Pulp 013

May 21, 2021

[7:29 PM] Xho: As we pick up our adventure again, Sandy had taken Joseph, Mort, Inari, August and Ke with her to retrieve a magical dagger called the Fang of the Fallen, primarily to keep it out of the hands of a number of groups that want to get ahold of it for less than pure and noble reasons. Among them are the Thule Society, a group of German mystics allied with the Nazi party, the Order of Moirai, an offshoot of the Aeon Society, the Cult of Celestial Enlightenment, which hopes to destroy the world, and the Skyliners, a notorious group of air-based pirates.

[7:31 PM] Xho: You had retrieved the Fang, along with its guardian, a two-headed red dragon (zmeya) called Anya, currently in human form and still somehow smelling slightly of smoke. All of you are jammed into a single car with Sandy at the wheel, pursued by at least four cars chasing after you.

[7:33 PM] Xho: Any questions before we get started?

[7:33 PM] Sandy: ((Car out in the middle of nowhere, or should I worry about bystanders?))

[7:35 PM] Xho: You're in the middle of nowhere, but unfortunately, nowhere is a winding road that's more of a path than a road in rural Russia. You don't need to worry about bystanders but there are trees on and off.

[7:35 PM] Sandy: ((Least there's no people. ))

[7:36 PM] Sandy: is gunning it

[7:36 PM] Xho: Roll for it!

[7:36 PM] Sandy: ((5 successes))

[7:39 PM] Xho: Sandy spots a gap in between the trees and heads off the path, effortlessly slipping between the trunks while simultaneously sliding to get the car to turn just enough to squeeze around yet more trees. You're not sure but you think Sandy might have just broken several laws, primarily at least one of the laws of physics.

[7:39 PM] Xho: Roll it again.

[7:40 PM] Sandy: ((Only 4 successes this time. ))

[7:41 PM] Ke: will try to look out the back to see if we are still being followed.

[7:42 PM] Xho: Nice. Sandy manages to skid onto another path in the woods, having turned about ninety degrees from your previous direction.

[7:42 PM] Xho: Roll for it!

[7:42 PM] Sandy: "Oh right, hang on, by the way."

[7:42 PM] Ke: ((1 success))

[7:43 PM] Xho: In theory they could definitely follow your tracks, but being able to see the tracks and follow them at any speed is... extremely unlikely at best. More likely they'd have to stop and slowly turn around in like... a 6 or 8 point turn.

[7:43 PM] Xho: Ke can see them a way back, but they haven't gotten to the point where Sandy turned yet.

[7:44 PM] Xho: August has a gun out but hasn't tried to fire yet, and Anya is... she's fallen asleep? She's FALLEN ASLEEP.

[7:44 PM] Xho: Joseph: ... I don't know how you did that but I'm hoping you teach.

[7:45 PM] Xho: Inari: You're worse than Alan!(edited)

[7:45 PM] Ke: "That is impressive driving."

[7:45 PM] Sandy: "A lot of practice.  ...and crashing."

[7:46 PM] Xho: Ke You spot them having to slow down, stop and try to turn, far back there. It's unlikely but somewhat possible that they could catch up from that far back, but since ALL the cars are blocked by every car that turns...

[7:47 PM] Sandy: "...likely given them the slip.  Doubt they can follow us through that."

[7:48 PM] Xho: Roll Awareness.

[7:48 PM] Ke: "You probably bought us some time, they are having to slow down and manuever.  They are pretty far behind"

[7:48 PM] Sandy: ((Me roll awareness?))

[7:48 PM] Ke: ((1 sucess))

[7:48 PM] Xho: Everybody.

[7:49 PM] Sandy: ((1 success and it's a critical if that counts for anything. ))

[7:49 PM] Xho: It does not!

[7:49 PM] Xho: But both of you hear a noise far overhead: some sort of buzzing.

[7:50 PM] Ke: ((outside of the vehicle?))

[7:50 PM] Xho: Yes, far overhead.

[7:51 PM] Xho: Roll Drive, Sandy.

[7:51 PM] Ke: "Something above us."

[7:52 PM] Sandy: ((3 successes))

[7:52 PM] Sandy: "...maybe they have very loud flies in Russia?"

[7:53 PM] Ke: " Are we heading to the plane? or just trying to lose the people chasing us?"

[7:53 PM] Xho: Suddenly the forest to your right explodes in a fireball, shoving the car off the path and into some trees.

[7:55 PM] Xho: Sandy manages to steer into the turn a bit, allowing the car to stay on its wheels and avoid running straight into a tree at high speed, but everyone gets a level of damage and the car probably isn't going to be operational anymore without some fixes--and it's also leaking gasoline.

[7:55 PM] Xho: There's another explosion a little way ahead of you--it looks like they're not totally sure where you are.

[7:56 PM] Sandy: ((I think I am now considered hurt))

[7:56 PM] Xho: Yep.

[7:56 PM] Ke: "We shoud probably lose the car."(edited)

[7:57 PM] Xho: Anya is awake again and completely unaffected; Mort looks a bit stunned and Joseph is unconscious, having been on the left side of the car. Inari is bleeding a bit.

