Journeys (Unknown Squid)

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 65/113, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 9, Upkeep = 3

Rolls

Spoiler

Perception: ???

"All of them are the same," her odd companion said, "or... I guess except the ones I.... Searched." His correction came just as she asked him to go and look at the tossed room with a bloodstain. He paled, but didn't do anything overly dramatic, "and this one."

He looked confused at her, but still gave a startled yelp when she suddenly sent out a burst of power that brought up... Something. The place was rife with lesser spirits, ghosts of unknown origin, and the one that Maya called up was one of the weaker ones. Mist swirled into the room, appearing seemingly from nowhere, and after a moment it appeared in the form of a young woman, one that the man gazed upon in horror for a split second before bolting out the door and down the hall.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Grimacing lightly at the yelp, Maya turns her head in time to witness the panicked lad fleeing the room and building. Rolling her eyes she calls back in minor irritation, "Oh come on she's just a..." trailing off rather than raising her voice enough for him to hear the rest of the sentence. In fairness, she realised it was an apparition of a dead person, suddenly manifesting in a dark bloodstained room. Maya had come to kind of understand and accept how these spirits were around all the time regardless of whether you could see them or not. But she could remember how deeply concerned her mother had become when Maya first started interacting and talking with them, a little over a year ago.

Turning back to the spirit she sighs and mulls over what to do for a second. Calling up the spirit of a sentient being wasn't something she had done often, and didn't feel like something that should be treated too casually, so whilst she had half a mind to pursue the spooked young man, she returns her attention to the ghostly woman. "Hello. I wish to know what occurred to the people here. What happened at this place?" she enquires in simple and brief words, but a polite tone.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 65/113, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 9, Upkeep = 3

"Death," the specter answered in a feeble, echoing voice. "Death came here.... To us... It killed us... That... Thing... Oh gods.... It hurt..." Its voice began to fade, agony filling it, but the power that Maya had given it didn't allow it to fade away entirely, and soon it began to gain substance once more, ready for Maya to question it further.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

The answer was neither pleasant nor encouraging to listen to. Which Maya guessed was to be expected. Unfortunately this didn't tell her much however. "Can you describe what came here, or what it did? Was it a creature? A thing?" she enquires further. She could feel the hairs on her neck standing on end again. Although she wasn't really sure if they'd ever stopped since arrival here.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 65/113, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 9, Upkeep = 3

"No," the specter replied, "not a creature... But still... A monster. That woman... She came in rags... We fed her... Clothed her.... But she... She... AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!" The phantom flashed brilliantly and let out an ear splitting shriek, its form thrashing and writhing before it collapsed, the image of the woman that it had once been coalescing from the mist again as it fell to its knees while clutching at itself. "It hurt... It hurt... She did it... She... Ate... Us... Bit us.... Jorge... First... But... She made me watch... When she... Did the.... Children... Oh gods... Please." The spirit was whimpering by that point, its voice barely above a whisper, and obviously still in pain because of its memories, but she could question it further if she so wished.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

A woman that came in rags. Probably the first solid information that Maya had gotten, but the means of obtaining it hadn't been enjoyable. Wincing at the painfully loud shriek, she feels inclined to take a glance over her shoulder. Feeling her typical ever present confidence being tested by the ominous situation and surroundings. As Maya listened to the rest of the pained answer, she felt it would be wrong to ask any more of this spirit. "I... thank you for your answers. I won't ask any more. Please rest." she says softly to the spirit, with a somewhat remorseful expression.

Feeling like she'd miscalculated her energy expenditure for this investigation however, Maya decides she'd spent long enough inside this rather claustrophobic space for now, and heads for the stairs intending to exit the building. "Where'd that scruff run off to..." she mutters under her breath as she makes her way.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 65/113, Status = Fine, Psychic Shield X = 9, Upkeep = 3

The spirit faded when released, sobbing silently to itself, and when Maya took her leave of the unpleasant building she spotted the young man just as he ran off into the woods at a somewhat ragged jog.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Maya couldn't help but feel a little guilty about having called the spirit now. She would likely think twice the next time she considered wishing to communicate with the recently and violently deceased. Withdrawing from the building for now, she emerges outside just in time to spot the young man retreating into the forest before the foliage hid him. She felt like she could probably keep up with or catch the fellow, unless he increased his pace, but hadn't any real reason to pursue and likely panic him any further. So she notes the direction he had headed off on, but lets him flee. She probably shouldn't have summoned up a ghostly spectre in front of the poor lad with scarcely a warning. Bit of a social faux pas perhaps.

