tomorrow to observe without the suits seeing her.

[8:23 PM] Theo: They don't seem to notice you.

[8:23 PM] Theo: How early do you show up the next day?

[8:26 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will show up around 6:00 pm

[8:27 PM] Sandy: will show up at 8:10

[8:28 PM] Blackwell: turns up at 7:45.

[8:28 PM] Theo: So, when you show up the next day, Ke, the house looks fully lived in. lights, furnishings.

[8:28 PM] Theo: The suited guys are not visible.

[8:28 PM] Theo: Give me a stealth check.

[8:30 PM] Qiaolian Ke: ((2,4,7,7,8,8))

[8:33 PM] Theo: Okay. So you watch the place for about an hour and a half-two hours until people start showing up. Just a few, they start trickling in. Joe, you roll in at this point.

[8:36 PM] Theo: There's a man at the door to meet you, who looks at you expectantly.

[8:38 PM] Blackwell: turns up, parks a fancy black car across the street, and hops out. He's a tallish man, probably in his mid to late 20s, with dark hair cut a bit longer than is fashionable,, a pretty good tan, and a very fashionable dark grey suit, which is a bit rumpled-looking, and a dark red tie.

[8:42 PM] Sandy: ((Guy at the door's probably waiting for you to show the note))

[8:42 PM] Blackwell: looks at him.

[8:43 PM] Theo: He looks back. He is a fairly unremarkable looking middle-aged white guy, dressed for the cold weather.

[8:43 PM] Blackwell: really isn't. He has a coat, but it's open.

[8:43 PM] Blackwell: Chilly out, isn't it?

[8:44 PM] Theo: A bit, sir.

[8:44 PM] Blackwell: I hope they haven't been making you stand out here all day.

[8:44 PM] Theo: Man: Only the past twenty minutes or so.(edited)

[8:45 PM] Blackwell: has a bit of an English accent, but it's not too heavy at this point.

[8:45 PM] Blackwell: I don't suppose you could tell me what sort of a party this is, could you?

[8:46 PM] Theo: Man:  Invitation only.

[8:47 PM] Sandy: ((I know what I said earlier, but can I arrive now?))

[8:47 PM] Theo: ((hold on a sec.)

[8:47 PM] Blackwell: I did suspect that.

[8:50 PM] Blackwell: shows his invitation.

[8:51 PM] Blackwell: At least tell me this--am I properly dressed?

[8:51 PM] Blackwell: ((Now you can, probably? I think.))

[8:51 PM] Theo: I think you'll be fine, sir.

[8:51 PM] Theo: He takes the invitation and inspects it, and tucks it into his coat. "Enjoy your evening, sir." (And yes, Sandy can show up now.)

[8:52 PM] Blackwell: Just fine? Hmm.

[8:53 PM] Blackwell: looks down and brushes himself off, which doesn't really help the rumpled appearance.

[8:53 PM] Sandy: will roll up on a motorcycle, no two parts of which seem like they were built for the same machine. She's dressed in jean overalls that are filthy and a her pitch black hair is tied back in a messy ponytail. She has dull grey eyes and tan colored skin and a very cute face that makes her exact age uncertain.

[8:53 PM] Sandy: She leaps off and runs to the door. "Shit, sorry.  I'm not late, am I?  Been real hard to--hi."

[8:54 PM] Blackwell: Not very. Good evening.

[8:55 PM] Blackwell: Is that the handlebar of a Flying Squirrel?

[8:55 PM] Theo: (And Ke, you're seeing all of this, btw.  Roll a stealth check.)

[8:55 PM] Sandy: is also wearing a pair of motorcycling gloves, goggles and a bright red scarf. "Yeah, impressed you recognized it."

[8:55 PM] Sandy: "...nice duds."

[8:56 PM] Qiaolian Ke: ((1,1,4,6,7,7))

[8:56 PM] Blackwell: I almost killed myself on one once. Thank you, I wasn't sure what sort of a gathering this would be. Now I'm concerned I might be overdressed.

