Ms. Chekova, are you trying to seduce me?

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> The next day sees Erin occupied by unspecified Lodge business; for lack of any other obvious way to pass the time while Myriam keeps tabs on the countess's retinue, Nadia and Yomi decide to use the time to check in on Selene on account of her recent letter. They don't quite get away without incident, however--moments prior to departure, there's a knock on their front door.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Coming!" Nadia calls a little impatiently as she puts down her travel bag, hoping it's not a salesman as she goes to answer the door.
* Yomi glances at the door, and then leans the wrapped-up Shishio against the wall by the umbrella stand.
<El-Cideon> There's a middle-aged couple standing out front, a thin man with spectacles and bristly graying hair and a pudgy woman wearing a rather frayed sweater. "Ah, haven't caught you at a bad time, have we?" the man says. "Only, we saw people going in and out of the house again, and I said to Martha, shouldn't we introduce ourselves? We won't keep you if you have business elsewhere; it only seemed neighborly to say hello."
<Nadia_Chekova> It is neighbourly, so Nadia can't bring herself to be too irritable. Putting on a pleasant smile and replying in her best English to mask any accent, "Of course, I'd invite you in for tea but I'm afraid we were just stepping out for an engagement. Still, it's nice to meet you - my name is Nadia Chekova, and that there is Yomi Iyasama," she sticks out her hand. Rena is thankfully keeping
<Nadia_Chekova> her nudity out of the front hall, so no need to introduce her.
* Yomi bows in greeting as her name is mentioned. "A pleasure," she says, straightening up.
<El-Cideon> The man takes Nadia's hand and pumps it vigorously. "Wilson Leavitt, and this is my wife Martha. Don't let us bother you if you need to be on your way; we were just out for the morning's constitutional and it only seemed the polite thing to do to greet the new neighbors, you know? I thought, someone has to welcome them to the neighborhood. Perhaps tea some evening for a more thorough introduction?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "That would be lovely," Nadia replies for politeness's sake, although who knows, maybe it'll be advantageous to know the neighbours? Submitting to the vigorous handshake, she shows a smile, "We should have time next week, shouldn't we, Yomi?"
<Yomi> "I believe so," Yomi agrees, approaching the rest of the way.
<El-Cideon> "Just pop over whenever you know," he says deferentially. "If we're not around, Humphrey, our young one, he'll pass on the message. Cheerio for now." He turns, Martha gives a friendly little wave, and they walk off down the street.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Bye!" Nadia waves, closing the door as they depart so she can resume her preparations for departure. "They seemed pleasant enough, at least."
* Yomi certainly hopes that Rena does not hop over to meet young Humphrey while they are away, maintaining a smile on her face.
<El-Cideon> After a brief stop at Erin's to pick up Suzume, the group hops a barge across the channel and takes a train into Paris. It's mid-day by the time they find themselves in the vicinity of Selene's apartment building. "I don't actually know French," Suzume admits quietly as you walk down the street. "That won't be a problem, will it? Only, you always hear about them being very disdainful if you're not using their language..."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I'm French and I've never looked down on people not speaking our language,"  Nadia asserts. "Don't worry, I'll translate if you need, but Selene speaks good English and will probably use that for yours and Yomi's sakes."
<Yomi> "I don't know French, either," Yomi responds with a shrug. "Selene didn't seem to mind, and there are plenty people who understand English."
<El-Cideon> "I suppose not everything you hear about another people is true. It's different when you actually know someone personally," she says with a nod to Nadia. Rising up the elevator inside the building, she adds: "Although I don't imagine they're all exactly like Nadia either."
<Nadia_Chekova> "No more than you and Yomi are alike, no," Nadia chuckles.
<Yomi> "Very few are nearly as pretty or nice as Nadia," Yomi readily agrees. "Not to mention her talents."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, stop, you'll make me blush!" Nadia titters and waves her hand. "Selene is very pretty and nice and talented as well, though."
<El-Cideon> "Most people don't have her hobbies, I would think. Otherwise nothing in Paris would stay in place unless it was nailed down. ...That was a compliment, of course!"
<Nadia_Chekova> Nadia's mirth subsides a little, but she retains a catlike smile at Suzume's appraisal. "Of course it was," she agrees.
<Yomi> "Selene really is the nicest demon I know," Yomi agrees, nodding at Nadia.
<Nadia_Chekova> "What? She's a demon?" Nadia blinks, not having cottoned onto that before.
<El-Cideon> "What?" Suzume says, sounding worried.
<Yomi> "I didn't mention it? Somewhere in her ancestry, most likely."
* Nadia_Chekova sighs. "Of course..."
* Yomi looks confused. "She's genuinely a good person, it's not an act or anything of the sort!"
<El-Cideon> "She is not one of those western demons with the horns and the brimstone, then?" Suzume says. "This is all I know of them."
<Yomi> "I haven't honed my senses that much, and it would be rude to ask."
<El-Cideon> Suzume nods, going quiet once you approach the right apartment. A knock on the door shortly summons Selene (you wait a moment, hearing muffled voices inside before she opens it). She looks rather bored and put out, but brightens instantly once she sees who's waiting for her. "So you ARE still alive. Give me on moment to tie up my affairs here, if you don't mind?" (more)
<El-Cideon> There's a man sitting at the table in the center of the apartment, paper spread out before him; Selene closes the door, opens it again shortly and the man walks out with everything in a suitcase. Selene then ushers you inside. "Alright, in, all of you. You have to tell me all about your latest adventures. Less of you too this time, I see, unless Erin or Rena changed a great deal. There hasn't been any grave misfortune, I hope?"
<Yomi> "This is the second time I meet you that you seem annoyed with your guests," Yomi notes as she steps inside.
<Nadia_Chekova> "No, nothing like that," Nadia smiles and shakes her head. "Erin and Rena are working on another matter, but we've brough Suzume along with us, and she's as good a magician as Erin is."
<Yomi> "With a different specialty, as it happens, which could be quite useful," Yomi adds, placing Shishio down by the table.
* Nadia_Chekova shrugs helplessly at talks of magical specialties. "We did have an exciting adventure in the Far East where we picked up Suzume, though!"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, it's just tedious family business," Selene says dismissively. "It's not a problem, just a regular nuisance. Suzume, eh?"
<El-Cideon> Suzume bows. "Suzume Akiyama. Pleased to meet you. Nadia and Yomi speak very highly of you."
<El-Cideon> "I hope they don't exaggerate too much," Selene says. "Sit down, please, I've enough coffee left for more guests."
<Yomi> "Why bother, when the truth is so fantastical?" Yomi asks as she sits down. "Few meetings are ever as memorable as ours was."
<El-Cideon> "For which we should be thankful," Selene says, pouring a mug for everyone. There's already a bowl of sugar in the center of the table, should anyone want any.
* Nadia_Chekova takes one sugar. "So, do you want to hear our stories first, or care to tell us what matter needs the attention of women with such particular talents as we?" she asks, sipping at her mug.
* Yomi takes three, stirring the melting sugar slowly.
<El-Cideon> "You first, please. I'm afraid I really only suspect the problem I spoke of. I wouldn't want you to be trouble with potential hearsay throughout your entire story."
<Yomi> "Rena and I met you just before we left for Poland," Yomi muses, thinking back. "It appeared that we would be returning quickly, but events beyond our control drove us into conflict between vampire mobsters and the church. Things just kept snowballing afterwards, with us traveling to Japan, then China and finally across Russia to return to Britain."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, yes, there was an exciting story in Poland. I suppose it's a matter of what's more interesting, a vampire or a fox demon?" Nadia muses.