[7:57 PM] Sandy: "...I can probably fix it.  I just need some time."

[7:58 PM] Xho: Anya: What is goal?

[7:59 PM] Xho: Inari checks Joseph's pulse to make sure he's not actually dead and then checks Mort and August.

[7:59 PM] Ke: "Get out of here without dying sounds like the current goal."

[8:00 PM] Ke: "Everyone stable Inari?"

[8:00 PM] Xho: Anya: Then why take carriage?

[8:00 PM] Sandy: Sandy: "August built it.  It's a top of the line vehicle."

[8:01 PM] Xho: August: We can get it back later.

[8:01 PM] Sandy: Sandy: "I can...ah...ow."

[8:02 PM] Xho: Anya: Or, you get on back, I fly and enemies burn.

[8:02 PM] Sandy: Sandy: "...fine.  Ke, can you grab Joseph?"

[8:03 PM] Ke: "Sure."

[8:03 PM] Sandy: Sandy: "He's out cold.  Anyone else seriously hurt?"

[8:03 PM] Ke: "Inari was checking everyone."

[8:03 PM] Ke: will get Joseph out of the car.

[8:04 PM] Xho: Inari: I think we're all right.

[8:04 PM] Sandy: "Thanks Inari.  Ok...ok."

[8:04 PM] Xho: Ke picks Joseph up, August checks the car for anything useful.

[8:04 PM] Xho: Mort: You have a lot of blood left.

[8:05 PM] Xho: Inari: Try not to worry about it.

[8:05 PM] Ke: looks up to see if she can see what was buzzing.

[8:05 PM] Xho: Anya pulls the door off the car to hop out on the crunched side of the car.

[8:05 PM] Xho: You can't really see; you're in a forested area right now.

[8:05 PM] Xho: But that's good, as you're pretty sure they can't see you either.

[8:05 PM] Xho: It does sound like planes.

[8:06 PM] Ke: "They are going to find the car at some point, we should get some distance."

[8:06 PM] Sandy: "...Sky pirates."

[8:06 PM] Xho: Anya gets a little way away from the car and turns into a dragon, knocking over several trees as she does.

[8:07 PM] Sandy: "It's leaking gas.  If we can't take it, we should try and let it go up.  Leave as little as possible to connect back to us."

[8:07 PM] Xho: Anya: Carriage should be on fire?

[8:08 PM] Sandy: "...sigh Yes.  ...Yes it should."

[8:08 PM] Sandy: "Sorry August.  I'll fund your next one."

[8:08 PM] Ke: gets away from the vehicle carrying Joseph away as well.

[8:08 PM] Xho: August: I already have some ideas.

[8:08 PM] Xho: Anya lets out a little poof and the car lights up.

[8:08 PM] Sandy: is clutching her left arm, incidentally, which seems to be bleeding.

[8:09 PM] Xho: Mort climbs onto the dragon's back, surprisingly agile.

[8:09 PM] Ke: "They are going to see a dragon pretty quickly."

[8:10 PM] Sandy: "Yes.  But they're not gonna chase the dragon.  The car could give them a trail back to Swan Lake or the Aeon Society."

[8:10 PM] Xho: Inari just looks at Anya. "... I don't think I can do this. Look, I'll meet you back at Swan Lake."

[8:10 PM] Xho: Anya: They chase, good. I need practice with aim.

[8:10 PM] Xho: Both her heads GRIN. So. Many. Teeth. All the teeth, all of them.

[8:10 PM] Xho: August: ... you want us to leave you alone in the woods?

[8:11 PM] Ke: "You have a way back Inari?"

[8:11 PM] Sandy: "...you sure?"

[8:11 PM] Xho: Inari: Positive. And maybe I can slow them down.

[8:11 PM] Sandy: "...Ok.  We'll see you back at Swan Lake.  Good luck."

[8:12 PM] Xho: Inari nods, and heads into the woods.

[8:12 PM] Xho: Roll Awareness.

[8:12 PM] Sandy: ((Critical Fail, 0 successess. I ain't seeing shit.))

[8:13 PM] Ke: ((2 success))

[8:14 PM] Xho: August climbs onto Anya's back too.

[8:14 PM] Sandy: will clamber up.

[8:15 PM] Xho: Roll Animal Handling or Might, both of you.

[8:15 PM] Ke: will climb on and find a way to lay Joseph down but hold him on to keep him from slipping.

[8:15 PM] Sandy: ((2 successes. ))

[8:16 PM] Ke: ((2 Success))

[8:20 PM] Xho: You manage to cling to the massive dragon as she flaps her might wings, knocking down a few more trees without really noticing. As soon as you clear the tree line (which is almost immediate) you see clearly what was attacking you earlier: It is airplanes, and three are three of them, each painted pale blue with a small white symbol marked on the sides, wings and tails of each.

[8:21 PM] Sandy: tries to take note of the symbol.

[8:22 PM] Xho: Roll Awareness or Investigation.

