run stuff

3:11 PM <%gmEldritch> (Soul?)
3:11 PM <%Soulless> (waitinf dor the setting to be eatablish
3:11 PM <%gmEldritch> (Ah
3:12 PM <%gmEldritch> Alright, the briefing room you've been summoned to this time looks a little crowded even when it's occupied by only one very harried-looking agent with a couple briefing packets laid out on the table in front of her. Noticing you all walk in, she glances up from her watch and lights up visibly. "Ah. Good evening, agents, um... It's good you've come in such a timely fashion."
3:13 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian looks around, blinking at the woman before settling down.
3:13 PM <@DSJ> "I assume the matter is urgent, then?"
3:14 PM <@DSJ> Joseph stands, and takes a packet to read over
3:14 PM <%gmEldritch> "Yes."
3:15 PM <@madness_> Aaron takes a packet and peruses over the reading material. "What's today's mission?"
3:15 PM <%gmEldritch> "There's been an urgent callout from one of the international Foundation contacts, more specifically in Australia. The contact in question's an, um. Member of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. He's been reporting an outbreak of disease in a small town in the outback, named Rhodehampton - that and all the disappearances in the area have our attention."
3:16 PM <%gmEldritch> "Your mission today's to see if there's anything worth being concerned about - what's caused the disease and the disappearance and seeing if you can contain it, if possible."
3:16 PM <SpookyBee> "The... Royal... Flying Doctor Service..." She squints, seeming terribly confused.
3:17 PM <%Soulless> Rolf arrives relatively quickly, he takes a packet and and reads quietly, listening with a high attentiveness.
3:17 PM <@madness_> "Will we be receiving any protective gear or are we going in as plainclothes agents?"
3:18 PM <%gmEldritch> At Vivian's question, the woman answers: "Royal Flying Doctor Service's an, um... basically in the name. Medical professionals who fly into remote areas of Australia and deal with medical emergencies that city doctors can't really get to in time."
3:18 PM <@DSJ> "Ah yes, the RFDS. I read about them once in a magazine, I believe. Interesting way to serve the people of Australia, but I suppose the land there makes it necessary."
3:18 PM <%gmEldritch> "You'll be going in as plainclothes agents for the time being."
3:19 PM <SpookyBee> "Very well... This seems quite unsafe."
3:20 PM <@DSJ> "I think the majority of our operations would be considered quite unsafe."
3:21 PM <@DSJ> "But alright then, plainclothes. I suppose I won't have to change."
3:21 PM <%gmEldritch> The woman frets some more. "Yes. We'd like to get more time, but people have started to notice – they've only got fifty-odd people and when even one person drops out of existence rumors start spreading..."
3:22 PM <@madness_> Aaron nods and continues reading the briefing packet. "Do we have a concrete number as to how many disappearances have occurred lately?"
3:22 PM <SpookyBee> "Then we should leave before this gets inflamed."
3:22 PM <%Soulless> Rolf has gone silent.
3:22 PM <%gmEldritch> "We've confirmed six. And, yes: we've got transport set up for you already. Jet lag may be the least of your problems."
3:24 PM <@DSJ> "Do we know what the disease is?"
3:25 PM <%gmEldritch> "We don't."
3:25 PM <SpookyBee> "Then I suppose we will find out. Should we carry firearms?"
3:25 PM <%gmEldritch> "We know some symptoms of it - photophobia, for one... and yes, I'd recommend you carry firearms of some sort."
3:26 PM <@DSJ>  "Photophobia, that's fear of the light, correct?"
3:26 PM <%gmEldritch> "Yes."
3:27 PM <SpookyBee> Viv nods.
3:27 PM <@DSJ> "Hm. Are there any mines or cave systems in the region, at least as far as we're aware?"
3:27 PM <@madness_> "So, flashlights and guns. We can probably find a map in town." Aaron makes his way to change out of his patrol uniform and into something a little more form fitting for small towns.
3:28 PM <%gmEldritch> There's a map in your briefing packet.
3:28 PM <@madness_> Oh. Redcat, then.
3:28 PM <@madness_> redact*
3:29 PM <%gmEldritch> "A couple, if you feel like collapsing the roof in by walking too hard."
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3:30 PM <@DSJ> "So it's unlikely people are slowly turning into cave dwelling beings or something like that, although out loud that already sounds farfetched."
3:30 PM <%gmEldritch> "Probably unlikely, yes."
3:30 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian snickers at Joseph!
3:30 PM <@DSJ> "Alright, well, no further questions then."
3:31 PM <@DSJ> Joseph heads off to make sure he has papers and pens, as well as some ammo for his Mauser, which sits in a pocket in his suit jacket, as per usual
3:32 PM <%Soulless> Rolfgets ready, and then arrives in that strange silent way.
3:32 PM <SpookyBee> Viv goes to get her stuff!
3:33 PM <%gmEldritch> Timeskip to 'Straya?
3:33 PM <@madness_> Sure!
3:33 PM <SpookyBee> Yeee
3:33 PM <@DSJ> shore
3:34 PM <%Soulless> Rolf introduces himself, his skills in talking, doesn't bring up his anomaly.
3:36 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian arrives in basic clothing and her false backpack, with her c96 in one of the pouches and tools in a hip pack!
3:36 PM <SpookyBee> She has her tightsuit on underneath, of course, and keeps her robohands gloved.
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3:37 PM <%gmEldritch> Alright, once you all arrive in Australia, you're driven out from the nearest RAAF base to Rhodehampton by the Foundation contact the briefing lady talked about. He introduces himself as Dr. Rudy Eckhart as you start off on the drive to the little town.
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3:38 PM <%Soulless> Rolf smiles. "Pleasure, doctor."
3:39 PM <@madness_> "Pleased to meet you, Doctor Eckhart. Have you found out more about the disease yet or are we still blind to most of it?"
3:39 PM <%gmEldritch> "Glad to meet you all. I assume we should introduce ourselves on the drive over, just so the townsfolk don't get suspicious..."
3:40 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian offers a hand!
3:40 PM <%gmEldritch> "As for the disease, we're still rather ironically blind to a lot of it." Rudy takes the hand and shakes!
3:40 PM <@DSJ> "That'd be for the best, I think. Professor Joseph Lanning, translator. I doubt that facet of my skills will be useful today, though."
3:41 PM <SpookyBee> "My name is Vivian Morodecci, I am a technician."
3:42 PM <@madness_> "We know about the photophobia bit of it. Anything else you can enlighten us about?"
3:42 PM <%Soulless> "Rolf vogel."
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3:42 PM <@madness_> "Oh, sorry. Aaron Brooks."
3:43 PM <%gmEldritch> If the disease causes photophobia, then you're sure glad you don't have it – the sun is absolutely beating down as you roar down the dusty road. You probably think you can see a kangaroo far off in the distance, but if the heat is any indication it could just as likely be a mirage.
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3:44 PM <%Soulless> Rolf dabs sweat from his brow with a hankerchief.
3:44 PM <%Soulless> It is quite the look for him.
3:44 PM <@DSJ> "Any idea on how it spreads, were the infected related or in contact in any way?"
3:45 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian, being very light-skinned but also light-haired, keeps herself cool by fanning herself off with a folder.
3:46 PM <%gmEldritch> "We've got a couple symptoms that've drawn the Foundation's attention: severe insomnia, unnatural lacrimation, and occasional outbursts of echolalia across the town. As for infection..." Rudy sighs. "It's... difficult to tell. It's a tiny town, so my first guess is contact, but I haven't been infected: neither have the nurses I've taken here."
3:47 PM <@madness_> Aaron's used to the heat like this. "Lacrimation and echolalia?"
3:47 PM <%gmEldritch> "Crying and babbling."
3:47 PM <SpookyBee> "Insanity..."
3:47 PM <%gmEldritch> "Ever been to a Southern Pentecostal church? Basically the whole 'speaking in tongues' thing they do over there."
3:48 PM <SpookyBee> "i am not a medical professional but this reminds me of rabies."
3:48 PM <@DSJ> "So, in essence, they're both going well, insane, and trying to stay indoors due to the sun. And the disease doesn't seem to spread with contact..."
3:48 PM <@DSJ> ""Are we sure this is an illness?"
3:49 PM <%gmEldritch> "It could be rabies, but the blood tests we've taken seem to rule that out."
3:50 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy sighs at Joseph's question. "If it's not an illness, then I'm a few hundred /more/ meters up shit creek without a paddle."
3:51 PM <@DSJ> "That would be fairly unfortunate, yes. I'm hoping it is, and curable, because the alternative is that something is manipulating people's minds."
3:52 PM <@madness_> "Where did you find the first case of whatever it is? Maybe we can start our investigation there."
3:52 PM <SpookyBee> "If it is not an illness, then you have called the right people, doctor."
3:53 PM <%Soulless> Rolf looks nervous. Manipulating minds? Rolf does nt have a strong will.
3:54 PM <%gmEldritch> "The first case has disappeared, which is a pain in the ass!" Rudy grimaces.
3:54 PM <%gmEldritch> "I can take you to the earliest case we've still got with us, though."
3:55 PM <@madness_> "That would be a good start."
3:55 PM <@madness_> "You okay, Vogel?"
3:55 PM <%Soulless> He nods.
3:55 PM <%Soulless> "I'm fine." He lies.
3:55 PM <%gmEldritch> "Right, then."
3:56 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian looks over to Rolf, her eyes prying, but her mouth stays silent.
3:56 PM <%Soulless> Rolf just smiles.
