Bloodlines: Control IC

[The_JJ]

Yasmine shrugs in sympathy at Ssuri, then follows Zol and company out of the alley. As she walks she natuarlly falls into a swaying stride She smiles at the other bums. More of these people. I need to make them... what? She shakes her head. Later, I can figure something out later. When she turns back to see Brannon delivering his lines she hids a crooked grin behind her hands. Yasmine reached up to toy with her hair again, and watched Zol confront the man behind the counter. I'm... bored. Let's take charge.
So, whats our plan? Ssuri, you want to get some clothes?

[Whiplord]

Ssuri's eyes continue wandering around the alleyway idly, spending very little time actually focusing on anything. When Yasmine speaks, her head turns to meet the other woman's eyes. "You have no idea."

[Jansviper]

The large man frowns for a moment, he's rat eyes sliding off you like oil to check the right, then back, off again to the left, and back to you. He just stares for a moment longer before opening his mouth.

Not looking for any trouble ging, I'm sure you've got your business down in Low and that ain't any of mine. You're just a tad out of place if you know what I mean.

Again, his eyes slide off you to the sides and back. The little beetles seem to widen a bit at the sight of the others emerging from the alley, but focus on you quick enough.

Not looking for any trouble with the Watch either, so you and yours either seek your poison or move along. No room for loungers.

He waves the mug at the space behind him, where a row of bottles and a small skillet can be seen.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The bum's eye widen and he babbles his apologies to Brannon, looking frightened. When you drop him, he curls up on himself further and chews rapidly, eyes darting back and forth.

[Whiplord]

Silently, Ssuri walks over to stand next to Zol, giving the large man an expressionless look before turning to Zol, and beckoning questioningly with her head towards the exit to this alley.

[WhiteKnight777]

Zol

Zol nodded, giving an 'affable' smile that probably showed just a little too much tooth to be entirely friendly. I'd hate for there to be trouble, too, friend, he lied, Thanks for the information He chuckled softly, slipping away from the bar to rejoin the others. He'd considered asking the big fellow for information, but something warned him that showing any weakness to that one - and ignorance certainly qualified - would be a serious mistake. he might be just a rat - but you never knew when a rat was going to squeal, or to whom.

He gave a little chuckle at that thought, flexing his fingers in front of him as he walked back, speaking to his compatriots in a low undertone. Mmmm... I believe we should find somewhere more... commodious before asking question. I'd wager these streets have too many eyes and ears, and too many hidden knives.

[OverWilliam]

He walked in a daze, looking around him in fuzzy disbelief. All these people... Suddenly, the six of them were outnumbered, and the balance of his grip on reality was very sharply upended. There were so many of them-- all a little grungy, a little rough, seeming a lot like the man before. In a moment he realizes that it wasn't the man who stuck out among them, it was they who stuck out among everyone else; it turned out that the odd-smelling man fit in just perfect, they were the different ones. He felt very small. However, it was still only the six of them that had always been there, since before the rest of these new people had shown up, and he realized with some relief that they still were particular to him apart from everyone else; he took comfort in this feeling.

At Zol's mention of finding somewhere else to be, for the first time he began wondering exactly how big this place really was. How many other people were there in the ever-growing scope of the world? The other question that drifted into focus, having always been present but only just now noticed, was what were they going to do now? He really was glad, he thought to himself, that he knew of smart people like Zol to help him learn what to do.

[Whiplord]

Ssuri turned around to check the progress of the others. As aggravating as it was, it was true that they needed to move. And that one seemed to be having trouble again. Clearly it was all coming to him slower than all of them. Perhaps it would simply take a little while more, or maybe a long while. Perhaps it would never come fully.

Either way, he was a part of this--all of this--whatever this was. And thus, if he needed help, he would get help. Ssuri herself didn't fully understand what was going on. Where they were, what they were doing there, or even who they were. But basic instinct had kicked in at least. There was that.

