Supernatural Isekai IC *Still Recruiting*

[ArlEammon]

Emma McLaren, one of the ten most powerful witches in the entire world, has summoned all of you to this version of Earth. Currently, you have been summoned to Phoenix, Arizona for some as of yet unknown purpose. At an exclusive, very ritzy. hotel on the outskirts of the city, for very "eccentric" clients, some of them permanent residents, The Elysian Hotel. A golden chandelier hangs in the lobby, which is composed of a white marble flooring. Currently, Emma is standing right there, waiting for you to start asking questions. She is dressed in elegant apparel, and though she is deceptively polite, she makes no bones about her reasons for bringing you here. Something in the world of magic is very wrong, and it concerns her. She is threatened, the entire Hotel might be threatened, with it, her fortune, as well as her life could be lost, if she isn't able to discover this threat and take it out. Or have it taken out. Or SOMETHING!

She is waiting for your questions.

[gawwy]

Mads, wanting to play up the stereotypical image of German humor takes the initiative on questions.

"Vat are zee symptoms of the vague wrongness with ze vorld of magic.."

Mads is quite pleased with his joke, and can't help but smile widely.

"Ya?"

Utter hilarity.

[ArlEammon]

Mads, wanting to play up the stereotypical image of German humor takes the initiative on questions.

"Vat are zee symptoms of the vague wrongness with ze vorld of magic.."

Mads is quite pleased with his joke, and can't help but smile widely.

"Ya?"

Utter hilarity.

"Namely, the wizards. There aren't supposed to be any. Wizards have always been fairy tales since the falling of Camelot more than 1500 years ago."
"Even men are called witches, or something else other than wizards these days, and have been among the world of magic for centuries."
"The problem's not just what their called. Wizards are terrifyingly weird even for most of us. For example, these wizards all claim that they have always been here, even know some of us by name and our histories, sometimes our innermost secrets, and none of us remember them."

[TheAlmightyKue]

Rowan was still looking at their hands, it was strange still to feel different and yet utterly at peace with your body. They looked up as Mads spoke, pulled from their contemplation and introspection by his words. Then came the reply and that caused them to tilt their head to the side.

"Is there a difference?" They asked puzzled by the distinction. "Between a Witch and a Wizard I mean," they added to clarify their question.

As far as they knew those words could be used interchangeably by most, but they were somewhere new, so maybe those words had more weight to them.

"How can you identify the differences?"

[ArlEammon]

Rowan was still looking at their hands, it was strange still to feel different and yet utterly at peace with your body. They looked up as Mads spoke, pulled from their contemplation and introspection by his words. Then came the reply and that caused them to **** their head to the side.

"Is there a difference?" They asked puzzled by the distinction. "Between a Witch and a Wizard I mean," they added to clarify their question.

As far as they knew those words could be used interchangeably by most, but they were somewhere new, so maybe those words had more weight to them.

"How can you identify the differences?"

"It's hard to explain. Witches are generally Human beings who can learn magic, borrow magic via contract and or pact with a magical being, or can learn magic spells in other ways."
"We witches are generally, even if born with magical ability, still different from Wizards."
"For witches, our powers are about growing in strength most of the time. But Wizards are empowered somehow, by mysterious forces. Thus they harness power from them, and usually have some responsibilities witches don't. The power of wizards are not very well understood anymore, even by us. "

[gawwy]

Mads, not really seeing the distinction as important asks the next most obvious question.

"And zees vizards existing are an issue how?"

[ArlEammon]

Mads, not really seeing the distinction as important asks the next most obvious question.

"And zees vizards existing are an issue how?"

"They know our secrets! They know our innermost thoughts and feelings! We have no idea who these weirdos are and they are acting like they've known us all our lives! We can't trust them, and we need to find everything out about them! We can't trust them, and worse, some of us are beginning to disappear. I'm sure these wizards have something to do with it."

[Thunder999]

"Are you sure they're not just reading your minds?" Asks Edward, after all he can do that, sort of.

[ArlEammon]

"Are you sure they're not just reading your minds?" Asks Edward, after all he can do that, sort of.

"Not all of us." Emma stated flatly. "Surely they could do that to some of us, even some our best, but not all of us at once."

[Thunder999]

"What can you tell us about those who've disappeared?"

[ArlEammon]

"What can you tell us about those who've disappeared?"

"Most of them are pretty much the best we have, outside The Circle Of Nine, and myself. Those who lack absolutely enormous power are impressive in other important ways."

[TheAlmightyKue]

Rowan was listening intently to the back and forth of the two now speaking, the witch and the one named Edward.

"So you think they are taking your people, but that's not related to the knowing things part right? They knew things before your people went missing?" They were curious if they got that right. "Do they have a base? Somewhere that they could be investigated? Or are they scattered about?"