3:57 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy gives Rolf a concerned look. "You alright? Heatstroke and dehydration'll occasionally wipe out my interns, so I've got some water for this kind of thing..."
3:58 PM <%Soulless> "Water would be very useful soon, I believe."
3:58 PM <@madness_> Aaron peers at Rolf, but says nothing further. He swivels back to Eckhart. "When did shit start to hit the fan?"
3:58 PM <%gmEldritch> "Patient zero got pulled in a couple months ago, and the next two happened a couple days later."
3:59 PM <%Soulless> "Unfortunate..."
3:59 PM <@DSJ> "What's the rate of infection, then?"
4:00 PM <%gmEldritch> "As in, how many people are infected?" Rudy hrms. "Thirty-seven, at the last count. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if there's been another disappearance..."
4:00 PM <%Soulless> "Who is oyur oldest patient?"
4:01 PM <SpookyBee> "And youngest-" She looks to Rolf. "It is good to have a range of affected ages."
4:02 PM <%gmEldritch> "Oldest affected is 63, youngest is 23.
4:03 PM <SpookyBee> "So there is a forty-year window, then."
4:03 PM <%gmEldritch> "Yep."
4:03 PM <%Soulless> "I meant the patient that has been in your care the longes that you still have tabs on."
4:03 PM <%gmEldritch> The sound of baa'ing echoes faintly from a sheep pen off in the distance.
4:04 PM <%Soulless> He looks to what the sheep is baaing at.
4:04 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian retrieves her pistol, checking the magazine and breach before putting it back into her backpack pouch.
4:04 PM <%gmEldritch> There are quite a lot of sheep, Rolf. Mostly they seem to be upset at a dog herding them round.
4:05 PM <@DSJ> "So, did anyone arrive in town around the time the infection started?"
4:07 PM <%Soulless> Rolf enjoys watching the dog and sheep.
4:07 PM <%gmEldritch> "Yes. She left just as soon after, but I haven't been able to extract much information out of the townfolk about her."
4:08 PM <%Soulless> "Let me have a try."
4:08 PM <%gmEldritch> "Be my guest."
4:08 PM <SpookyBee> "... He is quite efficient at retrieving information."
4:08 PM <%Soulless> Rolf chuckles, mirthless.
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4:09 PM <%gmEldritch> (If you wanna get straight to the town, just poke me)
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4:09 PM <SpookyBee> (I'm up for it!)
4:09 PM <@madness_> (ditto)
4:09 PM <%Soulless> *ye)
4:11 PM <%gmEldritch> (DSJ?)
4:11 PM <@DSJ> (Sure)
4:12 PM <%gmEldritch> Alright, after some more rumbling down the dirt road you finally come to the tiny country town of Rhodehampton. It looks tiny and quaint: old-timey drugstore, newspaper stands, little cottages and corrugated iron sheds.
4:13 PM <%gmEldritch> Most of the windows are boarded up.
4:13 PM <%gmEldritch> The place looks like it hasn't been touched in years.
4:13 PM <SpookyBee> "... It looks like people are prepared for infection, with all of the boarding."
4:13 PM <%gmEldritch> "Either that or they're already infected."
4:13 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy's face is dour.
4:13 PM <@madness_> "Well, knock on wood."
4:14 PM <%Soulless> Rolf is quiet.
4:15 PM <SpookyBee> "..." Vivian just kind of looks at Rudy like 'Dude come on'
4:15 PM <@DSJ> "It's a fair assumption given the symptoms, but hopefully an incorrect one."
4:15 PM <%gmEldritch> "Right, now... is there anyone you'd like to talk to in particular, or should we just start with the newest case and work from there?"
4:17 PM <@madness_> "Drugstore clerk might hear a lot of gossip. Newspaper, too. Where do you guys want to begin?" Aaron turns to the group.
4:17 PM <@DSJ> "Is the newest case still mostly rational?"
4:17 PM <%Soulless> "A news source would know all the news, if they're still accessible."
4:18 PM <SpookyBee> "... I could, perhaps, go to the drugstore while you three check the news stand?"
4:19 PM <%Soulless> "Alone?"
4:19 PM <SpookyBee> "I am armed." Vivian shrugs.
4:19 PM <%gmEldritch> "They do have a tendency to... burst into fits, every now and then, but aside from that they're reasonably sane."
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4:19 PM <%gmEldritch> "If you're gonna go alone, introduce yourself as one of my assistants."
4:20 PM <@madness_> "We shouldn't spread out so thinly. Vogel, you have any qualms about going with her?"
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4:21 PM <SpookyBee> "... Very well..."
4:21 PM <%Soulless> "I do not have qualms."
4:22 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy nods. "Either of you want me with you, or should I just sit my sad ass here and wait for you to report back?"
4:22 PM <@DSJ> "So, Aaron and I will go investigate the news stand, and you two will go to the drugstore. Alright, but we really ought to interview one of the patients at some point."
4:23 PM <SpookyBee> "Do what you will..." Can Vivian get out of Le Vehicle?
4:23 PM <%gmEldritch> Sure!
4:23 PM <SpookyBee> She does so!
4:23 PM <@madness_> "We could use a familiar face at the news stand." Aaron nods. "Just try not to catch it, Doctor." And he also exits the vehicle.
4:24 PM <@DSJ> Joseph exits, following Aaron
4:24 PM <SpookyBee> Viv heads to the drugstore, assuming Rolf follows her!
4:24 PM <%gmEldritch> "Both the owners are patients, so that's fortunate..."
4:25 PM <%gmEldritch> Alright, drugstore stay here and #tooltime for newsstand.
4:27 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian enters the drugstore!
4:28 PM <%Soulless> Rolf follows Vivian.
4:29 PM <%gmEldritch> Inside, the drugstore is... very, very dark. It's quiet and dusty, and the racks of various medicines are coated in layers of dust.
4:30 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian squints her second eye-pair open, getting a bit more light as she looks around! "... Hello? Is there anybody here?"
4:30 PM <%gmEldritch> "...hey."
4:31 PM <%gmEldritch> A woman stumbles her way out of the backroom, rubbing her eyes. "You new round here, don't recognise any of your voices..."
4:31 PM <%gmEldritch> You may also notice that she's rubbing her eyes through a thick-looking blindfold.
4:31 PM <SpookyBee> "It is surprising you can see us at all." Vivian turns to the direction of the voice, carefully approaching!
4:32 PM <SpookyBee> *Redact the speech oops lol
4:32 PM <SpookyBee> "Good evening, ma'am. It seems terribly dark in here- Are you feeling okay?"
4:32 PM <%gmEldritch> She stumbles vaguely towards you, trying not to knock into her medication racks. "Bloody- argh."
4:33 PM <SpookyBee> "Walk slowly, and feel for your surroundings."
4:36 PM <%gmEldritch> "Thanks for the hints." Her hands fumble in the darkness but eventually she navigates her way over to you. "Alright, uh... how can I help you today?"
4:37 PM <SpookyBee> "Actually, we are here to help you. We are assistants for doctor Ekhart, miss."
4:37 PM <SpookyBee> Viv looks to Rolf!
4:38 PM <%gmEldritch> "Oh! Um, I've been running low on opiates, but tell him I've tried to get him an additional shipment."
4:39 PM <SpookyBee> "... Opiates?" She tilts her head- "I see... But I would like to ask you questions of your affliction, if I may." Is there a table and chairs nearby?
4:41 PM <%gmEldritch> There are!
4:41 PM <%Soulless> Rolf is just behind her.
4:41 PM <%Soulless> sorry)
4:41 PM <%Soulless> "...yes."
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4:43 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian leads the woman to one of the chairs, sitting opposite her!
4:43 PM <%gmEldritch> She gingerly sits herself down at an odd angle to the table, before instinctively re-aligning herself.
4:44 PM <%Soulless> Rolf moves to sit himself down as well.
4:44 PM <SpookyBee> "... When did you fall under the symptoms of this illness?" Vivian puts a hand on Rolf's arm to help him feel his way around.
4:46 PM <%Soulless> Rolf is grateful for Vivian.
4:48 PM <%gmEldritch> "A few weeks ago, when the new guy moved in."
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4:49 PM <%soulonphone> "Could you tell us about the new guy?" Is it clear enough for Rolf to use jos anomaly?
4:50 PM <%gmEldritch> If he wants to, go ahead.
4:51 PM <%soulonphone> 4df+3 looking
4:51 PM <Glacon> soulonphone: looking: 3 (4df+3=-, +, -, +)
4:51 PM <%soulonphone> 4df+2 vs himself
4:51 PM <Glacon> soulonphone: vs himself: -1 (4df+2=-, -, -, 0)
4:51 PM <%soulonphone> He, uh. He yelps, a little, from pain.
4:54 PM <SpookyBee> Viv puts a hand on Rolf's shoulder, looking at him with concern.
4:54 PM <%gmEldritch> Alright. What's the Look let you see?
4:56 PM <%soulonphone> Let's you see traumas, regrets, anything that would weigh a soul down after death
4:58 PM <%gmEldritch> Rolf now knows there's a reason there's a slight opiate shortage, and the way the woman is rubbing her right arm might have something to do with it.
4:59 PM <%soulonphone> He doesn't detect anything about the disease?
4:59 PM <%gmEldritch> She's leaning harder on it ever since the disease hit her.
5:00 PM <%gmEldritch> There are... strange dreams, and odd fits, and she's worried this is all because of her intemperance.
5:01 PM <%soulonphone> "...I see."