[8:22 PM] Sandy: ((1 success))

[8:23 PM] Xho: Sandy It looks like a crown, or maybe an explosion? It's kind of hard to tell.

[8:23 PM] Xho: Two of the planes turn toward you on dragonback and you can hear gunfire even over the roar of the wind. (Also, it is COLD up there.)

[8:24 PM] Xho: Roll Firearms.

[8:24 PM] Sandy: ((2 successes)

[8:24 PM] Xho: Ke, Firearms?

[8:25 PM] Ke: ((5 success))

[8:25 PM] Xho: Nice!

[8:26 PM] Xho: You can hear Anya laughing like a lunatic (and in stereo) as one of her heads sprays a gout of fire at one of the planes as it passes you by, and the other head spits out fireballs at an alarming rate, managing to down the other two planes, even the one that's way, way out there.

[8:28 PM] Ke: "Planes taken care of, where are we headed now?"

[8:28 PM] Xho: They fall to the ground.

[8:28 PM] Xho: Anya: Tell me where!

[8:28 PM] Sandy: "How far can you fly before exhausting yourself?"

[8:28 PM] Xho: Anya: All the way to Muscovy!

[8:29 PM] Sandy: "To the airport, then.  Hopefully, we can take the jet out."

[8:30 PM] Xho: Jets haven't been invented yet.

[8:30 PM] Ke: " I am sure they have that airfield locked down, other ideas?"

[8:30 PM] Sandy: "Plane."

[8:31 PM] Sandy: "...can we get to the shipyard?  We're a small group, we may be able to sneak out aboard a transport vessel."

[8:31 PM] Xho: August: We'll need to land a little way out of town. Since we're not exactly inconspicuous right now.

[8:31 PM] Sandy: "Agreed."

[8:32 PM] Sandy: "Also, see if we can rouse Joseph.  I don't like the idea of carrying him out."

[8:34 PM] Ke: "We can see after we land, being dragged onto a dragon did not wake him up."

[8:34 PM] Ke: "Do we want to fly at least to another area, there were trucks that are still looking for us probably."

[8:35 PM] Sandy: "We want to get out of town, but still away from people.  As secluded as possible."

[8:36 PM] Ke: "Anya find a place without any buildings to land preferably near water."

[8:39 PM] Xho: She lands you near a river, where you recoup without any trouble. Joseph, unfortunately, will not wake up; Mort says that "He's not here right now," whatever the hell that means, and you head into the nearest town, hire a farmer to take you to the nearest city in a wagon, which he does, and from there you catch a flight back to Boston (since no one seems to be looking for you here as you did not come through here the first time).

[8:40 PM] Xho: Roll Awareness.

[8:40 PM] Sandy: ((0 again))

[8:40 PM] Ke: ((2 successes))

[8:41 PM] Xho: Ke You don't think anyone was watching you or behaving suspiciously around you, though it's hard to be totally certain.

[8:45 PM] Ke: " I think we made it out unnoticed."

[8:45 PM] Sandy: "Here's hoping."

[8:45 PM] Xho: Eventually you arrive back at the Swan Lake grounds, minus one Inari and plus one dragon, back in human form and still looking a bit sleepy.

[8:46 PM] Sandy: "You ok, Anya?"

[8:46 PM] Xho: Anya: Is cold, want to sleep.

[8:47 PM] Sandy: "We'll get you a bed back at the house."

[8:47 PM] Xho: Anya: Ah good. Gold, or treasures?

[8:48 PM] Ke: "The library might be a better option for Anya."

[8:48 PM] Sandy: "Not a terrible idea."

[8:48 PM] Sandy: "And we do know the librarian."

[8:48 PM] Xho: You get to the mansion and head in, obviously not knocking (this is Sandy's house after all).

[8:49 PM] Xho: And you almost run into a man standing in the entryway.

[8:49 PM] Ke: "Hello."

[8:50 PM] Declan Fry: Oh! Quite the menagerie. I am, of course, Declan Fry. And I'm still quite unsure what I'm doing here.

[8:51 PM] Xho: Mort: You're  existing.

[8:52 PM] Xho: Anya: You're flammable.

[8:52 PM] Declan Fry: is a handsome man in a dapper suit in his early-mid thirties. He seems to have some Indian ancestry, with dark skin and black hair, and a very neat goatee. His eyes are dark and intense and he puts a cigarette to his mouth and lights with with a snap of his finger.

[8:52 PM] Xho: August: Um, Anya, why don't I show you to the library.

[8:52 PM] Sandy: "....you're in my house."

[8:52 PM] Declan Fry: Hah! Quite true.

[8:52 PM] Declan Fry: Oh, Alan Swan, then?

[8:52 PM] Declan Fry: I imagined you shorter.

[8:52 PM] Ke: "Swan invited you?"

[8:53 PM] Declan Fry: shows off the invitation.

[8:53 PM] Xho: August: ... and we'll get Joseph some attention too.

[8:53 PM] Xho: Anya picks up Joseph pretty easily and they and August head off.

