Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> --------
<El-Cideon> Late April, 1937. It's a warm spring night outside. Within the dingy, dockside bar to which you have traced your quarry, it's even hotter from the press of bodies. Sailors on shore leave crowd the tables, mingling with some of the more disreputable locals. It's late at night and most decent folk are home by now. (more)
<El-Cideon> A haze of smoke clings to the rafters, drink flows freely (sometimes on the tables or floors where a hardcore drinker has passed out), as does gossip. Most of the locals are steering clear of a particular group occupying a cluster of tables in the back corner of the establishment, a group of Germans that give the evil eye to anyone encroaching on their space. None of them are in uniform, but it's easy to see military discipline from their posture. (more)
<El-Cideon> For a few select individuals, though, this group is the only reason to visit this establishment, for near its center is a nefarious figure known to three foreigners present by virtue of his various recent thefts: a tall Englishman, blonde and spectacled, imposing in his attitude so that even his comrades seem to give him a wide berth. (more)
<El-Cideon> The group seems to be listening to another man speaking--blond-haired and blue-eyed as per the Aryan ideal, and approaching middle age--perhaps an officer of some sort, though his words are lost in the din to anyone trying to listen from afar. Should any parties interested in this display take a glance around the bar, though, they may find that they are not alone in turning intent and unfriendly gazes on the lone Englishman...
* Nadia tries not to be too obvious in her scrutiny, nursing her drink and sitting far enough away that she can't even overhear the conversation. She recognises her target and that's enough, but the location does not suit her particular skillset.
<Nadia> Should anyone look at the pretty young girl with lustrous chestnut-brown hair trailing down over her shoulders and attired in an ankle-length skirt and blouse of ash and charcoal, they'd see her quietly nursing her drink and keeping to herself in an out of the way corner, her gaze occassionally scanning the bar but refusing to settle on anyone for long enough to be noticed.
<Erin> With her quarry known to be here, Erin had already a precaution of disguising herself; a short-brimmed tweed hat sits on her head, cleverly hiding her irish heritage from view! A somewhat scuffed brown coat hides the rest of her attire, and she sips at a small glass of gin. Knowing that her target associates with Germans is a large clue in itself- but of far more interest are-
<El-Cideon> Many drunken patrons have indeed looked at the attractive brunette, and a few have actually gone as far as to make awkward, drunken propositions, though no one's yet to treat her as suspicious.
* Nadia does her best to deflect such propositions, explaining patiently to anyone who presses her that she's waiting for her fiance to arrive.
<Erin> -the other patrons of the bar. Didn't Grace tell her, after all, that it is the way of Ascension to seek unity and aid against such dark foes? And didn't she predict that her man had wronged others in the past as well? The brunette in the corner- she's certainly not the usual sort one would expect in a bar like this. Erin manages to squeeze towards her, and smiles down at the younger girl.
<Erin> "You do look like you've lost something, dear," she remarks, an opening none could miss!
* Nadia raises an eyebrow at the surprisingly accurate greeting from the older woman. "I might have," she replies, her own English accented enough to easily betray her French upbringing. "This is a den of thieves, after all," she adds with a faintly amused smile.
<Yomi> One of the drunks leaves, and before the door could close, Yomi steps through it, clad in in a dark raincoat. She scans the room, only to find her quarry and make her way towards the table he occupies. Ignoring the germans, she stares down Elgin, greeting him, "Hey, asshole," in English.
<Nadia> This new development promptly rivets Nadia's attention, unable to mask her scrutiny of Elgin now, but hopefully not looking out of place considering such an attention-getting opener.
<Erin> Erin follows suit, shocked at the brazen challenge!
<El-Cideon> Anyone watching the congregation of Germans could see the (possible) officer pointing out specific members of his group, as if dividing them into teams--but he's not entirely finished with this process before he's interrupted. Twenty German faces turn and stare at the asian girl who's had the affrontery to march into their midst and insult one of their own.
<Yomi> "Return the Shishio and you might get to eat through a straw afterwards," Yomi orders Elgin, not beating around the bush.
<El-Cideon> Several of the locals (those who aren't too drunk to care about anything) start filtering towards the front door.
<El-Cideon> Elgin just looks at Yomi as though she were a fly crawling on a dungheap. It's the officer who responds to her. "You may wish to choose your words more carefully if you plan to walk out of here alive. I would hate to reward this establishment's hospitality by painting it with your blood." He raises a hand, and twenty Germans collectively produce pistols.
* Nadia starts sliding down in her seat, wanting to present a low profile when the bullets start flying.
<Yomi> "Why are you with this thief?" she asks the officer, giving Elgin another scornful look. "He will betray you as he has betrayed all who came across his path."
<El-Cideon> "Do you really expect me to answer any of your questions? You walk in here, speak as if you know us, and threaten one of my company. I'm being charitable enough in not killing you where you stand. Leave. Now." Twenty Germans aim pistols at Yomi.
* Nadia decides to try and save this poor chinagirl from her own stupidity. "Jian we! There you are!" she exclaims, quickly getting up and moving to join her. Turning to the germans, she addresses them in their native tongue, "Please forgive my friend here, she had her heart broken by a foreigner and has never been the same since. You know how these silly Chinese can get, haha!"
<Nadia>  Laughing a little, she puts an arm around Yomi and starts tugging her away, "Come along, dear, that man isn't the one who left you pregnant and outcast from your family," she soothes in English, before switching to Mandarin and babbling senselessly.
<Erin> Erin takes the opportunity to quietly amble out of the bar, quickly blending in with the crowd of other scared occupants with a raised eyebrow.
<El-Cideon> A few of the more committed drunks are literally waiting just outside for the trouble to blow over, so that they can sooner get back to the business of killing themselves with booze.
<Yomi> Yomi's mouth opens and closes a few times, but no sounds come out.
<El-Cideon> The German shakes his head, as if in disbelief, and waves the two crazy women away. "Listen to your friend. Go and bother someone else with your foolishness before I change my mind."
* Nadia continues trying to tug Yomi away before she gets herself killed, and sadly Nadia as well if the bullets start flying while they're next to one another, a very strained smile on her lips.
<Yomi> Though shocked at first, Yomi eventually falls into step with Nadia, following the girl to wherever she's leading her.
<El-Cideon> The Germans watch Yomi's retreat carefully, clearly waiting for the interloper to be gone before resuming their own business.
* Nadia leads Yomi outside of the bar and away from the door a little before she rounds on her. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" she hisses, sticking with English since that's the only language she's heard this girl use. "Those men wouldn't have hesitated in shooting you and leaving your body in the Bosporus!"
<Yomi> "It was a mistake," Yomi admits, bowing before Nadia. "Thank you for making me realize that and helping me. I was overwhelmed by anger after finally seeing that man before me once more."
<El-Cideon> Most of the bar patrons wander back inside once it becomes clear that violence has been averted, though a few stand around outside to spectate. Probably they don't see many Japanese women around these parts.
* Nadia sighs and cranes her neck to the side for a moment, not that she can see a thing through the grimy window. "You're not the only one he's stolen from," she admits, lowering her voice. "My name's Nadia. Nadia Chekova," she introduces herself, deciding to get things started on a better footing.
<Yomi> "Isayama Yomi," she reciprocates, bowing again. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
<Erin> With the crowd glancing towards the oriental, Erin talking to a bird by the street corner barely rates notice, and the avian shortly takes flight and begins to circle overhead. A moment later, she glances up and gives Nadia a little wave.
