MtA: Sun, Surf, and Shadow

[Premsyl]

Zephyr's sight wavers then his peripheral vision seems to stretch until he can see with perfect 20-20 vision everything 360 degrees around him. There's a good bit of activity on the street and in the cafe but he finds it easy enough to keep an eye on the parked car while looking forward at his business at their table.

The car's windows are tinted, which makes seeing things difficult. All he can make out is the man holding the device up in front of him again, and the man touching his ear. He can't make out much about the device, as the man is very surreptitious in it's use, and at that moment the sun's angle casts a glare on the tinted windows, making seeing inside the car nigh impossible.

Spoiler

Show

I rolled your wits + composure on a perception check, minus 2 for the tinted windows. No successes Yeah, now you've got me using Invisible Castle too.

[MinotaurWarrior]

After reading the note, and noticing the black man for the first time, Alrikar decided to see if he couldn't scare the big black assassin off or at very least unnerve him. First, he revealed his nimbus (one that inspires a sense that he is a vastly superior being), quickly and carelessly formed a big evil-looking grin, then, swift and silent, cast 'sculpt the heart' with the intent to terrorize the black stalker.

Spoiler

Show

reveal nimbus First 'sculpt the heart' role ten again

[Ditto]

Zephyr

Zephyr extends his hand and makes slow chopping motions in his lap, Twelve, one two.,directing Morpheus ahead and to the left.

Spoiler

Show

And now I'll have to cheat on IC, because the work filter blocks it. I'm such an unfaithful roller! Wits3+ Composure3 = (6d10)[2][9][6][2][6][5](30) for concentrating harder, looking for more (er, any) successes.

I deleted the last post and reposted the info, since the formatting was messed up and I roled d6s instead of d10s.

[Premsyl]

The sun moves behind a cloud, and the glare disappears for a moment. Just as the man is holding the gray and black object to the window. He holds the device in one hand, and another hand is against his ear. It appears to be a directional microphone of some sort.

At that moment, Alrikar's spellcasting succeeds in filling the driver with an intense sense of dread, which causes him to rev his engine loudly and speed off with screeching tires, nearly hitting a light pole and a pair of rollerbladers in bathing suits.

Many people in the cafe are staring at their table now. At Alrikar. The teenage waiter from before approaches their table, and asks in a wavering voice "Will, uhh.. Are you guys doing ok over here? Can I F-Fill up your drinks?" He avoids looking directly at Alrikar.

[MinotaurWarrior]

Alrikar, still not over the taste of real food (he had grown up mostly on fungi an nutrient blends) responded to the waiters question with a hearty order of, "Yes, I do want a refill. I'd also like five more slices of pizza, pancakes, french toast, and I am wondering how much it would cost to purchase that cellphone of yours?".


Montaenoo, lacking any understanding of English, ignored the yelling coming from his target's mouth. Once he and his target arrived at the area between a pale green two story tall dentists office and a run-down private investigator agency, Montaenoo noticed a small almost-alley (roughly shoulder width wide and maybe 9 feet long) between the two buildings that did not go all the way to the other side of the buildings (it was blocked off by some very large red-brick building). He lunged for the man with the cell phone and attempted to get a grappling hold on him.

Spoiler

Show

Grappleten again

[Premsyl]

The waiter takes out his notepad and scribbles down the slices of pizza. He looks up at Alrikar, emboldened again now that the nimbus has dissipated. "We stopped serving Breakfast at 11, and this isn't my phone it's my girlfriend's so I can't..."

Montaenoo succeeds easily in grabbing hold of the man, who struggles vainly but is held in place by the giant lummox. He begins to holler most enthusiastically. Slinging curse words at Montaenoo at full tilt. People slow down to watch, but don't stop. Not many people want any part of a person that size.

[MinotaurWarrior]

Montaenoo tried to force his target into the alley

Alrikar, more than a little disappointed, accepts the waiters response with a mumbled, "Acceptable"

Spoiler

Show

realized I didn't post my roles into the alley with you! ten again and again

[Premsyl]

The waiter departs, only to return moments later with a tray of drinks which he distributes appropriately. "It'll be about 5 minutes on the pizza slices." He says before he walks off again.

Montaenoo, meanwhile, bodily lifts the man off his feet, who is powerless to help himself, and drags him into the alley, causing the man's protests to understandably become more frantic and fearful. He's being very loud. People are beginning to take interest.

[MinotaurWarrior]

Montaenoo, deep in the alley by this point, bashed the man's head against the wall, attempting to knock him unconscious.

Spoiler

Show

Head to the wall

[Ditto]

Zephyr

As Alrikar reveals himself and Monty harasses the man in the alley and the man in the car is now painfully aware that he's been spotted, it occurs to Zephyr that now might be a good time to depart. He looks intently at the car's rear end as it tears treadmarks into the street, forming the image of the microphone in his mind and feeling its movement. "Check, please, Zephyr says as the waiter returns with the drinks, as calmly as possible considering the ripple of awe that had just flushed through the cafe. "Throw those slices in a doggy bag, if you don't mind." He turns back to the table and says quietly to the group, "We're being watched. We might want to move, since we're not exactly covert any more." He stands and prepares to skedaddle, aiming to drop by the office if that plan sits with others.

