<Storyteller> Washington Park-The battle is going evenly, with casualties across the
board. Anaceron Mateo is slashing his way across the battlefield.
<Storyteller> He's making his way towards the horseman, the one they call, Scar.
* Mateo gains closer and closer till finally he is nearly upon him.
* Mateo lifts his gladius and shouts to Scar.
<Storyteller> Scar turns his horse about and smiles underneath his mask at this old
man waving a sword at him. Scar charges him.
* Mateo slashes his sword knocking the strange gun out of Scar's hand, and in one
smooth motion grabs Scar and hauls him off his horse.
<Storyteller> Scar falls and rolls to his feet, "Good! Finally a true fight."
<Storyteller> The two meet and swords begin to flash, parrying, slashing, the two
seems equal opponents.
<Storyteller> Scar swings his foot out and catches Mateo off guard tripping him,
Mateo holds his sword up, only to watch Scar slash at his hand slicing it clean
off of him.
<Storyteller> Mateo pulls his other hand from behind him and fires his gun straight
into Scar's belly.
<Storyteller> Scar falls onto his back, and Mateo jumps trying to impale him upon
his other gladius.
<Storyteller> He misses, Scar doesn't...
<Storyteller> In the Hierarchy compound, the 82nd Cohort is searching for the kennels.
* IronJohn looks for the barghests
* Hans helps look for the barghests.
<Storyteller> You find the kennels, its a long row of soulforged cages inside each
is a large dog like creature
* William walks with the legionaires
* Daniel walks at a distance from the group, keeping alert for anything...wierd
<Hans> "Now what?"
* Barghestmaster notices you all eyeing his animals
<Barghestmaster> "Looking for something in particular?"
<IronJohn> "We are looking for a tracker."
* Barghestmaster rubs his chin, "Hmmmm..."
* Barghestmaster walks down the line and looks at each of his animals
* Barghestmaster stops at one
<Barghestmaster> "This is Shadow. He's the best tracker I have. Trained him myself."
<IronJohn> "Arrr...and a fine hound he be." Says John
<Barghestmaster> You look into the cage, and see a large dog like animal, it's glowing
green eyes look back to you intelligently.
* Daniel looks at the beast, memorizing every detail
<Storyteller> The barghest is larger than any dog you have ever seen, nearly twice
the size of a St.Bernard.
* Daniel grins. "I'm sure he will do quite nicely..."
<Barghestmaster> "He's ten oboli."
* Hans is amazed at the size of the beast.
<IronJohn> "Trade for some crystals?"
* IronJohn brings out a few smoky crystals
* Barghestmaster looks at them and nods
<Barghestmaster> "Ok."
* IronJohn hands them to him
* Barghestmaster takes the crystals and walks over to the counter. He grabs a huge
chained leesh.
<Barghestmaster> "Who's going to be the handler?"
* IronJohn looks to the others
<Hans> "I'm not good with animals." he says with a sheepish grin.
* Barghestmaster points over to an itallian looking man, "He with you?"
* Daniel looks at the italian and scowls
* IronJohn looks in the mans direction "Well are you?"
* Angelo looks up.
<Angelo> "I suppose I am."
* Angelo smiles toothily.
<Angelo> "My apologies for not introducing myself. Angelo Scarpacci."
<Barghestmaster> "So are you this animals handler?"
* Hans looks at Angelo.
* Angelo looks thoughtful for a moment.
<IronJohn> "Daniel here will take the dog." Says John with a smile
* William looks at Angelo for a few moments
* Angelo nods. "Good, cause I wouldn't know where to begin. My business is people,
not animals."
* Daniel looks over at John. "If it is your wish."
<IronJohn> "Only if you want to."
<Daniel> "I would be honoured to handle such a fine animal. Nobles have kept beasts
since the dawn of time. Why should I be different?"
* Barghestmaster nods and walks over to Daniel
<Barghestmaster> "Lemme see your hand."
* Daniel holds out his hand
* Barghestmaster takes his hand
<Barghestmaster> "This may hurt abit, but once it's done, Shadow will answer to you."
* Angelo adjusts his jacket slightly, and watches with interest.
<Daniel> "Excellent. Do it."
