(PRP TH) - Treasure Hunt!

[Aeolus]

Corn kept asking questions and while her reactions were delayed, the Ghost's sadness seemed to be growing with every query. Finally she shook her head - apparently it had been her and her beloved against the world.
The Moros' bold claim was met with the by now well-known confused look. If he thought that helping a Ghost to move on was as easy as claiming a white lie he would soon learn that it took more than that.

Meanwhile, the Warlock is struggling with her own apparitions. Whatever taught Belle that the quickest solution to a problem was beating said problem into submission - she resisted the urge and hissed the thoughts and pain away. Some people might have been startled hearing such noises from the Mystagogue. Settling down in the faint glow of the tomb she focused on her vigil. At least there didn't appear to be any other intruders, so there's your silver lining.

So, convincing the Ghost that there is indeed nobody to wait for will take you 3 successes in either (Man/Pre + Subterfuge - 1). If Corn had any proof of the Mage's death the penalty would turn into a (+1). Roll once for the lie you've already told and you get up to two more rolls for further explanations and whatever stories Corn wants to tell her.

[Corn]

"This mage you're waiting for, your mage, had placed spells to make this place hard to find,to keep it a refuge for you two. However, the spells are failing because he is not around anymore. That we are here is a direct result of his passing. He is not in this world anymore, but waiting for you in the next." Corn continued softly. He truly felt sorry for this ghost, trapped in this world because her man didn't want to let go.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-22 11:27:53	[02] Corn rolls 2 to Pre+emp-1 (10 Again)	9, 5	1 success

Corn was trying to help the ghost, trying to draw from his inner reserves to make a final push, but he was tired. Should he add a little lie? To make the entire thing more believable for the ghost? Corn decided that her vigil should end, so he decided to embellish his story a bit.

"We were contacted by people that knew of your lover, that informed us about his death and gave us the location of this place." Technically, he didn't know whether Crypto knew her lover or not.
"I assume your significant other wanted mages to know, so that you won't have to wait anymore, but be reunited with him."
Love that binds the other past his or her death is not romantic in his book; it's obsession. But mages, wise as they are, are not the ones that judge souls. God will judge these two, may He show mercy on their souls.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-22 11:41:48	Corn rolls 2 to Manip + Sfuge -1 (10 Again)	2, 4	failure

In the end, his efforts to convince the ghost didn't seem to be bearing fruit. Perhaps he needs to speak with Eulogy about this poor being.

The "trying to draw from his tapped reserves" = out of Willpower, which he would have spent in this roll if he could as it aligns with his virtue.
I don't think that "spells are failing" is a proof, but if does eliminate the -1 or adds a +1, I'll add the rest. Also, the first roll was a failure, so perhaps the second one has a -1 on top, but it is still 1 Success.
Also, as I just noticed, I wrote "Presence + Empathy -1" when it should have been "Presence + Persuasion -1".

The last roll was Manipulation+SFuge. I assume I have a total of 3 rolls to get 3 successes, and it didn't happen. I got 1S total.

[Belle]

Belle's vigil has her senses alert, so she's more keen to Corn's conversation with the ghost even if she can't see it.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-24 00:06:55	Belle rolls 4 to Do You Hear Corn? (Wits + Composure) (10 Again)	7, 6, 10, 7, 8	2 successes

Her anger cooled, Belle now can't help but feel sorry for the spirit. Sounds like she's not sticking around because she has to...she's sticking around because she wants to. The Warlock feels a pang in her heart; she's well aware of how powerful love can be in the best and worst of times.

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-24 00:08:31	Belle rolls 5 to Talk Down the Ghost (Pres + Persuasion) (10 Again)	8, 9, 4, 10, 6, 9	4 successes

Some strange resolve stirs in her, and Belle moves as close as she can to Corn on the ledge and talks not so much to him as up in his general direction. Maybe she can still 'hear' me? But the Warlock was less interested in spiritual mechanics and more about following her gut. "I can't imagine what brought you here; whether it was just old age or if you were put here before your time. But I do know what it's like to love someone so much and to see them walk away. It hurts like Hell..." And, being a Warlock, she knew a thing or two about hellish things "...but your loved one didn't run away from you. You can chase them down and find them again." Against her better judgement, Belle feels tears well up in her eyes. "You don't have to wait anymore. All you have to do is let go, and you'll be together again."