For now she was still concerned with whatever lurked within this structure. She had exited the building, but only because she wasn't comfortable with the amount of energy she had expended floundering around upstairs. She intended to recuperate her energies for a while whilst watching the house, and consider her options. She couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was in there was surely aware of her, and perhaps even watching in some manner. This was of course all under the assumption that it was still inside at all, but her instincts just seemed to tell her it was. Even if it wasn't still present and she was simply being needlessly paranoid, then this place was the only clue regarding it anyway.

So she found a spot out front to take a seat and pondered, having dispelled her psionic defences, whilst trying to relax enough to let her inner energies recover. A woman that came in rags, that ate, and bit. A monster that brought death. Still not much to go on, but something. It also hadn't chosen to attack or reveal itself to Maya or the young scavenger during their intrusion into the place however. Which could imply a variety of things really.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Eventually, Maya decides it was about time to venture in once more. Her well of energy was feeling about as full as it was going to feel just lurking around in a semi alert state. Before she heads in however, she had an alternative preparation in mind. Focusing her mind back on that enigmatic region between space that the previous unfortunate soul had been summoned from, she gazes out to the surrounding forest this time, extending a similar but different call. She was seeking a favour, or a partner of sorts, from the essence of any of the wild creatures that called this jungle home. Something that was well accustomed to keeping a watchful eye for potential threats, and evading harm.

She would then proceed to make her way back into the foreboding building. Igniting her small pyrokinetic torch again as she did so also. Her first port of call this time being to locate and investigate the aforementioned basement.

Spoiler

Casting aspect of Spirit at X=6, for 7EP casting, +24 Dodge, +24 Resistance, and +18 Perception. Applying Efficient Wielder for reduced upkeep. 0 Upkeep.
Also pyro torch.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 104/113, Status = Fine, Aspect of Spirit X = 6 (+24 Dodge, +24 Resistance, and +18 Perception), Upkeep = 0

Watching the unfinished inn, Maya would detect.... Nothing. Not just nothing out of the ordinary, but.... Nothing. The area directly around the abandoned building was devoid of sentient life, not a bird or a bug in sight around it, and as she watched the place the lack of wildlife would only become more obvious and more discomforting. The half daemon's wait would last about thirty minutes before she reached out to the nearby spirits, and when she did she would find the area devoid of the more natural entities as well, forcing her to reach a little farther than usual to get what she needed.

Once she had reached out and found a proper essence to manifest to enhance her strength, an amalgamation of spirits of various animals that formed an armored chimera of sorts, and then with her torch hovering just over her head Maya was able to proceed back inside. With the second floor already explored, Maya would go for the basement next, the entrance to which was easy enough to reach and proved unlocked, lettiing out into a narrow, rickety old set of wooden stairs with no handrail and a shelf with a hammer and a tin full of nails sitting about knee level on the left hand side. Going down the steps, she would find that the room opened up to her left but was broken up by wooden columns and lots of piles of neatly stacked wood, while ahead there was a doorway opening out to her right.

Here was the second sign of violence she'd found, a bloodstain on the stone that split off in two directions, trailing off both left and ahead and to the right. The one left wound through the building supplies, past a half finished sink and a stack of bags likely containing cement or mortar along the wall, and then vanished through another doorway that went in the opposite direction of the one she'd entered to go down the stairs. It was dark in here, but in the flickering light cast by her flame, Maya would see a figure standing in the dark near the left doorway, leaning against the wall and just out of sight. Seeing it would send her sense of danger flaring, and when she stretched out her senses she would detect... Almost nothing. No soul, and certainly no life remained in the body, but it was definitely standing... And there was some sort of energy animating it.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Opening herself to mingle with the spirits of animals like this, was just as strange a thing the first time she'd tried it as it was now. For creatures that generally seemed so uncomplicated and mundane, they were by no means simple nor devoid of will. Just small. A chittering inner chorus of self preservation and assorted instincts. A life devoted to not being eaten. Sharp reaction times, attention to detail, a will to fight. Facets of their nature that might prove valuable in the right instance if Maya could learn to channel it. It also instantly made her feel paranoid again, before even stepping towards the structure. And the incessant tiny wordless voices did require a bit of phasing out. Maya suspected that anyone that courted such a chorus for any significant length of time would surely go utterly mad. But right now she had business to attend to.