<Yomi> "There was an evil spider demon in between, too," Yomi adds.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, yes, but only you and that ninja saw that one," Nadia pouts.
<El-Cideon> "Vampires? Demon foxes and spider demons?" Selene shakes her head. "If you were anyone else telling me these things...And you must be so tired from all that globetrotting. Do you ever take a day to simply relax?"
<Yomi> "You missed out on it to go liberate that priceless artifact," Yomi points out with a smile. Turning towards Selene, she shrugs, saying, "We took a couple to purchase a house for ourselves, which is Nadia, myself and Rena, as Suzume is staying with Erin. There is that?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "That was still work, really," Nadia sighs. "Maybe we'll have time to play next week..."
<El-Cideon> "Ah, well, that is a promising sign. You can't truly relax if you don't have a place to call home, can you?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "I'll settle for a luxury resort in a pinch," Nadia retorts with a smirk.
<Yomi> "Our train ride through the Orient managed to be intolerably lengthy while still fitting in truly disturbing events," Yomi muses. "I shudder to think what we might find if we ever visited one such resort."
<El-Cideon> "Oh, now, I'm sure I can find somewhere peaceful for you. I travel extensively, you know, and I've been to plenty of wonderful resort towns. I'm sure there's one out there somewhere that doesn't contain a demon to be slain?"
* Yomi gives Selene a dubious look.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Like Zanzibar?" Nadia asks with a hooded gaze over her coffee mug.
<Yomi> "That is a good point," Yomi admits, nodding at Nadia. "Even if no demons are actually present or have traveled there, one may still be summoned with the right ritual by a foolish human."
<El-Cideon> "No!" she says, feigning offense. "Now you've made it a challenge for me. The next time you're between your little supernatural exterminations or what have you, you call me and I'll find a place for you. I'll even go there myself and root out the demons first if I have to. Really, it sounds like you've earned a good vacation."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Deal," Nadia nods, setting her mug down firmly. "It would be nice to spend time relaxing with each other for once."
<Yomi> "If I bring my own, it doesn't count, right?"
<El-Cideon> "Only as long as it doesn't cause any trouble. Is it domesticated?"
<Yomi> "He likes me and listens to what I tell him."
<El-Cideon> "Well, that's good enough. I will make a note to find a resort that allows visitors to bring pets."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I hope you mean Ranguren, or is there something you haven't been telling us, Yomi?"
* Yomi beams at Nadia. "No, it's Ran-chan, just like you thought!"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Good," Nadia sighs in relief.
<El-Cideon> Selene sighs. "You know, there are times you make the glamorous life of an actress seem almost boring."
<Yomi> "Won't it have all the adventure you wish for when you root out the demons lurking in wait at our future resort?"
<El-Cideon> "If, I said. IF it has demons!"
* Yomi gives Selene another dubious look.
<El-Cideon> "Don't give me that look. There has to be one somewhere."
* Yomi sips her coffee calmly.
<Nadia_Chekova> "We're counting on you to find it for us," Nadia nods solemnly. "So! How's life been in Paris, anyway?"
<El-Cideon> "Ah, well..." She sobers up suddenly. "Worried and dismayed as of late."
<Yomi> "Because of d--" Yomi stops herself in time. "Uh, actress troubles?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, did you see Snow White?" Nadia suddenly perks up. "We went to watch it a few days ago! The colours were incredible!"
<El-Cideon> Suzume nods in agreement, though Selene doesn't really pick up on the attempt to return to levity. "No, work has been perfectly fine. I suppose I should get on with why I asked you here, shouldn't I?" She sighs.
<Yomi> "Look at it this way. If you asked for our help, then you think we should be able to resolve it!"
<El-Cideon> "Yes. I'm hoping you can tell me if there IS a problem, before anything else. It may be my imagination. Maybe I see the occult at work everywhere these days? I should start at the beginning, I think. Two young women recently disappeared in this neighborhood. Not unusual in any large city, I know, but both attended my church, and I fear the culprit may be a personal acquaintence."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Any acquaintence in particular?" Nadia asks curiously.
<Yomi> "Did they disappear together, or at an interval?" Yomi adds her own question.
<El-Cideon> "Father Edmund, who speaks at my church regularly. I have nothing like evidence to support this, only...unease at sudden changes in behavior. And at an interval, Yomi, a week or so apart."
<Yomi> "When was the last disappearance?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Well, if he's possessed by a demon, Yomi can surely tell with just a glance," Nadia wastes no time in selling Yomi's ample talents!
<Yomi> "Possessions are tricky, but it is very likely," Yomi agrees with a nod, even as she waits for Selene to answer her question.
<El-Cideon> "That's what I was hoping, Nadia. I hope that she will tell me I'm being silly and paranoid, but...The last disappearance was about a week ago."
<Yomi> "You are not silly and paranoid," Yomi states, shaking her head. "Even if this is not the work of supernatural forces, two women have still disappeared, and a third might very soon, if this is a pattern. Now that we are here, we should investigate this at once."
<El-Cideon> She nods. "Thank you. Even if the only result is that I feel reassured...Is there anything more you need to know? How do we start?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Find out where we can chance across him so Yomi can get a look? We wouldn't even need to speak to him or anything," Nadia suggests.
<Yomi> "First, has there been anything in the papers for the past three weeks or so? You would know what to look for, since I can't really read French. It would also help to know more about both this Father and the women who disappeared, as well as what efforts were made to find them."
<El-Cideon> "Well, we could attend services, Nadia...although I haven't been for several days. He made a variety of...unpalatable suggestions when I was last in for confession. As for the papers, they reported the disappearances and duly looked into them, but I've not heard of any results."
* Nadia_Chekova makes a face as she digests Selene's implication.
<Yomi> "What I meant to ask was, do you think there might have been other disappearances prior to this? And have there been any strange events? Unexplained power outages? A riot? A ship being quaranteed? Anyone institutionalized unexpectedly?"
<El-Cideon> "He was always very quiet, to be honest, ever since he came to the church several years ago. Not a very good speaker, really, but always polite and unassuming. The change was very sudden--one day there was simply much more zeal to the sermons, he was much more animated and gregarious. No obvious reason. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened before now."
<Yomi> "No dead patches of vegetation, either?" Yomi asks hopefully.
<El-Cideon> "Should there be?" Selene sounds confused. "What would this signify?"
<Yomi> "Just hoping for some obvious sign. I'd ask if you smelled any brimstone, but-- never mind. We can go and take a look after all?"
<El-Cideon> "Thank you. This is why I can't go to the normal authorities--I have only suspicions to entertain, really. The way he looks at people now, they way he speaks and moves with strange confidence. I could have written it off as an oddity before he propositioned me, but now I look closer and can't help but see someone else."
<Yomi> "Is he one of those priests who are allowed to do that?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "It does sound odd... if Yomi doesn't sense a demon I admit I'll be confused at such a sudden change in mindset," Nadia muses thoughtfully.
<El-Cideon> "Not unless Catholicism has changed very drastically in the last couple days, Yomi. What do you wish to do? Visit the church, or...well, I know where he lives, though I don't know what would be gained from stopping there."
<Yomi> "Let's try the church. It might not be immediately obvious to others, but my power is not restricted solely to beings. If there is something otherworldly left behind, I should be able to sense it."
<El-Cideon> "Alright." Selene glances at her watch. "It's not terribly far in the afternoon. I think he should still be there."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Sounds like we have a plan, then," Nadia stands up and dusts off her skirt.
* Yomi picks up her wrapped sword, wondering whether it will see use that day.