[8:56 PM] Theo: So you can both roll Perception + Awareness.

[8:57 PM] Sandy: ((NOPE! ))

[8:57 PM] Blackwell: ((3, 2. NOPE.))

[8:59 PM] Blackwell: There's nothing for it, I'm afraid, as there isn't enough time to go home and change. I will simply have to lump it.

[9:00 PM] Theo: The doorman is looking at Sandy expectantly.

[9:00 PM] Sandy: "...OH!  Right!"

[9:00 PM] Sandy: pulls out the note with the etching. "You want this, right?"

[9:00 PM] Theo: He nods. "Thank you, Miss."

[9:01 PM] Blackwell: Joseph Blackwell, by the way.

[9:01 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will approach the door now she is relatively short, she has definite Chinese features and is wearing a modified cheongsam with a dark floral pattern set against black and a matching coat for the cold.

[9:01 PM] Blackwell: Oh, hullo, another partygoer.

[9:02 PM] Sandy: "...ok, I think I may be the odd one out."

[9:02 PM] Blackwell: Nonsense, all the best parties have all sorts of different people at them.

[9:03 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will hand over her note to the man at the door.

9:04 PM] Blackwell: offers his hand to both women to shake.

[9:04 PM] Sandy: accepts it and shakes.

[9:04 PM] Theo: He eyes Ke for a moment, but nods. "Miss.  Enjoy the party."

[9:05 PM] Qiaolian Ke: meets his gaze unblinkingly “thank you”

[9:06 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will briefly shake blackwells hand(edited)

[9:06 PM] Sandy: "So...I'm curious.  Let's see what's up."

[9:06 PM] Sandy: will go in.

[9:07 PM] Blackwell: follows her.

[9:07 PM] Blackwell: Hopefully, gin.

[9:07 PM] Qiaolian Ke: follows them in

[9:08 PM] Sandy: "I go by Sandy, by the way.  You got a nom de plume?"(edited)

[9:08 PM] Blackwell: Joseph Blackwell.

[9:09 PM] Theo: So you guys step inside. There's a few people scattered around here and there. There's a nice spread of food, and an open bar, and about seven other people just looking rather... confused? About why they're there.

[9:09 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Qi is fine.

[9:09 PM] Blackwell: Bar first?

[9:10 PM] Sandy: "Bar works for me."

[9:11 PM] Blackwell: heads for the bar, and orders a gimlet.

[9:12 PM] Blackwell: addresses the bartender, too. "I was hoping to thank our host, but I don't see him anywhere."

[9:13 PM] Qiaolian Ke: heads for the bar as well but orders nothing just sticking to the others and keeping an eye out

[9:15 PM] Theo: The Bartender shrugs and starts fixing your drink. "I dunno the boss myself, I only got hired for this gig this morning."

[9:15 PM] Theo: "Kinda last minute but who can't used some extra scratch these days?"

[9:16 PM] Blackwell: Very true.

[9:16 PM] Sandy: "I hear that."

[9:16 PM] Blackwell: gives him an appropriate tip, a bit generous, but nothing unusual.

[9:16 PM] Sandy: eyes that and notes it.

[9:17 PM] Blackwell: Thanks.

[9:17 PM] Theo: (It's a pretty good gimlet, btw.)

[9:18 PM] Sandy: "....so...everyone here's one of us, right?  ...we all saw it."

[9:18 PM] Blackwell: Saw what?

[9:19 PM] Blackwell: turns back to the bartender absent-mindedly. "Very nice. Where do you work during the day, if you don't mind my asking?"

[9:20 PM] Sandy: "....you can't be serious."

[9:20 PM] Blackwell: I might know someone looking for a bartender.

[9:21 PM] Theo: Bartender:  I work at the Roseway Club up in Beacon Hill.

[9:21 PM] Blackwell: nods.

[9:21 PM] Blackwell: Are you interested in another gig? If so, what's your name?

[9:24 PM] Theo: Bartender:  I got it pretty good at the club, I have to say. Thanks though. My name's Peter.

