Haunting of Lucretia Blackback - RPLOG
Participants
Date
20/7/477
Log
It is early evening and Lucretia is standing on her porch, waiting for the beings that she contracted to help her to arrive. She has a modest home, for a mansion, meaning that it is only marginally larger than most public buildings. The noble skunk is dressed in what someone must have told her was a mystical dress. Scarves and beads and occult symbols practically drip from her dress. She seems more nervous than mysterious, though, waiting in the fading light.
Cassidy drops from the sky, landing with patter and a flow of her coat's tails, before standing up to straighten her coat and tie. "Good evening. I am here to assist you with your... Spiritual matters?" She raises her brow behind her mask and flashes a smile, before dipping into a bow. "It is nice to meet you."
Making her way up the street from the Freesword's Guild, Natska smiles to herself at a familiar sight falling from the heavens. She walks up next to Cassidy and raises two fingers to the brim of her hat, giving the noble a bow of her head in greeting. "Good evening," she greets. "What is the problem?"
Siyu is dressed in his finery and silks. The short kangaroo rat wasn't really considering what might be happening in "Spirital" matters. But with the Old ones working together and other random things happening he's investigating anything which might be a lead. He's had a lot of false ones lately. So desptie being dressed head to toe in his fancy silk creator suit he's alert. He bows his head, "hello everyone"
Clank clank clank... Curious metallic collisions echo into the air, growing louder and louder with each moment. Eventually, the disturbance reveals itself in the form of a golden leonine fellow jogging quickly towards the indicated area. Upon his back, a large travel backpack clinks about until he finally gathers around with the growing group with a few soft pants. "Phew," Dio exhasperates, wiping a bit of sweat off his brow. "I 'eared there was a bit o' trouble 'round these parts!" Picking his chest up, the lion grows a prideful look and smiles. "Dio the Traveler is at yer service! 'ow can I 'elp ya. Got some spooky spirits that need punchin'?"
"Oh, thank the Creators," the noblewoman says, wringing her graceful hands, "I was starting to think that you wouldn't come!" She catches herself, then tries to cover up her relief. "I mean," she lowers her voice to what she almost certainly thinks is a sultry whisper, "The stars are right! Let us gaze upon the infinite!" She opens the front door and leads the others into a finely furnished parlor where a small, round table has been decorated with a crystal ball (With a tag still attached to the stand,) and a sensible white table cloth.
Lucretia turns to face her guests as she takes up a spot on the far side of the table, her veil drooping over her face in a way that is maybe just a bit silly. Not the effect she hoped for, for certain. "For the past three nights," she says, "As the sun sets, my home is troubled by lost spirits!" She pauses for dramatic effect.
Cassidy tips her hat towards Natska, tail flicking behind her. "Hello! Good to see you today, friend! Sleep well last night?" She lets her question hang in the air as she looks back towards Lucretia, following the skunk in. "Lost spirits, huh? Why might that be? And what are they doing, exactly?" She leans forward to peer at the crystal ball, confusion written on her face, although it's not plain for anyone to see.
Natska shoots Cassidy a happy smile as she enters the house alongside her friend. "No," she answers, although her tone is quite cheerful. "Good to see you here, Cass." Siyu gets a friendly nod of recognition. The new face gets a tilted head, then a bright grin as Natska's tail flicks. However, business. She listens to Lucretia, ears perked, then glances around the room. "I see. What do the spirits do when they show up?" she asks. As she talks, she slips a couple of fingers into her belt pouch, fishing for something; a slight twitch and a muted hiss as she makes contact, even through her gloves, and she draws out a small ivory bone on a silver chain that she slips around her wrist.
Siyu is not looking all of that impressed, he raises a brow, tilting his head towards the crystal ball on the table, "uh...spirits, do you mean shadows, or the influences of cultists what exactly are you reffering to by spirits?" He glances again towards the other three, offering an incline and a bow of his head. He smiles at Cassidy and Nat, bowing his head politely. He looks over at Dio, "And Dio too? You know about spirits Dio?" he inquires
"Lost spirits ya say," Dio questions with hightened curiosity, an idle finger brushing ever so gently at his fuzzy golden chin. "An' they're lost! Let the mystery begin." In a rather socially awkward manner, the lion paces over towards the lady's side of the table rather than the opposite and nods to Siyu. "Ya know, I met a ghost once. I was out an' 'bout the forest ya see when I 'eard some kind o' ghastly flappin' noises o' somethin'," he claims with an air and tone of mystery. "I went to investigate, an' there I saw it. Up in the trees in the dead o' night, some white apperition o' sorts wielding somethin' sharp! It was almost like fabric o' somethin' the way it moved, but I got outta there quick."