<El-Cideon> The church is several blocks away, and a short enough walk. Not a great cathedral, but a small neighborhood center of worship that only superficially aspires to gothic grandiosity. It seems like actual services have ended, though there's a small crowd still inside. Up near the podium is a tall, aged priest speaking quietly to a knot of Parisians.
<El-Cideon> "That's him," Selene points out.
* Nadia_Chekova peers over, but lacking Yomi's esoteric senses can't see much of interest...
* Yomi can only hope this isn't a demon that will knock her out, and takes a deep breath, looking around with her senses!
<El-Cideon> Suzume, not having been inside a western church before, pries her attention away from the architecture to look where Selene's pointing.
* Yomi pauses briefly by Suzume to whisper to her in her native tongue, "Can you check for magic on the priest?"
<El-Cideon> "Ah merde, he saw me," Selene mutters, turning away quickly to look somewhere else. The priest has indeed glanced her direction. Without pausing in his conversation, he fastens a penetrating gaze on her for a moment--and subsequently on Nadia--before turning his attention back to his parishioners.
<El-Cideon> Suzume nods and concentrates briefly. "He's carrying something," she confirms.
<Yomi> "Can you introduce us?" Yomi requests. "And insinuate that I wish for... what does Christianity use for private tutoring?"
<El-Cideon> "Er, well, priests don't exactly take on apprentices or anything like that...I could say you were thinking of converting and wanted to speak to an expert first?"
* Nadia_Chekova holds his gaze a moment as their eyes meet across the church, then turns towards Yomi. "Sunday school?"
* Yomi shrugs. "As long as we don't have to wait for Sunday. I think it's possession, but we really need to talk to him in a private setting to tell for certain."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I could seduce him away somewhere if you like?" Nadia offers. "I noticed the way he looked at me..."
<El-Cideon> "I'll...I'll see what I can do," Selene says dubiously. "I don't know if I'd want to tempt him like, Nadia--just in case we're wrong. But if you're sure there's something supernatural about him...Shall we walk over and introduce you all?"
<Yomi> "I suppose he wouldn't be interested in me with this company," Yomi agrees with a frown. "Right. As long as we have privacy, it wouldn't matter."
<Nadia_Chekova> "An introduction would do to start with... But what do we do once we have him alone? If he's possessed I presume you can't just cut him open to get the demon out, Yomi?"
<Yomi> "Knock him out."
<El-Cideon> "If Yomi's attempt doesn't produce results, well...I suppose we're in your capable hands, Nadia. I'll introduce you for now." Selene starts over towards the man. He quickly dismisses the group around him to speak with her. (more)
<El-Cideon> "Ah, Miss Marchand," he says. His voice is rich, warm and elegant. "You've missed services lately. You've not been unwell, I hope?"
<El-Cideon> "Personal business has kept me away," Selene says. "If you don't mind, I'd like to introduce some friends of mine, visiting from abroad. This is Yomi Isayama. Yomi's expressed interest in obtaining a more intimate understanding of our Lord. Haven't you, Yomi?"
<El-Cideon> Selene shifts into English to introduce Yomi,of course.
* Yomi nods. "Quite. I am still but a novice, and would like to know more."
<El-Cideon> "Ah, well, had you specific questions? Or are you wholly untutored, requiring initiation? You could have attended the sermon for the latter, or a future one."
<Yomi> "I'm afraid that French is a language I have yet to master," Yomi admits sadly. "Attending a sermon would not have put me closer towards enlightenment and understanding, regrettably."
<Nadia_Chekova> "She's especially curious about Genesis," Nadia interjects helpfully, betting Yomi doesn't know much about the bible. "Adam and Eve, the Tree of Knowledge, The Serpent and Original Sin... it's very deep matter, and at the crux of our faith, isn't it? Without understanding that, where do you follow..."
<El-Cideon> "Ah, yes, original sin. An important point of introduction. Understanding the conflict between body and soul IS central to reaching enlightenment, after all. Your friend here is very astute." He rewards Nadia with a smile.
* Nadia_Chekova beams in response to said smile.
* Yomi looks hopeful as she waits for the pastor to go into detail.
<El-Cideon> "We are crucially flawed in our flesh, all of us," he elaborates for Yomi. "The desires of the body, when yielded to, will keep us from paradise. Discipline, asceticism!" he says firmly. "These are the things that will keep you from straying from the just path. The body will lie to you, lead you to ruin. It's the Lord's teachings that save us from ourselves. Do you understand?"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 18."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> Selene stands by, letting you speak, watching the man closely.
<Yomi> "What I don't understand is another part," Yomi voices. "Should I take it that we won't stray from the path unless we are tempted by agents of Lucifer?"
<Yomi> Now that she is so close to the priest, she also tries to pinpoint the source of the demonic taint better.
<El-Cideon> "He does tempt each and every one of us constantly, every day, even those who may not realize they are hearing his voice," he says with a nod. "When your body tells you to submit to base pleasures, it is his voice you are hearing."
<Yomi> "That is indeed very enlightening," Yomi responds, nodding to herself. "Very much indeed. Would it be greedy to monopolize more of your time? I cannot stress just how helpful that would be."
<Nadia_Chekova> "He is constantly trying to lead us astray. The Lord demands discipline, and it can be so very hard..." Nadia sighs.
<El-Cideon> He nods knowingly at Nadia's dismay. "I live to serve," he says to Yomi. "I could not turn down such a request. Shall we speak more now, or do you have pressing business?"
<Yomi> "Nothing can be more pressing than this!" Yomi exclaims, clasping her hands together before her chest.
<El-Cideon> "Well, need we keep your friends for this lesson, or shall we retreat elsewhere? It does sound as though they are well aware of the subject already."
<El-Cideon> "No offense, of course," he says to the others graciously. "I simply wouldn't wish to impose."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, I'd be happy to brush up on my theology, if you'll have me," Nadia favours the possessed pervert priest with a winning smile.
* Yomi continues looking hopeful!
<El-Cideon> He nods. "There is a classroom we use for Sunday school. It's presently empty. Follow me, please?" He heads for a door at the back of the church.
* Yomi dutifully follows, her eyes and senses open in case there are other surprises along the way to their destination.
* Nadia_Chekova follows with practiced eagerness!
<El-Cideon> He leads you into a classroom, about thirty feet square, with fifteen or so desks lined up in three cramped rows before a podium. The afternoon light slants in from outside through a broad window, painting the walls a golden hue. "Shall we continue?" he asks, closing the door.
<Nadia_Chekova> Sitting on one of the desks with her skirt-clad legs primly crossed in a way that nonetheless makes her skirt rise up sufficiently to show a little thigh, Nadia nods and tosses her chestnut hair with a bounce, "Please! We're eager to learn what you can teach us!"
* Yomi is learning quite a bit already, although she never expected it to be from Nadia.
<El-Cideon> That gets a long look. "We should likely start with one about modesty," he says to Nadia.
* Nadia_Chekova blushes and tugs her skirt down back towards her knees... "The first lesson Adam and Eve learned after eating the fruit?" she hazards gamely. Her clothes are better than a fig leaf, at least. Or three.
* Yomi can't help but wonder if Nadia is going to be punished.
<El-Cideon> "The first lesson they learned is the price to be paid for seeking forbidden knowledge, for surrendering to desire. Cast out from paradise, we all pay for their sin to this day. It is not one we should repeat, and displaying yourself in such a manner, my dear, invites such repetition."
* Nadia_Chekova would like to argue that the body is natural and beautiful, but... why bother, he's possessed, who cares? "Of course, it was thoughtless of me," she apologises, shifting off the desk and standing up properly once more.