* Nadia spots Erin and gives her a little wave back, recalling her greeting and wondering how far coincidences stretch. "There might just be a third victim in this little tragedy," she notes speculatively, gesturing for Yomi to follow her and approaching the celtic woman.
<Nadia> "We never had a chance to introduce ourselves before the little drama back in there. Nadia Chekova," she gestures to herself. "You mentioned something interesting before, about losing something?"
<Erin> "A pleasure, dear. Erin Callahan. It's an unfortunate business, isn't it? That robber assaulted my home, bold as blood! Made off with the Count's words- dare I guess we share similar circumstances?" She glances at Yomi- "I couldn't help but overhear, though, that you had his name..."
<Yomi> "That arrogant man gave it before he struck at our clan," Yomi relates with a scowl. "And he implicated me in the attack! He must be destroyed!"
<Nadia> "He killed my mother and stole my legacy," Nadia curtly volunteers her own tale of woe. Technically it was one of his thugs that did the killing, but Elgin might as well have pulled the trigger himself.
<Yomi> "What is your legacy?" Yomi inquires, interest and sympathy mixing upon hearing this.
<Nadia> "It is a necklace from the Motherland," Nadia replies vaguely, nodding her head in the direction of the Black Sea. She never even had a chance to find out just how her mother acquired a royal treasure of the Romanovs, and now she never will. But it was held onto for a reason, and now it's all she has left of the woman who brought her into this world.
<Erin> Erin bows her head in sympathy, and her british accent begins to slip. "He's a more dreadful being than I thought, if he goes beyond mere theft to murder and deceit. But still, he cannot be confronted! He holds dark forces within the palm of his hand," replies Erin, grimly. "And he holds occult power, as well."
<Nadia> "Occult power?" Nadia repeats, eyebrows raised as she regards Erin suspiciously. Surely no one believes in that nonsense?
<Yomi> "I know it is foolish to face him without Shishio -- while he holds Shishio, at that -- but I can't just let him go after what he did!" Yomi insists. "It can't be allowed to remain in the wrong hands, and his are clearly wrong!"
<Erin> "Yes, dear, occult power," replies Erin, absently. "An evil being can't be permitted to learn the secrets stored within the Count's journal, or those within Shishio. What is Shishio? Is it one of those Chinese scrolls?"
<Yomi> "I am not Chinese," Yomi states at that, and feeling the need to further clarify adds, "nor am I pregnant. Shishio is a sacred, demon-sealing sword, one of the greatest treasures of Japan! With it, even five times that number of soldiers would not be an obstacle!"
<Nadia> "Hokey occultism and ancient weapons are no match for a gun or twenty," Nadia scoffs at the arcane turn this conversation has taken.
<Yomi> "How can a western mage be so ignorant of the world?" Yomi can't help but wonder out loud.
<Erin> "Why, that's a simple question! This man, and others like him, they've been busying themselves thieving occult artifacts from around the world! It's probably been going on for some time now, I would guess, and the, ah, cultural awareness dwindles away!" She frowns, suddenly. "It could be a good thing, in a way. After all, the burnings and all are a thing of the past... damn!"
<Erin> She glances up with a start. "They're leaving."
* Nadia promptly turns towards the door of the establishment they just vacated. She can't let him get away, not after tracking him all across Europe!
<Erin> "No need to worry to much, my dear," replies Erin, starting to walk away. "The White Raven will show us where to find him."
<Yomi> "You have a familiar trailing Elgin, then?" Yomi asks Erin at her words.
<Erin> "Don't you?"
<Yomi> "I would if he didn't STEAL it," Yomi states in frustration.
<Erin> "But I thought you said- ah! He's in a group. Only three others with him," replies Erin, nodding. "Let us track him to his demense, and see how much he likes it when his home is broken and entered into!"
<Yomi> "If it's just three..." Yomi says speculatively, trailing off.
<Erin> "...then he must be confident in fending off an ambush," replies Erin.
<El-Cideon> You can hear the hubbub outside the bar from some ways away; a couple dozen pairs of feet milling about generates a fair bit of noise. One small group of people detaches itself from the others and starts down your direction, though with the streets darkened as they are they might not be looking for you specifically. There are five in this batch, os it's not Elgin's group.
<Nadia> "Any chance of surprise has been ruined anyway," Nadia comments with a meaningful look at Yomi, before slinking away to hide in the shadows, intending to sneak around the group coming this way so she can tail Elgin as he leaves.
* Yomi retrieves a wrapped bundle from her coat, loosening its bindings. If Elgin's allies wish to come after her, these numbers she can face even in her current state.
<El-Cideon> They move with a purpose, ignoring the late-night drunks littering the neighborhood and proceeding at a steady march, but turn down a side street before reaching you. Two women you didn't see before are leading the group, a striking blonde who openly carries a submachine gun and an older, matronly-looking lady. The rest look like goons from the bar. (more)
<El-Cideon> By the time they've passed, the bulk of the gang at the bar has dispersed and you can proceed after Elgin without running into any other groups. Though he has a bit of a head start by this point, at least Erin's familiar is dutifully tracking him.
<Erin> "They're quite a ways away, and there's no hurry." Erin starts to wander down the street at a leisurely pace. "In a way, we're lucky. That man views us as so insignificant as not to be a threat. Only if he's justified in his assumption will this turn out to be a problem."
* Nadia accepts that he has a head start but doesn't risk revealing herself by hurrying, doing her best to avoid bright lights and open spaces as she stealthily scurries after her quarry.
<Yomi> "He must be very strong to kill so many of our men on his own," Yomi affirms, hiding her wrapped up sword from sight once more and following Erin, who should have a good lead on Elgin.
<Erin> "And that is without your stolen weapon," continues Erin. "His name is of interest, and was unknown to us before. I'll wire it to a friend of mine and see if she can take anything from it."
<Yomi> "He is acclaimed as a scientist," Yomi fills her in. "Naturalist, geologist, astronomer. Roscoe Eglin is the full name he goes by."
<Erin> "A man of wide interests. Ah, he's headed for the historic district. He must be here to plan another robbery."
<El-Cideon> No one interferes with your progress as you stalk through the city. Eventually, your surroundings give way to a well-maintained neighborhood filled with impressive residences. You pass a police station, several closed grocery stores, and soon the dome of a great church looms ahead of you.
* Disconnected
* Attempting to rejoin channel #HometownHeroes
* Rejoined channel #HometownHeroes
* Topic is ''
* Set by Mystia on Sat Oct 31 05:13:03
<El-Cideon> No one interferes with your progress as you stalk through the city. Eventually, your surroundings give way to a well-maintained neighborhood filled with impressive residences. You pass a police station, several closed grocery stores, and soon the dome of a great church looms ahead of you.
<Yomi> "The church, then?"
* Nadia continues tailing Elgin, keeping her distance to avoid detection and not wanting to close in unless circumstances force her to or he reveals his weakness.
<Erin> "He and one other went in. The other two stand guard outside," states Erin, with a brief nod, and she begins to make her approach. "We must prevent him leaving with whatever it is he seeks to take. If we take the place of his guards, then we may be able to snatch it away when he departs."
