01. The Hounds of the Jagervilles

[Corwin]

<--->

[17:02] <Kallen> On the stroke of midnight, a tremendous howl thundered from within the depths of the stone-walled
 Valiance City Library. Snow blew away from the stony building as though propelled by some great force, and the lone
 vagrant who dwelt across the frozen street soon made haste for less portentious lodgings.
[17:02] <Kallen> Within the library's basement- the headquarters of the Winterwatch, that is- Handspan the Wizened all but
 danced upon his cluttered table. "They're he~re, they're he~re!" he said, chortling to himself, sending a dozen books
 plummeting to the dusty ground, leaving the snowy paperweights and abacuses without their wordier companions.
[17:02] <Kallen> A sight, was Handspan; his legs were of uncanny length, whereas his torso and head were comically small.
 He had no feet, only third and fourth hands on which to walk, with hairy backs. "Come on, you keepers of the
 winterwatch! There's work to be done, so work you shall do! Come down here at once!"
[17:05] * Phi comes down to Handspan, shivering from the cold. Perhaps this wasn't the best season to be wearing a
 t-shirt, but changing clothes took time.
[17:06] <Phi> 'I'm, um, hoping you have a job for me that involves staying indoors?'
[17:08] <Charlie> Old Uncle Charlie emerges from a side room, nodding wearily and swinging his joints.  "Well then.  Who's
 here, and what's the work?"
[17:08] * Ivy waits in the corner of the room in silence, musing that the reason for the outburst would become apparent
 without her prompting.
[17:10] <Kallen> "I was hoping you would show up in a timely fashion. Your promptness, however, is what I've come to
 expect from your generation," replies Handspan, pointing an accusatory finger. "You have no proper sense of time- ah,
 aha! It's spinning!" He points gleefully to a wooden compass on his desk. Indeed, an ivory needle is spinning within.
[17:10] <Kallen> "Another's coming, lads and lady! The clock lies not, that 'twas the howl of rage as another flees their
 Durance, it is!"
[17:12] <Phi> "Y-You mean, running from...them? That sounds, um, dangerous. Are you sure there isn't some sort of office
 work I could do instead? Balance the court accounts, or something like that?"
[17:13] <Phi> "Or surveillance! I could watch over those two from CCTV or something. Just not in person. That could be
 bad."
[17:15] * Charlie nods, and continues listening to Handspan in turn. "And the catch?"
[17:20] <Kallen>  "Pish posh! You're a hearty young lad, are y'not? Or will y'be telling the Mountain King you've no time
 to do your job, will you? You've got to go pick him up, for he's not out the hedge yet." The compass begins to slow it's
 spin. A nearby abacus suddenly stands up, ramrod straight, and the beads begin to move themselves.
[17:20] <Kallen> "Aye, somewhere to north... north north east... six miles..." The old Wizened peers at his implements.
 "Wassup that way, then..."
[17:21] <Phi> "N-No, sir! The Mountain King will hear no trouble from me, sir! ...Still, six miles? We aren't expected to
 walk that in this weather, right?"
[17:24] <Phi> "I...have a car, I suppose, but it's hardly the best-kept thing in the world. We'd probably manage four or
 five miles before something in it gave way."
[17:25] <Charlie> "Not even out yet?"  Charlie frowns momentarily.  "Not even out yet..."
[17:26] <Ivy> "That's already most of the way over, then, isn't it?" Ivy asks Phi, pushing off the wall to come closer.
 "And if he's not out, that just means he needs help. And that means we don't have much time to waste here before we are
 to leave."
[17:26] <Kallen> "Aye, very good. Fear not. Trust in your machine. Make sure your machine can trust you," replies
 Handspan, nodding emphatically. "Afraid not, Charlie. Who's to say he won't get out himself? Not I! The clock knows the
 time, though, and the compass knows the place. 'twas a breakout now, and we hear him screaming through the hedge to
 freedom! Screaming, friends! Y've got no time to talk-"
[17:27] <Kallen> "-to Handspan now! Perhaps he'll make it, perhaps not, perhaps he'll make it better with some firm hands
 to guide him, eh?"
