Veil of Smog, Chapter 1

[Batcathat]

Rufus considered sticking with the hole for upstairs communication but it did not seem very dignified and this entire affair had lost so much dignity already, so with a sigh he followed Leif up the stairs.

[Charybdis1618]

She walks with the woman. “While I was here earlier I noticed something unusual and asked for security footage for review. Unfortunately, the people in security gave me the wrong footage so I had to come back here tonight. I talked to security and some of the things they said they saw alarmed me, so I’m following up more. Have the workers here been getting enough time off to rest? Several people have been seen and filmed falling asleep on the job.” She observes the magical essence in the woman, curious. Was her magic blood, or learned?

She's got a spark of her own, upon closer examination. It fuels the drive and determination behind her chosen career path. Most people her age would have burned out years ago.

She steps to the back of the line at the coffee counter. "Sarah, hi, I'm Pia Marlowe. Oh, we get time off, alright. Then someone twists an ankle, or catches a cold, or gets knocked up, and I'm getting a call asking me to take an extra shift. They're ok about respecting scheduled requests, but otherwise... Anyway, yeah, we're all tired, but it's no different than the last two hospitals I was at. Moved when my husband's factory closed down. Both times."

[Charybdis1618]

Rufus considered sticking with the hole for upstairs communication but it did not seem very dignified and this entire affair had lost so much dignity already, so with a sigh he followed Leif up the stairs.

They open the door at your knock. Both are wearing ordinary clothes by now, and looking not too much the worse for wear for their adventure. A worn dining table dominates the small kitchen, bearing four mugs of coffee and two folded sets of lime-green workout clothes. Both men sit down. The one you recognize as Sacrifice speaks up first.

"Now that we're a bit more comfortable, how may we help you?"

[Batcathat]

"Right...", Rufus said as he sat down opposite the tenants. "As I mentioned, we are investigating a potential health crisis. We believe at least two of your neighbours have been affected, perhaps more. Have you been feeling anything unusual lately? Or perhaps noticed something unusual in the building?"

[Charybdis1618]

"Right...", Rufus said as he sat down opposite the tenants. "As I mentioned, we are investigating a potential health crisis. We believe at least two of your neighbours have been affected, perhaps more. Have you been feeling anything unusual lately? Or perhaps noticed something unusual in the building?"

"Unusual how? Chuck had a cold last week, but he got over it in a couple days. I manifested symptoms a bit later, but same deal. We haven't seen more of our neighbors than usual looking sick at all."

[Esprit15]

She's got a spark of her own, upon closer examination. It fuels the drive and determination behind her chosen career path. Most people her age would have burned out years ago.

She steps to the back of the line at the coffee counter. "Sarah, hi, I'm Pia Marlowe. Oh, we get time off, alright. Then someone twists an ankle, or catches a cold, or gets knocked up, and I'm getting a call asking me to take an extra shift. They're ok about respecting scheduled requests, but otherwise... Anyway, yeah, we're all tired, but it's no different than the last two hospitals I was at. Moved when my husband's factory closed down. Both times."

“I know that pain,” Sarah says with a smile as she thinks of the impossibly large amount of times she has had to move. “And has there been any uptick in those call ins from injuries? Like I said, I’m following up on having seen footage of multiple employees falling asleep on the job.”

[Charybdis1618]

“I know that pain,” Sarah says with a smile as she thinks of the impossibly large amount of times she has had to move. “And has there been any uptick in those call ins from injuries? Like I said, I’m following up on having seen footage of multiple employees falling asleep on the job.”

"Not from incidents at work, no. There have been more of late, but they're all from personal stuff. Every nurse has probably stolen a nap at some point, though. It happens."

"Mocha. Large. Double Shot. Thanks." Pia pauses at the counter for a moment and glances at you.

[Esprit15]

“Light roast, black,” she says. Sade kahve was in her opinion the only correct way to drink coffee, and in a country where 90% of coffee beans are done the dishonor of being burnt to hell and back, it was just the safe order at most shops. Sarah watches the woman with fondness, or more specifically, watches the flame of her magic within her. “I can understand that. But you always seek out a safe spot, right? It never suddenly overwhelms you?”