* Disconnected
* Attempting to rejoin channel #HometownHeroes
* Rejoined channel #HometownHeroes
* Topic is ''
* Set by Mystia on Sat Oct 31 05:13:03
* Sierra_Comatose is now known as Cidward
* El-Cideon (~Melanchth@pool-96-231-68-153.washdc.east.verizon.net) Quit (scifi-classics.dejatoons.net betamax.dejatoons.net)
* Yomi (~corwin@bzq-79-183-139-204.red.bezeqint.net) Quit (scifi-classics.dejatoons.net betamax.dejatoons.net)
* Erin (~carthrat@c122-107-246-130.eburwd9.vic.optusnet.com.au) Quit (scifi-classics.dejatoons.net betamax.dejatoons.net)
* Nadia (WinNT@90.240.83.185) Quit (scifi-classics.dejatoons.net betamax.dejatoons.net)
* Hatbot (~Hatbot@24.174.51.230) Quit (scifi-classics.dejatoons.net betamax.dejatoons.net)
* Seira is now known as Yomi
* Nadia (WinNT@90.240.83.185) has joined #HometownHeroes
* Hatbot (~Hatbot@24.174.51.230) has joined #HometownHeroes
* atarians.dejatoons.net sets mode: +v Nadia
* Erin (~carthrat@c122-107-246-130.eburwd9.vic.optusnet.com.au) has joined #HometownHeroes
* fantasy.dejatoons.net sets mode: +v Erin
* Cidward is now known as El-Cideon
<El-Cideon> Pursuing the group from afar, Nadia can make out the form of Elgin stopping at the church's main entryway. Which is apparently locked, though this condition is remedied with a wave of his hand. He and another of the men enter the building, leaving two outside on guard. OOC: Hide check? These guys are basically taking 10 on spot, so.
<Nadia> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+11 and gets 19."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> The two guards seem utterly unaware of Nadia's presence in the shadows. They look bored, and a little nervous, but they're clearly ready to draw a gun on anyone who gives them trouble.
* Nadia creeps closer to the duo, taking cover beneath an alcove near the door, before she picks up a small pebble and hurls it upwards on a parabolic path so that it will appear to drop straight down on the other side of the door. Then while they're hopefully distracted looking up at what might have caused it to drop, she intends to sneak in behind them and into the church!
<El-Cideon> OOC: move silently
<Yomi> "How close do we need to be?" Yomi quietly asks Erin as they approach from a distance.
<Nadia> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+11 and gets 26."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 goon A
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 goon A and gets 16."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-1 goon B
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-1 goon B and gets 7."12 [1d20=8]
<Erin> "Oh, only about a hundred feet or so," replies Erin. "Just out of the range where jumpy men take rash actions, I'd say." She takes a route that brings her behind a pillar, and fumbles with a pouch of sand. "Now, how'd it go..." she mutters, briefly speaking a few words of latin and blowing the grains towards the two men.
<El-Cideon> Nadia is able to slip behind the guards and through the open door without any trouble, the two of them being entranced by the spectacle of a small pebble rattling on the cobbles. One of them looks up, the other looks for the pebble with a muttered "What was that noise?"
<Nadia> Now safely inside the church, Nadia remains stealthy as she looks for any sign of her prey. If she can't see Elgin from here then hopefully he left the door open behind him whichever way he went.
<Erin> roll 2d4
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 2d4 and gets 7."12 [2d4=4, 3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 will save
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 will save  and gets 17."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 will save
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 will save  and gets 19."12 [1d20=19]
* Yomi waits expectantly!
<El-Cideon> One of the goons yawns. The other narrows his eyes and stares down the street. "Did you just see someone out there, or what?"
<El-Cideon> Inside the building, Nadia finds herself under a vast dome. The floors are marble and ornate mosaics cover nearly every wall and ceiling. Elgin himself is easy enough to find. He's standing right in the center of the dome with his back turned to the entrance. (more)
<El-Cideon> Next to him is a fey little man with bifocals and curiously vertical brown hair. He does not look like a soldier; far from it.
* Erin appears crestfallen. "It never works when it really needs to work," she mutters, along with a gaelic oath, and she tightens herself up against the pillar.
* Nadia creeps closer, using the pillars for cover so she can get close enough to listen in. Now's not the time to strike, but perhaps she can learn a thing or two.
<El-Cideon> OOC: move silently again
<Nadia> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+11 and gets 18."12 [1d20=7]
<Yomi> Somewhat put off, Yomi asks, "Can you try it again?"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 Elgin listen
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+4 Elgin listen and gets 12."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 ??? listen
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 ??? listen and gets 14."12 [1d20=13]
<Erin> "Well, if we come back tomorrow... no, no, we'll just find another way in," replies Erin, starting to slip away from the gate.
<Erin> She keeps an eye on the sky, seeking out the dim shadow of her familiar to hover above a likely entrance!
<El-Cideon> The stranger's doing most of the talking. When Elgin responds, it's clipped and concise. Impatience is clear in his voice and the brown-haired man seems to make an attempt to placate him. You catch references to Yomi's interruption at the bar, to which the stranger responds, "This is why I've advised you time and again against independant action. The colonel has the project well in hand."
* Nadia is content to listen in for now, though she wonders at the odd location for a meeting. She'd expected a heist, not a conference.
<Erin> "This way," whispers Erin, starting to take a path around the ancient temple, towards the back.
<Yomi> Elgin is her real target, not those goons, and thus Yomi has little trouble going along and seeking another entrance that doesn't bring her in needless conflict with them.
<El-Cideon> They don't appear to be making an effort to find a particular item, curiously enough. It sounds like it's the building itself they needed to reach. There is some debate about whether this is the correct location or not, to which Elgin responds with a tentative "Yes."
<El-Cideon> There is a small service entrance alongside the building, Erin and Yomi find. It boasts a sturdy padlock, though.
<Nadia> Correct for what? Sadly Nadia can't ask them since it would surely end badly, so she just has to settle for trying to piece together what she can.
<Yomi> For the second time, Yomi draws her bundled sword. "Any objections?" she quietly asks Erin, since the western mage may well have a more subtle trick up her sleeve.
<El-Cideon> "I will be able to tell more clearly once we have a broken a significant number of the seals," Elgin rumbles. There's something dead and mechanical to his voice, but you can tell that whatever he's speaking of is clearly greatly desirable.
<Erin> "Ah, the old sword-versus-lock problem. Quietly, yes?"
<Yomi> She's certainly not about to yell a battle cry in this situation, but Yomi rolls her eyes as she lets the sword's wrappings drop to the ground and unsheathes the katana, using the motion to draw its blade upwards through the padlock and then sheathing the sword on the return swing.
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll damage. Your attack roll wouldn't miss outside of critfail, so.
<Yomi> roll 2d6+9
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+9 and gets 18."12 [2d6=6, 3]
<El-Cideon> The lock parts in two, metallic fragments dropping to the ground with a dull thud. You are free to enter the building.
* Yomi picks up the cloth, stowing it away, and pushes the door open so that she could make her way inside.
* Nadia continues her eavesdropping, wondering if her two recent acquaintances might be able to make sense of all the mystical mumbo jumbo she's hearing.
<Erin> Erin removes her hat for a moment, and uses it to wipe her brow. Another few words of Latin are muttered under her breath, and she quietly steps into the building after Yomi.
<El-Cideon> You find yourselves in a narrow passageway that meanders through some service corridors before opening up onto the main room of the church. Elgin and another man are standing directly under the center of the dome, faintly illuminated by moonlight. They're talking, but you'll need to be closer to understand them. OOC: move silently if you want to get close enough to hear anything properly.
