>>28980969
With food eaten, what defenses that are available to you arranged, weapons at hand, and Irren brewing real coffee, your murder is slightly more relaxed. Even Jakob, whose symbiont is a ravenous, twitching half ton of murderous alien flesh, is at ease with the situation and environs. You find yourself being proud of them, your warriors, to whom the prospect of a horrifying death at the tendrils and tongues of immortal horrors is no great concern in comparison to the possibility of real coffee.

[] Check Lopert's PDA.
[] See how far Rechert has progressed in his research.
[] Take five, you've earned it.
[] Other: Write in.

>>28980974
> [x] Check Lopert's PDA.

>>28980974
[X] Check Lopert's PDA.

The complete ripped soundtrack of Shadows of the Damned is perfect for Tager games. Just saying.

>>28981039
>>28981113
[X] Check Lopert's PDA.

As much as you'd enjoy taking a few minutes breather, you have other problems. Lopert's PDA responds to your activation, and it doesn't take too long to figure out exactly what happened, even though you're no genius.

Lopert was going out with a luridly romanticized young acolyte who served in a lorekeeper position. His texts, emails, and diary explain a great deal of his fascination. In return for allowing Yen Chau to set up the complex ritual of Far Seeing Omniscience, Yen not only paid for a room off the enclave – explaining why Rechert almost never saw him – but also offered hints that would increase Lopert's chances of scoring some hot librarian pussy and some extra cash. After a while, seeing Yen's personality changes – subtle to those near him, while obvious to others not so close – he started worrying about the acolyte.

One day, while meaning to speak with Yen, Lopert discovered the activated ritual, and decided he would take a peek at his future on his own. The ritual was simple, a little trial and error being enough to discover how the dagger controlled the mystic window. Naturally, his curiosity got the better of him, and he explored far past his dalliance with the librarian Simone. He noted that some shadowy flickers appeared at the edges of his visions as he tried to determine the outcome of the Shadow War, and more as he studied the Aeon War's major battles in the future.

[Con't.]

>>28981161
Here, his diaries become far less coherent. The overall content is descriptive of his feelings of dread, how he feels that he is never alone, that there are those watching him. His novice delving into the apocrypha of the Eldritch Society yielded no answers and talking with his girlfriend proved fruitless. Unlike the cliched movies and books where the diary continues until the bitter end, the last entry describes some dark, greasy smoke of a color he couldn't really define billowing from the corner of his room and how he was planning to look the phenomena up on the sorcery sub-net.

Lopert undoubtedly got his answers, which did not save his life.

Closing the PDA and replacing it, you see Rechert is studying some documents on his holo-display intently, comparing them to various bookmarks that he opens and closes. He's obviously found something, but you are interrupted by a beep from your earbud.

“Firefly here.”

“This is Mordecai, Anne. I have looked at the images the crystals contained.”

Your feel your heart start to pound, more from excitement than fear. Maybe, for once, you'll get a straight answer. “Go ahead.”

“You may want to sit down for this.”

Mordecai, who has worked with Tagers all his life, is asking you, an Efreet, to sit down to hear what should be no more shocking than some future that may or may not come to pass. You're not sure if you are offended or irritated. “I am.” Largely because you already were.

[Con't.]

>>28981168
“There were nine images in total. Each is a perfect holographic still of an area, and while the images cannot be captured or recorded on an electronic device, an artist is making renditions of them for input into an electronic format.” So they can be sent to you, presumably. “The first four concern several artifacts of mystical power, which we believe – we hope – he was going to collect for the Society's use. Two of the depict fierce battles involving a group of Tagers we believe is your own murder, one where a Spectre is present, and another where it is not. Those two appear to be almost identical otherwise.”

Alternate timelines, like Rechert and Viss suspected. Probably where Yen started to become unhinged.