[17:28] <Charlie> "Hm.  Right then.  Your car, Phi?  Don't worry, it'll be fine."
[17:28] <Phi> "A-Alright, let's go. I'm pretty sure we can fit three people in if we squeeze up enough..."
[17:28] <Ivy> "How about four?"
[17:29] <Phi> "We'll, um, have to see, I suppose."
[17:29] * Charlie smiles, speaking in time with Ivy. "We'll need room for four."
[17:30] <Phi> "I was sort of assuming I got the front to myself...I don't like people sitting next to me. It's awkward."
[17:30] * Phi sighs. "Alright, there's probably room for four. Let's go."
[17:33] * Phi runs out of the library to avoid getting caught in the snow, bringing his car to the front door from the
 parking lot. Actually, car may be too generous a word - metallic husk with wheels is probably more accurate.
[17:33] <Phi> "I'm hoping you don't mind the draft...if it's any comfort, I'm probably suffering from it worse than either
 of you."
[17:34] <Ivy> "It's not," Ivy assures him, fiddling with her seatbelt before giving up on the prospect.
[17:34] <Kallen> The sky is indeed coming down with a light, fluffy rain of snowflakes, making the streets almost slick
 enough to skate on. Handspan waves the motley off from the door, silently congratulating himself on his ability to
 delegate.
[17:37] * Charlie waves Handspan off as he walks to the car, kicking its tires once before getting in. "Nice ride, Phi.
 Relax, I'm sure nothing will go wrong here."
[17:38] <Charlie> (Using Minor Glamour of Repair, invoking catch since Charlie's never driven or owned this car,
 Wyrd+Craft go)
[17:38] <Charlie> 5d10
[17:38] * Hatbot --> "Charlie rolls 5d10 and gets 27." [5d10=8, 7, 1, 5, 6]
[17:40] <Kallen> Indeed, as Phi takes off in his mobile bomb, he finds the car to be trundling along in a somewhat-less
 stomach-churning method than usually; indeed, it functions without stalling even once as the changelings hurtle towards
 their destination! (More)
[17:41] <Phi> "Huh. Strange, all the rolls of duct tape in the world couldn't fix it up quite like that just did."
[17:46] <Kallen> A consultation with a roadmap reveals their target to be within the Valiance City Zoo. Former Zoo might
 be more appropriate; the former man in charge of city tourism was a staunch advocate of providing funding to prop up the
 once-delightly enclousure of animals. Since some scandal, however, he quit his position; apparently that was all it took
 for the powers that be to decide the money was better spent elsewhere.
[17:46] <Kallen> Despite waves of protest from local community groups, the animals were sold off and the facilities all
 but closed, making way for future redevelopment. But that time hasn't come yet- the zoo is now a lonely enclosure of
 empty cages.
[17:46] <Kallen> A tall fence of (iron? Steel?) surrounds the large premises; a large gate marks the public entrance, and
 just beyond it is a row of ticketing stations. A broad sign stands nearby- a cutesy-looking lion that smiles in
 greeting, with "Welcome to the Zoo!" written up his face, and some kind of graffiti written atop that- it looks vaugely
 like a hound.
[17:46] <Kallen> Curiously, whilst the main gate is locked and barred, a small side-door near the main ticketing office
 swings idly open.
[17:47] <Phi> "I nominate that someone else goes in first. I'll be here to, uh, watch over the car. It'd be a real
 disaster if we lost our means of escape, don't you agree?"
[17:49] <Ivy> "By all means, do stay," Ivy agrees, disembarking. "Stay here all alone and in the cold, where an obvious
 trap may well is being sprung."
[17:50] <Charlie> "Don't worry about the car, it'll be fine.  Just come on in, and relax."  Charlie's already heading for
 the side door, seemingly unconcerned.
[17:51] <Phi> "Gah...you have a good point." Phi reluctantly trails behind, nervously glancing around as he makes his way
 to the side door.
