Sympathy for the devil

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> And so everyone gets ready to set out for Germany. Thomas manages to get a note to you before your departure. It includes a street address for Ivo's residence, a place to hide out if things go south (a bar called The Prussian, run by a man named Brahms Kohler who Thomas describes as "a friendly adversary from the days when aviation was a gentleman's pursuit,") And a suggestion that you not linger longer in the city than you have to. (more)
<El-Cideon> than you have to. (more)
<El-Cideon> The flight is long and grueling and makes several pitstops before reaching Europe. It's a cool spring afternoon in Berlin, pleasant aside from the social climate of the city--the ruling party makes its authority known wherever possible, flags and swastikas decorating every public building, propaganda posters in abundance.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 and gets 75."12 [1d100=75]
<El-Cideon> Fortunately, the city's teeming bureaucracy hasn't taken any interest in you yet. You're able to proceed to your goal without any official interference. (OOC: going straight to Ivo's?)
<El-Cideon> The residence of the late Kasper Ivo is a fine, 18th century townhouse in a quiet residential area near the river. Aside from the front door, the only entrance seems to be a garage off to the side. Both doors look securely locked.
* Nadia_Chekova looks to see if there's any sign of activity inside from the visible windows as they approach.
<El-Cideon> You can't see anyone inside, at least in any of the front rooms.
<Nadia_Chekova> "I'll get the door open," Nadia whispers to her companions, fishing out her lockpicks as they approach the front door and relying on the other three to shield her from view as she works.
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 and gets 28."12 [1d20=16]
<Nadia_Chekova> (disable device)
<El-Cideon> The lock gives way quickly enough to Nadia's larcenous talents. Inside, it quickly becomes apparent that the Nazis paid Ivo well for his services--there's lots of polished, antique wood furniture. The entryway has closed doors to the left and the right as well as directly across from you.
<Nadia_Chekova> Pocketing her picks, Nadia steps aside and graciously gestures inside, "After you, Herr Doktor," she smirks.
<Erin> Always on the lookout to liberate pilfered magical relics, Erin activates her mystical senses and steps inside. "Ja. Ze study, I think."
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll listen, all?
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20 and gets 8."12 [1d20=8]
<Erin> roll 1d20+2 ha ha oh no!
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+2 ha ha oh no! and gets 14."12 [1d20=12]
<Yomi> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20 and gets 13."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-2 Rena listen checks are awesome
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-2 Rena listen checks are awesome and gets 16."12 [1d20=18]
<Yomi> "How about going upstairs, first?" Yomi proposes.
<Erin> "Ja, onwards and upwards!"
* Yomi allows the doctor that even death couldn't stop proceed ahead of her.
<El-Cideon> At the far end of the foyer, a spiral staircase curves upwards (going furhter into the house also shows two more doors to your left and right, both closed). Taking the stairs to the second floor brings you into an airy, wide-open sitting room with couches and chairs arranged in a semicircle facing the far corner. (more)
<El-Cideon> There are low tables and bookshelves through, and a record player spouting a jaunty trumpet melody. A maid is here, at work with a feather duster, though she seems distracted enough by the music to not notice you immediately. She's a young blonde, with a lazy eye and her hair in a bun.
<Erin> "I have returned!" pronounces Erin-Ivo, stepping forward and casting about the room with a critical eye. "You!"
<El-Cideon> The maid jolts to attention, dropping the duster and clasping a hand to her chest as though receiving a terrible shock. "OH! I'm sorry, master Ivo! We weren't expecting you for another week." She hustles over to the record player and shuts it off.
* Nadia_Chekova plays the part of an evil nazi floozy and silently gives the maid a contemptuous look as she lingers behind the mad doctor.
<Erin> "Ja, ja, took plane to avoid British dogs," responds Ivo, clasping his hands behind his back and pacing back and forth. "Tea for the guests! Everything is as I left it, ja?"
* Yomi uses the chance to look around the house for anything unnatural the nazi doctor might have kept there, leaving the maid in Erin's capable hands.
<El-Cideon> She nods eagerly. "Oh, yes sir! I'm sorry I haven't finished dusting and cleaning for the day, I didn't know you'd be bringing guests. I'll fetch some tea immediately." She walks past the four of you and heads downstairs. (more)
<El-Cideon> The staircase is in the corner of the sitting room. There are two doors in each adjoining wall, all of them closed. The staircase also continues upwards.
