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Post by Mephistel on Aug 16, 2017 19:57:55 GMT -5
Cerberus
-I'm effraid my expertise lies with inanimated object so this part I leave to my colleague here...-
Cerberus said crossing his arms in front of him and waiting for Jade to explain the workings of her powers to the good doctor.
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Post by leska on Aug 18, 2017 7:17:29 GMT -5
Questions always followed after Jade exposed her abilities to someone who she wanted to know about them. Her red eyes looked at the good doctor as she began asking so many questions about her abilities and what it would do to Mr. Hernandez. "Yes, he'll be safe, he won't be harmed in any manner, I can assure you of that. He won't even know I'm there unless he is psychically sensitive but those are rare to come across now a days" said Jade to Montoya, assuring her even more so that nothing was going to happen to her patient. Looking towards Cerberus, Jade listened to him speak and she nodded, "He'll be able to see anything I miss" added Jade as she looked turned back to look at the doctor. "I just need you to be discreet about this matter though, its between the three of us." ----------------- WS: 4/4
RS: 8/12 -----------------
Social Skills 4; Charm to assure Montoya that everything would be handled as carefully and as well as possible.
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Post by Janus on Aug 20, 2017 12:46:29 GMT -5
Christopher & Mildred
"Oh honey, don't you mind disturbing me. Course if you could get my boss to pay for unsocial hours too that'd be swell, but you call on me any time."
Delores packs up the plans with swift and practiced hands, placing them back in their place.
"If you find anythin' good you make sure you let me know you hear?"
And with that you are once again out into the dark Gotham night.
The Cauldron isn't normally a place where the police go in anything less than riot gear and is as lawless a part of the city as you can find. Gangs, the homeless, criminals and the desperate all seem to be drawn here as if by some mystical spell, and if one of you weren't a magic user you could almost imagine that it was magic at work.
Magic is however at work as Mildred, who is driving for this particular part of the journey, turns down an alley that wasn't there until a second after she turned into it. A simple illusion or misdirection spell would be Christopher's guess. The alley leads into a badly lit car park, though with the spell in place you'd both guess it is probably the safest place in Gotham to leave a car.
From the other cars around, all old, some battered, some expensive but all seemingly avoiding the sophistication of modern electronics, you can tell you are not the only ones here.
The question is, with no doors in view, where is here?
(OOC - Mildred knows perfectly well where the door is)
Cerberus & Jade
Dr Montoya seems to ponder Jades response before replying.
"Ok, you can use your abilities on Mr Hernandez on one condition. You have to pull a memory out of my head without me noticing. Doesn't matter which, though for heavens sake stay away from my Frat years, but just pull it out without me remembering it. If you can do it to me when I know what to expect I'll believe you can do it to my patient."
At this point a middle aged looking man wearing a janitors uniform walks into the room.
"Dr Montoya, you wanted to see me?"
Dr Montoya turns to him.
"Ah Gordon, I think Detective Raven here would like to see Mr Hernandez's personal effects. Would you prefer to go to them Detective or would you like them brought up?"
Here and now Dr Montoya is distracted, her mind unfocused. Slipping in there is easy and following her thoughts back into memory is easy. The Cherios she ate this morning for breakfast with a coffee, black, three sugars whilst reviewing the case file of Edward Nigma. Further back, the birthday of her daughter Elise, she was thirteen and has Autism. She took her to a pound to adopt her a puppy in the hope it would help her with the symptoms of autism. Further back the divorce from her husband a year ago, she was sad, not angry. No one had cheated, no one had been hurtful, in fact she secretly wished he had been unfaithful. It would have been better than the loneliness they were both enduring, just drifting apart into their work.
Jade could explore further though from experience it would become more difficult as time went on. It was enough.
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Post by lilithsboy on Aug 20, 2017 14:34:34 GMT -5
Since she knew where she was going and Christopher had no earthly idea he willingly tosses her the car keys; however, upon entering said vehicle he puts his seat belt on so fast one might wonder which one has vampiric reflexes. His face wore the vacant expression he used around so many others till they were well away from Records, then as if throwing a light switch he hardened.
I liked her, do you think we should retain her services anytime we require assistance in that building?
He pulls out a tablet and begins a search for her history to ensure she is not someone disreputable. He does, however, keep an eye on where they are going memorizing the route. When the car seemingly turns where there is no ally he tenses for just a moment but upon seeing one form he realizes he may be a bit out of his depth.
Cute trick Detective Buckley now where is the door?
