The Battle of Twilight Park

overeddie wrote:

"I think you're open for us corpse boy."

As Lizzie threatens what is clearly a poor, exploited working-class man forced to wear ghoulish stage makeup, tattered clothing, and several cleverly-concealed ice packs, the local temperature begins to plummet and the sound of an overfed man hastily standing can be heard from inside the shop. Earnest Gallows heaves himself into view.

"It's all right Delta, show them in, show them in". Despite the cool of the shop's interior, the proprietor's brow sports a light sheen of sweat. Apparently the worry was keeping Mr. Gallows up.

"Did you find young Armand Rum?"

Mallus wrote:

Dazzling Ray is the key. But what comes next? Oh fuck it, somebody will think of something.

"Is simple. Ray will loosen grip upon body, give room to work. Have other magicks with similar effect, can use those as well. Must then awaken Rum's mind, remind body who it belongs to. And then -- this key -- must scare piss out of Armand Rum. Literally." Pætros sighs. "Will not be pretty, but should be effective. Must remember find tub for Rum to stand in, collect spirit."

Mallus wrote:

"Did you find young Armand Rum?"

"Indeed did," Pætros pushes his way into the shop. "Is still not self, but have plans to fix."

Rolzup wrote:

"Indeed did," Pætros pushes his way into the shop. "Is still not self, but have plans to fix."

Artichoke places Armand Rum's unconscious body where convenient and straightens up, wiping a sheen of sweet off his head. "As Paetros says, we found him. And Sancerre, as you can see. You wouldn't," he asks hopefully, "Have any suggestions for separating them, would you?"

shilsen wrote:

"Have any suggestions for separating them, would you?"

No good will come of you seeking alternatives to me shooting an unconscious man in the head while Paetros sticks his hand in a jar of warm pork fat in order to make him pee.

I think my axe can cut him out.

shilsen wrote:

"Have any suggestions for separating them, would you?"

"Let me examine the body" says Earnest Gallows. "At the very least young Mr. Rum is safe here". It's doubtful that Gallows is concerned with much beyond the safety of his livelihood. The necroenophile merchant proceeds to give Armand a thorough, unselfconscious, and unsettling-to-watch probing. He handles Armand like a man who accustomed to working on cadavers. Which in fact he is, despite being a wine shop proprietor.

Rolzup wrote:

And then -- this key -- must scare piss out of Armand Rum.

Gallows says "He's not overfull of fluids. Nor... stopped up. So it won't simply be a matter of draining his bladder". As Odanais hears this he knows it's wrong. It's basic sympathetic magic. Getting Armand to urinate is definitely part of the solution.

OOC: Since the rules of absolutely no help here, I'm going to rule that getting an unconscious man to pee is a kind of prank, therefore Bluff is the appropriate skill. When you perform the Ritual, one roll will be Bluff.

overeddie wrote:

I think my axe can cut him out.

It is Pætros who understands the inherent rightness of this potential course of action. An involuntarily-bound ghost being threatened by an axe-wielding materialist... that should definitely loosen the metaphysical connection...

... if it doesn't loosen Armand's actual head.

OOC: One test will be Intimidate, as Lizzie threatens to whack Sancerre-in-Armand.

Earnest Gallows looks slightly less-than-pleased as the Ritual to free the young Mr. Rum comes together. He runs a finger along, and then through, the vine-like silver chain connecting the ghost to the half-elf. "These are all good ideas, but they don't take into account a force is binding these two together, seemingly against the possessing spirit's will."

"It's true" says Sancerre. "I most sincerely wanted to be somewhere else when Armand's body fell".

"Whoever made this wine... added something to the ritual" concludes Earnest Gallows. "Something I can't place. Something that appears to our eyes as this silver vine". Gallows pauses, as if debating with himself.

Mallus wrote:

OOC: Since the rules of absolutely no help here, I'm going to rule that getting an unconscious man to pee is a kind of prank, therefore Bluff is the appropriate skill. When you perform the Ritual, one roll will be Bluff.

OOC: I was thinking that we'd wake up Rum's consciousness, and then use Intimidate or something similar to cause involuntary micturition. But hell, be that as it may!

Mallus wrote:

"Whoever made this wine... added something to the ritual" concludes Earnest Gallows. "Something I can't place. Something that appears to our eyes as this silver vine". Gallows pauses, as if debating with himself.

"Could kill him," Pætros suggests. "Separate two that way. Unless souls are merged, then could get untidy. But," he gestures in Lizzy's direction, "We do have axe. But must be better way? Maybe?"

OOC: Religion Check 28.

The member 'Rolzup' has done the following action : Dice Roller

'd20' : 19

So, Odanais can do Dazzling Ray and Bluff, Lizzie can do Intimidate, Paetros can do the Religion and Insight. That's four. Artichoke can do Arcane, right?