* Erin takes cover around a corner, waiting to see if the two men actually start to do anything strange.
<Yomi> A problem occurs, one Yomi had not considered. She had trained her skills in English because that was where her enemy's native tongue, but anything outside of it is unintelligible to her. She gives Erin a glance in case it's just she who is in the dark, here.
<Erin> roll 1d20+2 listening
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+2 listening and gets 15."12 [1d20=13]
* Erin puts a hand to her ear, and leans over to get an idea of what they're saying.
<El-Cideon> Erin can make out something about severing links in a web, but it makes little sense without context. Nadia, who can hear them talk about focal points of energy, has somewhat more information.
<Nadia> Information that doesn't make a bit of sense! These people are insane! Still, she's going to get as much as she can from this and remains where she is, listening in.
<El-Cideon> After some time of this seemingly meaningless blather, Elgin goes silent, and seems to look around for something. You get the impression of some animal listening to a sound beyond human hearing. Finally, he nods to the other man. Each draws back a sleeve, taps an identical turquoise bracelet, and mutters a few arcane syllables.
* Erin squints at the arcane display, and attempts to reconcile it with her studies on the subject.
<Erin> roll 1d20+11 spellcrafting
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+11 spellcrafting and gets 23."12 [1d20=12]
<Nadia> As things go silent Nadia is almost about to peek around the pillar, but then she hears more, albeit not in a language she knows. Dammit. She mentally repeats the syllables in her head, trying to memorise them in case she can translate it later.
<Yomi> Elgin is being clearly up to no good, and that's all the incentive Yomi needs to dask out of her cover, intending to separate the bracelet -- and the arm attached to it -- from Elgin's body. Even if all her efforts achieve are the disruption of whatever ritual he is attempting, it's still worth it!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: go ahead and roll attack
<Yomi> roll 1d20+13 CHARGE
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+13 CHARGE and gets 20."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Yomi> roll 2d6+9
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+9 and gets 18."12 [2d6=5, 4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20 concentration
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+20 concentration and gets 40."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> Yomi is successful in rushing forward to strike Elgin by surprise! The attack barely phases the man, however, despite leaving his back scored with a ragged, bloody gash. He turns to fix Yomi with a gaze of utter disregard before vanishing in a flash of light!
* Nadia can't resist peeking around the pillar at the sounds of bloody violence!
<El-Cideon> His companion pauses to yell for the guards--subsequently muttering to himself, "Bloody soldiers, good for nothing but dying--" before exiting in the same fashion as Elgin.
* Yomi curses, ducking behind cover before the guards would respond to the call.
<Nadia> Nadia's jaw drops at the lack of Elgin and then the disappearance of his friend. The call for the guards however ensures she stays well hidden rather than running out to accost the swordswoman.
<El-Cideon> Both of the men rush into the church with pistols drawn. There are plenty of pillars to hide behind for anyone who chooses to do so, but the two men look pretty intent on finding the source of the disturbance.
<Erin> Making a rapid exit is foremost on Erin's mind, rather than getting into a bloody shootout on holy ground, and she begins to depart by the way she came.
<Nadia> If the men are inside then the way out is clear, so Nadia starts to sneak out behind them so she can vacate by the front door.
<Yomi> A pillar is fine, Yomi concealing herself behind one while loosening the ties on her coat.
<El-Cideon> OOC: If Erin didn't move at all, she can get back out the way she came with no problem. The goons are pretty much walking along down the church dead center. Move silently again if Nadia wants to slip out past them when they walk by her.
<Nadia> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+11 and gets 23."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 epic listen check A
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 epic listen check A and gets 4."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-1 epic listen check B
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-1 epic listen check B and gets 19."12 [1d20=20]
<Erin> OOC: I'll do so, then, but I'm going to leave my familiar here and wait nearby somewhere, so he can tell me who goes in and out.
<El-Cideon> Nadia is able to make her exit with no hangups, as is Erin. A moment later, the two soldiers walk by Yomi's hiding place.
* Seira (~corwin@bzq-79-183-139-204.red.bezeqint.net) has joined #HometownHeroes
* Seira is now known as Yomi_Isayama
<Yomi_Isayama> In any reasonable search pattern, the two would have to spread out, and when one of them reaches the pillar she's using as her hiding spot, Yomi will strike and swiftly incapacitate him! Or swiftly get shot, but that's not a very pleasant thought to focus on.
* Nadia debates her next move now. Her target has fled using mysterious arcane means, and she recently met two people who seem to know about magic... one of which is about to get shot to hell. Cursing her lack of options, she swiftly turns about and goes back in.
<Nadia> Won't do to have her only lead get shot, but she might be able to help out the not-Chinese-girl to prevent that and maybe recover the trail.
* Yomi (~corwin@bzq-79-183-139-204.red.bezeqint.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
<Yomi_Isayama> Since the guards aren't cooperating, however, all Yomi has to gamble on is striking them while they are huddling together and intimidated! Dashing out, she swiftly draws her katana and turns with the motion, aiming a powerful strike at the back of the closest guard's head with the flat of the blade!
<Yomi_Isayama> roll 1d20+7 nonlethal
* Hatbot --> "Yomi_Isayama rolls 1d20+7 nonlethal and gets 13."12 [1d20=6]
<Yomi_Isayama> OOC: 15, then
<El-Cideon> OOC: Hits, in that case.
<Yomi_Isayama> roll 2d6+9
* Hatbot --> "Yomi_Isayama rolls 2d6+9 and gets 14."12 [2d6=1, 4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 fort save, that is exactly his CON score
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+3 fort save, that is exactly his CON score and gets 13."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+1 unconsciousness
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+1 unconsciousness and gets 5."12 [1d4=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: He's down for five rounds. Sucks for him. anyone involved in this fight, roll init now.
<Yomi_Isayama> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Yomi_Isayama rolls 1d20+1 and gets 17."12 [1d20=16]
<Nadia> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+7 and gets 27."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 soldier init
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 soldier init and gets 14."12 [1d20=13]
* Retrieving #HometownHeroes modes...
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Nadia > Yomi > Private Gross'
<El-Cideon> The hapless soldier falls limp to the ground after one strike, his companion turning in surprise. "Ach, Hans!" OOC: go, Nadia. You're about 60 feet away if you're by the entrance.
<Yomi_Isayama> "Surrender or fall, dogs of Elgin!" Yomi declares threateningly in English, on the off chance the soldier can actually understand the language.
* Nadia mentally curses for having been too slow in returning, and her current attire is ill suited for running, so she settles for stealthily approaching from the guard's blindside. If she can get a bit closer she might still be able to help out... if it's even necessary given how one of the men is already unconscious on the floor.
<Nadia> roll 1d20+11 hide
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+11 hide and gets 23."12 [1d20=12]
<Nadia> roll 1d20+11 move silently
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+11 move silently and gets 30."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Yeah, he can't actually beat those rolls, so you're effectively stealthed. Go, Yomi.
<Yomi_Isayama> As the villain gives no sign that he intends to follow her demands, Yomi slashes two diagonal lines across his chest with the flat of her blade, keeping up the pressure!
