Ecalsneerg

Equinox's face remained in a careful, blank expression of neutrality at the expression 'squatting in his manse', and she carefully, calmly set Hayley down on the ground. In a stilted voice, she said "Alright, then. I should... go get changed. Behind this tree." And, walking somewhat stiffly, she disappeared behind a nearby tree. There came the sound of barely suppressed sniggering, degenerating into peals of laughter. Sitting looking conspicuous in front of the three superheroes, the raccoon let out squeaking raccoon giggles. Siobhan came back from around the tree, wearing a flannel plaid shirt of red and white, and blue jeans over brown hiking boots. Her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her eyes a gentle grey, not glowing white. And her face was bright red and tears streaming down her face. "Sorry! I'm sorry!" she choked out.

I'm Siobhan Drake. I KNOW stuff. (1d20+15=17) Well, apparently she doesn't.

Equinox, unfazed by the explosions and speechifying going on around her, just pushed up off the ground, flying into the middle of the cavern directly over the huge crater she'd created. A turret blasted her, but a quick gesture and the shot was turned aside, scorching her side but not injuring anywhere vital. Nonetheless, she winced in pain, and whirled in cold fury, wand leveled at the turret, drawing upon all her pain and rage. "PYROKAGIUS!" she shouted, a lance of flame bursting forth, hitting one of the metal emplacements full on, with the sound of sizzling metal and a cloud of acrid smoke... and when it parted, all she'd done was melt a small chunk of the outer shell. "Well, skies above..." she muttered.

Siobhan shuddered as she felt the effects of the deal. In for a penny, in for a pound. With exaggerated caution, she lowered the fox to its feet, and withdrew her spell. "Alright, you've got what you want," she said. <You... made the deal?> Hayley looked shocked. <But... you'll die. You can't win if you can't see!> The response was just a wry smile. <Hey... magic, remember?> The witch looked the faerie dead in the eye. "Right, fox, you made the deal, you've done your part, now hop along. I'm going to go get back that child, and you don't want to be in the vicinity if things go badly." Running a hand absently through her familiar's fur, the witch turned and walked towards the waterfall, Hayley frantically clawing at her shoulder. <Whywhywhywhy? You can't do this just cos I'm scared! You'll die! I don't want you to get hurt!> <Listen, fuzzball. You're a pain in the ass. You eat my food,> thought Equinox, grabbing the furball by the scruff of her neck, and holding her out in front of her. <You make an even bigger mess of my apartment. You ate my favourite dress. You just appear in my life, and annoy me, nearly 24/7.> Then, instead of looking angry, the witch just planted a kiss on the animal's head and tucked her under her coat to stop her getting wet under the waterfall. <But I love you to bits, idiot. Don't blame yourself.> And with that, she strode calmly into the faerie cavern.

"Really? Not your girlfriend? Reckon I've got a-" He caught himself and shut up abruptly. Apparently a break in filming was taking place, so the audience could take toilet breaks, get snacks from a cheap-and-cheerful assortment of teas, coffees and biscuits and the camera crew could fiddle with instrumentation. Siobhan was talking to a couple of them about something, and as she did so she let loose a brief spark of fire from her fingers, then continued talking to them animatedly. "Listen, I don't much give a damn if you think I'm an ass, but I'll give you a piece of advice. The two of you need to laugh him off, and stop looking so wound up about it. People don't listen to long speeches, they just see two people getting defensive." He looked around furtively. "I can't support you, but I can't stop you making him look bad."

"Well, walking right up to someone and talking them isn't getting them off-guard," explained Siobhan. "For example, I've possibly had a strong enough ward to reflect bullets up through this entire conversation. I'm awake, and alert of you, so a fight could just be a couple of words away. You wouldn't have time to throw any power at me without me at least having a chance to react. In short, I'm not off guard." She leaned back to look up at the now-standing man. "As for other mystics... yeah, I'd be willing to talk to him. But how can you be sure he'd want to speak to me?"

Well, I am not the Devil, and thus have never felt the urge to go down to Georgia. But, looking at the Feiler Park area, I like the look of those yellow-painted bungalows. Probably with a nicely maintained lawn on it, and perhaps a small sign saying "Huntsman Photography".

Well, his grapple bonus doesn't actually include the Attack Specialisation. Nor would the unarmed attack required to hit, as neither of them directly utilize its capabilities.

Well, I was thinking he had one of those two-storey apartments, only instead of entering on the ground and having an upstairs, he enters from the ground and has a downstairs (after writing this, I realised that's essentially Dresden's apartment, but rather than 'dingy lab', my thoughts were actually 'photographer's darkroom'. As for where... well, really, I don't know Savannah at all. Even with Wikipedia's help, any neighbourhood I name will be just that, a name, as it doesn't go into detail as to what each area is like. My thought was a sort of lower middle class area, maybe with slightly older buildings, a population centre rather than a shopping one. Sorry I can't be more specific.