[17:53] <Kallen> A snore soon attracts Charlie's attention- glancing in the window of the ticketing office, he can see
 someone in a crumpled blue uniform, slumped over a table and fast asleep. Some white powder sits in a small plastic
 wrap, just by his nose, and the thirty-something guard's sleeping face seems of bemused contentment.
[17:55] <Kallen> Shortly beyond the office stands a large board, with a map of the zoo upon it; cartoonish figures depict
 the creatures that dwell within each zone. A few locations appear to be circled; the seal rink and the lion cages have
 big, purple ink stenciled around them, whereas the underground reptile enclousure has an angry, jagged red box enclosing
 it.
[17:56] * Charlie scrutinizes the map quietly for a bit, trying to remember the way to the marked areas at least.
[17:56] <Ivy> "We appear to have some competition, or this is a series of amusing coincidences?" Ivy voices, studying the
 pointed out locations.
[17:56] <Kallen> The zoo is not quite a maze, although in some cases it does try. It should be fairly straightforward to
 reach the main exhibits, though- the route is not hard, and in any case there appear to be signposts everywhere.
[17:57] <Phi> "I'd like to believe the latter, really...most likely, it's the ominous red box we want, isn't it?"
[17:57] <Kallen> One could pass by either lair marked purple en-route to the reptile enclosure, should they choose to.
[17:58] * Ivy places her hand on the map, tilting her head thoughtfully as she tries to perceive those locations in a
 different light.
[17:58] <Charlie> "Prob.  Sh."  Charlie backs out, minding the sleeping guard.
[17:58] <Ivy> roll 6d10 wits+wyrd+examining?
[17:58] * Hatbot --> "Ivy rolls 6d10 wits+wyrd+examining? and gets 28." [6d10=2, 9, 9, 4, 3, 1]
[18:00] <Kallen> After a few minutes of close inspection, Ivy is easily able to determine that the red box is the place
 where they would find a pre-existing gateway to the hedge.
[18:01] <Phi> "Well, seals seem a lot less threatening than lions...but is that what the Fae want us to think...?"
[18:01] <Ivy> "How cliche. The red box it is, is seems," she murmurs, her path clear to her.
[18:04] <Kallen> OOC: I'd like everyone to make a wits+composure check. Phi is at -1 die for this
[18:04] <Ivy> roll 6d10
[18:04] * Charlie grows grimmer. "I'm not liking this..."
[18:04] * Hatbot --> "Ivy rolls 6d10 and gets 33." [6d10=9, 4, 6, 9, 1, 4]
[18:04] <Charlie> 4d10
[18:04] * Hatbot --> "Charlie rolls 4d10 and gets 12." [4d10=1, 1, 5, 5]
[18:05] <Phi> roll 3d10 to not have a heart attack
[18:05] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 3d10 to not have a heart attack and gets 11." [3d10=2, 2, 7]
[18:08] <Kallen> The way to the enclosure is easy enough to remember, but it is still a decent walk. As the motley presses
 on, they pass by several vast cages, each one coated with a layer of snow- both on top of the bars and below. It
 decorates statues and fountains, an uncomfortable reminder of the former prison each changeling shared.
[18:08] <Kallen> One cage, however, is still inhabited.
[18:09] <Phi> "Hmm?"
[18:09] * Phi instinctively starts taking steps away from the cage, but peeks inside regardless.
[18:12] <Phi> "Ah...!"
[18:13] * Ivy stares, as if entranced.
[18:13] * Phi jerks his head around again, looking forward and refusing to make eye contact with the cage's contents. He
 mutters something along the lines of 'it's what they deserve...'
[18:14] * Charlie jerks away from the cage, grabbing Ivy and Phi and attempting to drag them away from it as well (though
 he's not strong enough to actually do more than tug their shirts, of course)
[18:16] <Ivy> A tug on her is all Ivy needs to remember what they're here to do, and she does not require further prodding
 to follow Charlie.
[18:16] <Phi> "Y-You don't need to tell me twice."
[18:18] <Charlie> "Hedge magic, or w- something.  Don't look at it, it's not real.  And keep your head up.  Y'figure that
 this isn't like the Winter Court much, right?"