<Yomi_Isayama> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Yomi_Isayama rolls 1d20+7 and gets 13."12 [1d20=6]
<Yomi_Isayama> roll 1d20+7 heroic surge
* Hatbot --> "Yomi_Isayama rolls 1d20+7 heroic surge and gets 9."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first one hits
<Yomi_Isayama> roll 2d6+9 I see
* Hatbot --> "Yomi_Isayama rolls 2d6+9 I see and gets 16."12 [2d6=1, 6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 slightly better fort save
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+4 slightly better fort save and gets 8."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+1 and gets 3."12 [1d4=2]
* Merc (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) has joined #HometownHeroes
<El-Cideon> The second man falls as easily as the first. Two soldiers dispatched without bloodshed. Not bad! OOC: Nonlethal is actually pretty nice. They're both down for a few rounds. Basically free act now.
* Yomi_Isayama uses the tip of her sword to push the guns away, and after a quick look at the doorway to ensure no one else is coming after her, moves on to tie the soldiers's arms behind their backs.
<Nadia> "Perhaps your earlier boasts weren't empty after all," Nadia observes as she detaches herself from the shadows to reveal herself to Yomi. "I'm not quite sure what to make of what I just saw, though."
<Yomi_Isayama> "Powerful magic, beyond that which I possess," Yomi responds, straightening up. "Would you help me take these two some place? I need to find someone who could translate for them when I inquire about Elgin's current whereabouts."
* Nadia collects the two guns, putting them in her handbag first of all before she assists Yomi in binding the men's hands behind their backs with their own belts. "I can speak German," she provides helpfully. "I heard quite a bit from Elgin before you burst in, though it made little sense."
<El-Cideon> The guns are Walther pistols, standard issue for German military. OOC: Someone roll a DEX check to see how well they're tied up? d20 Modern doesn't have Use Rope, just a DEX check with a +10 bonus.
<Nadia> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+13 and gets 27."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Okay, they couldn't get out of that if they took twenty. How far are you taking these guys?
<Nadia> OOC: Lets drag them to an alley somewhere outside?
<Yomi_Isayama> "Even better," Yomi agrees. "Perhaps if you shared what you overheard, we could try to make sense of things?"
<Nadia> "They mentioned your earlier appearance and the small man criticised Elgin for taking independent action, that a 'colonel' had the 'project' well in hand," Nadia begins. "Then they started talking nonsense about seals and energy focus points, severing links in a web. It was all gibberish to me."
<El-Cideon> There are plenty of secluded garden areas abutting the church grounds; it's not difficult to drag the men somewhere out of the way with both of you working at it. They start showing signs of consciousness not long after you get them there.
* Yomi_Isayama attempts to cut any impudent right off by pointing the tip of her sword straight at the neck of the first one to stir. "You are our prisoners," she declares. "Do not resist."
<El-Cideon> The second one to fall, apparently the more resilient of the two, wakes first. A simple shake of his head is confirmation enough of cooperation.
<Yomi_Isayama> "Who is your colonel?" Yomi demands to know, deciding to start with their lead and take it from there.
<Erin> When Yomi and Nadia emerge from the church, Erin begins to tail them, eventually showing herself just after Yomi's threatening gesture. "Grace, I may be falling in with dangerous sorts," she mumbles to herself, glancing over the two men.
<El-Cideon> "Colonel Mueller," the soldier says, looking over his various captors. The other man groans and shakes his head as if trying to clear a thick mental fog.
<Yomi_Isayama> "What is his assigned mission?"
<Nadia> "Who was that other man with Elgin?" Nadia interjects. Anyone who can vanish like that is worth watching out for.
<El-Cideon> "I don't know," he says desultorily. "We just do what we're told." To Nadia: "Doctor Ivo." OOC: anyone with ranks in knowledge: arcane lore can make a check here
<Erin> roll 1d20+12 that's me!
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+12 that's me! and gets 18."12 [1d20=6]
<Yomi_Isayama> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Yomi_Isayama rolls 1d20+2 and gets 10."12 [1d20=8]
<Yomi_Isayama> "Why did those two gather here?" Yomi asks next. "Were they meeting with anyone else prior to this?"
* Erin grimaces at Ivo's name, and interjects with another question, something that's been nagging her since the tavern. "And what of the woman who parted ways with your group? Not the amazon, the other one."
<El-Cideon> "I don't know what they do when they go to these places," he says. "They go, they disappear. Sometimes they take soldiers with them. Sometimes not all of them come back."
<El-Cideon> "Amazon? ...Oh, Lieutenant Scheer," he says, apparently forgetting to actually answer Nadia's question.
<El-Cideon> OOC: *Erin's question
<Yomi_Isayama> "And the other woman?" Yomi reminds him. "What are both of their specialties?"
<El-Cideon> "I don't know what she's for. Useless Russian aristocrat. She works with Ivo sometimes."
<Nadia> "Was it her who told Elgin of Catherine's Aurora?" Nadia asks, immediately picking up on the connection with the Motherland.
<El-Cideon> The other soldier has returned fully to consciousness by now, and gives his partner a sulky kick in the shin as he sits at glowers at you all.
* Yomi_Isayama kicks the sour soldier a kick as well, in a clear demand to keep quiet and not interfere.
<Yomi_Isayama> OOC: Bah, nix the second 'kick'
<El-Cideon> The more spirited soldier ignores the kick and upbraids the more talkative one. "<Idiot! Why don't you tell them our bank account numbers and addresses as well?>" he mutters in German.
<El-Cideon> "Catherine's what?" the other man continues. "I don't know anything about these trinkets they collect. I just go where I'm told and deal with interlopers."
<Nadia> "Tch... well what do they do with the trinkets?" Nadia asks irritably.
<Erin> "Exactly how many places have you soldiers been with these people?" demands Erin. "They're thieves of the worst kind! You can't possibly think you're doing the right thing, can you?"
<El-Cideon> OOC: belated knowledge: history for anyone else who might've heard of the Aurora.
<Yomi_Isayama> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Yomi_Isayama rolls 1d20+4 and gets 9."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> "Oh, all around," he says to Erin, with a rather manic grin. "Up until now it has been a wonderful paid vacation. And I don't know what they do with them! I just follow orders!"
<Yomi_Isayama> "What does Elgin do with that which he steals?" Yomi wishes to know. "Does he hand them over to Colonel Mueller?"
<Erin> "Well, that's no excuse!" snaps Erin, cuffing the man across the cheek. "These men deny people their cultural heritage! And not only that, but they steal knowledge meant to exalt humanity for their own debased purposes!" She snorts. "And there's the murder. Really, now that you know you're doing evil things..."
<El-Cideon> "I don't know!" he insists. "The Fatherland takes what it needs, I don't ask why--ack!"
<Nadia> "Well where does he put them? Does he have a vault or a museum or something?" Nadia presses, needing a lead now that her target has vanished into thin air.
<El-Cideon> There's a hint of incredulity about his expression here. "Ivo is SS. He doesn't tell us why things need to be done, we just follow orders."
<Yomi_Isayama> "How many of you are under his command? Where are the rest staying? Where is your colonel's home base, and what was to be your next destination?"
<El-Cideon> "How many?" He forces a laugh. "Hundreds maybe, many units. Too many for one girl with a sword to stop."
* Nadia loses her patience and draws the gun from her handbag, pointing it at the laughing German. "She asked you where," she hisses in his own language, no longer so inclined to play good cop.
<El-Cideon> Being assaulted with his own language seems to bother him as much as the gun. "Down the coast, the Arab countries! I don't know any more!" His companion seems undaunted by the whole display. "<Will you shut up? You're embarassing yourself, you know.>" he grumbles.
