Something went wrong.

With a plan coming together, Mirikon grinned, and nodded to the others. "Lets meet at the safehouse. If we're all on different rides, its hard to remain together. I'm guessing our Wheel-woman has something we can all ride in, so we meet there, with whatever data we get from our contacts, and then we grab the sucker. Catch y'all there. Unless any of you know how to track a car that left a high traffic area an hour ago?" With that, he rose, and slipped out of the bar, and to the cloak room, where he retrieved his checked weapons. There was just something about having his blades close to hand that made him feel safer.

He lingered a moment in the cloak room, making sure his blades were concealed, and that his Fubuki was in its slide. Now that they were on the job, he might as well be prepared. If they were going to go running into a fight, it wouldn't do to sit back and wait until he could get his spells up. He cast a spell, to be sustained through his focus. Hell, that's why he got the thing, wasn't it?

Ok, sure, he was being a bit paranoid. Sure, there was a good chance that nothing would happen until they planned it. But a bit of paranoia kept you alive in this business. And the fact that the corp sent such a sketchy Johnson didn't bode well.

--
Casting Improve Reflexes, Force 3. 3 hits
Resist Drain 3: 5 Hits
Threshold 3 grants me +2 Init, +2 Init Passes. Spell is sustained through the focus.

Initiative: 5 Hits = 14, 3 passes.
--

Simon left, making sure to pick up the only weapons he carried with him - a CS Gas Grenade, a Flashbang, and 2 hot smoke grenades.

Hell, if it came down to it he probobly couldn't throw it more then a few meters, but they were basically distractions to throw out while he ran away.

The bouncer gave him an odd look as he returned the items - probobly because he didn't have the balls to scrutinize guys who dropped off an SMG or something.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2174478/
2 hits + 9 = init 11.

Odin collects the blood sample, just in case he want to try and use it for any other questions, then rises and follows the others out, stopping to pick up his axe and the bag containing his mail and helmet from the check counter before stepping outside, though he doesn't take the time to change back into his full armor just yet.

Initative: 6 + 1 hit = 7
Combat sense would have been active in sustaining focus this whole time: Spellcasting 4 + Specialization 2 + Focus 4 = 4 hits
Drain 2 (1/2 + 2, round down)
Drain Resistance: Willpower 5 + Charisma 1 + Focus Will 2 + Limited Spell 2 = 3 hits

As you all leave the bar stopping to pick up your gear, you exit into the mall and pass several stores on your way to the stairs.

(I assume none of your characters like to be boxed into a deathtrap elevator given how paranoid you all seem)

Inside the stairwell you all hear a faint metal on concrete noise coming down the stairs from above. “tink, tink, tink,” the sound becomes steady and louder as you listen,

(Your party ranges from the 5th sub basement floor to the 4th sub basement floor going up the stairs)

The metal sound becomes louder as a small metal orb (about the size of a soccer ball) bounces onto the landing part way between the 3rd and 4th floor and comes to a rolling rest.

Hank who is the closest to the object and first to move wordlessly runs out the 4th floor stairwell exit into the hotel

"Incoming!" Odin shoulders the others aside as he charges through the group towards, doing a convincing imination of a pro-football running back. He reaches it, scoops it up, and hurls it away from the others like a soccer player throwing a ball back inbounds.


OOC:

Aderanline to go first.

Not aiming for anything specific, just trying to get it as far away from any people (note, any people, not just our group) as possible.

Agility Boost: 3 hits
Body Boost: 4 hits
Agility + Reaction to grab the 'grenade' = 11 = 2 hits (fail), spend edge to reroll, 3 hits
Throwing: Agiliy 7 - Defaulting 1 - Range 3 = 3 = 1 hit, can throw it between 70 yards and 35 yards depending on what thrown range you use.

