All Roads/Session 26

From RPGnet
Jump to: navigation, search

ST: Jean doesn't say anything, all you can hear are his anxious breaths against the stone floor.

Isis: At a small gesture from Isis the other man sits down against the far wall, closes his eyes and puts his fingers in his ears.

Kenan: Kenan is looking at the scene with mixed feelings, but doesn't seem to want to act

Isis: Her eyes are on Nebuchadnezzar and Jean and the weapon between them, her expression watchful. Waiting to see what happens.

Nebuchadnezzar: doesn't hesitate his finger slowly depressing the trigger, the only sound that comes from the gun is a *click* of an empty chamber. Neb laughs and puts it away. "But killing you would have unintended consquences wouldn't it?"

ST: Jean flinches at the sound, his breath hitching for a moment.

Nebuchadnezzar: turns his back on the Scelestus and gives both his cabalmates a disappointed look. "I'm going to go ring Syn, get him to bring the law in on this"

Nebuchadnezzar: He pulls out a mobile and heads for the stairs.

Isis: Isis jumps a little at the sound of the gun. To Neb's look she gives a small shrug.

ST: "You cunt." He whispers hoarsely. "I'll see you all in hell."

ST: With that you feel him cast a spell, the prepared spell he had been holding.

Isis: Looking over the scene in the basement room Isis frowns thoughtfully. Jean's words quickly bring her back to the present though and she takes a step back in alarm.

Kenan: Seemingly satisfied with how the events unfolded, Kenan notices the release of the spell and attempts to snuff it out

ST: You mitigate part of the spell's strength, but it's like using a board to hold back the ocean. Jean chokes and seizes, his eyes rolling to the whites and spitting blood onto the grimy floor.

ST: It takes only a second and then he's gone.

ST: From Isis's perspective the room now bears one less conciousness.

Isis: watches the gruesome aftermath of Jean's last spell, unable to look away.

Nebuchadnezzar: "Death is not a nice place Scelestus. It is not my job to relegate more people to the underworlds." Comes from the shadowy stairwell, as Neb ascends it. He doesn't look back.

Isis: After a minute it occurs to her to let the Sleepwalker in mental shackles check Jean for signs of life.

ST: He does so, leaning down to check for a pulse. Finding nothing he shakes his head, expression blank.

Isis: nods slowly and lets out a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding. The Scelestus dead and no immediate manifestation ... chances are good that the intruder will be left stranded on the far side of the astral divide. Even so she keeps her distance.

Kenan: Kenan slowly walks out of the room, somewhat shaken

Isis: Leaving the room walking backwards the dog and man follow along a few meters behind, the latter closing the door behind him.

Isis: Back upstairs while Nebuchadnezzar is on the phone Isis turns to Kenan as she remembers something. "His mind is still shielded," she says quietly, indicating the Sleepwalker. "And there is work still to be done. Would you dispel that for me?"

Kenan: "hmm? oh, yes. I'll do it now"

Kenan: Kenan begins to remove the mind shield from the sleepwalker

Isis: While Kenan works on the shield Isis sends the dog off to where it won't inconvenience the cabal and closes the door on it before relinquishing her iron grip on its feeble mind.

Isis: "Thank you," she nods to Kenan when he is done.

Kenan: "you're welcome" Kenan replies politely, but without much enthusiasm. He seems deep in thought, and appears not willing to talk

Nebuchadnezzar: hangs up. Syn is on his way. Gives a pained laugh and slumps down into the cleanest corner he can find, wincing as he does so.

Kenan: Kenan notices the wincing "are you all right?"

ST: It does not take too long to remove the mental shielding from the sleepwalker, and as Kenan finishes up you soon become aware of a spatial window that opens up connected to Neb. Someone is scrying him.

Isis: The athame is still in her hand, a comforting stability she can hold on to. As the scrying window opens Isis first instinct is to raise it against the magical intrusion, scrutinizing it with narrowed eyes.