5:02 PM <SpookyBee> "... What could you tell us about this 'New Guy'? Is he still in the town?"
5:03 PM <%gmEldritch> "He vanished. I don't- I don't know where he's gotten off to, but he was the first guy who disappeared."
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5:03 PM <SpookyBee> "I see... Do you know how you were infected? Or what you may have been doing just beforehand?"
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5:08 PM <%gmEldritch> She fidgets. "The guy who vanished. I was talking to him, that much I'm sure, but apart from that nothing special."
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5:09 PM <SpookyBee> "Hm..." She thinks for a moment. "Do you know where he lived, at least?"
5:10 PM <%gmEldritch> "Sure I do. Lived in the same place he worked, machine shop down the road."
5:11 PM <SpookyBee> Viv nods, and looks to Rolf- "Thank you for the time we've bothered you... Perhaps you should return to rest."
5:11 PM <%gmEldritch> She looks a little confused, but nods anyway.
5:12 PM <%Soulless> "Wait."
5:12 PM <%Soulless> "Ma'am."
5:12 PM <%Soulless> "Please, tell me of your dreams."
5:13 PM <%gmEldritch> "Oh-um."
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5:15 PM <SpookyBee> Viv tilts her head, looking back to her
5:16 PM <%gmEldritch> She looks visibly uncomfortable, vacillating between saying something and staying silent - even through the darkness you can see her gnawing at her lip in doubt.
5:17 PM <%Soulless> "...It's okay."
5:17 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+3 PERS - "We are here to help you. You have nothing to fear, telling us your dreams."
5:17 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: PERS - "We are here to help you. You have nothing to fear, telling us your dreams.": 4 (4df+3=0, -, +, +)
5:17 PM <%Soulless> 4df+5 ( persuasion) "If you tell me, I will not tell the doctor I work for that you've been leaning on the opiate more than ever."
5:17 PM <Glacon> Soulless: ( persuasion) "If you tell me, I will not tell the doctor I work for that you've been leaning on the opiate more than ever.": 6 (4df+5=+, 0, -, +)
5:18 PM <%gmEldritch> She flinches back like she's been slapped at Rolf's comment.
5:19 PM <%Soulless> Rolf's tone is very, very kind.
5:19 PM <%Soulless> But firm.
5:20 PM <%gmEldritch> "...Al-alright. I'll- just, please, don't tell him. Whatever you need."
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5:20 PM <%Soulless> "Your dreams."
5:23 PM <%gmEldritch> She swallows. "Well- last night was the worst."
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5:24 PM <%Soulless> "Go on."
5:24 PM <SpookyBee> Vivvles listens patiently.
5:25 PM <%gmEldritch> "There- there was something big standing over me. Like, twice the size of the biggest buildings you've ever seen and made entirely out of metal: huge, big, lumbering thing with its foot about to come down on me-"
5:26 PM <%Soulless> "Do your dreams have similar themes?"
5:27 PM <%gmEldritch> "Y-yeah. I'll be in a different place each time, but the same thing /happens/-"
5:27 PM <%Soulless> He nods.
5:27 PM <%Soulless> "Do you know if the other afflicted have simular dreams?"
5:27 PM <%gmEldritch> "Hands bursting out of the ground, legs coming down to crush me, head looking me right in the eyes and crying-"
5:28 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian thinks for a moment.
5:28 PM <SpookyBee> "... Does the foot come closer with every dream?"
5:29 PM <%gmEldritch> "Sometimes it seems like it's bigger, sometimes it's dripping in black oil, just... pouring out from its hinges..."
5:30 PM <SpookyBee> "But does it come closer to finally crushing you, I mean."
5:31 PM <%gmEldritch> "It changes each time. It'll stop moving, or I'll wake up, or it'll come down on me and I'll feel every bone in my body going CRACK."
5:31 PM <SpookyBee> "I see..." She nods- "I was thinking that, perhaps, the final crushing was the time zone in which people vanished."
5:32 PM <%Soulless> "...Gm."
5:32 PM <%gmEldritch> "Maybe." She shivers and draws her clothes around herself.
5:32 PM <%Soulless> *hm
5:32 PM <%Soulless> "Thank you."
5:33 PM <%gmEldritch> "And- I know Calloway's been getting these, too."
5:33 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian nods! "Do you want me to help you out of the room, ma'am?"
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5:39 PM <%gmEldritch> (Ugh sorry for afk)
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5:43 PM <%gmEldritch> "I'm fine." She sounds noticeably more steady than she did before: almost cold.
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5:44 PM <%Soulless> Rolf nods.
5:45 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian tilts her head, but opts not to get in the way. "We should go see about that machine shop."
5:46 PM <%gmEldritch> "Do- do any of you have any water on you?"
5:46 PM <%Soulless> Rolf I think picked up water.
5:46 PM <%Soulless> He offers.
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5:48 PM <%gmEldritch> She opens the bottle and starts downing it- very messily, and very desperately.
5:49 PM <SpookyBee> "..." Vivian blinks, but goes to head to the door!
5:50 PM <%gmEldritch> Eventually, she stops choking down the water and gingerly hands the bottle back to Rolf, lid still off and water still running down her chin. "Thank you. I- I needed that."
5:50 PM <%gmEldritch> Rolf, a stray bit of sunlight catches the rim of the bottle and shows it's been stained inky black.
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5:51 PM <%Soulless> Rolf nods.
5:51 PM <%Soulless> Rolf sniffs at the ink darkness.
5:52 PM <%gmEldritch> PERC me?
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5:56 PM <SpookyBee> (Soulless
5:56 PM <%Soulless> 4df+5 perk
5:56 PM <Glacon> Soulless: perk: 8 (4df+5=+, 0, +, +)
5:57 PM <%gmEldritch> The smell is metallic, oily and there's a faint tinge of blood and... something else.
5:57 PM <%gmEldritch> Gun lubricant? You can't quite tell.
5:57 PM <%Soulless> "...Smells of metal."
5:57 PM <%Soulless> "And machinery.."
5:57 PM <%Soulless> He steps out, though, with the sample.
5:57 PM <%Soulless> Ito the sunlight.
5:57 PM <SpookyBee> "Hmm... Let's go to the machine shop, then. We may find something there, in that case."
5:57 PM <SpookyBee> Viv heads out!
5:59 PM <%Soulless> He checks if it responds to sunlight.
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6:00 PM <%gmEldritch> It hisses slightly and seems to burn away a little bit.
6:00 PM <SpookyBee> "..." Vivian looks over- "Oh dear..."
6:02 PM <%Soulless> "This was her saliva."
6:02 PM <SpookyBee> She nods! Vivian checks her map for where the machine shop may be.
6:03 PM <%gmEldritch> The machine shop is down the road, a couple buildings away from the drugstore.
6:04 PM <SpookyBee> Viv leads the way!
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6:05 PM <%Soulless> Rolf folloes.
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6:09 PM <%gmEldritch> The store in question seems to have been hurriedly remodelled from its former state: you assume antiques of some sort used to be held there, but old mirrors and your grandmother's trinkets have been replaced by an array of clocks hanging from the wall and assorted mechanical trinkets lying neatly arranged on the counter of the shop.
6:10 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian looks around, before she starts searching for anything of interest...
6:10 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+6 PERC
6:10 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: PERC: 5 (4df+6=+, 0, -, -)
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6:12 PM <%gmEldritch> Vivian, there's a trail of black inky spots that've soaked into the wooden floorboards: they lead to a back room behind the counter.
6:12 PM <%gmEldritch> One of the working clocks on the wall cheerfully rings 4 PM.
6:13 PM <SpookyBee> She follows the trail of GOO!
6:13 PM <%Soulless> Rolf follows Vivian.
6:13 PM <%Soulless> "Same thing."
6:13 PM <SpookyBee> "Mm... Odd. What did it smell like, Rolf?"
6:14 PM <%Soulless> "Machinery. Oil."
6:15 PM <SpookyBee> "Huh..." She heads to the back room, trying the handle to see if it's locked!
6:16 PM <%gmEldritch> The handle swings open beautifully and silently. Vivian, everything around here seems pleasing from a mechanical standpoint: there doesn't even seem to be a single one of these machines that isn't spotless and shiny, such is the care and time the owner invested into it.
6:17 PM <%Soulless> Rolf looks around for signs of life.
6:17 PM <%gmEldritch> Nothing in here, Rolf.
6:18 PM <%gmEldritch> There's a slightly sketchy-looking mattress and a pile of books for accounts and... hm. Last you checked, "On a Calvinist Interpretation of Legate Trunnion's Seventh Descension" wasn't a tax technique.
6:19 PM <%Soulless> "...Hm."
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6:22 PM <%Soulless> "Can you read this?" He hands it to his spider friend,
6:25 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian takes it, looking it over!
6:25 PM <%gmEldritch> ACAD?
6:25 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+3 Apparently she has ACAD ???
6:25 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: Apparently she has ACAD ???: 2 (4df+3=-, -, 0, +)
6:26 PM <%gmEldritch> It's very abstruse and technical, Vivian: the fact it's partially in an odd mix of Greek and some other strange language doesn't help matters much, either. What you can discern of it is that it has to do with some patron saint of machines that this guy was obsessed with.
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6:28 PM <SpookyBee> Viv tilts her head, feeling quite confused. "... It is like some sort of religious text. About some machine-god, or priest."
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6:29 PM <%gmEldritch> Rolf, there's a filing cabinet that probably holds more of the man's documents, if you'd like to peer through there.
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6:37 PM <%Soulless> Rolf begins to sift through them, offering Vivian anthing interesting.
