A Christmas Carol

[Malcolm Green]

Green made his way over to where Shin sat. Eyes and ears alert, the giant made a show of slowly and carefully sliding into a seat. For all the world, he looked like a big guy who had been put through a ringer, and now didn't know what to do. Part of it was true - the mountain wasn't sure what more he could do; Perry seemed busy with his lawyering and he wasn't quite sure what the other Elemental was up to. If his Durance hadn't stripped so many human impulses from him, Green would probably have gone off with the Darkling, if only to see him safe to a hospital; but alas, rocks don't quite think that way...

Green watched in silence as the scene was slowly cleared away. If the authorities wished to speak to him, they would. While he waited, he turned the events over in his mind. Slowly, an idea of what to do grew there... That girl spoke as if strange events were common around here. Maybe thats just talk - but maybe thats the rumour-mill. If thats true, then somewhere, there has to be more strange stories like this... and if there are, maybe there is, like, a pattern. Or something. So which local papers would go in for that kind of stuff...?

[Swift]

As Erik examines the immediate surroundings he notices a name tag on the man's shirt, mostly obscured by his coat. The flash of gold reveals a sweeping red "M" that the Foo Dog immediately recognizes as the first letter of the Macy's logo and the first part of a title "General M-". The man's hands shake constantly and his eyes are bloodshot. Without any further questions the man lapses into silence. His gaze falls out of focus and his eyes blink slowly. He is not clearly looking - or not looking at anything.

Malcom's musing on local printed media bring his attention back to the newsstand where the headline continues to glare out at the scene.

Both Shin Wei and Malcolm Green may make Wits + Empathy rolls to glean more from the man's appearance and behavior, and Int + Occult rolls to assist putting clues together.

---

The EMT glances up at Perry's request. "Oh, I've heard of you. You're that lawyer who shows up from time to time when people need it, aren't you? Help folks out when they're in trouble." He glances over at the banker and hesitates for a moment. Then he sighs slightly and smiles. "Of course I can help. All the worst cases are being seen to already anyway."

[Perry diCarto]

Perry smiled pleasantly, giving the man a little nod. "I do what I can. Thanks very much, mate. Figure this gent could use a little help, know what I mean?" he grinned as he walked with the EMT over to the downed bank manager. His eyes flicked over at the rumbled man that the boys were talking to, and he subtly burned a little Glamour, seeking to learn what he could about any desire that the man might have in the situation. Maybe he could figure out if the guy had a motive surrounding the riot.

A little bit of information could go a long way.

  1 sux Cupid's Eye

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-01-18 21:30:30		Perry diCarto rolls 6 to Cupid's Eye (Wits+Wyrd) (10 Again)		8, 5, 7, 4, 2, 3		1 success

-1 Glamour for Fleeting Spring 1.

[Malcolm Green]

Green sat and Green thought. His eyes fell on the news stand in an abrupt, spontaneous movement, he got up and bought a copy of the paper. He returned to his seat with a frown creasing his face, skimming the paper with his big, chunky hands. It was messy. He glared as much to himself as to anyone nearby until he shot a glance at the twitching fellow whom Shin watched.

"I... uh... sorry for your loss, man," the mountain said at last. The feeling was genuine (in as far as the giant could make himself feel) but the delivery was harsher than he had hoped. Still fighting with the paper, the Earthbones kept an eye on the man while he waited for a response.

He would either be right or very, very wrong.

[Malcolm Green]

ST and here are the rolls I so carelessly forgot...

  1 sux empathy and 2 sux occult

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-01-19 00:53:24		Green ponders on events rolls 3 to Intelligence 2 + Occult 1 (10 Again)		6, 10, 4, 8		2 successes
2013-01-19 00:52:00		Green is perceptive rolls 1 to Wits 2 + Empathy 0 - 1 Unskilled (Elemental curse)		8		1 success

[Swift]

"Let's see now..." the EMT mutters as he begins his examination. He cracks a small bag of smelling salts and suddenly the banker sits up coughing. "There. That worked," the EMT comments shooting a brief smile toward Perry. "Now, sit still for a moment sir, and remain calm. You've had quite a shock."