[8:53 PM] Ke: will pass Joseph over to Anya and August.

[8:53 PM] Declan Fry: I say, is your friend quite alright?

[8:54 PM] Sandy: "He's not in right now."

[8:54 PM] Declan Fry: has an exotic accent that seems to be as practiced as it is natural.

[8:54 PM] Ke: "had an incident in Russia."

[8:54 PM] Declan Fry: That is a rather common place to have them.

[8:54 PM] Xho: Mort: He'll come back.

[8:54 PM] Declan Fry: Well that's good news.

[8:54 PM] Sandy: "Who are you...exactly?"

[8:55 PM] Ke: will look at the invitation Declan showed.

[8:55 PM] Declan Fry: Declan Fry. Perhaps you've heard of me? Declan the Devious? Declan the Diabolic? I'm rather famous in some circles.

[8:56 PM] Sandy: "Uh huh.  ...thief?"

[8:57 PM] Declan Fry: looks rather offended.

[8:58 PM] Declan Fry: Of course not. I, my dear Alan, am a Master of Mysticism.

[8:58 PM] Declan Fry: At least, that's what the posters say.

[8:58 PM] Sandy: "So, occultist or magician?  Also, I'm not Alan, so you're not a psychic."

[9:00 PM] Xho: Alan, from the balcony above: No, I'm Alan. Sandra, you're back? How did it go?

[9:02 PM] Sandy: "We lost Inara and the car in the woods.  We got the fang and a dragon."

[9:02 PM] Ke: "We got the fang, and the guardian of the Fang, Inari split off, and Joseph is unconcious."

[9:02 PM] Sandy: "Her name's Anya.  She may want to sleep in the library."

[9:03 PM] Xho: Alan: ... yes, Inari does that from time to time. I'll have Paris check on Joseph. I see you've met Mr. Fry.

[9:04 PM] Ke: "Yes, he seemed confused as to why he was here."

[9:04 PM] Declan Fry: Don't get me wrong, the trappings are quite nice. But I don't think you're here to book me for a charity event.

[9:05 PM] Sandy: "Unlikely."

[9:05 PM] Xho: Alan: No. Miss Crafter informed me your name came up in her prognostications.

[9:05 PM] Declan Fry: Should I be flattered or worried?

[9:06 PM] Declan Fry: Declan's invitation vanishes from Ke's hand and reappears in Declan's.(edited)

[9:06 PM] Xho: Alan: It's a long story. Come up to my office, all of you, and we'll talk about it.

[9:07 PM] Ke: "Neat trick."

[9:07 PM] Declan Fry: winks at Ke.

[9:08 PM] Declan Fry: goes up to his office!

[9:08 PM] Xho: Alan vanishes behind the balcony.

[9:08 PM] Sandy: follows. "Word of warning, the pay's good but make sure you lock down the benefits."

[9:09 PM] Xho: Mort: We have a cat.

[9:09 PM] Declan Fry: I suppose it depends on what you all get up to.

[9:09 PM] Xho: Mort holds out the big fluffy black cat by way of demonstrating.

[9:09 PM] Declan Fry: pets the cat. "Well, cats are a plus."

[9:09 PM] Ke: follows the others.

[9:10 PM] Sandy: "I'm sure Alan will want to tell you himself.  I'm Sandy, for the record."

[9:10 PM] Xho: The cat leans into it, but meows.

[9:10 PM] Xho: Mort: The cat has us.

[9:10 PM] Declan Fry: Sandy.... Swan, I assume.

[9:11 PM] Sandy: "Yep."

[9:13 PM] Xho: You head up to Alan's office. It's ... a weird place, frankly. There ARE a lot of dark wood bookshelves everywhere, but they're crammed not only with books but just... a bunch of weird stuff. Skulls of widely varying species, bottles both full and empty, a spleen in a jar, a small rocking horse, a jar of pennies, an oil lamp, a ship in a bottle, a mask of a jaguar, a wooden carving of a troll, a dried leaf, a preserved and pinned butterfly, a crystal pyramid that appears to be resting on its point, etc. etc.

[9:14 PM] Xho: The floor is old and worn but none of it's dusty, and there are a couple of worn in leather couches across the desk. Alan sits down in the desk chair.

[9:15 PM] Xho: Mort pauses to stare at a jar full of eyeballs, which stares back at him.

[9:15 PM] Sandy: "...I think some of those eyeballs are new."

[9:16 PM] Xho: Alan: I hope not.

[9:16 PM] Ke: "Quite the varied collection.'

[9:16 PM] Xho: Alan: Souvenirs and curiosities, mainly.

[9:18 PM] Xho: Alan: Well, I'll sum up to save us all some time. Mr. Fry, you are here because you are being invited to join the Aeon Society, a group of... gifted people who have unusual abilities following a cosmic event of sorts.

[9:19 PM] Declan Fry: Say no more! I'm in.

[9:19 PM] Sandy: "...just like that?"

[9:19 PM] Ke: "That was quick.'