In two quick, light, almost skipping steps Ssuri was by the side of the man Luk, who's name she still did not know, grasping his hand in hers. "Come on. What did I say about looking like that? Just stick by me for now, and you'll be fine."

[Fishy]

Krane feels something pulling her towards the much-abused bum. Much as she would like to get out of this cramped space, much as she feels the need to stay with the others, she's painfully aware of how little she knows and how much he might be able to tell her...

"You'll have to excuse my siblings, they're... ah. Going through a difficult time right now."

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Bluff Check: (1d20+8)[14]

"But before we leave you to it, would you mind telling us..." 'Shutty' made a sort of sense, but 'Watch'? 'Gings'? 'Sweepers'? "Where's the best place to be when the Sweepers show up?"

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Diplomacy Check: (1d20+8)[15]. "Tell me what I want to know, and in exchange, we'll leave you alone"?

[Jansviper]

Mmmm... I believe we should find somewhere more... commodious before asking question. I'd wager these streets have too many eyes and ears, and too many hidden knives.

And indeed, the more of you that appear out of the alley the more eyes you can feel on you. The bums are shifting restlessly, drawing in on themselves or getting up to move into deeper shadows. Whatever you represent, the denizens of the street seem to want no part of it.

The fat man nods curtly and returns to shining his glass. By this point, you can hardly tell if the rag is actually helping clean the mug or just spreading the dirt into a finer layer. Still, he keeps a wary eye on all of you, drifiing back further into the shop and sitting down near an out-of-sight shelf.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Acht, firs bitta good cents anya you have shawn. Sweeps be movin downard, an anytin goin up ain't dere prolem. Iz suggest ya'll git your dificut times dealt wit in the higher sectins.

The old bum waves generally to the right and upwards. He's a good deal more agreeable after being shaken up a bit (small wonder, that) but this prolonged exposure to him is making the sweet scent of mint turn sickly. It's starting to feel like a thin layer of slime on your everything, that much of the plant really can't be healthy.

In fact, the man is sweating profusely by this time and it is making the aroma stronger. Seems something about all of your presences doesn't agree with him.

[Diarmuid]

Brannon

Exiting the alleyway, Brannon is disappointed that a change of scenery has not really improved the situation of the group much, if at all.

More bums, and no obvious signs or labels to help us figure out where we are. Course...that's assuming if there were signs that any of us would be able to read them. Eh, considering we at least seem to share a spoken language and mastery enough to communicate, I'll remain hopefully optimistic at this point.

Striding confidently over to the man "cleaning" a glass, Brannon throws caution to the wind and speaks as plainly as he can with him,

"Sir, I have no idea where I am....who I, or these others, am/are....or even when this is. Could you please alert some form of authority, or at the very least direct us to where we might contact them. We clearly do not belong in this area, and our sudden appearance smacks of some kind of external influence. We merely want to find out what is going on."

The larger man delivers his words flatly, and matter-of-factly. He is not pleading with the other man, just asking for information. While situationally, Brannon is certainly worse off than the bartender...he is definitely not acting as if he has anything to fear from the stranger.

[Fishy]

Krane's sensitive nose twitches, but she refrains from comment, merely nodding her thanks to the drifter and leaving him to sleep. She joins the others at the entrance to the alleyway, keeping her eyes turned upwards, examining the maze of walls and window ledges and arcs of energy. It's intimidating, and unfamiliar, but something stirs within her- I think I can do 'up'.

[OverWilliam]

By the time Ssurii appeared at his side, he was already realizing, in mind-straining awe, that this must be a whole city that they were in the middle of. The chain of understanding branched out in a neverending series of 'if's and 'then's that led from one fact to the illumination of a hundred others. When Ssurii touched his hand he seemed to return from a waking dream and looked at her with complete attention when she spoke. He nodded, the reality of what he was seeing and the realization of this most recent concept--how truly small they really were, then!--sinking in. He took a deep breath. He thought about it, and realized... That was how things were meant to be. This was normal, feeling small; that was exactly how big he should feel, how big everybody must feel, and so in a way... it wasn't that bad at all.