[9:24 PM] Blackwell: Fair enough.

[9:25 PM] Blackwell: raises a glass to him and then turns back to Sandy and Qiaolian.

[9:25 PM] Blackwell: ... I try not to be. Serious, I mean.

[9:25 PM] Theo: A couple of people look over at Sandy as she mentions 'we all saw it', but for the most part everyone is quiet and awkward. Even beyond your little cluster there's quite a cross section of humanity in here, for the most part.

[9:26 PM] Blackwell: One of who, exactly?

[9:27 PM] Sandy: looks around. "...the party guests.  You.  Me.  Qi, I assume.  ...we all saw the planet."

[9:27 PM] Blackwell: Quite a few people did, I understand.

[9:28 PM] Sandy: "...but afterwards...did you...feel things?  Know things?"

[9:28 PM] Blackwell: More than usual, you mean?

[9:29 PM] Sandy: "...yes, obviously."

[9:30 PM] Sandy: "...what about you, China Doll?  Strange visions or ideas?"

[9:32 PM] Theo: A waitress comes over with a plate of hors d'ouerves. So far it seems like the spread is set up for a much bigger group than is currently here.

[9:33 PM] Blackwell: It has been a strange week. I hadn't bought flowers for anyone in at least a month.(edited)

[9:33 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will turn to Sandy at that keeping a blank look in her face “ Qi would be a preferable form of address, and nothing worth mentioning “

[9:34 PM] Sandy: "Right, sorry.  And what do you mean by flowers?"

[9:36 PM] Blackwell: Ah, I met a rather intriguing individual on the road and ended up buying them a rather nice bouquet. It was ... strange.

[9:36 PM] Sandy: "...huh.  ...is that...do you do that a lot?"

[9:37 PM] Blackwell: Giving people flowers? Not often, no. Why, would you like some?

[9:37 PM] Sandy: "Not especially."

[9:38 PM] Blackwell: Lilies wouldn't suit you anyway, I feel.

[9:39 PM] Sandy: ".......thanks?"

[9:39 PM] Sandy: "...ok then.  Can I get a gin and tonic, please?"

[9:39 PM] Sandy: asks the bartender

[9:42 PM] Theo: He eyes you. "How old are you, kid?"

[9:42 PM] Sandy: "...would you believe 27?"

[9:42 PM] Sandy: ((Actually, wait))

[9:42 PM] Theo: Peter:  In dog years.

[9:43 PM] Theo: Maybe.

[9:43 PM] Sandy: "...I'm 17."

[9:43 PM] Sandy: "...I just want one drink."

9:44 PM] Theo: Peter:  And I wanna get paid for tonight. I'll get you a tonic and a cigarette if you want one, but I can't be giving you any gin.

[9:46 PM] Blackwell: Seventeen, really? I shall certainly stop flirting, in that case. The last philosopher convicted of corrupting the youth ended up drinking a hemlock cocktail. Very disagreeable.

[9:46 PM] Sandy: "That was you flirting?"

[9:47 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will turn to the bartender ”You have any Baijiu?”

[9:47 PM] Blackwell: I wouldn't like to be rude.

[9:47 PM] Theo: He checks the shelves. "Can't say as I do, miss."

[9:49 PM] Sandy: "I'll be 18 next month."

[9:49 PM] Theo: Peter:  And then in three years after that, come see me, and I'll set you up with a Gin and Tonic.

[9:50 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Not unexpected Vodka or gin then.

[9:50 PM] Sandy: ((Was the drinking age still 21 in 1935?))

[9:50 PM] Theo: ((Since '33, yep. ))

[9:50 PM] Sandy: ((Oh, good to know.))

[9:50 PM] Blackwell: ((It went down again in the 70s I think.))

[9:51 PM] Theo: ((Yep. But it was 21 in most states when Prohibition ended.))

[9:52 PM] Sandy: sulks.

[9:53 PM] Theo: The bartender gets Qi some gin and Sandy a tonic.

