Inside 57

[Morcleon]

Misaka hugs back until cerise ends the hug

Cerise draws back after a few moments and beams. "...do you mind if I just kinda follow you around except when I have a job?"

[Arkhosia]

Cerise draws back after a few moments and beams. "...do you mind if I just kinda follow you around except when I have a job?"

not at all! I'm thinking of joining WATCH, actually. Want to come with me?
She asks, moving to get up.

[Halae]

[Trick's Investigations]

Trick smiles, and pulls a vial full of orange liquid out of the drawer, "Here, try it. You should probably like it."

[Market Street Apartment]

"No bloodstain on the ground. She didn't fall, the city doesn't clean up that fast," Trick says, frowning, "Quickly now." She'll move into the building, and get into the elevator as soon as possible. if for some reason she can't take the elevator, she'll quickly move up the stairs.

[Lost_Deep]

Trick's Investigations

Freia takes the vial, smells it daintily, and then sips it. It's similar to how one might sample a wine in a formal setting.

[Arkhosia]

[Trick's Investigations]

Trick smiles, and pulls a vial full of orange liquid out of the drawer, "Here, try it. You should probably like it."

[Market Street Apartment]

"No bloodstain on the ground. She didn't fall, the city doesn't clean up that fast," Trick says, frowning, "Quickly now." She'll move into the building, and get into the elevator as soon as possible. if for some reason she can't take the elevator, she'll quickly move up the stairs.

The elevator works!
The tiefling leads her to an apartment, the door broken down. Inside the orchid-walled apartment is strewn with papers, books, and various objects. The couch is cover with blood, and the floor has a lot of it on it. The window seen outside leads to the window.

[Morcleon]

not at all! I'm thinking of joining WATCH, actually. Want to come with me?
She asks, moving to get up.

Cerise looks up at her blankly. "Ah... really? I... I guess I could come along, if you wanted."

[Arkhosia]

Cerise looks up at her blankly. "Ah... really? I... I guess I could come along, if you wanted."

completely up to you!
Misawa replies, offering a hand.

[Halae]

[Trick's Investigations]

It tastes tangy, and like oranges.

"What do you think? The local Magmart sells them in sugar packets, you mix them with a little water and suddenly you have something tasty."

[Market Street Apartment]

Trick scratches her chin,and checks the door. Striations should show whether the destruction occured from the outside in inside - whether the door was torn off it's hinges from within the apartment, or whether it was from hallway that the battering came. Next, she checks for glass around the shattered window - if there's glass on the carpet here on the inside of the apartment, that means whatever it was that happened, it came in through the window; if not, and all the glass is outdoors, then it came from inside the apartment.

finally, she kneels down to the blood. Blood is a material that holds magic particularly well, due to its relation to lifeforce. because of this, Trick takes a clear vial of liquid off her belt, as well as her dagger. She'll scrape a small amount of the blood off the floor with the knife, and drip a few drops into the clear vial. If the blood is nonmagical, it'll just be diluted blood. If the Blood has a magical residue, however, that'll get a reaction from the liquid - if it's a conjurative effect, the vial will glow red. Necromantic, it'll glow purple. Evocation, yellow. Illusion, green.

[Arkhosia]

[Trick's Investigations]

It tastes tangy, and like oranges.

"What do you think? The local Magmart sells them in sugar packets, you mix them with a little water and suddenly you have something tasty."

[Market Street Apartment]

Trick scratches her chin,and checks the door. Striations should show whether the destruction occured from the outside in inside - whether the door was torn off it's hinges from within the apartment, or whether it was from hallway that the battering came. Next, she checks for glass around the shattered window - if there's glass on the carpet here on the inside of the apartment, that means whatever it was that happened, it came in through the window; if not, and all the glass is outdoors, then it came from inside the apartment.

finally, she kneels down to the blood. Blood is a material that holds magic particularly well, due to its relation to lifeforce. because of this, Trick takes a clear vial of liquid off her belt, as well as her dagger. She'll scrape a small amount of the blood off the floor with the knife, and drip a few drops into the clear vial. If the blood is nonmagical, it'll just be diluted blood. If the Blood has a magical residue, however, that'll get a reaction from the liquid - if it's a conjurative effect, the vial will glow red. Necromantic, it'll glow purple. Evocation, yellow. Illusion, green.