Ok you are in a stairwell, the metal ball is halfway between the 4th and 3rd floor on a landing, where exactly do you throw it? up or down? (those are really your only options from where you are)

Down if I can clear the party by a reasonable distance (the idea of rubble falling on my head because I threw it up doesn't appeal), but if I can't clear the others, throwing down, then up it shall be.

ok I found a visual of what it looks like:

Maybe a couple of more stairs between levels

Thinking fast, Mirikon dived into the 4th Floor hallway, as well, hands automatically reaching for his twin scimitars as he did so, drawing them as he prepared to fight. Sure, the thing looked like one of those spy drones, and not a grenade, but that only meant that there were people behind the drone, waiting to strike. And he'd much rather face them in a hall than in a stairwell.

"I think its time to party, guys!"

What the frak? Who were these guys?!? Did the Johnson double cross us? thought Simon as the troll grabbed the... whatever the hell that was and threw it down the stairs. He had no idea what was going on and couldn't see any threats - which meant nothing.

He'd been careless - he should have summoned a spirit to watch astral while he was moving... but he could rectify that mistake quickly. He clapped his hands once and focused himself before beginning his chanting in latin.

(Centering and Counterspell dice ready)
He began issuing commands to the world in Latin and crossed his fists, bringing forth a servant of man...

Come to me by power of will oh spirit. I summon thee in the name of the black hand and the unseeing eye. By my will and Azathoth the pact bringer, by the 7 oaths of the forbidden I command you to come forth and serve.

A shadowy form began to rise from the bottom of the stairwell.... hazy and indistinct, Simon shaped it by thought into a humanoid form..

(Force 4 spirit. 4 dice magic, 3 summoning skill, 2 skill specialty, 2 for mentor spirit
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2175952/
3 hits, ugh. Edge to reroll failures, I'm assuming we still have some. Keep in mind I'm doing this without the book infront of me. If I can't spend any then just go with the initial 3 hits)

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2175956/

(Spirit gets 2 hits, giving me 3 services)

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2177074/

(1 hit on 11 dice I take 2 mental)

It slowly formed into a suited older gentleman dressed in the manner of a butler, as Simon felt a wave of pain come over him he channeled the energies through his body, and he gritted his teeth as capilaries and nerves strained under the energy inside his body. It was bearable, but intensely painful.

For a few moments Simon and it waited, but as nothing seemed to be coming he quickly sent it into astral to follow him till needed.

The metal sphere flies over the heads of everyone in the party and bangs against the landing wall and rolls slowly to the edge of the stairs and “tink, tink, tink,” goes rolling down the stairs below the party.

Whoever exchanged numbers with Hank gets a comlink call.

"No boom? I'm on the other side of the Hotel."

Mirikon grinned as he responded through the comlink. "Looked like one of those spy drones to me. Y'know, the ones you roll into a room when you don't have a schmuck to scout ahead for ya. Get back over here, cuz I got a feeling we got trouble coming down the pipe."

Hank replies: "Well I got my eyes on the elevator and so far nothing but unarmed tourists."

The silence in the stairwell is only interrupted by the brief final ‘tink’ of the orb hitting the bottom of the stairs. Seconds stretch into minutes. The stairwell is still silent.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop, Simon broke the silence. Perhaps an electronics specialist should see what that sphere is in the electronic plane. I shall endeavor to search the astral.

He then opened his mind's eye and peered into the astral plane, wondering if there was perhaps someone watching them. He could always send his spirit at it if it proved to be an issue.


(If I don't see nothing perceiving, and someone's attempt to check AR or hack the thing or do whatever electron pushers do, Simon will suggest someone go and pick up the sphere)

Peering into the astral a small watcher spirit hovers directly above Hecuvus. As it notices you looking at it the small wretched creature howls directly into your mind “Simon Milligan, make peace with whatever gods you pray to, Your End Is Neigh!” it promptly vanishes and a loud pop and burnt plastic smell comes from the stairs below.

For a moment Simon was glad to be an albino - noone could watch his face pale, and he did his best to present an inscruitable mask of calm to his fellows.