[9:53 PM] Blackwell: finishes the gimlet and says," "I'll take a tonic as well, please."

[9:54 PM] Theo: More people start filing in as 8 o'clock comes.

[9:55 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Might start to get answers now

[9:56 PM] Sandy: "I can only hope.

[9:57 PM] Blackwell: ... I saw it too.

[9:58 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Was it at an inconvenient time for you as well?

[9:58 PM] Blackwell: Mm, it could have been worse. I managed to pull over without hitting anything critical.

[9:59 PM] Sandy: "You were driving too?"

[10:00 PM] Blackwell: Yes. Not a motorcycle, though.

[10:01 PM] Qiaolian Ke: I was finishing a delicate transaction when it occurred.

[10:02 PM] Blackwell: And then I drove a hitchhiker home.

[10:02 PM] Sandy: "There was a man there?"

[10:02 PM] Sandy: "Did he show up before it happened?"(edited)

[10:04 PM] Blackwell: Afterward.

[10:05 PM] Blackwell: It was a bit of a relief. I was coming home from the dullest of parties.

[10:05 PM] Qiaolian Ke: You go to a lot of parties?

[10:06 PM] Sandy: "There was a man right before the planet appeared.  I swerved to miss him and...like...I'm almost positive he just disappeared."

[10:07 PM] Blackwell: Doesn't everybody?

[10:07 PM] Blackwell: ... what did he look like?

[10:08 PM] Sandy: "Not sure.  I barely registered he was there and when I looked again...nothing."

[10:08 PM] Qiaolian Ke: I don’t recall seeing anyone

[10:08 PM] Sandy: "And then the planet was there."

[10:10 PM] Theo: So with more people there, people are starting to talk more, there's more mingling going on around you, with a couple of waitresses bringing food trays around.

[10:10 PM] Blackwell: Interesting.

[10:11 PM] Theo: You hear more and more snippets of similar conversations, people talking about the event and weird things that have been happening since then.

[10:11 PM] Theo: One woman demonstrates by setting a canape on fire with her mind.

[10:11 PM] Theo: Much to the alarm of the waitress holding the plate.

[10:12 PM] Blackwell: departs momentarily to help the waitress to a chair and fetch her a stiff drink.

[10:14 PM] Sandy: approaches the woman. "Ok, that was cool, but like...you couldn't've picked something safer?"

[10:15 PM] Theo: Woman:  .... like the tablecloth? Or the table? This seemed pretty safe.

[10:16 PM] Sandy: doesn't respond.

[10:16 PM] Sandy: "...just...seemed like there were things people weren't carrying you could've used."

[10:24 PM] Blackwell: chats with the waitress a little bit, but eventually heads back to the bar, tucking something into the pocket inside his jacket.

[10:24 PM] Theo: She shrugs. "What was the alternative?  Not setting something on fire?"

[10:24 PM] Sandy: "...I guess.  ...I haven't set anything on fire all night."

[10:26 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Everything good Mr. Blackwell?(edited)

[10:28 PM] Blackwell: ... mmm. No.

[10:28 PM] Qiaolian Ke: What is it?

[10:29 PM] Blackwell: She wasn't surprised.

[10:30 PM] Sandy: "...what?"

[10:30 PM] Blackwell: Someone started her tray on fire and she wasn't surprised.

[10:31 PM] Blackwell: I wonder if that was her real number.

[10:31 PM] Sandy: "Number?"

[10:31 PM] Blackwell: Her telephone number.

[10:32 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Not surprised, not liking the picture I am getting(edited)

[10:33 PM] Sandy: "...I feel like I'm missing something."

[10:33 PM] Blackwell: If someone started something on fire in front of you using nothing but their mind, wouldn't you be shocked and confused?

[10:34 PM] Sandy: "Yes, but where are we getting numbers and pictures?"

[10:34 PM] Blackwell: Oh, I asked her for her telephone number.

[10:35 PM] Sandy: "Oh!  ...wow, just...anyone huh?"