6:37 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian pokes about, as well!
6:39 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+6 PERC Doopa doop doop
6:39 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: PERC Doopa doop doop: 4 (4df+6=-, -, +, -)
6:40 PM <%gmEldritch> As you sift through the pile of documents, you notice a couple of journals seemingly set aside for research.
6:46 PM <%gmEldritch> Vivian, you pull one of these out and find a couple of pages talking about sacrament and the oil needed to make it work. It seems to be related to the machine-priest book you found earlier, which seems to make sense: there's also piles and piles of juicy schema in here! ENGI.
6:47 PM <%Soulless> "Get anything?"
6:47 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+5 +4 if counts as handheld machines!
6:47 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: +4 if counts as handheld machines!: 7 (4df+5=-, +, +, +)
6:47 PM <SpookyBee> (+4 bonus, that is)
6:47 PM <SpookyBee> "... I am unsure."
6:47 PM <%gmEldritch> They're architectural schema, so no bonus, but you can still tell quite a lot.
6:48 PM <SpookyBee> Gimme dem Juicy Deets bby
6:51 PM <%gmEldritch> It seems to be plans for the constructions of something that's referred to as a seed: an intricate mechanism constructed from engine parts and salvaged clockworks. It's apparently meant to tunnel through the ground and grow outwards, though how it actually constructs more material is incomprehensible or just not included. The design for this seed is confusing as it is elegant - so much of it seems to work, but other things just
6:51 PM <%gmEldritch> seem nonsensical in their layout. What's the 'lubricare vital', and why is there an inlet pipe for it?
6:53 PM <SpookyBee> "... This seems... Terribly insane. It is like a growing machine, Rolf." Is there anything around to indicate its completion?
6:55 PM <%Soulless> "...Any indication as to where it is being stored, or built?"
6:55 PM <%Soulless> "It might be what is causing the disease."
6:56 PM <%gmEldritch> Flipping the page, you see a few notes on its construction: "Acquired lubricare vital from supplier last week. Beginning construction of inlet pipe.", "Connection growing stronger. Dissassembled my Ford for a couple of the necessary parts", "Pump installed underground. Screws failed to operate: will requisition more clockworks from townsfolk."
6:57 PM <%gmEldritch> And finally, "Test run succeeded: will descend to integrate myself tomorrow morning."
6:57 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+6 PERC Vivian looks for just such a thing! Any clues or notes about where it may be located!
6:57 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: PERC Vivian looks for just such a thing! Any clues or notes about where it may be located!: 8 (4df+6=+, +, -, +)
6:57 PM <SpookyBee> ... Oh boy.
6:58 PM <%Soulless> Rolf looks around for mre signs of life, if any.
6:59 PM <%gmEldritch> Vivian, a whirring sound has started to make itself known in your ears. It's coming from underneath the dingy mattress.
6:59 PM <SpookyBee> "..." Vivian blinks, and looks over to it. She pulls her backpack off, and uses her many arms to lift the mattress!
7:02 PM <%gmEldritch> Some floorboards have been ripped off to expose a tunnel into the earth. The tunnel is rough and bare and incredibly cramped-looking, but seems stable enough for the time being.
7:03 PM <SpookyBee> "..." Vivian blinks, pulling out her radio- <<Personnel please report to the town's machine shop immediately.>>
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7:07 PM <@madness_> Aaron arrives!
7:07 PM <SpookyBee> Viv is holding the mattress up! Though, she tosses it to the side after a moment, turning to Aaron.
7:08 PM <%Soulless> "Woah!"
7:08 PM <@DSJ> Joseph arrives
7:08 PM <@DSJ> He enters the shop, and quickly looks for the rest of his team
7:09 PM <SpookyBee> "In here!"
7:09 PM <@madness_> Aaron goes wherever in here is!
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7:09 PM <@DSJ> "I have reason to believe that this illness is connected to the anomalous beings known as tear drinkers."
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7:10 PM <@DSJ> "As such, we need to take upmost caution in what we ingest, breathe, and possibly look at."
7:10 PM <SpookyBee> "..." Vivian blinks. "I doubt I am at much risk. Come- I've found a tunnel."
7:13 PM <@madness_> Aaron.. follows?
7:13 PM <@DSJ> Joseph does too, I suppose
7:13 PM <@madness_> He looks behind him to see if the Doctor is still there.
7:13 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian leads down, using her spidery bits to carry herself down the tunnel!
7:13 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy blinks at the whole four-armed deal, but still follows.
7:14 PM <%Soulless> Rolf follows.
7:14 PM <SpookyBee> As well, she takes her tools, and holds her pistol, now!
7:14 PM <%gmEldritch> At the mouth of the tunnel, he stops: "I'll call in ConSec. This is way beyond my paygrade, and maybe even above Psycho-Seven's..."
7:15 PM <SpookyBee> "No threat is beyond my pay grade. This is my job."
7:15 PM <%gmEldritch> He looks very concerned, but doesn't object, instead starting to set up his kit for radioing into the Foundation.
7:16 PM <SpookyBee> Vivvles heads down the rabbit hole!
7:17 PM <%gmEldritch> The rabbit hole deepens and bends at odd, stomach-churning angles. The lack of light doesn't help matters much and even with your flashlights you can only see a meter or so in front of you at a time.
7:18 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian pulls her goggles down, as she continues! "... Please be careful not to fall." She speaks to the others following her down!
7:18 PM <%gmEldritch> The sound of ticking grows louder.
7:18 PM <@madness_> "So that's what they're calling this task force now." Aaron decides to cover Rudy while he sets up. "If everything goes to shit, we should mark a rally point at the road we used to come into town."
7:18 PM <@DSJ> Joseph follows, and reflects on the language he heard earlier. "I have a hunch whatever this business is is related to the tear drinkers... not sure how, yet."
7:19 PM <%Soulless> "Tear drinkers have little to do with machinery."
7:19 PM <SpookyBee> "... I would not be so sure, Joseph. Rolf has said that the black liquid is like... Oil. For machines."
7:19 PM <@madness_> "So, maybe Broken God?"
7:19 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy finishes setting up and starts radioing in, requesting quite a bit of backup since everything's started going to shit. He reports several possible Group of Interest involvement and asks them to bring biohazard equipment for the quarantine of the town.
7:19 PM <@DSJ> "And I'm very certain what we found earlier was related to tear drinkers."
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7:20 PM <@madness_> "We found two limbs dissolving in a pool of black liquid."
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7:21 PM <SpookyBee> "... This does not surprise me. I have had my own theories, as well..." She looks back as she climbs- "I found a journal speaking of some kind of 'growing machine seed', though where it gets its mass to build itself, I couldn't fathom... Except that I could. And I am."
7:22 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy reports that in, too!
7:22 PM <%gmEldritch> Vivian, AGI.
7:22 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+5 AGI
7:22 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: AGI: 5 (4df+5=+, -, -, +)
7:22 PM <@DSJ> "Could I see this journal?"
7:24 PM <%gmEldritch> You stop just in time as one of the burrowing... /things/ you saw in the schematics punches its way through the tunnel ahead of you. You see a quick gleam of brass and gears snake through, before it retracts to places unknown, apparently satsfied.
7:25 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian gasps, before resting a moment- She reaches into her backpack, handing her findings to Joseph- "Please be careful... It seems even these tunnels are unsafe."
7:25 PM <@DSJ> ACD+the spec for reading the book?
7:25 PM <%gmEldritch> Sure.
7:25 PM <@DSJ> 4df+11 wee
7:25 PM <Glacon> DSJ: wee: 11 (4df+11=0, -, 0, +)
7:26 PM <SpookyBee> She thinks a moment- "After, I would like that back... It may be useful for a project I am planning."
7:27 PM <@DSJ> "What sort of project?"
7:27 PM <%gmEldritch> Joseph, what Vivian couldn't decipher you can. The lubricare vita refers to a mystical liquid that's held sacred by certain sects of the Church of the Broken God: it refreshes machinery, improves the abilities of converts and is utterly, utterly addictive – so when a woman with alabaster skin, ashy grey hair and black eyes hidden behind sunglasses offered to sell him a vial of it, he took his chance.
7:28 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian turns, continuing down!
7:28 PM <@madness_> "What's it say?"
7:28 PM <@DSJ> "... It would seem this is both related to the Church of the Broken God, and the tear drinkers."
7:28 PM <SpookyBee> "... I see." Vivian scowls a little, pressing on with a predatory pace.
7:29 PM <@DSJ> "Whoever built this machine mistook some.. fluid..from a tear drinker who sold it to him, for another oil. Or they're one in the same."
7:29 PM <@DSJ> "I'm truly not sure."
7:29 PM <@madness_> "Eh.. So I wasn't wrong?" Aaron keeps covering Rudy and asks, "What's the relief team's ETA, Doc?"
7:30 PM <%gmEldritch> "It'll take them a few hours to scramble the necessary biohaz gear, but they're coming."
7:30 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian holsters her pistol, as she presses deeper into the tunnels, and pulls out her cutting-torch, screwing in a fresh canister!
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7:31 PM <%gmEldritch> Joseph, you get the feeling that while some properties of the fluid weren't exactly present in the scripture, he still took the benefits where he could get them.
7:31 PM <%gmEldritch> Vivian, the end of the tunnel appears to be coming up fairly soon.
7:31 PM <%Soulless> Rolf fllows Vivian.
7:31 PM <%Soulless> *follows
7:31 PM <%Soulless> He keeps his weapon out.