“The seventh appears to depict your Tager in the partially destroyed New York Arcology at the Chrysalis Complex. A number of Dhohanoids are depicted, all dead and scattered along the outside of the building. You are facing off with a Zabuth who is holding a severely injured Echo in one hand and a partially eviscerated Shadow in the other. A Whisper and a Nightmare are present, backing you up, but you appear to be holding them back.” The chill that runs down your spine might be fear, but it could easily be anticipation. The Zabuth are the most powerful of Dhohanoids, capable of taking on lesser Tagers one-on-one. But none of this is particularly shocking. “The eighth one depicts a hallway where Dhohanoids are entombed in vats of crystalline material. I'm presuming they are Dhohanoids, but I don't recognize and of them. Several vats have been broken and the creatures are thrashing about. The same Whisper, an Mirage, and the same Nightmare are present as well as yourself, but you are all engaged with what I can only presume is a Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath. The Whisper is being torn apart by the Young.”

[Con't.]

>>28981186
That does make your blood run cold. You've actually read about them in the Pnakotic Manuscripts – they are the innumerable spawn of another Great Old One, or an Outer God, and unlike most monsters they are both intelligent and goal oriented. One would never aid the cultists who follow the Many Masked God unless there was some dreadful need to do so. The dying Shadow and Whisper would certainly explain Yen's fear of you leading them into battle.

“The ninth one depicts an Efreet attempting to kill your unresisting adoptive mother.”

>Roll 1d30+7 (Tenacity-Insanity).
> Response? (Presuming you make your test successfully.)

>>28981157
>Makes note & appreciates it.

Rolled 26

>>28981196
Thank Mordecai for his help, see what he thinks about it.
The future is not set in stones, if we've got anything to say about it.

Right now we have more pressing issues to deal with than our possibly still living mom.
Maybe later, when there aren't any hounds after us, we'll give it more thought.

Rolled 3 + 7

>>28981196

Thank Mordecai and see if he can somehow get the original images for us. Bet Viss and Rechert can find out more.

Rolled 30 + 7

>>28981370
>>28981348
>One more roll will seal it.

>>28981396
Welp.

>>28981396
>My players are the luckiest.

>>28981370
>>28981348

>33, 10, 37
>Thank Mordecai. See if he can find out more+download actual images.

The 'shocking' reveal doesn't even register as a blip on the radar. You've got far more pressing issues. “Well, thank you for taking that risk for us. I have to know....is there any way you can get the actual images to me? And can you find out anything more at all on any of those situations? Yen's PDA might be gone, but it's worth checking into. We only did a very cursory search of the room.”

“These images are not perfectly reliable of course. I cannot experiment with the ritual itself to determine when the images take place, or even if they are in alternate timelines. The locations we can figure out with landmarks and obvious visual cues, but obviously since the New York arcology is still intact, it is definitely in some future tense that the final images occur.” He's not bothering to speak reassuringly or attempting to keep you calm, which a part of you appreciates. Someone has a clue that you're not some weak sister.

“Is there any way to identify any of the Tagers for certain?”

“No, but the constituent members of your murder are represented in most of the pictures. It's an atypical group at best, with a wider variety than most muders tend to consist of. I don't have anything more, but you'll have the images yourself as soon as we can arrange it. I may be able to....hmm. For lack of a better word, 'download' the images for you to look at in their original state. I'll send word as soon as I determine if it is possible or not.”

[Con't.]

>>28981476
“Are they real futures or alternate futures? Given the way he was acting, I have my doubts.” So often magic misleads the sorcerer and traps them in false snares. Yen, fragile as he was, apparently, could have easily mistaken a possible future for an actual future.

“The only way I can determine that, is to actually use the ritual to peer beyond time and space. I'm far more experienced than Yen Chau, however, and I will let you know what I can as soon as it is possible to do so, Firefly.” He sounds quite firm on that count.

“Thank you, Mordecai, for doing this. I appreciate it more than you know.”

“You are welcome Anne. Out.”

While interesting, and while it does explain Yen's intense need to protect Viss and Rechert from you – though Evisceration isn't a death sentence to any Tager, and even a Whisper can survive and recover from limb removal – you're not certain that it helps you too much in your current situation.

