[Changeling] A Gathering of Mists IC

[SiuiS]

"Excuse." she replies to the air that was once a warm body, marching. "Yes, Marchande?"

[Raz_Fox]

"Charlotte," Marchande says in a low voice that is practically dripping with honey, "The next time that you start telling people that we might have supernatural powers, or insinuate that we are capable of, perhaps, jumping off of buildings and surviving, I swear to God that I will gag you myself. Are we understood?"

[SiuiS]

"Why bother with the muzzle, Madame?" she returns, not-so-sweetly. "Perhaps a choke collar to bring me to heel, non? I could ave a barrel of brandy 'round my neck for that charme desuet?"

Charlotte twiddles her fingers, bites her lip. The need for the barb is already forgotten, her eyes looking through the scene for whatever goal she has.

"I need to get to Peter's castle. It's... Important. Background players are no true obstacle. She did not stay. She is not the main dancer. Her lines fulfilled she moved on, Madame, and would not have if none had spoken."

[Raz_Fox]

"Why bother with the muzzle, Madame?" she returns, not-so-sweetly. "Perhaps a choke collar to bring me to heel, non?"

Marchande's world narrows down to those words. Muzzles, collars, she knows them, what they are and what they do and how they feel. Her fur bristles, her blood pumps quickly, she is ready to bite and growl and... to straighten her tie with one hand, taking a deep and reassuring breath. Her other hand is clamped over Charlotte's mouth, pulling them closer together.

"Charlotte," she starts, the words coming somewhere from the back of her throat, "Charlotte... being able to speak is a privilege that it's easy to take for granted. Heaven knows, I'm sure you and Stephanie and Rose got to chat as far as the day was long! But it is, at a fundamental level, a privilege. And using it without thinking is extremely inappropriate. At least, I'm sure you weren't thinking there, when you decided to declare to the world how special we are, and when you decided that mocking me with collars... was appropriate."

She looks down at Charlotte, with a smile teetering on the edge of being a snarl. "Aren't you lucky to have me looking out for you? Why, if you'd kept going, you might have said something very inappropriate indeed. But I'm already willing to reinstate that privilege if you are willing to use it with all due consideration and forethought."

[SiuiS]

Charlotte, at first surprised by the sudden application of the grapple rules, states wide eyed down the muzzle of a snarling guard dog. After a moment though, she relaxes, sighs. Nods. Sweeping Marchande's hand down with et right, she points a gilded nail with her left, towards the bronze-eyed silhouette who even now was chatting amicably with an officer and an angel.

"I'm not the one to shush, Madame."

[Raz_Fox]

"The difference is that Stephanie can take care of herself, Charlotte! And, despite her feckless behavior, she's not likely to spill out everything she knows to a random stranger. I will probably have words with her later, but you are to remain quiet until you're... I don't know, not this." She gestures at all of Charlotte with one hand, running her other over her ear, as if to flick back hair nervously. A retained tic, even with no use for it; her curly fur does not lie wild and tangled as hair would. "Because you're just going to get yourself hurt, Charlotte! You'll say something no one else would think of saying, because they understand why they shouldn't, and you'll end up in a situation you can't get out of. What if I'd been a savage... thing, that thought biting and tearing was more appropriate to teach you a lesson?"

[SiuiS]

"... Il serait familier." she says quietly. "It would be familiar."

[Raz_Fox]

Marchande frowns, crosses her arms, looks down at Charlotte. She taps her fingers on her sleeve, fidgets, grinds her teeth together, and then, all at once, "Look, we have bigger things to worry about. We can argue about behavior and muzzles and things later, but right now, our lives aren't ours. We have a responsibility to everyone Paladin's planning to hurt before ourselves, so take me to the minotaur's castle to get Rose her thorns, if you think you can do that. Beyond that, just follow me and I'll do my best to make sure you don't get yourself into trouble."

[SiuiS]

Charlotte stays herself for a moment. She had forgotten Paladin, the kidnapping, the reasons. For a moment they didn't exist. But she remembers the picture, blazing bright, painted of words.

Right now our lives aren't ours.

Marchande was right. They belonged to the Freehold, and Charlotte thinks, just for a moment, of spurning that bond, feeling the red twine tighten like a spider's trap. She sighs. It is not an unpleasant sound.


Charlotte moves quickly along the cobbles and concrete, over the asphalt way to the castle behind the pleasure dungeon's facade.

[Anarion]

The nightclub is closed during the day, it opens at 6:00 p.m.

The door is locked upon testing it as well. You could probably go around back and see if the building has a service entrance, or try knocking really loudly. Or have Rose knock really loudly, which might be more effective.