* IronJohn watches
* Barghestmaster takes out the leesh, you can see the handle of the leesh is covered
with sharp spikes, he puts it into your hand and closes your fist around it.
* Daniel grits his teeth and winces in pain
<Storyteller> The pain is excruciating, and it lasts for just a second or two.
* Barghestmaster lets go of your hand, and the leesh stays there
* Daniel runs a mantra through his head. 'I will not cry out. I will not show
weakness. That is not the way of the noble.'
<Barghestmaster> "Now everytime you pick up the leesh, that won't happen. Just the
first. Now this leesh only works for one handler at a time. Try not to change
handlers too often, you'll confuse the animal, and he may get out of control."
<Daniel> "I shall try to be the only handler."
* Barghestmaster opens the cage and puts on the leesh
<Storyteller> Shadow walks calmly out of the cage and looks at Daniel...
<Daniel> "Come, Shadow. We have much work to do."
<Barghestmaster> "You take good care of him, he's a good animal."
<Daniel> "I shall, Barghest Master. Thank you for such a fine beast."
* Remy turns to Angelo, "You're not with any other Cohort are you?"
* Angelo shakes his head.
<Angelo> "I've been waiting for an opportunity."
* Remy turns to the others
* Angelo smiles warmly.
<Remy> "We could use all the help we can get right now."
<Hans> "Especially with Brianna gone."
* Angelo chuckles slightly. "If that was an invitation, I'm glad to accept. You
seem like good upstanding people."
* Remy nods
<Angelo> "And one can never surround himself with too many upstanding people."
<IronJohn> "You don't know us yet," Says John with a bellowing laugh
<Remy> "Then it's done. I'm Remy, of the Legion of Fate."
<Angelo> "Angelo, of the Grim Legion. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
* Angelo extends his hand.
* IronJohn walks over and extands his hand "Captian Iron John of the Grim Legion."
* Angelo shakes and smiles disarmingly. "A pleasure, captain."
<IronJohn> "Likewise."
* Hans extends his hand in greeting "Hans of the Grim Legion."
* Angelo is a tallish Italian man in a finely-tailored suit, with a crimson tie and
matching handkerchief.
<Storyteller> {Angelo-These people will betray you, they all betray you. I'm your
only friend.}
<Angelo> (Don't start with me. I've got your number, Shadow.)
* Angelo shakes Hans' hand, as well. He has a hearty grip.
<Storyteller> Shadow is sitting calmly by Daniel's feet. He nearly comes up to
Daniel's shoulder.
* Daniel looks at the newcomer. "Daniel Connelly ap Gwydion."
* Remy smiles
* Angelo nods and gives Daniel and the barghest an interested look.
<Angelo> "What exactly are we tracking with that thing?"
<Remy> "Our friend, Brianna, she was kidnapped."
* William is a man who was in his early to mid 30's. He's dressed in a tunic of
fine-linked chainmail, a white cloak, brown boots, and gray trousers. He is also
wearing a white tabbard with a red cross and a pair of black gauntlets. At his
belt is a large broadsword in its scabbard. He has..a strong presence. You can't
put your finger on it, but it's warm and good.
* William extends his hand to Angelo, "Greetings sir."
<Remy> "I think we should get started."
* Daniel has long, straight white hair, his eyes are like pools of darkness on his
face, and his skin is the colour of freshly fallen snow. His ears are noticaeably
long and pointed, but instead of making him look odd, it enhances his innate
beauty. He wears a long trenchcoat, the colour of which could only be described
as midnight black. He wears an ornate longsword made of a metal that seems to
radiate darkness strapped to his waist, and his scabbard has intricate markings.
* IronJohn is a large imposing man with a huge beard and a bald head. He is dressed
in the manner of a 16th century pirate. Sprouting from his back are a pair of
wings that look like they are made from tattered sailcloth.
<Daniel> "Then let us depart."
* Angelo shakes hands with William. "A good Catholic boy, I trust?" he says with a
smile in his eyes.
* William smiles and nods.
* Daniel departs the barghest pens
* Remy walks out of the kennels
* Hans is a tall, blond haired. blue eyed man in his late thirties. He is wearing
a Grim Legion uniform and is carrying two pistols by his side. As you look at
him, you notice he has a sad look in his eyes, as if he had done something in his
past that was very tragic.
