New Cannes (IC)

[Major]

Amber was quiet most the way to the meat-packing distract as she tried to focus and get in the right mindset. She needed to be able to cast spells and better manage her magical powers. The incident from earlier had been embarrassing and she didn't wan to repeat knocking herself out, especially with her boss around. Luckily, nobody had mentioned it to her boss. She didn't want to explain how her, a Warden, had passed out in the middle of a warehouse while it was on fire because of something stupid like knocking herself out.

[DukeGod]

Looking at the werehouses, Brando gets a bad tought of all the searching. He was really tired from last night. It seemed that if a vampire drained you no sleep in the world would bring it back

[Frosty]

(Just to be clear, this is NOT the Blue Beetle. This is a rental car. Dresden almost certainly did NOT drive from Chicago to New Cannes in 20 mins.)

The group arrives at the meat-warehouse district without much fanfare. There are quite a few warehouses. Which is the right one?

Dresden says, "Well, we need to go scout out the right one. Just barging into each warehouse would create too much suspicion if there's anyone watching. My veils are not the best, but I can try to scout an area. Who else wishes to go scout another area? Who's the best at sneaking and scouting? "

[Starbin]

Grim grinned. "Well, I'm not wearing leather armor, but I guess I could still 'scout' ahead. Brando might be sneakier, but I'm pretty observant. Like how I noticed we're in the warehouse district. And you're both wizards."

Stepping out of the car, he inhaled deeply and took a good look around, trying to see if he could get a whiff of anything mystical ... aside from the proponderance of magical stuff in the car behind him.

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Awareness: (4d3-3)[4]

[Frosty]

"If anyone has a good nose, that could help pinpoint the location as you scout. You've smelled one of them ghouls before. Try to locate that smell again."

Grim is unable to smell any sort of active magical wards or what not from the car. Probably too far, and too many wizards nearby.

[Starbin]

Grim nodded his head. "Yup, just what I thought. There is a lot of magic coming from right heeeerrrrreeee." He gestured to towards the car. "And the rest of this place smells like ... a warehouse district."

He waited to see if the others were going to get out.

[Major]

Amber stepped out of the car while rolling her eyes. Grim was useful and sometimes his smart ass was amusing, other times they were busy and she didn't want to waste time.

"I'm good with veils, but not sure running around scouting while throwing around veils will be doable." She states looking around at the warehouse district, "Big area too..." She states.

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Awareness
(4d6)[4][6][2][4](16) +?
Total: 0+? (either 2 or 0)

Note: The reason for the question mark is that my laptop was recently destroyed/stolen (unsure, long story) thus leaving me without the pdfs until I get a new laptop since I'm posting from work. My sheet has "alertness" (+2) but I don't see an awareness. Not sure if that's because I'm a +0 or if they are the same

[DukeGod]

"He's being sarcasting, I can't sneak around. I can track, but that will completely ruin any sneaking you might wanna do"

[Starbin]

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Well, I'm hoping that my awareness check looked for more than just magic ... I figure with a 5, he's pretty observant and has awesome senses ... in addition to the specifics from his supernatural side, which focus on excellent hearing, smelling magic, and seeing in the dark. That being said, Grim only has a +1 in Stealth ... basically, he hopes to never be caught unaware so that he can use his speed to get away.

Grim shrugged at the other two. "Hey, you're the smart ones ... too bad you can't track these guys down with your magic." he waggled his fingers as he said the word. Glancing around, he nodded to the buildings. "Otherwise, someone will need to walk around and look for clues, Scooby Gang-style."

[Frosty]

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Alertness is like passive Perception, while Investigation is *actively* looking for something, like for clues.

"You know, you can try combined arms. If the good doctor here is good with tracking, why don't you follow closely behind, Warden Inoue, while masking the both of you? We really can't discern anything important from here."

[Major]

"True, though running around with a moving veil might be tricky. I'll try my best though." Amber says looking at the doctor, "Shall we head out then?"

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New laptop, getting books again. If I do this wrong let me know.

5 shifts of power (to be safe). I got 5 conviction and discipline and my focus item is +1 spirit control and power

(4d6)[2][5][5][1](13) +6
Total: 6 (success)

[Frosty]

(before you should've rolled, you needed yo declare how many shifts go into the potency of the visual block, how much for duration, and how much to veil an extra person. If you just want to veil one extra person, I'll allow you to do it at the expense of one shift of power, but he'll need to stay close to you. If you assign the other 4 shifts to potency, then the veil will only last one round, and then you'll need to spend another action next round to extend its life. See page 259 of the book.

Basically how it works is that you're basically casting another spell to actively channel more energy into your existing spell, prolonging its duration. Summon up one shift of power for ech additonal exchange you want the spell to last. So, if you want the veil to last an extra 5 turns, then you'll cast a 5-shift spell extendsion next turn. This of course still inflicts one point of mental stress as usual.)

[Major]

(before you should've rolled, you needed yo declare how many shifts go into the potency of the visual block, how much for duration, and how much to veil an extra person. If you just want to veil one extra person, I'll allow you to do it at the expense of one shift of power, but he'll need to stay close to you. If you assign the other 4 shifts to potency, then the veil will only last one round, and then you'll need to spend another action next round to extend its life. See page 259 of the book.

Basically how it works is that you're basically casting another spell to actively channel more energy into your existing spell, prolonging its duration. Summon up one shift of power for ech additonal exchange you want the spell to last. So, if you want the veil to last an extra 5 turns, then you'll cast a 5-shift spell extendsion next turn. This of course still inflicts one point of mental stress as usual.)