[18:19] <Ivy> "Not real?" Ivy asks Charlie, throwing a glance back at the cage.
[18:19] <Phi> Phi grimaces. "I...I dunno how much of this I can take." One hand starts to reach for his glasses,
 trembling...
[18:21] <Charlie> "Just a bit of fear, plucking out what you least want to see.  Oldest trick in the book.  We'd probably
 laugh at what the others saw, eh?  Don't worry, Phi, it's not gonna jump out at you."
[18:22] <Phi> "It's not real, it's not real, it's not real..."
[18:22] <Kallen> roll 2d10
[18:22] * Hatbot --> "Kallen rolls 2d10 and gets 4." [2d10=1, 3]
[18:22] <Kallen> OOC: Proceed
[18:23] * Phi is almost running now, desperately trying to make distance between himself and the cage.
[18:24] * Ivy follows sedately. She briefly considers taking the lead, but discards the idea if it requires strenuous
 physical activity.
[18:24] <Kallen> Phi's frantic footsteps soon take him around a bend, and he can no longer perceive the cage.
[18:24] <Kallen> A loud whoop echoes from somewhere else within the zoo, clearly audiable to all.
[18:24] <Kallen> Shortly thereafter, the reptile enclosure comes into view; a squat, rectangular building that barely
 rises above the earth. A descending staircase pushes into the ground, but a sturdy-seeming door blocks further access to
 the subterranean realm. As with all things here, the entrance is framed with snow, which gathers in small piles all
 around.
[18:25] <Phi> "Haah...sorry. I overdid it. You mind leading the way...?"
[18:25] * Phi goes to open the door for the other two to enter.
[18:26] <Kallen> The door is locked!
[18:26] * Charlie nods and steps in front, pausing to flash Phi a glimpse of a holster and pat him on the back. "It'll be
 okay, just as long as we... get through this door? Hmm."
[18:26] <Phi> "...Or not."
[18:28] <Ivy> "Our first obstacle, this door? Will it have made a fearsome enemy in us today?" Ivy muses, looking for an
 alternate means of entering the building.
[18:28] <Phi> "If you come up with anything that doesn't involve digging our way in, I'm all ears."
[18:28] * Charlie sighs, pulls out a few metallic trinkets from his pocket and starts rummaging with the door handle.
[18:29] <Kallen> There are small windows, Ivy perceives, quite low to the ground- it would be a trick for someone to get
 through, although not entirely out of the question.
[18:29] <Kallen> OOC: Larceny+dexterity check?
[18:29] <Charlie> OOC: Dex+Larceny for lockpicking, extended action, god knows how many successes needed?
[18:30] <Charlie> 7d10
[18:30] * Hatbot --> "Charlie rolls 7d10 and gets 43." [7d10=7, 9, 7, 6, 10, 3, 1]
[18:31] <Kallen> The lock is a rather simple thing to bypass; Charlie finds it practically sliding away at his whim. The
 door creaks open, revealing a tunnel of absolute blackness. The overhead lighting from the streetlamps above does not
 penetrate past the door.
[18:32] <Phi> "That'll do. You first, old man."
[18:32] <Ivy> "Ah, so it was a disappointment in the end." Giving the door a sad look, Ivy steps into the darkness,
 abandoning her perusal of the windows.
[18:33] <Charlie> "Pulling a guy straight out of the hedge, you know, pretty dramatic, eh?  Not the usual style for this
 time of year."  A bit of spring is evident in Charlie's step as he enters.
[18:35] * Phi stumbles into the room, more than once nearly tripping on some discarded stone or unseen bump. "Gah, can't
 make out a thing in here...lemme just give us a little light."
[18:35] <Kallen> It is quite dark inside, Charlie finds. So dark, he cannot see- although he can feel with his hands, and
 what he feels is a wall that curves inwards.
[18:36] * Phi steps back outside to one of the streetlights and punches at it...
[18:36] <Phi> (Armor of the Elements' Fury, invoking catch, Dex+Wyrd.)