[Raz_Fox]

Marchande looks up at the locked door, looks down at Charlotte with the most unimpressed face she could muster, and then hammers on the door. "Open up!" The thought of doubling around to the back doesn't even occur to her yet. If they want in, they need to talk their way through the front door.

[Anarion]

Meanwhile, near the warf, Rose and Stephanie are wandering around looking for a warehouse. The address that the guy gave Rose is accurate, insofar as there's a warehouse there. The problem, however, is that it's not especially detailed. They're about three city blocks back from the ocean, and the complex here has only one entrance, which is the address for the entire block, and the whole thing is one big warehouse.

The one open door in the front shows a narrow entrance and two stories worth of storage boxes stacked to the left and right. Each box is about the size of a tractor trailer and would take a forklift to move.

There's also a small driveway area for trucks to come in and a two room building that is in front of the warehouse proper, with a light on in a window.

Marchande looks up at the locked door, looks down at Charlotte with the most unimpressed face she could muster, and then hammers on the door. "Open up!" The thought of doubling around to the back doesn't even occur to her yet. If they want in, they need to talk their way through the front door.

No answer. They're either ignoring Marchande's pounding or they're standing somewhere they can't hear it. Alas, the two of you don't have anyone particularly strong or dexterous with you that could deal with a lock.

[Thanqol]

Meanwhile, near the warf, Rose and Stephanie are wandering around looking for a warehouse. The address that the guy gave Rose is accurate, insofar as there's a warehouse there. The problem, however, is that it's not especially detailed. They're about three city blocks back from the ocean, and the complex here has only one entrance, which is the address for the entire block, and the whole thing is one big warehouse.

The one open door in the front shows a narrow entrance and two stories worth of storage boxes stacked to the left and right. Each box is about the size of a tractor trailer and would take a forklift to move.

There's also a small driveway area for trucks to come in and a two room building that is in front of the warehouse proper, with a light on in a window.

"Hmm," said Stephanie, scoping out vantage points and sight lines. "Anything immediately strike you?"

Plans were already flitting through her head, sparking and vanishing like thunderstrikes.

[SiuiS]

No answer. They're either ignoring Marchande's pounding or they're standing somewhere they can't hear it. Alas, the two of you don't have anyone particularly strong or dexterous with you that could deal with a lock.

not particularly dexterous, no, but where there was a will, there was a way!

"Marchande, I need a hair pin s'il vous plaît."

[Anarion]

"Hmm," said Stephanie, scoping out vantage points and sight lines. "Anything immediately strike you?"

Plans were already flitting through her head, sparking and vanishing like thunderstrikes.

As far as vantage points, the front building had the lit window and a second window to the side that looked out across the door where the warehouse entrance was. The warehouse itself had no windows, but the roof was low, only two stories and could probably be climbed easily via any of the side exterior walls.

Aside from the main front entrance, the block long warehouse also had a very large barn-door size vehicle entrance for large trucks, which was to the other side of the small front building from the currently open entrance. The barn-door entrance was shut up tight and bolted with a large wrought-iron bar.

[Raz_Fox]

not particularly dexterous, no, but where there was a will, there was a way!

"Marchande, I need a hair pin s'il vous plaît."

Marchande gestured towards her face, beginning to be aggravated again. "Do I look like I use hairpins? Ah, there's got to be an employee entrance around back, I'll check. Don't get arrested, please."

[PhoeKun]

"Hmm," said Stephanie, scoping out vantage points and sight lines. "Anything immediately strike you?"

Plans were already flitting through her head, sparking and vanishing like thunderstrikes.

"This explains why they would make their deliveries here. You could hide most anything in here..."

Rose frowns and folds her arms across her chest.

"The only thing I know to do is to go in and look around, see what they left in there for us to find."

[SiuiS]

"It's fine, Madame. I have pockets now, non?"

Charlotte bends low to see what kind of key the lock takes, waving her had idly at the keyhole – in truthC brushing away stray gauzy wisps of glamour too stale for use.

[Thanqol]

"This explains why they would make their deliveries here. You could hide most anything in here..."

Rose frowns and folds her arms across her chest.

"The only thing I know to do is to go in and look around, see what they left in there for us to find."

"Yeah, but they'll see you," Stephanie mused. "Tell you what, what if you get somewhere high up where you can see everything and I do a quick sweep to see how many people are present and what they're doing?"

[PhoeKun]

"Yeah, but they'll see you," Stephanie mused. "Tell you what, what if you get somewhere high up where you can see everything and I do a quick sweep to see how many people are present and what they're doing?"

