With apparently zero to do other than wait for someone else to save the freaking universe, Median tries to relax. She stretches out on the bench, taking up all of it so that Joseph guy can't won't feel welcome to come over to try hitting on her again. She keeps part of her mind on the disembodied entities in case there is progress, but puts her arm over her eyes to block everything else out. She wishes she had a deck of cards or something to do to distract herself from the "existential dread" that Joseph had been thinking of.
Frustrated with Median, Joseph just happened to look outside the Void once more..and sees his truck isn't parked too far away.
What's this? Is this a trap? Can this be REAL?!"Nodding to himself, the big guy says aloud. "I think I can get to my gear. My loyal sleipnir has followed me on my journey."
The godling makes his way downstairs and out the door. The land seems to be surrounded by a dense fog dropping off into nothing. Slowly and steady, Joseph creeps over to his truck, and unlocks the locked side storage and recovers his magic gun and armor. Joseph quickly runs back inside before the Void changes it's mind. Once inside, Joseph quick puts on his tactical vest, concealed holster, and supressed revolver.
"Okay. NOW I'm ready to fight a demon."
Ross looks through his backpack. Gun? Check. Sacrificial dagger Zaoth insisted he buy that one time? Check. Ghost demon inside his head?
Ross nods to Joseph, "Well, I've got a Glock and an eldritch horror living in my dome. Add that to Median's brain and Jennifer's grail power. I say we've got non-zero odds."
Median comments without moving from her position on the bench.
Non-zero odds for what? Do you know how to fix the universe? Do we even know how to fight that liquid silver thing? What's our play here? Not seeing one, myself, but open to suggestions.
"The metallic ooze is still around and much closer than before. Have the invisible entities said anything it? Perhaps they can have some sort of affect on it, like they have anything else they've touched?"
They are working on repairing the universe I believe, but I can't get anything else out of them... definitely no timeline. They just are frustrated that I keep asking, sorry.
The creatures inform Midian, in a moment of clarity, that they are trying to mend things...but can't. They need something, but if they know what they won't or can't say. Right now, they're struggling to stop things from getting worse.
Zaoth thunders in Ross' head,
Before his eyes roll back into his head and a sickening grin full of almost too many teeth spreads across his face, Ross is barely able to squeak out, "Zaoth's coming."
His voice is terrifying, like someone speaking as they breathe in, instead of when they breathe out, "It is refreshing to be in a body again. I get so very bored cooped up in Ross' head all day. It seems to me as if this situation needs direction. It seems much of this place has not yet been surveyed. I say we explore the rest and try to find a way to re-seal that damned ooze. My...people, if you can call them that, fought against the beast for ages before it could be imprisoned, and the greatest among us makes your strongest mages look like mewling children."
Liking the sound of something decisive, Median gets up, readies her rifle, and follows Zaoth.
His voice is terrifying, like someone speaking as they breathe in, instead of when they breathe out, "It is refreshing to be in a body again. I get so very bored cooped up in Ross' head all day. It seems to me as if this situation needs direction. It seems much of this place has not yet been surveyed. I say we explore the rest and try to find a way to re-seal that damned ooze. My...people, if you can call them that, fought against the beast for ages before it could be imprisoned, and the greatest among us makes your strongest mages look like mewling children."
Jennifer looks Ross' altered form up and down.
"The boy you are in, does he have any choice in this relationship? Is he a willing participant?"
Zaoth sneers, ”Does it matter? Who among you truly chooses in life? Greater wheels than mortality always turn, and Ross is lucky not to be crushed beneath them. Compared to others of my kind, I am merciful. His continued existence is proof of that. I ask of him to act, and when he does, he is rewarded. At times, direct control is needed. Times such as these. Now then, I suggest we start from the bottom. The basement.”
Median moves and presses the button for the elevator so they can go down.
Zaoth sneers, ”Does it matter? Who among you truly chooses in life? Greater wheels than mortality always turn, and Ross is lucky not to be crushed beneath them. Compared to others of my kind, I am merciful. His continued existence is proof of that. I ask of him to act, and when he does, he is rewarded. At times, direct control is needed. Times such as these.”