[] Check with Rechert.
[] See if you can find something in the Pnakotic Manuscripts about the Hounds.
[] Check on your teammates, they're being awfully quiet....
[] Other: Write in.

>>28981522
> [x] Check on your teammates, they're being awfully quiet....

Mention that the hounds appear from some dark, greasy smoke and apparently foul stench that appears in the corners.

>>28981522
[X] Check with Rechert.

He's gotta have something by now.

>>28981558
>>28981610
[X] Check on your teammates, they're being awfully quiet....
[X] Check with Rechert.

A quick glance around locates Viss, in conversation with the trio of men. They seems to be settling something – Jakob is pulling rock-paper-scissors again – and otherwise all right. You get up and walk over to them. “What's going on?”

“Drawing lots for who's on first watch,” replies Holmes amiably. “Jakob lost this time.”

“Ain't no thing,” Jakob replies receiving a snerk of amusement from Viss.

“I want two on watch, four off. Sleeping in shifts is safer. Also, apparently some greasy, weird colored smoke seems to preceed the appearances of a Hound. It also smells nasty. Lopert mentioned it. Didn't seem to do much good, but any warning is some warning we can use.”

“Ugh, more smells.”

Viss' reaction gets a toothy grin from Jakob. “Oh, there are a few good things about having keen senses in either form.” She looks at him dubiously, and he leans over, whispering in her ear. Unsurprisingly, though her expression remains blank, her ears and cheeks get that deep violet hue of embarrassment. Though the room is lit, it's not well lit enough that a human would notice the difference. Irren glances at you knowingly, on the other hand.

You go back to talk to Rechert, and call over your shoulder, “Well, don't keep the kid up too late.”

“Hey!” She's so easy.

[Con't.]

>>28981696
As you approach, Rechert glances over his shoulder at you from the cot near yours and Viss'. “I think I have something useful.” Walking over to where his poor PDA is throwing a three foot cube of holograms, page images, and 2D pictures, he points up at one. “I didn't think anything of it at first, but there is a conspiracy centered around a group of people who apparently know the future.” You lean close and look at the slew of images, posting boards, and references in literature. “While the popular conspiracy theorists call the Scions of Forever, they don't call themselves anything. In fact they're almost totally unknown. This is a selection of boards that they're even referenced to. Let me highlight it.”

When he highlights the phrase, only five red zones show up in the entire mess. “That's not very promising.”

“Ah, but let me highlight this phrase.” He makes a quick change, and suddenly almost every images and section has numerous yellow zones.

“What the hell....”

He looks up at you. “I highlighted the phrase 'I got a' with a search marker for 'note, call, suggestion from a stranger' and 'mysterious email' in them. Apparently, they makes these random seeming suggestions to various people and if the people follow them they get something out of it, usually money, a date with someone they liked, or any number of good things. If they don't they sometimes get a follow up or repeat, and if they don't follow that...nothing happens usually.” You look at him dubiously. “Sometimes something bad might happen, but more often than not, they just lead normal everyday lives. A few get injured or die in accidents, but by and large, you do what they say, good stuff happens. You don't, nothing special happens, and something bad might happen.”

[Con't.]

>>28981714
“That's interesting but I don't see how this helps.” You're bemusement is gentle and he nods.

“That's what I thought at first too. I dug deeper, and almost every single time someone gets the notes, emails, or the like, they end up with the guy or girl of their dreams and happily married, moderately wealthy, and in pretty good situations. Sometimes a a real person is involved, though, and the important thing is that all of these suggestions are seemingly random and are apparently situations where the individual avoids a near miss, or something happens to help them that is a total and complete coincidence. The kind of thing that only someone seeing the future could manage.” He looks up at you triumphantly. “And none of these situations are anywhere near an incident where the Hounds of Tindalos have killed someone!”

It takes you a moment to parse the information. “So, these Scions of Forever can see into the future and never get killed by the Hounds of Tindalos?”

