Rosetta Intro 1

[13:57:52] [@zoofman] Alright. So we'll say this occured about three months prior to recieving that fateful phone call from Norina.
[13:58:38] [Rosetta] Okie dokie. So just smack in the middle of Johto adventures
[14:00:18] [@zoofman] Summer was closing to an end in Johto and around this time, leaves starting to turn orange, red, yellow shades. This day in particular was your trip to the Ruins of Alph.
[14:02:38] [@zoofman] You've just arrived at the location, exactly where it was mapped. There's a small wooden sign with alphic script reading 'THE RUINS OF ALPH' with it in a few other languages underneath.
[14:04:36] [@zoofman] There's a more modern building close to that with what looks like a gift shop and visitors center, but it's empty at the moment. The grounds itself is about what you'd imagined. Stone buildings, most toppled over, with lots of runic symbols over them. A few of them are roped off with signs reading 'NO ADMISSION WITHOUT A TOUR GUIDE.'
[14:05:56] ° Rosetta walks along the path up to the ruins, hands shoved into her pockets and music blaring into her ears from her phone. She plucks out an earbud as she reads the sign.
[14:07:08] [Rosetta] "Tour guides, huh? You'd think their visitor center would be staffed if they're gonna make a requirement like that, yeah?" Rosetta leans over one of the ropes, standing on tip toes, then settles back with a sigh.
[14:09:00] [@zoofman] As you wander around you notice an elderly man in a monk's robes sweeping a walkway. He looks over to you and seems surprised for a moment. "Oh. Good day, young lady. How can I assist you?"
[14:09:59] ° Rosetta hops around to face him in a Natu-like fashion. "Yeah! Are you open for tours today?"
[14:12:00] [@zoofman] He nods slowly. "We are indeed. I am Kim ; It's been a slow season for visitors so I am the only caretaker on duty at the moment. And you are..?"
[14:13:01] [Rosetta] "Rosetta." She brushes a hand off against her hoodie, then extends it to Kim.
[14:14:10] [@zoofman] Kim puts the broom aside and shakes. "Welcome, Rosetta. What in particular are you interested in seeing or learning of on this visit?"
[14:17:40] [Rosetta] "Mmm, well." Rosetta bounces on her feet, thinking. "How do I put this? My family does the whole 'rune master' thing a lot. And I mean a lot. But I got tired of just reading about unowns and ruins and all in books, and I happen to be in Johto on trip, so I figured I'd see for myself, yeah?"
[14:19:42] [@zoofman] "Ah, makers in your lineage. Yes, yes," He seems a bit accustomed to this. "Then you certainly came to the proper place. Follow me, there are certain areas we only permit individuals such as yourself."
[14:21:35] [Rosetta] "Aha! Shiny." Rosetta stops bouncing and looks to follow. "I guess that means you get this a lot, yeah?"
[14:22:55] [@zoofman] He leads you to one of the roped off buildings, and brings a Pokeball from his robe and releases a Lampent. "Not terribly often, but a dozen or so a year, and usually in the off season. It's during the major international league events we get the bulk of our guests."
[14:23:54] [@zoofman] "Come along now, it's easy to get lost down here." The lampent leads the way, illuminating the path down.
[14:26:03] [Rosetta] Rosetta's eyes sparkle as she looks over the lantern pokemon, and she follows at a quick gait. "That few? Must feel like some sort of exclusive club. I hear it's quite the illuminating experience though." She looks every which way as they proceed.
[14:26:46] [@zoofman] The stairs lead down to a maze of corridors beneath the village. There are electricl lights strung along the place, but the lampent's glow seems very preferable. The lights seem more a safety precaution.
[14:27:59] [@zoofman] The walls are lined from floor to cieling with pictograms of Pokemon, people, endless alphic script. "Most come for the novelty of this being the earliest known civilization based among this odd species of Pokemon. Others due to their own region lacking such relics. Where do you hail from, if I may ask, Rosetta?"
[14:30:16] [Rosetta] "So uh, with so few coming here for this reason, you don't really ask for proof, hu- oh? New Ivyhollow. I'm from the Isles."
[14:31:50] [@zoofman] He chuckles. "It's less a secret and more just a bit more involved than the standard tourist is seeking. If someone would fake such a claim, they could have simply asked in another way."
[14:32:45] [@zoofman] "The Eastern Isles? Hm." He nods. "While I highly doubt there are no ruins of such nature of this one, to my own knowledge one has yet to be unearthed."
[14:35:05] [Rosetta] "Aw, I thought there'd be some sort of secret ritual I'd have to learn to come back later or something." Rosetta's gaze flits over the walls, her hands shoved back in her pockets again. "Well, it's more...I needed a break from the Isles, so I came to Johto. I've been here nearly nine months now. I guess you could say I'm on a journey of self-discovery? A vision quest?"