"I doubt they'll really have much of a presence here so soon, but... yes, you're right." Rose pauses for a second and blinks. That sounded weird. "Best not to risk anything. Just remember, this may or may not be what they're actually using as a base. Be prepared for both possibilities."

With that, she leaves Stephanie to her own devices and searches for a suitable vantage point. It would be nice to be up high, she can't help but think. Just spread her wings and let the air run over them for a while...

No, don't be an idiot. Focus on why you're here. Remember what you are.

[Raz_Fox]

Marchande, black-shoe-girl, circumvents the den of iniquity. The way she walks is worthy of cinema, a thriller, the professional spy with a pretty face who is heading to her meeting with her contact. Thumping techno music would be appropriate.

But instead there's just the background hum of San Francisco, and a vague unease running along her. If she could stand the ensuing conversation, she'd go back and ask Charlotte why it was necessary to come here - but since she's none-too-eager to risk either offending her or to risk feling like a fool, if she came here because Charlotte was convinced that someone who'd been here last night would still be here or the like.

Around back, she searches. Sniffing the air and tasting rankness, sweat, the jadedness of people who have seen one too many raves to get excited about them anymore. There will be jiggling of the handle - or yanking, if it's of a certain make - and then insistent knocking.

[Anarion]

"It's fine, Madame. I have pockets now, non?"

Charlotte bends low to see what kind of key the lock takes, waving her had idly at the keyhole – in truthC brushing away stray gauzy wisps of glamour too stale for use.

It's a fairly standard dead-bolt lock, opened with a multi-toothed physical brass key with a series of unique tumblers. In other words, you can't open it with a credit card, but anyone with a set of lockpicks and the skill to use them could get it done in a few minutes.

"I doubt they'll really have much of a presence here so soon, but... yes, you're right." Rose pauses for a second and blinks. That sounded weird. "Best not to risk anything. Just remember, this may or may not be what they're actually using as a base. Be prepared for both possibilities."

With that, she leaves Stephanie to her own devices and searches for a suitable vantage point. It would be nice to be up high, she can't help but think. Just spread her wings and let the air run over them for a while...

No, don't be an idiot. Focus on why you're here. Remember what you are.

Aside from the warehouse roof itself, there were several telephone poles and some street lights spread around the block. Across the street was a series of lower temporary buildings, only one story but not hard to climb at all.

Down the block and across the street (so to the side of the warehouse entrance) was another warehouse of the same height and type, two stories. And towards the beach on the other side was a lot under construction with a caterpillar hoe that could potentially be climbed for a vantage of about a story and a half.

[Anarion]

Marchande, black-shoe-girl, circumvents the den of iniquity. The way she walks is worthy of cinema, a thriller, the professional spy with a pretty face who is heading to her meeting with her contact. Thumping techno music would be appropriate.

But instead there's just the background hum of San Francisco, and a vague unease running along her. If she could stand the ensuing conversation, she'd go back and ask Charlotte why it was necessary to come here - but since she's none-too-eager to risk either offending her or to risk feling like a fool, if she came here because Charlotte was convinced that someone who'd been here last night would still be here or the like.

Around back, she searches. Sniffing the air and tasting rankness, sweat, the jadedness of people who have seen one too many raves to get excited about them anymore. There will be jiggling of the handle - or yanking, if it's of a certain make - and then insistent knocking.

Still no answer with the knocking. The door back here, however, is locked less securely. It lacks a deadbolt, merely a chain and a regular handle. It doesn't go right to the club, it's actually a loading dock for the larger building, which is a big downtown sksycraper, but it probably leads through one way or another.

[Raz_Fox]

Still no answer with the knocking. The door back here, however, is locked less securely. It lacks a deadbolt, merely a chain and a regular handle. It doesn't go right to the club, it's actually a loading dock for the larger building, which is a big downtown sksycraper, but it probably leads through one way or another.

Marchande jiggles at the chain thoughtfully, and then goes to fetch Charlotte. This is much less likely to get them arrested for breaking and entering, and much more likely to be open to unlocking. If things turn out perfectly, Charlotte might be able to just slip through the crack provided by the chain to unlock it from the inside.

[Thanqol]

"I doubt they'll really have much of a presence here so soon, but... yes, you're right." Rose pauses for a second and blinks. That sounded weird. "Best not to risk anything. Just remember, this may or may not be what they're actually using as a base. Be prepared for both possibilities."

Stephanie nodded and slipped away.

She started a cycle of the warehouse, glancing in windows and listening for people. Her objective was to get a count on everyone present, weaponry, civilian or combatants, and possible hostages. The intention wasn't to make any action until she'd mapped everything.

[SiuiS]

Charlotte looks up at Marchande's approach. "Tell me you have a key?" she asks. "one key, any key, to anything?"

