PrP BIBF The Bookstore

[James Turner]

John had stepped directly into the fire, there had been a tension in the room before. Fear underlaced with anger and then the man goes blind and starts screaming and panic ensues. This was bad but he couldn't focus on that just yet, it wasn't the ink that filled the book it was the darkness that pooled out of it, that began spreading over the room the shadows creeping across and reaching out to him carrying a single sentence from a single voice. I need you. And in that voice was a quiet desperation that tugged at his heart and pulled him one, two steps forward before he could shake the feeling.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-18 07:41:13	James Turner rolls 7 to Res + Comp (10 Again)	10, 1, 6, 8, 4, 6, 6, 5	2 successes

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-18 07:41:50	James Turner rolls 2 to Clarity Breaking Point (2) (10 Again)	8, 2	1 success

He looked around the room, the shadows turning the chains as Worms words cut through the din. He was right they had to do something. This was about to turn into a full fledged Riot and he wished, not for the first time, that he had the Fairest's way with words. But he had to do something, try something to quell the swell of panic and rage. He also needed to know what had just happened but he needed to not be trampled first. He took a steadying breath and closed his eyes as a soft, sweet song began to fill his ears. A sirens call to walk Shelesh. He tried to look through the futures to see which to pick, which moment offered the best opportunity but all he could see was chaos and visions of a world he'd never visited before so he was left to his own words.


He raised his hands up and began trying to organize the flow of people. "Everyone stay calm and we'll all make it out of this, one at a time, please! We will all be fine if we can just keep calm." His voice was low, soothing as he could make it, using his professional voice, his therapist voice. Maybe he wasn't a fairest but maybe his skills could still be useful as he'd move to prop the door open to make it easier for everyone's egress.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-18 07:58:08	James Turner rolls 6 to Glimpse of Fortune's Favor (Wits + Wyrd) (10 Again)	5, 7, 5, 3, 3, 1	failure

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-18 08:01:16	James Turner rolls 7 to Calm the Crowd (Pre + Persuasion) (10 Again, WillPower)	8, 2, 9, 8, 6, 4, 3	3 successes

John is at least trying to calm the crowd and get them out the door as safely as possible

[Scourge]

The Changelings manage to not let the adrenaline and lizard brain from taking over, and remain rational. Though how rational looked different when madness had you in its grip and clouds of colored ink swam through the air crawling towards you. Some might argue that it would be insane to not run in panic or attack in frenzy with such ideas floating from the Paradise of Shelesh. It would certainly leave more permanent scars on some more than others. However, for now things are happening fast.

The volume of the room began to rise. Voices rising as it became clear the door would not fit all those who fled and they began mindlessly screaming as they felt the press of the crowd and the tendrils wrapping around their bodies.

James tries to make himself heard but he can’t even be sure he is over the screams and weeping. Or the sound of the store’s windows being shattered by a reading chair thrown by the woman in the pencil skirt with dreadlocks so that there is another exit. She locks eyes with John before she's surrounded by people and pushed away as they surge through. Even as broken pieces of glass left in the frame rip at hands and legs, it only spurs the fear maddened crowd to move faster.


From the other direction came shouts of defiance overlapping each other so that any words became hard to make out. Though one word could be heard over and over in the din spreading through the enraged crowd like flame on oil.

"Burn them!"

They all swung their arms at invisible foes of the shared vision they all experienced. The darkness in the shop shifts as the lantern is torn from the robed figures hands. Another man’s twisted face is illuminated in the lantern light. The candlelight. And in his other fist, is the book.

Others begin grabbing books and ripping them apart, tearing at the Paradise within. And three… turn their anger on the blind owner grabbing him and holding him down as he struggles, screaming. The owner that the words have him, and them that the words are inside him.

[Gerrit]

Good. Colonel Worm seems to have grasped how dangerous the books were. But how could they stop it? If all it took was destroying the books then the People in the shop were already on it. What else could the Ogre and the Soldier do other than burning and ripping?
They will get taken and it's going to be your fault.

It is you who should be taken. He will find you again and you're going to learn your fucking lesson.

"No! Leave me alone!" Why was his father here? Wasn't he in prison? Dead? But of course: his Keeper had no voice, It knew only violence and judgmental looks coming from a featureless face - it had taken his father, made him into a tool to further torture Gerrit.
He couldn't break, he had to push through. Bloodshot eyes regarded the twisted grimace of the Goblin next to him. "We can't. That's what It wants. We have to find another way." Of course CW didn't understand - he wasn't subjected to the kind of torture Gerrit has been, he didn't know how uncaring and merciless Gerrit's Keeper was. He tightened his grip on the Goblin's shoulder and looked around the store, ignoring the creeping threat of the books and the panicking people around him, trying to find something else they might be missing.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-18 15:32:29	Gerrit rolls 5 to look for another way to stop what's happening (Wits 3 + Comp 3 - Clarity 1) (10 Again)	3, 8, 10, 5, 4, 1	2 successes

So you're just going to let those people get hurt? Just like

You couldn't help them anyway. You should just go back willingly - you were at least useful as a punching-bag.

you left me behind to live with a monster. Me and our children.

