[IC] Dark Streets - Urban Shadows

[Penny]

@XxFellsingxX

Lian looks momentarily confused and defeated as though she has been struggling with the same question.

"I don't even know what is wrong," Lian admitted, fiddling with a button on her jacket and sighing deeply.

"When my grandmother tells people things, its not always obvious why," Lian continues, then gives a brittle laugh.

"People say she can see the future, but she some how never comes right out and tells people what is going to happen," she mutters in frustration.

[Penny]

@POOHEAD189

The Valkyrie stirs as her armor is removed, revealing her sculpted muscular form. Harald is sweating profusely as he peels back her bloodied undershirt. A bloodied wound mars her lower right side, a red welt surrounded by a mass of bruised flesh. Harald touches the wound with gloved hands and winces, then reaches into his medical bag and retrieves a pair of forceps.

"Hold her down," he instructs, and then reaches in with the silvery tool. The Valkyrie starts awake, lips drawing back from white teeth in a snarl of pain.

"Hold her!" Harald shouts and heaves back. There is a horrible sucking sound and then a pop as he pulls out a bloodied bullet. It drops to the floor and rolls to your feet as the Valkyrie subsides. Harald takes a bottle from his bag and cleans the wound then packs it with gauze.

"She really should go to a real hospital. She has lost a lot of... gold shit," he adds helplessly.

[Penny]

@Candykane

The police get you handcuffed and drag you into the back of a police cruiser, scattering civilians before them. Once they have you secured they cover you head with a black bag. You can hear the sounds of traffic as they drive you somewhere downtown. You are marched into a building, still blind, and sat down in a chair. Chains are fastened around your wrists and legs. Finally the bag is removed and you find yourself in a comfortable office, face to face with a handsome man in an expensive suit.

GM Prompt: He is mortality when you roll ;)

[XxFellsingxX]

Kendra

It was at that point Kendra suddenly realised that Lian had no idea that she was living in a city alongside the undead, fae, wizards and who knows what else. They'd just assumed that any family member of Madam Chang's would, of course, be in the know when it came to the supernatural... which was somewhat hypocritical, given Kendra's own family situation, but that was beside the point. Apparently, Lian had just accepted that her grandmother had weird hunches about things and had never stopped to consider that there could be more, weird unexplainable things in this world, things that made people having visions of the future seem positively mundane by comparison.

Kendra gave a sigh as they brought one hand to their own temple. They could feel a headache coming on, and not kind that came with her visions. "Of course she wouldn't," Kendra muttered, shaking their head. "Look, I'm not sure what to tell you. If you're in some kind of trouble or danger, I have no idea what I could do to help." They looked at Lian. "I'm assuming you have somewhere to stay. Do you live alone?"

[Penny]

@XxFellsingxX

"Yes, of course," Lian agrees, squaring her shoulders.

"Look, I'm sorry to have bothered you, I feel kind of silly," she adds, standing up and straightening her clothing. Her obvious fear is rapidly transmuting into embarassment.

"I'll head home, I'm sorry to have bothered you." Without further comment she heads out the door and down the hall.

[XxFellsingxX]

Kendra

Again, Kendra felt a stab of guilt. They really wasn't handling this situation well. "Hold on, hold on," they said, following Lian back down the hall. "If there is genuinely, like, something up, I'd feel shit sending you home with zero precautions." They thought for a moment. "Like I asked, you do have somewhere to stay? With people you can trust?"

[Penny]

@XxFellsingxX

Lian pauses in the door her cheeks now flushed with embarassment.

"I'm sure I'm just jumping at shadows, I live alone but its a safe neighbourhood," she says.

"Thank you, I've already made kind of a fool of myself. Ill get out of your hair."

[XxFellsingxX]

Kendra

Realising there wasn't much more they could say to convince her not to leave - at least, not without sounding like a complete lunatic - Kendra gave a defeated sigh. "Alright," they mutter, as they let Lian leave. "Stay safe out there."

[POOHEAD189]

Ǫlni The Forgemaster

---

"No hospitals," Ǫlni said, brooking no argument from Harald. He picked himself up, going to grab a small cot, an old blanket from the closet and a pillow, along with a glass of water. As he brought the bundle back, he heard Harald ask:

"Is this really a Valkyrie?"

"Aye, boy. Even in the old days, you midgardians did not get to see them often. Only the bravest of warriors, picked by Odin for Valhalla."

"Is Odin and his warriors...are they still...?"

"Oh they show up to those worthy, still, lad. Maybe you'll see it one day. Now help me put her up on the cot." He said, and the two lifted her up as slowly and gently as they could. Once she was set up and wrapped up, Ǫlni patted her cheek. "Oi, what happened? Who did this to ye?"
@Penny

[Penny]

@rush99999 Colby enters though he declines the offer of a soda without comment. He is an athletic looking man for a lawyer and his dark eyes smoulder with something more than determination. There is a faint sharp chemical scent to him.

"Mr January, I will be brief," he says formally, setting his briefcase down and opening the clasps with a snap.

"I'm here on a legal matter with regards to the estate of the late Magus Harold Robinson." As he talks he produces a legal folio marked with a number of seals and sigils.

[rush99999]

January

January remains silent as Colby speaks, the vampire's face bearing an expression of relaxed interest. But within his eyes, a glint of predatory calculation could be glimpsed as January schemed up ways of getting his hooks into the lawyer. At the mention of Harold Robinson, January tilted his head in curiosity. In decades past, January and Harold had adventured together across the city, facing dangers and saving the day on many an occasion. But after Harold turned away from street-level matters and set his sights on loftier goals, they had mostly drifted apart. They had still kept in touch on an irregular basis, trading pleasantries and favors every so often. But January had thought that was about it.

Apparently he was mistaken.