[9:21 PM] Declan Fry: Sounds like an adventure. Or at the very least a laugh. And that's why I got into the magic business. Now I have actual magic powers.

[9:21 PM] Sandy: "....you do?"

[9:22 PM] Xho: Mort gently spins a globe on one of the shelves. Alan looks at him but doesn't stop him or comment, and Mort moves to another shelf, inspecting what looks like an egg the size of a football.

[9:23 PM] Sandy: "Mort, whatever you do, leave the pyramid alone!"

[9:23 PM] Xho: Mort: I know.

[9:24 PM] Declan Fry: I thought that was the point of all this.

[9:24 PM] Xho: Alan: What can you do?

[9:24 PM] Declan Fry: snaps his fingers and flames engulf his palm.

[9:24 PM] Declan Fry: Well, I've got this going. I don't even need flash paper anymore.

[9:25 PM] Xho: Alan: Impressive.

[9:25 PM] Sandy: "......so, what's his test then?"

[9:25 PM] Declan Fry: eyes the items on the shelf, and flicks his fingers at the spinning globe, which stops, then starts spinning the other way.

[9:28 PM] Xho: Alan: Given the circumstances he won't get one.

[9:28 PM] Declan Fry: Test?

[9:28 PM] Sandy: nods but does not look happy.

[9:28 PM] Ke: "What circumstances?"

[9:30 PM] Xho: Alan: Miss Crafter saw him make objects disappear and reappear at a different point in space.

[9:31 PM] Xho: Alan: And try to pass it off as a trick.

[9:31 PM] Declan Fry: Audiences assume it's a trick. That's what they're there for.(edited)

[9:31 PM] Xho: Alan: Anyone can cheat at cards, Mr. Fry; very few people can cheat at physics.

[9:31 PM] Declan Fry: blips a trinket off Alan's desk into his hand.

[9:32 PM] Sandy: "So, you con people."

[9:32 PM] Xho: Alan: People who go to a magic show want to see magic.

[9:33 PM] Ke: "People want to be entertained."

[9:33 PM] Declan Fry: And frankly, it was a trick up until recently.

[9:33 PM] Xho: Alan: Currently, the Aeon Society is ... in sort of a covert war with the Thule Society, a group of German mystics that's allied with the German government.

[9:34 PM] Ke: "Even though they sort of gave us one of our current missions."

[9:34 PM] Xho: Alan: Sandra and her friends have retrieved the Fang of the Fallen, a mystic artifact that can ... open a gate to one of the Hells, as I understand it. How did it go?

[9:35 PM] Sandy: "We got it."

[9:35 PM] Ke: "We found it and then got attacked by trucks and planes.'

[9:36 PM] Sandy: "And we adopted a dragon."

[9:37 PM] Declan Fry: Why do you want a key to Hell?

[9:37 PM] Xho: Alan: We don't, we just don't want the Nazis to have it.

[9:37 PM] Sandy: "We don't want the Thule to get it."

[9:37 PM] Ke: "So that people who want to use it, can't."(edited)

[9:37 PM] Xho: Alan: ... wait, go back to the part about the dragon.

[9:38 PM] Ke: Anya, she is a Zmeya, she was under the church.

[9:39 PM] Sandy: "Literally told you all of this in the hallway."

[9:39 PM] Ke: "She wouldn't give us the Fang but she would come with it."

[9:40 PM] Xho: Alan: I have a lot on my mind at the moment. We're still monitoring the leyline convergences where the Fang could be used, and we did meet some resistance.

[9:41 PM] Xho: Alan: ... I'd better call the butcher.

[9:41 PM] Declan Fry: As you do.

[9:43 PM] Xho: Alan: Several people were hurt. Eleanor is recuperating up on the third floor, Quentin's still resting up and Miss Crafter...

[9:44 PM] Sandy: "...what happened to Crafter?"

[9:44 PM] Xho: Alan: We're not sure. No one's seen her since the battle.

[9:45 PM] Ke: "Where was the battle?"

[9:45 PM] Xho: Alan: It wasn't the Thule, either. It was the CCE and the damned Moirai.

[9:46 PM] Sandy: "...Alan, do you know of a group that uses a...I think it was a crown as a symbol?  White on blue?"

[9:46 PM] Xho: Alan: Near Boothbay Harbor in Maine. Damnit, the Skyliners are involved in this?

[9:47 PM] Sandy: "It would seem so.  They attacked us on the way out."

[9:47 PM] Declan Fry: Aren't those the air pirates?

[9:47 PM] Declan Fry: Fantastic.

[9:48 PM] Xho: Alan: Yes. They'd love to lay their hands on the Fang and sell it to the highest bidder.

[9:48 PM] Ke: "But, they seemed to be waiting for us."

[9:49 PM] Ke: "Unless they just happened to arrive right as we were leaving."

[9:49 PM] Xho: Alan: It's possible.

[9:49 PM] Sandy: Those planes were on us pretty fast.

[9:49 PM] Xho: Alan: It's also possible the Thule traitor who gave us that information gave it to the Skyliners as well.