[ArlEammon]

Rowan was listening intently to the back and forth of the two now speaking, the witch and the one named Edward.

"So you think they are taking your people, but that's not related to the knowing things part right? They knew things before your people went missing?" They were curious if they got that right. "Do they have a base? Somewhere that they could be investigated? Or are they scattered about?"

"No base. In fact, there are two of these so called Wizards right here in the Hotel. Morty, the Mute, and Mister Lindmer, well, Lindmer Word'sworth."
"It may be a good idea to start here. I already tried to question them, though it didn't go well, I have enough power to mask your true natures and agendas, even from the wizards, with my divination and illusion spells."
"These "wizards" are looking for students. Might I suggest enrolling?"

[TheAlmightyKue]

Rowan raised their finger to their lips thinking for a moment. "I don't have magic, but maybe I could pass off something as magic." looking to the others "Any of you magical?"

[FrightKnight0]

Jason hums thoughtfully, waiting before he speaks, letting others get some of the more obvious questions asked first. "I think we've glossed over something important, Miss McLaren," he says, speaking clearly and calmly in a practiced tone from a few years on debate team. "While the way you've brought us here is impressive, and the side benefits are nice, you did still summon us all here without asking. Why should we fall in line with what you want us to do? The way I see it, between ripping us all from our homes and granting us these abilities," he taps the metal rings on his left arm with the knuckles of his right hand, "we're about square, honestly. Why shouldn't we walk away and let you deal with these wizards yourself? Not trying to be confrontational, you understand, but... I don't want to just go running around doing tricks for someone who just decided they were going to kidnap me."

[ArlEammon]

Jason hums thoughtfully, waiting before he speaks, letting others get some of the more obvious questions asked first. "I think we've glossed over something important, Miss McLaren," he says, speaking clearly and calmly in a practiced tone from a few years on debate team. "While the way you've brought us here is impressive, and the side benefits are nice, you did still summon us all here without asking. Why should we fall in line with what you want us to do? The way I see it, between ripping us all from our homes and granting us these abilities," he taps the metal rings on his left arm with the knuckles of his right hand, "we're about square, honestly. Why shouldn't we walk away and let you deal with these wizards yourself? Not trying to be confrontational, you understand, but... I don't want to just go running around doing tricks for someone who just decided they were going to kidnap me."

"That's a very good question. There are two answers. First of all, you are compelled by spell to do so. Second of all, if you find a way to counter or circumvent the spell, I can make you." She states honestly. "Before you go about trying to just do whatever you want, let me warn you, it is never wise to offend someone more powerful than you."

[FrightKnight0]

An observer could be forgiven for thinking that Jason smiled, though saying he showed his teeth might be more accurate. "Ah, slavery and kidnapping. Of course, Master," he responded, slipping into an Igor style lisp on the last word. "How silly of me to think that I'd been kidnapped by someone with ethics. I'll play ball." The obvious 'for now' at the end of the sentence went unspoken. "Is there an exit clause or are we all just stuck being your good little pod people for eternity? If it's the latter, I'd like to refund my immortality, because I don't want to live as a good little puppy for ten thousand years."

[ArlEammon]

An observer could be forgiven for thinking that Jason smiled, though saying he showed his teeth might be more accurate. "Ah, slavery and kidnapping. Of course, Master," he responded, slipping into an Igor style lisp on the last word. "How silly of me to think that I'd been kidnapped by someone with ethics. I'll play ball." The obvious 'for now' at the end of the sentence went unspoken. "Is there an exit clause or are we all just stuck being your good little pod people for eternity? If it's the latter, I'd like to refund my immortality, because I don't want to live as a good little puppy for ten thousand years."

"I'm not above kidnapping OR bribery. But for now you'll have to be satisfied with a bit of flattery."
She chuckles momentarily. "Anyway" She says, half ignoring your question. "On your merry way. . . " She disappears.

[TheAlmightyKue]

Rowan tilts their head again and looks concerned with that "Excuse me, if whoever is taking people, takes you. Do we lose our umm gifts?" they asked quiet curious if they lost these cool upgrades. "If they mind-controlled you, could they make you take these from us or something?" then she popped out of existence "Well, that complicates things."

[FrightKnight0]

Jason had to fight the urge to hit something, quietly fuming as the witch (who he mentally promoted to have a 'b') disappeared. "Right. Well. This went from cool to awful in about five seconds. Excellent." He folded his arms across his chest, taking a deep breath to center himself. "Right. I guess introductions are in order. I'm Jason Glass," he says, looking around at the other poor saps caught in the brown stuff with him. "High school debate team, IT professional, and the witch shoved magic kung fu into my noggin and gave me magic punching rings. What about you guys?"