His heart was beating fast, painfully in his chest. Lisa? Has she also found him, found out the truth? She must be working with his Keeper too, the Fetch might have just brainwashed her. Gerrit didn't notice tears running down his cheeks now. "Please no." He muttered under his breath.
He heard something else, faintly. A whisper through the chaos, a familiar voice. John? John could help him hide, help him get away from his Keeper and those cursed books.

1 success - talked to Scourge and the general chaos gives me another penalty of 1

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-18 15:10:27	Gerrit rolls 5 to make out the source of the familiar voice (Wits 3 + Comp 3 - Clarity 1) (10 Again)	9, 1, 2, 4, 8	2 successes

There he was. He was trying to safely get those people out? Didn't he know that they probably weren't in danger? The ink was after the Lost. He breathed in

It's no use, he's going to sell you out, drop you and leave you.

and bellowed out to the Darkling, pushing away the doubt seeping into his mind. "John! Get over here!" He had to get all of the Lost together. They had to stick together lest they ended up in Shelesh or Arcadia or whatever hell his Keeper thought of.

Equipment: Wallet with some money, empty backpack.




Hardened Mask

[Colonel Worm]

The black, the black, pouring forth from the books. And, behind the black the green. And further back, most horrible of all, the Red.

For a moment, it's all he sees. His whole world. Hideous colors swelling out from a total lack of color, fading one into the other. And at the end, the very end. The Red. And the Lords of the Red. Coming. Coming.

Then glass begins to shatter. For a moment, he comes back. To his senses. To the swirling chaos of the book store. To Gerrit. Whose shouting for John. Not a bad idea. They need to be together. There's strength in numbers. And they need strength. Because THEY are coming.

"Listen, I know we have to get out. But we need two things first. A copy of the book. And the owner. So we can ask what the fuck is going on." Or, at the very least, make him pay for this.

He looks around wildly, spots the three 'customers' going for the man in question.

"You get John and the book. For later. I'm going after him." A nod at the owner. "Then we make our exit. And we have a nice chat."

Worm's in the shit. The green. All over again. Gotta make a plan. Gotta keep moving. Gotta survive.

The Goblin takes the brass knuckles out of his pocket, slips one on each hand, not too worried about subtly given the situation, and begins to advance on the attackers.

If possible, Worm will try to take the three individuals attacking the shop owner by surprise. Please let me know if surprise applies here and how I should proceed with this encounter. The brass knuckles are +1B.

[James Turner]

The Glass shatters and John freezes, he could only hope that it was enough that his words were enough to get people out. They were innocent bystanders and his hands, his hands were covered in deep, black ink that slowly seeped into his pores and began running up his veins. He knew his time was limited, he had to do what he could. There was no containing this but this was just a case of mass hysteria right?


Despite all his training, filtering out noise and chaos the only thing he could hear was the sound of grinding glass. Until Gerrit's words cut through the din and snapped him back to the moment even as people were attacking shelves, each other, pushing, and pulling and writhing in a mass. He blinked his eyes and dispelled the image for now as he moved closer to the other two letting people by.


"No one gets left behind CW, be careful." He was right, they needed a copy but was the magic in the book? Was it somewhere else? A different source. He HAD to know, that itch that drive that pulled at him spread the ink further up his arms but he couldn't change what he'd been made into. Made to do. So he tried again, maybe if he wasn't focused on the people, the chaos he'd have more luck.


So he reached out and looked beyond the Veil, looked for the scars power and the hedge left behind to try and trace it's source. Because if they were going to do this and if he was damned either way he wanted to know. He turned to Gerrit, his hands shaking slightly as his body was flooded by adrenaline and powered by fear. "Grab it if you can, I'm looking deeper. We're in this together, better or worse."

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-22 14:45:14	James Turner rolls 6 to Glimpse of Fortune's Favor (Wits + Wyrd) (10 Again)	1, 2, 2, 3, 7, 8	1 success

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-22 14:45:36	James Turner rolls 7 to Kenning (Clarity 7) (10 Again)	1, 9, 9, 4, 5, 1, 6	2 successes

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-22 14:45:50	James Turner rolls 7 to Kenning (Clarity 7) (10 Again)	8, 2, 10, 4, 6, 1, 5, 7	2 successes

John uses Kenning to see if he can't find the source, let me know if you need any additional rolls.

[Scourge]

Gerrit looks around. Made difficult by the fact that his mind suddenly thinks how any of the hundred books on the sheleves could be the Paradise. Yet that sparks an idea. Maybe they could turn the rage against innocent targets. At least enough to save an innocent blinded man.

The man holding the lantern opens it and puts the book inside. The flame flares, pulsating up the cover, causing it to begin to peel. Oily smoke escapes from the book as it begins to blister. He tosses it onto the stacked table with the other copies.

The three men kick and punch the wretched robe figure. And one… one looks from the fire to the owner and back again. You can see the lunacy in his orbs begin to burn with an idea.