"That sounds like a 'no.'"
The lift opens without issue at Midian's touch. Interestingly, as soon as she steps inside, the button for the basement flashes to life, indicating that something has pushed the call button.
"This bodes...poorly. Let us see what awaits us. If we fail to find anything of use, though, I say we head towards the History of Fever exhibit. I have an idea, though one that may need some more arcane power than I can supply myself. Ross is a useful instrument, but this dimension lacks the," Zaoth pauses, muttering to himself in a language that sounds like the feeling of being home alone as a child and realizing someone's watching you. "It lacks the thaumaturgical precision of where I hail from."
Median remarks to Jennifer
I think he's saying that Ross will be back, but needs help with this particular challenge... I mean, I agree with you that there is an underlying moral issue here, and he's a jerk, given... but also not threatening Ross's life, and we do need help. I'm going with him. At least we can make sure he doesn't ruin Ross' body before Ross can get back to it, right? And if we can sort out saving the universe in the process, then bonus.
Jennifer steps into the elevator, but keeps her hand on the door until everyone who wants to be in or out of the elevator can be where they want to be.
"I'll come with you. For obvious reasons."
"Can you hear me?" Jennifer thinks at Median. If Median's telepathy doesn't work that way, Jennifer will verbally ask her to initiate a telepathic conversation.
Joseph follows the ladies down the elevator, watching the possessed Ross with reactive interest.
Median responds to Jennifer telepathically.
<Yes, I can hear you. What's up?>
The double set of doors in the basement both open at the same time, to the front and back of the party. It would be the perfect place for an ambush, and might have been if the figure in the large room to the north wasn't clearly as startled as you were.
They were wearing gear similar to Ash and the long armed thief from before, although there was a strange violet thread of some kind worked into the shadow grey clothing. They had a hood up and a face mask, but the pale slip of skin between the two featured eyes widened by surprise.
The thief, but a touch faster than Jennifer, and bolted away from the lift with haste, dashing over a table with several treys of exhibits and heading for a door to the east. They were notably hard to focus on as they moved, there image blurring.
With no time (or patience) to try to talk things out, and a little worried that Ash would take their side, Median takes a shot.
(+1 if within 30 feet)
(+1 if within 30 feet)
Surrender NOW!
Median responds to Jennifer telepathically.
<Yes, I can hear you. What's up?>
<The negative being that rescued me from my demon: I think we could see if we can rescue the boy from this Zaoth in a similar manner. You seem to be able to communicate with it, so I'm hoping to get your assistance in this.>
Zaoth reaches out with tendrils of telekinetic force and grabs hold of the thief's ankles, trying to pull them out from under her. "You won't get away so easily!"
The thief, but a touch faster than Jennifer, and bolted away from the lift with haste, dashing over a table with several treys of exhibits and heading for a door to the east. They were notably hard to focus on as they moved, there image blurring.
Jennifer runs into the room, drawing forth her supernatural power by instinct whenever there is a call to action. She used to call her episodes her 'bloodrage,' but as the soulfire courses through her, she realizes that she'll have to come up with a new term. Instead of anger and rage, she now feels very very good. Almost blindingly good. It's hard for her to focus her new power beyond her immediate need as she both revels in and tries to control the ecstasy flowing through her.
Her physical change is different, too. Now, instead of horns and other horrific demonic characteristics, her skin gains a golden metallic sheen and emits a white flame that doesn't seem to burn. It's hard to tell if her eyes still retain their pupils as the flames burn brightest there. She still has her claws and demonic bulk, though; Syar'ammag's influence has left its mark.
She runs after the thief, gaining momentum, and then drives that momentum into a loud stomp that echoes across the room and sends a visible ripple of energy towards the fleeing thief.
Median responds to Jennifer:
<Oh, the disembodied creatures? They say they are busy trying to save the dimension or whatever, but I don't think they are having much success. We could try. Do you think he wants it out of his head?>
___
If the thief isn't shot or caught, then Median will formshift and use her expanded movement to get back to the elevator in an attempt to prevent the thief from getting away.
