Dreams of Power

[HopeHubris]

Evil-Smasher

Evil-Smasher stands at attention when Warden walks in, listening with rapt attention the entire time.
Unfortunately, he doesn't get out much, and doesn't have any information that would help the group, so he mostly stays quiet.

Though, he does try something

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For the people that can see through illusions:

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He's really trying to contain his excitement at seeing Warden again, because he knows you can see him now.
You can also see him moving his mouth

Anti-Illusion hearing:

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"I know you can see me, but can you hear this?"
He whispers, while maintaining the illusion of silence

[Orbiter]

Aegis


Aegis turned his head at the side towards Evil-Smasher as if saying why yes?, in that moment Aegis was smiling....well as much as someone with no cheeks or normal face can do. And he now had an idea, he walked to take a cup of water and then leaned down and whispered back in a soft chuckling tone so no one could hear him speaking to Evil-Smasher "Yes i can hear you, as well those partying outside, very rowdy fellas if you ask me.". With that said he leaned straight back up to watch others.

[TheThan]

Agent Goro,

The big man continues his speech on what he knows about the “vampires”.

“Yes, SIDE conducted several tests to figure out exactly what they are. Their power set seems to fit certain popular depictions of vampires. We’ve been unable to determine whether they're individual Dreamers, people transformed by Dreamer powers, summons, or literal undead.

Our interrogations went worse than our examinations. Once interviews began, they said in the same voice "I'm sorry, but the vampire you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please do not try again later." The voice is monotone and apparently adult male, regardless of the subject’s gender. We conducted voice recognition tests and we came up with no matches in our database. After that they basically stopped moving, speaking, etc.
We even had telepaths conduct mind reading and mental compulsions, the telepaths reported that the vampires weren't valid targets, whatever that means. SIDE's pretty sure they're actually dead at this point. So basically we’re stumped.
However this sort of response to interrogation is documented as part of the MO of the minions of the Necromancer. So it’s a fairly safe bet to assume he’s in town.”

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Avacyn
HP: 1 Condition:


Wait, Necromancer's minions were "suicided" not when you captured them but only after you started interrogation? the angel thinks about it. What do you want to bet they have a sensory link and their master gathers information about SIDE each time they are captured and brought in? Besides, unless there was some sort of triggered suicide effect - which power detection could possibly reveal and could be negated - the sensory link is the simplest way to know when to end them as well as allow the master control from a distance without needing to project personal, detectable powers.
She frowns for a few moments more.
As for your "not a valid target" results on telepathy, what if they don't have minds at all? I mean, your technology and electricity and stuff can move around lumps of inert metal, right? Couldn't necromancy do the same with dead bodies?

[18th Avenger]

The Gent

Jerry scratched his chin as he pondered Avacyn's input. So far, for all the hokum surrounding her, she was opening up new leads and lines of thought that he himself thought not to pursue. He took comfort in the fact that his purview was sneaking around and putting fists to faces.

A lightbulb went on in his head as he pulled bits and pieces of information out from the dialogue. "So you're thinking if we can get a mindreader to listen in while we're duking it out with the Necro's minions, we might just be able to pick up on his location?"

[TheThan]

Agent Goro

Goro takes a sip of his beer before speaking again.

“They could also have simply have been dead when the mind readers tried to scan them. I wasn’t there so I don't know if that's actually the case.

However, any attempt we make is better than not making any attempt at all. At worst all we can do is confirm that he’s not using his minions in such a way.”

“It’s possible that he simply does it the old fashioned way and just issues verbal orders and his minions carry them out.”

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So rolling knowledge: SIDE to see if they have any telepathic dreamers that are available (and willing) to help with our little investigation. if we don't (or i botch this) then we can ask Warden if Hero Corps has any.

(1d20+6)[15]

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Avacyn
HP: 1 Condition:




A telepath -someone who reads minds- might have a big problem if the enemy lacks a real mind. Someone who... manipulates information? I don't know the exact word but... she thinks about it for a moment.
Imagine someone that detect or manipulate information directly instead of reading minds. Information stored in minds? Books? Machines? Distant communication? Someone that reads, analyzes and controls it regardless of source, not limited to specific sources like telepaths or machine controllers. Is there anyone like that out there?


...and what will they ask for their help?

[HopeHubris]

Evil-Smasher

Evil-Smasher continues to do nothing of interest

Anti-Illusion-Seeing Only:

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He is talking to the lizard

Illusion-Proof ears:

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"I have an idea, you know I use illusions right? Well, my illusions only seem to work on things with working brains, so not machines and stuff, and they worked on the vampires"
He begins to explain
"Now, I was thinking, my illusions always seem to be pretty convincing, like if I try to copy someone, even if I haven't heard them, other people seem to think I sound like 'em, and I figured, maybe I could do that with the vampires, turn into the Necromancer in front of them, and maybe I'll look and sound like him, 'cause he can only turn people he killed himself, so they must have seen him, right?"