<Yomi_Isayama> "Yes you do," Yomi insists. "The rest of the soldiers located here, the other commanders present... I want to know where to find them, and how long they would be staying here."
<El-Cideon> "Well, that depends. What time is it now?"
<Erin> "They've returned," states Erin, glancing over her shoulder.
<El-Cideon> The second soldier sighs. Were he not glaring at the ground, you could probably spot him rolling his eyes.
<Nadia> "What? Who?" Nadia asks, turning to follow Erin's gaze.
* Yomi_Isayama knocks out the uncooperative soldier, lest he alert Elgin to their presence.
<El-Cideon> Down he goes, for the second time this evening.
<Yomi_Isayama> "One past midnight," she tells the soldier remaining conscious. "Why does it matter?"
<El-Cideon> "Well, if you cannot run very fast, it matters a lot."
<Yomi_Isayama> "Just be out with it!"
<Erin> "Ivo. They're back from wherever it is they went," replies Erin, testily.
<El-Cideon> "The other squads should be checking in--all had simpler tasks, closer to the harbor."
* Nadia puts the handgun back in her handbag. "I'm going to see what they're up to," she declares, melting into the shadows and creeping back towards the cathedral.
<Yomi_Isayama> "Where exactly did Elgin travel with that Ivo, and when?" Yomi asks, intending to memorize the timeline of events. If that pair is really going around undoing seals, then knowing where those seals were undone and their order might well enlighten her as to the bigger picture.
<El-Cideon> There's no one outside the cathedral when Nadia gets there. Inside, well, she'd have to gin and check.
<El-Cideon> The goon falls back on his usual mantra of "I don't know what they do, and I don't want to know," when pressed about this.
<Nadia> That's exactly what she plans to do!
<Nadia> roll 1d20+11 hide
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+11 hide and gets 23."12 [1d20=12]
<Nadia> roll 1d20+11 move silently
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+11 move silently and gets 27."12 [1d20=16]
<Yomi_Isayama> "It's where, not what. You know where you go, don't you?" Yomi asks scornfully.
<Yomi_Isayama> OOC: Nix
<Yomi_Isayama> Time to knock this one out as well, although Yomi pauses with a glance at Erin before doing so, in case she has something else to ask.
<El-Cideon> There doesn't seem to be anyone in the church proper, either. You could make an exhaustive search if you want, but it's a big building. The only thing of note is a blank sheet of parchment lying under the center of the dome.
<Erin> "When did all this start?" asks Erin, frowning. "How long have you been assigned to this work?"
<El-Cideon> "Perhaps a couple months now," he shrugs. "Enough to tour the Mediterranean."
* Nadia considers grabbing the parchment, but it seems rather pointless if it's blank, besides which she'd be fully exposed and visible to anyone nearby if she walked into the centre to get it. Seeing nothing useful here, she retreats back to join the others. Maybe Erin knows what happened via the same mysterious means she knew they were back?
* Erin steps back for a moment and gives Yomi a nod.
<Yomi_Isayama> With a flash of the now-sheathed sword, this soldier can now rejoin his companion in slumber.
<El-Cideon> -------------

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> -------------
<El-Cideon> It's late enough in the night to be very early in the morning; the locals have long since gone to bed by now and you seem to have the streets to yourselves. You're standing in a secluded avenue by a large church. No one is obviously gunning for you at present; Elgin and Ivo appear to have vanished and you're alone save for each other and for the two German soldiers lying unconscious on the ground.
* Nadia creeps back up to rejoin the group, melting out of the shadows. "They were not in the church that I saw," she informs Erin. "Although they could have been hiding - there was a blank piece of paper on the ground where they earlier stood, but I left it alone since it smelled like a trap."
<Erin> "Nae, no trap," replies Erin, spreading her arms. "We are but insects to their might. Soldiers, magic, invulnerable men.." She starts back towards the Hagia Sophia, absently reaching to straighten out her tweed cap. "They're feeling awfully secure."
<Nadia> "Are we just leaving these two?" Nadia nods her head briefly to the comatose soldiers.
<Yomi> "I'm not going to carry them around with me wherever I go," Yomi states with a frown. "And they don't know anything else of use to us."
<Erin> "I don't like to prolong associations with military types. They're awfully strict."
* Nadia shrugs elegantly, not really minding to leave them unconscious and tied up where they are. "When we have time, you are going to have to tell me all about this witchcraft," she asks as she catches up with Erin.
<Erin> "Certainly! Teaching is a joy," replies Erin, with a delighted smile. "It's a shame that so few people seek magic out in this day and age, and those that do tend to be of such disrepute."
<Nadia> "Perhaps if people had seen the same evidence as I have seen tonight, there might be more interest," Nadia suggests wryly.
<Erin> "Perhaps, but, ah, liberally spreading evidence of these doings is a surefire way to begin new and unhappy relationships with the soldiery," replies Erin, a little off-put.
<Yomi> "I somehow doubt it," Yomi voices, walking with her hands behind her back. "Would you study for years just for a chance to put some guards to sleep? Which may not even always work?"
<Nadia> "No, but that disappearing trick could come in very handy," Nadia asserts with a beaming smile.
<Yomi> "That would take decades or relying on an artifact, at a guess. Those bracelets they wore, perhaps?"
<Nadia> "Then I shall have to steal them," Nadia nods decisively. "I wonder if perhaps mother's necklace is magical as well? It would explain his interest..."
* Yomi nods as well. "It would stand to reason that Elgin would not be stealing mere jewelry. He seems well-funded to travel as he does."
<Erin> "I would say their rituals are a combination of particular spells and items, and these items would likely include-" She points ahead- "The Hagia Sophia itself. My first hypothesis is that they gather an object, conduct their rituals, and then proceed to the next."
<Nadia> "But why?" Nadia asks the obvious question.
<Yomi> "There was that mention of breaking seals, wasn't it?"
<Erin> "For what purpose, I am less certain, but it is immediately clear that they must work against the Perfected Heirarchy. The natural order of things, that is." She frowns, reaching into a handbag for a small notebook. "Seals, you say? Pray tell?"
<Nadia> "They were discussing whether it was the correct location - Elgin thought it was," Nadia recalls the conversation she overheard. "He wasn't entirely sure, but said he would be more sure once they broke more seals. A significant number, he said."
<Erin> "I can only hope he's not referring to our stolen valuables. I won't know what to do if he's broken the journal of the Count de Saint Germain, save that I would be very upset, possibly moreso than I already am."
<Yomi> Yomi's expression darkens at Erin's words.
<Nadia> "I would like to retrive my legacy, but moreso I am interested in revenge," Nadia admits, looking away distantly. "He must answer for his crimes."
<Yomi> "It cannot be denied that he is undermining the safety of the world at large," Yomi says slowly. "I don't pretend to know the functions of the artifacts Elgin had stolen, but if they all run along the same lines, then by appropriating them he is lowering the defenses this world has. The need to stop him may well go beyond the personal."
<Erin> "Everyone answers, eventually, but the crimes he has committed are not his alone. They are shared by those who bankroll his efforts- and you have hit the proverbial nail on the head, in a sense. Thwarting their dark designs is not quite the same as revenge, but of significant necessity." Pausing in her stride a moment, Erin shrugs. "Although they are likely to be one and the same."
<El-Cideon> The church is still empty, the door still open, the sheet of parchment still lying on the ground underneath the dome, obvious in a shaft of moonlight. Things are just as you left them and no one seems to be around.