<Erin> "Rena, have you been here before?" asks Erin, after the maid has wandered off.
<El-Cideon> Rena shakes her head. "No. I only knew Ivo from my time at the laboratory. I am not sure if it was a research institute or some kind of military installation. It seemed like both."
<Yomi> "Something's below," Yomi says quietly, frowning. "The last time I saw something that potent, we were attacked by spectres. Want to go and take a look?"
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll listen again?
<Erin> "Then we'll just have to look around for his study," suggests Erin. "Then we should be off."
<Erin> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+2 and gets 22."12 [1d20=20]
<Nadia_Chekova> "Could be Erin's book?" Nadia hazards, starting to open doors to look for a trap door or stairway down.
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20 and gets 14."12 [1d20=14]
<Yomi> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20 and gets 20."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-2 Rena again
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-2 Rena again and gets 6."12 [1d20=8]
<Erin> "The journal is not a demonic creation," mutters Erin, looking quite affronted.
* Nadia_Chekova shrugs. Magic is magic as far as she knows.
* Erin nudges Nadia and points a finger at the doorway closer to the stairway. "Someone's in there," she mutters, before glancing at Yomi and starting to head down herself.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Another servant?" Nadia shrugs, following Erin downstairs.
* Yomi proceeds in the direction of the strongest otherwordly aura she can sense.
<El-Cideon> Whoever it is doesn't seem inclined to come out at the moment. Yomi's arcane senses tell her to take the door to her left when she arrives back on the ground floor. Also, the door opposite the front entrance is now open and you can see a bright, clean kitchen inside. You can hear water running and fine china rattling.
<Yomi> Once again, Yomi is faced with a door. She pauses just past it, listening for any movement within the room.
<El-Cideon> OOC: if you are listening for stuffs, roll listen again?
<Yomi> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20 and gets 8."12 [1d20=8]
* Yomi tries to open the door!
<El-Cideon> This door is unlocked and opens easily. This is obviously the doctor's study. Across from the door sits a desk and, behind it, a broad window looking out onto an empty street. another desk, of the roll-top variety, sits in a corner, closed up at the moment. All the walls here are lined with bookshelves. (more)
<El-Cideon> Yomi's senses tell her that whatever's she's noticed is still further towards the back of the house, which would you be to your left as you enter the study, but there's no obvious door there. Just more bookshelves.
* Erin barrels into the room and promptly starts rifling through the desk and drawers in search of her lost relic!
* Yomi waits for Erin to step into the study, before gesturing at the bookshelves to the left and pausing her. "See any disguise magic in that direction?"
* Nadia_Chekova saunters in afterwards and lingers by the doorway, watching in amusement as Erin ransacks the room.
* Erin spares a brief look at the shelves in question, pausing only to mutter a response before continuing to flit about the formerly-pristine study.
<El-Cideon> The desk by the window doesn't seem to contain anything more exciting than stationery. Lists of numbers for friends and contacts, old itineraries, that sort of thing. The roll-top desk is locked up.
<Erin> "Can you open this?" asks Erin, tapping the top of the desk. "If it's anywhere, it'd be locked up! Yes, that must be it..."
<Nadia_Chekova> Seeing Erin's trouble with the locked desk, Nadia strolls over and deftly picks the lock.
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 and gets 18."12 [1d20=6]
<Erin> "The shelves aren't enchanted," she mumbles, still concentrating on the desk.
<El-Cideon> But Nadia fumbles with her tools. The desk defeats her, at least on this attempt! Out on the tiles of the foyer, you hear footsteps--which pause in front of your door and soon approach. It's the maid again, bearing a tray loaded with tea cups. "Sir? I'm sorry, I thought you were still upstairs."
* Yomi observes the shelves from close by, taking out a book or two and looking past them.
* Nadia_Chekova pauses in her lockpicking, holding her tools behind her back as she leans against the desk and faces the door, waiting for 'Ivo' to dismiss the help.
<Erin> "Obviously I am not! Put the tea down there and return to your tasks," replies Ivo, waving a hand at the open table.
<El-Cideon> The books span all range of subjects: every conceivable science, legitimate and otherwise, philosophy, history. The doctor's interests appear to have been all-encompassing, or at least his collecting habits. The maid sets the tray down on the center desk, bows and leaves again. "Of course, sir. I'm sorry to disturb you."