[18:36] <Kallen> OOC: Roll yon dice, invoker of wyrd magicks
[18:36] <Phi> roll 5d10 for LIGHTNING MAN
[18:36] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 5d10 for LIGHTNING MAN and gets 30." [5d10=3, 1, 10, 7, 9]
[18:37] <Kallen> It takes two strong blows to convince the electricity within the streetlamp to avail itself to Phi's
 purposes, but once properly compelled, it joins to his body in an instant!
[18:38] * Phi walks back into the tunnel, wincing as he clutches the hand he punched with. "Guess my typing's gonna be a
 little slow tonight..."
[18:38] <Charlie> "And I shouldn't have to point it out, but someone marked those cages out for us, and probably drugged
 the guard too.  Perhaps it's a nice helper got here ahead of time!"
[18:39] <Phi> "I was a lot happier when I had forgotten about that."
[18:39] <Ivy> "And we will forget about them again soon enough, no doubt."
[18:40] <Kallen> The tunnel is a narrow affair. Glancing at the ground, one could see that presently inoperative conveyer
 belts are supposed to carry the punters around for a tour of the captive pets. Glass cases hold empty environments, some
 containing ponds, others simply rocks, and others minute forests. Just below each frame is a small description of
 whatever creature was supposed to inhabit within.
[18:41] <Phi> "So. We're looking for whatever gateway this guy is going to come out of, right?"
[18:42] <Ivy> "Or for the way in to help him out. I don't suppose you see one?"
[18:44] * Phi takes a glance around, though this isn't his specialty. Honestly, nothing physical really qualifies as a
 specialty to him beyond getting out of trouble fast.
[18:44] <Kallen> Further towards the back of the room, the motley finds one of the larger glass cases to be reflective,
 rather than transparent; a greatly enlarged vision of their own faces gazes back, peering at them with unblinking eyes.
[18:45] <Phi> "...Always that little bit disturbing, isn't it."
[18:46] <Ivy> "And our best bet, at the same time," Ivy responds, following the tunnel further down.
[18:46] * Charlie stands in front of that case a moment, contemplating.
[18:47] <Charlie> "We could get in here, you two up for a little adventure?"
[18:47] * Phi gulps as he makes his way towards the case. "Can I assume I don't have a choice in the matter?"
[18:48] <Ivy> "A fair enough assumption," Ivy voices, placing her hand on the reflective surface. "I'll see you two on the
 other side?"
[18:49] <Phi> "Unfortunately..."
[18:49] <Charlie> "Well, we could go on and look for a better spot.  But where's the fun in that!"
[18:50] * Charlie breathes deep, swings his arms around both his companions, aaaand... action!
[18:51] <Phi> "Hey, gimme a warning first-!"
[18:52] * Phi is taken by surprise and pulled in alongside him...
[18:52] <Kallen> The mirror shimmers at Ivy's touch- a hairline crack appears down the middle, and it loses it's
 transparency. As the motley hustles through, the world around them loses focus- but only for an instant.
[18:52] <Kallen> When the nausea and the pricking sensation pass, one might turn their head- they would see behind them
 the reptile causeway, greatly enlarged, as though someone was meant to pass through it and stare down at them. Oversized
 ferns crowd all around them, seemingly too dense to pass through save in one direction. (More)
[18:54] <Kallen> "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" Three light voices come from somewhere ahead, sounding like the youngest schoolgirls; a
 black shadow dashes just beyond the motley's line of sight; a moment later, a horde of similar tears after it. Three
 lights trail afterwards; one blue, one yellow, and one red.
[18:55] * Phi feels the mask dropping as he enters the hedge; his hair stands up slightly, the thundercloud on his shirt
 grows darker, and his veins grow thicker, almost wire-like.
[18:55] <Kallen> "He's still going! He'll get away!" "That weakling will definately tire!" "They'll go in circles, never
 being caught, never getting away!"
[18:55] <Phi> "...Three on three? That seems like bad odds..."
[18:56] <Kallen> "Visitors! I heard visitors!" "Hmph, from the monochrome world?" "Should we say hello? Or goodbye!"