7:32 PM <SpookyBee> "Here- The exit is near!"
7:35 PM <%Soulless> "Good."
7:35 PM <@DSJ> "I'd be relieved if I thought that'd be the end of this."
7:35 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian makes haste for the end!
7:35 PM <%gmEldritch> Eventually, Rolf, Vivian and Joseph are deposited on a steeply curved metal floor, and probably skid on their asses a bit before coming to a halt. The interior's surface looks distorted and bent, like the once-spherical walls are being crushed into themselves by some terrible, huge fist: despite this, the brass pillars that reinforce its bulk still hold strong.
7:36 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian blinks, getting up and looking around at the place, before letting off a stable jet of flame to light up the area for a moment!
7:37 PM <@madness_> Aaron nods and holds the line with Rudy. "How'd you come across the Foundation, eh?" He makes rounds to see what entrances/exits there are in and around the machine shop.
7:38 PM <@DSJ> Joseph looks for any other doors, "We aren't, eh, trapped in here, are we?"
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7:38 PM <%gmEldritch> Vivian, you see the support pillars appear to be radiating from a gnarled knot of machinery a few meters above where the entrance deposited you. An umbilical-like pipe of something black and inky plugs into the top of said knot: you realise that there isn't actually a pipe, it's just... drifting into an inlet on the root, before the flame disperses and you're back in darkness.
7:39 PM <%gmEldritch> Joseph, there... don't seem to be any exits.
7:39 PM <%gmEldritch> Aaron, Rudy gives you a baleful grin. "Family connections."
7:39 PM <SpookyBee> "..." Vivian blinks, before moving to feel at the surface of the knot!
7:39 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+5 ENG What's this 'ere made of???
7:39 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: ENG What's this 'ere made of???: 5 (4df+5=-, +, 0, 0)
7:39 PM <@madness_> ".. What do you mean by that?"
7:40 PM <@DSJ> "Hm. No other exits, asides from the way we got in here, which isn't ideal.."
7:40 PM <%gmEldritch> Viv, you're not tall enough to reach it, especially not when the walls are slowly expanding away from the knot. You can, however, make out an odd assemblage of wires and coiling that appear to house... something shifting and squirming in there.
7:41 PM <SpookyBee> Can she use her spidery legs to lift herself up?
7:41 PM <%gmEldritch> You could try clambering up using the support pillars.
7:41 PM <SpookyBee> First, she moves to inspect said assemblage!
7:42 PM <%gmEldritch> Aaron, he grins and wipes a couple strands of hair from his brow. "Means my cousin's a psychic."
7:42 PM <SpookyBee> "Che cosa è nel nome dei Dei..?"
7:43 PM <%gmEldritch> (?)
7:43 PM <SpookyBee> (She's just speaking Italian to herself.)
7:43 PM <%gmEldritch> (Ah)
7:45 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian digs at the pile of stuff!
7:45 PM <%gmEldritch> The assemblage wriggles and groans from deep within it. You can spot a couple of inlet pipes connecting it to the rest of the machinery that you might be able to try and sever.
7:46 PM <SpookyBee> "..." Vivian blinks, and goes to try and do that, using swiss-army knife!
7:46 PM <%Soulless> "Vivian, be careful..."
7:46 PM <@madness_> "Ah.. Sorry to hear." He pats Eckhart on the shoulder and pulls up a chair if there's one available. "Been on many field ops?"
7:46 PM <SpookyBee> "... Please, stay behind me. For safety."
7:46 PM <%gmEldritch> You might need to use the cutter on this one. They're pretty thick things.
7:46 PM <SpookyBee> She gets them out, before she tries to properly get to work!
7:46 PM <%gmEldritch> (mdns we should probably take this to tooltime)
7:46 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+5 ENG!
7:46 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: ENG!: 5 (4df+5=-, +, +, -)
7:47 PM <%gmEldritch> Everyone inside the chamber, MDEF.
7:47 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+3
7:47 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: 5 (4df+3=0, 0, +, +)
7:47 PM <@DSJ> 4df+6 MDEEEEF
7:47 PM <Glacon> DSJ: MDEEEEF: 6 (4df+6=0, 0, -, +)
7:47 PM <SpookyBee> ... Ok damn, Vivtank.
7:48 PM <%Soulless> 4df+2 rip rolf
7:48 PM <Glacon> Soulless: rip rolf: 1 (4df+2=0, +, -, -)
7:50 PM <%gmEldritch> The umbilical thing dangling from the ceiling splits open, Viv, and you just about manage to avoid being hit by a gout of the ichor as it vomits out its payload: a goop-encrusted, incredibly emaciated man, who hits the floor with a wet slap and groans deeply.
7:50 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian hops back, yelping!
7:51 PM <%gmEldritch> Rolf, you feel immense grief and a fiery ember of red-hot anger deep within you – the feeling of coming so close to being /good/ and yet having that opportunity ripped away from you as you're reminded once more of what you truly are: something awful and broken at its core.
7:52 PM <%gmEldritch> The machine stops its operation and screeches to a halt around you, the sound echoing throughout the cavern.
7:52 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian stops, turning to Rolf and Joseph- "... I know what this machine is."
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7:54 PM <%Soulless> Rolf begins to weep
7:54 PM <@DSJ> "What, pray tell, is it?"
7:54 PM <%Soulless> Who, if anyone, is that anger and grief directed at?
7:54 PM <SpookyBee> "A massive heart, for an even more massive humanoid machine. The alchemist spoke of it in her dreams."
7:56 PM <%gmEldritch> His teammates. The people who refused to give material for the devout mechanic's construction. The ungrateful FLESH and all its weaknesses, its instinctive lashing out at the unknown and its fear of things greater than it..
7:57 PM <@DSJ> "I... see. Would it be possible to give it a coronary, then?"
7:57 PM <SpookyBee> She looks back down, looking at the body of the man. Does he look like he'll survive?
7:57 PM <SpookyBee> "... I do not know."
7:58 PM <%Soulless> Who is the person physically closes to rolf right now?
7:58 PM <%gmEldritch> The mechanic looks like he's mangled his leg pretty badly on the way down, and as he pulls himself to a staggering, hunched standing pose he coughs and groans again.
7:58 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian had wandered off to the pile, so she's probably furthest.
7:58 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian kneels beside him, looking at him with all four eyes. "... Can you hear me?"
7:59 PM <SpookyBee> Does he look like he'd survive a trip back to the facility?
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7:59 PM <%Soulless> Rolf turns, and attacks Joseph.
7:59 PM <%gmEldritch> He doesn't, not in this state. MDEF as you make eye contact, Viv.
7:59 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+3 MDEF
7:59 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: MDEF: 4 (4df+3=+, 0, 0, 0)
7:59 PM <%Soulless> With a loud, anguished scream, he tries to tackle him.
8:00 PM <@DSJ> 4df+3 Joseph tries getting out of the way
8:00 PM <Glacon> DSJ: Joseph tries getting out of the way: 5 (4df+3=0, 0, +, +)
8:00 PM <%Soulless> 4df+3 str
8:00 PM <Glacon> Soulless: str: 5 (4df+3=+, 0, +, 0)
8:00 PM <%Soulless> Joseph narrowly dodges a charging Rolf.
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8:02 PM <@DSJ> 4df+3 PERS "Vogel! Get a hold of yourself!"
8:02 PM <Glacon> DSJ: PERS "Vogel! Get a hold of yourself!": 3 (4df+3=+, -, -, +)
8:02 PM <%Soulless> 4df+2 mdef?
8:02 PM <Glacon> Soulless: mdef?: 2 (4df+2=0, -, 0, +)
8:02 PM <%Soulless> He shakes a little, and begins to sob harder.
8:03 PM <%Soulless> "Could've been good..."
8:03 PM <%gmEldritch> Vivian, you reel backwards as your mind is struck with a vision: strikes of lightning raining down in an island off the shore of Greece, shambling, horrific things rising from the water.
8:03 PM <%Soulless> "Want to be so good."
8:04 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian gasps, before getting back to her feet! She draws her pistol, and approaches the decrepit body of the man. "... You would not have survived, anyways. I would consider this a mercy." She looks back to Joseph- "Subdue him, or calm him. Just keep him okay."
8:05 PM <%gmEldritch> He sobs and sniffs pathetically, Vivian: up close, you can see that his eyes are far, far too large for their sockets. Black lenses erupt from his face, and you can hear them click and whine as they refocus on you.
8:06 PM <@DSJ>  "Rolf, listen to me. Something is manipulating your mind right now, most likely. You need to think it away, fight it off. Can you do that for me?"
8:06 PM <%Soulless> Rolf sobs, inconsolable. He begins to stumble to the man, his arms extended.
8:06 PM <SpookyBee> "... What is your name?" She levels her pistol, looking at him with a face devoid of pleasure in her actions, but also without regret.
8:06 PM <%Soulless> He shakes his head to Joseph.
8:06 PM <@DSJ> 4df+3 PERS (again) "Fight it, Rolf. Fight. It."
8:06 PM <Glacon> DSJ: PERS (again) "Fight it, Rolf. Fight. It.": 1 (4df+3=+, -, -, -)
8:06 PM <%Soulless> 4df+2 ?
8:06 PM <Glacon> Soulless: ?: 2 (4df+2=0, 0, -, +)
8:06 PM <@DSJ> (rude)
8:06 PM <SpookyBee> (Ouch shit)
8:06 PM <%Soulless> nuffin
8:06 PM <%gmEldritch> "M-m-muh-" His lips are cracked and peeled, just hanging together on his bleeding, broken face.