The sputtering from the sphere below and smell of burnt plastic filled the stairwell, and Simon reflexively turned on his intenral air tank. It was doubtful this was some sort of gas attack in public, but they were in a somewhat enclosed area, and he was in a nervous mood.

After a moment, to calm himself he spoke. Apparently someone has sent a watcher to deliver a message of doom through a minor spirit. This is.. worrying. I am fairly scrupulous about never mentioning my last name in the shadows.

It would appear I have not been sufficently paranoid. Shall we depart?

"Secure! Get the blueprints of this building, ASAP! I want to know every way off this floor. A fight's coming, it seems, and I don't want to get caught somewhere that one lucky grenade can get the whole lot of us, if we can help it. Shadow, Jinx! Cover the elevator in case they come down that way. Odin, cover Secure while he finds us a way out of here. Hecuva, keep an eye on my body. If they're sending spirits, there's going to be a mage somewhere nearby. Ganking his spirits ought to bring him out for a fight."

Ok, so maybe Mirikon didn't have any grounds to be playing leader. But in a situation like this, there wasn't any sense sitting around, waiting for a consensus. You have a situation, you meet it head on, and deal with it.

Mirikon sat down crosslegged against the wall, and closed his eyes, shifting his spirit to the astral plane. As he moved at the speed of thought up the stairwell, he held in his hand the astral form of his sword, Frozen Wind. And it shone with the power he had imbued it with, even as a layer of mystic power shimmered around him, protecting him from harm.

--
Going Astral, and heading up the stairwell to take a look. Cast Astral Armor on myself, Force 6. 6 Hits
Resist drain 3. 2 hits.
So I have 6 astral armor, and take 1S off the spell.
--

A quick jaunt into the astral reveals a fairly normal (for the 6th world) hotel lobby. A few small living plants more plastic ones. There are a few non-magically active people milling around the front desk apparently checking into the hotel. One small boy might have a promising future as a mage if he can learn to harness his powers. But no armed death squad waiting at the top of the stairs to ambush you. In fact as far as you can tell there is not even anyone magically active around. Outside the hotel in the cold raining (afternoon? My continuity is rather off I think… maybe evening?) you see several people hurrying by a few motorists commuting down the street in front of the hotel and one street-mage looking at you from across the street. He appears to be wearing the same rags since Dunkelzahn was president.

Im on it!
going full VR, into the buildings node with my agent in tow

Send the agent looking for blue prints
I will try to access the security system

Agent 5
+Browse 5
+Spoof 5
+Stealth 5
+Track 5

(OCC: not sure what to roll though)

The VR environment of the Hotel is littered with advertisements for nearby tourist attractions and discount coupons for the shops and restaurants in the vicinity. Your agent spits off in one direction following orders and looking for blueprints. Secure finds the cameras easy to hack into and reviews the tapes rapidly. (the resistance is hardly enough to stop an intruder in full hot-sim VR.) Secure finds a small boy wearing shorts and a tee shirt dropping the ball drone down into the stairwell. The small boy leaves rapidly and meets with someone just off camera (all secure can see from the angle is the boots of the mystery-man) and both depart rather quickly. The agent comes back with the blueprints and sits idle. No other threats can be easily detected from the security feed in the matrix… most everything looks normal.

seeing the spy drone fall to the floor of the stair well 'Noyce' decides that it would be a waist to let the 'drone' burn out he takes his own impulses to retrive the drone on his own and heads down too the bottom of the stair well...

Seeing that the coast was clear, for now, Mirikon returned to his body. Sighing as he opened his eyes, he stood, looking around. "Well, whoever it was, they're gone now. We're gonna have to keep a sharp lookout from here on in. And someone owes us an explanation on who's coming to kill 'em. And it better be a good one."

perception test results: 10d6.hits(5) → [5,5,1,3,3,6,6,3,2,1] = (4)


http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2181654/