* Yomi stands on guard just the same at a defensible position next to the entrance, ready to draw her sword at a moment's notice.
* Erin squints, hard, and waves a hand over her eyes until they spark with a green light.
* Nadia hides in the shadows behind a convenient pillar, still disliking this setup.
<El-Cideon> There are several notable drifts of ether in the air from the recent casting of spells: two very powerful ones from the unknown effect of those bracelets, and two other identical ones from more common (but still potent) magic. OOC: Spellcraft for the latter if you want (already tried it for the former).
<Erin> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+11 and gets 21."12 [1d20=10]
<Erin> Erin grimaces, and walks over to pick up the blank scroll. "It seems they used this to escape," she comments. "To say what happened.. well, they first conducted some kind of ritual here, that transported them to a place I can't guess. After returning however, they used more conventional transportation magic to escape."
<Yomi> "So they can't readily use it of their own power, at least?"
<Erin> "Someone had to write the scroll. Them, perhaps, or their allies."
<Nadia> "Unless they stole it," Nadia finally detaches from the shadows, satisfied there's no trap.
<Erin> "And in the doing, would have made a powerful enemy. Perhaps a short-lived powerful enemy, but all the same..."
<Nadia> "Did you find out from those soldiers where they expected to regroup?" Nadia asks hopefully in case any useful information came out while she was away earlier.
* Yomi unsheathes her katana before running a clean handkerchief down its length. Once the blade had been cleaned and is back in its sheath, she presents it to Erin and Nadia. "Then we'll need a powerful ally. Someone capable of tracking Elgin down by using his blood as focus. Or even someone who can tell us more about the things he had stolen."
<Yomi> To Nadia, she adds, "It seemed they were leaving, but maybe I misunderstood."
* Nadia eyes the bloody handkerchief dubiously, taking a half step back. "Or perhaps we can check the airport and harbour to see if anyone saw a platoon of wermacht leaving tonight?"
<Erin> "We'd better go to the harbour. I'll have my raven check the premises," remarks Erin, pocketing the blank paper and starting out the church.
<Yomi> "We should make an effort to determine just where Elgin lingered to tamper with those seals," Yomi feels forced to point out. "We know where he traveled, and when, so we might be able to deduce something from that pattern. If we know what exactly he is trying to accomplish, then next time, we might preempt him by arriving at his destination before he can and laying a trap."
<Erin> "It will be difficult to get answers out of any but their inner circle," replies Erin. "I believe he or his agents are to travel all over the world, in search of certain relics- his order would likely be determined by convenience, I believe."
<El-Cideon> Travelling towards the port area of the city is uneventful. Stopping some ways away, Erin's familiar scouts ahead and reports back. (OOC: latter done in PM.)
<Erin> "There doesn't appear to be any unusual activity, although the harbourmaster's office is still lit. Is that unusual? It's rather late, after all."
<El-Cideon> These aren't exactly standard operating hours.
* Yomi shrugs. "Only one way to find out?"
<Nadia> "Lets make sure we're not interrupting, first?" Nadia suggests, creeping up to peek through the window hopefully without being seen.
<El-Cideon> The building itself is small, a low, one-room shack not far from the waterline. Inside is a desk and chairs, at which sits a surly-looking Turkish man who looks to be nursing a bottle of beer.
<Nadia> No nazis, at least, so Nadia creeps back to join the others. "He's alone," she confirms. "Doesn't look too happy. Shall we see if we can brighten his evening?" she asks with a sardonic smirk.
<Yomi> "All for it, here."
<Erin> "A trio of lovely ladies would brighten anyone's evening," agrees Erin, with a nod.
<Nadia> Course set, Nadia leads the group back to the shack and knocks on the door.
<El-Cideon> There's some grumbling from inside before the voice approaches coherence. "What is it? Someone ELSE needs to leave in the dead of night? Let a man sleep!"
<Nadia> He's not sleeping, he's drinking! But Nadia won't call him on it. "Open up, please," she requests in her own accented English. "We need to talk with you, sir."
<El-Cideon> There's a thump against the door, like he's thrown something at it, but he does relent. "It's not locked."
* Nadia opens the door up and steps inside, giving the Turk a charming smile. "We do not wish to take up much of your time," she assures him. "In fact, it is the others who left this night that have our interest."
<El-Cideon> Giving him a reason to complain further seems like just he wanted. "Oh yes, those Germans? Can't keep regular hours like any decent person. I wake up in the middle of the night to all this bustle out on the dock and see them loading up their ship. I go out, say 'Wait until morning, there are procedures.' What do they do? Point their guns at me and say mind my own business."
<Nadia> "That's the Germans for you," Nadia nods sympathetically, going to take a seat opposite him. "Such a harsh and miserable people they are."
<El-Cideon> "I know, I know!" He takes a long swig from the bottle. "Cannot wait for anyone else, the whole world has to work at their convenience! Pah."
<Nadia> "At least they're someone else's problem, now," Nadia offers on the upside. "Where were they sailing for, anyway?"
<El-Cideon> "They didn't want to tell me anything and I wasn't going to ask. Said go into my office and be silent until they leave. Well, now they are gone and I can talk again. I heard talk amongst them as I approached: ship going south, dropping men off at Palestine, bound for other places. Jerusalem, and some ruined city further south, near Saudi border. I don't know whay they want there, new people to point guns at maybe."
<El-Cideon> OOC: anyone with Knowledge: History can make a roll for that ruin he mentioned.
<Yomi> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+4 and gets 9."12 [1d20=5]
<Nadia> That matches what they were told by the soldiers. "It is the German way," Nadia nods agreeably. "Did they declare their manifest when they first docked, by any chance?"
<El-Cideon> "They did that much, at least. Just carrying steel, they said. Why they are so protective of simple metal, I do not know. For the same reason they point guns at people just doing their jobs: crazy, all of them."
<Nadia> "Probably lying, I'd wager," Nadia surmises as she stands up, reaching into her handbag for a twenty lira note and putting it on the table. "You've been a great help, take it as a token of my appreciation and go to bed," she suggests.
<El-Cideon> "Seeing such a lovely young woman after such an ordeal is reward enough," he says with a drunken smile. He pockets the money anyway, of course.
<Nadia> Naturally. Giving him one last smile, Nadia departs. Looks like they'll be heading for Palestine, next.
<Nadia> Once outside of the harbourmaster's hut, Nadia confers with her new colleagues. "We should make haste for Palestine before the trail goes cold," she suggests. "In the morning either by boat or aeroplane if we can find one to take us there."
<Yomi> "We should be able to track down that cliffside ruin once in Palestine, too," Yomi agrees. "If we happen to miss Elgin in Jerusalem."
<Nadia> "That is my hope," Nadia agrees. "Where are you two staying tonight?"
<Yomi> "Never had time to find lodgings," Yomi admits. "I just followed my lead as soon as I got here."
* Erin is unable to restrain a sudden yawn, and she abashedly covers her mouth as her tiredness catches up with her. "At this rate, I won't be rising until noon tomorrow," she laments, with a glance at her watch. "Ah, already we're making our travel arrangements as one. I'll see if I can't call Grace and see if she knows a thing or two about these ruins- ah, one of those smaller hotels-"
<Erin> "-the name escapes me. Something French."
<Nadia> "Why don't we reconvene tomorrow for a late breakfast?" Nadia suggests, giving them both the name and location of a nice place she found earlier in the day. "Then we can see about our travel arrangements. I think working together we can achieve our goals better than apart."