Colonel: to have surprise, you’ll have to roll Dex+Stealth+2. You’ll get one free attack if you succeed (no defense applies). Either way, if you attack, initiative will have to be rolled.

John tries to look deeper. Find the source of the ink. However, the more he looks, the deeper the ink becomes. The farther it’s reach is revealed. While the book was the focus, the effect leaked from the ceiling. Coursed down the night’s streets. Flooded into the nearby houses. And while it no longer seeped deeper, those effected were already stained.

John detects a magical effect 50 yards in radius. While it is cannot effect anyone new (even those that enter), those that were inside that radius when the power was activated will carry the effect (even if they leave the initial ‘blast zone’).
Roll Int+Occ to ID the magic.

The pencil skirted woman pushes her way through the thinning crowd. Her eyes wild, darting to the book and all around her as she makes her way forward to John, doing her best to stay sane in the chaos.

"What else can we do?" she asks him, her voice high and frightened as she tries to bear the knowledge that a story is trying to consume her and everyone around her.

She catches sight of the table, and the group beating down a screaming man, her eyes somehow going wider at even more horror.

[Colonel Worm]

He shoots John a look that says No worries as he advances. Feeling clarified by the sudden appearance of a tangible goal.

The world is still on its head. And his head itself is shot all to fuck. But you don't need to be sane to beat the shit out of the three stooges. You just need to be strong. And fast. And meaner than you might want to admit.

Worm weaves his way through the mass of bodies. The hysteria washes over him, obscuring him from his targets. He burns a bit of the Good Stuff to limber up his joints, make himself even more sneaky. Not that they are paying attention to anything but beating Mr. Bookstore.

Stealth, 2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-23 21:00:30	Colonel Worm rolls 4 to Dex + Stealth +2 -1 (Unskilled) (9 Again)	4, 9, 8, 3, 7	2 successes

He chooses the one eyeing the flames. The other two are working over their victim, in motion and therefore more difficult to engage. But the Firestarter is still, momentarily transfixed by his obviously pyromaniac desires.

More glamour is offered up. This time to invoke his Contract with Stone. He can feel the power flowing through him. His arms feel like pistons.

Stone 1, 1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-23 21:09:46	Colonel Worm rolls 5 to Strength + Wyrd (10 Again)	7, 9, 4, 1, 4	1 success

Finally, he's right next to the unsuspecting lunatic. It happens quickly, but with perfect boxers form. Worm stances up, pivots, and delivers a fairly devastating blow. The brass knuckles making a sickening crack upon impact.

Punch! 5 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-23 21:10:43	Colonel Worm rolls 9 to Str + Brawl + 1 (Specialty) + 1 Stone +1B (Brass Knuckles) (10 Again)	8, 2, 4, 10, 7, 10, 3, 10, 9, 3, 4, 1	5 successes

Already, he's opening up his stance, anticipating the attention of the poor fucker's two buddies.

[Scourge]

Please roll initiatives.

Lantern bearer7

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-23 21:37:49	PrP ST rolls 1 die for initiative	3

Three stooges 14

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-23 21:38:35	PrP ST rolls 1 to 3 stooges (10 Again)	10, 5	1 success

Owner 10

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-23 21:38:55	PrP ST rolls 1 die for initiative	6

[Colonel Worm]

Initiative 7 (yuck)

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-23 21:49:16	Worm rolls 1 die for initiative	1

[Gerrit]

Hey, shit-for-brain! Why don't you

Don't trust him, Mason!

just make yourself useful? You can't stop them, but you could-

Redirect them. Of course - every book hid a secret, a way to somewhere else. Surely they would understand! If he could just get them to destroy those other books first, maybe he could get a copy of

Mason, no! It will just take you back to-

The Paradise of Shelesh. And then they could find a way to close the book, stop the ink. Gerrit straightened up a bit - he memories of his durance made him cover unconsciously - and bellowed out a command, years of training and adrenaline driven strength making his voice punch through the commotion. "It's the other books! Destroy them first!"

6 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-25 02:44:34	Gerrit rolls 6 to divert the crowd's mania (Man 2 + Persu 1 + WP) (10 Again, WillPower)	1, 10, 4, 10, 9, 10, 9, 9, 3	6 successes

Good job, now they'll burn the whole place down. You go, champ!

"No. Leave me alone!" Maybe they could deal with that once they got out of the immediate danger of It. Gerrit looked around him - It could have sneaked up to him while he was distracted, after all - and then went to gather one undamaged copy of The Paradise of Shelesh. He did his best to keep as much distance to any other book as possible. Last thing he wanted was to get snatched somewhere else. And he used his backpack as improvised gloves to take the book. Because if he touched it, the ink would immediately get him, take him.

With that done they just had to get out. Gerrit looked around quickly - did John and the Colonel already leave him, were they taken? Did either of them need help?

Initiative 8, just in case.

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-09-25 02:51:11	Gerrit rolls 1 die for initiative	3

Equipment: Wallet with some money, backpack - Copy of The Paradise of Shelesh.




Hardened Mask