Entering the building and proceeding as planed, she would stop at the base of the stairs, her eyes tracing the trail of what again appeared to be blood in each direction it forked in. In trying to accurately make out the trail as it snaked into the flickering darkness in the far left corner of the room however, she would just barely manage to catch sight of something else. Something that didn't feel right. Something oddly menacing.

For a split second she had trouble registering her eyes hadn't played a trick on her, but sure enough the vague shadowed figure stood. Something lacking about it threw her off, made her feel like it wasn't really there or a valid thing. Empty. Nearly.

Just staring at it slightly to the side for a moment, wide eyed and distrusting, she eventually shifts and raises a hand towards it in a loose open grip. A faint glow of green energy ebbing at her palm and illuminating the inside of her fingers slightly. She opens her mouth to speak, with a fleeting pause as she considered just skipping to shooting, "... What, are you?" she asks across the room to the anomalous figure. The actual chance of getting a polite response if any, she didn't bank highly upon. Should it make any seemingly hostile movements, or likely any movement she failed to comprehend, she intended to blast it.

Should it give no reaction or prove unresponsive, she would cautiously begin stepping further left along the wall opposite it, as long as the clutter permitted without forcing her towards the middle of the room. Intending to try and shed some more light on it, literally speaking, via her torch. Again however, should it make any sudden movements during this approach, she would be quite sure to unleash a sharp pulse of distinctly-non-emptiness upon the thing.

Spoiler

Readied actions as described, either standing or after movement. Energy Blast at X=10

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 104/113, Status = Fine, Aspect of Spirit X = 6 (+24 Dodge, +24 Resistance, and +18 Perception), Upkeep = 0

Rolls

Spoiler

Perception: Success
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 7, 7 * 10 = 70, 70/2 = 35 damage.
Attack: Both miss

The figure slowly turned its head towards Maya when she spoke, revealing little of its face besides its sickly pallor and one of its milky white eyes. The soft green glow of her outstretched hand and the threat implied by the gathered magic didn't seem to register to the figure, as after a moment of staring at her it sluggishly shifted itself to face her and began to lurch towards her. Coming closer gave her a better look at it, at its unnaturally pale flesh and the blood and gore running downwards from its shredded, blood dripping throat all the way down to the figure's knees.

It offered no response to her question or anything else she might say, and as it started picking up speed toward her Maya unleashed her gathered energy, a blast of her characteristic green flame slamming into its chest and burning a chunk out of its body. Charred meat sizzled against freshly exposed ribs, but it didn't even slow down the walking corpse as it charged towards Maya. Her distraction with that one had almost let another one shamble through the other doorway without her noticing it, but fortunately a flash of warning came from the spirit to which she was temporarily joined, instinct driving her to shove herself aside just as a dead woman resembling the spirit she'd summoned but with her throat torn out lunged at her. It slammed into the wall and bounced away, but turned back to the half-daemon just as the first she'd spotted made its own lunge, which she was also able to dodge by the barest of margins.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Nope nope nope. Not going to be having a conversation with this thing then. The sight of it almost made Maya thankful for the dark, only being describable as a walking corpse. 'Ok that's quite close enough!' she thinks to herself, unleashing the prepared bolt of spiritual power. This much would be enough to put many a creature in their grave, or close to it, but this one clearly wasn't going to be put in one so easily. The way it shrugged off having it's rib cage exposed without a flinch drawing a grimace from Maya, but not for long as she's suddenly forced to evade a second frightful figure lunging out of the shadows. Left slightly off balance from that, dodging the first aberration came uncomfortably close, but some deft foot work and reactions allowed her to recover. Perhaps a little more deft than usual.

Not wasting any time she readies a follow up. Being essentially backed against a corner now, she didn't want to try her luck. Summoning up a formidable swell of energy like taking a deep breath, she takes a quick step or two back to face both assailants squarely, and thrusts forward both hands to blast them equally with a surge of violent energy. As she unleashed this, she hoped dearly that this would actually prove enough. She dreaded to imagine what would come through the blast if not.

Spoiler

Energy Wave [Cone] at X=20. Also, unsure if possible, but attempting to constrain the range and angle to less than maximum, so to reduce collateral damage. Would Energy shaper perhaps help with that?
+10 bonus to attacks with AoE powers, from Energy Shaper
Casting with defensive fighting, trading 5 points for a bit of extra dodge.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 82/113, Status = Fine, Aspect of Spirit X = 6 (+24 Dodge, +24 Resistance, and +18 Perception), Upkeep = 0, +5 Dodge from defensive fighting

Rolls

Spoiler

Attack: Hit.
Damage: 1 + 4 = 5, 5 * 20 = 100, 100/2 = 50 damage. One is disintegrated, the other still exists.
Attack: Miss.