[14:35:17] [Rosetta] She shrugs. "I think that's how most people would put it? Not quite right, but close enough!"
[14:35:20] [@zoofman] He rounds a corner and starts to descend down more stairs. "There is little concrete knowledge we know of the people who once dwelled here. We know from their script they worshipped the Unown and believed them to be the servants of a greater power. They were a hunter-gatherer society, no signs of agriculture."
[14:36:28] [@zoofman] He looks back over to you. "That's an interesting way to phrase it. I imagine you find it much gentler here."
[14:36:53] [Rosetta] "But they built this? Weird. You'd think the point of hunting and gathering is to keep moving around."
[14:39:01] [@zoofman] "It is odd. As is the fact there is little to no evidence of why they left this place, or were wiped out. They did not keep personal records, not even familial ones. All this script is just what they theorized or communed from the Unown. Most of it however is similar to the information stored in a Pokedex. Many of the early entries on species were based from here."
[14:39:07] [@zoofman] He rounds another corner, down more stairs.
[14:40:12] [Rosetta] "I see why mom and pop are so enamored with places like this." Rosetta mumbles, continuing to look around but eyes glazing over a bit. "Whole place is like a giant book."
[14:41:17] [@zoofman] Down here the electrical lights aren't present, but there's a low blue glow from down the corridor. "Or it could have possibly been this. The one thing they did leave behind. Or...what they built around to try to hide from the outside world."
[14:42:13] [Rosetta] Her eyes shift back into focus again at the first glimpse of the glow, and she trots forward at a slightly quicker pace. "What is it?"
[14:45:02] [@zoofman] At the end of the hall, you enter a room bathed in blue tint. The source is a wavering column of light from the ground to cieling. A socket of sorts on either end noit entirely unlike the part of a lamp you screw a bulb into. Just, solid obsidian and smoothed out.
[14:46:07] [@zoofman] This obsidian substance is present a lot in this room. Several monoliths surround this contraption like a stonehenge of sorts.
[14:46:48] [Rosetta] "Is it a power-source? An interdimensional portal? A reallllly good coffee machine?"
[14:47:25] [@zoofman] "We call it the Maker's Glow. Though throwing a coffee maker into it is an interesting experiment I will have to attempt one day," he chuckles.
[14:47:54] [@zoofman] "It's alright, everyone, you can come out. She's used to you guys." he speaks at the room.
[14:49:43] [Rosetta] "So if you throw in a bottle of bourbon do you get a bottle of Maker's Mark in return?"
[14:50:53] [@zoofman] "I think they could better show you what it does." He winks, as the entire room becomes swarmed with opened eyes. All staring at you. The walls, floor, cieling, the obsidian structures.
[14:51:59] [Rosetta] "Shoot, if I had a bottle on m- oh whoa! Hi there." Rosetta hops up in surprise.
[14:52:41] [@zoofman] Unowns peel out of the structures from everywhere, until the room is packed with them. "They tend to hide. The tourists tend to scare them a little, and vice versa."
[14:53:26] [@zoofman] The Unown closest to you approach slowly, before bobbing around happily, and swirling around the two of you in greeting.
[14:55:33] [Rosetta] "Isn't that the point of coming here though? It's like going to a theme park and being too scared of the rollercoasters to ride." Rosetta withdraws a hand from her hoodie pocket, reaching it up toward the Unown in greeting.
[14:56:10] [@zoofman] "Well, you don't have to consider the feelings of the rollercoaster now do you?"
[14:56:39] [Rosetta] "I guess not. Unless it's a Rotom running it."
[14:57:04] [@zoofman] They swirl around your hand, but dart away shyly if you try to touch them.
[14:58:29] [@zoofman] "Rosetta here would probably appreciate it if you guys showed her how this overgrown lava lamp works," he says to the swarm.
[14:59:22] ° Rosetta just holds her hand out there until she gets tired and shoves it back in her pocket. "Uh huh, but first...what is it meant to do? Shoot, this is one of those 'show, don't tell' things, isn't it?"
[15:00:24] [@zoofman] He nods, as the unowns part a bit to make the room more clear. Kim gets a bit closer as a few of the little letter creatures approach the light.
[15:01:05] [@zoofman] They make a ring around the column, and begin to spin slowly as what looks like precision surgical lasers emit from their eyes into the energy. Roll Perception.
[15:01:25] [Rosetta] 2d6+2
[15:01:26] [DiceMaid-9001] Rosetta, 2d6+2: 11 [2d6=3,6]
[15:01:52] [@zoofman] It takes a little bit before you can make out what's going on in the light - another Unown is being formed.
[15:01:57] [@zoofman] 1d28
[15:01:58] [DiceMaid-9001] zoofman, 1d28: 4 [1d28=4]
[15:02:03] [@zoofman] a D shaped one!