<Nadia_Chekova> Once the maid is gone, Nadia returns to defeating the lock!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 and gets 26."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> Yomi sees no obvious objects of note behind the books she removes but, well, there are quite a lot of them.
* Erin simply nods at the maid and takes a seat at her new desk.
* Yomi tries pushing the staircase out of the way as the maid departs, not quite willing to go through it just yet.
<Yomi> *bookcase
<El-Cideon> This time Nadia's efforts pay off! The desk pops open with a click and she's able to peruse its contents. This one contains...well, it's not what Erin was looking for, but it's not hard to see why Ivo kept it locked up. You find a lot of personal financial information. Bank accout numbers and balances, that sort of thing.
<Nadia_Chekova> "What's with the books?" Nadia loses interest in the desk after opening it, joining Yomi at the book-case.
<Erin> This hardly seems relevant! "Where is it?!" growls Erin, starting to scan the bookshelves for any sign of her lost grimoire!
<El-Cideon> The bookcases don't open at Yomi's nudge, but it seems like one of them *could*. One set in particular gives just slightly enough to suggest that it's meant to open but that something is holding it closed.
<Yomi> "Something otherwordly is there," Yomi notes, sighing at Erin's antics. "Perhaps it is even the diary in question." She directs Nadia to the bookcase that seems to be made to move. "I've been trying to find a way to get past it without breaking the entire thing."
* Nadia_Chekova examines the bookcase for any signs of a mechanism to make it move that she can fiddle with...
<El-Cideon> Rena sits on the desk and sips at a cup of tea, watching quietly. (OOC: roll search if you're going to look for something there?)
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+2 i wish it was a class skill for rogues
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+2 i wish it was a class skill for rogues and gets 18."12 [1d20=16]
<Erin> Erin likewise roots around the shelves!
<Erin> roll 1d20+3 aid another?
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+3 aid another? and gets 20."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> Together, you manage to unearth something--a keyhole!--hiding behind a row of books.
<Nadia_Chekova> Shifting the books aside, Nadia uses her picks to try and release the lock!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 and gets 23."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> Success! The bookshelf swings open quietly. On the other side is a larger, open room. It seems like storage space converted into some kind of laboratory--the walls are unfinished and the only light comes from a dusty skylight in the ceiling. (more)
<El-Cideon> There is a variety of strange equipment here, in addition to more bookshelves--though these ones are littered more with stray scraps and sheafs of paper, only a few actual books on them. In the gloomy light, two things principally stand out:
<El-Cideon> A glass container, about two feet wide and as many tall, contains a murky blue sludge of a hue you're sure you've seen recently. The other oddity is a silver cage, about a foot and a half wide, holding an ugly, implike creature. (more)
<El-Cideon> This latter looks up at your approach. It can barely fit inside it's cage and looks very uncomfortable. Its skin is an angry red; stray feathers cling to its wizened flesh here and there.
<Yomi> "You look very uncomfortable," Yomi tells the demon, stepping into the laboratory.
<Nadia_Chekova> "What the..." Nadia peers at the bizarre creature in the cage with mingled revulsion and curiousity.
* Erin was about to make headway towards the shelves, but is quickly distracted by the bizzare creature in the cage. "It's a... I don't know," she mutters, peering at the beast.
* Yomi rolls her eyes. "Come on, you've been around me long enough to know that."
<Erin> "Well, yes, but there are many different kinds, are there not?"
<El-Cideon> Despite the creature's wretched appearance, it speaks with an elegant, cultured baritone, dark and smooth. "And you are very observant. Might you be in a position to do something about this situation?"
<El-Cideon> OOC: feel free to roll K: arcana if you want.
<Erin> roll 1d20+16 oh okay
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+16 oh okay and gets 18."12 [1d20=2]
<Yomi> "What kind are you?" Yomi asks the demon for Erin's benefit.
<El-Cideon> "Right now I am feeling like the very foolish kind." To Erin: "You are not Herr Doktor, are you, since you are asking what I am?"
* Nadia_Chekova thinks this is going to go downhill really fast, but at least Yomi can probably fit her sword through the bars of the cage.
<Yomi> "You might say we are in a position to do something about this situation," Yomi responds, refocusing the conversation. "First of all, we are looking for a particular book. If you know where it is, things will proceed smoothly."
<Erin> "That would be obvious. Excuse me, I have something to do," replies Erin, who begins ransacking the laboratory.
<El-Cideon> "Oh yes? And which book would that be?"