As he waits and surreptitiously attempts to divine Macy's manager's desires, Perry finds himself unable to glean anything of much worth from the Wyrd.

The banker manages to get the coughing under control and blinks his eyes, trying to focus. He stares at the EMT but seems disoriented for a moment. Shaking his head the man starts looking around blearily. His eyes settle on Perry for a moment and his brow furrows. Then, as focus returns to his face, they fly wide and he brings his hands up between Perry and himself, scooting back as best he can along the floor.

"No! Be gone you devil! I did as they asked! I changed! I changed! The spirits promised! They promised!"

  1 suxx to resist Cupid's Eye

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-01-20 22:20:19		The Macy's manager rolls 3 to Composure (10 Again)		6, 4, 8		1 success

---

As the EMT is bringing the banker around the other two Lost sit near the Macy's manager. He glances at Malcolm in confusion, "I'm sorry, what? Oh, no, nothing like that. I'm just very tired is all. Long week, then this."

Both the Lost can tell that it is much more than simple fatigue. The man is visibly shaking, both from the caffeine he has ingested, and from fear. His reaction to the situation isn't quite right however. While it is natural for one to be disturbed in the face of madness like the banker displayed and the chaos that followed, this fear seems somehow more introspective.

As Green considers the situation, pieces begin to fall into place. The manager is clearly afraid, and associating what happened to the banker to something personal. In addition, he is Hell-bent on not going to sleep. From there, it is a short jump to conclude that something is haunting his dreams, and very well might have done the same to the banker. The manager has been so shaken by his experience that he is risking a heart attack from caffeine overdose rather than face sleep again. And who could blame him? All of the Lost know what sort of horrors can lurk in dreams.

Then the banker awakens and begins shouting again.

[Perry diCarto]

Perry waited patiently as he attempted to divine the Macy's manager's desires, but he was not particularly successful in his endeavours. The Shadowsoul spent the time waiting trying to glean glamour from the hard-working EMT, who was doing his level best to help the human on the ground. It never hurt to use ambient time to top off the tank - especially when solving a supernatural mystery. "Nice job," he said to the EMT with a flash of that smile.

And then his client-to-be woke and freaked the fuck out.

Perry did two things. First, he hardened his Mask lickety-split, hoping to bring the man some peace. Maybe it was just a freak-out from him waking up. Then, he focused his Glamour to change the man's desire to make it so that he wanted to talk to Perry calmly about what was going on, privately. Everything would be fine, if he just talked to Perry. "Hey, you took a nasty hit to the head, you okay, man?" he asked with a concerned look on his face. Of course he was concerned. The man was yelling about crazy shit like spirits. It had to be a concussion.

-1 Glamour for Harden Mask. Catch met for Growth of the Ivy (Fleeting Spring 2). Please let me know if I can roll to absorb some Glamour and if so what you'd like me to roll

  5 sux before -Resolve for Growth of the Ivy

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-01-21 02:28:33		Perry diCarto rolls 9 to Growth of the Ivy (Manip3+Per5+Mantle1) (10 Again)		9, 8, 1, 9, 10, 9, 4, 1, 3, 4		5 successes

[Swift]

The EMT isn't producing any real Glamour right now as he is simply doing his job in a professionally detached manner. You can attempt to harvest from the Banker, but doing so will require you play off of his fear, which is directed directly at you. It'll be an intimidation roll based on Presence or Manipulation depending on how you go about it, and will enjoy a +3 bonus from his rather intense emotional outburst of fear already directed at Perry. However, from Perry's current demeanor I'm assuming he will not be pursuing this course.

Additionally, I will wait to post the results on your use of Growth of the Ivy until after Shin and Green have responded, but his current drive is a fear, not a desire, so will not be changed by the contract.