"Just stick by me for now, and you'll be fine."

He nodded; she was right. They would be fine. He noticed something... He trusted her. His hold on her hand tightened just a little, but it was not a confused or discouraged thing... Instead, a reassured choice, maybe the first he had ever truly made, that he would follow her wherever she went.

[The_JJ]

Yasmine screwed her face up. For all of her exuberent confidence, some of this stuff these people were talking about sounded like bad news. C'mon, think, Yasmine. Maybe it'll come to you, like the songs and the tumbling tricks.

[Jansviper]

She joins the others at the entrance to the alleyway, keeping her eyes turned upwards, examining the maze of walls and window ledges and arcs of energy. It's intimidating, and unfamiliar, but something stirs within her- I think I can do 'up'.

As you examine the street, you'd notice that there looks like the beginnings of a ramp at the east end. It curves out of sight, but seems to be heading up.

"Sir, I have no idea where I am....who I, or these others, am/are....or even when this is. Could you please alert some form of authority, or at the very least direct us to where we might contact them. We clearly do not belong in this area, and our sudden appearance smacks of some kind of external influence. We merely want to find out what is going on."

Well now... That's certainly an interesting story you got there...

The man's rat eyes slide over to Zol for a moment, across the rest of your party, up and down the street, and then back to Brannon.

I think I can help you with that, let me go call the Watch right now.

He raises a finger in what you all would recognize as a sign meaning one moment and reaches up above the counter top. He takes hold of a sheet or corrugated metal and pulls it down, closing off the shop from the street.

The Alley is dead silent.

[The_JJ]

Yasmine chews her lip. This was spiraling fast. Where was that man going> What was he doing? Everyone else was... afraid. Afraid of them, or afraid to be associated? To many questions, too many uncontrolled variables. Ssuri? Zol? Her normally cheery, peppy voice has begun to quaver. I think we ought to leave. Now.

No, eff that.

Yasmine leaded in next to Zol's ear and whispered her warning, and then out loud.

C'mon Brannon, let's not bother the nice man. She says in the tones one might use for a... delicate mind. It's okay, but we really need to be going home now. No more games. I'll make sure you get some nice pies along with your dinner.

[WhiteKnight777]

Zol

Zol grit his teeth in frustration. Something in the back of his mind screamed a warning as soon as the word 'watch' was uttered. There were sensations of entrapment. Cages, bars, locks, keys. Questions in rooms with no windows. Spilled blood - a thought that, for once, did not send a pleasurable little thrill up Zol's ink-bedecked spine.

This was not the place to show such weakness. Too many predators, and too many scavengers looking for a tasty corpse... and ones such as we look positively delectable in such eyes.

Zol looked around for the likliest-seeming direction, and then simply picked one. Let us get lost. And quickly

[Diarmuid]

Brannon

The large man looked curiously at both Yasmine and Zol, not exactly sure why they would contradict him so. He allowed himself to be led away from the man's shop, as that one obviously didnt want to assist them.

"Weakness? I dont believe I showed any weakness. I stated the obvious facts as I see them and asked for assistance. I think that fat man showed the weakness by removing himself from my presence."

Brannon almost seems proud that the barman had all but fled from his presence. Looking around, he notes the path leading up out of this strange place.

"If we are going to go anywhere, I would say we start with up. Those who we have talked to thus far have mentioned sweepers, and referenced "down here" as if we do not belong...and by our appearance I would tend to agree. Perhaps we can find someone who would be a bit more amenable to our situation further up."

As they get further away from the small bar, Brannon occasionally checks behind the group to see if the man has come out from behind his metal wall. As they walk away, he cant help but feel that his stride is somehow...off. He feels perfectly in-tune with himself, yet he senses that he is overbalanced a bit to his right....almost as if he would normally be compensating for something that would weigh him down on his left side.