"Hmmm..." pondered Equinox. "No. I'm not including that as part of the same exchange." This fox had duped them too much already. "I will let you down, and not harm you, if you swear to leave now. Walk away, and never try to attempt any deal with me or mine ever again." She smiled sweetly at the dangling fox, making him bob up and down a little to prove her point. "If you think that sounds unfair, think of the alternative. You're getting off very lightly out of this bargain, wouldn't you agree?"

"You're sick," informed Siobhan. "That's just... why would you do that?" She couldn't hide the look of disgust from her face, before sighing in resignation. <Can't see? But... then I'd have to stay out here... with him...> <Yeah...> Hayley clung tightly to Equinox's shoulder, pleading. <Nononononono, I don't want to!> She clutched on tighter, until her claws started digging into Siobhan's skin. The witch brought up her left arm to stroke her fur. "How about we alter the deal." Her voice was soft and quiet. "Transfer the deal to me. Until we leave this realm, Hayley can see and smell fine underground, but I go blind. Sound like a fair trade?"

I'm a big, badass, scary witch (1d20+11=16)

"Shut it. You helped kidnap a child," said Equinox in a low voice. "Maybe you didn't do it, but you're fully aware of it, didn't stop it, and assumed a child's form to mock me." By this point, the faerie was held up high in the air, immediately above the witch staring directly up at him. "This is what I'm going to do," she said sweetly, bringing the struggling spirit down until he was almost nose-to-nose with her. "Your court's champion is going to be cast into the mud. I'm taking back Josephine Rhymer. And I will walk out of here, and you will remember Siobhan Drake, the witch calling herself Equinox... you will remember that name as the one who beat you." Her voice was hard, but not raised in anger. She said it coolly and calmly as if she were merely stating facts. "And you will damn well tell me what the deal you struck with my familiar means in plain speech, or I am going to hurl you skyward. Would you survive the fall? Because, believe me, the only thing waiting for you down here if you did would be me."

You need to make new opposed checks. Unfortunately, seeing as I can take 1 for 22, and not auto-fail the opposed check, he loses. Badly.

Hayley will Delay until after the Kitsune acts.

Suffer not the witch to burn (1d20+11=21) I'll spend a HP to clear the stun, bringing her total down to 2, and the Extra Effort... well, it Exhausts her. Well, it would, had you not apparently spent one of her 4 HP on her behalf to negate it. Ho hum, the net result is still her being Bruised, not Stunned, and Fatigued instead of Exhausted, with 2 HP left to use. Free Action: Maintain Flight, Force Field and Shield. Move Action: Fly up into centre of first cavern. Standard Action: Cast fire down upon the turret which fired at her. All-out Attacking for 2, DC26 fire Blast on that damn turret. (1d20+12=32) So... DC31 fire blast, which is also Penetrating 11... it's not Impervious 27, is it? She's Defence 18 for a round, though. :cry:

Hayley looked up, sniffing the air cautiously. <Siobhan, it all smells... funny.> She covered her tiny nose with her paws, eyes screwed shut. <I don't like it.> <Keep it covered, the little bastard's double crossed us again,> came the snarling reply as Equinox pulled one lapel of her coat up to cover her nose and mouth, resisting the urge to breath as much as she could. "I'm sick of you," came her muffled voice. "Sick of your lies, sick of your tricks, and sick your damned custom of speaking in rhyme. I asked you to lead us to your mistress not into a trap. Ergo, I stop extending the courtesy to you of adhering to your laws and customs." Applying her prodigial will to the task of not succumbing to the sleep-inducing spores, she cast aside her coat's lapel and straightened up. "I'm not Dorothy, little fairy. I'm the witch. And I'm not ensnared by your pathetic, pathetic tricks. KINESI!" She cast out her right arm, making a twisting gesture with her hand, and a thin beam of white force extended forth from her hand and grabbed the faerie by the throat, dangling him up and off the ground. "Fly, my pretty."

Well, for the spores... DC13 Fortitude saves for Noxy and Hayley (1d20+8=26, 1d20+6=17) Wisdom checks to notice the Insidious. (1d20+4=14, 1d20+1=13) So I'll Extra Effort on that Wisdom check, making it 16, not 14. Equinox knows what's going on. And is about to break things. current HP total: 4, Extra Effort [fatigued unless HP spent next round]. So she's going to jump the little bugger. Attack roll to grab and grapple with telekinesis. Little faerie going doooown. Then Initiative rolls for both Equinox and Hayley (1d20+11=24, 1d20+21=39, 1d20+1=4, 1d20+3=22)

Equinox touched her amulet with one hand, feeling her magical wards and protections slip around her like a familiar coat. With a mere thought, she suppressed the white glow of her aura, but the telltale signs of her glowing white eyes remained. She drew her coat back a little and tucked it back, so the handle of her wand was easily accessible in case she needed to draw it quickly. "I don't recall asking for narration, I asked you to lead me, not for oration, I surmise my annoyance brings you elation, So please shut up, make this your cessation."