ST: Suddenly a small piece of paper is thrust through the semi-portal, fluttering down to Neb's feet. The window then closes.

Nebuchadnezzar: A small pool of red spreads out from Neb's back onto the floor as he attempts to staunch the bleeding from his arm

Kenan: "good grief! it looks pretty bad. I'm afraid I don't really know how to help you, though"

Nebuchadnezzar: "Well getting the shotgun round out of my back might be an idea." Neb says slumping forward to catch the note before it gets soaked with blood

Isis: Seeing that the window has closed again and the note is not enspelled Isis turns her gaze back to Nebuchadnezzar, her eyes going wide with concern. Finally putting the athame away she looks around for something to help Neb, bandages or something like that ...

Kenan: looking at Neb's back "well, if you can get me a pair of tweezers, I could start pulling the pellets out... if you're willing to risk me doing it"

Isis: The threads of fate hum and sing and a moment later Isis joins Kenan bringing a somewhat dusty first aid kit with her, which she has been /lucky/ to find.

Isis: Opening the rusty metal box she produces still wrapped bandages and other supplies. "The first thing is to make sure there isn't too much more bleeding," she says, her voice much calmer than she looks.

Kenan: "wouldn't this be done quicker - and safer - with magic, though?"

Isis: Tapping into the Akashic record to augment what she recalls from the first aid course Isis begins to open packages of bandages and blunt scissors.

Isis: Cutting away the clothes over the wounds, then applying compresses and bandages Isis manages to stop the worst of the bleeding. Most of the pellets will of course still require surgical removal, but this is as much as she can do.

Isis: Inwardly she is thanking Diana again and again for her firm insistence that she learn at least basic first aid.

Nebuchadnezzar: winces slightly through the treatment but doesn't complain. "Sentinels will be here soon."

Isis: Only then she remembers Kenan's comment. "Yes, magic for the healing," she nods. "But bandages against blood loss until we can get him to a healer."

Isis: "Can you manage the pain yourself, Neb?" Isis stands, wiping her hands.

Nebuchadnezzar: "I'll be fine." He says.

Isis: "Will you stay with him, Kenan? There is something I still have to do before the Sentinels arrive."

Kenan: "sure. What do you want to do?"

Isis: "I would like a few more answers," she says vaguely, walking over to where the the Sleepwalker is standing still in the corner.

Nebuchadnezzar: shakes his head, shaking off the black at the corner of his vision. "Yes, what is it you need to do exactly Isis?"

Isis: Tilting her head she hold up one finger to balance his soul on the Scale of Ma'at.

Isis: "I dared not touch the Scelestus' mind, but if this one is not infected ..." She trails off, biting her lip uncertainly.

Isis: "He is damaged," she continues after a pause, speaking to herself as much as to the others. "Exposure to the Scelestus' presence perhaps. Erosion, corrosion, lingering poison?"

Kenan: "can he be helped?"

Isis: At her silent direction the Sleepwalker rips out a few hairs and careful to avoid any physical contact deposits them in a small glass vial which Isis then puts away again.

Isis: "I don't know. I can't even say how bad it is exactly, at this point."

Isis: Drawing the athama from its sheath again Isis lifts it toward the man, then lowers it again hesitating. The need to know conflicting with fear and caution she has difficulty making up her mind.

Nebuchadnezzar: is glancing around the room.

Isis: *she clearly has difficulty

Isis: Finally she seems to come to a decision and making a vertical cut in the air pronounced a word of High Speech.

Nebuchadnezzar: "Humm." Neb says witnessing the cut

Kenan: "what's Isis doing now?"

Isis: "Diving for answers."

Isis: ... Isis says a little absently, engaged in the effect of her spell.

ST: It is only a short time later when you all feel the bloom of a spell and in the room before you a portal forms, shimmering in your enhanced sight.