[15:03:05] [@zoofman] After a bit the ring breaks and the new one rushes out, dancing happily as the others join it in a little welcoming dance of sorts. "Funny little guys, are they not?"
[15:03:06] [Rosetta] "Oh! It makes new Unown! Yeah, yeah, Norina and I can do that too. Or, er, maybe we just pull them from somewhere?" Rosetta hops closer to get a better look.
[15:04:41] [Rosetta] "Yeah, they are. I've never seen so many in one place."
[15:06:16] [@zoofman] "Well, I don't have that gift myself, but what I have seen others try with success is...essentially what scientists and us theorize is this substance is what makes up the Unown's genetic structure. It's actual properties are lost to the ages. Plenty of smart people researching the subject and I prefer my place here."
[15:07:18] [@zoofman] "What it always looked to me what they were doing is concentrating really hard on it, and then one just sorta poofed out after a bit. Some people bottle some of the stuff and take it with them."
[15:09:12] [Rosetta] "This blue light you mean?" Rosetta takes another few steps closer. "Funny, do some people just produce this in their bodies then? I've obviously never been here, and as you said, the Isles don't have any publically known ruins like this one." Then she squints and mutters to herself. "Maybe that really questionable drink I had at Annette's tea party..."
[15:10:42] [@zoofman] "Funny you say that."
[15:11:07] [@zoofman] "In Russia they had a sick experiment a couple decades ago where they tapped into one of these things and put trace amounts of it in the public water sources."
[15:12:05] [@zoofman] "Big boom in the number of Makers there. So if you ask me I think that's a very probable explanation. Some people just...make this stuff on their own. With your family you probably do too, but this is the source right here, untapped and all."
[15:13:29] [Rosetta] "A 'sick experiment'? I'm guessing it had unpleasant side effects for some then...?" Rosetta asks uneasily.
[15:14:06] [@zoofman] "I imagine the Makers came to be as descendents from the people who lived in places, or found them on their own and had chance encounters that introduced it to their lineage."
[15:15:07] [@zoofman] "A lot of the Makers that whole thing produced...well, Russia is the way it is for a reason nowadays."
[15:15:49] ° Rosetta nods along. "I should go see for myself someday." She muses aloud.
[15:16:39] [@zoofman] "Not to dissuade you, though. If your lineage is truely as it is this practice should be completely natural to you," he backs up a bit to give you some space.
[15:26:18] [Rosetta] "Well, hm." Rosetta steps forward, closer to the column. She waves a hand through it experimentally, letting the light flit through her fingers. "I dunno what might happen if I try with so much of the raw material here, if that's how it works. Buuuut..."
[15:27:30] [@zoofman] it has a bit of density to it but mostly feels like a thick fog, it flutters a bit as your hand passes by it, then coalesces again
[15:29:17] ° Rosetta tugs at her hoodie collar, revealing a small tattoo in a deep, rich black, like a ring of India ink with a small pattern in it, just below her throat. "Usually, I can just pull from here..." She waves a hand through the column again and grabs a fistful of the light, pressing it to the dot, then pulling up and out, shaping the light.
[15:31:55] [@zoofman] The column of light flashes, enveloping the room.
[15:33:51] [@zoofman] When your vision returns, you're floating in a space of the same color. Just you, and an E Unown before you.
[15:35:19] [Rosetta] "Shit, this is what happens when I use too much, huh? Or um..." Rosetta frantically looks down, up, all around. "Well, hi anyway!" She waves at the Unown.
[15:36:28] [@zoofman] <Which side are you on?>
[15:36:57] [@zoofman] You're not exactly sure if that's coming from the Unown. It comes from all directions.
[15:39:04] [Rosetta] "..." Rosetta raises a hand and opens her mouth to speak, then drops it in consternation, her mouth closing into a frown. "...Oh hell no, this isn't the family heritage bullshit is it? You want someone for that, you can take Norina. She WANTS to uphold the lineage and all that, yeah?" She flails her limbs awkwardly in midair as she floats.
[15:39:54] [@zoofman] <No. Which side are you on?>
[15:42:21] ° Rosetta crosses her arms and legs, trying not to tumble over in the air. "I'm rooting for the Eastern Isles bobsled team in the next winter sports competition." Then after a pause, she sighs. "What are my choices?"
[15:43:49] [@zoofman] <I cannot tell if you are coy or are honestly ignorant of it. How many tattoos do you possess?>
[15:46:05] [Rosetta] "Just the one." Rosetta tugs at her hoodie again to show the tattoo, which has now faded to light flecks of grey. It would be a week again until it's the deep, black color again. "Look, I know my family's got a history with this whole thing, but I kinda ran away from home about three years ago."