Spoiler

Show

Casting Finder, targetted on the nice gentleman's microphone. I'll use the Space2 sympathetic version, which allows me to track at range. Results, 2 tenagains.

[JMobius]

Morpheus seems almost dazed, first his jaw dropping ever so slightly as Alrikar uncloaks his nimbus, and then still confused as he feels the presence of magic, the rapid departure of their observer, and the strange stares of all the sleepers around. As Zephyr asks for the check, he shakes his head and seems to come to. He hisses to the group, "This absolutely does not mean your paranoia is justified." He glances, slightly dejectedly, at the remains of his sandwiches. "Lets go."

As he gets up, he attempts to quietly and discretely cast an improvised Aura Perception (Mind 1, page 205), to paranoidly monitor everyone in his vicinity... and fails.

[Premsyl]

Zephyr attempts to form a sympathetic connection, but his unfamiliarity with the item makes it extremely difficult. His awareness follows the object about a quarter mile down the street and he starts to lose it.. He is not deterred however, and just tries harder.

The waiter returns with the check, and a styrofoam container with Alrikar's pizza.

Montaenoo savagely bashes the helpless man's skull against the brick wall, opening a nasty gash above the man's eye, and turning his screams into inarticulate gargle which turns into pathetic, garbled begging and crying. Blood pours down the man's face, splattering on the ground, and getting all over the man's t-shirt. He's still conscious, however, and trying to break free still. Nobody else has yet seemed to take notice, however.

[Chineselegolas]

Edwin

Rising and pulling his coat around him, he muttered to himself "This is why I don't like leaving my lab." Picking up his latte and draining the last of it he asked "Separate ways and meet later?"

[Ditto]

Zephyr

He nods to agree with Morpheus, and then again at Edwin. "The sentiment is appreciated, sir... yes, best to circle around separately. Hermes, you said you wanted to pick up gear? I should get in touch with Master Darcan, myself. I'm going to head to the office after that. Whoever's headed that way, meet me across the street from there in... an hour."

Spoiler

Show

I forgot I have Finder as a Rote, so it's Int3 + Investigation 2 instead of Gnosis3. I'll add the difference here (2 dice) and hope for more successes. (2d10)[9][2](11)

[JMobius]

Morpheus seems to hesitate for a brief moment, and then addresses Zephyr. "Alright. Tell you what, if you can give me an address, I'll swing by and pick you up after you're done talking with this master of yours. Sound good?"

[Premsyl]

Spoiler

Show

What I'd done is put a 9-die penalty on the sympathetic casting, as you'd only caught a glimpse of the item, and in reality, couldn't say whether or not what it is or not. Normally, I'm supposed to enforce the penalty before the initial roll. Problem with that is it muddies up pbp roleplaying, which is a system that lends itself more to dice checks than dice pool penalties. What I'm going to do in this case is roll 9 x 1d10 against your dice pool of 11 and my successes will eliminate yours. I'm still kind of getting the hang of this system, myself, but we'll smooth out the bumps. Aanndd you succeed.

Zephyr maintains a strong affinity for the item in the man's car, his spellcasting having been ultimately successful. He feels like he could find it over great distances, wherever it goes. At least, so long as he maintains the spell.

[MinotaurWarrior]

"Very well then, that sounds like a fine plan. I'm going to attempt casting finder on these spoons. each one of you grab one, and I'll be able to track you anywhere you go. You people can decide upon the rendezvous point, I'll be able to tell when the re-uniting is happening when all the spoons get close together. Farewell my allies, I'm off on to do things that are my affair and mine alone." Alrikar grabs the pizza, casts the spell on the spoons, and runs off to retrieve Montaenoo.

Surprised by his target's resiliency, Montaenoo says to the man, "Vro'Mri'Ba Yen-ka-Vro'Mri'Ba" or 'you have a strong body, I will harm your strong body' then bashes his skull against the wall once again.

Spoiler

Show

Spoon awareness Head, meet wall. Wall, meet head

[Premsyl]

Alrikar succeeds in his spellcasting, and is able to locate the objects in question wherever they may be. Madonna takes a spoon, issues a cheerful 'til next time' and walks off down the sidewalk, backpack clinking metal with each step.

The man in Montaenoo's arms finally, mercifully, goes limp. Blood pouring from the wound in his head.

Spoiler

Show

I'm taking minor control of Gareth's character over the weekend, since they can't post until monday.

[MinotaurWarrior]

Alrikar caught up with Montaenoo, and together the two relieved the passed out body in the alley of his possessions (minus his soiled underwear and pants).