The two butchered people advanced upon Maya, no doubt intending on seeing that she met the same fate that they had, and with her back against a wall she had to quickly draw in as much of her power as she could. Briefly shrouded in an emerald glow, Maya unleashed a wave of flawlessly shaped power upon the advancing pair, directed to avoid damaging the inn's structure lest it disintegrate the columns holding up the building over her head. Her green burst temporarily blinded her, the flash of light leaving her seeing spots and trying to adjust first one way and then the other. What emerged lurching toward her was as bad if not worse than what she had imagined, the one she had already carved a hole into crumbling into ash but the other still stumbling in her direction, its charred skin sloughing off revealing blackened muscle and the strands of magic that continued to animate it.

Its eyes burned from its skull and most of its face simply gone, the now faceless corpse lunged sluggishly at her once more, and Maya had to scramble aside so that it smacked into the wall instead of grabbing her with charred fingers that were now burned almost to the bone and glowing blue with necromantic power. The young half daemon was forced to twist out of its way, pressing her back against a stack of wood, but as it slammed against the wall she could try to get past it and back out into the open room if so desired.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Were the situation any less immediate, Maya might have spared a thought towards taking pride in that heat of the moment display of control over her projected energies, but right now it's exceedingly unsightly results were far more pressing.

The charred corpse seemingly barely deterred at all, Maya earnestly evades, having to take some degree of care not to trip in the dark and slightly cluttered uncertain space. From the fleeting glimpse she gotten before retaliating, she had been fairly sure the unnatural assailant had resembled the apparition of the women she spoke to. The body was now certainly far too ruined to confirm, but she was perfectly confident at least, that the force that motivated it was not that of the tortured spirit she spoke to. Whilst she'd not 'seen' them before, the strange lines of power now apparent weaved though the shambling corpse, were instantly familiar. It was still plenty distinct to the concept of threading them through clay or wood however.

She'd rip them out then. They did not belong in that body, and had desecrated it more than enough (with or without her own help). She gives herself an appropriate amount of space and stable footing, to not be caught off balance, but doesn't reverse back into the room for now. She didn't want to back up into something worse whilst she'd been distracted with this aberration. Preferably she would not need to make any more scrambling evasions from this particular foe. Summoning a portion of her energies, she reaches to try and grasp and comprehend the rival workings that ran though the creature. Making a effort to find the weakpoints in it's construction, and disrupt, nullify, or outright sunder the invasive strings of spirit.

Spoiler

Devour Magic, X=1. Maya has base Resistance of 41. Benefiting from +8 bonus from Potent Spirit. For total of 50 I believe? (with +1 from X=1 bonus)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 77/113, Status = Fine, Aspect of Spirit X = 6 (+24 Dodge, +24 Resistance, and +18 Perception), Upkeep = 0

Rolls

Spoiler

Resistance: Maya wins.
Perception: ???

The lash of power that Maya unleashed upon the briefly disoriented zombie was directed not at its ravaged body, but at the lines of energy forcing it to continue moving. The power lashed through its target, passing by flesh without harming it and instead lunging upon the tendrils of magic, shredding them apart. Though the power woven through it were strong and well crafted, it wasn't enough to stop Maya from tearing apart the enchantments. The walking corpse simply collapsed, and suddenly the room went silent. Absolutely silent, in fact, as the young half-daemon seemed to now be alone in the room, which didn't seem to be any different save for the two charred bodies now lying on the floor at her feet.... As far as she could tell.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Sighing once, as the her spell appeared to have succeeded, and the room returned to eerie silence, Maya checks her composure and scans over the surroundings. A slight shame she had not thought or realised to try that earlier, which would have saved a bit of power and prevented desecrating the bodies further. But they were "resting" again, at least.

She had two possible paths to continue by however, and for lack of any other reasoning, she might as well take the closest, having already made her way to this end of the room. She would continue to search, trying to ride on the adrenaline a bit, rather than paying too much mind to any apprehension of meeting the one responsible for this. With the various out bursts and lack of any real subtly during this search though, she had little illusion that the culprit could be unaware of her snooping.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 77/113, Status = Fine, Aspect of Spirit X = 6 (+24 Dodge, +24 Resistance, and +18 Perception), Upkeep = 0

Rolls

Spoiler

Perception: Success.