[Orbiter]

Aegis

Aegis was talking to the human next to him in a calm tone, despite that those who couldn't see him would think he was talking to himself, or to someone invisible or he was mad, just what he needed to start his day..er finish it that is.
"....yes that is correct, but he could do it without letting them see how he really looks like, however you also forget that he considers most if not all minions expendable so this doesn't guarantee they would know anything, but it might be able to give us a clue or two. As for giving them...hrm orders, i think that might work so long it doesn't contradict any of his own, i could be wrong of course, but then again we lack information so it would be good to try this plan anyway."

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Avacyn
HP: 1 Condition:




Point of order; the angel says with a small frown. Having a private conversation in the middle of a group discussion is not very polite. And in practical matters, you are doing the whole group a disservice by not sharing your ideas and opinions - not to mention those who rely on us to have good enough ideas to help save their lives. She crosses her hands over her chest in the classic pose of "annoyed female" and stares down at Evil-Smasher and Aegis. Normally, I would not come down as the heavy in a gathering of people that just met but for this I do not apologize. Evil disgusts me. And all it needs to win is not for good people to do nothing, but merely for them to do less than they could. So will you join this discussion with all you have to offer?

[Orbiter]

Aegis


Aegis blinked and simply crossed his arms as if imitating Avacyn....but he failed to keep a straight face and a chuckling hiss was heard as he uncrossed his arms. "Eh we are in the discussion?" for him this was more of a statement than question, weren't they discussing? he with Evil-Smasher and the rest could hear them?.

He shared a look with the real Evil-Smasher for a moment and then shrugged turning to Avacyn "We were speaking about using illusions on Necromancers.....uuhh pawns? minions? servants? hm the last one doesn't fit much. And i am not the best planer so i doubt i would get any good ideas apart from the fact i am not much of a fighter, Anyhow......what was the plan again?". This time Aegis looked at the real Evil-Smasher expectantly.

[Re'ozul]

Robert

Having finished the last bits on his plate, he looks into the round as people start talking about having multiple conversations.

"Honestly, I'm not even so sure what I could contribute to the conversation. All the technical information so far is new to me. All I know is that he turns up from time to time in some region, usually for a few weeks, and does his work there.
Do we have maybe something specific on him that isn't his modus operandi? Does he have a special symbol for himself or anything similarly unique that I could work off?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Not as far as I am aware. If it weren't for the fact that his minions give that...message when they are subject to interrogation, there wouldn't even be much to suggest the attacks attributed to him aren't all unrelated cases," Warden said.

[TheThan]

Goro

That’s very true. All of the information we have on the necromancer is circumstantial at best. SIDE is basically working off of guess work.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Did SIDE get anything from the attackers a few nights ago? I had heard they were chasing after one of them, I thought?" Warden asked, trying to get fully up to speed.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Avacyn
HP: 1 Condition:



And just as important the angel adds can we still get access to one of the corpses? Science and interrogation might not reveal any evidence but Order doesn't need any. More in the manner of informing colleagues rather than teaching students, despite her official tone, she goes on to explain.
Order is the cardinal concept of relevance and relativity; Things that exist will differ and interact. That happens to all things, no exceptions. For our situation, the corpses closely interacted with their murderer physically -he exerted some effect on them-, temporally -he spent time with them-, socially -he killed them-, metaphysically -he raised them-, mentally -they either conversed or he controlled them-, intellectually -they paid attention to each other and exchanged information- and conceptually -they are the products of a power he controlled. In all levels, they are relevant and related. That kind of connection could allow people to employ the corpses to home in on such relationships. But more importantly, it might allow me to attune my senses to that connection and find our perpetrator without requiring evidence or an actual link.
She lets you think for a moment before continuing.
Should I attempt it? My powers are of Order - but to try for something like that I'd have to stretch them. it takes some effort and it isn't guaranteed.

[HopeHubris]

Evil-Smasher

"If we find more of the vampires, ones that aren't broken, I could try... um..."
There's a slight pause after that as he tries to think of a way to explain how he could try to use his powers, without giving away the fact that he is an illusionist
Hmm, what's a good way to do it... Got it!
"Shining my Light of Truth! on them, which, if they met the Necromancer personally, should show us what he looks like"

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Sufficiently dramatic booming echo when he says "Light of Truth!"