<Remy> "Well do when have anything of Brianna's for Shadow to track with?"
* Angelo places his hand inside his jacket, looks to be reassuring himself of
something, then follows the others.
<IronJohn> "Not I...anyone else have anything?"
* Remy shakes his head
* William shakes his head
<Daniel> "Nothing."
* Remy snaps his fingers. "Her cabin at the Ulysses!"
<IronJohn> "Ey."
<Remy> "There must be something there."
* Angelo takes this all in stride, observing and trying to absorb and assimilate as
much information as he can from the conversation.
* Daniel starts walking towards the harbour. "Come, Shadow."
* Remy heads to the ship.
* Remy looks to IronJohn
* Hans follows Remy
<Remy> "I wonder how far along Simon is on the ship."
* Angelo walks in the midst of the others, flexing and loosening the muscles in his
back as he cracks his knuckles.
<Storyteller> You make your way to the harbor. It's not a very long walk, as you draw
closer you can hear the sounds of soulforging.
* Daniel remains silent, occasionally looking back at the barghest
<Storyteller> Shadow follows
<Storyteller> As you round the corner, you can see it.
* IronJohn looks upon his ship
<Storyteller> The Ulysses is begining to look like it's old self again. There is a
large battering ram now, on the front of the ship.
* Daniel mutters "What they need is a nocker or two..."
* Angelo looks at the boat. "Boy, they really used to make 'em."
<Simon> "Captian on deck!!!"
<IronJohn> "Ey that ship has been knocked on enough lad."
* IronJohn walks up the plank
* Daniel looks at John funny
<Storyteller> The crew all stand at attention as you walk up the down plank
* William remains on the pier
<IronJohn> "At ease men."
<Storyteller> The men stand at ease
<IronJohn> "A right fine job ye be doin here men!"
<Simon> "Thank you sir!"
* Simon smiles
<IronJohn> "I am impressed!"
* Hans waits with William on the pier.
<Simon> "Thanks, we had a bit of trouble with the ram, but we finally worked it
out."
* IronJohn motions for the others to join him
* Daniel walks up the plank to stand on the deck, apart from the others
<IronJohn> "That'll put a hole in any of them bastard spectre ships."
* Angelo lags behind a bit, taking in the ship, and then joins IronJohn on deck.
<Simon> "What brings you here today, cap'n?"
<IronJohn> "We need to get a few things from the ship Simon."
* Hans walks up the plank.
<IronJohn> "That and I wanted to see the progress on the ship."
* Simon nods
<Friday> "So ahh where is Brianna?"
<IronJohn> "That is why we are here."
* Friday nods
* Remy looks at Daniel
<Remy> "I'll go get something of hers." he says as he walks into her cabin
* Remy walks out a few moments later, holding a soulforged rose
<Remy> "This is hers."
* Remy hands it to Daniel.
* Daniel puts the rose in front of Shadow
<Daniel> "Shadow, get the scent."
<Storyteller> Shadow sniffs it, and then looks back up to you. he then begins to
want to walk towards the city.
* Daniel takes up the rose again
* Remy nods
<Daniel> "Shadow has the scent."
* Remy puts back the rose and rejoins you
* Daniel follows Shadow
<Remy> "Let's go."
<IronJohn> "Keep up the great work men!"
* IronJohn is the last off the ship
<Storyteller> You make your way down the plank, and head into the city
* Remy pulls out his weapon
<Remy> "Just in case."
* Angelo reaches into his jacket again, and looks energized at the prospect of a
fight.
* Hans stays aware of all that is around the group.
* Remy looks to the others
* Daniel draws Nocturne. "Wise advice, Remy."
<Remy> "Any ideas of what to do, if we find her?"
* IronJohn gets out his pistol
<Hans> "Aside from rescueing her and getting her back safely?"
* William walks with the group, keeping an eye out for danger
<IronJohn> "Yeah slaughter the bastards that have her."
* Angelo withdraws his gladius and twirls it in his hand.
* Hans gets out one of his pistols.
* Remy nods
<Remy> "Sounds good."
<Storyteller> After what seems like two hours of walking, Shadow suddenly stops.
* Daniel looks at Shadow
* Hans stops and looks around.