8:07 PM <%Soulless> Rolf tries to push the gun away from the man.
8:07 PM <%Soulless> Tries to gather the man into his arms.
8:07 PM <@DSJ> Joseph looks for the way they came in, wondering if he should just leave and hope for the best
8:07 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian removes one of her gloves, kneeling down and brushing his cheek with a fine, mechanical hand. "I will make your passage to peace painless. Just say your name, one last time."
8:08 PM <%gmEldritch> The mechanic collapses into Rolf's arms, black ichor dripping from his lips and body as he does.
8:08 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian wobbles back, from Rolf, then refocuses on the man...
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8:09 PM <%gmEldritch> At the touch of the machine hand, he seems to calm a little, as if her touch is a caress from a mother.
8:09 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+3 PERS - "Rolf, let him die. He is suffering and empty."
8:09 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: PERS - "Rolf, let him die. He is suffering and empty.": 5 (4df+3=+, +, -, +)
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8:10 PM <@DSJ> 4df+5 Joseph finally just shoots the guy, out of exasperation, stress, and old habits
8:10 PM <Glacon> DSJ: Joseph finally just shoots the guy, out of exasperation, stress, and old habits: 7 (4df+5=0, 0, +, +)
8:11 PM <SpookyBee> "..."
8:11 PM <%gmEldritch> The gunshot echoes around the room and rings in your ears, but at the end of it, those lenses are dead and cold and blown wide open by the force of the impact.
8:11 PM <@DSJ> "You were going to do that already, and chances are he's the man who did this." Joseph says, a little coldly
8:12 PM <SpookyBee> "... You should have let me do it, Joseph." She turns her head- "His peace was not earned."
8:12 PM <%Soulless> Does this help rolf?
8:12 PM <SpookyBee> "But this is a discussion for another time..." She sighs, turning to Rolf. "... Can you hear me, Vogel?"
8:12 PM <@DSJ> "If he's the man who did this I can't give a damn about his peace."
8:13 PM <%gmEldritch> The feeling is now muted, dull almost: the same feeling Rolf himself imparts when eating others guilts.
8:13 PM <%Soulless> Rolf snuggles the corpse.
8:13 PM <@DSJ> Joseph, kinda meanly, just gently kicks Rolf away from it.
8:14 PM <SpookyBee> "People do strange things in their madness, professor. But we should leave, and allow Containment Security to demolish the structure. I will write up a manifesto of components I need from this..."
8:14 PM <%gmEldritch> In his arms, the corpse seems to fall apart into a stringy, gel-like mass of black ichor, leaving only what husks of clothing he wore before his entrance into the machine.
8:14 PM <%Soulless> Rolf glares at Joseph, then seems to come to himself slightly.
8:15 PM <%Soulless> He looks at the stain on his clothes.
8:15 PM <%Soulless> "...Sorry."
8:15 PM <@DSJ> "Vogel. We need to leave."
8:15 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian sighs, and looks up for the hole they all fell through!
8:15 PM <%Soulless> "Okay."
8:15 PM <SpookyBee> 4df+6 Any way to get out?
8:15 PM <Glacon> SpookyBee: Any way to get out?: 6 (4df+6=0, 0, 0, 0)
8:15 PM <SpookyBee> PERC, btw
8:15 PM <%gmEldritch> Good things and good people both die when you are near them, Rolf.
8:15 PM <%gmEldritch> (Spicy neutral.)
8:16 PM <%Soulless> Rolf is quiet. He's... sad.
8:16 PM <%gmEldritch> The hole is still open, although it might not be for much longer: the place looks like it's enfolding in on itself.
8:16 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian climbs up into it, much like a spider, and offers a long, armored leg to pull the others up- "Come, quickly."
8:18 PM <@DSJ> Joseph stops himself from saying coming quickly usually isn't a problem for him, and follows
8:18 PM <%Soulless> Rolf follows.
8:18 PM <%Soulless> His gaze is... sorrowful.
8:18 PM <SpookyBee> She hauls them up, before clambering back up and out of the tunnels!
8:18 PM <%gmEldritch> (somewhere rose feels immensely disappointed in you, joseph)
8:20 PM <%gmEldritch> Eventually, you emerge from the tunnels, where Aaron and Rudy are both waiting for you. (Merging #TT into #HI, madness_)
8:20 PM <%Soulless> Rolf' shoulders are slumped.
8:21 PM <%Soulless> He just looks so defeated.
8:21 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian exits, feeling irritated. "Any response from Con-Sec, Aaron?"
8:21 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy pipes up. "They should be arriving fairly soon."
8:21 PM <%gmEldritch> "What did you find in there, anyway?"
8:21 PM <%Soulless> "A hope."
8:21 PM <@DSJ> "A man we had to shoot, which in turn might have killed his machine."
8:22 PM <SpookyBee> She nods- "... A machine heart. Something that would destroy these people." She looks back to Rolf, frowning, then nods to Rudy.
8:22 PM <%gmEldritch> There's a rumbling from the tunnel.
8:22 PM <SpookyBee> She turns to look!
8:22 PM <%gmEldritch> "...Looks like you probably did kill it, then."
8:23 PM <@madness_> (sorry, irccloud problems)
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8:23 PM <@madness_> "Hopefully. Think that'll help the town?"
8:24 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy packs up his radio kit and jerks his thumb in the direction of the rest of the town. "We should probably get out of here before that thing collapses."
8:24 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian nods, picking up her backpack, shutting her secondary eyes, and hiding her spidur leggies!
8:25 PM <%Soulless> Rolf begins to leave.
8:25 PM <@DSJ> Joseph trudges onwards
8:25 PM <%gmEldritch> The rumbling grows quite a bit louder, and one of the clocks hanging on the walls falls and shatters.
8:25 PM <@madness_> Aaron follows!
8:27 PM <%gmEldritch> Eventually, you all high-tail it far away enough that you're not quite in the danger zone when the earth gives way, and the machine collapses in on itself with a loud creaking and tearing.
8:27 PM <%Soulless> Rolf tries to cover his ears.
8:28 PM <%gmEldritch> The earth seems like it's turned itself inside-out as the shop vanishes into the dust, a few minute before ConSec arrives with biohazard gear, as promised.
8:29 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian watches the vans pull in, sighing to herself. "... This could have been much worse."
8:30 PM <%Soulless> Rolf remains quiet.
8:30 PM <%Soulless> He's still covered in black goop.
8:30 PM <%gmEldritch> You are all given a thorough decontamination before they even consider letting you near them without several layers of protection, and after some preliminary checks for any sign of TD infection they conclude that whatever strain the Mekhanite was given probably wasn't as horrifically infective as the other TDs.
8:30 PM <@DSJ> "It could have been, yes. But we made sure it wasn't."
8:30 PM <%gmEldritch> Rolf's black-goop covered clothes are replaced and sent to be most likely incinerated or studied, along with the other samples of this odd strain of TD ichor.
8:30 PM <%Soulless> Hopefully no one notices Adriel deep within him.
8:31 PM <%Soulless> Rolf remains silent the whole time.
8:31 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian speaks to the team's lead, making a request to have a few containers of the fluid transported to her work-station for a project!
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8:31 PM <%gmEldritch> The ConSec agent nods and makes a note of that request.
8:31 PM <SpookyBee> Vivian turns to the others- "... It may be vital in solving a /different/ problem of ours."
8:32 PM <@DSJ> "Hm?"
8:32 PM <%gmEldritch> Eventually, you're all sent back to 77 after a debrief at the RAAF base, and ~Fin.~
8:32 PM <SpookyBee> FIN!!! WOOH!

TOOLTIME:

4:25 PM <@DSJ> Joseph follows Aaron to the newsstand!
4:26 PM <@madness_> Aaron pops by the newsstand, along with the kind Doctor, presumably.
4:27 PM <%gmEldritch> Alright, Rudy tags along with you all then. The newsstand's windows are boarded up and the door is locked, but a rhythmic knock by Rudy on the front door apparently convinces the owner to come out.
4:29 PM <@DSJ> "Good evening, we're some specialist associates of the doctor, and we'd like to talk with you. May we come in?"
4:30 PM <%gmEldritch> He nods timidly and invites you in, hurriedly waving you inside before slamming the door shut.
4:32 PM <@DSJ> "May we ask your names?"
4:32 PM <@madness_> Aaron peruses over the newsstand while Joseph handles the talking.
4:34 PM <%gmEldritch> The owner sits you down on a couple of stools in the corner and invites someone who's been hiding under the counter to come out. "I'm Lester Renfield - he's my son, James."
4:35 PM <@DSJ> (brb laundry)
4:38 PM <@DSJ> (back)
4:39 PM <@DSJ> "It's a pleasure to meet you and your son, Mr. Renfield. We'd like to ask you some questions, if that's alright."
4:40 PM <%gmEldritch> "We've had plenty of 'em recently. Not gonna start minding you asking around now."
4:40 PM <@madness_> "That's appreciated."
4:40 PM <@DSJ> "Alright, just wanted to be sure. First off, when were you infected?"
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4:42 PM <%gmEldritch> He sighs, fidgets. "Don't know specifically, but I first started not wanting to come outside, uh... a couple weeks ago."
4:42 PM <@madness_> "Can you recall what you were doing at the time?"
4:47 PM <%gmEldritch> "Uh. I don't think anything special: slow day, served a kinda shady-looking guy his papers. Wanted to look round, see if I had any cuckoo clocks or some-" Oops can't swear kid's in the room.