<El-Cideon> Father Edmund takes up position next to the podium. Selene stands by the door, watching silently. "And that is the problem!" the man says, punctuating it with the slap of a palm on the podium. "You must be vigilant at all times!"
* Nadia_Chekova nods perkily, hoping Yomi will hurry up and de-demon him. Or Suzume. Someone. She's bored!
<Yomi> "Would it be too presumptuous of me if I asked you to relate your personal experiences?" Yomi wonders out loud, looking uncertain as she approaches the podium. "The struggle I face is so difficult at times, and it keeps on getting harder and harder to stay on the right path for me. I feel as if I am at a crossroads, and only a proper example may serve as my inspiration."
<El-Cideon> "Indeed. You never have doubts yourself, Father?" Selene interjects. She sounds impatient and ill at ease. "Lapses? Your faith never wavers a little?"
<Nadia_Chekova> Selene sounds like Nadia feels, but isn't she supposed to be the actress? Well, this probably hits closer to home for her, so Nadia just keeps on smiling!
<El-Cideon> Edmund ignores Selene. "Tell me of your struggle, Miss Isayama, so I can properly know how to relate my experiences to it?"
<Yomi> "The easy way, not the right one, is the one that keeps on appealing. I don't think I can hold out for much longer, and a part of me wonders, is it worth it? What is the harm in one minor slip, compared to a lifetime of proper behavior?" She walks around the podium, now, to arrive at the priest's side.
<El-Cideon> "It always appeals, calls to us. It's in the nature of a man--or a woman--to feel such yearnings. Salvation is earned through resistance! One slip, well, we may tell ourselves, what is the harm? But through such minor faults begins our complete collapse."
<Yomi> "Resistance, was it?" Yomi muses. "Yes, it does seem to come from that a lot, doesn't it?" She doesn't need to undo the bindings on the Shishio this time, slamming the wrapped-up blade into the priest's temple. Its sheath shouldn't be damaged from something like that, but even if so, it would be an acceptable price to pay.
<Yomi> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+1 and gets 19."12 [1d20=18]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+7 and gets 11."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 Father Edmund
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 Father Edmund and gets 13."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 Selene
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 Selene and gets 16."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Suzume
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Suzume and gets 6."12 [1d20=4]
* Retrieving #HometownHeroes modes...
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 72/72, Nadia: 62/62, Erin: 58/58, Rena: 68/68 Yomi > Selene > Father Edmund > Nadia > Suzume'
<El-Cideon> OOC: go for it, Yomi.
<Yomi> roll 1d20+12 nonlethal
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+12 nonlethal and gets 16."12 [1d20=4]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+7 and gets 16."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: both hit
<Yomi> roll 4d6+20 I'll use my surge after you desc
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 4d6+20 I'll use my surge after you desc and gets 33."12 [4d6=4, 4, 4, 1]
<El-Cideon> Yomi slams her weapon into Edmund's head twice in rapid succession. He grunts in surprise and alarm, staggering wildly in place.
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 72/72, Nadia: 62/62, Erin: 58/58, Rena: 68/68 Yomi > Selene > Father Edmund (staggered) > Nadia > Suzume'
* Yomi follows up on the rapid strikes by invading the priest's personal space and driving the Shishio's hilt into his gut. With any luck, he would fold around the blade and pass out in her arms!
<Yomi> roll 1d20+12 surge
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+12 surge and gets 30."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: damage is academic, but roll
<Yomi> roll 2d6+10 zz
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+10 zz and gets 16."12 [2d6=2, 4]
<El-Cideon> Father Edmund collapses to the floor in a heap. Selene watches, wide-eyed. "I thought he was spouting nonsense too, but I wasn't planning to simply attack him!"
<El-Cideon> ~

[Sierra]

<Yomi> "He was a bad priest."
<Nadia_Chekova> "As always, Yomi, you are an avatar of extremely pointed violence," Nadia declares sagely. "So, what... does the demon just 'poof' out now that he's unconscious?" she mimes a little explosion to go with her 'poof' noise.
<El-Cideon> "Just as long as you had a plan after beating him senseless," Selene adds.
<Yomi> With that out of the way, Yomi rearranges the priest on the floor and sets her sword aside. "It was blunted this time around," she muses to Nadia, before gritting her teeth and moving the priest's robes out of the way to find the object she can see radiating demonic energies.
<Yomi> "I do. 'Tell anyone about this and we'll counter with how you propositioned a beautiful actress.'"
<El-Cideon> "Er, Yomi?" Selene says. "The question of whether they wear pants under there isn't one I wanted answered today..." Although it turns out that this one does.
* Yomi lets out a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank his Lord." She continues searching, however.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Hmm... who would the rumour mill believe? The upstanding minister, or the scandalous young actress? I *do* wonder?" Nadia hums and taps her chin, keeping removed from the affair otherwise.
<Yomi> "If it doesn't work you could tear your shirt and scream really loudly for help?"
<El-Cideon> "I think it's in his pocket," Suzume says. Yomi finds it soon enough: a medallion a couple inches in diameter, attached to a chain, a pentagram in a circle made from some red metal.
<El-Cideon> "Scandalous?" Selene says. "I'll have you know I take care to keep my indiscretions discreet. I--oh my..."
* Yomi lays it over the podium. "Really, though, dealing with the priest depends on his complicity. He does believe in what he preaches, does he not? I can prove the existence of demons to him with a handy demonstration, then."
<El-Cideon> "I don't know any more, Yomi," Selene says. "The whole speech sounded very rehearsed to me. I should know, shouldn't I? And empty."
* Yomi frowns. It's a medallion, so she attempts to see whether it's one of those that open and have a picture within.
<Nadia_Chekova> "I thought all priests sounded like that," Nadia shrugs. "So is there a demon in that medallion? Is it safe to touch?"
* Yomi really hopes so, because she is touching it!
<El-Cideon> "Well, it is magical," Suzume says. "It doesn't really look like something a Christian priest should carry, does it?"
<El-Cideon> It feels...greasy somehow. You can't help but feel a bit like you're being watched by something when you touch it.
<Nadia_Chekova> "It's a satanic symbol," Nadia agrees.
<Yomi> "We'll break this greasy thing," Yomi decides. "Suzume, stay back and keep an eye on the energy. I want to know whether it dissipates or leaps into something else, alright?"
<El-Cideon> Suzume nods and moves a good fifteen feet away.
* Yomi tosses the medallion into the air and cleaves through it with her sword!
<Yomi> roll 1d20+11 9pa sunder
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+11 9pa sunder and gets 20."12 [1d20=9]
<Yomi> roll 2d6+28
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+28 and gets 31."12 [2d6=2, 1]
<El-Cideon> The medallion cracks in two, smaller fragments scattering about the room. Sparks crackle between the pieces briefly, then fade. "Whatever it was doing, I don't think it can do it any more..." Suzume notes.
* Yomi picks the pieces once more, trying to see if that same feeling remains.
<El-Cideon> Feels like just inert metal now.
<Nadia_Chekova> "It wasn't much of a demon, then, was it?" Nadia asks, nonplussed by the whole spectacle, or lack thereof.
<El-Cideon> "No, I guess it wasn't," Selene agrees. "I admit to being a little confused. So what are we going to do with him?"
<Yomi> "We are no longer being watched," Yomi declares, placing the pieces on the podium for now. Then, she remains to observe the priest.
<El-Cideon> "I think you hit him pretty hard, Yomi," Suzume says. "Should I wake him up?"