Isis: After about a minute of concentrated, unseen work Isis twists the athame sharply, then takes a deep breath and returns to Neb and Kenan. "Let's not speak about what I found here, or before witnesses," she says quietly.

ST: Syntagma steps out almost instantly, looking about blindly in the relative darkness of the room. Behind him is Serabande, Arclight and three other sentinels you vaguely recognise. They look like they mean business.

ST: Syn looks over at you, walking up when he sees Neb's bloodstained bandages. "Are you okay? Where is he?"

ST: Arclight gestures to the rest and they move in pairs to secure the place, before he approaches you too. "Explain what's going on here."

Nebuchadnezzar: looks up at Syn with a pained grin. "You know me, never could resist a bit of trouble."

Nebuchadnezzar: "What remains of the Scelestus is downstairs. I think he killed himself rather than be captured. He was ranting about working for someone else."

Kenan: Kenan looks more than a little uncomfortable with the situation

Nebuchadnezzar: "The Sleepwalker over there was in on whatever he was planning, as is the ghost currently trapped in this flask." He pulls the flask from his coatpocket.

ST: Arclight doesn't look pleased at all.

Isis: "He is under psychic domination," Isis adds quietly as Neb points out the Sleepwalker, who is standing in the corner, his eyes closed and fingers in his ears.

ST: "Let me have that." He gestures to the flask, holding out a hand.

Nebuchadnezzar: "Isis says the Sleepwalker's mind is frayed. But one of you might be able to recover something." /me throws Arclight the Flask

Nebuchadnezzar: throws Arclight the Flask with a wince

ST: Catching it he then turns, calling Serabande over to him and handing her the flask. She disappears hastily through the portal with it.

ST: One of the sentinels that had headed downstairs returns very swiftly. "Arc, it's him. He's dead." Arclight just nods once, his expression grim. He then turns to the three of you again.

Nebuchadnezzar: "Sorry we couldn't grab him alive." Neb says beginning but not completing a shrug, as he recalls his back wounds just in time. "The guy really really didn't want to be taken alive."

ST: "I don't need to hear it now. You three need to get out of here. Head through the portal. Olemba will patch you up on the other side, then you've got a lot of questions to answer."

Isis: "A suicide spell," Isis elaborates, frowning. Using magic to kill stains the soul - but would the same hold true for suicide?

Isis: gives the portal a curious look. "Where does it lead?"

ST: Syntagma doesn't look very happy either, though his unease is evidently directed more towards Arclight than the three of you. "You guys go. We'll take it from here. I'll see you at the sanctum tonight."

Nebuchadnezzar: "If someone can help me stand up again, I'd be happy to oblige." He says suprisingly cheery considering.

Kenan: Kenan extands his hand and helps Neb up

Isis: tries to help Nebuchadnezzar, for all that she can't physically do much to help him stand

Nebuchadnezzar: "Looks like I've ruined another jacket." Neb mutters as he limps up to and through the portal

Kenan: Kenan follows, looking sheepish

Isis: "I had to cut it open," Isis says apologetically. "That's how they showed us to do it."

ST: In an instant you leave the dank basement behind you, emerging in a rather less dank basement. The place is spacious looks like it's been decked out to be a meeting room of sorts. From the crash-mats, mirrors and chairs about the place it's not a stretch to realise this is probably where the sentinels meet for training and such.

Kenan: "I'm fairly sure it was ruined the moment the shotgun put a few dozen holes in it"

ST: There are a number of people standing around, some looking rather anxious. As you arrive a lean, black man in early middle-age approaches you. "Who is injured?"

Kenan: points at Neb

Isis: "Only one of us, Nebuchadnezzar," Isis confirms.

ST: "Come with me." He makes a beckoning gesture to Neb. "You," He points at Kenan, "Go with Rictus." A dark-haired man steps forward. "And you," Isis this time, "With Gemini." A middle-aged blonde woman in a flowing skirt.

ST: If you follow they lead you away into an adjoining corridor, then each into different rooms that branch off.