* Yomi sighs again, just a tiny bit, and looks over to Erin.
<El-Cideon> Erin finds that all the texts and notes in this room look to be related to the doctor's actual work. Most of it, at least. You find a lot of project abstracts, drafts of proposals to be given to Ivo's superiors, that sort of thing. (more)
<El-Cideon> It will take some time to make a thorough search of the room's contents. "For the Not Doktor, then?" the creature says. "What drives her so, I wonder?"
<Erin> "St. Germaine's Journal! It is somewhere here, isn't it?" asks Erin, rounding on the demon.
<El-Cideon> "Oh, that one. Well, it's in here somewhere. The doctor's filing system is arcane and mysterious. You'll find it eventually, I'm sure. I could tell you exactly where it is and save you five minutes of frantic searching, if you like."
<Yomi> "I'm sure we can spare five minutes to frantic searching, but if you would like to help us out of the goodness of your heart, no one would stop you."
<El-Cideon> A dramatic sigh. "Well, normally, this is where I would offer my services to help you get what you want as part of a fair exchange, but simply pointing to a shelf that you could find on your own admittedly gives me little to bargain with. Not that I am in a position to do much bargaining anyway. I *would* appreciate some minor assistance as part of an equal exchange, of course." The creature points out a specific row to the right of the door.
<El-Cideon> to the right of the door.
* Erin rushes over to the shelf in question and looks it up and down.
<Yomi> "Now that this particular quarry has been resolved, would you mind telling us what you are doing here, specificially? How do you contribute to the doctor's research?"
<El-Cideon> Erin finds a familiar-looking tome lodged in at about shoulder-height. It's a very busy row, actually--there are several other books that look like personal journals, and not the doctor's own. (more)
<El-Cideon> Glancing inside front cover's turns up marks of ownership on some--a travel diary owned by one Roscoe Elgin, and several handwritten journals by an Alfred Linden. The shelf also contains folders labeled things like "Operation Iron Boot," "Fafnir," and "Einherjar Project." Judging by the lack of dust on these, this is the doctor's more recent work.
<Erin> "Roscoe Elgin, huh..." murmurs Erin, frowning at the ominous-sounding titles. Producing a shoulderbag, she hustles all of the incriminating files into it.
<El-Cideon> "Me?" the creature says. "Languishing, mostly. I contribute very little to Ivo's research, really. It was a work of curiosity to summon me, I think. A dalliance. I do overhear a great deal here, of course."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Ever hear about Catherine's Aurora?" Nadia asks curiously. Thomas and Ivo alread gave them a good lead, but no harm in seeing what the demon knows.
<El-Cideon> Erin also stpos another familiar work on the shelf as she's clearing its contents--another copy of a demon-summoning manual recently burned in Zanzibar.
<Erin> Erin sets aside her journal- it's not to be treated with the same disregard as a pile of secret nazi files- and reaches from the demonic manual; a quick flip through it might reveal more about the demon trapped in the cage.
<El-Cideon> "Heard of it? No, not exactly. Knowing things past, present and future is a personal talent, however. I *could* direct my efforts towards discerning its location, if properly motivated. This was essentially all the doctor asked of me before growing bored and that horrible Russian woman stuck me in here."
<Yomi> "How about telling us more about their plans, then?" Yomi offers. "You don't like them, and neither do we. Seems like it'd benefit us both."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Horrible Russian woman - that would be Masha?"
<El-Cideon> The book is thick and quite comprehensive, though it does often contain sketches of various demons to help guide Erin's search. Nothing that looks *exactly* like this demon, but maybe with a good deal of research she could turn something up.
* Erin snaps the book shut; she might have to destroy it later, but the way things are going the knowledge contained therein might end up being useful later. She places it in her bag, and then spend a moment wrapping up St. Germain's journal in some cloth before settling it in beforehand (leaving it a remarkably heavy bag, at that.)
<El-Cideon> "Yeees, that was her. The doctor usually summoned me and sent me on my way. Again, as mostly a dalliance--magic of any sort is merely a means to an end for his tiresome ideology. The Russian woman--Countess Masha--did something to the ritual to make it...different." (more)
<El-Cideon> "I did not arrive here in a state of full power. As far as I can gather, she trapped me thus because it amused her and because it did not leave me free to eventually wreak the downfall of Herr Doktor. As though I would find anything rewarding in knocking the man off a stepladder. As for their plans, Ivo has many. You'll need to be specific."
