realityshifted | time to woman up

Entry tags:

*wolfgang albrecht

time to woman up

[Wolfgang is exhausted. There are dark circles under his eyes and his fingers tremble beneath his dirty sleeves. After a day or so of taking notes and conferring with his group, he clears a spot in the library for everyone to sit.]

I'd like to call a meeting. If you know someone is outside but close by, you can go tell them to come back. I'll wait.

[He does wait for at least an hour. By then he's procured some snacks and tea for everybody in attendance and passes them around.]

We... can't do this forever. I know, you've all fought your hardest and and I appreciate that. So does everyone else here. But we need to push back. I've finally figured out how, thanks to some intelligence.

[He lays out a map of the Plane. It's pretty well-drawn, all things considered.]

So here's the library, where we are now. Way over here-- this is where Tian's group is directing everything from. Tian himself is actually holed up in the shop right now, but we can't approach it because he's wrapped himself in magic and wards and whatever else. In the meantime, he has those cultists doing things for him. If we stop them, we can stop all of this.

There's three cultists. I don't know their names but I can tell what their specialties are by watching. One of them is guiding the ice elementals, one of them is directing the angels, and then there's one controlling all the undead. There's three of them and four of my group, so everyone will get some help. We'll attack them at the same time, with three teams.

It's... risky. I'm not asking anyone to lay down their lives for this unless they have to. But if something happens, we will stop at nothing to bring you back. To make you okay again.

After they're taken care of, we'll strike at Tian.

Who wants to volunteer?

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I'll volunteer. [Menzies doesn't even have to think about it before she answers. ever since she had that last dream, she's known there would be a fight of this. and while most of what they're up against is far beyond her capabilities, that hasn't stopped her from trying so far, and it isn't going to stop her now]

[Mu's been keeping tabs on the fighting so far, and while he can't see Wolf's map particularly well, he has a good idea of the locations being discussed. He deliberates awhile before speaking, weighing options and outcomes in his mind. When he answers, his voice is low and firm, brokering no argument.]

I will deal with whoever is controlling the angels - alone, if possible. I'd like to avoid collateral.

[North steps up beside her, his features grim behind his helmet. He knows they need to help, and none of those sound like they'll be any fun to fight. But he figures ice can shatter with his bullets, and he has a shield he can use to protect anyone there from harm.]

Well, count me in too. We'll go for the one with the ice elementals. What do we need to know? Don't hold back anything.

Hey. I've got fire, they're throwin' those huge ice things. Count me in, okay? If I can't melt 'em, I'll detonate 'em instead.

[ He smirks, like he's more than ready for this - because he is. He's already had some target practice, honestly. ]

Hopefully we can end this without too much more goin' to hell.

[Wolf nods.] Thank you-- both of you. I owe you a lot for bringing the vision to me when you had it, Menzies. We haven't lost anyone yet, thanks to you.

[Now for North.]

Unfortunately, I don't know much. I know they each hold some kind of-- rune. That rune powers an altar, an' those altars power the wards. There's similar stuff at home. Probably they're all from my home, but don't quote me on that. If they are, it means they've all got some innate magic talent of some sort, and it's a fair bet Tian's enhanced it. Like he enhanced the angel-people. I can sure as hell tell you I've never been able to summon elementals with my magic.

Unless he grabbed someone who's, ah, a quarter-human, you're likely dealing with someone who has a set magical range. Water and ice, or ice and air. I don't know which. But I'd definitely prepare for both.

I'll come with you. I can't send you alone against a cultist, I really can't. If Tian sends in reinforcements or shows up himself-- your blood's on my hands.

[Fuck that, he's gonna argue if he wants because HE IS BASICALLY A SHOUNEN INCARNATE.]

[Wolf smiles despite how tired he looks and feels.] Sounds good to me.

Did you know-- I got this job by accidentally setting somethin' in the shop on fire?

I will. If there's something I can do to help, I'll do it. [the Plane's important to him in a way he hadn't quite expected, as a place to meet these people he wouldn't have otherwise.]

[ That smirk turns into more of a grin, and he chuckles at the thought. ]

Dude, you got the job that way? Shit, I lost a job that way! How'd that happen?

[A nod.] Thank you.

Do you mind if I put you on the cultist with the skeletons?

Everyone who works in the shop has some kinda... weirdness. Some innate talent, somethin' that sets them apart. Also I, uh, wanted to pay that off... It was a whole aisle. So embarrassing.

[she winces he mentions her "vision" in public. she's been avoiding directly revealing what's been going on in her dreams, and even when she has talked about it, she's avoided terminology like that. but Wolfgang had no way of knowing about her reluctance, so she says nothing about that. instead, she focuses on the rest of his message, nodding] Your wards 'ave 'ad a lot to do with that, too. But 'opefully going on the offensive will mean solving this problem.

[during his explanation to North, she listens intently, turning the information over in her head] What do you mean a "rune"? Is that something that could be destroyed?

Send me where you'd need me. I don't have magic--[He doesn't count his ability to change into a bat as magical]--but I have bullets and grenades, and I know damned well how to defend myself. Plus, well, this isn't exactly light. [He gestures at his full body armor, the rest of his weaponry mostly evident on his back and side of his leg, but the rest of the armor contains spare magazines, and there's a knife or two hidden away as well.]