<Oh, the disembodied creatures? They say they are busy trying to save the dimension or whatever, but I don't think they are having much success. We could try. Do you think he wants it out of his head?>
<That's important, but can we trust that he'll give a true answer to that question with Zaoth in his head? When I was separated from my demon, at one point I had a choice to let go.>
<Okay, fair point. So, we should definitely try... next question. Should we try now or later? This Zaoth seems to be good in a crisis. Should we let him run with it for a while, or ask the entities for help with that immediately?>
<I at least want to see what the boy will say when I ask him about his situation, so later. And if your friends are currently occupied with 'saving the dimension,' that seems like it's worthy of their attention. But if you can, mention it to them that we'd like to try so that they don't disappear on us, hopefully.>
Joe gives chase after this new thieving threat.
<Will do.>
Median plans ahead what to say to the disembodied entities so that she doesn't distract too much from the saving-the-dimension thing. She then contacts them, keeping it simple and just telling them that after the world is stabilized, they would like their help freeing a friend who is mentally trapped under the influence of another creature, giving them a mental idea of the difference between the Ross-mind and the Zaoth-mind.
Round 2
Joseph moved towards the target with haste, and despite the odd motion from his movement doesn't throw off Median's shot, the sniper rifle round causing a red blossom to explode from there shot with a deep curse.
Jennifer and Zaoth both manage to send them flying to the ground, but despite the bullet hole the figure rolled up and kept moving.
Joseph pulls the tactical knife from his sheath, and sends it down into the rising threat.
Median moves enough to get line of sight and shoots again.
(+1 if within 30 feet)
(+1 if within 30 feet)
Zaoth roars, ”Not so fast!”
Opting for a more direct approach, Zaoth’s tendrils of force reach out and wrap around the thief.
Jennifer moves closer to the target as Joseph's knife slices through the runner. Median's shot hits as Zaoth is able to grapple the runner. They froze for a moment, and then suddenly began to move again. It was clear that Zaoth's ability had worked, but something else had countered it.
They made it to the door and began to open it.
Median moves to get the best shot possible and shoots again, trying to stop the runner.
(+1 if within 30 feet)
(+1 if within 30 feet)
The shot staggered the escaping thief, but they got the door open and moved through, towards the basement exit.
Zaoth groans in anger. "Damnation. Little we can do now, though. I suppose we press on."
The clunk of the door opening and closing said the thief had gotten away and out the door. It was probably possible to follow them, of course - there lead wasn't great, and they were bleeding, heavily, from the gunshot wounds.
Unfortunately, something else happened at the same time. The lights flickered briefly and a strange sensation of cold flowed through the room, along with what sounded like a brief whisper.
(fail)
Median alerts the group:
That whisper just said the word "Danger" in draconic.
Since she has no idea what just happened, she starts running after the thief.
Zaoth growls, "The ward around the building...it just collapsed. Whatever's out there can now get in here."
Median slows down at Zaoth's words, giving up the chase.
Wait... I thought that the barrier was the only thing protecting this dimension. That's what I thought the disembodied entities said. Are we basically dead?
”Not quite. We have time left before it vanishes entirely. At most, hours. No time to dawdle. Let’s follow that thief. If they got in here, they may know a way out.”
Seriously? Like just walk out? Ash tried to leave and she was trapped too. She was one of the thieves. ... But I guess it's something to do.
Median shrugs and starts to move after the thief. As she does, she formshifts into her centaur form, figuring there was no reason to hide anymore, and this way she would be faster.
Joseph stares in amazement as Median transforms before him. "Uh..okay!! Why not! Bring on the 'more crazy'!!"
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Jennifer was about to give her opinion on the next course of action (which wasn't any different than what has already been suggested), when Median changed her form.
"Huh. I'll have questions, later." She follows the others after the fleeing thief, who is still fleeing after being shot and knocked down at least twice.
The door out leads to the ground floor once more, behind the art exhibit. The odd drip of blood sits on the floor, and obvious smears of blood lead into the rear door of the exhibit.
Zaoth looks around. "Hm. Rear door. Must be. Couldn't have gone anywhere else."