The door was kicked in from the outside. All the glass is outside.
It glows a mix of Purple and gold (presuming that would suggest divinity).
The woman watches her worriedly.

[Lost_Deep]

Trick's Investigations

Freia is confused for a moment, and then goes 'oh'. "Drink mix. Common some places. I'm not sure how much use it will be in alchemy; perhaps if the chemicals in the flavoring are unusual."

[Morcleon]

completely up to you!
Misawa replies, offering a hand.

"Alright, I'll definitely come along." Cerise takes the hand and floats up to a "standing" position.

"We're friends, after all..."

[Halae]

[Trick's Investigations]

"I know. It's called Tang. Tasty stuff. I wouldn't mind drinking more of it, myself," Trick says, "Remember, I'm from a world that isn't terribly technologically advanced. There's a lot of technology and things I've simply never heard of."

[Market Street Apartment]

"You said your sister did some necromancy?" Trick reaches into her belt, for the sealed book, and undoes the clasp. At the same time, she puts the glowing gold and purple vial back into her belt.

As she pulls the book out, a pulse of dark power surges out. It'll feel like a wave of cold over the area - it's not magical, not visible. Just a feeling of... wrongness. As Trick flips open the book, each turned page seems to sigh and moan in agony, until she finally reaches the proper page.

She begins a slow chant in a melodic, but consonant heavy language, following the words written in the dark book with her finger as she speaks. Any spectral entities in the area should feel a pull - a request for an audience. They could ignore it, sure, but the spell is offering to manifest them so that the living can see, though not touch. Trick is calling whatever spirits Larissa would have commonly worked with to her. Hopefully, that'll result in having an eye witness to whatever happened here.

[Arkhosia]

"Alright, I'll definitely come along." Cerise takes the hand and floats up to a "standing" position.

"We're friends, after all..."

Off to WATCH!
((already posted!))

[Arkhosia]

[Trick's Investigations]

"I know. It's called Tang. Tasty stuff. I wouldn't mind drinking more of it, myself," Trick says, "Remember, I'm from a world that isn't terribly technologically advanced. There's a lot of technology and things I've simply never heard of."

[Market Street Apartment]

"You said your sister did some necromancy?" Trick reaches into her belt, for the sealed book, and undoes the clasp. At the same time, she puts the glowing gold and purple vial back into her belt.

As she pulls the book out, a pulse of dark power surges out. It'll feel like a wave of cold over the area - it's not magical, not visible. Just a feeling of... wrongness. As Trick flips open the book, each turned page seems to sigh and moan in agony, until she finally reaches the proper page.

She begins a slow chant in a melodic, but consonant heavy language, following the words written in the dark book with her finger as she speaks. Any spectral entities in the area should feel a pull - a request for an audience. They could ignore it, sure, but the spell is offering to manifest them so that the living can see, though not touch. Trick is calling whatever spirits Larissa would have commonly worked with to her. Hopefully, that'll result in having an eye witness to whatever happened here.

yes, she was studying death. Wanted to learn more about it.
The woman shivers.
A ghost of a kindly old woman appears before Trick!
Yes?

[Lost_Deep]

Trick's Investigations

"It doesn't help that the technology is so all over the place that there are many things here I don't know about," Freia sighs, "Not to mention the additions of magic and other fantastic things."

[Halae]

[Trick's Investigations]

"We're both a bit out of our element, yes. Guns in particular are an interesting addition."

Freia may notice that the blue-white chest just... moved slightly, towards the desk.

[Market Street Apartment]

"Hello, thank you for agreeing to see me. I'm looking for Larissa, the woman who was living here, evidently a necromancer. Something happened, and I'm trying to find out what - were you here to witness it?" Trick asks. Best to speak plainly with Spirits. Sometimes they were a bit daft due to their time in the land of the dead, and it was always better to be polite and direct with people you need information from.

[Arkhosia]

[Trick's Investigations]

"We're both a bit out of our element, yes. Guns in particular are an interesting addition."

Freia may notice that the blue-white chest just... moved slightly, towards the desk.

[Market Street Apartment]

"Hello, thank you for agreeing to see me. I'm looking for Larissa, the woman who was living here, evidently a necromancer. Something happened, and I'm trying to find out what - were you here to witness it?" Trick asks. Best to speak plainly with Spirits. Sometimes they were a bit daft due to their time in the land of the dead, and it was always better to be polite and direct with people you need information from.