Rolzup wrote:

"Could kill him," Pætros suggests. "Separate two that way. Unless souls are merged, then could get untidy. But," he gestures in Lizzy's direction, "We do have axe. But must be better way? Maybe?"

Artichoke winces slightly and says, "Before we go that route, maybe we can try other ways to separate the two? Just to be on the safe side?" He looks at Sancerre's translucent figure. "It's possible that you might prefer another method too. Have you really tried to break free? Or perhaps if you tried to break free just when Paetros tries his ritual?"

OOC: Maybe a DIplomacy check would help?

gridley wrote:

So, Odanais can do Dazzling Ray and Bluff, Lizzie can do Intimidate, Paetros can do the Religion and Insight. That's four. Artichoke can do Arcane, right?

Just posted the post above as you were doing so. And yes, Arcane is an option from him too, as is the Diplomacy I suggested.

Rolzup wrote:

"Could kill him," Pætros suggests. "Separate two that way. Unless souls are merged, then could get untidy. But," he gestures in Lizzy's direction, "We do have axe. But must be better way? Maybe?"

OOC: Religion Check 28.

Upon further contemplation, Pætros believes killing Armand Rum would separate Armand's soul from his body. Sancerre's soul? Not so much.

gridley wrote:

So, Odanais can do Dazzling Ray and Bluff, Lizzie can do Intimidate, Paetros can do the Religion and Insight. That's four. Artichoke can do Arcane, right?

I count five:

1) Odanais casts Dazzling Ray at Sancerre-in-Armand (automatic success).
2) Odanais puts Armand's hand in a glass of warm pork fat to make him pee (Bluff).
3) Lizzie threatens the patient w/decapitation (Intimidate).
4) & 5) Pætros calls upon the twin powers of Treasure and psychotherapy (Religion, Insight).

shilsen wrote:

And yes, Arcane is an option from him too, as is the Diplomacy I suggested.

We're up to seven:

6) Artichoke lends a hand with the Ritual's theosophical infrastructure (Arcane)...
7) ...while simultaneously counseling both wounded spirits they'd be better off seeking a non-trial separation.

Earnest Gallows listens absently as the League's experts sketch out the Ritual to free Sancerre from Armand. As they finish, he concludes the debate he's been having with himself. "Not bad, not bad. But it won't be enough. We need to know the process that made this particular bottle of Sancerre."

He pauses.

"Obviously I didn't make this wine. I got it from a new supplier. An... unregistered one. We dealers in Recollection Wines are always on the lookout for new sources. Thanks to the Bureaucracy's regulations, which manage to be both labyrinthine and capricious, it's hard to keep a steady supply.

These particular necro-vintners made wild claims about their wine's potency, which in hindsight were completely accurate. You can find them here --Gallows gives you directions from the portal in the Gossamer Pillow, seeing as all the streets in the Hereafter are nameless shadows of those in a world where location still mattered.

"See if they'll talk, but be careful. They're... criminals flouting the Eternal Bureaucracy's law."

8 ) travel to the Other Side and pry the secret of Sancerre's bottle from the necromantic wine-makers who fermented it.

Mallus wrote:

Earnest Gallows listens absently as the League's experts sketch out the Ritual to free Sancerre from Armand. As they finish, he concludes the debate he's been having with himself. "Not bad, not bad. But it won't be enough. We need to know the process that made this particular bottle of Sancerre."

He pauses.

"Obviously I didn't make this wine. I got it from a new supplier. An... unregistered one. We dealers in Recollection Wines are always on the lookout for new sources. Thanks to the Bureaucracy's regulations, which manage to be both labyrinthine and capricious, it's hard to keep a steady supply.

These particular necro-vintners made wild claims about their wine's potency, which in hindsight were completely accurate. You can find them here --Gallows gives you directions from the portal in the Gossamer Pillow, seeing as all the streets in the Hereafter are nameless shadows of those in a world where location still mattered.

"See if they'll talk, but be careful. They're... criminals flouting the Eternal Bureaucracy's law."

8 ) travel to the Other Side and pry the secret of Sancerre's bottle from the necromantic wine-makers who fermented it.

"Well, then," says Odanais. "Let's stop by headquarters to pick up our man in Hereafter, Mr. Cadaveris, and then go find ourselves some naughty corpse squeezers."

"These people are either ignorant, powerful, or well connected" says Earnest Gallows as you exit his shop. "Maybe all three. So do take care. Also, I'll pay out a bonus if you can secure any documentation related to their fermentation process, even more if you can bring back some of their apparatus."

OOC: I think it's time for a new thread...