4:47 PM <%gmEldritch> "All you need to know was that he was a total fuckin' wacko. God-only knows why we let the bugger move in, but whatever."
4:47 PM <%gmEldritch> He tried to stop it the first time, failed the second time. Whoooooops.
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4:48 PM <@madness_> Aaron kinda glances to the kid. "Where does he reside now? What made him so shady?"
4:49 PM <%gmEldritch> The kid is snickering a little bit.
4:49 PM <%gmEldritch> "He up and vanished."
4:49 PM <@DSJ> "Where did he live, then?"
4:50 PM <%gmEldritch> "There's an abandoned store down the street, a couple blocks - the guy used to work and live there. Crazy guy, wouldn't stop pestering us about all kinds of mechanical trinkets..."
4:51 PM <@DSJ> "I see. By the by, how have your dreams been, recently?"
4:54 PM <%gmEldritch> He gives you a doubtful look. "That relevant in any way, doc?"
4:55 PM <@DSJ> 4df+6 PERS "Not necessarily, but things such as fevers are known to alter dreams, so if this has such an effect it'd be useful to know."
4:55 PM <Glacon> DSJ: PERS "Not necessarily, but things such as fevers are known to alter dreams, so if this has such an effect it'd be useful to know.": 3 (4df+6=-, -, -, 0)
4:55 PM <@DSJ> (okay glacon thanks)
4:55 PM <%gmEldritch> "Hmf. Well, if you have to know, it's all been a total blank."
4:56 PM <@DSJ> "As in you aren't dreaming?"
4:56 PM <%gmEldritch> "If I can I don't remember it."
4:57 PM <%gmEldritch> "Like I've spilt ink on a bunch of paper."
4:57 PM <@DSJ> "I see. Thank you for your time gentlemen, we'll be leaving unless my associates have any questions."
4:57 PM <@madness_> "Any chance you remember what sorta mechanical trinkets he was showing off? Or at least maybe what they looked like?"
4:58 PM <%gmEldritch> "Pocket watches, cuckoo clocks, weird little, uh, dynamos..."
4:59 PM <%gmEldritch> The guy's not an engineer
5:02 PM <@madness_> "Thanks for your time. You and your son have a good one, okay?"
5:03 PM <@madness_> Aaron exits!
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5:03 PM <%gmEldritch> "Thanks."
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5:04 PM <@DSJ> Joseph leaves as well
5:05 PM <@madness_> "So, Professor. How about we leave a note on the car saying we went to the house? Or you think we should wait for them?"
5:07 PM <@DSJ> "I'm not necessarily sure, but we ought to wait, unless the doctor knows other places we should go to."
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5:08 PM <@madness_> Aaron looks over at Doc Eckhart.
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5:09 PM <%gmEldritch> Doctor shrugs. "Maybe join up with the rest of your group, ask a couple of the older residents..."
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5:10 PM <@DSJ> "Should we join up with them or do the latter, Aaron?"
5:11 PM <@madness_> "We'll flip a coin. Heads for the latter." 1 is heads, 2 is tails. "You got a quarter?"
5:12 PM <@DSJ> Joseph searches for change and pulls out a coin.
5:13 PM <@madness_> (do you wanna roll it gmEldritch or should we)
5:13 PM <%gmEldritch> (go ahead if you want)
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5:15 PM <@madness_> (roll it DSJ)
5:17 PM <@DSJ> d2
5:17 PM <Glacon> DSJ: 1 (d2=1)
5:17 PM <@DSJ> "I suppose we'll reconvene with them."
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5:22 PM <@DSJ> "...or, ask the older residents, my mistake."
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5:22 PM <@madness_> Aaron nods and looks to Doctor again. "Where to now, Doc?"
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5:24 PM <%gmEldritch> "Alright then. Mr. Calloway's been pretty co-operative with me so far, I'll take you there myself."
5:25 PM <@DSJ> Joseph nods and follows. He crosses off lizard-people as a possible infection, but still isn't sure that this is a a disease and not something worse. People are getting sick, yes, but not physically."
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5:29 PM <@madness_> As does Aaron! "Hm."
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5:39 PM <@madness_> (poke)
5:39 PM <%gmEldritch> (AAAAAAAAAA SORRY)
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5:40 PM <%gmEldritch> After enough walking to explain my afkness, you come to one of the tiny cottages out on the outskirts(?) of the town.
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5:40 PM <%gmEldritch> It's difficult to tell what counts as an outskirt and what doesn't given how sparse it is.
5:41 PM <@DSJ> "That's them, I assume."
5:41 PM <%gmEldritch> "Yup."
5:42 PM <@madness_> "You mind doin' the honors of knockin', Doctor? Seems like you know your way around these people and it's good that they see you first so they're relaxed."
5:43 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy does indeed!
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5:44 PM <@DSJ> "So, Aaron, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
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5:47 PM <@madness_> "Wondering what's behind this. And whether or not the shady guy the newsstand man was talking about had anything to do with it, or if it might just be a red herring."
5:48 PM <@DSJ> "I wouldn't doubt he had something to do with this whole ordeal."
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5:49 PM <%gmEldritch> There's no response from inside.
5:49 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy knocks again.
5:49 PM <@madness_> Aaron wanders around the side to see how the back of the cottage is faring.
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5:51 PM <%gmEldritch> The back of the place seems equally boarded up.... Oh hello there loose board.
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5:52 PM <@madness_> "There's a loose board around back." Aaron calls out and shines his flashlight and peeks between the boards to see what the house looks like. "Joseph, you going to stay out here with the Doctor?"
5:53 PM <@DSJ> "That depends if he can defend himself or not, because I'm fairly curious about this situation myself."
5:53 PM <@madness_> "How 'bout it Doctor? You armed?"
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5:54 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy raps far harder on the door and curses softly in German when he yet again fails to get a response. "This isn't good. Last time he was at the door in a second flat..."
5:55 PM <%gmEldritch> "And what kind of Foundation agent would I be if I wasn't armed?"
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5:56 PM <@DSJ> "Fair enough, fair enough." Joseph replies with a slight grin, "Aaron, let me know if you require assistance with the board.'
5:56 PM <@madness_> "Good question. Stay out in the open and we'll come around to see if we can't get the front door open." Aaron nods at Joseph, then tries his hand at peeling off the board.
5:57 PM <%gmEldritch> STR?
5:57 PM <@madness_> 4df+5 RAAAAAH SWOLE MAN
5:57 PM <Glacon> madness_: RAAAAAH SWOLE MAN: 7 (4df+5=+, 0, 0, +)
5:57 PM <@madness_> super swole
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5:59 PM <%gmEldritch> That board clatters off and it's pretty trivially easy to drag the rest off with it. The nails are more helpful in giving people tetanus than they are holding things together.
5:59 PM <%gmEldritch> Within minutes the window is open. There's a gaping hole in the broken glass that you could pretty easily widen to get through.
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6:00 PM <@madness_> Aaron takes off his bomber jacket to wrap around his arm when he sweeps away the broken glass. "You gonna need any help climbing through, Professor?"
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6:01 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy comes round the back, wincing slightly at the clattering of the broken glass. "Jesus, you got this open fast."
6:02 PM <@DSJ> "I shouldn't, but I appreciate the offer."
6:02 PM <@madness_> "No problem." Once all the hazards are swept away, Aaron climbs inside and brings up his flashlight to illuminate his surroundings.
6:02 PM <@DSJ> Joseph follows him inside of the shaq
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6:06 PM <%gmEldritch> The window light doesn't seem to be illuminating as much as it should, despite the fact it is a fuckin sweltering Australian afternoon. You're in a living room of some description: there's a cane lying on a couch in front of the window you climbed through, and a dinky little black and white TV.
6:06 PM <%gmEldritch> A vase with some long-since mouldered flowers rests on a nice table in the corner.
6:06 PM <@DSJ> ~Hm, undue darkness... this really doesn't seem like a disease.~
6:06 PM <@DSJ> Joseph looks for doors to other rooms
6:07 PM <@madness_> Aaron tries to navigate towards the front to open the door!
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6:07 PM <%gmEldritch> There's a door to a little kitchen that reeks of rotted food, and a closed door to what appears to be a bedroom.
6:07 PM <%gmEldritch> Aaron, you find the door in question is boarded shut from this end.
6:08 PM <@madness_> Time to find a claw hammer!
6:08 PM <@madness_> He looks for one.
6:08 PM <%gmEldritch> It is just the front door.
6:08 PM <%gmEldritch> There's not one lying about.
6:09 PM <@madness_> Looks like there's only one exit, then. "You find anything yet, Professor?"
6:10 PM <@DSJ> "There's a kitchen and a bedroom, bedroom's closed."
6:10 PM <@madness_> "Try it, I'll check out the kitchen. Wish I brought something to drown out the smell." Aaron makes his way inside the kitchen.
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6:11 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy takes a sniff of the kitchen air, gags and backs away. "Did that man have a couple thousand hams stored away in there?"
6:11 PM <@DSJ> Joseph heads for the probably jumpscare bedroom
6:12 PM <@madness_> "If you want to find the answer to your question, be my guest." Aaron puts his shirt over his nose to dampen the smell some and goes to look for things that might catch his eye inside the kitchen.
6:13 PM <%gmEldritch> It's pretty much just old stale food
6:13 PM <%gmEldritch> There's a bunch of rotten bread that's been colonised by ants and a few open tins of Spam
6:13 PM <@madness_> "That was a waste of my sense of smell." Aaron heads back out and shuts the door behind him quietly.