First roll was to determine if Belle could make out what Corn was saying at distance, the second is to attempt at assisting his efforts with the ghost. She's going with her gut, regardless if it mechanically helps out.

stats

[2] Magic Shield
[3] Matter Armor
[2R] Supernal Sight
[2] Ward Active Spells
5/5 Personal Spells
4/3 Vulgar Spells 0
Health
[stats=mana]4[/stats]
[stats=willpower] 0
[/stats] Armor: 4 (Via Matter Armor)
Defense: 2

[Aeolus]

The Ghost listened to Corn's tale, hope wrestling with befuddlement as he went on. That she could have been the Ghost of a Sleeper maybe crossed the Moros' mind (or he decided that the waters of Veil breaches are considerably muddled when it comes to ethereal beings), but the things he hoped would provide proof and absolution only fell on deaf ears. In the end, a sad hopefulness won: the Ghost smiled wistfully, as if she had heard many attempts to drive her away from her love before.
When Corn finished, she simply returned to looking into the distance and humming.

But then Corn heard some movement - his Warlock Gal is coming in hotwith a passionate speech that spoke of hurt, of loss. Who knew the chipper Mastigos had this kind of heartache in her?

He could use all of that emotion while it was still raw. In his own heart they sounded like something someone longing for their partner might want to hear.

Ooh, I really like this idea Belle ! Corn you can makeone final (Pre + Pers + Teamwork 4) roll - imagine since Corn is able to speak to Ghosts it's like in one of those RomComs with earpieces and questionable morals: just repeat what's being said.

Also, until there isn't more personal risk involved in Corn trying to help to Ghost move on it won't net you the Virtue refill, sorry.

[Corn]

It doesn't hurt to try, does it? If this doesn't work, after we get what we need, I will bring Eulogy here.
Corn said to the ghost exactly what Belle said, trying to mimic her passion... and failed.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-26 06:23:01	Corn rolls 7 to Pre+pers+Teamwork (4) (10 Again)	4, 6, 2, 6, 1, 4, 7	failure

He was very disappointed. That should have worked, but it didn't and it wasn't because the speech was not good but mostly because he wasn't good enough. He ground his teeth. "A few more weeks, and we will help you." he promised to the ghost that had returned to its vigil.

"That was a very good effort, Belle . But my delivery left much to be desired. The poor woman is still here. I hope her anchor is not the necklace and that she won't go very angry if I mess with her grave. I will scrutinize her with death sight."

Messing with a ghost's anchor, what could go wrong?
Corn assumes that the woman's anchor is her grave, but decides to take a look first. His Fate sight has served it's purpose. He relinquishes the spell and brings forth his Grim sight.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-26 06:34:06	Corn rolls 4 to Gnosis+Death (10 Again)	8, 5, 5, 3	1 success

Sybil Sight relinquished, Grim sight brought up. I don't think I should do a full scrutiny in this post, so I stop it here.

[Aeolus]

If every movie this trick had been tried in taught them anything, it was that this trick rarely worked. Even though Belle put herself out there her raw emotions didn't translate well when regurgitated and it wasn't even enough to fully get the Ghost's attention again. For now, she simply stared into the distance, waiting.

The Moros then decided to change his perspective on things: gone was the Sight that oversaw the threads of Fate, only to be replaced by the Grim Sight. Not surprisingly the little alcove he stood in was heavy with death - not in quantity, but in intensity and quality. An active Ghost was probably to blame for that, as was the importance this resting place had for anyone involved. Whether the grave or something else acted as her anchor he could not tell.

Seemed like he would have to make a decision about how to proceed soon, one way or another.

With Belle's player absent for the next days I guess it's okay to proceed with the main actor of the situation for now Corn .

[Corn]

Corn concentrated his sight to scrutinize the resonance on the corpse's choker.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-30 03:13:00	[03] Corn rolls 5 to int+occ-1 (10 Again)	4, 6, 7, 5, 9	1 success
2021-12-30 03:13:00	[02] Corn rolls 5 to int+occ-1 (10 Again)	6, 10, 6, 3, 6, 6	1 success
2021-12-30 03:13:00	[01] Corn rolls 5 to int+occ-1 (10 Again)	2, 1, 10, 9, 9, 6	3 successes

It was not a surprise to him the choker was the anchor. So, the question was whether to attempt to grab a ghost's anchor with the ghost there, waiting. And whether they wanted to have a magic choker with a ghost around it in the Mysterium Sanctum. The ghost was technically not a mage. Corn was not sure he was allowed to bring the choker to the Athenaum. And while he didn't think his friends would rat him out to the consilium, he was concerned the ghost may well do it by herself.
There is no way he would bring a haunted magic choker to his sanctum where his wife - that didn't believe in ghosts - was and there's no way he would leave that choker here. Corn took a few moments to think.