Leaning closer and closer over the table, Dio peers at the strange ball with extreme interest. "Ooh, an' what's this, lass? Is this where we're gonna gaze into the infinite? I don't think ya could fit infinity in there, ya know? Don't think ya could fit it in anythin'! Not even a quarter o' an' infinity."
Seeing that no one is inclined to be impressed by the dramatic display she is putting on, the skunk noblewoman tugs off her veil and flops into one of the five seats at the little table. "It isn't shadows," she says, "but whatever it is, it has frightened all the servants away and I can't get anyone from the Manor to look into it for love nor money." She sounds much more believable now that she has dropped the mystic whispering. "Each night, a little after sunset, SOMETHING happens in this room!" she peers out the window to check the progress of the setting sun, "It is never quite the same, but there are strange lights and music and the sound of people speaking in words no one understands." She looks up and part of the reason for her veil becomes apparent as she shows that her eyes are bloodshot and surrounded by dark circles. "I myself have not slept in four days now!"
Lucretia looks at the gathered beings, her desperation apparent. "I don't know much about spirits," she says, "But I thought if I held a seance, that maybe we could find out what they want and they would go away and I could have my house back!" She looks askance at Dio as he examines the ball. "Surely you must know that a Crystal is essential for contacting the infinite beyond!" she sniffs.
The front window has grown increasingly dark.
Cassidy frowns softly. "Sorry to hear that, Natska," she comments as an aside, though her attention remains on the skunk. "Well... I mean, I guess it's worth a try? If not, I suppose we could stay the night and see it for ourselves? I wouldn't mind camping out in this room for a bit, at least. I'm certainly curious, now! And hello there, Dio. Good to see you again. I missed your stories."
Natska's ear flicks, and the jaguar gives Cassidy a small reassuring smile. She listens to Lucretia's story, and then nods her head at the noble skunk again. "We are certainly the group to do things for pay, lady Lucretia," she replies. "If that is a seance, then of course I am willing to sit in a seance. I think between those of us here we can make some good observations as well, when things happen."
Siyu gives a little hum at the Blackback, "Well Lady Blackback, we're not exactly unwilling to belive you. We are Freeswords, the oddities of the world are commonplace to us. You didn't have to spend money on impressing us My Lady." he inclines his head, bowing politely, "We are more then willing to help." he considers "Hmmm...strange sounds..." he takes up a staff and begins to tap along the wall. Searching for panels or holes. Strange little things. The blacksmith knows a bit about building false walls and locks. He gives a glance at the crystal ball, "I am...not sure about the need for it..."
"Good day to ya too, lass!" Dio greets with energetic excitement directed straight towards Cassidy. After the miniature outburst, the lion shrugs his travel backpack upon the floor with a loud CLANK, finally allowing his shoulders the freedom they've been desiring. "Oof," he expels with a quick roll of his shoulders. "Can't carry that all like I used to. Now then..." Grabbing up a chair, the coat wearing feline drags it over to the lady's side and sits down right next to her with a blissfully ignorant and goofy smile.
"Now if it were up to me, I'd leave a bunch o' meat on this 'ere table instead, ya know? Ya see, the ghosts are wantin' somethin', probably due to their memories o' whatever. Once they smell that meat, ghosts will be flockin' to this room. I know I would if I were a spooky spirit. It should work out, 'cause the meat itself is dead, probably maybe. An' then after, we can eat the meat so it might be worth a try," he claims with a cough that does little to hide his intentions. "Either way, please tell this travelin' lion 'ow to gaze into the infinite. Do ya gotta touch the ball first? Can I touch it? I ask, 'cause most people don't want ya touchin' their balls without permission."
As the group assures her of their willingness to help, Lucretia strides around the room in a quick circuit to dim the few lights. There were not many lit, since the sun has only just set, but the room is gradually left in twilit darkness. The only light coming from a distant street lamp filtering through the room's lacy curtains.