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3 shifted to defense (he is none too happy about being driven around though he would never say as much and believes Millie's driving ability to be questionable. Then no matter what magical protections are about he is getting out in a seedy neighborhood.)
While he may not be spending stones to increase his normal mental defenses he does suspect he will be subject to psychic probe so he guards against that as well (int to mental defense)
Photographic memory to remember everything about this trip
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Post by Mephistel on Aug 21, 2017 7:20:22 GMT -5
Cerberus
-I can go myself, that is not a problem...-
The young man said. And going there could let him find a bit more about the place. After all, the whole building could tell him many stories. He smiled, trying not to be scary this time tough that wasn't something he could just control so easily. Those years in the streets weren't exactly so far behind.
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Post by Gris on Aug 22, 2017 5:01:48 GMT -5
"I'll try to talk with your boss, you are undervalued for sure. I can be pretty convincing when I want to..." Mildred said amused, wanting to help Delores have the recognition and salary she deserved, even if that would have to wait. "I'll do for sure" she added, when asked about sharing their findings. The Mildred of another decade may have taken her under her wing, added her to the small retinue of servants she once had, but she was no longer that woman. Even if she had been as fair as she could be, even generous when compared to others her kind, that was no way of conducting her life, not anymore.
"So no puppy eyes and sweet words for me?" Mildred asked amused, catching the car keys midair and getting into the car. "I enjoyed the act though, unexpected talent to have" she recognized, looking at Christopher. "Good idea on the seatbelt, I rarely if ever do the driving. I hope this is not one of those hybrid things with more buttons than one of those electronic brains..." she commented, making her distaste and lack of knowledge about technology pretty evident. What practice and knowledge didn't supply, vampiric reflexes managed to make up for, and the pair went unscathed through the Cauldron, a miracle in and by itself even if Mildred would have known how to properly drive.
"Dangerous area, here be dragons" she said amused, "not a place for a copper" Mildred added with a playful smirk, as if she wasn't as much as a cop as Christopher. "Be polite, don't try any of your tricks inside, it's poor manners and you could get your soul trapped into a bottle of tequila" Mildred warned. "What? I have seen it done once" she added, seeing Christopher's look on his face. "Now, for the door" she turned around, walking through the car park. "As many things in this city, in this country, most of them came from outside, across the sea" she instructed. "Some new" glancing at a modern looking Audi, "some old" she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Some... even older" she said, stopping in front of one of the concrete bumps that marked the parking spaces. Reaching over it, Mildred felt the heavy resistance and the touch of wood, the concrete bump at her feet looking like a carved old stone for a moment.
"The one we are looking for is a native though, one that go figure, doesn't seem fond of me" Mildred instructed. "His name is Walks With Smoke as far as I know, and perhaps he can instruct us about what's hidden, trapped, barely contained under our new workplace" she sighed. "If not for our good, specially not the one of a hungry spirit-" Mildred voiced tired, expecting that man to find her distrustful and perhaps monstrous, "but for the good of the city in case it gets released" she finished, using her strength to push the unseen door and walking through it.
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Post by lilithsboy on Aug 22, 2017 17:07:04 GMT -5
(sigh) I do that because people expect it, the little rich boy grew up on family money no real brains of his own ect. The concept is the same as the ally or door here you do not expect it to really be there and a little misdirection causes you to never see it. The people here won't have preconceived notions of me so it won't really work well if I tried that. If you want I could always do the brainless twit act for you but I was affording you more respect than that.... Now, do you think it would be safe to come back here sometime alone? I really could use someone to bounce magical theory off of; furthermore, I realize I am outclassed by most of the things here if these illusions are any indication.
Out of his element, he still lets Detective Buckley take the lead he is taking in everything around him still.
(Allocation has not changed I just wanted him to respond to her)
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Post by leska on Aug 23, 2017 23:48:52 GMT -5
Jade looked at the doctor with a stone face and a small smirk arose from her face as she was given the challenge of pulling a memory from her mind and bringing it to light. As time went on, Montoya had become distracted by an older gentleman whom she had called in order to give Cerberus access to the personal effects of Mr. Hernandez; telepathic tendrils were writhing within the Doctor's mind without her knowledge as Jade's psionic power went to work. Glimpses of the memories within the doctor's mind played in a quick manner. Much like an actor walking through sets connected to one another but had no real logical connection to one another, Jade looked around and tried to find one which wouldn't hit the doctor too hard. But perhaps something deeper, something more meaningful would convince her of her abilities. As she looked towards Cerberus, Jade nodded, "Be careful. Can't be too careful about what kind of memories things hold" she said. Looking back towards the doctor for a moment and deepening the connection with her and trying to find a more defining memory for the doctor. Perhaps something precious from her childhood? Maybe something that scarred her psyche? Something that only the deepest part of her psyche would know. ------------------ WS: 4/4 RS: 2/12 ------------------
Telepathy 10; 9 to dive deeper into Montoya's psyche and find a special memory, something close to her. 1 extra to cover her psionic intrusion.