[18:57] * Phi suddenly clasps his hands around his mouth, regretting opening it so recklessly...
[18:59] <Ivy> "I favor saying hello," Ivy states, gesturing in the direction the black shadow fled. "We've come this far
 to pick him up. Let's get to it?"
[19:00] * Phi nods silently. Honestly, he'd rather just turn around and run to the hills, but he tries to put on a brave
 face. He fails.
[19:00] * Charlie shrugs and proceeds forward. "Hello!"
[19:00] <Kallen> "Hello! Hello, hello! It's the dollmaker!" "We were outdone. They took the initiative." "This isn't
 chess. The one who goes second isn't disadvantaged."
[19:01] <Kallen> "Are you coming back? I miss your toys!"
[19:02] <Kallen> The glowing lights bob a little closer, hovering only a few meters away from the motley.
[19:02] <Phi> "...Uh...should we hang around here...? He's getting away..."
[19:03] <Kallen> "He'll come back!" "The fool is going in circles." "Can't get out for as long as he's chased!"
[19:03] <Charlie> "Oh, hello there, quite!" Charlie waves, a larger than real grin plastered on his face.  "Seems you've
 found a new toy, then?"
[19:03] * Phi looks down in the direction of the shadow, really just desperate to get as far away from the eerie talking
 lights as soon as possible.
[19:03] <Phi> "Wait. Old man, you know these things?"
[19:04] <Ivy> "You've chased your target long enough. We can take over from here," Ivy tells the glowing lights, staying
 alert in case the one they're here to find does pass through once more.
[19:05] <Kallen> "We're not chasing!" "We're watching. The Jager's hounds chase." "The Jager is angry, yes he is!"
[19:07] <Phi> "That's, um...bad." Phi is too busy quaking in his boots to spend time coming up with intelligent synonyms.
[19:07] <Phi> "Well...when will you let him out?"
[19:08] * Charlie is quiet for a moment, thinking and watching Phi and Ivy.
[19:09] <Kallen> "We're not doing anything! We're just watching!" "The Reine laughs when we laugh." "Around and around,
 circles and circles, loop de loop!" The sound of feet against the ground comes once again, and the braying of a hound
 pierces the sky.
[19:09] <Kallen> OOC: Gah
[19:09] <Kallen> The sound of feet against the ground comes once again, and the braying of a hound pierces the sky.
[19:10] <Ivy> "We have our audience, and the stage is set," Ivy voices, stepping forward. "All we have to do is stop the
 hound, and then the other can leave with us."
[19:11] <Phi> "O-Over here!" Phi does the only thing that comes to mind, and calls out to whoever it is that's running.
[19:12] <Kallen> Stepping forward, Ivy's able to get a better look at the hound when it abruptly dashes past; it's a
 hulking, black-furred creature, but for a moment, she's sure it has a man's face. The others following it lack any such
 human qualities; the pack of vicious hounds are only snarling, slavering beasts, with elongated necks and fangs dripping
 with viscous saliva.
[19:13] <Charlie> "Oh, just watching?  Not playing?  Seems a bit of a shame, that, it's a nice pack of puppies."
[19:15] <Phi> "You make it sound like getting caught is a bad idea...you scare me sometimes, old man."
[19:16] <Kallen> "It's not our problem if the runner runs away! We hope it does!" "We won't act against the Jager
 directly." "Stop them with your hands? Rip, tear, tear, rip!"
[19:16] <Phi> OOC: Gah, I meant isn't.
[19:18] * Ivy decides to stop watching, picking a moment where the trailing dogs are about to turn and inflicting the one
 leading them with a curse to its agility. Even if it does not stumble and fall, a pause is all that she hopes would be
 needed to have the others ram into it in a giant pileup.
[19:19] <Charlie> "True, true.  But you won't tell him we were here, of course?"
[19:20] <Kallen> "We won't tell! Won't tell!" "But we must tell the Reine, of course." "You've grown so much! She'll be so
 happy!"