[9:51 PM] Sandy: "To create a weird, violent bidding war?"

[9:51 PM] Xho: Alan: I have no idea. But I dont' know why she told us either.

[9:52 PM] Xho: Alan: We certainly can't trust her. Although... we wouldn't have gotten the Fang without her, either.

[9:53 PM] Declan Fry: Of course the other alternative is that one of your own people is in league with the pirates. Likely figured you were going to store it away and not profit by it.

[9:53 PM] Declan Fry: And of course if the pirates took it, they could turn around and offer to sell it to you anyway.

[9:53 PM] Sandy: "Also true."

[9:54 PM] Xho: Alan frowns. "I don't like it, but you're not wrong."

[9:54 PM] Xho: Roll Awareness.

[9:54 PM] Sandy: ((1 success and it is a critical. ))

[9:54 PM] Declan Fry: (5 successes.))

[9:54 PM] Ke: ((1 sucess.))

[9:56 PM] Xho: All three of you hear something at the window. Declan hears that it's the scratching of some small animal, something with claws.

[9:57 PM] Xho: Mort sits on the floor and plays with the cat.

[9:57 PM] Declan Fry: Something's at the window. Something clawing. Aren't we on the second story?

[9:57 PM] Xho: Alan: ... yes, we are.

[9:58 PM] Ke: heads to the window and looks out.

[9:58 PM] Xho: The shade is drawn.

[9:58 PM] Ke: pulls the shade open.

[9:59 PM] Xho: It's dark out there (as you arrived back at the mansion around 7 p.m. and it's mid-December) so all you see at first is a pair of reflective eyes a couple inches above the windowsill outside. It seems to be some sort of small animal, about the size of a cat.

[10:00 PM] Xho: Alan pulls a gun out of a desk drawer. "What is it?"

[10:00 PM] Ke: "Seems to be a small animal."

[10:01 PM] Xho: Ke can tell after a couple seconds that it's probably a fox. Or a mutant squirrel of unusual size.

[10:02 PM] Ke: "think its a fox."

[10:02 PM] Sandy: "...but is it a real fox?"

[10:02 PM] Ke: taps on the glass right in front of it.

[10:03 PM] Xho: Alan drops the gun, which fortunately doesn't go off, dashes to the window and opens it.

[10:04 PM] Ke: gets out of his way.

[10:04 PM] Xho: The fox flops in and falls onto the floor, despite Alan's attempt to catch it; its fur is pretty wet (as it's snowing AGAIN).

[10:05 PM] Sandy: "Inara?"

[10:05 PM] Xho: Alan: ... it's hurt. Damn it, damn it, damn it. One of you, go get Nellie Norton. She's in the blue room. End of the hallway on this floor.

[10:06 PM] Xho: He picks up the fox, leaving a bloodstain on the Persian rug. "Probably, it usually is. What the hell happened?"

[10:07 PM] Sandy: "She said she wanted to stay behind to help get them off our trail and she'd meet us back here.  Mort can you go get Ms. Norton, please?"

[10:07 PM] Ke: goes to get Nellie.

[10:08 PM] Xho: Mort nods and goes with Ke to fetch the nurse.

[10:08 PM] Xho: Alan: Well, it worked. I don't know why she doesn't just use the damn front door like a normal person.

[10:09 PM] Xho: The fox whuffs and Alan very gently sets the animal on the desk.

[10:10 PM] Sandy: "Likely to get to you more directly."

[10:10 PM] Xho: Alan: It's my house, she'd get to me regardless.

[10:11 PM] Xho: Ke and Nellie Norton return; Nellie is a pretty young woman wearing a fairly drab green dress.(edited)

[10:11 PM] Xho: Alan: She's bleeding, I don't know what happened.

[10:12 PM] Xho: Nellie: ... that's a fox, Mr. Swann.

[10:12 PM] Xho: Alan: I know it's a fox, just... do something.

[10:13 PM] Xho: Nellie: ... yes, of course. Of course.

[10:13 PM] Xho: Alan: The rest of you, clear out of here so that we can... deal with this.

[10:14 PM] Declan Fry: nods, and clears out of the office.

[10:14 PM] Sandy: nods

[10:14 PM] Sandy: "If you need me, you know how to find me."

[10:14 PM] Sandy: exits the room.

[10:14 PM] Ke: exits as well.

[10:15 PM] Xho: So does Mort. The cat is nowhere in evidence, though.

[10:15 PM] Xho: Mort: She has less blood now.

[10:16 PM] Sandy: "She'll be fine, Mort.  Nellie knows what she's doing."

[10:16 PM] Declan Fry: That's usually a consequence of shedding as much as she did.

[10:17 PM] Xho: Mort: Nellie is nice.

[10:17 PM] Xho: You're all standing in the hallway.

[10:18 PM] Sandy: "...So...we should check on Anya, I guess.  Make sure she's not eating anyone."

[10:18 PM] Ke: "And see how Joseph is doing."

[10:18 PM] Sandy: "Yeah."

[10:20 PM] Declan Fry: So what did happen to your friend, anyway?