<Yomi> "Selene, outside of his apartment, does he keep an office of some sort here? We should try to discover anything else he might have had with him."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Normally I'd just leave, but I suppose that puts you in something of an awkward situation, Selene," Nadia admits with a shrug. "I suppose we need to explain to the priest that it was for his own good and hope he doesn't raise a fuss?"
<El-Cideon> "Well, there is a small office here. Do you really think he'd conduct satanic business out of a church? ...Well, I guess he might, given what he said to me."
<Yomi> "We are assuming he was innocent and merely possessed, correct? In that case, the thing controlling him might not care. For all we know, being revealed as the one who abducted young women is in that demon's best interests. But unless we can state this was the case with certainty, I want to use the time the priest is out cold by searching his office and home."
<Nadia_Chekova> "So shall we just leave him here?" Nadia asks, blinking.
<El-Cideon> "Alright...Should we tie him up or something? How long do you think he'll stay out for? I'm not used to beating people unconscious; I have to assume you're the expert here."
<Yomi> "I don't really like the way that sounds," Yomi mutters to Selene. She glances over at Nadia. "What if you and Suzume examined the office and house? Selene and I could keep an eye on the priest in the meantime and handle things if he wakes up."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Okay... I'd be relying on Suzume's expertise to locate any, ah, demonic artifacts, though."
<El-Cideon> Suzume bows. "If anything's there, I'll find it."
* Yomi nods. "In this case, with possession involved through physical items, a mage would be very likely to discover the taint."
<Nadia_Chekova> "So where are his office and house, Selene?" Nadia asks her countrywoman.
<El-Cideon> "The office is at just along a hall outside this class. It's hard to miss it; there's not much else back here but a restroom and a broom closet. His house is a few blocks away..." Selene rattles off an address for you.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Did you find his keys while you were rooting through his smalls, Yomi?"
<Yomi> "His what?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Keys. We use them to open doors," Nadia explains patiently. "I know you always see me do so without them, but it would still be easier."
* Yomi gives Nadia a mock glare. "His smalls, you said? Which are...?"
* Nadia_Chekova rolls her eyes. "His underwear, Yomi."
<El-Cideon> "Why are the two of you discussing a priest's undergarments?" Suzume says. "Isn't that sort of thing Rena's job? Let's just go!"
<Yomi> "I wasn't rooting through anything of the sort, nor do I intend to!" Yomi declares, crossing her hands over her chest. "If you think he's got his keys hidden there, you look."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Really, you two are so immature," Nadia sighs and proceeds to kneel down and expertly rifle through Father Edmund's pockets.
<El-Cideon> Nadia finds no keys in the man's possession.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Well, I suppose a priest might be trusting enough to leave his door unlocked. Either that or they're in his office," Nadia stands up and heads out. "Come along Suzume."
* Yomi looks down at the father. "I wonder if people go to hell for hitting priests. Even if the priests are bad," she mutters.
<El-Cideon> Suzume trails after Nadia. It's a short walk to the office--it is indeed right down the hall and has barely the dimensions of a closet. There's a desk (with a set of keys sitting on it, out in the open), a chair, and a filing cabinet.
<El-Cideon> "If it was for a good cause, I think you'll be forgiven," Selene says.
* Nadia_Chekova pockets the keys without a thought, and then starts rifling through the desk drawers and filing cabinet. "Sense any bad magic or anything like that?"
<El-Cideon> Suzume shakes her head. "Nothing here, no." (OOC: feel free to roll search, Nadia.)
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+2 and gets 5."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> Nadia finds church bulletins, schedules, some sheet music. Nothing out of the ordinary.
<Nadia_Chekova> Closing things up, Nadia heads off to find the address Selene gave!
<El-Cideon> It's about a ten-minute walk. Taking a stroll through Paris in the summer is a nice break from all this unseemly priest-punching. Father Edmund's residence is an old, well-maintained townhouse, two stories tall.
<Nadia_Chekova> Quite brazenly, Nadia walks right up and tries the keys! She's assuming he lives alone and that no one will be inside to comment.
<El-Cideon> The door swings open silently on well-oiled hinges. Before you is a foyer with a hardwood floor. Stairs ascend to a second floor, and there are open doors to your left and across from you--the first looks to lead into a sitting room, the latter a kitchen.
<El-Cideon> There are no lights on in the house and you encounter no immediate sign of habitation.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Any bad magic?" Nadia asks, since Yomi can normally sense bad things at a distance. For herself she rather aimlessly starts poking around all the rooms, but doesn't intend to steal anything since her connection is rather obvious.
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+2 search
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+2 search and gets 19."12 [1d20=17]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 2d6 action point to beat 20
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 2d6 action point to beat 20 and gets 9."12 [2d6=3, 6]
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: 25~
<El-Cideon> Nothing outstanding turns up immediately--oh, there's some very nice 18th-century furniture and crystalware, though there's hardly anything suspicious about that. There is, however, a locked door in the kitchen. The lock looks very sturdy and very new.
<El-Cideon> "Something upstairs..." Suzume says. "Something big. Or, well, like the leftovers of something big. Like it was used but isn't in use right now?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "I bet there's bad things behind this door, too!" Nadia asserts gleefully, trying the keys on the lock.
<El-Cideon> One of them works. The lock clicks softly and the door swings open. Stairs descend into some sort of cellar. There is no light past a few feet.
<Nadia_Chekova> Is there a lightswitch?
<El-Cideon> Not that you can see. "Here, let me help," Suzume says. She chants briefly and her fan begins to shed light all around. "Are we going down?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, that's useful," Nadia smiles at Suzume. "Erin never does that. She has a spell to see in the dark, but she only ever uses it on herself so I have to use my torch," she adds as she starts going down the stairs.
<El-Cideon> There's not much down there--it's a wine cellar, it seems, with a couple tall racks of bottles breaking the room into three aisles. It seems largely unused--every bottle you see is coated in dust and the floor is bare earth. It takes only seconds to glance around, and two things stand out: in one far corner is a pile of bones; in the other is a woman wearing a grimy white dress. It's hard to say if she's alive or not; the body is perfectly still.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Ahh!" Nadia gasps in surprise, the bones she rather expected but the schroedinger-like corpse is another matter entirely! But now she must determine the woman's quantum state and end the uncertainty, by approaching and gingerly poking her!
<El-Cideon> Suzume eeps softly at the bones, then quickly rushes over to the more intact body. The woman stirs, listlessly, and groans softly. She's not coherent, though. She's very thin. "I don't think she's had anything to eat for a while..." Suzume says.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Do you have magic for that? I'll go get something to drink and eat upstairs!" Nadia blurts out, hurrying back up to the kitchen to acquire victuals!
<El-Cideon> "Just get a glass! I can summon a little water with magic. And not too much to eat--if she's been starved, her stomach won't be used to it." There's a bowl of apples and a loaf of fresh bread out on the counter in the kitchen.
* Nadia_Chekova gets an apple, a slice of bread, and a glass before she hurries back downstairs! Giving the glass to Suzume, she tears off a corner of the bread and props up the woman into a sitting position so she can feed her, balancing the rest of the bread and the apple on her lap.
<El-Cideon> With considerable care, you manage to get a little down her. She wakes up a little--then she wakes up a LOT, eyes opening up then shooting wide as she realizes she's not alone. Out of sheer reflex, she tries to inch towards the wall behind her, but she's too weak to do much. "Who...who are you?" Her voice is painfully hoarse.
<Nadia_Chekova> "My name's Nadia and this is Suzume," Nadia replies softly in French. "We're here to help." Hopefully Suzume has that water ready to soothe her throat before they continue conversing.