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Post by Janus on Sept 4, 2017 15:36:49 GMT -5
Christopher & Mildred
Mildred disappears into what seems like a brick wall. It's not, it's an illusion and not a very complicated one. Using the sight would have picked it out but for mundanes it would have been an almost impassable barrier.
Inside the smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke is almost comforting, a symbol of watering holes the world over. Like a sign it says sit down and have a drink, Midred spots a few regulars, Charlie the Were-wolf, a large hairy looking biker sat in a corner by the pool table waiting for someone to come along and challenge him. Otis and Lois, red headed twins dressed in matching suits drinking matching beers in perfect synchronicity. Chloe the bartender, a woman with dirty blonde hair tied back in a pony tail, a black vest top and jeans. No one ever messes with Chloe, Grandfather won't allow it. Anyone who ever has is simply never seen again, ever, by anyone. It's rumoured that she is mundane as nothing ever seems odd or supernatural about her, but then that could be said of many people who come in.
Scanning that bar that seems quite full you notice Grandfather, a tall bald black man in a suit and tie, looking as usual like he has just come from a funeral and rumoured to be a genuine voodoo priest), sitting talking in what appear to be hushed tones with an old Native American man. This is 'Walks With Smoke', the old Shaman has been around for years, not quite as long as Mildred but the grey in his long hair now far outweighs the black and even the various feathers and charms her carries seem more worn than usual.
Cerberus
"OK detective, this way please."
Gordon's accent now that you are listening to him sounds Eastern European and somehow this seems if not confirmed then at least reassured by his closely shaved head and thin appearance. Stereotypes it would seem are alive and well in the Asylum.
He leads you out of the entrance and through a modern looking carpeted area and then into an older part of the building where the decor changes to tiles and the lighting seems a little more stark. Several doors are unlocked and then locked again behind you before you reach a storage area.
"Wait here please, I will fetch his box." He says.
You are in a room with a large metal table and a large strip light above it. Through a wire gate you can see shelves with cardboard boxes stacked from ceiling to floor. Gordon lets himself in through the gate and moments later reappears with a medium sized box that he drops onto the table.
Jade
You gently drift into Dr Montoya's mind, with you drawing her attention back to you you can feel her mind flailing around trying to spot you, of course she has no experience so would have no idea what she is looking for even if she stood a chance.
Her mind is flicking around, latching onto emotion filled memories, embarrassing memories at university, sexual encounters, failures, grief. All the usual things a mind wants to hide. Instead of trying to fight it though you use it as a smoke screen, let her mind work for you.
You float down into the darkness of her unconscious, memories forgotten but powerful. You see a memory of a patient she lost, he had committed suicide, using a razor no one had known about, there was blood everywhere. She had just started at Arkham and in that moment she had wanted to quit. So why didn't she?
And there it was, the motivation strand, the pattern of memories that drove her to practice psychiatry, so you follow it back to the beginning. Memories flash past as you follow the thread backwards. Talking a jumper down off a roof, recognising bipolar symptoms in a friend and directing them to a psychiatrist, talking long into the night with a depressed friend, helping him turn his life around. Each memory is a stepping stone to the one before.
Then you arrive at the beginning, she was just a little girl, maybe 5. You watch her walk into the room where her mother was sitting crying. Her mother and father had been arguing again. She remembers the blue dress her mother was wearing, it had a white collar and was speckled with white flowers.
"Momma, why were you and papa shouting?" She had asked.
Her mother had turned and looked at her with tear stained eyes.
"Oh sweetie, papa and I are just worried and that makes us both grumpy. We don't mean to shout."
"I don't like it when you shout. When I'm worried I talk to Booba (her favorite bear), do you and papa have someone to talk to?"
Her mother have looked at her for a long time and then hugged her tight before replying.
"No honey, we don't, but I think maybe we should."
A month later they had started what she would find out later was relationship counselling and that had been a turning point. The fights from there on were much fewer and little Elena had recognised that she had helped her momma and papa with just those few words.