[19:20] <Kallen> roll 3d10
[19:20] * Hatbot --> "Kallen rolls 3d10 and gets 21." [3d10=8, 10, 3]
[19:21] <Kallen> The hound doesn't seem to stumble in the brief glimpse Ivy gets of it as it tears past the slight gap in
 the hedge.
[19:22] <Phi> "...Oh." Phi physically deflates after getting his hopes up that Ivy could end this without unnecessary
 bloodshed (i.e. his own).
[19:23] <Ivy> Undeterred, Ivy attempts to do this to the next hound in the group, ready to call to the one being chased in
 the case of success!
[19:23] <Kallen> roll 3d10
[19:23] * Hatbot --> "Kallen rolls 3d10 and gets 15." [3d10=5, 6, 4]
[19:23] <Charlie> "Oh, must you really?  Tell you what, I can give you a nice little toy if we can keep this our little
 secret.  I'm sure she won't mind!"
[19:25] <Kallen> The lead hound stumbles, sprawling into the dirt as it loses it's footing, tumbling end over end- but the
 other hounds continue their pursuit, adroitly evading their packmate's spill! Bereft of it's pack, the sprawled hound is
 suddenly jerked back, as if bound by an invisible leash- it is hauled, whining, into the darkness of the hedge.
[19:26] <Ivy> "To me!" Ivy calls out to the hounds with the features of a man, extending her hand towards it as her wavy
 hair floats about her. "Freedom awaits!"
[19:26] <Kallen> "Presents, presents!" "It's a trick.. but.. an enticing trick." "There are no more dolls, though. No
 more..."
[19:26] <Phi> "...Nothing ever seems to go right for us, does it...?"
[19:27] <Kallen> The hound doesn't seem able to hear Ivy as it tears past, in rampant fear! OOC: Make an occult+int check,
 Ivy?
[19:27] <Ivy> roll 5d10
[19:27] * Hatbot --> "Ivy rolls 5d10 and gets 20." [5d10=3, 1, 3, 8, 5]
[19:32] * Charlie glances back and forth between the lights and the hounds. "It so happens that I do have a little doll
 with me! I coooould give it to some nice children... but only if they promised not to tell the Reine about anything that
 happened here. It would have to be our little secret. No tricks, though, I promise - as long as you never push on the
 doll's chest, whatever you do. Hmm?"
[19:32] <Kallen> "
[19:34] <Kallen> "Never push?" "It's a forbiddance..." "Yes, yes! This chase will bore us, but a toy is always grand!"
[19:38] * Ivy steps fully into the path, spreading her arms wide and blocking it with her body. There is no way to
 proceed, none whatsoever... except if one dodges to the right, where she came from, to escape the chasing hounds. She
 may not cut an indimating figure, but if only she could manage to lock her gaze with the chased man-beast, if only for a
 second....
[19:39] <Kallen> OOC: Uh.. roll intimidate+presence!
[19:39] <Phi> "H-Hey! Are you sure that's a good idea?!"
[19:39] <Ivy> roll 5d10 save me, my specialty!
[19:39] * Hatbot --> "Ivy rolls 5d10 save me, my specialty! and gets 44." [5d10=8, 6, 10, 10, 10]
[19:40] <Kallen> OOC: You get to reroll 10s, yes
[19:40] <Ivy> roll 3d10
[19:40] * Hatbot --> "Ivy rolls 3d10 and gets 15." [3d10=5, 8, 2]
[19:40] <Kallen> roll 4d10
[19:40] * Hatbot --> "Kallen rolls 4d10 and gets 25." [4d10=9, 3, 8, 5]
[19:41] * Charlie indeed produces a figurine from his pocket - humanish, but not quite ever mistakable for a human, and
 clearly of exceptional design with its looping hair-twirls and odd fingers. "Always grand, indeed! A bargain, then,
 dears?"
[19:43] <Kallen> The hunted Beast sprawls to the side before Ivy's imperious glare! Thorny roses seem to spring up before
 her feet, and the chased beast howls for a moment, before dashing to the right. "Oh no!" "It's loose!" "Dodge,
 dollmaker!" Ivy is treated to the sight, however, of the remaining hounds bearing down straight for her!