<El-Cideon> She does, and the woman takes a little more water--before clinging on to Nadia like a drowning sailor to a lifeboat. "Oh god, you've come to take me away? Hurry, before he comes back and finds you!"
<Nadia_Chekova> "It's okay," Nadia pats the woman's back, "He's at the church still. Can you stand? What's your name?" she asks, using her free hand to put the apple in her handbag for later eating, but dropping the bread rather than getting crumbs all in everything.
<El-Cideon> "Vivienne...Vivienne Guerin...Have they been looking for me?" She struggles to stand, very weak and unsteady and only managing it with support from Nadia and Suzume. "I just thought I'd come downstairs and get some wine--Edmund doesn't drink it, it came with the house--then I found the bones, and, and he closed the door behind me...Oh god, the bones, they've been gnawed on!" She sobs.
<El-Cideon> "Let's just get her upstairs," Suzume says in a tiny voice.
<Nadia_Chekova> "How long have you been trapped here?" Nadia asks, taking care to be gentle in helping Vivienne upstairs.
<El-Cideon> "I don't know," she gasps. "I don't know, it must be days. I almost thought I'd gone mad. I pounded on the door and screamed at first, but he wouldn't unlock it!" She blinks blearily as you reach the first floor and sunlight reaches her eyes again, trying to raise her hand to block it out.
* Nadia_Chekova goes to stand with Vivienne facing away from the window and offers her more water. "Suzume, can you quickly check whatever's upstairs and then we can get out of here?" she asks the Japanese woman in her native language.
<El-Cideon> Suzume nods and hustles upstairs.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 12."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 18."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 and gets 17."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 and gets 22."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> For a moment there's only the sound of Vivienne's pained breathing; then a panicked yell from upstairs cuts through.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, dammit!" Nadia foists the glass into Vivienne's hands. "Wait here, I'll be right back!" she then tears off upstairs!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Nadia will need to roll init if she's going to check on this, FYI.
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+7 and gets 14."12 [1d20=7]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 72/72, Nadia: 62/62, Erin: 58/58, Rena: 68/68 Suzume > ??? > Nadia'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 and gets 23."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 and gets 11."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> Nadia can hear the sound of a gust of wind from upstairs, then something rolling across the floor. It sounded like it was coming from a room right at the top of the stairs. OOC: Nadia is up. You can get there in one round, but that's about it.
* Nadia_Chekova races right into the room in question, determined to help Suzume out against whatever unpleasantness she's found! Of course if it's magic she probably can't do anything, but it's the thought that counts.
<El-Cideon> It's a library. A fairly large one, about twenty feet long. Suzume is just inside the entrance; she seems unharmed. At the far end of the room is a small creature, about two feet tall, bipedal but hunched over and with long, clawed forearms. Its body is covered in rust red scales--and, presently, writhing flames that do not seem to harm the creature in the slightest. OOC: Suzume's up.
<El-Cideon> "I heard this scraping sound and it was just right next to me!" Suzume yells, before waving her fan and casting a soft light over the two of you. (OOC: Bless, +1 morale bonus to attack rolls/saves against fear effects)
<El-Cideon> The creature inhales, sucking the flames within itself, then belches them forth at Suzume!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 and gets 10."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> The fireball impacts on a shelf several feet away from her, however, setting some books ablaze. OOC: Nadia
<Nadia_Chekova> With it no longer currently on fire, Nadia senses the time is right to strike! "This is so much more Yomi's field than mine!" she nonetheless complains as she bounds across the room and swings her foot out to batter into the impish fiend!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 and gets 16."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: whiff
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: +1 for bless!
<El-Cideon> OOC: still whiff, alas
<El-Cideon> The creature ducks Nadia's attack. Suzume rushes forward, catching it between her and Nadia, and slashes at it with her fan!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11+2 flankings
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11+2 flankings and gets 30."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+1 and gets 5."12 [1d6=4]
<El-Cideon> The creature screeches as the fan's bladed tines slash and draw forth a sickly yellow ichor. It faces the young priestess and lashes at her with fangs and claws!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 and gets 26."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 and gets 13."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 and gets 14."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+5 and gets 6."12 [1d4=1]
<El-Cideon> Suzume catches a bite on her thigh, but she's too quick for the creature's claws. OOC: Nadia
<Nadia_Chekova> "Hey, leave her alone!" Nadia snaps, catching her foot between the monster's legs to kick it into the air before she backhands it roughly to the ground once more!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+15 and gets 27."12 [1d20=12]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+10 and gets 12."12 [1d20=2]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d8+2
<El-Cideon> OOC: one hit
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d8+2 and gets 8."12 [1d8=6]
<El-Cideon> Nadia's foot smashes the monster in the unmentionables, but the little beast is sturdier then it looks and stays in place (though squealing in pain quite a bit).
<El-Cideon> "You horrible creature! Go back to whatever hell you came from!" Suzme yells as she slashes away.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11+2+1 forgot bless last time
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11+2+1 forgot bless last time and gets 26."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6+2+1 forgot bless last time, using AP if needed
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6+2+1 forgot bless last time, using AP if needed and gets 16."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6 AP
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6 AP and gets 8."12 [2d6=3, 5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+1 and gets 3."12 [1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+1 and gets 6."12 [1d6=5]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+15 -1 action point if Suzume didn't kill it, using Opportunist to AoO an enemy who gets hit by an ally
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+15 -1 action point if Suzume didn't kill it, using Opportunist to AoO an enemy who gets hit by an ally and gets 33."12 [1d20=18]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d8+2 if needed
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d8+2 if needed and gets 10."12 [1d8=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: she didn't kill it, so roll damage
<El-Cideon> Suzume hacks away, tearing apart one arm, as Nadia takes advantage of the creature's pain and shock to bash in its head. It totters, weakly, and tries to scamper away as it squeals in terror. OOC: it's running. If Opportunist doesn't count as your AoO for the round, you can take one
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11+2+1 Suzume's, anyway
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11+2+1 Suzume's, anyway and gets 34."12 [1d20=20]
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: it does
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11+2+1 crit?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11+2+1 crit? and gets 18."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+1 and gets 3."12 [1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> Suzume tears open the imp's back as it scurries away, but it manages to stumble out of the room to the top of the stairs! OOC: Nadia. It's barely alive.
* Nadia_Chekova runs after it and punts it from behind down the stairs!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+15 charge
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+15 charge and gets 23."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d8+2 note I always do nonlethal
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d8+2 note I always do nonlethal and gets 5."12 [1d8=3]
<El-Cideon> Nadia catches the creature in the back of the head. It spins in place, rolls a couple feet, and settles a few stairs down. It's not moving any longer. OOC: free act
<Nadia_Chekova> "Suzume, can you conjure more water to put out that fire?" Nadia calls back into the library.
<El-Cideon> "Oh my! Yes!" Suzme is quick to do just that, directing it at the small but growing blaze on the shelves. It's enough to put it out, at least.
* Nadia_Chekova meanwhile goes downstairs to check on Vivienne.
<El-Cideon> Vivienne is curled up in a ball on a sofa in the sitting room. "What...what was that?"
<El-Cideon> "Nadia, I think it's still alive!" Suzume calls from upstairs. "I think I should stab it to death, shouldn't I?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "A monster, a demon, an imp... call it what you will," Nadia sighs. "I don't know what Edmund had it doing up there, maybe guarding something. It's not any danger now - you're still safe," she reassures with an encouraging smile. Then she switches back to Japanese, "I was thinking of taking it to Yomi, but she'd probably just stab it to death herself anyway. You might as well, then."