[10:20 PM] Ke: "Got caught in an impact and passed out."

[10:21 PM] Sandy: "He's a psychic.  He's probably like...astral projecting or something."

[10:21 PM] Ke: "A warning would be nice before you have to lug someones body across continents."(edited)

[10:22 PM] Xho: Mort: He's not here anymore.

[10:22 PM] Sandy: "You already said that, Mort."

[10:22 PM] Xho: (Let me know if you head down to the library or whereever.)

[10:22 PM] Xho: Mort: I know, but he asked.

[10:23 PM] Declan Fry: Where is he?

[10:23 PM] Sandy: "Did we move him to the library?"

[10:24 PM] Xho: (That is where you suggested they go.)

[10:25 PM] Ke: will head for the library.

[10:25 PM] Sandy: follows

[10:25 PM] Xho: So does Mort.

[10:26 PM] Declan Fry: I mean, where does the charming fellow here say he is.

[10:26 PM] Xho: Mort: He's in between.

[10:26 PM] Declan Fry: That seems exceedingly inconvenient!

[10:26 PM] Ke: “Is he stuck?”

[10:27 PM] Sandy: "You want us to draw you a map, Mr. Fry?"

[10:28 PM] Xho: In the library, you find two people, and I use the term "people" rather loosely at this point. One of them is Anya, who is curled up on a large pile of books and snoring, little rivulets of smoke coming out of her mouth with each breath, and the other is a pale, slender young woman wearing a diaphanous white dress, long dark hair worn loose behind her. She's watching Anya, as far as you can tell.(edited)

[10:28 PM] Ke: “You do magic as a solo thing Mr. Fry?”

[10:29 PM] Sandy: "...who are you?"

[10:29 PM] Ke: ((What form is Anya in?))

[10:29 PM] Xho: Human.

[10:29 PM] Xho: Young Woman: I'm Sofia!

[10:29 PM] Declan Fry: I have an assistant.

[10:30 PM] Declan Fry: I've had several. Plants too, sometimes, in the audience.

[10:30 PM] Xho: Sofia: I like plants.

[10:31 PM] Sandy: "I don't think he means those kinds of plants."

[10:31 PM] Sandy: "Are you the new librarian?"

[10:32 PM] Sandy: "Where's Nemo?"

[10:32 PM] Xho: Sofia: Oh no, I'm just visiting. We haven't been able to find her. It's very worrying.

[10:32 PM] Ke: “She got lost in the attack, Alan said.”(edited)

[10:32 PM] Sandy: "...right, yes.  Sorry.  A lot on my mind."

[10:32 PM] Sandy: "How's Joseph?"

[10:33 PM] Declan Fry: Mr. Mort here says he's lost in between.

[10:34 PM] Xho: Sofia: The handsome boy? They brought him upstairs. His pretty friend is watching over him and your other handsome friend said he was calling a doctor.

[10:35 PM] Xho: Mort: Maybe lost. Maybe not. Lost... isn't.

[10:35 PM] Ke: “ don’t know if a doctor will help.”

[10:36 PM] Sandy: "Pretty friend?"

[10:37 PM] Xho: Sofia: The faerie boy. Mr. Quentin.

[10:37 PM] Sandy: "Ah."

[10:38 PM] Sandy: "...ok...good...that's all good."

[10:38 PM] Xho: Sofia eyes Declan. "You're new."

[10:39 PM] Ke: will look to see if  the fang is near Anya.

[10:39 PM] Xho: Not that you see.

[10:40 PM] Ke: “Have you seen a sword, would have probably been near Anya there?”

[10:40 PM] Declan Fry: I am! Declan Fry. A pleasure.

[10:40 PM] Xho: Sofia holds her hand out to Declan. "I don't think so!"

[10:41 PM] Ke: will get closer to Anya to look.

[10:42 PM] Xho: Ke doesn't see anything like that.

[10:42 PM] Declan Fry: takes her hand in a gentlemanly fashion. "Well, I suppose we'll just have to see then, won't we?"

[10:42 PM] Ke: ((She had it when we arrived right?))

[10:43 PM] Xho: Yep!

[10:44 PM] Xho: Sofia: Yes. ... what do you want to see?

[10:44 PM] Ke: “Was anyone else in this room that you saw?”

[10:45 PM] Xho: Sofia: Well, Mr. Quentin. And the handsome boy. And Sandy's friend.

[10:46 PM] Xho: Mort: It's still here.

[10:46 PM] Sandy: "The fang?"

[10:47 PM] Xho: Mort nods.

[10:47 PM] Xho: Sofia claps. "Oh good, you found it."

[10:48 PM] Sandy: "YOU LOST THE FANG?!?"

[10:48 PM] Xho: Sofia: I didn't ever find the Fang.

[10:49 PM] Xho: Mort: Dragons keep their treasure.

[10:49 PM] Declan Fry: looks around.

[10:49 PM] Ke: “That makes sense.”

[10:49 PM] Xho: He finds himself in a smallish library with a variety of glassed-in, locked cases that contain a number of weird artifacts.