[ArlEammon]

An NPC: George

Name and Pronouns: George, He/him/his
Character Fun Fact: He was a lazy couch potato in his day to day life until he recently made a name for himself as a programmer.
Newfound Appearance: No newfound appearance. You see what you get.
Inspiration Character: A Final Fantasy black mage.
Inspiration Fun Fact: Yes, he's based off George Costanza.

George looks around at the assembled team and face palms. "What the hell is going on here!?"

[gawwy]

"Hello Her Jason Glass it is nice to meet you, I am Mathaius Michaelson but you can callen me "Mads"" Mads introduces himself in his thickest accent.

Mads then offers his hand to Jason for a firm but friendly handshake. Before going around the circle repeating the process introduced himself almost robotically.

Being new to his powers he unknowingly uses it to absorb any injuries, curses, afflictions, buffs, active spells, or effects using his powers. If you have any let me know OOC so we can rp that.

He ends with the newcomer

[TheAlmightyKue]

Rowan would shake Mads hand, but of course had no injuries, and then looked to the others. "Oh, I'm Rowan Inglis." they began and tried to look presentable. Their cropped red hair and blue eyes standing in stark contrast with one another. "My gifts, well they come from a tv show's main character. Before that well, I was called a nerd a lot. I liked movies, tv shows, books, comics, and video games. Especially young adult and super hero like stuff."

[ArlEammon]

"Excuse me!!!" George demanded to know in a shrill voice. "Is nobody else freaked out by the fact we're all witches, and warlocks now?"

[Thunder999]

Rowan raised their finger to their lips thinking for a moment. "I don't have magic, but maybe I could pass off something as magic." looking to the others "Any of you magical?"

In reply Edward grins, drawing a wooden wand from his pocket and waving it in a deliberate pattern, conjuring a circle of comfrotable armchairs (as many as there are people) from nothing, he sits in it and says "Why yes, I most certainly am."

"Right. I guess introductions are in order. I'm Jason Glass," he says, looking around at the other poor saps caught in the brown stuff with him. "High school debate team, IT professional, and the witch shoved magic kung fu into my noggin and gave me magic punching rings. What about you guys?"

Edward introduces himself politely, but feels no desire to elaborate on prior circumstances, "Edward Nelson, I suppose I should be more upset about the whole thing, but I've got a magic wand, a head full of spells, some neat little tricks and we're in the fanciest hotel I've ever seen. I've had worse holdiays, even if this seems to be a working one, please do have a seat." he gestures to the conjured chairs, still smiling.

When George speaks up again, Edward looks him in the eye "Not really, pretty good deal as far as I'm concerned, my magic seems dead convenient, never lose my keys again when I can summon them, not that I need keys anymore on account of the teleportation, and the spells to lock and unlock doors."

[gawwy]

"Excuse me!!!" George demanded to know in a shrill voice. "Is nobody else freaked out by the fact we're all witches, and warlocks now?"

please do have a seat." Edward gestures to the conjured chairs, still smiling.

When George speaks up again, Edward looks him in the eye "Not really, pretty good deal as far as I'm concerned, my magic seems dead convenient, never lose my keys again when I can summon them, not that I need keys anymore on account of the teleportation, and the spells to lock and unlock doors."

Mads does take a seat, sitting bolt upright in the comfy chair and in his most serious voice saysZee voice on zee telephone was quite clear, go downstairs, get hit by ze truck. gain powers and take job...

Your powers seem quite a bit more flexible zan mine though, Mister Nelson. I think I can do something with wounds? Maybe I stay back while you and the others who can do ze magic go and make friends with ze wizards, ya?

If you get into trouble you can use the code "Help we are in ze trouble and require aid" and we will know to come in and help. Ya?

[JNAProductions]

"Um," Sarah lets out. "Wouldn't the proper term for your 'wizards' be warlock? Wizards are generally those who study magic, while warlocks are pact-makers. I mean, minor practioners can make pacts and not reach the status of warlock, but something about the terminology feels off." She pauses a moment. "How the hell do I know that?"

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Another person arrived alongside the rest of you. About halfway through Miss Emma's spiel about wizards, a stocky, quiet woman seemed to notice her reflection in the polished marble floor, then wandered entranced to the elevators on the other end of the lobby.

She stares in wonder at one of the ornate mirrors, installed by the hotel to pacify impatient tenants eager to get to their rooms upstairs. She touches her face. She pinches her hand. She tries and fails to adjust her glasses. After a moment of silent hesitation, she holds up her arm and watches waves of orange and silver morphogenesis wash over it as she wills sleeves and hair and muscle to shlorp in and out of existence.

She smiles.