[15:47:59] [@zoofman] It hesitates a second. <Then you are ignorant of it. Permissable. I refuse to serve a heretic.>
[15:48:29] [Rosetta] "Mind, uh, explaining then?"
[15:49:50] [@zoofman] It pauses a second more. <Acceptable. Initiating Shadow Mode. One...Two...Three...>
[15:50:03] [Rosetta] "Wait, this isn't gonna hurt, is it?"
[15:51:09] [@zoofman] Before there's even time to answer your question, the blue fades. You're in a dimly lit, tiny room. Smells...musky. A quick glance around makes you think it's a college dorm room.
[15:51:42] [@zoofman] And your clothing has changed. http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Ninja%27s_Garb_Set?file=Ninja%27s_Garb_Set.JPG
[15:52:40] ° Rosetta looks down and pats herself down. "Wait what. What." If there's a mirror in the room, she rushes toward it.
[15:52:51] [@zoofman] Before you sits a young man in a hoodie you recognize very well, scrawling away at a notebook frantically. Corbin glances over to a white board every few seconds where he's taped two maps. One a map of the campus, another a world map.
[15:53:15] [@zoofman] There's a mirrior above the sink in the room. Your reflection isn't in it though.
[15:56:30] [Rosetta] "Aha!" Rosetta snaps her fingers at seeing the empty mirror. "So this is some sort of memory visitation or astral projection or..." She glances over at Corbin and does a doubletake. "oh I am so happy you didn't send me in while he was jacking off or something. But um. Why the ninja garb and why...this?"
[15:57:09] [@zoofman] The unown isn't present. no answer.
[15:58:13] ° Rosetta sighs deeply, then approaches closer, glancing at the notebook and then at the maps.
[15:58:53] [@zoofman] The map of campus is clearly labeled DOLL LOCATIONS: with red dots drawn all over the place. Also seems to contain near by parts of the city.
[15:59:21] [@zoofman] The world map is much harder to follow, it's got a lot of pins tacked into it and some strings drawn connecting some. Most them lead to Visiwa.
[16:00:13] [Rosetta] "Um..." Rosetta scratches her head. "Didn't know you were into that, Binny." She looks to see if anything stands out on the Visiwa part of that map.
[16:00:28] [@zoofman] The notebook...is entirely in alphic script, (the contents of which I'll pass over for now cause of what Corbin's action is about to do.)
[16:01:01] [@zoofman] Corbin picks up the map of campus, folds it up a bit, and sticks it in his front pocket. He then reaches for a camcorder and turns it to face himself. There doesn't seem to be much a correlation with the world map, just a lot of pins in Visiwa linked elsewhere.
[16:02:02] [@zoofman] "Alright, so...I'm gonna start recordin' these in case somethin' really had happens. I think I stumbled onto something really, really bad and gotta keep this logged much as I can."
[16:02:05] [Rosetta] "But you aren't even a rune master." Rosetta's glance goes from the weird alphic notebook to the camera, and she stuffs her hands into her pockets as she watches.
[16:03:04] [Rosetta] A quick glance at the screen of the camcorder, then at any calendar that may be visible in the room, or anything else that might give an indication of date.
[16:03:22] [@zoofman] "So this thing with the dolls all around campus...I saw a few kids puttin' them out, just like the one I helped a few months ago. So I started thinkin' it was weird and did some digging around on missing person reports in the region."
[16:03:30] [@zoofman] This is live time, Rosetta.
[16:05:05] [@zoofman] "A lot of those kids started poppin' up, but they aren't from Visiwa. They are from all over! Johto, Kanto, Orre, Asteri, Russia, Unova, Mexinova, god anywhere you can think they got these kids that have been spotted here unsupervised by people but I can't find any closure on what's happenin' with it."
[16:06:11] [@zoofman] "So...I got one in particular I know is usually near campus. Ten year old kid from Unova named Jerome. See him all the time. Gonna try to approach him tonight. Let's do this!" He pauses it, puts a cap on the camera and gets to putting his shoes on.
[16:07:00] ° Rosetta takes a deep breath, then tugs at the weird headband she has on now, and goes to follow Corbin.
[16:08:07] [@zoofman] He dips out into the night, it's about 2 in the morning on a weekday. Not much happening around town, even the bars right off campus are quieting down.
[16:08:48] [Rosetta] Does the world seem to react at all to my presence? Or do I pass through walls and the like?
[16:09:25] [@zoofman] New Ivyhollow is a pretty nifty little town. The university tries to stay cutting edge architecturally, and the surrounding businesses do too. So even this late on an off day it's fairly well lit. Corbin, however, makes special care to stay in the shadows.
[16:10:08] [@zoofman] Little experimentation shows it doesn't seem you can pass through objects or interact with people, but you accidently kicked some pebbles aside that spooked Corbin a bit.