[WhiteKnight777]

Zol

Zol ground his teeth in frustration, wincing in pain at his 'brother's' denseness. His next words came out in a low hiss, intended for only their small group

... If you keep thinking like that, we're all going to end up losing our memories permanently, along with all the blood in our bodies! The man's a rat, and he may well be afraid of you - or us - but rats are scavengers, and if they see weakness, there's not telling what he may do - including getting more of his kind to drag us down with numbers, or summoning someone stronger...

And as for weakness.. of course you showed it! Knowledge is strength. Ignorance is weakness, in our state, we don't know where safety and danger are! We have no idea who holds power here, and for all our purposes we are alone and friendless in a strange and alien place! The only way we could be more obvious targets is if we were bound and naked!

He calmed himself, albeit slowly.

Let's just get away from here. We need a bolt-hole, for now... and a way to gain more knowledge. More power. More strength.

[Jansviper]

There's a shifting sound as two bums on the west end of the street stand. A crude knife glints in one's hand, and the other looks to be carrying a glass bottle. They don't rush up the street, but casually wander forward.

As if two armed homeless men walking down the street was an every day occurrence (though for all you know, it might be).

The four between you and the ramp on the east end of the street don't move to stand, but they are watching you.

The street remains largely silent and your words echo up between the buildings. Occasionally arcane power crackles above you, and you can here the two moving men's shuffling footfalls.

[Fishy]

Krane glares at Brannon: her eyes narrow- and widen, with thick bands of black stretching from the corners of her eyes almost as far as her thick, blonde hair. Now you've gone and done it.

Angrily, she shoulders her way to the front of the group, but by the time she gets there, she's all smiles, her gaze fixed on the man with the knife.

"Acht, evenin' boys- iz summa off? We jus' be gettin' outta here..."

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Charm Person the one with the knife, and hope like hell it takes this time and we don't have to go to Plan B. Hey, it's worth a shot.

[Diarmuid]

Brannon

Upon seeing the two men stand up and noting their purposeful advance with their improvised weapons, something awakens within Brannon. His eyes widen, and then narrow. He moves to a position where the men will have to encounter him before they would be able to threaten any of his...siblings?...he turns over his shoulder and says to the others,

"Fine, if this is my mess...I will clean it up. You all go on up ahead, to the next level up. I will catch up with you in a few moments."

Focusing his attention back on the two men, Brannon instinctively settles into a simple defensive posture. Noting the knife in one man's hand, Brannon shifts his focus to the man, scrutinizing his movements and anticipating his actions.

As he does so, a few of the carvings on his skin flare briefly with an orangle glow.

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Assigning KnifeGuy my bonus from Stance of Clarity. +2 AC vs him, -2 AC vs everyone else.

[Whiplord]

Ssuri grabs Brannon's shoulder. "Don't be a bigger idiot than you already have been. We're not just leaving you here."

Turning to the man with the knife, she raises her voice so he can hear her clearly. "Hey, I'd watch that partner of yours. He's been eyeing your back this entire time and laughing under his breath. What convinced you to work with someone like that anyways? Your clearly better than him, but he keeps looking down on you! What's up with that? Fact is, none of these guys here," she gestures to encompass the majority of the the thugs, "seem to respect you very much. I've seen 'em all lookin at you funny."

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Try to make him angry with his friend, and the other ones. Hopefully causing them to turn on each other.

(1d20+5)[24]

[Diarmuid]

Brannon

Shruggin away from the tailed-one's grasp, Brandond says calmly,

"Who is more the fool, the idiot, or the one who follows him?"

His thoughts are troubled as he considers the situation at hand,

These people may look like me, but they are definitely not like me in most other ways. Duplicitous...False...Reliant on strange tricks as opposed to themselves. They preach avoiding weakness, but wish to do nothing but flee in the face of the smallest adversity. They would blindly wander hoping for answers rather than simply asking for them. I will not let them mold me into something I am not

[Jansviper]

Strange tricks or not, Brannon would be surprised by how effective his comrade were. Either one of the subtle mind twists would have been enough to turn the knife-weilding bum, both of them together...