Oh, yes! Some men in black robes attacked her and she dove out the window, shining with dark light! It was amazing!
Trick may recognize the shining light as ascension to godhood

[5a Violista]

[Blue Zone]
Park

An elderly man is walking down the street through the park to sit down in his usual spot and feed the birds.

Looking over to the left, he sees a cellist playing something. It's a little too quiet to hear (he never wears his hearing aid on Thursdays). Oh, how nice. A cello.

He keeps on walking, but the music doesn't fade out.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Cliffs]

The demons have a suicidal focus at KR at the moment and don't notice much beyond their prey, so the grenade catches them by surprise blinding and fracturing a couple of their bones as they're hit by the shock wave.

They will fail around some but will likely not cause her any more trouble for this scene.

The rest of the pack keep flying above the surface however, actually splitting to cover more ground. They seem to be counting on that the wizard eventually have to get up.

Meanwhile at the cliffs the landbound demons are quickly attempting to perform a very hastily formed ritual of some sort, KR will likely not be able to see this however.

[Cliffs]

Indeed, KR is in a rather rough spot right now, trapped several meters below the surface in a bubble of her own creation, with a demonic curse rapidly sapping her endurance. When her energies finally seep, the shield will collapse, allowing water to rush in, and she will drown.

KR weighs her options at the current moment. She has enough control of her bubble to let it rise to the surface before it collapse. There, on the surface, either she will quickly be spotted by the flying demons and be captured, too weak to resist, or she will somehow escape notice long enough to sink and drown anyway. Not ideal.

If the main obstacle in her way currently was the curse draining away her energy, then why not magic it away? KR is a student of the tomes and books in the Watchtower library. Books written by magi of binding and control, who harnessed the magical force of the Other Place through language and ritual. To perform one of these ritual magics would take too long. Her energy would give out and she would drown before the spell would be complete. The magi of binding wrote of other ways to perform magic, devoid of rules and control, to be able to force the raw, untamed force of the Other purely through force of will. To even attempt to do so caused many of the magi who tried such to die horrible deaths, destroyed by magic gone haywire or simply consumed by the whirling maelstrom of power they tried to access. Only some could successfully use the Other directly in this way, powerful sorcerers either born with the talent, or practiced with careful experimentation and repeated exposure - exposure that increased their magical talents and control over the Other, but which often exacted heavy tolls on their minds and bodies.

So of course that's what KR decides is her only remaining course of action. No spells, no words, no gestures. None of the manipulating magics that would allow her to draw out the immense power of the Other without risking the utter destruction of her being. She simply reaches, and pulls, drawing through her a torrent of chaotic energies that blast through her consciousness, hammering her mind with an unending tornado of energy. She tries to focus, directing a minute fraction of the power of the Other to the curse sapping her energy, which falls away instantly, simply unraveled and then blown apart by the awesome force that it's been exposed to.

Gasping, KR releases the her hold over Other, desperately hammering shut the connection before it overwhelms her. Curse broken, she finds her energy returning to her rather quickly, physically and mentally reinvigorating her. She shakes a little, tingling with residual energy from the Other flowing through her, and trying to concentrate through the raucous echoes in her mind left in its wake.

About a full minute later, if the demons haven't gotten impatient or finished their ritual by then, a column of water erupts from the ocean, possibly swatting one of the flying demons on the way up. Elemental magic isn't KR's strongest or preferred school, but when you're literally surrounded by the stuff, it's usually a convenient source of spell material. It recedes, leaving a floating orb of ice, roughly large enough that a person might conceivably be inside. KR's hoping that's what the demons think, at least, so that they won't notice her emerging from another part of the water with her flight spell, hugging the cliff and flying along it to try to avoid notice.

[Hattish Thing]

Ritz Casino Bunker

Jack tosses his cigar aside, accepting the new one and the seat graciously, lighting it with a snap of his fingers and inhaling the smoke deeper than he should with no I'll effect. When he sighs and smiles, the smoke escapes between his cartoonishly large, white, and pointy teeth.

"Bloodier than a strict pimp's backhand, my friend. Those ladies you gifted me so graciously did their jobs spectacularly. It's turning out even better than I'd hoped."

Upon noticing the horrific end to the Channel Ate team, Marciano blinks and sets his cigar down, lightly massaging his temple. Gah. Now there's an image I'd prefer not to recall. Blech. He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. He seems to be content, if a little bit tired. This whole thing had taken quite a lot of work to plan out, however, the money he was to receive would easily make up for the preparation's cost.