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Avacyn
HP: 1 Condition:


Try not to shine that light too hard. Avacyn admonishes while trying not to laugh. You'll go blind!
She pauses for a moment so everyone can get the joke then sighs.
Seriously though. Debate is good and all - but not if we sit around drowning in indecision. So wait for a moment - I'll be right back.
The angel's wings shine bright like the sun and she flies up and away, too fast for most people to register what happened.

[Quellian-dyrae]

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Avacyn won't encounter any difficulty getting one of the vamp corpses, up to you if you want to skip through or play out her visit to SIDE, or if you want to do anything else while you're there.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Avacyn
HP: 1 Condition: , fatigued


A few moments after the angelic woman's disappearance there's a pillar of silver-blue light shining down from the heavens and striking straight down at the party. No, someone didn't launch a hypervelocity warhead from low orbit; it's just the angel returning to the party. And once the glare clears -no sonic boom, surprisingly- Avacyn is back. And she's carrying a long black flattened cylinder that looks suspiciously like a coffin... or a self-contained freezer for individual secure body containment.
I come bearing gifts! she says, smiling. Yes, it is one of the "vampire" corpses. It was faster for me to bring it here rather than all of us go back to the SIDE facility. And now, let's see what we can learn.
Opening the container to reveal the frozen body, she places one hand upon the corpse's forehead and closes her eyes in concentration. When she opens them, they shine like miniature suns...


OOC:
Senses 45 [detect metaphysical connections to subject, acute, accurate, analytical, at range, radius, penetrates and negates concealment and illusion, Extended 10, Rapid 10, dimensional 3, affects insubstantial 2]

[Orbiter]

Aegis

Too much light Aegis was calm having taken some water to cover his skin, apparently for someone needing no food or drink he could still drink water and enjoy it or keep it as a second skin of sorts like his so called ancestors kept themselves in the mud.

Still he hadn't understood what the plan was by Avacyn so he simply kept a silent vigil.

[Quellian-dyrae]

As Avacyn attunes her divine senses to the vampire's corpse, she begins to trace all the various connections to it. In the SIDE base, she senses the faded remnants of the necromantic power that had afflicted the body on presumably the other four vampires. Three of the four also had a more mundane biological link.

A much more substantial source of the power was present in the city of Kellarn. More precisely, eighty-four miles, 1,507 feet west and twenty-two miles, 491 feet south of Avacyn's current position. There was also a score of weak but active sources of energy in the vicinity, and half a dozen significant, but still lesser sources.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Avacyn
HP: 1 Condition: , fatigued


Her eyes still glowing like miniature suns, the angelic woman smiles at the others. I believe I've found whom we were looking for. The strongest iteration of a power similar to our now dead vampires lies in the city of Kellarn. There is a hand and one of lesser but still powerful sources nearby and four hands of minor sources. She sighs I suspect the strongest is our Necromancer, the weakest are created vampires and the intermediate sources could be either "master" vampires or other individuals with necromantic powers, if the suspicion that the Necromancer is several people and not an individual.

Any thoughts on what we should do? I know their positions with more accuracy than they know themselves now and I can keep tracking them but we're outnumbered, and as long as I maintain my Far Sight I have little power to provide in a fight.

[Orbiter]

Aegis

"Light Mistress point me to the right way and i will run there if you want, you can hop on me and hold on...oh dont we have tele system? i think you could use that. But if you worry about being outnumbered you could ask for any of the heroes around to help you" Aegis let out a short laugh that sounded like a rumbling growling sound. "They might be celebrating, but i know some are wearing peoples skin and actually are like....glad to help? besides some might have a.......rage against Necromancer and thus they wont mind helping you."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"That's excellent work," Warden said respectfully. "Fair enough then. Are you all comfortable to bring him in, or should I gather a team together?"

[TheThan]

Agent Goro.
Still standing in the semicircle of people, Goro, cracks his knuckles in his hands.

“Since I’ve already been assigned to this case, I think I should be going along.. Assuming Warden here doesn’t mind a SIDE agent tagging along for the ride.
“As for teleportation, Hero corps has the tech, I believe its right down the hall, whether we can gain access to it, depends on our esteemed Warden.”

[Quellian-dyrae]

"By all means. Richard should be in there, just give him the coordinates."

[Orbiter]

Aegis

Aegsi shook his body like he shed his skin "I suppose i could join you a bit as well, if anything an extra pair of eyes to help you?, lead the way ".

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Skip to everyone getting teleported to the scene or rp that as well?
Either way i wont post any comments from Aegis unless you ask him specifically or arrive on the scene.

[Re'ozul]

Robert

"I'd like some extra protection before we go anywhere. Body Armor and such things. Unless SIDE is okay with me grabbing some myself."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"We have some decent gear available, but you may want to requisition some from SIDE. Most of our forces don't really need it, so it's not top of the line."