<El-Cideon> "There was...there was another one of those signs in the library," Suzume says. "Under the carpet, big and painted on the floor with writing around it. The demon attacked me when I found that."
<El-Cideon> From upstairs comes the sound of metal stabbing into flesh, then another *eep* from Suzume. "Now it's just melting..." she says, hustling down the stairs.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Makes cleanup easy. I think we should go back to Yomi and Selene. Do you want to head there now and tell them what we found here while I take Vivienne home?"
<El-Cideon> Suzume nods. "I'm on my way!" She takes a moment to brush the ichor off her fan before darting out the door.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Where do you live?" Nadia turns to Vivienne. "My friends are dealing with Edmund, but we shouldn't stay here - I can take you home if you want?"
<El-Cideon> Shortly, Suzume arrives back at the church, barging into the classroom at a run, panting. Her gown is torn at one thigh and she's bleeding slightly.
* Yomi whirls towards her, already in the process of unwrapping her sword. "Are you being chased?" she asks tersely. "Where's Nadia?"
<El-Cideon> Vivienne nods. "It's...not far. Do you...have a hat to spare? I cannot imagine what I look like right now, but I am sure I would rather not be seen this way."
<El-Cideon> "There was a demon there, but we killed it," Suzume gasps. "There was a demon circle upstairs and a skeleton in the cellar and another woman who looked dead but she wasn't and Nadia's taking her home right now." She pauses for a breath. "I think that's it."
<Nadia_Chekova> "No hat, but..." Nadia fishes out a rather fetching purple cashmere scarf from her handbag and takes a moment to fix it around Vivienne's head somewhat like a rather scanty shawl. "That's actually a nice look. Reminds me of Mecca... Anyway, lean on me as much as you need. You'll feel better in your own home - do you live with anyone else?"
<El-Cideon> Selene looks from Suzume, to Edmund, and back. "This is why I called the experts."
* Yomi grimaces. "I did not expect that. I'm an idiot." But it wouldn't do to dwell on that at this time. "One of them was dead, then? Who was the other one? And what happened to the circle?"
<El-Cideon> "No," Vivienne says. "Just me."
<El-Cideon> "Vivienne Guerin," Suzume says. Selene cuts in here: "That's one of them. The bones would be Jeanne Guerin, then. She disappeared first...but not so long that she'd decompose. I can't imagine what happened to her."
<El-Cideon> "Something...chewed on her..." Suzume says.
* Yomi grimaces anew. "Be greatful that you couldn't, without Suzume's help. And the circle?"
<El-Cideon> Nadia finds progress slow; Vivienne can only barely stagger along. You get a few odd looks and catch mutterings about it being a bit early to be that drunk.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Well, I'll stay with you for a while. And do you know Selene? She was worried after you disappeared, so I'm sure she'll be happy to visit as well," Nadia offers kindly as they make their way to her house.
<El-Cideon> "I...I just left it there," Suzume says. "I don't think it was doing anything. I mean, not when we were there. It had been used sometime, just not while I saw it."
* Yomi picks up Father Edmund and places him on one of the chairs in the classroom. "What do you think it was being used for? And can you describe it?" she asks in the meantime.
<El-Cideon> "Umm..."
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 and gets 14."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> "I'm sorry, Yomi, I couldn't say. I don't know that much about these western demons."
<El-Cideon> "Maybe that was where the demon was summoned?" she speculates.
* Yomi nods. "Sounds reasonable. Let's wake him up, then." She gestures at the door. "Selene, can you lock it, or barricade it with a chair, just in case?"
<El-Cideon> "Selene?" Vivienne says. "Selene Marchand? I know of her...she attends the church I go to, where Edmund ran services. We're not really good friends...her friends are high class artist types..."
<El-Cideon> Selene nods and props a chair under the doorknob. Suzume walks over to Edmund. "I can wake him up whenever you're ready."
* Yomi walks to stand right before the seated priest. "Now."
<El-Cideon> Suzume nods and chants!
<El-Cideon> roll 2d8+7 cure moderate should do it
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d8+7 cure moderate should do it and gets 16."12 [2d8=5, 4]
<El-Cideon> Edmund stirs, slouching into wakefulness. Looks over each of you in turn. "What...I...Oh god, it's over, isn't it?" The first thing he does is fall to his knees on the ground with his arms wrapped around himself.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Ahh, well, she may run in different circles, but she noticed your absence and was worried, that's how my friends and I became involved," Nadia explains.
<El-Cideon> "Shouldn't he be more relieved?" Suzume wonders, backing away and watching this display form a safe distance.
<Yomi> It does seem that the preferred outcome took place, but Yomi doesn't quite leap to conclusions just yet. "What happened?" she asks him to get the priest started.
<El-Cideon> He looks up at Yomi. "How much do you know?" he asks, sobbing a little.
<Yomi> "Tell me everything," Yomi demands, glaring down at him for added motivation.
<El-Cideon> "Never really took her for the generous type..." Vivienne says. "Guess I shouldn't judge people without knowing them..."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Truer words have never been spoken," Nadia agrees. She doesn't conclude her thought by saying that you wouldn't expect a priest to be a demon cannibal, but deems it to be in poor taste.
<El-Cideon> "Oh god, where do I start? I lost myself, I lost my faith and couldn't help but listen to their promises...I had nothing else! And now I have nothing at all! I've forsaken everything! Just kill me now!"
<El-Cideon> Vivienne leads Nadia to a cheap-looking apartment block. "Not far up at least," she says. "Second floor."
<Yomi> "That can be arranged," Yomi promises darkly. "Start at the very beginning."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh... do you have your keys?" Nadia realises belatedly as they head into the building. Not that a lack of keys would deter her, but some people find her skills offputting.
<El-Cideon> Edmund pounds the floor with his fists for a moment in undirected rage, then sits up and heaves a deep sigh. "All I wanted was to inspire others, you have to understand! Help them with words to know the lord the way I did...but I couldn't. The words wouldn't serve me, they caught in my throat, choked me. I tried for so many years; I could tell from the faces in the aisles that I only dulled the lord's wisdom for them, but it was all I knew to try!" (more)
<El-Cideon> "Finally I could not inspire even myself. I looked back on my life and saw no accomplishments, felt empty and dead inside. Should I have not done something else? Had I wasted the gift of life? One day a woman came to services, spoke to me afterwards. Spoke as though she knew me inside, knew my struggle. She told me she could help."
<El-Cideon> Vivienne shakes her head. "Uh, no, I don't know what happened to them..."
<Yomi> "Who was she? Where is she now?"
* Nadia_Chekova (Ebiris@95.146.1.75) Quit (Quit: bedtime)
<El-Cideon> "I don't know where she went--she disappeared once she'd introduced me to her master, got me ensnared in his gifts. She was an American, very pretty, very persuasive. She gave her name as Whitney, though I could not say if this was her real name. She vanished once I could communicate with our master on my own."
<Yomi> "This is what happens when I don't pursue the demons with all prejudice," Yomi states agitatedly, starting to pace. "Whitney. A blonde?"
<El-Cideon> He blinks. "Yes. How did you know? Have you seen her? Do not believe a word she says! Her only wish is to corrupt others! It was some months ago that I knew her; god only knows what she's done since then."
<El-Cideon> "I don't really think you're fit to take the lord's name in vain any longer, Father," Selene observes acidly.
<Yomi> The Elgin in her dream was like that as well. But Yomi's opinion had not changed since. "The moment you become a willing participant, the moment you stop struggling against evil and for what's right, is the moment you begin sharing responsibility."