Marcy looks upon Jack's strangely large white teeth, though he doesn't really seem impressed.

For a while, Marciano had quite the set of terrible teeth. Luckily, since he got rich, he'd been able to repair them.

Ahh, wonderful then. Well, of course my ladies did their job well. They work for me. There's been reports and rumors aaaall over the city. None of 'em have even the faintest clue we're behind it. But, you know... WE could use this publicity....

[TechnoScrabble]

Unveiling

The controls are splattered with blood, but easy to read. There's an activate/deactivate, emergency shutdown, on/off, power flow control, emitter array control, oscilloscope, and a keypad for numeral input. The problem is, all the buttons themselves have been removed!

Ritz Casino Bunker

"I thought you didn't want the publicity?" Jack asks, honestly surprised and raising an eyebrow.

[Hattish Thing]

Unveiling

The controls are splattered with blood, but easy to read. There's an activate/deactivate, emergency shutdown, on/off, power flow control, emitter array control, oscilloscope, and a keypad for numeral input. The problem is, all the buttons themselves have been removed!

Ritz Casino Bunker

"I thought you didn't want the publicity?" Jack asks, honestly surprised and raising an eyebrow.

Marciano rolls his eyes. Not me specifically. I said we. For a long while now, I've played around with the idea of creating a professional Thieves Guild. Ever since my days as a common thief, waaaay long ago, I imagined how wondrous it would be. Now... Imagine if we formed this proverbial guild...

You'd be Guild Master, and I'd supply the work...

Highly profitable...

[TechnoScrabble]

Ritz Casino Bunker

Jack thinks for a moment. It has been a long time. Maybe he should get back in the game...Being a crime boss again...yeah, Tenebria could handle the Underbed when he's away...

"Do I get to keep the thieves we catch working out of the guild?"

[Hattish Thing]

Ritz Casino Bunker

Jack thinks for a moment. It has been a long time. Maybe he should get back in the game...Being a crime boss again...yeah, Tenebria could handle the Underbed when he's away...

"Do I get to keep the thieves we catch working out of the guild?"

Marciano nods his head. 'Course ya do. Also, prolly be best to keep away from any sort of MERC Operatives as well. I'm a business partner with Mr. Snig up there, and I know he'd frown upon my 'shenanigans', ahah.

You might have to tone down the air of threat a notch, by the way. Scarin' off newbies won't help.

It'd be based in Skyside. I'm thinkin' the guild could be built right underneath The Ritz...

[TechnoScrabble]

Ritz Casino Bunker

"I'm game!" Jack slaps the side of the chair and laughs, "I could make different branches, play them off each other. Moving to Skyside...that'd be good. When do we start?"

[Hattish Thing]

Ritz Casino Bunker

"I'm game!" Jack slaps the side of the chair and laughs, "I could make different branches, play them off each other. Moving to Skyside...that'd be good. When do we start?"

Marciano laughs loudly, obviously amused by Jack's sudden enthusiasm. I don't believe different branches would help too much 'ere, friend. No in-fighting. Just causes rivalries and trouble and blech. Not good.

When do we start? Hmm. Soon. You'd have to do some recruiting, for I'm not really a 'people person', as you've probably guessed. I'd need to hire a team to get on building the actual facility. It'd be underground, at the very heart of Skyside... beneath The Ritz, so food and supplies and such could easily be moved back and forth...

[TechnoScrabble]

Ritz Casino Bunker

"How do you want to go about recruiting?" Jack asks, "Tavern whispers, set up rumours of big jobs to reel them in, fear tactics?"

[Hattish Thing]

Ritz Casino Bunker

"How do you want to go about recruiting?" Jack asks, "Tavern whispers, set up rumours of big jobs to reel them in, fear tactics?"

Marciano looks over at him like he just suggested stabbing potential recruits. Um...No? No. Fear tactics? On thieves? Seriously? They'd surely run off. A good thief knows when to run, and when to stay. TRying to terrify one into working for ya tends to make 'em want to rebel.

I know my criminals.

Thieves are a specific type... Some are surly and gruff, more rough'em'up. Those guys you've just gotta impress. Wear some badass looking armor, be tellin' stories of battles and exploits.

Some are more the dexterous fleeting types, looking for thrills only! To reel 'em in, all you need is a promise for a good heist or two.