<Yomi> "How about the one having to do with gathering all sorts of artifacts to reshape the world to fit his ideology?"
<El-Cideon> "Ah. That one. This, I believe, is where we make a deal, is it not?"
<Erin> "You know, I picked up a lot of files over there. They all had codenames of some kind, so they sounded like they could be a variety of dramatic projects," remarks Erin, tapping the side of her bag. "You think everything we'd need is in them?"
<El-Cideon> "I doubt that," the creature says. "He mostly kept plans OF plans in his personal laboratory. Ideas of schemes. You have at best a rough draft of things he meant to propose to his superiors."
* Nadia_Chekova peers over at what Erin's found. "Very dramatic names," she agrees, nonplussed. "Oh well. How about the demon tells us what we want and then we let it out of its cage?"
<Yomi> "Since he wants to go back, that could be arranged," Yomi agrees, glancing at the demon in question.
<El-Cideon> "Oh yes. I like that idea very much. I would, of course, like to be freed first, but no doubt you would take that request as an attempt for me to shirk my part of the bargain. Thus, to demonstrate my sincerity, I can tell you that the doctor was chiefly engaged in two projects. I will tell you what I know of one, you will release me, and I will finish my disclosure. This is satisfactory?"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 and gets 40."12 [1d100=40]
* Nadia_Chekova shrugs. "I don't care," she offers, not having anything against demons.
<Yomi> "And once your disclosure has been finished?" Yomi inquires.
<Erin> Erin does look rather uneasy at the prospect of allowing a demon to go free, and her hesistance is etched clear on her face.
<El-Cideon> "I leave, as neither enemy nor friend."
<Yomi> "And if we were to agree to this contract, you would be forced to return to your home until a point where someone here summons you again?"
<El-Cideon> "That is characteristically how such things work, yes."
<Yomi> "A yes or no answer for this specific case, please."
<El-Cideon> A sigh. "Yes."
<Yomi> "It's consistent with my goals. Let's proceed."
<Nadia_Chekova> "No objections here," Nadia agrees, "Start talking mon petit demon."
<El-Cideon> "Very well. You asked about the doctor's acquisition of artifacts? Principally ones of a sacred or blasphemous nature. Such objects have power, if not in any mundane, utilitarian sense, from the praise lavished upon them. I gather that Ivo came up with some way to draw from them this divine seed. The procedure would be akin to a very perverse exorcism. Under normal circumstances, this minor divine wrath would dissipate and be useless, undirected." (more)
<El-Cideon> this minor divine wrath would dissipate and be useless, undirected." (more)
<El-Cideon> "In the presence of a profance counter force, however? Well, I believe certain of your scientists have speculated on the existence of something called antimatter, which explodes *disastrously* on contact with its more mundane counterpart." (more)
<El-Cideon> "I don't know what his ultimate purpose in utilizing this process was. As I said, however, I am gifted in seeing things at...other places, other times. I can say that, sometime in the near future, one of Europe's great cities will cease to exist. I believe as a result of this project, in order to remove some obstacle of the Fatherland."
* Nadia_Chekova gasps!
<Yomi> "You don't say..." Yomi murmurs. Thousands of years demonkind has tried to exterminate humanity, but it seems humanity needs no help in that direction.
<El-Cideon> "Indeed. Now...I believe there is the matter of unlatching this cage?"
<Nadia_Chekova> A deal's a deal, so Nadia is happy enough to oblige in opening it up for the little fellow.
<Yomi> "So what was this project called? And how far into it has Ivo advanced?" Yomi asks while Nadia does that. "Is Ivo the only one capable of making it a reality?"
<El-Cideon> The demon springs out onto the floor. Almost immediately, his flesh melts and reforms, rising up to the height of a human and acquiring the body of a fit and chiseled man, with aristocratic cheekbones and a friendly smile. He is briefly naked before summoning a set of crimson robes from thin air. "Ahhh. Much better," he says, in the same voice. (more)
* Yomi keeps her wrapped-up sword at hand in case of trechery, but it content to observe and listen for the time being.
<El-Cideon> "Iron Boot, or some such nonsense," he says. "Military men and their dramatic titles. As for the status of the project, he relied upon the Russian in some way. I do not know details, but based on her own arcane skills, I would guess she is meant to perpetrate the ritual."