Aye, sumtin's off alright...

The bottle wielding bum chuckles darkly and licks his lips, the lewd suggestion clear in his voice. At least, it is until the other bum shrieks in fury and slams his knife into the first's throat. Then there is simply incoherent gurglings and hacking noises.

Never talk about my friends like that you dirty ****ing *****! I'll flay the skin from your ****ing bones!

The two bums fall to the ground. The one with the bottle drops it to the street and grasps, fruitlessly, at the others hands and face to try and stop the vicious attack. The knife man stabs the other bum in response, and stabs, and stabs, and stabs, and stabs (etc).

Its really quite bloody.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The other four bums that sat between you and the ramp up begin to stand as the talking begins, but freeze in abject horror as one of their own goes wild and murders the living daylights out of another. You can see clubs in at least two hands.

[The_JJ]

Yasmine pats Brannon's shoulder. You win some, you lose some. It's always better to be in control of the situation at hand. By fighting them, we let them take the initiative, force the encounter. By backing off, we regain the control. Now, we can reengage on our terms, be it with trickery or, better yet, some... slashing things. Or more magic. I'm almost out of magic, see? And I've got no flute now. See? There's another problem, but it isn't ours. She puts on her game face, in this case, shocked horror and wide, eyes. (Yasmine has yet to discover her strange... affliction?) You've got to stop him! If you don't right now, all four of you, he'll probably pick you off one by one.

And in her mind, a thought sprang up. Dance monkeys, dance!

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(1d0+5)[6]

[OverWilliam]

He frowned. A dull, unpolished glint took to his eyes, like the memory of a much sharper gaze that he might have once given when the heat of combat arose. The two disshelved men with weapons of varying imprompituity walked toward the group, and the threat was clear even to him who had never before thought of the existence of such. As though stirring some instinct deep in him, some of his life-inexperienced innocence faded at the intentful smile on Bottle's face. But then something happened; they turned on each other, and obviously that hadn't been their original intent. Like a bubble popping, the shadow of lethal focus and dangerous demeanor that almost settled on him the moment before vanished, and he blinked a few times as though waking. His eyebrows raised in surprise as he realized that even in the middle of Ssurii's careful words he had been inching forward, subtly positioning himself inbetween her and the men.

But the most shocking thing was how little shock came from seeing the one bum's throat split down the middle and then having the knife driven into his chest and arms repeatedly. He wondered why seeing this didn't affect him as deeply as he would've thought it would. He decided that it was a bad thing, and that he didn't enjoy seeing it, but somehow it was worse than it felt.

Finally, the four new combatants sloppily concealed their own weapons and moved as though to enter the not-quite-fight. Though the steely cool didn't return, neither did he panic as he looked to the others for ques and tried to wonder what they should do next...

[Whiplord]

Glaring slightly in Brannon's direction, Ssuri answers Luk's unspoken question. "Now we get out of here. In a hurry."

[OverWilliam]

"Where do we go?" His voice was low, not a whisper, but only enough for the six of them to hear.

[Whiplord]

Ssurii shakes her head in frustration. "Damned if I know. The only way that's totally unblocked is straight up. And I don't know about you, but I can't fly. At least, not that I know of....

[WhiteKnight777]

Zol

Zol was just preparing to cast a spell, after a moment of hesitation - he would rather have taken a knife to these foul-smelling gutterbums, but he lacked one at the moment, a situation that he would have to remedy before too long. But then - the most wondrous thing occured - the shriek of fury, the gargle of blood filling longs, the sweet, coppery tang of falling crimson. He turned to the other four alley-rats, his eyes gleaming with unholy fervor. His bloodlust was up, and he licked his lips in a hungry manner. Staring at them, he began to move his arms and chant in a slow, subtle pattern.

Now... as much as I'd like to stay and chat with you boyos.... it's time for you to forget we were here. Sleep

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Casting Sleep, of course.