[North listens, taking in what has been said and asked, and throws in a couple questions of his own.] A quarter-human? That's awfully specific. Why does that matter? Do you know who'll we be up against with this?

[he shakes his head]

That sounds familiar enough. [past experience including ghost ship plus zombies turning up at night? He's got this. ~~Well, maybe.~~] Anything else I should know about them?

Anything helps. Even if it means taking a hit. That's what the armor's for, right?

[He smiles gently, though perhaps a touch sad.]

We need someone else to help out Hawk. You up for it?

[RPG physics ftw.]

They... can summon skeletons? And they might be undead too, I'm not actually sure. It's a fair bet you'll have to fight undead things, so I recommend, uh, having some way of blowing them apart or... holy items of a sort. We don't really deal with necromancers much on my world but it's been known to happen.

Yes, solving the problem is definitely on my list of priorities. I'll take down Tian by myself if I have to...

The runes are just the keys. You'll need them to wreck the altars, otherwise your attacks will just bounce right off.

[He shakes his head at North's question.]

No, it's nothing like that-- Tian doesn't have a lot of friends. If he's like me, he probably pulled his associates from home. Quarter-humans are people who have a lot of magic because of their lineage and magic itself is pretty easy to predict by looking. They were originally called kwam according to the historical records but that's really not important. What is important is that Tian uses magic, and anyone connected to him will use magic too, because that's what he's familiar with.

[Mu fixes Wolf with a gaze that seems a little too intense, given his impairment.]

You're hardly in a shape to stand up, let alone fight. If you come, I cannot promise your safety - Your blood will be on mine.

I'm fine. We have some time before we go, so I'll make sure we are all rested and prepared.

[He isn't afraid of your blank-eyed gaze, Mu.]

Mm… I've no idea what brings the undead to… life, such as it is, back home. But we have a few things to deal with them! I'll see what I can get my hands on.

[she eyes Wolfgang] I'm gonna assume that's you being determined and not you forgetting that we're 'ere, too. [because she still wonders if Wolfgang's death could be a trigger that gets them all killed, and even without that, she still doesn't plan to let him go off to face anything alone--or any of the rest of them, for that matter. not if she can help it]

Okay, so if we don't want to destroy the runes, then what do they look like? And 'ow do we use 'em to destroy the altars--do we just need 'em in our possession?

[at that information about the cultists, she scowls. it's not that she expected anything less, really, but magic isn't exactly either of their specialties] Great.

Er, yes, of course. I wouldn't go against him alone. I'd hope some of you would come with me.

[He's kind of embarrassed now, like a scolded child, even though he's maybe twenty five at most.]

They're flat stones, about the size of your palm. All the cultists carry them somewhere on their person. Holding them ought to be enough; if it isn't, just throw the rune at the altar and blow it all up together.

[He nods.]

Thank you, Hawk.

[North folds his arms over his chest.] The cultist won't be able to magic up more altars? Do you want us to try to take them in alive?

[Menzies' tone is flat] You know we will do.

[she waits for his answer to North's question. as always, she'd prefer there be no bloodshed if there doesn't have to be, but after the dreams she had, she's feeling less optimistic about this option than she normally would]

The altars take time to build. But getting rid of the cultists is definitely the first step. That's why we're taking them all at once.

[That's a hard question though, and he frowns.]

I-- normally I wouldn't say this, but I think it might be better to fight seriously. They won't hesitate. But the final choice is up to you.

If you take them in alive, I'll have to figure out how to imprison them. I can.

More for my protection, and while I'd prefer not to take a hit, I can handle it better than someone else not wearing battle armor.

[Wash straightens, surprise in his voice.] Hawk's going? Sure, of course I'll go with him. [Because if that note he got from Menzies is true then... Yeah, he wants to protect what friends he has here.]

What should we know about going up against...whatever these people are going to throw at us?

[He nods.] Of course. Don't do anything dumb, I don't want you to get hurt...

This is the part where I tell you I don't actually know that much. Necromancers aren't awful common where I'm from, but that's what this cultist is. Obviously. By the raising dead part.

Any kind of holy or blessed items ought to work on what they summon against you, and probably against the cultist too, since magic requires a certain... alignment. Barring that, uh, just use a lot of explosions. It's basically the same thing.

[Sigh. Mu knows this type] I could argue against you until I'm blue in the face, and I don't think it would change your mind in the slightest, would it?

Nope.

[He smiles cheekily.]

I trust you. We'll be all right.

[:8| he should introduce you to some certain bronze saints he can think of...]

Prepare well, then, and do try and keep clear of my attacks. I'll try to limit collateral damage, but I cannot make promises.

[Flatly] Necromancers. Great. [And seeing as he's not religious or magical...] Good thing I can cover things in the explosions department. [Hopefully, Hawk will have something.]

Anything else?

That's about it. I'll send Jhil and Roen to help you. Roen is a healer, and Jhil can hit things pretty hard.

That's what I tell people about fire magic. [A smile.] You're a good man, Mu.

I'd not say good, but thank you.

[He sighs quietly]

What information can you give me?

I... really don't know much more than that, I'm afraid. The angels, well, you're familiar with them by now. They'll be like what Tian let loose. People you-- you know. Maybe even yourself. I'd expect them to have the same powers, too.

[Mrrt] Wonderful. All the better there be fewer people about, then.

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time to woman up

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