[10:35 PM] Blackwell: ... on the pretext of ringing her up tomorrow to make sure she was all right.

[10:36 PM] Sandy: "Uh huh."

[10:36 PM] Sandy: "...did she say she wasn't surprised?"

[10:37 PM] Blackwell: Not in words, no.

[10:37 PM] Sandy: "...are you a psychic now?"

[10:37 PM] Sandy: "...is that what the planet did?"

[10:38 PM] Blackwell: I watched her face. And listened to what she said and how she said it.

[10:38 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will look at the door (are people still coming in?)

[10:39 PM] Theo: One or two, but it's slowing down as this place seems to reach capacity.

[10:40 PM] Blackwell: ... and no, not just anyone.

[10:40 PM] Qiaolian Ke: So someone warned the staff

[10:40 PM] Blackwell: Possibly, but it's more likely that she's seen things.

[10:42 PM] Sandy: "...we're not the first."

[10:42 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Maybe ,I just don’t like the feeling this party is giving me.

[10:43 PM] Blackwell: Do you think we ought to go?

[10:43 PM] Sandy: "I'm getting more questions than answers but it's all...really interesting.  .....do you think she's actually pyrokinetic or is it a device?  Maybe she's a magician."

[10:43 PM] Theo: The woman has wandered off and is chatting with someone else at this point.

[10:44 PM] Qiaolian Ke: If they let us leave , this house was completely empty and being watched yesterday

[10:44 PM] Blackwell: Not all the staff is in on it.

[10:45 PM] Sandy: "How do you know it was completely empty?"

[10:47 PM] Qiaolian Ke: I know what an empty house looks like.

[10:47 PM] Blackwell: I'm game to leave if you think it best. Though it is a charming mystery.

[10:48 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Let’s see if they let us

[10:48 PM] Qiaolian Ke: heads for the front door

[10:48 PM] Sandy: watches

[10:48 PM] Blackwell: sticks with Sandy.

[10:48 PM] Theo: The front door is no longer where it was.

[10:49 PM] Qiaolian Ke: looks for any door

[10:49 PM] Theo: There's a closet!

[10:49 PM] Qiaolian Ke: opens the closet door

[10:52 PM] Qiaolian Ke: returns to the others

[10:52 PM] Blackwell: Are your parents aware of where you are?

[10:52 PM] Theo: It's just a closet. Empty.

[10:53 PM] Sandy: "...my parents?"

[10:53 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Front door is missing

[10:53 PM] Blackwell: Yes.

[10:53 PM] Blackwell: ... missing?

[10:53 PM] Sandy: "Don't have any parents."

[10:55 PM] Blackwell: ... how ... are you still going to school?

[10:55 PM] Blackwell: Also, how does a door go missing?

[10:55 PM] Sandy: "How does a tray spontaneously combust?"

[10:55 PM] Qiaolian Ke: It isn’t there

[10:55 PM] Sandy: "And are you a truant officer?"

[10:55 PM] Theo: (It wasn't the tray, just one of the canapes on the tray.)

[10:56 PM] Blackwell: Of course not.

[10:56 PM] Sandy: "...I think it's obvious what's going on here."

[10:57 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Well we are stuck here it appears

[10:57 PM] Sandy: "Seems like.  Obviously they're taking us up."

[10:57 PM] Blackwell: ... up?

[10:58 PM] Sandy: "To the planet.  The aliens are taking us."

[10:58 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will look for a window

[11:00 PM] Qiaolian Ke: I think there is a much more reasonable explanation.

[11:00 PM] Blackwell: Wouldn't a kidnapping be more likely?

11:00 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Precisely

[11:00 PM] Theo: There are no windows. You didn't notice until now.

[11:00 PM] Qiaolian Ke: No windows either

[11:01 PM] Sandy: "A kidnapper who can make doors disappear?  Who left us an invite that'd give us plenty of time to alert people where we'd be?  That hires a bartender?"

[11:01 PM] Qiaolian Ke: I have heard and seen stranger

[11:02 PM] Blackwell: It could be an illusion.