Others still are the moneymakers, after my own black heart. Tell stories of plunder and riches and simply tell 'em you know exactly how to get rich quick...

Lastly, some are the rare kind of thief simply desiring a home. Fitting in among his peers where he or she won't be judged.

I'm guessing you're manipulative enough to inspire specific desires in each kind of person you find. Inns and taverns, dude. They work wonders for recruitment.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ritz Casino Bunker

"Tavern whispers it is!" Jack says excitedly, though he is somewhat sad that he doesn't get to scare anyone.

[Shadowcaller]

[Cliffs]

Indeed, KR is in a rather rough spot right now, trapped several meters below the surface in a bubble of her own creation, with a demonic curse rapidly sapping her endurance. When her energies finally seep, the shield will collapse, allowing water to rush in, and she will drown.

KR weighs her options at the current moment. She has enough control of her bubble to let it rise to the surface before it collapse. There, on the surface, either she will quickly be spotted by the flying demons and be captured, too weak to resist, or she will somehow escape notice long enough to sink and drown anyway. Not ideal.

If the main obstacle in her way currently was the curse draining away her energy, then why not magic it away? KR is a student of the tomes and books in the Watchtower library. Books written by magi of binding and control, who harnessed the magical force of the Other Place through language and ritual. To perform one of these ritual magics would take too long. Her energy would give out and she would drown before the spell would be complete. The magi of binding wrote of other ways to perform magic, devoid of rules and control, to be able to force the raw, untamed force of the Other purely through force of will. To even attempt to do so caused many of the magi who tried such to die horrible deaths, destroyed by magic gone haywire or simply consumed by the whirling maelstrom of power they tried to access. Only some could successfully use the Other directly in this way, powerful sorcerers either born with the talent, or practiced with careful experimentation and repeated exposure - exposure that increased their magical talents and control over the Other, but which often exacted heavy tolls on their minds and bodies.

So of course that's what KR decides is her only remaining course of action. No spells, no words, no gestures. None of the manipulating magics that would allow her to draw out the immense power of the Other without risking the utter destruction of her being. She simply reaches, and pulls, drawing through her a torrent of chaotic energies that blast through her consciousness, hammering her mind with an unending tornado of energy. She tries to focus, directing a minute fraction of the power of the Other to the curse sapping her energy, which falls away instantly, simply unraveled and then blown apart by the awesome force that it's been exposed to.

Gasping, KR releases the her hold over Other, desperately hammering shut the connection before it overwhelms her. Curse broken, she finds her energy returning to her rather quickly, physically and mentally reinvigorating her. She shakes a little, tingling with residual energy from the Other flowing through her, and trying to concentrate through the raucous echoes in her mind left in its wake.

About a full minute later, if the demons haven't gotten impatient or finished their ritual by then, a column of water erupts from the ocean, possibly swatting one of the flying demons on the way up. Elemental magic isn't KR's strongest or preferred school, but when you're literally surrounded by the stuff, it's usually a convenient source of spell material. It recedes, leaving a floating orb of ice, roughly large enough that a person might conceivably be inside. KR's hoping that's what the demons think, at least, so that they won't notice her emerging from another part of the water with her flight spell, hugging the cliff and flying along it to try to avoid notice.

[Cliffs]

One of the bat creatures is swatted by the rising ball but quickly recovers and shrieks, summoning the rest of the swarm who quickly surrounds the bubble as KR is sneaking away through the cliffs.

They start to crash straight into it one by one, trying to break the bubble with their bodies alone.

The horned land demons aren't paying any attention to this however, they're fully focused on their ritual. And their efforts pay of, KR can see a bright flash of light as a winged creature takes to the skies. At first glance one could take it for ana angel of some sort made of silver but it's far too slender for that. It consists of a body who is just as thin as it's unnaturally long arms and legs giving it an almost stick-figure like appearance.

Two wings sprout from where the arms meet the shoulders and wicked claws from the end of it's arms and legs. It's head is vaguely human in appearance however but without any defining features at all, just a blank oval-shaped head where some kind of black liquid seem to shift just underneath the surface.

KR might completely miss the creature however as it has this strange aura about it which makes people prone to completely ignore it or find it of no concern even if it's standing right behind them.

What she might note however is that something is attempting to cast a psionic scan over the area, trying to find anything alive or moving here.