The noblewoman settles herself back into her seat and invites the others to each take a seat themselves. She sets a pair of long, fat candles on the table and lights them with a small kelvinscope. The light flickers and bounces a bit off the crystal chandelier over the table and shadows fill the corners of the room. Lucretia sits in silence for a moment, then looks around the table. "I don't suppose any of you has conducted a seance before?" she asks, pointedly ignoring Dio's advice and desperately hoping that it is not repeated by any of the others. Though she looks a bit uncertain when he asks about the crystal. "Maybe we SHOULD all touch the crystal," she says, laying her hands on the big glass ball.
Cassidy watches Natska for a moment, deciding to inquire about it later. For now, there was a mystery afoot! "Well! Let's get this show under way, shall we?" She folds her hands behind her back and watches the skunk set the candles up, smiling softly. "I have not done such a thing, no. I've seen plenty of ghastly things, but this type of thing isn't my usual... Expertise."
A gloved hand finds its way to Natska's muzzle as she winces, and then rubs at the side of her nose. She fights down a small snerk, then regains her composure and folds her hands together in front of her. "No, I have not conducted one. I will defer to your expertise," she tells the skunk, inclining her head. "What do we do?" She looks over at Siyu, inquiringly, in case the rat had more experience with the matter.
Siyu watches as the lights dim and he tilts his head a tiny bit and he considers, "Did you have this room remodled lately?" he asks as he checks the metal work on the candleholders. The blacksmith enjoying some knowledge of how to properly forge and smith the fine metal objects for the nobility. He doesn't look as if he wants to participate in the seance, or any other such thing. Still looking for external causes. He glancs at Natska, "No, no I've never even heard of doing one, let alone know how to handle it"
Dio grumbles lightly under his breath as it would seem his advice was ignored. A steak dinner, and a noble on at that, wouldn't come so easily. "'fraid I 'aven't!" The lion exclaims, picking his mood back up with relative ease. He quickly thrusts a hand forward to grip upon the ball tightly and awaits further instruction. "Okay then, Lass O' Spooky Spirits. What's the next step? Do we start chantin'?"
"Yes," Lucretia answers Siyu, "I have been replacing all of metalwork in the hou-" The skunk woman is interrupted as Dio reaches out to touch the crystal ball and a brilliant flash lights up the room!
There is a whirring sound, like a flock of birds taking flight which is quickly swallowed up in some sort of strange music, using no instruments that anyone here has ever heard! Bizarre, distorted images float through the air and under it all, there is a strange hiss or buzz, like a waterfall, just at the edge of hearing. The music and sounds fade in and out, but the susurration remains constant.
Lucretia cries out and suddenly clings to Dio's hand. "It is you!" she says, "You must have the strongest connection to the spirits!"
Cassidy recoils slightly. It wasn't easy to surprise Cass, but the room's sudden reaction to Dio touching the ball certainly had her startled. Recovering quickly, she reaches up to adjust her tie and clears her throat. "My, my. That was... Unexpected." She glances around the room and squints. "And very unusual indeed..." She eyes the skunk from behind her mask for a moment before looking at Dio.
Natska's ears pin back, or at least as much as they can with her hat on. She rocks back in her chair a little and quickly glances around the room, but when it becomes apparant that whatever is going on isn't striking the same nerves that had been rubbed raw by the dead she begins to relax. She gives her head a little shake. "What *is* this?" she asks, under her breath. "They are no spirits of the dead, at least..."
Siyu blinks a bit, "Why would you be replacing all the metal work here..." he squeeks as he suddenly sees the bird and various flashing and lights, "What...what in the hells." he winces and pulls away. He's surprised too. What magic is this! Actual spirits? He was looking at the metal she replaced and if there was any sort of oddity about the new metal. Though he is now certinally distracted.
"AH!" Dio yells in a surprised fashion at the sudden sights and sounds, not expecting such an immediate and dramatic reaction to his touch. Leaning back further and further, the lion and chair both come tumbling backwards in a crash. Luckily however, the feline's head is cushioned by the travel pack he had sat down just moments before. After a few moments of catching his wits, Dio bellows a victorious laugh. "Ah ha! I told ya I was a ghost expert. Jus' like that ghost I saw in the forest. They love me ya see." Slowly but surely, he picks up his chair and settles himself upon it after giving his coat a good pat and smoothing with his hands. "Maybe it's all the steak?"