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Post by lilithsboy on Sept 5, 2017 0:19:21 GMT -5
Christopher studies the doorway Mildred disappears into for a moment remembering the way the sidewalk and surrounding area look so he can easily find it again before following.
Gazing around the room, he had never believed such a meeting place was possible much less been in one. He glances askance at a trash bin where an empty bottle of tequila is in view. Quickly he realizes that the bar is tight knit and first impressions matter he approaches Cloe. Diet Coke please and whatever the lady is having. Motioning toward Mildred, handing over a fifty and waving off change.
Christopher intending to wait for the two men out turns and walks over to a seat outside of normal hearing distance, then he catches a glance of Mildred and realizes that vampires of legend are known for their keen senses her nature is known here so no matter where he goes the two of them might be accused of eavesdropping should they show interest in the men without making their intent clear.
He tries taking a moment to remember his manners by thinking of what his grandmother would do... Since dragging him out of a bar by his own ear for being there while on the job is simply out of the question he decides to take the bull by the horns. He puts on a genuine smile and attempts his best at being friendly and non-threatening as possible while approaching
Excuse me, gentlemen, once your business is concluded I was wondering if my companion and I might have a chance to speak with Mr. Walks With Smoke?
**********************************************************************
2 Social Skills (Occult Community) To seek an audience with the Shaman and make a decent first impression.
Photographic Memory
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Post by Mephistel on Sept 5, 2017 7:44:47 GMT -5
Cerberus
The young man followed trough the corridors as they went trough doors and rooms and eventually stopped where the archives were. He looked around, this place, it was fill with many emotions, he wondered just how much informations he could get by browsing trough the boxes on the other side of that door. The idea was tempting but the man came back with the box. Cerberus gave it a look. He took a deep breath, then opened the box and looked at the items inside, taking them out one by one and putting them on the table, he proceeded to examine them and get the memories out of it. He would be more careful and work them one by one.
------------------------------- 4 in psychometry to analyse every object one by one. 4 in Int to get any clues or other details I might miss from it, like making links between facts or events related to the case.
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Post by Gris on Sept 9, 2017 4:32:34 GMT -5
Mildred stepped in that perfect place that served as a resting place for many of the weirdos that festered that city, herself included. Nodding here and there, as she was on a neutral to decent standing with many of the patrons there, she approached the bar, noticing that their person of interest was there. Of course, she had lived long enough to get on the bad side of some people as well, and even if she haven't been in many mischievous acts for a while, part of her understanding with the Bat, some people kept grudges for long. Others just didn't like nocturnal bloodsucking beasts, go figure.
"Rye whiskey" Mildred added to the order, amused by the ladylike treatment. Had she been a lady? Perhaps once, time ago, but she had abandoned that notion long ago. On some particularly bad days it was hard enough to consider herself human, or something close enough, as to have trouble considering herself a lady of all things. Mildred didn't mind the manners, after all they helped to keep the beast away from the rational mind, but the trappings that usually came with the treatment. A lady was a thing to behold, to take care of, to protect, and even if it could be a charming thought coming from a recent partner in that odd police force, it was unneeded and unwanted. Perhaps she shouldn't be so harsh or quick to judge, having seen Christopher's penchant for theatrics perhaps that was just part of another ruse.
"Calm night" she nodded to Chloe, "I hope it keeps that way, I certainly do not want trouble, specially not here" she mused, more of an statement of intent to Chloe and whoever may hear her than a real, tangible conversation. Christopher taking care of things was probably for the best, who knew what kind of idea Walks With Smoke had of her or what she could do if talked to, looked into the eyes. Only part of what a vampire could do was true, and Mildred wasn't particularly deft at some of those tasks, but it was still better to put a well mannered man between her and their person of interest. That well mannered man also was an entitled and rich white man, so perhaps it wouldn't be ideal, but not only Mildred didn't know Walks With Smoke at all, she also had no idea of what he would think of Christopher.
Health: 4/4 ; Energy: 12/12 Action: Social Skills (Underworld) 5 to make as clear as possible that we don't want trouble. Health: 4/4 ; Energy: 7/12
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Post by leska on Sept 10, 2017 22:27:03 GMT -5
Jade watched as the memory played before her like a theater play. Her red eyes watched as the little girl consoled her mother and offered her some advice of seeking someone to talk to about her and the father's issues, bringing up that when she had an issue that she would talk to her bear, Booba. Jade looked down at the bear and smiled slightly as she pulled back from the memory and into the real world. Standing there where the little girl once stood was now the Doctor Montoya. The cyborg walked towards the doctor as she began to walk towards the patient ward. "Come now, Doctor. Booba wouldn't appreciate us making someone wait for help would he?" she said as she stopped in her tracks and turned her head slightly, eye looking towards her.