"You have my attention." January said while gesturing for Colby to elaborate.

OOC

January figures Colby out. He rolls a 10 and learns two methods to get Colby in his Debt.

[Penny]

@POOHEAD189

"So if Odin.. and Valkyries, then Ragnarök and the Midgard Serpent..." Harald begins to babble to himself, going into a low key eschatological collapse as he mechanically helps lift Sayeeda onto the cot. She opens her eyes, dark pupils flaring, then contracting then settling into something close to their normal size.

"Someone fucking shot me," she hisses. "Then the tried to grab me." She makes a gesture at the P-90 on the floor.

"At least some of them wont be making that mistake again," she grins, teeth very white against her dark lips. The golden halo of her wings snaps spasmodically.

"I came to take a soul for the Hall but they must have been waiting for me," she concludes. Judging by the size of the slug and the fact it was able to pierce her armor, it must have been both enchanted and very heavy caliber.

[Penny]

@Penny

You don't recognize the man but he smiles a thirty thousand what smile at you. Then stands up from his desk and walks over to examine you.

"You look just like a person," he comments with surprise, "It took me a while to accept that you are actually a thing."

"No matter," he concludes then takes a step back and raises his arms theatrically.

"I require a service of you," he says in badly accented Attic Greek.

GM Prompt: Roll to resist your instinct to serve someone powerful.

[Penny]

@rush99999

Colby withdraws several pages from his folio and lays them out before you. Despite the modern letter head they are each written in old fashioned calligraphy complete with illuminated letters at the beginning of each paragraph.

"I apologize for bothering you at home. Mr Dark felt it shouldn't wait," he explains, a slight hard edge to the name of his senior partner.

"Before he died Magus Robinson completed a fairly sophisticated will with us. Perhaps a little to sophisticated to be administered by a private individual. Regardless, it seems he has named you his executor."

You gather from his mention of Dark that harming his senior partner would put him in your debt. You also get the distinct impression that he would rather you turned down the offer to administer the will.

[rush99999]

January

"I apologize for bothering you at home. Mr Dark felt it shouldn't wait," Colby explains, a slight hard edge to the name of his senior partner.

"Oh it's no bother at all." January lied as he filed away the hostility he detected in Colby's tone for later consideration.

"Before he died Magus Robinson completed a fairly sophisticated will with us. Perhaps a little to sophisticated to be administered by a private individual. Regardless, it seems he has named you his executor."

"His... executor" January stated in shock. "Well that's certainly an unexpected turn of events... One you don't seem to approve of." As he spoke that last sentence, January's surprised expression shifted into a look of speculative curiosity as he left the unspoken question of why dangling in the air.

[XxFellsingxX]

Kendra

On their way to Kim's apartment, Kendra decided to swing past the China Garden to see if it was as Lian described. Despite the woman's claims that she might merely be jumping at shadows, the Oracle was almost certain this was very much not the case, and that mind would not be at rest until she at least looked in it.

Upon arriving to find fire trucks and police cars nearby, Kendra hesitates, unsure if they want to involve themself in this. After hovering for a minute or so, they quickly send a text to Kim: "on my way, might take a little longer than usual to reach you tho. i'll explain when I get there"

They then take a deep breath and get closer to the scene.

[Penny]

@rush99999

"My approval, or that of Ellsworth, Colby and Dark, is irrelevant," Colby replies in a smooth practiced voice. He produces a brass fountain pen from his briefcase and lays it neatly beside the documents.

"Magus Robinson created a contract with us, and that contract requires that we offer you the role of executor. Whether you choose to fulfil that function is entirely your choice. If you do choose to fulfil it, I will make available to you certain talismans which will allow you access to the Magus' effects. By doing so you will agree to disperse his assets and properties as he has outline. If you decline his request, the function shall devolve on Ellsworth, Colby and Dark." The words are polished and rehearsed, though the mechanisms by which they might or might not be enforced remains opaque. The firm does have a reputation for fulfilling contracts though, regardless of the cost.

[Penny]

@XxFellsingxX

The China Garden stands on a busy corner at the edge of China Town, perfectly mixing the ancient and the contemporary. It has the look of a temple with stone tiled roof and timber pillars lacquered red and gold. Paper lanterns hang from the roof and several stone dragon statues guard the entrances to the building. Several police and fire vehicles are parked around it and there is a barrier of crime scene tape. Passing through the tape you are able to get closer and get a look inside.

A closer view shows uniformed police milling around inside the building. The seem intrusive surrounded by little golden statues of Buddha. A large fish tank is visible with numerous turtles gliding around oblivious to the concerns of humans. You can see that the police are carrying out a stretcher covered with a cloth, the shape looks irregular and rough.

GM Prompt: You can investigate a place of power with Power, snoop, or use some other tactic to investigate if you choose.

[XxFellsingxX]

Kendra

Kendra gets as close to the taped barrier as they can and attempts to take in as much of the scene as they can. In particular, they're trying to see anyone who may be Madam Chang. Her warning to Lian to seek out Kendra in case of an emergency implies that Madam Chang herself might be in some sort of peril, or otherwise unreachable.

OOC

Kendra rolls a 10 on Investigate a Place of Power. Kendra in particular is tyring to figure out what might have happened to Madam Chang.

[Candykane]

It slowly dawned on Vicky that he was attempting to command her. The Greek tugged at her but the accent was so abominable she could hardly understand him. He sounded like one of those unwashed brutes from Macedonia!

"I will do as you command," she lied, letting her body slacken as far as it would, which, for a stone statue, was not a large amount. Amazingly the ploy seemed to work.

"How can I serve you?" she enquired, hoping whatever request he made wasn't going to be too disgusting.

Rolls

Resisted my Instinct - Mark Redemption
Tricked! - Create an opportunity, expose a weakness or flaw.