<Erin> "I couldn't agree more. Never mind the dangers inherent to travelling alone, but I believe we were fated to meet here," replies Erin. "There is a plan for us, even if it may be clouded and uncertain."
<Yomi> "Of that, I have no doubt," Yomi agrees, deciding to loiter about the city rather than trying to find a room to stay part of the night in.
<Nadia> "If you have not found a place to stay yet," Nadia regards Yomi, "You could share my room, if you like. It will only be for one night, after all."
<Yomi> Inclining her head, Yomi responds, "Thank you for your kind offer. I'll be in your care for tonight, then."
<Nadia> "Until tomorrow, then. Say half past eleven?" Nadia suggests to Erin.
<Erin> "Let's make it twelve- I need to make a call or two when I get up, and I'll do so before I leave my hotel," replies Erin. "Do you mind walking me back to my place, though? I think it's on the way, and the streets this late..."
<Nadia> "Of course. After tonight we can't be too careful," Nadia nods her head in agreement.
<El-Cideon> And so, you sleep soundly until morning. Nadia's quarters are cramped with two, but after an evening of chasing Nazis through the city, no one has any trouble falling asleep. You all meet at an outdoor cafe sometime after noon. The city's bustling and the surrounding tables are crowded with laborers on break.
* Yomi foregoes her coat this time around, clad in an outfit which bears a strong resemblance to a uniform worn at a private girls' academy, her wrapped bundle present at her side. "Finding a plane is first on our agenda, then?" she asks Nadia and Erin.
<Erin> "Good morning, morning! Tea, please," calls Erin, wearing an all-black ensemble, with bright silver buttons holding her shirt together- the incongruous hat remains, a shining rejection of flapper styles. "Well, I'd like to have my breakfast, but that would be our next destination." (more)
<Erin> "But since we have a few minutes, why don't we get to know each other better? Dark deeds at midnight don't make the best introductions, do they?"
* Nadia is happy to fill herself up on pilaf chased down with coffee as they have their lunch. "A plane if we can afford it, otherwise a boat, yes," she nods. Her own finances are quite stretched as it is, but the goal is worth a bit of austerity. "They do say that a person's true nature comes out in the dark," she adds with a hooded glance at Erin.
<Erin> "Do they? I say that people panic and don't know what they're doing, myself, and that it can hardly be a fair assessment," replies Erin, her viv a bit muted by that response.
* Nadia chuckles dryly and takes a sip at her coffee before going on. "Very well. As you know I am Nadia Chekova. I was born and grew up in Monaco, surrounded by rich dilettantes and gamblers, although my mother was originally from Russia until the revolution."
<Nadia> "While I may not have witchcraft, nor be quite as lethal as our friend Yomi, I don't think it's too conceited to say that I have my skills that will prove useful in our endeavours."
* Yomi is not particularly picky about her food, although she prefers tea along with it. "Having seen some of those skills last night, I can only agree to that," she voices. "Not to mention that you have a stake in this, and far be it from me to prevent you from going after that villain."
<El-Cideon> A waiter returns with your drinks in short order. The locals chatter on in their own language; a few other European visitors hold conversations in English or French. Mostly about economics or politics back in their home countries, or whatever business concerns brought them here; one couple discusses the murder of a local antiquarian that occurred late last night.
* Nadia frowns slightly as she overhears something of interest overlapping Yomi's appraisal, and turns her attention to the couple discussing last night's murder.
<Erin> "I must say, I hope that we need not rely on witchcraft or swordplay too much," admits Erin, likewise trailing off at the overheard snippit.
<El-Cideon> Apparently the man was a wealthy antiques dealer. He was found riddled with bullets in his own home. The couple then lapses into discussing the implications this has for the Istanbul citizenry's deplorable lack of morals, having exhausted what's known about the event.
<Nadia> "You remember those two women with the automatic guns we saw last night?" Nadia asks her two companions, drawing the obvious conclusion before her.
<Erin> Erin nods, a little slowly, and turns to the couple. "Excuse me," she comments, trying not to intrude into their conversation impolitely- "I couldn't help but overhear a, well, some ghastly news just now- did you happen to know the name of this antiquarian?"
<Yomi> "Those two soldiers mentioned that the others split up for various missions around the city," Yomi responds, nodding slightly. "That could have been the work of one of them."
<El-Cideon> They look annoyed to be interrupted, but slightly less so when they notice that it's another westerner doing the interrupting. "Oh, some local man," the male diner says dismissively. "Shot in his own home, his stock stolen. Grizzly work. No clue to indicate who did it. Some local gang, I'm sure."
<Nadia> "Perhaps this bears investigating?" Nadia muses. It might offer a clue if they can find out what was stolen.
<El-Cideon> "I think that's the police's job," the man says before turning back to his companion and resuming their conversation.
<Yomi> "A decent thought," Yomi says, lowering her voice. "We could ask the police. Money for information, a simple enough trade."
* Erin shrugs. "Then perhaps we should enquire with them," she muses, finishing off her tea. "If they stole many things, it would be hard to know what, specifically, they are after."
<Nadia> "A good way to cover their tracks," Nadia admits to Erin. "Especially if it was something not perhaps on public display."
<Yomi> "They had to have known of it to strike, so there must be rumors... and we could follow up on that."
<El-Cideon> OOC: feel free to roll GI if you're going to follow up on this
<Erin> "I would disagree," replies Erin. "The existence of the journal was not quite public knowledge, and I would guess the same of your Shishio or the Aurora."
<Nadia> "I only found out about it myself the very day it was stolen. Mother kept it very secret," Nadia nods.
<Yomi> "The Shishio was well known in the right circles," Yomi says with a shrug. "But maybe I'm drawing the wrong conclusions from this one example."
<Nadia> roll 1d20+10 GI on antiquities murder
* Hatbot --> "Nadia rolls 1d20+10 GI on antiquities murder and gets 25."12 [1d20=15]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+2 aid~
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+2 aid~ and gets 4."12 [1d20=2]
<Erin> roll 1d20+1 I can aid, but nobody likes me
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+1 I can aid, but nobody likes me and gets 13."12 [1d20=12]
<Nadia> After chatting up a young police officer and returning to her new allies, Nadia reports what she's learned.
<Nadia> "The dealer was known to have a collection of reliquaries that he refused to sell. From the sounds of it, he invited the killers in - no sign of forced entry and several unfinished cups of tea found at the scene. I'd surmise that they sought to purchase the items first, and murdered him when he refused."
<Yomi> "No sign of any dying message of sorts, either?"
<Nadia> "The policeman did not mention him writing his killer's name in his own blood as he breathed his last, no," Nadia returns in an amused tone.
* Yomi shrugs. "It was too much to hope that he would strive to make our lives easier with his dying breath, and write down exactly what was stolen."
<Nadia> "We know it was a reliquary of some sort, which makes sense if they're going to the Holy Land. If we knew which Saint then it might even help us tell exactly where their destination is, but sadly I could not find that out," the brunette shakes her head.
<Erin> "They'd prefer to approach with a trade, if they feel their target has any chance of reciprocating, then," surmises Erin. "We'd best make haste to the airport. There's no telling who they'll kill next in this insane quest."
<Nadia> "Lets go, then," Nadia nods, hefting her travel-bag that she brought with her when leaving the hotel in the morning, all set to leave Turkey and never return.
<El-Cideon> ----------------------