Well, if I can ever get Gecks into the 'Ceptors without being sidetracked... Arrowhawk fits in none of those group, Equinox... she's not part of Parkhurst, but has strong ties to it if there's space in the thread.

Right, rough draft of the sheet. I was assuming we weren't going with by-the-books collaborative char gen, seeing as... well, Quinn already named most of his Aspects. But this is my current rough draft of Thomas Huntsman. [floatl][/floatl]High Concept: Photomantic Photographer Trouble: I Can't Escape Magic, It Always Finds Me Aspects: Nothing Suits Me Like A Suit; Friend To All Children; Subtle Trumps Powerful; Flunked Out Of White Council Training; I Look Out For Number One Skills: Alertness: Fair (+2) Athletics: Average (+1) Conviction: Fair (+2) Deceit: Average (+1) Craftsmanship: Fair (+2) Discipline: Great (+4) Endurance: Average (+1) Lore: Good (+3) Presence: Average (+1) Rapport: Fair (+2) Resources: Average (+1) Powers: Channeling (spirit) [-2] Rituals (photomancy) [-2] The Sight [-1] Soulgaze [-0, discount from The Sight] Wizard's Constitution [-0] Rote Spells: "Aurelius!" (Spirit attack, 2 shifts, one stress): directs a tight beam of light and heat at a single target, acting as a Weapon: 2 attack. Requires the umbrella, and so is executed with Superb (+5) control. "Veilamentum" (Spirit block, 2 shifts, one stress): conjures up a quick and dirty veil around Thomas, opposed by Alertness against a Fair (+2) result. Requires the umbrella, and so is executed with Superb (+5) control. One rote slot left free in case any improvised spells become 'signature' spells. Focus Items: Umbrella: +1 Defensive Control (spirit), +1 Offensive Control (spirit) (uses the two slots granted by Channeling) Rune-Rimmed Spectacles: +1 Control (photomancy) [uses one of the slots granted by Rituals, the other traded in for two Enchanted Item slots] Enchanted Items: Runed Iron Ring: Once per adventure, releases an illusory cloud of inky blackness (3 shifts, 2 of which go into a Fair (+2) Block vs Alertness, the third shift goes into making the cloud last for 2 exchanges). One slot left open for potions. Stress: Mental 000, Social 000, Physical 000 Refresh Rate: 1 (from -5 Refresh cost) Important notes on his magic: As per the sidebar on blind spots on p179, Subtle Trumps Powerful can be used as a compel to get rid of some or the baggage of Spirit evocations that a photomancer should by all logic suck at. Namely, everything involving kinetic energy. Secondly, yes, that evocation Veil sucks. For a proper veil, he'd most likely use a ritual. Potential Potions Night Vision Potion: based on the Scentless Trail example potion, should give the aspect Sees In The Dark for an hour. Sunburst in a Handkerchief: Weapon:3, but only against creatures weak against sunlight.

Equinox calmly placed Hayley up onto her shoulder, and once again sent her senses through the mental link they shared, in order to be aware of the smells of the forest as much as the sights, sounds and magical auras. "Well, I'm still following you, aren't I?" asked the witch dryly in response to the faerie. <Hayley, keep an eye out. This looks like it could be a trap, and I don't plan to get into a fight while I'm here if I can possibly avoid it.> <Looking out, check.> The raccoon nodded.

Equinox casually threw up her arm, the ghost's headlong assault halted by the dome of magical force projected from it. "Huh." She whirled casually, magical shield held up with nothing but a slightly effort of will, as she met Ariel's gaze. "Before you kick her ass, Nick, I've got a paltry question for her." She levelled her wand, the tip spraying red hot sparks as the witch's willpower and magic filled it. "What are your opinions on pyromancy?" The lance of flame was white-hot and so dense with heat and fire that it was basically solid, the air sizzling and boiling around it.

DC27 Toughness save (1d20+11=28) Noxy apparently ain't afraid of no ghosts. Next action... Standard Action: Make things go all fiery and what-not. All-out Power Attacking for 2... DC28 fire Blast against Ariel (1d20+11=27) Well, that hits. Sadly, Equinox is now at Defence 19 for this round, but eeeeeeh. Move Action: Maintain Impervious Toughness: DC21 Concentration roll (1d20+16=30) Easily. This has been a round for good rolls, apparently.

I personally think a simple Haunting story'd be best to start with, before getting into the big political mess that is the power vacuum.