[Batcathat]

Rufus shrugged. "It could be almost anything, we are dealing with a potentially new pathogen and the symptoms are not entirely clear. Do you have a lot of contact with your neighbours and have you seen them a... normal amount lately?"

"And have you been sleeping well? Any nightmares or other unusual phenomena?"

[Xihirli]

"Unusual how? Chuck had a cold last week, but he got over it in a couple days. I manifested symptoms a bit later, but same deal. We haven't seen more of our neighbors than usual looking sick at all."

"How well do you know your neighbors downstairs?" Leif asks, not outright accusing them of poking holes in their floor to pour poison down, but thinking it.

[Charybdis1618]

“Light roast, black,” she says. Sade kahve was in her opinion the only correct way to drink coffee, and in a country where 90% of coffee beans are done the dishonor of being burnt to hell and back, it was just the safe order at most shops. Sarah watches the woman with fondness, or more specifically, watches the flame of her magic within her. “I can understand that. But you always seek out a safe spot, right? It never suddenly overwhelms you?”

"Not sure what you're getting at, but yeah."

[Charybdis1618]

"How well do you know your neighbors downstairs?" Leif asks, not outright accusing them of poking holes in their floor to pour poison down, but thinking it.

"Never seen that guy before, though sometimes when the wind is right I catch a whiff of something from his windows through ours. Always smells like a gym sock."

"As for nightmares, I don't know, I guess once in a while? Not sure it's more than usual, but yeah, it's happened here and there. Is that really a symptom of something?"

[Esprit15]

Sarah nods and takes a breath, as though she was indeed getting to the point. “While speaking to a patient, I and a colleague both noticed an unusual feeling of fatigue overcome us at the exact same time. Anything like that happen to anyone here?”

[Charybdis1618]

Sarah nods and takes a breath, as though she was indeed getting to the point. “While speaking to a patient, I and a colleague both noticed an unusual feeling of fatigue overcome us at the exact same time. Anything like that happen to anyone here?”

(Don't bother with Insight, you saw her react and quickly hide it.)

"Well, sometimes tiredness can be contagious. Humans do communicate through pheromones a bit, you know. Kind of how yawns are contagious."

[Esprit15]

“True, but we felt the feeling before looking at each other, and the onset was at the same time. That’s not pheromones.” She watches the younger woman softly. Her magic was quite mild, possibly untrained at that. Raw talent like that should be cultured. Nurtured. She lowers her voice a little. “And it doesn’t solve the other problem - the creature my colleague saw in the corner of his vision.” Her gentle look stiffens a little. “You’ve seen it too, haven’t you?”

[Batcathat]

This was starting to seem like a waste of time. "Unless my colleague can think of anything else, I think that might be it." He pulled out a few business cards more business cards for Dr. Rufus Wallington and handed them over. "Please call if you can think of anything else or anything changes. And yes, nightmares can be part of the symptoms. Feel free to spread them to more of your neighbors if you meet them."

[Charybdis1618]

“True, but we felt the feeling before looking at each other, and the onset was at the same time. That’s not pheromones.” She watches the younger woman softly. Her magic was quite mild, possibly untrained at that. Raw talent like that should be cultured. Nurtured. She lowers her voice a little. “And it doesn’t solve the other problem - the creature my colleague saw in the corner of his vision.” Her gentle look stiffens a little. “You’ve seen it too, haven’t you?”

She glances back and forth quickly, then drops her voice. "I didn't tell anyone about that. I didn't let it affect my rounds or quality of care. You have no proof."

[Charybdis1618]

This was starting to seem like a waste of time. "Unless my colleague can think of anything else, I think that might be it." He pulled out a few business cards more business cards for Dr. Rufus Wallington and handed them over. "Please call if you can think of anything else or anything changes. And yes, nightmares can be part of the symptoms. Feel free to spread them to more of your neighbors if you meet them."

"Should we cover up the hole, then? Prevent airflow and all? If you don't know how it spreads..."

[Xihirli]

"What hole?" Leif asks, as nobody had mentioned one yet. "Are there any holes in this apartment? Do you know why?"

[Esprit15]

She glances back and forth quickly, then drops her voice. "I didn't tell anyone about that. I didn't let it affect my rounds or quality of care. You have no proof."