* IronJohn looks
<Storyteller> Shadow crouches low and growls at the slum building across the street
* Angelo licks his lips.
<Daniel> "I think, dear companions, that Brianna lies within yonder building."
* Remy gets out of sight
<Remy> "Alright, let's be careful, we've lost enough friends."
* William nods
<Remy> "Ready?"
* William draws his sword
<Daniel> "I refuse to be defeated by some semi-sentient beings from the nether
realms."
* Daniel tightens his grip on Nocturne. "Ready."
<IronJohn> "Ey."
* Angelo flexes his free hand, and looks ten years younger, full of energy.
* Remy runs across the street
* IronJohn takes to the air
* Remy stops as he gets in the shadows,
* Daniel runs after Remy
* Angelo follows, spoiling for a fight.
* Remy cocks his gun
* Hans uses Argos to blink closer to the building.
<Remy> "On three."
* William moves across the street, his two-handed broadsword gleaming
* Angelo glances over his shoulder and back, an almost predatory gleam in his eye.
<Storyteller> You get closer to the building
* William hides
<Remy> "One,"
* Daniel tenses
* Hans cocks his pistol quietly.
<Remy> "Two....three!", rushes through the building wall
* Hans rushes in firing on any Spectres.
* William charges in
* Angelo follows, half a beat behind, gladius poised to strike.
* Daniel runs through the door, shouting an ancient Sidhe war cry
* IronJohn swoops in
<Storyteller> You all rush into the building, you bring your weapons to bear, but
nothing opposes you. The building is empty.
<Storyteller> Shadow walks over to the shadows and sits, there on the ground, is
Brianna's gladius.
<William> "They must have moved her."
* Angelo glares around himself, obviously a little disappointed.
<Daniel> "Aye, but why would Shadow get upset over this building?"
<William> "They may have entered the Tempest from here."
* Remy picks up the gladius
<Remy> "Let me try to get a reading."
<Angelo> "It's fishy. Could she have just dropped that without her kidnappers
noticing, or did someone plant that?"
* Remy concentrates on the weapon his eyes glaze over, and his Fatalism marks begin
to writhe.
* Remy opens his eyes
* Remy shakes his head
<Remy> "They aren't in the Tempest. They left it here. They knew we were coming."
* William frowns.
* Hans looks around for any danger.
* Daniel looks around
<Angelo> "Then why not wait in ambush for us, if they knew we were coming and had
time to prepare?"
* William flips his sword point down and kneels
<Storyteller> The building is abandoned, except for a few squatters
* William whispers a prayer to ward off evil
* Remy shakes his head
<Remy> "I don't know."
* Daniel gazes at William praying and moves away
* Angelo uses Puppetry to determine if any of the squatters are being skinridden.
<Storyteller> Suddenly you begin to hear an unearthly scream as several spectres
begin to exit the building next door.
<Angelo> "No sign of possession, that I can tell."
* IronJohn runs to the noise
<Daniel> "At least we know where they were hiding."
* Angelo hurries out.
* Daniel runs out
* Hans runs out.
* Remy runs out
* William runs
<Storyteller> The spectres run from the building and down the street, steering clear
of you
* Daniel calmly leads Shadow over to the next building and looks inside
* Remy follows
* Angelo looks torn between chasing down the spectres and sticking with the cohort,
and ends up following Daniel and Shadow.
* William starts after the spectres but stops short and turns to the others, "We're
letting them go?!"
<Daniel> "You can go after them if you'd like."
<Angelo> "I'm willing to accept running away with their tails between their legs as
a sign of defeat."
<Storyteller> You walk into the next building, as you wander down into the basement
you notice a few small craks in the walls that gleam with Oblivion.
* Remy sighs
<Remy> "Well, what next?"
<Storyteller> Somewhere in New York
<Storyteller> Brianna sits in the shadows her hand chained to the wall behind her,
she can sense someone else in the room. She lifts her head
<Storyteller> "Who's there?"
<Storyteller> Scar emerges from the shadows and watches her silently. Then abruptly
turns and leaves the room.
<Storyteller> Brianna begins to fill with anger. "What do you want from me?!"
<Storyteller> Scar stops, and then begins to chuckle. <Storyteller> to be continued...