After being informed by Montaenoo of the mans argument, and figuring that his last thought while being mugged would be to turn off his phone, Alrikar took the cell phone and, in the jovial voice pattern he could manage, said "Hey, sorry about freaking you out like that! I just saw my best friend from high school arguing with you, figured you where an ******* and decided to pull a prank on you that me and him made up back in high school (though back then we had to do it in front of people, and not just make the noises, damn I love cellphones!). Anyway, nobody got hurt, and me and him are about to go out to lunch." Alrikar didn't close the cellphone immediately, worried that his lie might not get him out of this completely.

Spoiler

Show

'It was just a joke, Honestly'

[Premsyl]

The voice on the other end of the phone says "Crap, and here I was hoping somebody gave that jerk what he deserves finally. Tell him he better get me the money he owes me and to get it soon." The man on the other end hangs up abruptly.

[Ditto]

Zephyr

He picks up the napkin he'd scribbled on before and passes it to Morpheus, now bearing an address. Meet you at this intersection in 45 minutes, then. Anyone else - office in an hour." Zephyr ducks off and around the corner to contact Darcan before heading to the rendezvous later.

Spoiler

Show

PM incoming on fascinating offscreen conversations.

[JMobius]

Morpheus also bids a farewell, doing his best to appear calm as he walks away. He is not.

He walks a few blocks to a parking lot, doing his best to avoid continual glances over his shoulder. Getting into his car, he hastily makes his way to his apartment. On the way over, he hesitantly tosses the spoon he was given into the bed of a pick-up truck, shaking his head.

At home, he quietly removes a shoebox from his closet. Wrapped in paper, there is a trenchknife, which he holds in his hands and stares at for some time. "Isn't ready, damn it...", he mutters quietly to himself. After some moments, he takes it, and spends the next few minutes trying to find the best way to conceal the weapon at the ankle.

He sighs as he makes for the door, on his way to go wait for Zephyr. "Better safe than sorry."

[Chineselegolas]

Edwin

"An hour it is" Edwin said as he pocketed one of the spoons and hailed a passing taxi to take him back to the university to his sanctum.

Once back at the sanctum, Edwin grabs his gun, and tucks it into one of his coats inner pockets along with putting his gun license into one of his other pockets. Upon getting them spent a short while activating Temporal Dodge and Sheild of Kronos, spending two mana to make them remain active.

Catching a bus to near to the office, Edwin walked to the meeting point, for spot on the hour.

[MinotaurWarrior]

Alrikar, while wandering the streets (trying to memorize buildings and the like), checked the info stored on the cellphone (numbers, missed calls, etc.) and then began calling the numbers that had been on the sheet eclipse had given the group.

[Premsyl]

The phone numbers for Arcadius' home and office yield nothing more than an automated answering machine. When he calls the number for the storage facility, a deep voice with a Cuban accent answers "Premier Storage Facilities, what may I do for you?"

[MinotaurWarrior]

"I was wondering If I could arrange an examination of your facilities for the purpose of deciding upon a location in which to store some family heirlooms: a bust of Ayeshau, a woman whose descendants are my truest family; an old copy of Plato's Atlantis, a story to which my soul clings; and so many other old things that my home has become pandemonium. Ah, I let myself get a bit carried away there, did I not? Quite strange for someone on the path I follow to do such a thing, do you not agree? Well, that hardly matters anyway, what is really important is the deal I'm attempting to broker, along with all of its many contingencies. Chief amongst my conditions and an unavoidable reality in this fallen world, this survey must happen after the heavens have been dirtied by the abyss of the night sky. As such it would help a great deal If you where either an insomniac, or a sleepwalker capable of answering complex questions in his night wanderings; one almost aware of all the things those of us who are truly Awake (such as myself) are conscious of. Tell me truly, do you meet this condition?" Alrikar said, taking no chances with his heavy hints

[Premsyl]

"Why am I always getting calls like this? Look, I don't know what you're talking about, pal. Lot's closed at night. If you want to talk to the manager about that I can page him and have him call you. You gotta number I can give him?"

[MinotaurWarrior]

The Foreign Lord gave the man his home phone number, sold the things he gained from the mugging at a local pawn shop, and went home.

In the unnoticed architectural glitch they called home, Montaenoo and The Foreign Lord began preparing. Montaenoo retrieved his scimitar and began honing the blade while The Foreign Lord took a shower, combed his hair (parted it down the middle), put on his hat (a fedora) and his coat. Once they felt prepared the pair started stalking Edwin.

While on the prowl The Foreign Lord cast Sense Consciousness and Misperception upon himself.

[JMobius]

(Just to keep things active...)

Morpheus parks as close as he can to the appointed address at the appointed time, scanning the area for Zephyr.

[Premsyl]

Spoiler

Show

Everybody add 4xp. Anytime you use your xp to make any purchases, let me know somehow.

The sun is setting as you all arrive in the parking structure of a 55-story building in downtown Miami. Those of you in the Mysterium might recognize the building as the order's seat of political power in the city. Here is the office of a number of officials in the Mysterium, as well as accommodations for visiting figureheads. The office is on the 42nd floor.