Skyscraper Graveyard IC: Renaissance City

[the_druid_droid]

Turing rolled his eyes, looked at Jack's pocket, then out toward the car, and finally back to his fellow Mage. "If you weren't keeping Mr. Murderpants here calm, I would take serious issue with this." With a scowl, he fished the keys from Jack's pocket and headed for the car, shaking his head as he went.

He wasn't entirely sure what approach to take with this spirit, since they weren't technically his specialty, but if Dominic's generalizations were enough, he might as well start with an act he knew. Opening the car door, he fished around in the glove compartment and center console for a while, before locating the first useful object - a pair of driving sunglasses. He also considered looking for something to provide a more appropriate soundtrack, but ultimately decided that Jack's ocarina would be best; getting murdered in the middle of his show would be problematic... Instead, Turing searched and patted his jacket pockets until he was able to locate a lone cigarette in one of them. He lit it, and took a drink from the flask he carried - a small one, since the demon's warning was still ringing in his ears, but it was important for setting the mood.

With the sunglasses settled in place, Turing re-locked the car, and headed back inside, pausing only for a moment to place a coin under his tongue. "Time to get this show on the road!"

[Thanqol]

Turing knew a few things about exorcisms, if casting out a ghost was anything to go by and from suggestions from his mentor.

One, the relative power of the ghost mattered a lot. It was a two-way mental slugging match between it and you. Some ghosts were weak and fade-y, mere echoes of themselves. Some were more real than they had ever been in life. The passions that animated the thing were the primary source of it's power.

Two, while the exorcism was going on the ghost would be free to stomp around, stab people, climb the walls, whatever. They tended to be extremely dramatic when they were being cast out of a host they liked. Fortunately, Errant at some point when she was instructing Turing would have made it very clear that he should be carrying a set of handcuffs with him at all times, as a Guardian and as a Mage.

Thirdly, he knew firsthand from a Guardian training exercise that it's really hard to mentally defend yourself when someone's just hit you in the face with pepper spray.

[the_druid_droid]

As he walked back into the house, Turing could still hear Jack's music filling up the decayed hallway. As he passed Jack, he made a note to find a way to get him back for the keys - preferably after all the exorcisms, brain parasites and crazy Seers were dealt with for the immediate future.

Although his costume was more or less ready, Turing still needed a few things to improve the odds. Reaching a hand into another coat pocket, he produced a set of steel handcuffs - Errant's advice wasn't something he took lightly. With a click, Turing fastened one loop around his possessee, while looking for the sturdiest thing he could attach the other end to - it wouldn't do to have the man waving a knife around while he was focused on the exorcism. As he did so, Turing also looked to see if the points of the taser were still embedded in the man's body.

"Tessen, when I give you the signal, give him a little shock. It'll make all our lives easier."

[Anarion]

"Oh, he ripped them out. Um, let me just get it ready again." *keeps smiling broadly and readies taser on Turing's signal.*

[Deadly]

Amun watched, wondering if he could offer some kind of assistance. "Don't hesitate to ask if you need some doodad or other. I might have something that could serve in a pinch." He patted his suitcase. It wasn't unlikely, especially if it was something small, useless and largely decorative.

[Thanqol]

The man wasn't stupified by the music, just calmed, and when Turing pulled the handcuffs he hissed and stepped back. It lived on the streets of Detroit, it knew about drug busts, and it recognised what those were.

[the_druid_droid]

"Ok, that got through to him. Good to know." Turing considered for a moment, then cast a glance toward Amun. "Think you can help me fasten him to something solid? Won't do to have him stabbing us mid-exorcism, and in general, ghosts don't like exorcisms much."

Turing returned his gaze to the possessed man, and moved slowly forward once more, hoping Amun could flank the man or help box him in.

[Deadly]

[I am thinking, I have this idea, you know, it's probably stupid, but maybe if I could create a phantasm of some delicious looking drugs to make the addict go along with it and put on the handcuffs, but the book says that's vulgar magic. But I'm thinking, you know, it's a really small item, just a little plastic bag with some white stuff or some pills, so Amun could pretend to simply pull it out of a pocket and it wouldn't look unbelievable or magic at all, right?]

[Thanqol]

[I am thinking, I have this idea, you know, it's probably stupid, but maybe if I could create a phantasm of some delicious looking drugs to make the addict go along with it and put on the handcuffs, but the book says that's vulgar magic. But I'm thinking, you know, it's a really small item, just a little plastic bag with some white stuff or some pills, so Amun could pretend to simply pull it out of a pocket and it wouldn't look unbelievable or magic at all, right?]

[I'll tell you for free you can go out onto the street and buy some heroin for like $10 off the dealer standing on the corner.

What you're talking about is still Vulgar (creating physical stuff with Prime is always vulgar) but it wouldn't be Improbable to the sleeper so wouldn't get the +2 paradox/disbelief.]

[Anarion]

Tessen holds up her tazer to Turing, noting that it's ready again, if he needs assistance.

[Deadly]

Amun considered for a moment, then held up a hand. "A guy who kept fighting like that despite all those volts ... I'm not sure how you'd hold him long enough to get those cuffs on. Let's offer him a bit of incentive to go along with it, or at least to distract him. A fix should not be hard to find in this place," he said

[Tiki Snakes]

Unsure of what else to do and mildly terrified of what might be about to happen, Jack opts for unhelpfully continuing to play the ocarina in the vague hope that it will help keep the situation from escalating further too quickly.