<Erin> "When you said 'within the near future', what sort of timeframe does that usually refer to?" asks Erin, starting to chew her nails. You can never tell with these immortal demon types.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, yes, forgive my immortal perspective. Approximately two months."
<Yomi> "I don't suppose you would know which city in particular?"
<El-Cideon> "I do not."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Who'll carry the plan forward if not Ivo?" Nadia asks, starting to genuinely fret.
<Yomi> "This Countess would be my guess, but I wonder if she's the only one."
<El-Cideon> "Why would he not?" the demon sounds, sounding as though he's missing something. "Although I suppose 'cowardice' is an easy explanation. Whoever is at the sight of the ritual will be obliterated with it."
<Erin> "Masha, of course," replies Erin, pausing. "It sounds like she was an integral element, and-" She frowns, and glances at the demon. "It is almost certainly her."
<Erin> "One could not conduct it without perishing?"
<El-Cideon> "I doubt that very much. The desctructive force cannot be merely delivered, like one of your bombs. It must be conducted at the site."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Ivo's dead," Nadia helpfully informs the demon. "One of those things," she gestures to the glass jar of goo.
<El-Cideon> "Oh, really?" The demon glances at the jar, and lets out a hearty laugh. "Well, it could not have happened to a better man."
<Erin> "But surely they would be aware of this?" asks Erin, frowning. "They did not seem like willing martyrs."
<Yomi> "It could have happened to Elgin," Yomi feels a strong need to point out. "What is the deal with him, anyway?"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 and gets 75."12 [1d100=75]
<El-Cideon> "Ah, yes. The Englishman. Or what's left of him. Did Ivo's put an end to him as well?"
<El-Cideon> *Ivo's creature
<Yomi> "His death was more poetic. But just what was he?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "No, bullets did that," Nadia replies. Specifically hers, but he took a lot of shots before that.
<El-Cideon> "Something Else," the demon says, his pronunciation making the capitalization very clear. "He walked in the form of a man, yes. I suspect it once was one. Something else looked out from behind the eyes and spoke, though. I could only tell you that it was not one of my brethren." (more)
<El-Cideon> "This thing that was once a man was the key to Ivo's other main scheme, however. Ivo himself was rather frightened of him. It was very amusing to watch, let me tell you. The project required them to visit a specific set of ruins. They were attempting to release something, I believe."
<Yomi> "Yes, it does seem consistent," Yomi muses. "So what is it that you know of this project?"
<El-Cideon> "He was much more vague about this one. He himself was constantly trying to extract more information from Elgin, who acquiesced only when it was clear that progress was being made towards freeing this mysterious being. Ivo's intent, I know, was to control this entity and employ it against the enemeis of the Fatherland." (more)
* Nadia_Chekova is glad they've at least stopped that by killing the dastardly duo.
<El-Cideon> "It seemed somewhat of a gamble. He lacked sufficient information to accomplish exactly that at the time I last heard him spoke, but could only acquire such by accompanying Elgin and aiding him. I think he was trying to moderate the progress of this journey to ensure his research could be completed before the entity was set free, whatever it was."
<Yomi> "Do you know where they visited, or where they intended to visit next? Is any of this listed?"
<El-Cideon> "Ivo applied another of his silly codenames. This one was Fafnir, I believe. Their first outing was to Sweden; after that Ivo spent much less time here."
<Yomi> "What about how close they were to freeing this being?"
<Erin> "Can you see the future of this entity?"
<El-Cideon> "Not very close, I know that much. The sites Elgin needed to vist were scattered throughout the world and my impression was that they did not range further afield than Europe the last time I saw them." (more)
<El-Cideon> To Erin: "All I can see regarding it is fire." The demon actually sounds uncomfortable with this next admission: "It's...older than I am. I could not tell you of its origin either."
<Yomi> "So not the same origin at the Something Else that was Elgin, either?"
<El-Cideon> "I could only guess that they mayb one and the same. This is only speculation, however. Turning my attention towards this being in uncomfortable."
<Yomi> "Still, unless Elgin makes a miraculous return, this particular project is forever stalled?"
<El-Cideon> "I would hesitate to confirm or deny, beyond noting that this Something wants to be set free very, very badly."
<Erin> "What of this other project... the Einherjar Project?" asks Erin, after a moment's pause. "If I were to guess on my own, it would refer to building some kind of invincible army..."
<Yomi> "We've talked about how this Something wants to be freed, and how Elgin and Ivo were traveling to accomplish that. But who might know just how the seals on it could be reinforced, rather than broken?"