She flashes a toothy grin. “And yet I still knew.” Sarah chuckles. “Don’t worry Miss Marlowe, I’m not after your job. You’re short staffed enough as it is here - stealing someone as capable as you is just adding more cracks to a leaking dike.

“No, what I am here for,” she says, pausing to take a sip of coffee, “is to help. And the more I know, the easier it will be for me to do so. Shall we talk somewhere that we won’t be overheard?”

[Charybdis1618]

"What hole?" Leif asks, as nobody had mentioned one yet. "Are there any holes in this apartment? Do you know why?"

"... the one we fell through a bit ago. Should we put a tarp over it or something until maintenance can come patch it? They'll probably find a way to make it our fault, and get out of paying for the hotel until it gets fixed. They know we can't afford to fight it."

[Charybdis1618]

She flashes a toothy grin. “And yet I still knew.” Sarah chuckles. “Don’t worry Miss Marlowe, I’m not after your job. You’re short staffed enough as it is here - stealing someone as capable as you is just adding more cracks to a leaking dike.

“No, what I am here for,” she says, pausing to take a sip of coffee, “is to help. And the more I know, the easier it will be for me to do so. Shall we talk somewhere that we won’t be overheard?”

"Sure. Come with me. We'll have to be quick, though. My break ends in a bit here."

She leads you back through the lobby and down a few halls. She pauses by the gift shop, currently closed.

"Now. If you're telling me that wasn't just a tired brain seeing something, if you're telling me it's real, that means our hospital is infested with something. Something that can fit through the ventilation ducts, and can get past our air filtration system. Something that looked too big to be a rat. I hope."

[Batcathat]

As Rufus eyed the hole in the floor, he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. It had perhaps been a tad over-dramatic. He could fix it as easily as he had created it, of course, but while the tenants didn't seem to be the smartest ones in the building – even if it was a little unclear how many were left alive to compete for the title – they probably wouldn't buy him as the World's Fastest Carpenter.

"You know what?" He said, as if suddenly realizing something. "We have a rather generous budget for dealing with the potential health crisis, so give us a call once you get the bill. I'm sure we could justify it as quarantining you and, eh, shoring up the building to minimize the risk of further spread of any potential pathogens."

[Esprit15]

"Sure. Come with me. We'll have to be quick, though. My break ends in a bit here."

She leads you back through the lobby and down a few halls. She pauses by the gift shop, currently closed.

"Now. If you're telling me that wasn't just a tired brain seeing something, if you're telling me it's real, that means our hospital is infested with something. Something that can fit through the ventilation ducts, and can get past our air filtration system. Something that looked too big to be a rat. I hope."

Sarah’s face betrays her amusement. Finally, someone who took these things seriously. “What I’m telling you, Miss Marlowe, that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Her voice lowers slightly, and the amusement leaves her bright blue eyes. "You were honest one touch with me, let me be honest one touch with you. I do work for the city. My business card's email and phone number are both real. If you call, I will answer; if you send an email, I will respond.

"My officium is not bureaucracy. It is in dealing with things like the strange little creature running around in these walls. Much like you, it is in making sure that everyone in this hospital gets to go home and see their families. The more help I get in smoking out this baku and learning where it came from, the less risk there is to patients, staff, and guests." She watches Pia carefully. Introducing normal people to the supernatural was always a fraught practice, and in all these years she still never quite learned to figure out which people respond well and which ones did not. Neither strength no education nor arcane affinity nor courage nor station indicated anything more than which kind of positive or negative reaction they would have. If someone like Pia reacted negatively, it would be disbelief and treating Sarah like a crazy person. If positive, she would take it all in stride, dismiss her own abilities, but ask how she could help. As if it would indicate anything, she pays more attention to the magical candle flame burning inside the woman.

[Charybdis1618]

Sarah’s face betrays her amusement. Finally, someone who took these things seriously. “What I’m telling you, Miss Marlowe, that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Her voice lowers slightly, and the amusement leaves her bright blue eyes. "You were honest one touch with me, let me be honest one touch with you. I do work for the city. My business card's email and phone number are both real. If you call, I will answer; if you send an email, I will respond.