[16:11:35] [@zoofman] After a bit of snooping around Corbin pauses, and you see a young black kid in basketball shorts and a wife beater carrying a small wooden box around, dropping some creepy looking dolls here and there.
[16:11:48] ° Rosetta decides to dart and dash among the shadows as well, with an occasional parkour maneuver here and there. She works up a light sweat going around in a circles a bit before getting out ahead of Corbin and walking backwards, facing him. "You aren't very good at this. So what are you up to?" She says with a bit of concern on her face and a small tilt of the head.
[16:12:16] [@zoofman] "KING KONGS N MAH TRUNK KING KONGS" he seems to be rapping to himself.
[16:12:30] [Rosetta] And then she turns her attention to the kid with the dolls.
[16:13:03] [@zoofman] He looks...pretty normal? Not malurished or dirty, but really out of place for his age and what he's doing. But there's not much around people wise to notice.
[16:14:10] [@zoofman] Corbin follows him a bit more as the kid ducks into an allyway, where you hear a muffled 'oh fuck-' from around the corner come from the kid.
[16:15:42] ° Rosetta dashes over to get a look, while still keeping in line of sight of Corbin.
[16:17:38] [@zoofman] Corbin peeks around as well. You see the kid ducking behind a dumpster. Farther down the allyway are a few rough looking fellows. Thugs, no doubt about it. All shirtless, musclebound and tattoo'd. "So do we got a deal, then?" Says the one with his back facing you.
[16:17:47] [@zoofman] Roll me perception
[16:17:53] [Rosetta] 2d6+2
[16:17:53] [DiceMaid-9001] Rosetta, 2d6+2: 7 [2d6=2,3]
[16:18:23] [@zoofman] There's a very, very distinct difference between his tattoos and the other two guys
[16:18:36] [@zoofman] The other two guys got pretty 'average' gang tattoos, numbers and lines and such.
[16:19:00] [@zoofman] His are almost tribal looking at first, until you realize they are actually of Unowns. All over his body.
[16:20:05] [Rosetta] "...fuck." Rosetta mutters under her breath as she approaches, hugging the alley wall. So far it seems like no one can interact with her, but she isn't so sure when it comes to Unown. She was brought here by one after all.
[16:20:43] [@zoofman] "Woah now bro, I'm just here to speak with ya. I'll tell the boss what you want but sounds pretty fuckin' great to us. I don't imagine he'll have much else to ask. He'll let your boss know. Aite?"
[16:21:25] [@zoofman] The Unown guy grunts but nods. "Fair enough." The other two thugs walk the opposite way out, away from you guys. And then the tattoo in his back blinks.
[16:22:34] ° Rosetta tries very hard to remain unseen as she slinks forward! She glances back to Corbin once before continuing.
[16:23:45] [@zoofman] Corbin eeps and ducks back behind the corner, camera out and recording. Jerome looks like he just pissed his pants. The thug looks over his shoulder, "I know you heard that, little stray." And begins to walk in your direction.
[16:25:43] ° Rosetta dashes past the guy and stops right behind him. She looks around for anything like pebbles since she knows she can affect those - and then she unleashes a burst of Hidden Power around her!
[16:26:58] [@zoofman] Doesn't just -have- to be pebbles. Plenty of trash cans and bags as well. Regardless, the burst of electrical power causes stuff to go flying all over. The thug hesitates as the eye on his back blinks. "Wasn't one of you? Hm."
[16:27:07] [@zoofman] The kid, meanwhile, bolts. "FUCK THE POLIIIIIICE"
[16:27:27] [@zoofman] Corbin you can't really see at the moment as he was streetside still.
[16:28:16] ° Rosetta moves to the side again for the moment, hoping Corbin took the distraction as an opportunity to run.
[16:29:11] [@zoofman] "Well, at least the caretakers of that child taught him that. Pslam 01: Obey the Gospel before all other laws." The thug chases after the kid.
[16:30:47] [@zoofman] Corbin was able to hide himself pretty well on the streetside by ducking into the entryway of an apartment building, but as the thug runs off, he swaps the camera back to his face. "What the fuck is this shit I gotta follow this!" He makes his way back out, this time keeping more distance and filming from more of afar.
[16:31:15] [Rosetta] "What was all that about?" Rosetta mutters to herself as she returns around the corner where Corbin was. "Corbin are you LARPing or something?"
[16:31:25] [Rosetta] And then she turns to continue following him.
[16:33:17] [Rosetta] As she follows, she looks down again at her strange new attire. "Am I LARPing?"
[16:33:27] [@zoofman] You two follow for a bit, the kid and the musclular guy are currently just running down the empty sidewalks. Jerome does duck under a fence at one point leading to an allyway. The thug reaches it, rears his fist back, and a Hidden Power punch of sorts shatters the fence to pieces as he pursues.