[11:02 PM] Sandy: ((Can I remember where the door was?))

[11:04 PM] Qiaolian Ke: We have seen fire an illusion could be possible

[11:04 PM] Theo: Sure.

[11:04 PM] Sandy: will go over to where the door was and tap on the wall.

[11:04 PM] Theo: But outside of the room where the party is in, it's like the layout of the house has changed. where there was the front door is just a wall now.

[11:06 PM] Sandy: will tap the wall and try to hear if there's a hollowness or imperfection not present in the rest of the wall. Also see if she can feel a door behind the wall.

[11:07 PM] Theo: Not that you can feel. It just feels like a wall.

[11:07 PM] Blackwell: beckons her back.

[11:07 PM] Sandy: goes back to the group. "It's not an illusion.  Not in anyway I can see, at least."

[11:07 PM] Sandy: "I'm telling you, aliens."

[11:08 PM] Blackwell: They might be affecting your mind.

[11:09 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Everyone’s mind? There are a lot of people here?

[11:09 PM] Blackwell: I don't know what's possible.

[11:09 PM] Sandy: "How?  If it's in the drinks, I haven't had one.  If it's in the air, how are the staff unaffected?  It's too specific for it to be a light trick, and that wouldn't fool my sense of touch.  I've studied several different types of disappearing illusions and this doesn't fit any of them."

[11:10 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will look for anyone dressed like the suits from yesterday

[11:11 PM] Blackwell: Mind-control.

[11:11 PM] Theo: No one in this room.

[11:11 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Should we try and explore the rest of the house

[11:12 PM] Sandy: "...that sounds like a good idea to me.  Assuming we can."

[11:12 PM] Sandy: "Maybe we'll find the mind control device."

[11:12 PM] Sandy: "....or the aliens."

[11:13 PM] Sandy: ((Is there a way to the rest of the house?))

[11:14 PM] Theo: ((Sure, so far, it seems like a normal house. Just different than the one you entered, and when you move the curtains to look outside, there's just a wall there.))

[11:14 PM] Sandy: will look for other rooms

[11:14 PM] Blackwell: It might not be a device. It might be a person.

[11:14 PM] Blackwell: sticks with Sandy.

[11:14 PM] Qiaolian Ke: follows

[11:14 PM] Theo: How obvious do you make it that you're leaving?

[11:15 PM] Sandy: "...you think a mesmerist operating somewhere outside the room is less ridiculous than aliens?"

[11:15 PM] Sandy: does not bother to hide.

[11:15 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will try and be stealthy

[11:16 PM] Blackwell: Why do you think they're outside the room?

[11:17 PM] Sandy: "...you think it's someone here?"

[11:17 PM] Theo: You find another room on the same floor, and it is empty.

[11:17 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will look for stairs

[11:17 PM] Sandy: ((Empty of people, or empty of everything?))

11:17 PM] Theo: Empty of everything. And you can find stairs going up and down.

[11:18 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Up or down?

[11:18 PM] Blackwell: I don't know. I just know that I can do it.

[11:18 PM] Sandy: "....wait, what?"

[11:18 PM] Sandy: "...you are a psychic!"

[11:19 PM] Blackwell: Shh. I'd prefer that not be spread about.

[11:19 PM] Sandy: "Why?"

[11:19 PM] Sandy: "If I were a psychic I'd be jazzed."

[11:20 PM] Qiaolian Ke: I would prefer if you stayed out of my head.

[11:20 PM] Blackwell: I haven't looked in your head.

[11:20 PM] Qiaolian Ke: heads upstairs

[11:20 PM] Blackwell: I haven't looked in anybody's head since we came in.

[11:21 PM] Sandy: follows Qi upstairs. "Can you do stuff, Qi?"

[11:22 PM] Blackwell: sticks with Sandy.

[11:22 PM] Blackwell: It wouldn't make you uncomfortable to be able to force people to do what you tell them?

[11:23 PM] Sandy: "...I don't think so.  Sounds useful."

