(The Eye) Fiat Lux

Jun 14th, 2019 03:17 PM

Thomas Boyle, in the Hallway

Brilliant Boyle, staring into the abyss at it stared back into him. The creature has an auric signature unlike anything he had ever seen, jet-black and hateful around the edges, sucking into an empty void, like raw malevolence being sucked down into a soulless, horrifying void. He searched his memory in that speedy moment, staring at the thing; could it be a wraith? A daemon? Some sort of strange, dark spirit? Nothing, nothing was sure, nothing was registering in this short moment. Whatever it was, though, it clearly was connected to the Eye, for the aura stretched toward the room where the sentient artifact was, as though drawn to it...

The rictus grin of teeth and malevolence did not part. No words formed in reply. It simply acted, with one slow, deliberate step forward of its Mask, but nay, this creature did not walk. It hovered.

It did, however, reply to his question about where the other two were, with a nod to its right, and to its left. As though on cue, the creatures phased under the doors to the stairwells through the cracks like beings of pure shadow. Their masks were all the same, all that same, fucking insane grin, and Boyle could see through them all.

All the same.

Just grinning at him.

In the Classroom

I am about to leave. Place me upon the floor and walk away, and all three of you will go free.

An image in their minds, of Thomas in the hallway, staring at a creepy, rictus grin and an uncanny, wrong-looking man in a suit, as two more came out through the stairwells...

Jun 14th, 2019 05:05 PM

Oh, hell no. Insults, wounds, setbacks - he can deal with all that, has been and - most certainly - will be. What Thomas cannot deal with, however, is being ignored, like some lowly servant. The Lord's Blood simmers as the three shapes hover past him.

"Gentlemen..."

Logical assessment: if the Eye could easily kill them with no consequence, it'd have already done so. Therefore, they either must present some worth to this alien being - or, alternatively, it must be unsure of the outcome of the eventual fight. Ergo, the uncertainty can be exploited.

"I am certain we can come to some kind of mutually beneficial arrangement"

1 success

He puts some of that Ventrue slick in his words. This thing has been about knowledge since night one, and the artifact provided emarrassingly little of it - he is happy to part with it, as long as he gets something out of it.

"If you could answer some questions of mine, we'd be perfectly content to let you take the Eye and treat this encounter as a lone hiccup in an otherwise long and fruitful timeline of mutual indifference" He looks to the classroom's door "Isn't that right Mable, Elettra?" He says that last part a bit louder, so as to be heard through the barricade.

Thomas is initiating Social Combat

Intent: Strike a deal with The Eye and its servants
Dominance Modifier: 4
Guile: 2
Nerve: 6

Total Dominance: 13

The Persuasion roll is not a part of Social Combat - just a mean of getting the enemies' attention, since they seem to mostly ignore Thomas and the others. Cross , could knowing their aura/seeing past the Mask count as "Having pertinent background information of the opposing party" ("Cutting a Deal", p.83 WoD Core)?. Would - or could - any other modifiers apply?

**Mable Wood** · Jun 14th, 2019 05:19 PM

"Elettra? I can take it if you want and try to fly with it..." Protect her people first and foremost.

Mable hears Thomas, "Most Certainly! Negotiations have begun..." She yells out to him.

Jun 14th, 2019 05:53 PM

There is no direct response from the beings before him, beyond the beings all cocking their heads at Thomas Boyle simultaneously, just slightly to the right. The one he was reading showed confusion? Lack of understanding? HATE. In the shifts, he sees something coming back through the aura. A flicker of mutedness. These aren't people, or beings. They aren't even fully sentient. He's trying to negotiate with... constructs? Something akin to that? An elemental force of darkness?

Still. Thomas Boyle has the Eye's attention. In all three minds:

It is as it always was. Feed me. You may ask your questions, but now, it is questions three - one question each, for one feeding from each of you. Our patience grows short. We do not wish to end your immortal existences, but we will if we must.

I note your rolls, and if social combat should become appropriate, I will apply that strong Dominance roll. However, I will give you the easier way to handle this given the fact that your character has said something very particular.

Jun 15th, 2019 05:19 PM

"Mable, did you hear what the Eye said?! Place it on the floor, walk away, and it will allow us to be free. Is it wise for you to take it alone and fly away with it?" Elettra says with concern. She sets it down, "You do what you think is best."

Jun 17th, 2019 08:20 AM

Oh. Of course. No being sentient or alive in any sense could have an aura this homogenous, this... muted. Real minds are complicated, with rainbows of ever-shifting colors. These? These were just constructs.

Pathetic.

"I don't think so" He says, through one of the hovering simulacra to the Eye "You know why? Because up to this point you were the only one to receive any useful service. Every time we asked you something, and paid the price, you obfuscated and danced around the answer. Was it because you are so smart? Or are you just a liar?"

Thomas smiles darkly. Dancing on the knife's edge.

"You will give us a free round of questions, ones that you will answer with truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If you don't, or can't? Tell your cardboard men to take you away. We have no further use for you"

6 successes

**Mable Wood** · Jun 18th, 2019 10:17 AM

Mable reaches to the window and tries to slam her fist through it.

failure

If allowed: Mable will next grab the eye and shift into bat form with it.

Jun 20th, 2019 08:46 AM

If they are not going to listen to Elettra, she was not going to stick around for the blood bath that was to come.

Elettra exits the scene

**Mable Wood** · Jun 30th, 2019 08:55 AM

Mable picks up the eye and shifts to Bat form. And attempts to fly out the door.

Jul 12th, 2019 01:31 AM

The Eye is not some tiny object that a small, little bat can lift. Hefty enough to beat a man to death with, like a statue of stone that is heavy for one human hand, Mable simply does not have the strength to lift it. Flight is absolutely an option, though - and Mable can take it, following Elettra Vitale out the door.

The so-called cardboard men, given two options, take the one more preferable to them. They advance upon the Eye. Their shadowy hands come up, aiming at anyone who is left.

"One question. Ask. Then leave."

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-14 16:28:47		Thomas Boyle rolls 5 to Hold up, cowboy (Manip + Persuasion) (10 Again)		3, 2, 8, 4, 7		1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-14 16:56:04		Thomas Boyle rolls 1 die for initiative		9

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-17 08:10:39		Thomas Boyle rolls 8 to Bait (Manip + pers + WP) (10 Again, WillPower)		6, 5, 8, 10, 7, 9, 8, 10, 8, 5		6 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-06-18 10:11:57		Mable Wood rolls 8 to Breaking Window with fist str + Brawl (10 Again)		1, 5, 3, 3, 7, 6, 4, 5		failure

(The Eye) Fiat Lux

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