The Found Arcana [IC]
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The Found Arcana [IC]
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Despite the silence, Mato can sense a small flicker close to the wall. As if something is actively disguised in there. Jawsey can sense that Chau is in the room, at the corner but he cannot see him with his own eyes.
The cause of death is not trivial, there are no signs of trauma, the fact that everything is dead in the room implies that it is probably something that affects an entire area. Perhaps some poisonous gas? Either there is no such gas in the air right now, or it is slowly working.
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Mato does another sweep of the area with his sensors. He has a gas mask in his ballistic mask but, just in case it decides to stop working, he switches over to the internal air tank that’s in his left leg.
<<Jawsey, was this magical murder? Is that why we’re not seeing any signs of trauma?>>
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<<Could have been something like Death Touch or rather the area version of it. But to kill so many at once it must have been cast at amazing high force.>>
Bobby replied while also switching to Astral perceptionSpoiler: -
“I’m pretty sure he is there in the corner. Mato, can you feel for him and drag him out of here? I’ll feel better once we are out of here.”
Jawsey puts a gas mask, or at least a respirator, high on his mental shopping list. He starts eyeing the distance to the door while trying to decide if he is actually feeling light headed, or if that is just from switching back and and forth from astral to meat vision too many times too quickly?
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Bobby can notice a sustained magical effect of the illusion category affecting the warehouse.
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<<It’s a trap. There is a sustained illusion affecting this place. Let’s grab the guy and get out of here.>>
Bobby surged forward in his bear form towards the seemingly solitary man. -
Mato isn’t convinced that it’s a trap, but nor is he sure that it isn’t. Dead cats and rats are a bad sign, as they usually have a good enough sense of smell to avoid poison gases. Dead Halloweeners… were they protecting Chau, or hanging out with him? If Chau is in bad shape, what’s with the illusion? Did he do it to hide himself? It’s all very odd, but that’s what you get when you involve yourself with magic and tarot cards and other mystic mumbo jumbo.
<<I see a small flicker close to the wall. I’m on it.>> Mato comms, racing forward. His gun is still up, just in case Chau is still alive, mistakes him for an enemy, and tries to boil Mato’s brain in his skull.
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Mato finds that there is something there, roughly humanoid in shape – but it does not get any more visible when he gets to it. He knows its there, and yet it is almost completely not there. Whoever is there does not seem to react to his presence in any way.
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Mato works his way over to the roughly humanoid shape.
“Jawsey, Bobby, are you seeing this? You’re sure this is him? He’s not just, whatchu call it, manifesting?”
Mato slings his AK-97 over his shoulder. Now that his hands are free, he tries to grab the shape and drag it away from the wall.
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Bobby took a look at the form with his astral perception, trying to cut through any illusions that might be around.
Spoiler: -
Grabbing him, you are convinced that it is a person, covered in a poncho, or a blanket. The ruthenium polymer is not sophisticated enough to perfectly blend him into the environment while you are carrying him. In fact, it must have taken him a great deal of effort to disguise himself in a way that creates a near-perfect illusion considering the low quality of the material. There is no sound while you are inside the warehouse, but as you do you hear a faint “Help!” cry.
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Jawsey takes a moment to listen carefully, trying to hear anything more, and where it may be coming from.
Spoiler: -
Inside the warehouses it seems that sounds are somehow tuned down. He can hear nothing specail, if he concentrates he almost imagines hearing the sounds of the outside street.
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Mato has run the diagnostics on his sensors enough times in the last five minutes that he’s confident they’re working correctly.
<<My ears are acting goofy; let’s text for fidelity>> he suggests via DNI. <<Let’s keep our eyes on the prize and not get lured away.>>
He tries to pull the poncho or blanket off the person, but mostly he’s interested in continuing this investigation outside where there’s less interference from… whatever’s in here.
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Taking off the Puncho is trivial, and underneath you see your young friend. He does not look so good, his complexion is pale, and a few silver flakes that you can swear were not there before decorate his hair. Junior has no signs of physical injury, and it is difficult to conclude what exactly is wrong with him. He shivers as if cold, but his entire body is sweating, eyes tearing, and his muscles are stiff. While not strictly paralyzed, he cannot move on his own. The most alarming find is his right hand that is tightly holding a high explosive grenade. If he drops that grenade, you are likely to face death or severe injury, though you are uncertain if junior can open his palm even if he wants to.
He looks at you terrified and says “Help… the Shedim; they are calling the shots.”
Spoiler: -
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, shedim, got it,” Mato says, glancing around the room for something that could be used to contain the explosion, if necessary. Not finding anything, he decides that withdrawing from the warehouse would be in order.
<<Junior’s clutching an HE grenade like his life depends on it. I have some plasteel restraints but those are for wrists, not fists. Anyone carrying a roll of duct tape? Bobby, got anything tucked away in all that fur? No? Oh well.>>
Mato takes off the belt from his suit pants and tries to wrap it around Chau’s fist in a way that will help keep it closed. It’s awkward at best.
<<I’m going to try to get him outside and see if that helps. Everyone give him at least 10 meters. Usually I’d use a fireman’s carry but I want that hand on the opposite side of his body from me.>>
Mato grabs Chau under the armpits and leans back to drag him toward the warehouse entrance. If Chau’s hand opens… well, maybe Mato can snatch it before it falls. If it just goes off, maybe Chau’s body can absorb some of the blow before incinerating Mato’s suit.
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“I could bring up a spirit, get it to take the grenade, then once we are out send it away, letting the grenade go off. But I’d need to step out of here to have much chance on the summoning”
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Mato nods to Bobby as he drags Chau. “Ice cold. I love it.”
Mato’s arms are far stronger than his legs, but between redlining his legs and his hydraulic jacks, dragging Chau is easy.
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AM chimes in >> I am getting the car outside of the blast, we can’t afford damages… About the spirit, Jawsei – you are a full mage.
You should summon spirits from the astral, find the perfect place to summon your spirit and go there. My mentor, Shaman Dancing bear was doing just that. He summoned water spirits near lakes, fire spirits near volcanoes and so forth. He never physically went to all these places. I know the UMT stuff that summoning works everywhere, but it works better if you do it at the proper place. It is also more respectful to the spirits.”Spoiler: -
Bobby took up a guard position.
<<You could turn on wifi on the grenade and let Amy deactivate through wifi.>>
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