[16:34:10] [@zoofman] Corbin sneaks up to the corner and just hangs the camera around the side, watching from the preview monitor for now.
[16:35:51] ° Rosetta on the other hand jst goes on ahead around the corner and watches directly, though she tries to stay as hidden as possible while doing so.
[16:35:54] [Rosetta] *just
[16:38:22] [@zoofman] The thug has the kid cornered against a fire escape leading to a rooftop. "Psalm 35: Raise thy children wise or they be wild. Psalm 95: There will be only burning, screaming, and gnashing of the teeth to those who ridicularize the Gods. Your very existence challenges two of these mandates, stray."
[16:39:33] [@zoofman] The kid shrugs, tosses the box aside, and stretches some. "You wanna play, asshole? Aite, we can do. This shit goin' into over time."
[16:40:22] ° Rosetta walks up, looking for more debris, and begins to raise a hand to call up another Hidden Power, but she hesitates as she remembers Corbin is behind her and any commotion would lead them his way. She drops her hand and listens, hopping up and teleporting onto a rooftop to watch if any is low enough.
[16:40:36] [@zoofman] ...And then he hauls ass up the fire escape with the sudden grace of a cat on the hunt. The thug snarls, and starts climbing up slower.
[16:40:53] [@zoofman] Roesetta made a wise choice with the teleport, it seems!
[16:41:26] ° Rosetta tries to keep pace with the kid, following him with a series of leaps and teleports!
[16:43:32] [@zoofman] You hear shouting from the allyway. "ALVAR'S FLOATING DISC." And a second or so later the thug appears behind you on an unown-hoverboard of sorts. His...tattoos are gone. Give me three perception checks.
[16:44:17] [Rosetta] 3#2d6+2
[16:44:18] [DiceMaid-9001] Rosetta, 3#2d6+2: 6 [2d6=1,3], 13 [2d6=6,5], 12 [2d6=5,5]
[16:45:02] [@zoofman] First one: This kid should not be this fast. And something's changing about him as he runs, physically. But it's hard to see that and the other two things at once.
[16:45:29] [@zoofman] As he bounds a building you'd have to teleport across effortlessly, you glance to the sound of a gasp on the streetside.
[16:46:16] [Rosetta] "What. Whaaaat."
[16:46:33] [@zoofman] Corbin seems to have been following on foot on the streetside, filming. But he paused and is now looking at a nearby clocktower. "Sweet baby Arceus it's her." You hear him say.
[16:47:14] [@zoofman] Looking to where he's pointing, you see a figure standing on top of the clocktower, watching this chase. She leaps down in a dive, and teleports herself as she nears a building, breaking out into a run, beelining the thug.
[16:47:21] [@zoofman] And then the chase continues!
[16:48:52] [@zoofman] (and music start :3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnMjmYT8zd0 )
[16:48:58] ° Rosetta just tries to keep focused on processing all this as she goes.
[16:51:31] [@zoofman] Things get a bit odd as the third person showed up. Jerome more or less gets a breakaway as their paths run perpendicular. He gives her the finger, though and sticks his toung out at her. "BIIIITCH." It's then you notice he's suddenly got very, very sharp finger nails. Other than that he's so out of here.
[16:51:32] [Rosetta] "You're in over your head, Corbin." She mutters with a shake of the head as she catches her breath between leaps and teleports.
[16:53:59] [@zoofman] This new comer honestly...doesn't seem much differently dressed than you do. It's got less an Asian motif about it but is largely dark, very fitting, and conceals a good part of her face. She's got a Ninjask with her, buzzing widly, as she stands in the path of the thug.
[16:57:10] ° Rosetta tries to get closer to her specifically as she follows the chase, taking opportunities to leap and teleport to landings and rooftops near her when she can.
[16:57:28] [@zoofman] A pscionic blade emerges from one of her hands. The thug shows no signs of stopping, instead seems to speed up to run her over. Their clash is over in the blink of an eye. She teleports to the side just ever slightly, and stabs him in the back of the neck.
[16:57:42] [@zoofman] By the time this occured, you were very well within easily 100 feet or less of it, however close you wished.
[16:58:13] [@zoofman] The thug's body and his unown disc nosedive into an allyway, and there's the 'thud' of hitting a dumpster.
[16:59:44] [@zoofman] Roll me...let's go with an intiution for this one.
[16:59:55] [Rosetta] 1d6-2 srsly
[16:59:56] [DiceMaid-9001] Rosetta, srsly: 3 [1d6=5]
[17:00:47] [@zoofman] Her ninjask stops buzzing as it lands on her head. She looks in your direction. You swear for a second she's looking -at- you eye contact and all, until you her a pitiful weezing plop behind you.