<El-Cideon> He bows his head. "I know! The medallion, it gave me a taste of her master's gifts, the eloquence I'd longed for. But just a small portion...It wasn't enough, I had to pledge myself for more. Soon, soon everyone looked and listened like they never did before. I could feel them realizing the truth of my words, words I no longer believed myself!"
<Yomi> "Is there more of those medallions around? And did it hold other powers aside from that... eloquence?" Yomi asks, her disgust showing at the last word.
<El-Cideon> "I only had the one," he says. "And, there was more. Women looked at me differently, as they never had before. You don't understand what it was like! To have no knowledge of them all your life and then have them suddenly approach you! And there were promises of...importance, prestige within the church I could not achieve on my own."
<El-Cideon> Selene just shakes her head, expression locked in something between revulsion and dismay.
* Yomi stops her pacing, finding herself by the fallen priest once more. "So you sold your soul for sex and power. Your house has a demonic pentagram; what is its purpose?"
<El-Cideon> "It was where I stood when I needed to call on my master, receive his blessing. He could watch me through the medallion, but little more; if I needed to communicate, I had to call on him myself, at home. ...I was meant to recruit others in time. He surely knows I've failed by now."
<Yomi> "He does. Who is he?"
<El-Cideon> "He was named Furfur, a count of hell. He appeared as a black stag standing on its hind legs, with great wings spread behind. Though demons may take other forms if they wish, that was how he appeared to me...Oh god, what will you do with me? Will you kill me, send me to my eternal torment?"
<Yomi> "You will confess to the police. There is a woman you have murdered, and another you have abducted for that very purpose. I do not even wish to think of who you might have assaulted, and wasn't able to resist the medallion's power. You will confess all those crimes, without mentioning the demonic." Yomi glares at him as she continues. "Fail to do so, or escape, and I will visit upon
<Yomi> you a fate worse than death. I am, as it happens, quite knowledgeable about hell and its eternal torments. Do you understand me, you vile man?"
<El-Cideon> Watching, Selene nods, seeming to agree with this verdict.
<El-Cideon> "But...the humiliation! I could not bear..." He looks up at Yomi, starts again. "Alright...alright, yes, I understand. I will go home, make the call, wait and accept my punishment. Oh god, Jeanne, I didn't mean to kill her, I..." He breaks down in sobs.
<Yomi> "Make the call from here," Yomi demands, pushing him back with the end of her sheathed sword. "And be thankful for my lenience. Repent, honestly and truly, and your god may well forgive you enough in the end to commute your punishment in the next world."
<El-Cideon> "I...must go to the office for this," he says, stumbling to his feet and walking to the door. Selene moves the chair and scampers out of the way, showing obvious disgust at being anywhere near him.
<Yomi> "Lead the way," Yomi instructs. She will get Selene to dial once they are there, not quite trusting a demon-worshipping murderer to do the right thing even under pressure.
<El-Cideon> He shuffles along the short hallway, drops heavily onto the chair in the office. Selene picks up the receiver on the desk phone, dials a number, then hands the phone to Edmund. "Yes," he croaks after a moment. "I would like to report a crime."
<Yomi> Would he pick humiliation and a chance at penance, or the eternal suffering of the pit? Yomi finds herself genuinely curious.
<El-Cideon> He sounds numb as he continues. There was a dispute with his lover; he reacted poorly, strangled her, left her body in the basement...where rats must have gnawed it, yes, rats; his next paramour found the body, he locked her in to protect his reputation...He rattles off the litany of sins in a dull and lifeless voice.
<El-Cideon> And yes, of course, he'll wait right here for his ride to arrive.
<Yomi> "Pray that we never see each other again," Yomi tells him, preparing to leave. "Selene, Suzume, let's go."
<El-Cideon> Both nod, glad to leave, and follow you outside. Selene casts one backwards glance, shivers, before exiting.
<Yomi> "We should all rely on our instincts more," Yomi says as they head out of the church. "Unless there are many blonde, beautiful Americans named Whitney traveling abroad and linked to the demonic, this woman is one we came across and I let go since she did not seem to be doing anything bad. You, at least, followed your own and managed to rescue Vivienne, Selene."
<El-Cideon> "You can't suspect everyone you meet, Yomi. You'd go mad." She shakes her head. "I've little interest in being part of a police inquiry. Might we go elsewhere?"
<Yomi> "We should destroy that demonic circle so no unlucky policeman stands on it and is tempted. We should be able to beat them to it if they first head to the church to collect that man, don't you think?"
<El-Cideon> "Perhaps, yes...It's not far. Follow me." Selene leads the way, walking at a brisk pace.
* Yomi keeps up with it. "This is depressing, truly. Yet another person with demonic ties that I did not look into, and ended up fooling me. It's difficult to keep an open mind like that."
<El-Cideon> "Yomi, don't be so hard on yourself," Suzume says. "What could we have done on that train? There'd already been one murder! Well, two, that policeman said."
<Yomi> "I really wish you wouldn't call it a murder," Yomi requests with a grimace. "It was the only way I could stop that demon from taking advantage of a woman it enchanted."
<El-Cideon> "I'm sorry! I just meant that everyone was already paranoid and they might have found it was you if you'd done it again..."
* Yomi nods reluctantly. "Yes, jumping out of the window and climbing to the top of the car wouldn't have worked a second time."
<El-Cideon> "I don't know how any of you stay sane if these are regular occurrences in your life," Selene says as you arrive at the house.
<Yomi> "I don't want the demons to take any more precious people away from me," Yomi responds, opening her senses to the otherworldly. "Suzume, lead the way. Selene, give us a call if the cops arrive before we're done?"
<El-Cideon> Selene nods and waits in the foyer to watch the street. "It was up here," Suzume says, taking you to the library. She throws aside the rug in the middle of the room and there it is: a red pentagram surrounded a circle of ugly writing.
* Yomi tries to ascertain whether it has more properties than what the fallen priest was aware of.
<Yomi> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+3 and gets 4."12 [1d20=1]
<Yomi> "Try washing it away with water, if you can," Yomi requests, while looking for something to use to disrupt the circle without relying on her sword.
<El-Cideon> Suzume nods and does so, though this doesn't have much effect. It's painted on the wood. There is a desk at one end of the room, with a letter opener among the detritus. You also remember seeing a kitchen downstairs; there's surely a knife there somewhere.
* Yomi decides to try it with the letter opener.
<El-Cideon> It takes some effort, but you can chip the paint off with this. You're just finishing up when Selene calls from downstairs. "Yommi? I hear sirens. We should be moving soon."
* Yomi returns it and gestures for Suzume to head down with her. "On our way!" she calls over, having no intention to be questioned by the police either. "Do you know where Vivienne is? We should get to her first, before the police get there."
<El-Cideon> "Yes, I'd rather stay ahead of them myself. I've been as closely involved in this atrocity as I'd like to be, no need to have the police asking me about it." Selene rushes out the door, starting down the street at a fast walk. You're a few streets away when a pair of police cars tear down the street in the opposite direction. Selene leads you to an apartment block in a rather shabbier street. "Here we go."
<El-Cideon> Up to the second floor, and into an apartment with a Nadia waiting for you, watching over a gaunt woman who's lying on a sofa with a blanket over her.
<Yomi> "It would be best for her as well if the worst parts of this atrocity were not made public," Yomi says as they climb the stairs to the second floor. "But that can all wait for later. Let's see about helping Nadia with Vivienne, for now?"
<El-Cideon> ~