Maybe if I keep on playing like it isn't a thing, he'll thing relax again? Jack thought.

[the_druid_droid]

Turing looked between the handcuffs and their still-nameless assailant. "Actually, you might have point there, Amun. If we could get enough to send him on a happy little trip, the cuffs would be easier to get on, and the beginning of this exorcism might go smoother."

Slowly, he tucked the cuffs back into a pocket and held up his hands, trying to demonstrate they were empty. "If you can find me some dope, we can put it to use."

[Thanqol]

When Turing backed off, the addict calmed again, though he still looked wary.

[Deadly]

"I'll be right back," Amun said. He still had a bit of change from his payback adventure earlier. Probably enough, he mused, as he left the house and casually glanced around the street.

[Thanqol]

"I'll be right back," Amun said. He still had a bit of change from his payback adventure earlier. Probably enough, he mused, as he left the house and casually glanced around the street.

There is no roll or risk involved in buying drugs in Detroit. There's a dealer on every corner, lonely cries of "Eight ball! Get your eight ball here!" echoing down the deserted streets.

[Deadly]

[I suppose the police don't care around here]

Amun procured a bag, easy peasy, and returned and handed Turing the wares. "You know what to do, I hope. I'm worried once you show it to him he might go crazy, so be ready to throw it or something."

[Thanqol]

[I suppose the police don't care around here]

[Put it this way. When you enter a part of the city the police do care about, I'll let you know."

[the_druid_droid]

Turing turned the bag over in his hand, inspecting the contents. He really wasn't sure what the man's tolerance might be, but he hoped this would be enough, and that it wouldn't somehow make things worse.

"Well, the stick didn't work, so let's try the carrot, shall we?" He turned to face their addict friend once more, and held out the drugs. He might be able to turn up a syringe somewhere, but he was hoping the man could handle this part himself.

[Thanqol]

Turing turned the bag over in his hand, inspecting the contents. He really wasn't sure what the man's tolerance might be, but he hoped this would be enough, and that it wouldn't somehow make things worse.

"Well, the stick didn't work, so let's try the carrot, shall we?" He turned to face their addict friend once more, and held out the drugs. He might be able to turn up a syringe somewhere, but he was hoping the man could handle this part himself.

The addict grabbed the bag of drugs like an addict grabbing a bag of drugs. He came with his own syringe and didn't so much as hesitate before shooting up.

[the_druid_droid]

"That was easy." Turing kept an eye on the man once the drugs were in his system, looking for some sign that they might be affecting him, as he took a slow step closer.

[Thanqol]

While there was a vague gesture of hostility, it quickly turned into the addict sitting down and zoning out. He'd quickly lost the ability to care about this situation. The possessing entity was probably feeding, and thus distracted.

[Deadly]

Amun grinned. "Excellent. Let's hurry," he said to Turing.

[Tiki Snakes]

Jack Stared resolutely at nothing, head-torch pointing in the general direction of the addicts torso as he played on. The music was everything, he lost himself in it. Time enough to feel the horror of the situation later, when what must be done was over with.

[Anarion]

Tessen fidgeted a little. She was ready to help as soon as Turing called for it, but this waiting was bothering her. She wanted to get to the bigger task, not cater to a junkie's habit all day.

[the_druid_droid]

Seeing the man's guard go down, Turing moved quickly to try and cuff him as a prelude to the exorcism. Failing that, he'd have to ask Tessen for some more juice, but once the man was at least partially immobilized, he could begin.

"So, I take it you found yourself a nice little home in there, haven't you? Yeah, you know which one of you I mean... Well, see, this is a problem, because me and the boss take issue with your choice of residence. Now why don't you save everyone some trouble and get out?" As he said the words, Turing moved around to face the man, scowling behind the sunglasses he wore and generally trying to project all the Baron-y bits of his soul at the unwelcome guest.

[Thanqol]

That looked like it got some attention. The poise or attitude of the Baron had Resonance here.

Unfortunately, the response was a vague rustle of leaves and a change to the sheen on the addict's eyes, becoming jaundiced yellow and vaguely catlike. It wasn't leaving peacably.

[Anarion]

[So it's handcuffed successfully now?]

[Thanqol]

[So it's handcuffed successfully now?]

[Yes, my apologies]

[the_druid_droid]

"Amun, Tessen, if you have any sense of rhythm, find something sturdy enough to hit and give me a beat to work with. We're going to have to do this the hard way." Turing loosened his tie and took a moment to lock eyes with the possessed man behind his sunglasses.

"As for you. You are going to listen!" The Moros brought his silver-tipped cane down with a sharp crack against the worm-eaten floorboards.

"I'm not calling to you as Turing-Mage now, no! I conjure you as Turing-Avatar! Dead city raised up! God of Death set free! I am the lightning in the bottle and the thunder in the drums, and the ones I lay down stay put in their graves! I'm the meanest sonuvabitch you ever did see..." as he spoke, a smile began to grow on Turing's features and his voice took on an edge of command that hadn't been there before.

"...and we can out-drink, out-fight, and out-**** anybody you care to name, all the way from here to Port-au-Prince!" Now the cane was back up off the floor, flying around in Turing's grasp to gesture wildly and stab at the air, "We don't give a **** if you're a spirit or a ghost, or the chewed-up remains of some junkie's pride. We don't give a **** because this is our city, this is our party, and now this is our house, so you will OBEY!"