[Raz_Fox]

Charlotte looks up at Marchande's approach. "Tell me you have a key?" she asks. "one key, any key, to anything?"

"I do have a better door," Marchande says, jerking one thumb back over her shoulder. "How's your skill with chains?"

[PhoeKun]

Aside from the warehouse roof itself, there were several telephone poles and some street lights spread around the block. Across the street was a series of lower temporary buildings, only one story but not hard to climb at all.

Down the block and across the street (so to the side of the warehouse entrance) was another warehouse of the same height and type, two stories. And towards the beach on the other side was a lot under construction with a caterpillar hoe that could potentially be climbed for a vantage of about a story and a half.

Almost as if to punish herself for the indulgent thought, Kalina seeks out the smaller roofs of the temporary structures to make her perch. Easily climbable, without need of delicate balance and (most importantly) easily jumped off of in case of emergency. Be practical about this, or don't do it at all.

This isn't about fun. A soul-stained mess like you doesn't get to have nice things. You want to enjoy something, you insipid cur, then enjoy cracking Paladin's skull open when you find him. Find solace in Justice. As if you needed anything else.

She looks for the easiest way up, and starts to climb...

[Anarion]

Stephanie nodded and slipped away.

She started a cycle of the warehouse, glancing in windows and listening for people. Her objective was to get a count on everyone present, weaponry, civilian or combatants, and possible hostages. The intention wasn't to make any action until she'd mapped everything.

It's early evening. There's one guy on duty where the light is turned on. He's wearing jeans and a flannel shirt, and he hasn't shaved his rough brown hair in two or three days. He's making a cup of coffee on a hot plate plugged into the shack and not paying attention to anyone coming in or out. You figure he'll be engaged for a few minutes, but not much longer.

The closest road with traffic is a block and a half away, go to the end of the warehouse and turn either left or right toward the ocean or back to the city and you'll get a road with a car on it every so often. Three blocks back towards the city and you'll get a road with cars on it continuously.

Weaponry is myriad. This is a warehouse. There is loose chain inside (or at least, chain that could be loosened with minimal difficulty, which is basically the same thing). There are boards around and pieces of crates could be pried off. The wrought iron bar on the barn door could probably be ripped off by Rose with a dedicated effort and some magic. It's about 6 feet long.

Hostages, if there are any, aren't visible from an exterior sweep. If they're in a crate, you might be able to hear them with a full and careful exploration of the interior, but that would be time-consuming, as you'd need to stop at each crate to make sure.

Almost as if to punish herself for the indulgent thought, Kalina seeks out the smaller roofs of the temporary structures to make her perch. Easily climbable, without need of delicate balance and (most importantly) easily jumped off of in case of emergency. Be practical about this, or don't do it at all.

This isn't about fun. A soul-stained mess like you doesn't get to have nice things. You want to enjoy something, you insipid cur, then enjoy cracking Paladin's skull open when you find him. Find solace in Justice. As if you needed anything else.

She looks for the easiest way up, and starts to climb...

The drain pipe on the side of the wooden temp building can barely hold Rose's weight, but it does manage to stay attached to the building. Standing on the roof, she can see that the whole area is shipping. The ocean area has some large-sized mechanical loaders. They look sort of like AT-AT walkers from Star Wars. There doesn't seem to be anyone walking around the complex and Rose can see from her vantage point that the warehouse doesn't have any side entrances or weak walls. In all honesty, this area probably hasn't gone through any changes but a new paint job since the 1920s, and back then it might have been vibrant with dock workers that hadn't been replaced by machine loaders and computer filing systems.

[Thanqol]

This wasn't right; there was evidently a secret lair here somewhere, but it was going to be one of those secret secret lairs. Darn it.

First things first; ensure ongoing distraction for guard.

Stephanie whispered to the spreading night, reminding it of it's obligations to her, and the air around her distorted and darkened. This was a clouding of the senses, not an actual deepening of the shadows, so Rose's perspective would be unaffected.

She climbed noiselessly up to the roof of the guard shack, pebble in hand. She scuttled her fingers across the roof once, twice, creating the impression of rats. She stopped, waited a minute, then did it again. The third time she moved over to the doorway and dropped a pebble, drawing the guard's attention in that direction.

Then, in the split second of distraction, she leaned in through the window, knocked the coffee pot over, and scrambled back onto the roof before she was seen.

If this worked, there were a few positive scenarios. One, he'd blame the rats, and blame any future noises he heard on them. Two, he'd be coffeeless and might drift off in an hour or two. Three, he might figure to go out and get some coffee and leave his post, giving her time to search openly.

[I guess this is, uh, manipulation+stealth?]