[19:43] <Kallen> Ivy is treated to the sight, however, of the remaining hounds bearing down straight for her!
[19:43] <Phi> "W-Watch out!"
[19:44] * Phi jumps out to try and push Ivy out of the way of the incoming hounds!
[19:44] <Kallen> OOC: Make an athletics+strength check, Phi?
[19:44] <Phi> OOC: Uh. I didn't think this far ahead.
[19:45] <Phi> roll 3d10
[19:45] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 3d10 and gets 21." [3d10=9, 6, 6]
[19:46] <Kallen> A human-shaped ball of sparking lightning tackles Ivy into the ground; the rampaging hounds rush straight
 past the entangled couple, before skidding to a halt and starting to wheel around!
[19:47] <Kallen> "We'll take it!"
[19:47] <Kallen> "We won't tell!" "You're too kind!"
[19:47] <Phi> "Sorry, but I think that's our opening to run!" Phi gets up as fast as he can and starts running in the
 direction of the fleeing beast!
[19:48] <Ivy> "It's out!" Ivy exclaims, climbing to her feet. All they have to do now is escape, and she follows Phi!
[19:48] <Charlie> "Excellent!  Here you are, now, run along and have lots of fun with it!"  Charlie gently but very
 quickly presses the doll towards the lights before booking it with the others!
[19:49] <Kallen> OOC: Phi, Ivy, make dex+athletics checks, if you will?
[19:49] <Ivy> roll 3d10
[19:49] * Hatbot --> "Ivy rolls 3d10 and gets 9." [3d10=6, 1, 2]
[19:49] <Phi> roll 3d10 for RUN LIKE THE WIND
[19:49] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 3d10 for RUN LIKE THE WIND and gets 16." [3d10=10, 1, 5]
[19:49] <Phi> roll 1d10
[19:49] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 1d10 and gets 7." [1d10=7]
[19:51] <Kallen> Phi is able to to pick himself up, but Ivy snags her foot on an upturned root, and staggeres in the
 hedge's leafy embrace! The hounds run roughshod over her as they tear back towards their escaping prey, who lunges
 towards the mirror!
[19:51] <Kallen> roll 5d10
[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kallen rolls 5d10 and gets 29." [5d10=8, 10, 3, 1, 7]
[19:51] <Kallen> OOC: Ivy takes two points of bashing damage here
[19:53] * Phi follows the beast, both because he wants to catch it and because he wants to stay as far away from the
 chasing hounds as possible...!
[19:53] * Charlie runs/helps run/interposes himself in the chaos as best he can!
[19:55] <Kallen> The beast plunges through the mirror, as do Phi and Charlie, landing themselves in a messy heap upon the
 opposite side! Ivy is left within the hedge, with a choice between trying to push through the braying hounds- who bark
 and bite and the mirror, but do not pass through- or trying something else. "He got away!" "But, is there new prey?" "If
 they don't see her, they don't see!"
[19:56] <Phi> "Ow, ow, ow...get away from me, old man, I'm not into that..."
[19:57] * Charlie quickly disentagles himself from Phi and cautiously approaches the Beast...
[19:59] <Kallen> It no longer appears- entirely- to be a beast. A shaggy, fur-lined man lies in a heap at the bottom of
 the mirror (it's a good thing he has fur, since he otherwise appears naked). A snout pokes out from his nose, and his
 hands and feet are of the deepest black, ending in savage claws. "MY NAME IS ALAN MARDUK!" he pronounces, with an
 accompanying roar.
[19:59] <Ivy> Battered, Ivy climbs to her feet and spends a moment debating to head further into the hedge. She decides to
 chance it, however, and takes off towards the mirror!
[20:00] <Ivy> roll 3d10
[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Ivy rolls 3d10 and gets 11." [3d10=1, 8, 2]
[20:00] <Kallen> OOC: You should totally have spent willpower! Luckily you're okay.
[20:00] <Kallen> The man's deafening shout is rendered somewhat comical, however, as Ivy vaults over the top of the
 barking dogs and sends the pile of changelings tumbling about once again.

<--->