Strangeness on a Train/The Jetty

Rolzup wrote:

"Is possible could be very bad," Pætros notes. "Much energy at play; disrupting spell could have consequences. Will be very interesting to observe, preferably at great distance."

He frowns. "Angle not answering calls right now. Else would have simple answer, yes? Angel used to terrible deaths, but yellow streak even wider than yours, Vegetable-man."

"I'm sure there's a compliment in there somewhere," Artichoke says dryly, before adding to the group in general, "I'm with Pætros. Let's pull back a bit and see what happens. Remember, we know that Titus hired the Petitioners, but we have no proof that anyone would believe or care about. So let's see what exactly he's up to."

The Jetty

Ten minutes pass. The storm grows in intensity. Dandy's Bailiffs seem to flicker and then shrink down to the size of large human men who have a giant or an ogre in their family tree somewhere. Each of them withdraws a metal flask, but does not drink.

A half hour passes. More wayward spirits an incinerated and fed into Titus's trap.

A hour passes. There is a bright buzzing pop directly behind Titus. He examines one of his smaller spirit traps, which has the form of a hand-sized metal cube. This one he tucks into a pouch at his waist.

The storm continues to almost batter the Jetty, so far failing to live up to it's promise. Pætros, having the unique perspective of a being born in the Deep Aster, idly wonders how real the storm system is, relative to your current metaphysical frame of reference. Even so, the sea churns wildly at your feet and the causeway --not to mention your persons-- are fairly well drenched in the transmogrifying waters of the Aster Sea.

You need to be submerged - or so you keep telling yourselves.

In two hours it will be midnight. An auspicious time for this sort of thing.

Odanais shakes the rain out of his hair and mutters something under his breath about discretion being the better part of cowardice.

Zappa, who for some blessed reason seems to enjoy the rain, alternately drinking and bathing in it, snickers at her master, then climbs down the sorcerer's leg and scurries along the jetty to eavesdrop on Titus and his droogs up close and personal.

"Fine... at least you can have fun. Tell me if you learn anythingm," he tells her, then with a sudden thought, Odanais rolls his eyes and calls out in a whisper, "And watch out for those bloody spirit traps!"

Lizzy stomps his feet and mutters.

The Jetty

Zappa dashes happily up the causeway, sheltered from sight by the dark and the spray, as well as by his diminutive stature. He settles in, clinging a coral nook growing alongside the jetty 15 ft. from Titus and the Bailiffs. Another half hour passes.

At that point, Zappa scampers back. He quickly gives a summary of the bored unhappy profanities spat out by the Bailiffs and then Titus's recent proclamation, "She comes."

Perched on Odanais's shoulder, Zappa twitters excitedly and looks back toward the beach.

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

'd20' : 12

"Ugh, sending a squirrel to do a man's job!"

The Jetty

An unusually tall figure stands at the base of the causeway. A woman in a flowing gown with a high collar. She is large in the manner of the mountain-size silhouettes visible after flashes of Aster lightning. Hers is not the almost mundane kind of giantism the Bailiffs sported, which were clearly the effect of performance-enhancing potions.

The woman, let's call her the shade of Cybelle the 3rd, also known Cybelle the Matricide and the Murderess of the Fever-Dream, starts to flow toward you swiftly and inexorably like the tide in reverse.

overeddie wrote:

"Ugh, sending a squirrel to do a man's job!"

"Men were in short supply," says Odanais.

Mallus wrote:

An unusually tall figure stands at the base of the causeway. A woman in a flowing gown with a high collar. She is large in the manner of the mountain-size silhouettes visible after flashes of Aster lightning. Hers is not the almost mundane kind of giantism the Bailiffs sported, which were clearly the effect of performance-enhancing potions.

The woman, let's call her the shade of Cybelle the 3rd, also known Cybelle the Matricide and the Murderess of the Fever-Dream, starts to flow toward you swiftly and inexorably like the tide in reverse.

Odanais smiles as she drifts towards them. "Well, look who it is," he says, "Old Mattress-hide! Remember us, mask girl?"

gridley wrote:

"Men were in short supply," says Odanais.

OOC: oh snap!

gridley wrote:

overeddie wrote:

"Ugh, sending a squirrel to do a man's job!"

"Men were in short supply," says Odanais.

"Is that a short-joke incest boy? Cause if it is... Oh great, here comes the "vampire" queen. Didn't we kill her already?"

Pætros cracks his many knuckles, a sound like hail on a tin roof. "Is to be kicking of ass, then?" He glances in Artichoke's direction expectantly, as a holy light begins to gather in his eyes.

overeddie wrote:

"Is that a short-joke incest boy? Cause if it is...