<El-Cideon> "I don't know anything substantial about that one, mageling. Some business about improving their soldiers is all I gathered. It is not within the scope of the information I promised you, either." To Yomi: "'No one on Earth,' cryptic or hopeless as that might be, is all I'm able to discern."
<Yomi> "A shame, that," Yomi easily accepts. "This wasn't within any scope of information discussed, but I don't suppose you would know who illegitimately holds my Shishio?"
<El-Cideon> "I may. I may not. Again, this was not within the bounds of the information I offered to give you. Are you willing to offer something else to me?" he says with a smile.
<Yomi> "Not particularly. I believe this is where you leave the Earth behind and return home."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Good luck," Nadia offers, having found him to be quite pleasant and helpful.
<El-Cideon> "Yes. Yes, I believe it is. Farewell for now. Mind yourselves, lest you wind up paying me a visit some day." Another transformation: the demon's clothes turn jet black, meld into his body, and sprout feathers. A man-sized crow stands before you briefly, spreads its wings dramatically, and then winks out of existence.
<Erin> "It hasn't been bad, as far as abyssal dealings go..." mumbles Erin, hoisting her bag.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 and gets 98."12 [1d100=98]
<El-Cideon> "He was rather handome, don't you think?" Rena says. "While he was human."
<El-Cideon> *handsome
<Yomi> "The human-looking ones are usually the worst, since they're not mindless beasts of slaughter. As long as he's gone, however...."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I thought so," Nadia agrees with Rena. "So, shall we grab some of his secret project books and some valuables then be on our way?"
<Yomi> "Nothing demonic remains to interest me, so unless he wrote down his dealings in Japan I'm good to leave this country behind us."
<Erin> "I don't think we can do that," replies Erin, pursing her lips. "In a couple of months, he said, a city will be destroyed. Is this simply to be dismissed?"
<El-Cideon> "Where are we going to go next?" Rena wonders.
<Yomi> "I'm leaving to Britain where an expert lives who could make sense of this, and where we have ties to someone who could help us. Do you plan on doing something yourself right here, in Germany?"
* Nadia_Chekova agrees with Yomi, "We can speak with our contacts in Britain and perhaps pursue Masha in Paris. Germany is too dangerous to stay long in."
<Erin> "But is Masha not coming here, on board the Bismarck?" points out Erin. "If this demon is to be believed, she would surely be the one behind such destruction! Even if it is dangerous, don't you agree that we must take any chance to stop her we can?"
<Yomi> "No. Not any chance. Because if we fail and no one knows of her plans, what good will we do?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "It's still the better part of a week away from getting here. We have time if we travel by air," Nadia seconds.
<Erin> "If we can at least be back before she arrives..." replies Erin, and she shakes her head a moment later. "We know she's coming here, so I do think we should return. Either way, we'd better get going from this place."
* Nadia_Chekova grabs the books on Fafnir, Einherjar, and Iron Boot. "Back to the airport, then?"
<Yomi> Since they seem to be in agreement, Yomi decides to give the place at least a cursory search for Ivo's travel log or similar documents.
<El-Cideon> Ivo's financial documents seem to have kept track of his of travel expenses, among other things.
<Yomi> Then they get taken home!
<El-Cideon> OOC: so, taking the stuff on the shelf with Erin's book, the stuff in the locked desk, anything else?
<Yomi> OOC: Does anything else stand out?
<El-Cideon> OOC: not really. unless you want try and take some of the nice furniture with you, or the bulky cage or blobinajar?
<Erin> OOC: THE BLOno.
<Yomi> OOC: I'll drink the tea!
<El-Cideon> OOC: okay. Doing anything else here, or checking out of the house and heading to the airport?
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: lets flee
<Erin> OOC: I'm good to go.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 and gets 32."12 [1d100=32]
<El-Cideon> You make your exit from the house and, soon enough, the country, catching the soonest flight to London. (OOC: where we will pick things up next time, since this seems a good stopping point. As usual, decrease wealth by 1 for plan ticket, as usual someone needs to cover Rena, etc.)
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: I'll cover Rena
<Erin> OOC: I have to decrease mine by two unless we don't bother tattooing a disguise onto Yomi
<Yomi> OOC: Let's not bother
<Erin> OOC: Works, we're leaving anyway so odds of getting caught are low.
<El-Cideon> ~