“Exactly!”

That does sound like a strong possibility to get some help.

[] Dig deeper.
[] See about the trapezohedrons, find their source.
[] Good work, take it easy and get some rest.
[] Other: Write in.

>>28981721
>[] Good work, take it easy and get some rest.

>>28981770
[X] This.

He has the information and can find out more later.

>>28981770
>>28981824
[X] Good work, take it easy and get some rest.

You give his shoulder a squeeze. “Perfect. Keep the data handy, but get some rest now. You did more than your share.”

“If it's all right, I'd like to work on it a little longer.”

“Well, if you insist. Not too long, we might have a bad night ahead of us.”

He starts working fast again, your presence forgotten in his zeal to capture an advantage or a clue. Shadow determination at it's finest.

Viss is walking back with a cup of tea and she offers it to you, smiling. “I figured you could use this. It is getting kind of late, you know.” She's right, it's been a hectic and shocking sort of day so far. “Jakob and Irren will be transformed and on two sides of the triangle, or prowling. ~I~ didn't think you'd mind, but they wanted me to let you know.” A quick glance tells you they're still humanoid at the moment. “I can dim the crystals a lot, that will lower the light so we can get some kind of sleep.”

Taking the tea, you sip it; it's not only hot but your favorite mint. “Thanks. We'll give Rechert a little while longer, then sleep. At least the armor isn't too uncomfortable.” You've slept in worse conditions, actually, above and beyond training. “Try and stay up and out of reach of anything. You're tough, but I rather like you without holes and blue slime.”

“Awww, how sweet.” Another of those increasingly common impish grins accompanies her retort.

[Con't.]

>>28981835
“Shut it bug-girl,” you reply mildly, and she laughs, and throws herself on her cot, and activates her own PDA. Which reminds you, you should probably get yours back sooner or later. You could always erase Lopert's and download your own PDA's information, but it seems a little....well, rude to you for some reason. On the other hand, borring it isn't a bad idea. “Viss, do you have a copy of the Pnakotic Manuscripts on your PDA I can borrow? My PDA is MIA.”

“Yeah....oh, wait, here.” She hops out of her cot – literally she rolls back and pushes off her cot onto her feet from a supine position – and runs over to where your murder has set all the excess and untrustworthy equipment and objects. She grabs something and jogs back over. “Check this out!”

What she hands you is slightly larger than a PDA, but its made out of a composite material that is undoubtedly a lot harder. The screen looks odd too, not the standard for a PDA. “Military issue indestructible PDA-plus. It doesn't have all the beells and whistles a personalized one does, but it is a lot harder to break.”

“Yeah, but is it fireproof?” You meant it as a joke, but she grins and nods.

“Water proof when it's sealed too.” Probably designed specifically for Tagers like yourself and Jakob. “It's got all the basic Society stuff on it. I'll transfer the Manuscripts over when you've set it up.”

“Thank you, Viss.” She grins, and you hold up a finger before she can say anything suggestive. “Not even.”

[Con't.]

>>28981843
“Spoilsport,” she says with a smile, before falling back into her cot and looking up at the crystals set in the ceiling and walls, making slow, controlled gestures at them. “The kid has to get some sleep, mama said so!” she calls out to the others. Rolling your eyes, you set up the PDA for your password and dataclouds, and sure enough, the Manuscripts are waiting for you to download.

“No story time?”

“Not tonight,” you tell Irren, as the others laugh. Rechert turns his holographic displays down to the minimum he can see by, and the lights have dimmed to a dull glow that is still bright enough for a human to get around with and not have any issues.

[] Say prayer to the Forgotten Ones.
[] Try and get some sleep
[] Stay up and keep watch anyways.
[] Other: Write in.

>>28981851
>[X] Say prayer to the Forgotten Ones.

[X] Try and get some sleep
Trust

>>28981851
Praying to the Forgotten Ones has seemed to work in our favor so far, maybe they'll lend another hand this time.