" @Belle , the choker is actually the ghost's anchor. " he said. There was a chance this would end up very bad for him, and he wanted someone to know. "I will attempt to reason with the ghost about moving it from this place."

Then, he turned to the ghost as he placed an arm over the grave.
"What is your name? " He asked. Calling someone "ghost" was more or less like someone calling him "mage".
Then, he continued, softly. "I will attempt to move the choker. Is that OK with you? We will bring you to a better place, so we can help you." Yeap, he won't let that poor woman bound for eternity. That ghost should eventually meet Eulogy .
"I plan to introduce you to someone that can help you." he said.

In case the ghost didn't react, Corn would repeat the message.

If that needs a roll, which I hope it doesn't:

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-12-30 22:53:58	Corn rolls 2 to Man+Per-1 (10 Again)	6, 2	failure

Corn wants to persuade the ghost to NOT attack him when he takes the choker and he honestly believes they can help the ghost. Well, find someone to help the ghost that is, whether it is Eulogy or Zero or even the banisher that Corn plans to surrender to the Consilium for interrogation.

[Belle]

Belle hears Corn repeat her words as if he's reading off a freakin' teleprompter, and she's almost more embarrassed for him than herself. That said, there's still a simmering frustration that Corn couldn't put some heart into it. You're a Necromancer with a wife at home, there's got to be SOME empathy in there?

"Anchor...cool. Just don't spook her, will you? We've already got one unpleasant tunnel dweller down here to deal with."Which led to the next order of business: what do they do with the unconscious solicitor who tried to magic his way to their quarry? "I've severed ties with our Sleeping Beauty down here" A bit of an omission, but at least Corn was accounted for. And so far this guy only knew Aurora as Owlraura. "Any thoughts on how to handle him?" ​That don't involve leaving him down here bleeding?

stats

[2] Magic Shield
[3] Matter Armor
[2R] Supernal Sight
[2] Ward Active Spells
5/5 Personal Spells
4/3 Vulgar Spells 0
Health
[stats=mana]4[/stats]
[stats=willpower] 0
[/stats] Armor: 4 (Via Matter Armor)
Defense: 2

[Aeolus]

Addressing the Ghost again brought her attention back to Corn . It might not be a surprise that she wouldn't - or couldn't - tell him her name, seeing that she hasn't spoken a word since he found her. Either she was mute in her life or death took her ability to articulate words. She seemed equally unmoved by his question for permission to move her - she only showed a shimmer of hope a few moments after Corn promised to help her. That expression disappeared soon after, turning back into the longing look in the distance.

With no clear answer given either way, it seemed up to the Necromancer how to proceed. Even repeating the message doesn't get her to answer - Corn will have to make peace with his own conscience and bear the consequences.

Belle asked important questions: despite the talking and the echoes, the guy was fast asleep and would probably stay asleep for some time unless they do something to wake him. Between the two of them they might be able to drag him up the many steps, but adding Owlraura to the burden? Could be difficult or time consuming.

Or both.

Corn is up.

[Corn]

To Belle Corn answered, "Once we have secured the anchor of the ghost, we will inform Winter and Phoenyx about him. Did you find any ID or phone where we could track his residence without magic? If not, be careful how you go about it to not leave sympathetic connections.
That said, if the ghost does something bad to me and I can't handle it, grab Aurora, run outside and call the consilium. Make sure that my wife is not harmed.
And to be clear, I am not too concerned but you never know."

Then Corn turned to the ghost. "I will open your grave now, to take you your anchor to someone that can help you unite with your beloved."
Corn tries to find the latch and open the coffin's lid.

Looking for a latch with a -1 for darkness:

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-06 23:57:45	Corn rolls 4 to Wits+inv-1 (10 Again)	6, 2, 6, 4	failure

If the latch is easy to find and doesn't require a success, or there are bonuses that I didn't apply and eventually Corn finds it, opening the lid

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-06 23:59:06	Corn rolls 5 to Str+Sta (10 Again)	1, 2, 5, 1, 3	failure

Here's to hoping that str2 would be enough to open the lid, cause there are no successes. In 9 dice.