[11:25 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Could also be terribly misused

[11:26 PM] Sandy: "Anything can be terribly misused."

[11:26 PM] Theo: The second floor seems like it's mostly bedrooms -- these are also empty.

[11:26 PM] Theo: A little dusty, really.

[11:27 PM] Qiaolian Ke: sounds slightly flustered for the first time since you all have met her “Just don’t do any psychic stuff on me”

[11:27 PM] Theo: There's a narrow staircase up to the third floor.

[11:27 PM] Blackwell: I'm not.

[11:27 PM] Qiaolian Ke: This does look more like what I saw yesterday

[11:28 PM] Blackwell: I checked the doorman to make sure it wasn't some sort of kidnapping attempt. That's all.

[11:28 PM] Sandy: "And he didn't think it was?"

[11:29 PM] Qiaolian Ke: He didn’t like me

[11:29 PM] Sandy: "Maybe he knew you were skulking yesterday."

[11:29 PM] Blackwell: He didn't know anything about anything but a party.

[11:30 PM] Sandy: "...whoever set-up the party clearly knew we'd all be...special, right?"

[11:31 PM] Qiaolian Ke: heads up to the third floor

[11:31 PM] Sandy: "Maybe they put a patsy at the front precisely because they knew you or others would or could read his mind."

[11:31 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Assuming everyone here is

[11:31 PM] Sandy: "...are you?"

[11:31 PM] Sandy: "You never answered me before."

[11:32 PM] Blackwell: Could be.

[11:32 PM] Theo: "You snuck off."

[11:33 PM] Theo: The fire-woman from downstairs calls out to you as she comes up to the second floor.

[11:33 PM] Sandy: "Went exploring."

[11:33 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Well someone stole the front door

[11:34 PM] Theo: Woman:  I noticed.

[11:34 PM] Theo: .... you smell that?

[11:34 PM] Blackwell: I just want to meet our gracious host.

[11:34 PM] Blackwell: ... smell what?

[11:34 PM] Sandy: sniffs

[11:34 PM] Theo: Everyone roll Stamina+Resistance.

[11:34 PM] Sandy: ((7,1))

[11:35 PM] Qiaolian Ke: (( 5,5,9,10,10))

[11:36 PM] Blackwell: ((9, 7.))

[11:38 PM] Theo: You all smell a sickly sweet scent and get a bit light headed, but you stay on your feet, putting hankerchiefs or whatever over your mouths. You can look down the stairs and see a bluish gas clinging to the floor on the first floor.

[11:38 PM] Sandy: wraps her scarf around her mouth and nose.

[11:38 PM] Sandy: "We need to go up, high as we can."

[11:38 PM] Qiaolian Ke: Third floor now

11:38 PM] Blackwell: Damnation. We've got to to get out of here.

[11:38 PM] Qiaolian Ke: heads up the stairs

[11:39 PM] Sandy: follows Qi

[11:39 PM] Theo: You go up to the third floor. You hear chanting from one of the rooms up head.

[11:40 PM] Blackwell: hurries and goes with them.

[11:41 PM] Qiaolian Ke: will try and get close to the room with the chanting

[11:41 PM] Sandy: will follow

[11:41 PM] Sandy: "Ok, you were right.  Seems like mind control."

[11:42 PM] Blackwell: ... what's the plan?

[11:43 PM] Theo: There are two doors up here, you can't tell which door the chanting is coming out of.

[11:43 PM] Theo: Which do you open, left or right?

[11:43 PM] Sandy: "I don't know, I'm making this up as I go."

[11:43 PM] Qiaolian Ke: opens the right door

[11:44 PM] Blackwell: ... sounds good.

[11:45 PM] Theo: You find a large room with arcane symbols and candles everywhere and three robed figures sitting at the center -- the source of the chanting. There are also two figures dressed in black, with gasmasks. They turn toward you in surprise, raising sidearms toward your group.

[11:46 PM] Theo: And because this is a pulp game, I'lm leaving you on a cliffhanger this week.