"No," says Artichoke dryly, "I think he means he wanted us to be thinking penis-first, like some men do."

Quote :

Oh great, here comes the "vampire" queen. Didn't we kill her already?"

"She got better, like we were told she would." Artichoke hefts sword and shield. "But she might be more susceptible to damage in this form."

Rolzup wrote:

Pætros cracks his many knuckles, a sound like hail on a tin roof. "Is to be kicking of ass, then?" He glances in Artichoke's direction expectantly, as a holy light begins to gather in his eyes.

"I think so," says Artichoke, "But I wonder what our good buddy Titus has in mind." He looks over at the end of the spiral, towards Titus and the bailiffs, and then levels his sword at the advancing vampire and makes a quizzical shrugging motion. The question being asked is obvious.

The Jetty

As you draw your weapons the shade of Cybelle the Vampire Queen accelerates, as if falling toward Titus and his spirit traps. She passes through you like a racing cloud. As she does you feel a few seconds of perfect serenity. Or, more precisely, you feel as if your heart was home to two enormous contesting forces in a state of equilibrium; ravening fire pitted against the iron desire to dominate. It's oddly like peace.

She comes to rest in the center of the Spiral Jetty. The vaporous tower of Cybelle ignores Titus and his Bailiffs, instead contesting with the trap's magic, which seems to hold her fast. In turn, the Bailiffs ignore her, attempting to keep a watchful eye on you, though they're obviously distracted by the arcane spectacle occurring all around them.

Titus begins casting a binding ritual.

Mallus wrote:

Titus begins casting a binding ritual.

After the brief moment of uncertainty - and relief - Artichoke quickly recovers, now that it seems the vampire queen isn't a threat for the moment. "Nobody do anything, please," he says quietly, before adding, specifically to Odanais and Paetros, "Can you make out what that ritual does?"

Artichoke too focuses on trying to decipher the ritual. Though he has no natural affinity for magic, he has spent more than a little time studying it, to better understand both his enemies and his allies.

OOC: He'll use aid another with Odanais or Paetros based on who would benefit most. He gets a 13, so he successfully gives someone a +2.

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

'd20' : 2

"Is binding ritual," Pætros says impatiently. "Is not obvious?"

OOC: Arcana: 12. Religion 29.

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

'd20' : 2, 19

The specifics elude Pætros, but he's certain Titus is in no way venerating the shade of the vampire queen. There's nothing sacred about his ritual.

OOC: Odanais will take a stab at the ritual. He's particularly curious as to what or whom Titus is binding the vampire queen.

Arcane: 25

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

'd20' : 17

The Jetty

Odanais observes Titus at his ritual for a minute or so. While he can't see it, the young sorcerer is sure Cybelle is being bound into some kind of object, probably a wizard's implement. The Mask might have been an implement as well --or perhaps merely a prison-- but likely of use only to the one who fashioned it. He who binds has control.

In theory, at least.

As for what powers the bound spirit of Cybelle the 3rd, once Queen of Enkiil Isle, might confer to an objet d'arcane? Domination, forced serenity, both the ability to compel and the cure for compulsions. Also, unfortunately, an increased susceptibility to treachery.

"See, what's happening now is..." says Odanais, "by binding the vampire queen, he's gaining vast powers to use upon us in the coming battle. Really impression things like domination, sedation, infiltration. I'm so glad we didn't attack him beforehand. It just would have been too easy."

gridley wrote:

"See, what's happening now is..." says Odanais, "by binding the vampire queen, he's gaining vast powers to use upon us in the coming battle. Really impression things like domination, sedation, infiltration. I'm so glad we didn't attack him beforehand. It just would have been too easy."

Artichoke frowns, partly at the sarcasm and partly in thought, and then asks quietly, "Tell me something, Odanais - why exactly do you think Titus is a danger to us? He apparently sent the Petitioners after the Mask, presumably because he wanted it. Or Dandy did. Other than that, he hasn't been a threat to us in any other way. So, if he - or, again, Lord Dandy - ends up with Cybelle bound inside an object just like she was in the Mask, why is that a concern for us? After all, Lord Lively was about to end up with it. And there are much more powerful things in the Port with us. So why does Titus - or Cybelle - worry you so much?"

"If Titus has vampire hussy's soul," Pætros explains, as if to a child, "We do not, yes? And cannot make sacremtnal wine from her, yes?" He raises an eyebrow at Artichoke, and waits for the stunning injustice of this to register.