[10:50 PM] Declan Fry: was looking for something like what they were describing the Fang as.

[10:50 PM] Xho: Nope, nothing like that.

[10:50 PM] Sandy: "Do you know where it is specifically, Mort?"

[10:51 PM] Xho: Mort shakes his head. "Dragon magic."

[10:51 PM] Xho: Sofia: I wonder what it's like to have two heads.

[10:51 PM] Ke: “ how long have you been with the society?”

[10:51 PM] Declan Fry: I imagine it might be very confusing. We all disagree with ourselves.

[10:52 PM] Xho: Sofia: Six hundred years. But you can wear two hats that way.

[10:52 PM] Xho: Anya snores.

[10:53 PM] Declan Fry: I do like hats.

[10:53 PM] Ke: “You would have to find hats big enough.”(edited)

[10:53 PM] Sandy: "...Mort, you're sure it's here?"

[10:53 PM] Xho: Mort nods.

[10:54 PM] Sandy: "Great.  I'm going to not care now.  I'm going to go...somewhere else."

[10:54 PM] Sandy: leaves the room.

[10:54 PM] Xho: We are done with the game proper right now, but you guys can keep squishin' or go talk to some NPCs or whatever.

[10:55 PM] Declan Fry: That young lady seems rather stressed out.

[10:56 PM] Ke: “ She often is.”

[10:56 PM] Declan Fry: You look familiar.

[10:57 PM] Declan Fry: Ah! The circus.

[10:57 PM] Declan Fry: I went just last week.

[10:57 PM] Ke: “ looking to see what other entertainment was in town?”

[10:58 PM] Declan Fry: Does one need an excuse to go to the circus?

[10:58 PM] Xho: Sofia: I like the trapeze.

[11:00 PM] Ke: “ suppose it’s different when you don’t work for a circus.”

[11:00 PM] Ke: “ hope you enjoyed it.”

[11:00 PM] Declan Fry: They put on a good show, I thought.

[11:02 PM] Ke: “They do, I would be interested to see one of your shows.”

[11:02 PM] Declan Fry: I'll make sure you get tickets, miss.... I don't think I ever got your name.

[11:03 PM] Ke: “ You can call me Ke.”

[11:05 PM] Declan Fry: Ke. What are your... abilities then? Or is it bad form to ask? I'm rather new to all this.

[11:06 PM] Ke: “ nothing as flashy as yours, I just got better at certain skills.”

[11:07 PM] Ke: “ so you can do fire and make things move from one place to another?”

[11:08 PM] Declan Fry: I have some other tricks, too.

[11:09 PM] Ke: “Good to know.”

[11:09 PM] Xho: Sofia: I like tricks!

[11:10 PM] Declan Fry: smiles. "Miss Sofia.  What kind of tricks are your favorite?"

[11:13 PM] Xho: Sofia: Magic tricks!

[11:13 PM] Xho: Sofia: And card tricks.

[11:13 PM] Declan Fry: Ah! My specialty. Both kinds.

[11:13 PM] Xho: Sofia: And when people can hang on a rope from their teeth.

[11:15 PM] Declan Fry: That's a bit out of my purview, I'm afraid.

[11:15 PM] Declan Fry: pulls out a deck of cards and starts shuffling them, though! And does some card tricks for the vampire girl.

[11:16 PM] Ke: will watch closely as well.

[11:16 PM] Xho: Sofia claps delightedly after each one.

[11:17 PM] Xho: She is happy to be misdirected every time and seems fascinated.

[11:17 PM] Declan Fry: is just doing normal card tricks, no powers. He's pretty good at it.

[11:18 PM] Xho: Roll for legerdemain!

[11:19 PM] Declan Fry: ((4!))

[11:19 PM] Xho: It is pretty damn impressive and he IS pretty damn good at it.

[11:19 PM] Xho: Mort even watches after a while.

[11:20 PM] Ke: "That is quite impressive."

[11:21 PM] Xho: Mort: Your hands lie to make people happy.

[11:24 PM] Declan Fry: That's a good way to put it. It's like telling a really good story. With the best stories, your audience forgets who and where they are, and they're transported.

[11:24 PM] Declan Fry: But they want it to happen.

[11:24 PM] Declan Fry: Same thing with magic. It can be fun to be tricked, to have your expectations played with.

[11:25 PM] Xho: Sofia: Like hanging from a rope with your teeth! I don't do that with my teeth.

[11:26 PM] Ke: "You need to train to do that properly.'

[11:26 PM] Declan Fry: And I assume you need the right kind of teeth.

[11:28 PM] Xho: Sofia nods. "My teeth are for biting people, not rope."

[11:29 PM] Ke: " not neccasarily, just a lot of practice and the right equipment."

[11:31 PM] Ke: "I should probably check on Joseph."

[11:31 PM] Declan Fry: nods.

[11:33 PM] Ke: Will meet up with you again later., It was nice to meet you Mr. Fry, and Sofia.

[11:34 PM] Ke: will head out.