Isis: gives Gemini a curious look, and after a moment follows

Kenan: "hold on, I'm more than willing to answer your questions, but why are you splitting us up?"

Kenan: Kenan looks with concern at Isis

Nebuchadnezzar: "And you are?" Neb says with limping towards the man, before the others go their seperate ways.

Nebuchadnezzar: glances back at Kenan, "You watch all that daytime TV and your going to tell me you've never seen a police procedural?"

Kenan: "I wasn't aware we're being subjected to one"

Kenan: he pauses for a moment, shrugs, and follows after Rictus, somewhat unhappily

Isis: Isis tilts her head, looking at the Sentinels who instructed the split up. "Are we?"

ST: "My name is Olemba." He addresses Neb first, then the rest of you. "We need you all to answer some questions individually."

ST: "This is standard procedure for such an event, do not take it personally."

ST: "Once we get events cleared up you will be free to go."

Kenan: "fine, let's get it over with, then"



Isis and the Sleepwalker[edit]

Dakkareth: Taking care to leave all her various protections in place and shifting incoming information through non-obvious paths in her mindscape Isis reaches out into the man's mind and memories.

Dakkareth: (Read the Depths)

Dakkareth: His name, his identity, these are the first pieces of information she seeks out. With his name and his hair in her possession he will never be beyond her reach.

ST: Julian Crosswell is the man's name, though he renounced it soon after meeting Jean. Clearly a disturbed individual he is a native Londoner, and has beared his derangement most of his life. A paranoid schizophrenic, though not to a debilitating degree. Most people never knew he was ill until they got to know him.

ST: His paranoid delusions were confirmed when he met Jean, who recognised Julian as a sleepwalker and took him under his wing. On learning about the secret world from the scelestus's point of view he devoted his life to helping Jean in his goals.

ST: When the two met Jean was already convinced of his part in the 'plan', as he referred to it. The sceletus was acting on very specific, often arbitrary-seeming orders from a shady figure he called 'The Operator'.

ST: They never met this person, but Jean was convinced to follow them for two reasons. One was the promise of revenge against Alastair and the Guardians of London. The second, more importantly, was to bring about a vision Jean had recieved in a dream, or so he would say.

ST: A perfect society, where mages ruled for the good of all people and not to keep them enslaved in ignorance.

ST: Julian wasn't privvy to the specifics, but he followed. Partly in awe of the world he was just discovering.

ST: The most interesting, and possibly chilling, piece of information you discover pertains to the event at Brewers Hall.

ST: Jean didn't orchestrate that himself, he just wasn't capable of it. He was let in by someone on the inside. They supplied him access to the demense's soulstone, which he corrupted. This allowed for the scale of the paradox seen at the event.

ST: They also allowed him to slip the wards on the place and interact directly with the spell in progress.

Dakkareth: (does he know anything about who that inside person was?)

ST: No. He just followed the faceless commands of the operator, which he recieved through dead-drops and anonymous phone calls.

Dakkareth: (Does he know anything about the reason Jean originally came in conflict with Alastari and the Guardians?)

ST: Jean explained it to him, though left out a lot of information. You can gather nothing new from him.

ST: You get the impression both Jean and Julian were intensely troubled people. Jean sometimes had doubts about the whole thing, but always carried out his orders in the end. It seemed he felt that he had little else to live for.

ST: He would say he'd sometimes catch glimpses of the society in his vision, and that's what kept him going.

Dakkareth: (Unraveling Practice of Mind - rather than putting a false memory on top of something to obscure it, think damaging the memory until it is cut to ribbons and heals into a scar or sorts)

Dakkareth: What Isis wants to obscure are the details of the cabal's interaction with the Jean (in particular what they professed to know about the Guardians), as well as the fact that Isis broke into his memory

Dakkareth: she will try to make it look like the damage centers around her taking control of his mind

Dakkareth: with the parts she wants to hide conveniently collateral damage