6:15 PM <%gmEldritch> Joseph, the door swings open easily. It's even darker in here, if you can think of such a way it /can/ get darker.
6:15 PM <@DSJ> "Aaron, can you bring your torch over here?"
6:16 PM <@madness_> Aaron does so and shines his light into the room!
6:17 PM <%gmEldritch> The light glints on a pool of black, inky liquid coating the bed and pooling onto the floor.
6:18 PM <@madness_> "Doc, you got a sample bag and a swab?"
6:19 PM <@DSJ> "Unfortunately, I don't. I frankly wasn't expecting something like this, which in retrospect was foolish."
6:19 PM <%gmEldritch> "Wrong kind of doctor, maybe." Rudy pops open his medkit and hands you your requested gear, Aaron.
6:19 PM <@DSJ> 4df+4 PERC What can be discerned of it from here?
6:19 PM <Glacon> DSJ: PERC What can be discerned of it from here?: 6 (4df+4=+, +, -, +)
6:19 PM <@madness_> Aaron shines the light all around to make sure the room is CLEAR.
6:20 PM <%gmEldritch> Aaron, there's a hand sticking out of the pool of liquid. And a leg. Both are bent at very, very unnatural angles.
6:20 PM <@madness_> ".. that ain't good."
6:21 PM <%gmEldritch> Joseph, you see they're sinking into the pool ever so slowly.
6:21 PM <@DSJ> Joseph tries to pull them out, against most better judgment
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6:22 PM <%gmEldritch> They detach with a meaty /schlep/.
6:22 PM <%gmEldritch> It's like holding a sockful of wet jelly.
6:22 PM <@DSJ> "...well
6:22 PM <@DSJ> "...well." Joseph backs away, appalled.
6:24 PM <@madness_> Aaron carefully stoops down to collect a small sample of the inky fluids and deposits it into the bag. "Take this back to your testing center, Doctor. Let's.. get out of here. Unless you two want to document this with a photo or something."
6:27 PM <@DSJ> "Agreed."
6:27 PM <%gmEldritch> "No arguments here."
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6:27 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy looks like he's about to puuuke. Joseph put the man's hand down
6:27 PM <@DSJ> 4df+6 ACD Does any of this seem in line with documented Anomalies?
6:27 PM <Glacon> DSJ: ACD Does any of this seem in line with documented Anomalies?: 8 (4df+6=-, +, +, +)
6:27 PM <@DSJ> Joseph gently puts the hand down
6:28 PM <%gmEldritch> It suckers itself to the floor and starts melting away again.
6:28 PM <@madness_> Aaron hands Doctor Eckhart the sample and stays with Joseph to cover his exit.
6:28 PM <%gmEldritch> Joseph, this seems in line with the aftermath of a disease whose subjects are known commonly as "Tear Drinkers."
6:28 PM <%gmEldritch> The black goop especially.
6:29 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy takes the sample and tucks it away in his case very, very gingerly.
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6:29 PM <@DSJ> ".. oh dear. I think we might not be dealing with a conventional illness, but it isn't necessarily not in some ways an illness already."
6:29 PM <@DSJ> Joseph exits the building after Eckhart does
6:30 PM <@madness_> And Aaron does as well. "What are you talking about?"
6:30 PM <@DSJ> "What do you know of tear drinkers, Aaron?"
6:30 PM <@DSJ> "Because they do things such as that."
6:30 PM <%gmEldritch> When Rudy gets back into the sunshine, he can't hold his stomach contents in any more and pukes messily a couple meters away from you guys. "Jesus- ahak. Fuck."
6:31 PM <@madness_> "Enough to regret coming into contact with their goop." Aaron inspects Rudy's vomit just in case. Juuuust in case.
6:32 PM <%gmEldritch> It's yellow and watery and has lumps of carrot in it, but no black stringy weirdness.
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6:32 PM <@madness_> He hands Rudy a kerchief. "Keep it."
6:33 PM <%gmEldritch> Rudy has one of his own! Classy gentlemen. "Thanks for the offer. Urgh."
6:34 PM <@madness_> Aaron nods. "If this turns out to be Tear Drinkers, you do realize we're going to have to quarantine the entire town, right?"
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6:34 PM <@DSJ> "I do, yes. If we survive."
6:34 PM <@DSJ> Joseph's demeanor is fairly grim now, in contrast to his slight ease before
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6:37 PM <@DSJ> "We need to meet up with the others. Now."
6:38 PM <%gmEldritch> The window quietly swings its empty panes shut behind you.
6:38 PM <%gmEldritch> ...There's no wind.
6:40 PM <@DSJ> "We may want to run." Joseph says, looking back
6:41 PM <%gmEldritch> Whoever's closest to the building roll me PERC.
6:41 PM <@madness_> 4df+5 He was the last one out. There's more alertness to Aaron's eyes but at the same time his face spawns a frown. "Let's hurry it the fuck up, then."
6:41 PM <Glacon> madness_: He was the last one out. There's more alertness to Aaron's eyes but at the same time his face spawns a frown. "Let's hurry it the fuck up, then.": 6 (4df+5=-, +, 0, +)
6:43 PM <%gmEldritch> Faintly and almost imperceptibly, Aaron, you hear the whirring of something very much like a watch and the sound of soft ticking.
6:45 PM <@madness_> "..." He almost turns back towards the window, but then shakes his head like he's trying to get out water from his ears. "We gotta start, now. Professor, keep an eye on me just in case."
6:45 PM <%gmEldritch> It's a physical sound, thankfully, Aaron.
6:45 PM <@madness_> OH.
6:46 PM <@madness_> Redact previous. "I heard a clock back inside..."
6:46 PM <@madness_> Aaron, who was mid-stride, now turns back to the window and shines his light at it.
6:47 PM <%gmEldritch> A clock mounted on the wall is now leaking black goo. Um.
6:47 PM <%gmEldritch> You may want to leave.
6:48 PM <@madness_> "Hey, uh.. Let's go. Now." Aaron hauls it back to the front of the street.
6:48 PM <@DSJ> Joseph follows!
6:53 PM <%gmEldritch> You all haul it to the front of the street, and PERC for me
6:53 PM <@DSJ> 4df+4 PERC
6:53 PM <Glacon> DSJ: PERC: 6 (4df+4=+, -, +, +)
6:53 PM <@madness_> 4df+5 PERC
6:53 PM <Glacon> madness_: PERC: 5 (4df+5=+, -, 0, 0)
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6:58 PM <%gmEldritch> The echolalia the doc was talking about earlier has started up: faint chants of a language you can't quite decipher echo through the muffling of the boarded windows and doors.
6:59 PM <@madness_> Aaron plugs his ears with his fingers until he can find something better to plug them with. "Careful, alright?"
6:59 PM <%gmEldritch> Joseph, ACAD
7:00 PM <%gmEldritch> Dead Languages too
7:00 PM <@DSJ> 4df+11 woo
7:00 PM <Glacon> DSJ: woo: 13 (4df+11=+, +, +, -)
7:04 PM <%gmEldritch> Joseph, you identify snatches of this: it seems to be slipping between... holy shit, Sumerian? The fuck? and some bastard intermingling of Greek and a very guttural, odd language even you can't quite pick up. Phrases like "visions" and "descending" can be skimmed out of the pidgin babble. Something is about to happen and Vivian's call on the radio only seems to confirm that.
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7:06 PM <@DSJ> "Riiiight. We need to get to the machine shop, in case you missed the radio call Aaron."
7:06 PM <@madness_> ("What was that")
7:06 PM <@DSJ> 4df+3 AGI Joseph tries running
7:06 PM <Glacon> DSJ: AGI Joseph tries running: 2 (4df+3=0, 0, -, 0)
7:06 PM <%gmEldritch> No need for AGI, it's not that far away. You all get into the machine shop quick-smart and are reunited with your compatriots in #HI!
7:07 PM <@madness_> Aaron nods and decides to plug kerchiefs in his ear cau- nah fuck it, he's been exposed enough already. Oh well. Hopefully his brother won't mind much.
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7:47 PM <@madness_> 7:46 PM <@madness_> "Ah.. Sorry to hear." He pats Eckhart on the shoulder and pulls up a chair if there's one available. "Been on many field ops?"
7:48 PM <%gmEldritch> He sighs. "Honestly, I didn't think I'd be involved in one this big so quick... Most of the time I'm just an ordinary doctor who just flies everywhere, but the one time I get to deal with an anomalous case and it's a clusterfuck like this."
7:51 PM <@madness_> "You've been doing great so far, if this is your first case. Just need to work on your stomach. What kinda Doctor are you, anyway?" Aaron removes his coat and sets it on the chair for easier access to his gear.
7:52 PM <%gmEldritch> "Medical. They were originally planning to put me through a Parahealth training course, but the GOC isn't too friendly with the Foundation sending recruits to its side of the border."
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7:58 PM <@madness_> "Maybe you can report to your superiors and see if you can get some crosstraining underway with some of our staff. I know for sure that we've got a Parahealth certified gock with us and you can probably ask her from there. If she refuses, just tell her Aaron says he'll owe her."
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8:16 PM <%gmEldritch> (Ack sorry mdns)
8:17 PM <@madness_> (it's cool)
8:18 PM <%gmEldritch> "Huh. Guess it's a pretty one-sided deal, then, with the whole Foundation/Gock thing..."
8:18 PM <%gmEldritch> "Might not hurt to ask, I s'pose." He shrugs.
8:20 PM <@madness_> "Yeah."