"My officium is not bureaucracy. It is in dealing with things like the strange little creature running around in these walls. Much like you, it is in making sure that everyone in this hospital gets to go home and see their families. The more help I get in smoking out this baku and learning where it came from, the less risk there is to patients, staff, and guests." She watches Pia carefully. Introducing normal people to the supernatural was always a fraught practice, and in all these years she still never quite learned to figure out which people respond well and which ones did not. Neither strength no education nor arcane affinity nor courage nor station indicated anything more than which kind of positive or negative reaction they would have. If someone like Pia reacted negatively, it would be disbelief and treating Sarah like a crazy person. If positive, she would take it all in stride, dismiss her own abilities, but ask how she could help. As if it would indicate anything, she pays more attention to the magical candle flame burning inside the woman.

She blinks once, carefully maintaining professional decorum. "A ... what? And why has nobody else seen it? Oh, god, you're not a real government employee, are you? But you've got credentials that will check out. Who are you with? Illuminati? New World Order? Reptilians? Some anti-reptilian group? Wait, is the thing a reptilian? That would explain ... most of what it would need to do, right? I guess I just got lucky to see its true form. Do I need to get a bulletin board and some red string? It would look better than the last painting I made."

[Charybdis1618]

As Rufus eyed the hole in the floor, he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. It had perhaps been a tad over-dramatic. He could fix it as easily as he had created it, of course, but while the tenants didn't seem to be the smartest ones in the building – even if it was a little unclear how many were left alive to compete for the title – they probably wouldn't buy him as the World's Fastest Carpenter.

"You know what?" He said, as if suddenly realizing something. "We have a rather generous budget for dealing with the potential health crisis, so give us a call once you get the bill. I'm sure we could justify it as quarantining you and, eh, shoring up the building to minimize the risk of further spread of any potential pathogens."

"We appreciate that. Is there anything else you might need from us? If so, you know how to find us."

[Xihirli]

"Do you know who else might be sick in this building? Anyone you usually see out and about strangely missing?" Leif asked.
Maaybe these people weren’t evil.

[Esprit15]

She blinks once, carefully maintaining professional decorum. "A ... what? And why has nobody else seen it? Oh, god, you're not a real government employee, are you? But you've got credentials that will check out. Who are you with? Illuminati? New World Order? Reptilians? Some anti-reptilian group? Wait, is the thing a reptilian? That would explain ... most of what it would need to do, right? I guess I just got lucky to see its true form. Do I need to get a bulletin board and some red string? It would look better than the last painting I made."

"A baku. A somniuvorous creature. Most people can't see them. You're one of the few that can without training, it seems. I don't think I can give you a full lesson on the field in the span of your break, so let's save that for another time," she says, relieved. Curiosity. That was a good response. She fishes out a business card, handing it to Pia as she continues. "I'm not sure what you mean by 'real' in this context. I work in an office, field questions, go on inspections. I just happen to have chosen a job that gives me a lot of leeway in how and when I spend my time on the clock. There's an incident in an apartment complex that left a man experiencing nightmares and panic? That's absolutely the business of HSD. And what better place to start than with talking to him?" Sarah looks up thoughtfully. "As to your guesses - defunct, no, a racist rebrand of older conspiracies, and not if you value your sanity, respectively.

"There are dark forces in the world, but I am not of them. I'm human, and want the best for human society, whatever shape it may take."

[Charybdis1618]

"A baku. A somniuvorous creature. Most people can't see them. You're one of the few that can without training, it seems. I don't think I can give you a full lesson on the field in the span of your break, so let's save that for another time," she says, relieved. Curiosity. That was a good response. She fishes out a business card, handing it to Pia as she continues. "I'm not sure what you mean by 'real' in this context. I work in an office, field questions, go on inspections. I just happen to have chosen a job that gives me a lot of leeway in how and when I spend my time on the clock. There's an incident in an apartment complex that left a man experiencing nightmares and panic? That's absolutely the business of HSD. And what better place to start than with talking to him?" Sarah looks up thoughtfully. "As to your guesses - defunct, no, a racist rebrand of older conspiracies, and not if you value your sanity, respectively.

"There are dark forces in the world, but I am not of them. I'm human, and want the best for human society, whatever shape it may take."

"Train... what? Oh, never mind. What can I actually contribute to this effort? I'm just a nurse, even if I could see it."

[Esprit15]

“For now, just pay attention. Call me if you ever see it. Let me know what you see. Let me know if anyone is injured in an attack, or if things otherwise just get worse.”