The images seem to jump and shift at random! One moment, something almost seems to take shape, then it is gone, a figure strides across the room and vanishes into thin air. An unintelligible voice fills the air and a huge, distorted face appears over the table. It is warped and a grotesque pink color and from time to time, huge pink tentacles flash into view before vanishing back into darkness!
Lucretia wails in terror and pulls the tablecloth up to her face. "DO something!" she cries.
Cassidy narrows her eyes in thought for a moment before shuffling over to the skunk's side. A devious grin spreads across her face as she leans forward to whisper something to the skunk before standing back up. "Certainly is a curious situation, isn't it? Never quite what I expect in such a place as this!" She reaches up to adjust her hat for a moment, glancing around the room again taking in the various images, most particularly the one over the table.
Natska twitches again as she watches the images, but absent the darkness... she looks over at Cassidy. "Illusions?" she offers. "But where is their s..." she trails off, her ear flicking. And her gaze moves to Dio, and the crystal.
Siyu rubs his face a tiny bit, and he takes a deep breath, All right, visual, visuals..." he feels out a little iwth his own sirit senses, he's not used to dealing with spirits, calling on his strong life calling to try and identify and make some contact.
"Now this is strange..." Dio eyes the strange ball and illusion, not quite sure what to make of it. Again, he reaches out and gives the ball a small knock with his knuckles before analyzing the curious illusion. "That blob lookin' thing kinda reminds me o' that strange Creator lad that came down one day an' started talkin' to himself. Jetstream o' whatever. An' what do ya mean I should do somethin'? Ain' ya the ghost expert 'round 'ere?" Interest peaked, the lion grabs at the crystal and attempts to shake it.
Lucretia looks at Cassidy, horrified tears streaming down her face. "You think this is some sort of joke!?" she shrieks before descending back into frightened sobs, her eyes darting from one distorted image to the next. She cannot even seem to respond to Dio as he takes up the crystal.
Fiddling with the ball seems to cause no reaction in the apparitions, but after a moment, the blobby pink image gives way to a whole different face! This one is some sort of hideous, fanged monstrosity! A distorted predator's face in a sea of foamy pink!
Cassidy scowls a little and glances around. "Well, if it's not, then... I'll take your word for it. I hope you are not attempting to pull the wool over our eyes, though!" She turns her eyes to Dio, then towards Natska. "I'm not sure, really. I think they're illusions, but the source? I cannot say."
Natska rocks back from the latest image again and starts to bare her teeth; after a moment, though, she frowns. She rises and takes a couple of steps to one side, then to another, actually *looking* at the fanged horror. "That... is a hyena Being," she states, puzzled. "One who looks a little familiar, but I can't place her..."
Siyu grunts a bit, "Jetstream...Jetstream had that projector..." he dips his fingers into his pocket and tries to focus on another soul. He works sme water magic over the orb, trying to see if he can distort it, or see if it's a kind of projetion. What the hell did Flora prove? Light and direction, he tries to warp it.
"I remember this lass," Dio claims as the next image appears. "But I don't think I've ever 'eard 'er name. Strange that it would 'ave an image o' that Creator an' all. Where did ya get this orb even? I've never quite seen anythin' like this." With his shaking not contributing much, the lion lets go and leans back into his chair. "Do ya think the Church might be interested?"
Lucretia is a mess of tears and terror. "It's just a glass ball!" she wails, "I bought it with the chandelier as a spare!" The frightened noblewoman points up at the crystal chandelier and the fine ball of crystal sitting in the center. . . the ball that is glowing and reflecting through all of the other crystals hanging in the complex arrangement.
Cassidy glances up towards the crystal ball and raises her brow. "Huh. You don't suppose... That's the cause is it? Who did you buy this from, miss? I believe you may have been had! They don't seem too dangerous, themselves, but... Certainly not a nice prank to pull on someone!"