[17:01:22] [@zoofman] Corbin barrels out of a doorway to this rooftop and sorta flops in exhaustion. "Shit. I missed it."
[17:02:26] [@zoofman] ". . ." there's a bit of an awkward silence.
[17:02:33] ° Rosetta spins around.
[17:03:15] [@zoofman] "You're...from the ski trip..." Starts Corbin.
[17:03:22] [@zoofman] "Uh."
[17:03:41] [@zoofman] "And that one thing with the truck..."
[17:03:43] [@zoofman] "Uuuuuh."
[17:04:17] [@zoofman] "Just who ARE-" "IGOTTAGO." *POOF* there's a burst of smoke and she's gone.
[17:04:18] ° Rosetta steps to the side, a look of bewilderment on her face. She inches closer to the chick, trying to get a better look at her features.
[17:04:26] [Rosetta] "Awkward."
[17:04:29] [@zoofman] Well, before she poofs.
[17:05:05] [@zoofman] The headdress she's wearing doesn't really conceal her hair. It's about to the small of her back, black. Her skin is unusually pale for this time of year.
[17:06:16] [@zoofman] Corbin collects himself, leans against a doorway, looks into the camera. "This shit just keeps making less and less sense. What is this some sort of three way gang war?" He turns it off and lets his arms flop to the side as he rests some.
[17:07:02] ° Rosetta notes this, then turns to Corbin, then scratches her head. "Don't go anywhere." She says, knowing Corbin can't hear her. Then she hops down to the dumpster where the thug ended up to get a better look.
[17:08:24] [@zoofman] He less landed in it and rammed into it. Blood's spattered on the side. and he's half supported by it. His Unowns are, well, far as you can see gone.
[17:09:31] ° Rosetta circles around, looking to see if there are any markings left on him now that the Unown are gone.
[17:10:04] [@zoofman] You can clearly see a discoloration where the unowns were. It's fairly evident they -were- his tattoos, but the skin under them is noticably paler than the rest.
[17:10:11] [@zoofman] it's like a bikini line, a very weird one.
[17:12:59] [@zoofman] Roll me Perception though for something about that though.
[17:13:03] [Rosetta] "Funky shit." She looks around to see if anyone's come to investigate, particularly if there's anyone who's been watching who has the same tattoos or seems otherwise involved.
[17:13:06] [Rosetta] 2d6+2 alrighty
[17:13:08] [DiceMaid-9001] Rosetta, alrighty: 8 [2d6=5,1]
[17:13:55] [@zoofman] As you look over him, on the back of his neck you notice an actual one. Tattoo that is. It's a circular band of unowns and closed fist in the center.
[17:14:30] [@zoofman] And there seems to be no one disturbing you, at all.
[17:14:53] ° Rosetta squints at the tattoo. "Looks like something Norina would like."
[17:17:37] [Rosetta] With one last look around, Rosetta makes her way back to where Corbin was resting earlier, teleporting where needed.
[17:18:31] [@zoofman] As you turn to leave you notice a small booklet in his back pocket.
[17:18:45] [@zoofman] You thought it was a wallet at first.
[17:18:48] ° Rosetta tries to snatch it. Does that even work?
[17:18:55] [@zoofman] It does.
[17:19:15] [@zoofman] It's a small leather bound tome with the same symbol as the tattoo.
[17:19:19] [@zoofman] It's...contents look blank, though? huh
[17:19:20] [Rosetta] "Shiny." Rosetta flips through it as she returns.
[17:19:30] [Rosetta] "Well shit."
[17:19:55] [@zoofman] Corbin's still chilling where he was, seems he's on his phone ordering a pizza to pick up on his walk home.
[17:21:11] ° Rosetta walks up and stuffs her hands in her pockets again. "Well, least that much hasn't changed."
[17:21:58] [@zoofman] He slowly collects himself, one last glance to the clock tower, and starts his way back.
[17:22:07] [@zoofman] <Are you satisfied with this?> says a familiar voice.
[17:23:04] [Rosetta] "..." Rosetta doesn't reply at first, walking alongside Corbin as he returns. "None of this tells me what the sides are or what they stand for. What is this, some kind of secret war?"
[17:23:37] [@zoofman] <For the moment, yes.>
[17:24:06] [Rosetta] "Not so much after tonight though, right? Or were there too few witnesses?"
[17:24:44] [@zoofman] <A thug who overcrossed his boundaries will not raise many suspicions.>
[17:25:30] [@zoofman] <The heretics are well versed in covering such tracks.>
[17:26:43] [Rosetta] "You call them heretics. What teachings have they violated?"
[17:27:37] [@zoofman] <They are purging the Makers who do not side with them.>
[17:28:02] [Rosetta] "Side with them on what?"