Striding cautiously through the doorway, Maya found herself looking upon a most peculiar sight. Sitting on the floor in the center of the room was a rectangular wooden box, its lid closed and seemingly nailed in, though the rust on the nails was plainly visible. Stretching out her supernatural senses, however, revealed that the box was empty... And that something was slowly moving along the ceiling just over her head. Something that was both powerful and incredibly foul.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Treading lightly into the room, Maya stays near the wall initially, whilst regarding the box. A mere wooden box in itself wouldn't normally be something of any suspicion or any note at all, but right now and in it's current position, it called out somewhat. Stepping further into the room towards the box at a measured pace, she reaches out gently with one appraising hand in the direction of the crate. Much too far to be able to actually touch it, but vaguely as if doing so regardless. What she actually felt though, was far more concerning.

Not risking hesitation, confirming her senses, or speaking words today, she reacts with a snap of extended will and focus, as a protective aura. A well practised personal technique, that could exert, deflect and resist anything that might invade the space she occupied. Turning in her step as she does so, she brings her gaze round and up to the suspected stalker. Green eyes glowing in the dark for a moment as they focused on whatever sinister creature they might see. Taking an extra step back if needed or possible, not wanting to be directly under any such thing, and ready to react if needed.

Spoiler

[Edit: Just remembered that buffs to matching stats don't stack, and thus the buff doesn't grant much of use. I can't really think of what else to do however, so am just going to leave the post as is and reduce the X value to 3, to preserve a bit of the flavour.]

Casting Psychic Shield at X=3, for 0 upkeep and +9 bonus to Dodge, AV, Grapple, and Resistance to resist hostile effects.

If little miss stalker doesn't leap or make any overt reaction, or things end up as an awkward staring contest, then Maya might say/accuse something along the lines of, "You're the one who did this?"

Otherwise she's probably staring in a manner that implies such anyway.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 74/113, Status = Fine, Aspect of Spirit X = 6 (+24 Dodge, +24 Resistance, and +18 Perception), Psychic Shield X = 3 (+9 AV, +9 Grapple) Upkeep = 0

Looking up and putting up an added wall of defense, Maya found herself looking upon not a person hanging from the rafters, but a hoard of moths. Black bodied, like great fat horse flies, but with gray wings with markings that looked like overlarge black eyes staring down at her, clinging to the freshly assembled wooden structure. There must have been hundreds, maybe thousands of them, and as she looked up at the largely still band of insects their wings all began to move in eery unison.

They all launched down upon her at once, their wings producing a flapping sound that drowned out what little she could hear from the woods outside. Her added barrier saved her from death by a thousand bites then, the thin wall of psychic energy enough to keep the swarm of moths at bay, and as horrible as being blinded and deafened by the swarm was she came away unscathed. After a moment they retreated, the swarm drifting away and coalescing into empty space, where a figure began to form, though not quickly enough that Maya wouldn't have an opportunity to react, or to flee if she so chose.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

An army of watching Moths? No. Maya knew this trick. This was surely the one responsible for what had happened here. The simultaneous flight of the false insects produced a horrible sudden fluttering drone, as they launched like a dark violent cloud that temporarily engulfed her as she crouched and huddled slightly in a recoiling defensive posture. Relying on an outwards force of will however she managed to repel the creatures from touching or landing upon her.

Opening her eyes again now that insects weren't storming around her face, she quickly looks to keep track of the swarm, as it chooses to re-form into it's true identity still in the same room. Despite things, it wasn't fear or a desire to flee on Maya's face when the cloud of bugs cleared, but a deep frown and irritation. Quickly recomposing to straighten her posture and face the emerging figure front on, she glares with flaring verdant eyes as she loudly declares, "Stop toying with me! Form, show yourself, and be still!"

Accompanying the commanding declaration was a potent invisible psionic wave that would seem to fill the room with it's presence before converging down upon the mysterious figure. The invading foreign will regarding the normally sacred boundaries of the mind as if they were merely a line in the sand.

Spoiler

Casting Telepathy as domination attempt, for 8EP cost, with AoS buff and base Potent Spirit bonus, for effective resistance of 73. (=41+24+8)

Including accompanying mental commands alongside spoken dialogue with the gist of, "Don't attack/fight me, don't go anywhere or do anything."