(Thanks, trying to redownload the books on my new laptop. I think the 4 shifts to potency and then the 5 shifts next turn to keep it going if that is possible. So -2 mental stress one this turn, one next?)

[DukeGod]

(You do know I need to shapeshift to actually track? It's how he did it last time, how big is that veil?)

[Frosty]

(One mental stress this turn and one mental stress next turn, technically speaking. The veil is only big enough so that you two would alost be touching each other. If Amber wants to expand it further (like to the area of a car) she needs to expend two shifts of power.

And yes, you have to shapeshift into order to track via Scent)

[Starbin]

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Well, I'm sure you've said it before, but that explains a lot. Grim is good at noticing things sneaking up on him, but just hasn't spent a lot of time studying clues, apparently. Might have to spend some xp on raising that.

On an unrelated note - we've been playing this game for OVER A YEAR! Way to go us!

Grim waited for the Warden to set up her veil, then stood right next to her, his elbow bumping her side. "Is this close enough? I can get closer ..." Grinning, he moved away as necessary, then turned his eyes to looking for any signs of their target ... like screams, fleeing norms, or gothic looking buildings exuding malevolence.

Hey, it could happen!

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Investigation (+2): (4d3-6)[1]. Depending on how things turn out between the three of us, I may invoke one of my aspects to get us close ...

[Frosty]

Grim's attempts to smell out the targets is thus far unsuccessful. There's a lot of meat hanging around this district. However, if he can just concentrate a BIT more...he might be able to sniff out some irregularities.

[DukeGod]

As Grim makes his first attempts, Brando begins the process of getting out of his clothes. As he drops the last piece, his mind already starts the shapeshift
Reach into his beast spirit. This was a bit easier than normal. Even if his spirit was a bit tired. Construct the image of your new form. He could almost hear the old shaman guiding him...pretend to be the beast, feel it's life and spirit sipping into yours and overlaying. And then slowly, stop pretending and start being...letting the magic happen somewhere in the middle of that

Ten heartbeats. They were almost over before he notices, as he whispers

"seven...eight....nine...teRUAAAAAh"

The last syllable goes unsaid changing into a growl. Whatever it was that happened to his outward apperance already did. He felt heavier than normal but that was probably just his legs, tired.

Then he starts sniffing around

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Okay, new skillspread
Superb: Fists, Alertness
Great: Endurance, Athletics
Good: Intimidation, Might
Fair: Scholarship, Resources, Presence
Average: Discipline, Driving, Empathy, Conviction, Contacts

Is Alertness used to track? I can't actually increase Investigation because it's a knowledge skill

[Frosty]

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I'd allow Alertness only for the using Smells to track part. If you actually want to follow tracks, you must use Survival.

[DukeGod]

Brando sniffs around. The looks for the scent of Ghoul. He had done it before and could do it now...

As he does, he wonders how a Liger would do in the wilderness. They aren't natural creatures he believes, so... have they ever hunted? Are they really wasting all these senses?

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Tracking by smell the ghouls then
(4d3-3)[5] Superb Awareness (+5)

[Frosty]

The doctor has much better success, being in Liger form. He thinks he can smell ghoul in two separate, but nearby warehouses. He smells...multiple ghouls, but can't exactly tell how many.

[DukeGod]

Having spotted the directions, Brando signs with his head towards each of them.

Now, up to the two Wardens which one was best to take

[Major]

"So we got two separate targets..." Amber notes, "Might be good to get a closer look at each. Either way probably good to take out both."

[Starbin]

Grim nodded sagely at Amber's words. "You should always go left. Unless the correct way is right." Smiling, he waited for the brain trust to determine which direction they wanted to go in. Since they didn't know anything about either place, it was a coin flip. But wizards usually liked to pretend there was much more to the decision then a simple guess.

[Frosty]

After you report back to the car (assuming you do), Warden Dresden shows up not soon after. "I've done my own scouting, and I think I've got a good idea of what's at least in one of thw warehouses. The one I looked at...it's functioning as an incubator. People who are probably infected are tied up here. The ******* vamp is just waiting for them to finish the transformation. He's building an army...but what for? Have you seen what's in the other warehouse?"

[Major]

"No, but we can go and do so now." Amber said feeling a bit awkward. They'd spent the time discussing which to search that she'd missed Commander Dresden going off to scout.

[DukeGod]

Brando shakes his nead negatively. He knew where the smell of the ghouls came from, but scouting would be problematic.

That said, he does not get out of his animal form. Best to keep watch on that scent if they moved, or tried to ambush

[Frosty]

(super sorry for being not here so often lately. I have a 4 hour total commute each day, and it's killing my energy )

"Right, so here's for the plan. Warden Inoue, you will lead the others and try to rescue those who haven't...turned yet. From your descriptions, that warehouse on the left has a lot more ghouls. Now, I'm going to go in there, and cause a big ruckus, and keep the ghouls distracted. I'm good at that stuff. I've got fire at my disposal, as you might have heard. The moment you hear my signal, try to get into the warehouse on the right, and get the prisoners. If you have to, quickly take out any opposition. If you don't have to, just take the prisoners and run. Got it?"

[Major]

"Once the prisoners are secure, should I return to assist you, sir?" Amber asked.

((OOC: No worries, I'm sick to all hell so expect slow posting on my end since I'm bedridden.))

[Starbin]

Grim shrugged. "You're the decoy, we're the rappers ..."