[17:28:33] [@zoofman] <To purge the world of non-makers.>
[17:30:56] [@zoofman] <I know not how they imagine to accomplish this. But the woes of Russia were sparked by this purge.>
[17:31:01] [Rosetta] "That's some crazy nonsense. Just looking at the sheer demographics of the idea..." Rosetta shakes her head. "So uh, what's the deal, every rune master who makes a pilgrimmage to the Ruins of Alph gets this sort of thing thrown at them?"
[17:31:24] [Rosetta] "No wonder you get so few visitors."
[17:32:04] [@zoofman] <You drew forward one of us from the tattoo on your chest before the very energies we are composed of when such a conflict is happening.>
[17:32:09] [@zoofman] <It was a precaution.>
[17:32:52] [@zoofman] <We wish not for the world these heretics do. We are happy with our own.>
[17:32:53] [Rosetta] "Soo...yes. Assuming the rune master in question has a poo sense of timing."
[17:33:01] [Rosetta] *poor
[17:33:29] [Rosetta] "Could she see me?" Rosetta asks suddenly.
[17:34:03] [@zoofman] <It is uncertain. Sensed, perhaps.>
[17:35:55] ° Rosetta rubs her temples. "So who was who in that fight?"
[17:39:00] [@zoofman] <The child is an uncertainty. The heretic was the slain one. The young woman of The Readers.>
[17:39:52] [Rosetta] "Readers?"
[17:40:26] [@zoofman] <The Writers are slain. The Dreamers never were. The Readers act in the shadows to avoid The Heretic. Our Collective is shattered.>
[17:42:34] [Rosetta] "...This is sounding a lot like the family heritage now." Rosetta mutters.
[17:42:50] [@zoofman] The world begins to fade back to blue. <And you hold no side in this, as such we apologize for our transgressions.> E appears again before you.
[17:43:29] [@zoofman] <Shall we return? We have wasted much of your time as is.>
[17:43:36] [Rosetta] "Usually we have uh, much more light-hearted chats when I call up one of you guys. That isn't gonna change, is it?"
[17:45:06] [@zoofman] "Those of our line, in this place, are more wary than the others you have called upon. It should not change for those drawn from your self, no.>
[17:45:30] ° Rosetta nods. "I'm sure my brother can take care of himself, whatever this is. Yeah, uh, let's go back."
[17:45:57] [@zoofman] The light fades again, and you're back in the ruins with Kim. E's hovering before you.
[17:46:12] [@zoofman] All the other unowns close in for a swirly apologetic hug, Kim seems really confused but laughs.
[17:47:46] [Rosetta] "Oh c'mon guys, I don't think this was much of a waste of time at all. I wanted to see first-hand what my heritage meant, and, well, I think I got it. I think." Rosetta slowly pushes through the mass of unown-hug to the blue column of light again. She leans in and takes a deep breath.
[17:58:10] [@zoofman] It's not unlike spearmint. Cold to the senses but with a small kick at the end. You don't really FEEL any different, however.
[17:58:20] [@zoofman] "First time I've ever seen someone do it that way."
[17:58:23] [@zoofman] "Hrm."
[17:59:10] ° Rosetta exhales and leans back out. "What do you mean?"
[17:59:37] [@zoofman] "Inhaling it."
[18:01:41] [@zoofman] "I suppose it's the same end as distilling it to a liquid to drink, though. I can show you the rest of the grounds if you wish, but I imagine with this you've jumped the Sharpedo."
[18:01:49] [Rosetta] "Not much different than drinking, right?"
[18:01:52] [Rosetta] "Yeah, yeah."
[18:01:54] [Rosetta] "Um."
[18:03:06] [Rosetta] "I imagine nothing much else here is gonna be this exciting, yeah?"
[18:03:30] [@zoofman] "Yeah not really. Basically the rest of it is what you saw coming down." He chuckles.
[18:06:17] [Rosetta] "Well, then, um, good luck with that secret unown war, or um...yeah, whatever that is." Rosetta shifts in place awkwardly.
[18:07:09] ° @zoofman seems extremely confused at your joke. The unowns sorta slink away at the mention of it.
[18:07:13] [@zoofman] er, Kim does that
[18:08:57] [Rosetta] "Okay! I'll be on my way then. Thanks for the tour!"
[18:10:01] [@zoofman] Kim nods, leading you back up and returning to his sweeping.
[18:11:53] ° Rosetta gives Kim a wave as she leaves, pulling out her smartphone and opening a map app. "So uh, oh I guess Azalea town next. I wonder if they have a giant pink column of light at the bottom of the well that makes Slowpokes."
[18:12:19] [@zoofman] (ppppppht)
[18:12:47] [@zoofman] A few months later, you recieved the news from Norina, and things changed a bit in your travels. But that's a tale for another day
[18:12:49] [@zoofman] </intro>