Natska looks up. Of course. Nobody looks up. She frowns, watching the glowing crystals of the chandelier. "And it comes on at sunset," she muses, and then nods and looks back at Lucretia. She moves up next to the skunk, places a hand on her shoulder, and tries to be reassuring with her voice and her presence. "It is fine, m'lady. You do not need to worry. We are here to help, and you are not in any danger."
Siyu grunts a little bit and flicks the water away, staring up at the chandalier, "Redoing all the lighting, that...where did you get THAT" he points up at the chandiler, "They're just light, see how the water distorts it, it's just projections of light"
Dio peers upwards after hearing word of the chandelier above. "Quite strange! It seems we are closer an' closer to closin' this 'ere mystery," he says as he gets out of his seat. "This shop you mentioned is worth investigatin' Though I gotta admit, I was kinda hopin' to talk to some real ghosts o' somethin' o' the sort."
The noblewoman's frightened crying slows to confused snuffles as everyone explains to her that the images are not spirits, but illusions. The light show continues, flickering in and out, but now that the source has been found it seems much less sinister. "I b-b-bought it at Burkes & Burkes," she snuffles, "Just off of Saints Square." She waves around the room and pulls a handkerchief from her pocket to dab at her eyes. "I bought all of my new fixtures from them!" she says, "They have always been s-so reliable!" Poor Lucretia looks pretty miserable there in the flicker of the low candle light and the illusionary images.
Cassidy furrows her brow. "Burkes...? Hrm... Natska! You remember that creator that got away? That was caught sneaking here? You don't suppose... He was selling contraband Creator items, do you? Perhaps we should go investigate that shop, yes, as Dio says!"
Natska pats Lucratia's shoulder again, then looks up at Cassidy and raises her eyebrows. "They may not have known," she reassures the skunk, simultaneously pitching the idea to the others. "I try not to assume maliciousness when there are other, easier answers." She thinks a moment, though, and nods. "Yes. We really should..."
Siyu grunts a little bit, "Yes I agree with everyone, obviously we should go find out if there areany records of sales, who knows how many of these things escaped." he glances at the skunk, "Lady Blackback I do belive we're going to have to take this object. I apologize." going to get a chair and remove the orb, or at least try to.
"Indeed!" Dio points towards Natska briefly before folding his arms across his chest. "Perhaps the answer is right 'ere! Earlier, ya told us none o' the servents 'ave been helpin' ya. I wonder if one o' them is behind it fer a nasty prank. I can't imagine a local shop would prank a loyal customer willingly, especially if they're a noble. But, no need to go kickin' up a storm now. We'll just give the shop owners a good talkin' to and set this straight."
Lucretia frowns up at the offending ball, then rises from her chair to go turn up the other lights. Once the lights come up, the glittering ball stills and goes silent. "Take the wretched thing away!" she says, "I'll have nothing more to do with it! And Burkes & Burkes will certainly be hearing from me." She leans heavily on the wall. "They shall be hearing from me, just as soon as I have had a bit of real sleep!" she amends.
The chandelier is a little high for Siyu, but standing up on the table, he is able to hop up and remove the glittering glass orb from its net of thin, silvery chains.
Cassidy bows her head. "Of course. Have a good sleep, miss! I am glad we were able to help!" Speaking of sleep! She turns her attention towards Natska for a moment and smiles before nodding at Dio "Yes, we'll certainly have to give them a good talking later, won't we? I think you're right, in that they wouldn't really do such a thing to their customers on purpose."
Natska watches Siyu collect the orbs, and nods her head. "Excellent. I am glad we could be of assistance, m'lady, with these out of the house you should be troubled no more." She gives the noble a small curtsie, then slips her ivory bracelet back into her belt pouch, tucking it into a cloth before shoving it down to the bottom and closing the pouch again. She absently wipes her hand on her dress a couple of times, smiling at her friends. "I doubt they will be open after sunset... when shall we visit them?"
Siyu nods as he cradles the orb, wondering what the hell it is, what it can do. He peers into it, as if seeing if it's still projecting...
Dio reaches down and hoists up his heavy travel backpack with a grunt before pulling it upon his shoulders, causing quite the rattle of the materials stationed within. "Right then!" The lion shouts with all due excitement to put a cap upon another mystery. "Let us make haste an' solve the mystery o' spooky ghosts. We shall be back with our findin's later, Noble Lass."