After that we should get some sleep, I think we can trust our Murder to handle something as simple as keeping watch. Unless Viss and Rechert are both on one watch at the same time...

>>28981884
[X] Say prayer to the Forgotten Ones.
[X] Try and get some sleep

Viss is more likely to molest us than Rechert.

>>28981876
>>28981884
>>28981925
[X] Say prayer to the Forgotten Ones.
[X] Try and get some sleep

You say a silent prayer to the old and nearly unremembered gods that have granted you the opportunity to deal out justice and exact vengeance upon the Ancient Enemy, and let yourself drift to sleep. Before doing so you set your PDA to wake you in two hours – hopefully enough sleep o keep you going, and not so much that your nightmares will get too atrocious.

Sleep is quick in coming, the nightmares only slightly less so.

You wake up before Rechert whispers to you you. “Firefly.” The use of your call sign brings your eyes open instantly, and you look around without moving. Though you're shaking and your heart is beating fast, you know from long experience that is nothing more than the nightmares leaving their mark. “Something weird at seven-o'-clock.”

You slowly look in that direction, your hand slipping the pistol free. Not even seconds later, your earbud activates. “Fourth here. Everyone wake. We have light and movement at seven-o'-clock.” You see it too – red light, wavering, filled with shadows. The stone wall seems....distorted, almost disjointed, as if the light was liquifying it The light seems to emanate above the floor a few feet away from the ceiling, wall and floor alike. A pillar-like effect. Viss rolls out of bed and lands on her hands and toes, spider-like, and crouches, pulling out her pistol.

“That's not what Lopert described,” you murmur over the radio. “Are the wards still up?”

“Nothing like anything I've read either,” agrees Rechert.

[Con't.]

>>28981933

Viss looks agitated, and makes the Voorish sign. The light flickers blue for a few seconds before becoming red once more. “The wards are up, and there isn't anything actually there. It seems to be....” Her comment trails off and she tries to focus on the weird light.

A quick glance around shows Irren behind you all, while Jakob-as-Echo is clinging to the ceiling to the left and in front of you, while to your right and ahead of you, closest to the weird light, is Holmes-as-Phantom, clinging to a wall. Though the lights are dim, even humans should have no issues.

>Orders?

File: 1387546304609.jpg-(82 KB, 800x800, dimensional_shambler_by_b(...).jpg)

82 KB JPG

>MFW I scared them all two of them off.

>With the passage of a full hour, i will call it over for the evening.

I shall resume at 2:30 am Saturday morning, PST.

>>28982205
Whoops. Got busy with something else. I'm kind of surprised an hour's gone by without anyone posting, though.

There's not much we can do with this thing, simply set up in firing positions and wait to see what comes out.

>>28982279
Sounds alright with me.

>>28982270
Thanks for running, see you tomorrow.

>>28982291
>>28982279
You're welcome.

I do need to know if you are alerting anyone else, sending anyone away, requesting backup, etc.

And I'm not particularly surprised, my quest's following is largely after it gets posted. As long as someone is enjoying it, I'll run it.

>cruelties entywo
So true, Captcha-tan.

>>28982340
Oh, good point. See if we can take a picture of the phenomena and send it to Mordecai with a "See this, what do?" tagline. Failing that, just tell him. Also there are door guards, right? Let them know some shit's about to go down and to be ready in case you need back-up.

>>28982358
I'll note any additional requests. I usually go back and double check before I start a new thread.

>>28982340
Well, we could notify the guys outside that we've got something in our sights - maybe they can check out what it is (send a picture or something) while we prepare for the worst. And have some guards stationed behind that door - if that thing gets us, we can't risk the entire base getting swarmed.

It's alarming that they broke through our wards so easily.

>>28982373
It didn't break down the wards at all.

>Viss looks agitated, and makes the Voorish sign. The light flickers blue for a few seconds before becoming red once more. “The wards are up, and there isn't anything actually there. It seems to be....”

That should be even more alarming.