She lurches slightly, then takes a sudden breath, only now realizing that she hadn't breathed since she'd gotten here. She laughs softly, and shocked by the sound of her own voice, takes another breath and laughs harder, locking her into an unstable feedback loop of maniacal giggling. She rolls her shoulders and steps back from the mirror so she can see her whole body as she wills her sweater to melt and reform into a flowy blue shirt more suited to the ritzy atmosphere.

"Okay. Okay!" She takes a deep breath in a moderately successful attempt to contain her excitement and turns to rejoin the party. "So, to summarize: We have this witch person, McLaren. She is part of a secret society of witches here in Arizona. They have been dealing with a second, even secreter society of wizards, which seems to have shown up out of nowhere." She starts pacing as she counts the facts on her fingers. It really is a lot to unpack. "The wizards left McLaren with the impression that they already know everything there is to know about her witches, despite never having met them before. This made her uneasy. She's an illusionist, she can't deal with someone knowing all her tricks. So, to get the upper hand, she decided to recruit some help from people these wizards couldn't possibly have researched beforehand."

Her counting fingers become pointing fingers. "That would be us. She cast some spell, and pulled us all here from... wherever we're from. And in the process - maybe as part of the spell, maybe as some side-effect of us being from a place without magic - we each came in with some extra powers. Right?" She looks to everyone for confirmation. George already admitted it, and Sarah seems to have gotten some bonus knowledge, so it seems everyone has caught that part. "Right! But, her spell also did a couple other things. One is a... I want to say geas? As long as we're here, we HAVE to do as she says. It's like part of the premise of our being here, somehow. It's not quite mind control, but... well, you can all feel it too, right? Right!" She resumes pacing. "The other thing is, our minds and identities are undetectable with magic, because McLaren doesn't want the wizards to know about us or trace us back to her. Our mission, whether or not we choose to accept it, is to infiltrate some kind of wizard meeting and get some intel on them. Origins, identities, intentions... it sounded like the witches were pretty much in the dark, so I guess anything, really!"

She stops suddenly. She's still smiling, as she has been throughout even the most depressing parts of this monologue, but you can see panic in her eyes. "Aaaaand I just realized I just said all of that out loud in a very open hotel lobby, in the same building where the people we're supposed to be keeping this secret from are meeting! Hahaha! Whoops!"

[TheAlmightyKue]

Rowan looked around thinking, they weren't one to pace but walking always helped them think too. But that was before, this didn't seem like walking would help them get close in their thoughts and work out matters. Especially not with all these abilities to control. "Right so, that about sums up what I got from all this." They agreed though they too were looking to see if anyone noticed any of this around them.

"We don't know how the magic that brought us here chose us, why it chose which powers or abilities we obtained. It seems like a crap shoot, with random powers and abilities. Nothing equal about it." they were thinking out loud now too for that part "But the witch wants us to get these Wizards to trust us and give us information. How do we go about gaining the trust of people who might be stronger than the lady who just threatened us with how strong she is? What's the first step? Introduction sure but exactly how?"

[FrightKnight0]

Jason happily sank into the plush conjured armchair after trading handshakes with Rowan. He felt a strange interaction between the man and the Ten Rings on his arms, but it faded quickly as he let go and he didn't think there was any lingering effect. Maybe it was some kind of metaphysical static or something. "Well, we've got two names and no descriptions, as our illustrious mistress decided to be a diva and swan out of the room on being questioned. If she can't be asked to hide our pow-wow from these wizards or put us somewhere private, then that's her lookout. I'm only compelled to do what she told us to do, not to make up for her own shortcomings." He shrugged helplessly. "Way I see it, we've got an easy three teams. One team to go see about this Morty the Mute, one for Lindmer Wordsworth, and one in reserve. Problem is figuring out the best approaches, but it sounds like these men are here separately from each other, so we get to try two approaches."

He holds up his left and right hands, weighing them back and forth. "Morty the Mute sounds frustrating to approach normally. Is anyone here good at stealth or tracking? I can shadow normal people, apparently the guy I got skills from was trained as an assassin even if he wasn't great at the whole 'killing people with no remorse' part of the job, but I don't know if that's enough for wizards. Might be easier with McLaren shielding us from their detection, but I don't know how much I trust that protection since she opened by saying her people didn't have a defense against these wizards." Lifting the other hand, he added, "Lindmer Wordsworth, presumably not mute and looking for students, would be good to approach more directly. The problem is we don't know if he wants magic users or normals." Dropping his hands onto the plush chairs, he added, "and having a couple of us in reserve in case one of these approaches goes sour would be nice for safety's sake. Communication becomes a problem, though. I think I'm more than a little out of area for my cell phone plan," he said, checking his pockets to see if he even still had his beaten up, secondhand Samsung.