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Post by Janus on Sept 13, 2017 15:34:05 GMT -5
Christopher & Mildred
Chloe looks up and smiles
"Sure thing sugar." She says pouring the Cola with practiced ease. "You not on the real stuff t'night Mildred? We got some nice oh neg fresh in."
Chloe's southern drawl is genuine, at least as far as you know. 'Fresh off the bus from Greenville' is the line she usually uses, though few people know very much more.
Grandfathers is a place where people can be themselves, hunting however is strictly prohibited. That being said rumour has it that Grandfather pays top dollar for blood donations, always from volunteers, and the blood is always healthy and chemical free. More than a few vampires in Mildred's time have stopped hunting all together because of this place.
The two men look up at Christopher approaches, their conversation stopping. As Christopher finishes the black man smiles a broad toothy grin and offers his hand.
"So, ah newcomer to me bar. Ah think we was finish already. People call me Grandfather, and what might we call you?"
The way he put the question seemed quite deliberate. In the wizarding world names have power, and he seems not to have asked for yours.
Cerberus
You open the box and stare inside, it's probably not surprising that there are only a few items in there. Clothes, cleaned and packed into vacuum sealed bags, a wallet, a mobile phone (switched off), a set of keys and a watch. The clothes bags are probably not even worth opening. For some reason flowing water has the effect of draining away the energy and after that time will do the rest. The phone, wallet and keys would have been taken by the police staff. There are a few memories there if you want to see them, but nothing exciting (Vehicle use (cars) 2, Business 2, General knowledge (baseball) 3). The watch however, well that is a different matter.
Something about the watch calls to you, sings to you, plays a melody you feel like you know, or should know, or knew once, long ago. That was touched by something that seems to resonate with something deep within you. It is unlike anything you have ever felt before but at the same time feels so intensely familiar that can almost imagine it being a part of you.
Jade
Dr Montoya looks at you, her mouth open apparently speechless. After a moment a she laughs, shakes her head and gets up, walking quickly to get to the door.
The door is swiped with a magnetic key card and she leads you though into the back rooms. The asylum appears to have been revamped recently as the corridor you pass through is decorated in warm pastel shades, with carpet under foot. However this is a newer part, clearly part of the rebuild. The ward you are led to, through several key carded doors seem dark. Checking your watch you can see that it just hit 10.30 so the inmates are all tucked up in bed and when you stop, at a locked door with a small window in it, you can see Mr Hernandez is no exception.
He appears to be asleep, though from the tossing and turning is clearly not having pleasant dreams.
"Here he is." Says Dr Montoya in a low voice. "I'd be very grateful if you could share what you learn from him. Anything that can give us a way of helping him would be useful."
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Post by Gris on Sept 14, 2017 4:44:22 GMT -5
"Mhh" the mention of fresh blood, or at least as fresh as she allowed herself to drink these days, made Mildred hum, her eyes sparkling for a moment. She didn't want to be drinking blood on that precise moment, as it would be an awful reminder of what she was and that was the last thing she wanted if they were to talk with that man that avoided her. That said, it wasn't like the patrons of the place were going to suddenly forget what she was if she ordered whiskey, and if things got stupid later that very night she was going to need all the help she could get. Well, it wasn't like she could punch a curse in the mouth, but still. "Ah, fine, I'm weak after all" she joked. "Lets go for that fresh juice tonight" added, already anticipating the ferric taste.
Mildred never chastised Chloe nor made jokes about how that really wasn't 'the real stuff' nor exactly 'fresh', after all the place was welcoming and they went above and beyond when it came to provide what their clients needed, what they wanted. It wasn't real nor fresh unless it came pumping from a vein, warm and intoxicating, alive. Mildred felt her fangs pinch at her lips with the mere idea, the image, the memories. But she didn't do that, not anymore. Time ago she had her own... volunteers so to speak, youngsters of the last decades of the twentieth century with romantic thoughts and an excess of black wardrobe. There was nothing romantic on feeding a monster, there was only a toxic mutual dependency that threatened to ruin any real relationship, nothing more, not again.
Feeling suddenly so very alone in that bar, Mildred waited as patiently as she could for her drink, her sustenance. Letting Christopher do the talking was for the better, as she wasn't in a proper mood at the moment.
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