Alisha thinks to what she knows about Shadow Creatures.
Alisha looks to Xannder and says, "Jokes aside Xannder, there are myths that cover many different spectrums of beings. In previous ages perhaps people could perceive the supernatural on a more frequent basis but after the burning times of the Inquisition came the ages of industry and science that sought to dispel the existence of the supernatural. The creatures took advantage of this disbelief and hid into the shadows."
She then looks to the group and says. "As for shadow creatures themselves, originally they are creatures from the Realm of Shadows. They are creatures of sentient darkness, undead beings that feed on the strength of the living. Those slain by their darkness are infused by it and become shadows themselves. They are incorporeal, blend perfectly in shadows and darkness but are visible in bright light and thus prefer to avoid locations with excessive light. As for harming them, we will require holy or magical equipment for as they are non-physical, murdane weapons are useless."
Sounds like our best weapons would be flashlights to be honest.
Roy is about to berate Xannder once again when Alisha interrupts, spewing another series of facts. He nods, and then actually cracks a grin at Xannder's comment. "Actually, that's not too far off, norm." He reaches back and grabs a flashlight out of a side pocket on his range pack. "It doesn't actually hurt the things, but it can make them a little more wary, keep a lone one from attacking sometimes. Plus, lighting up dark places. Every Hunter should carry one." Roy glances at Dom, knowing his fellow Hunter probably remembers some of Roy's list of must-haves for Hunters.
Hurrn takes you back to the town keeping a fast semi-running pace. You get there in a few hours and it's 2pm when arrive were you left you vehicles. "I will wait for you at the edge of the forest and find you when you return." says Hurrn and he heads back towards the woods.
"Remind me to stop at a store later so I can pick up a leather jacket, guys."
Dom talks to some patrons at a bar and quickly manages to get an address to mary's house or "crazy mary" as one patron calls her. Her house is not far right on the main road.
Crazy Mary? as in Coo Coo or girls gone wild?
Xannder remarks.
"It's never the second, norm, and when it is, it usually ends in them trying to eat your face, and no, not in any good way."
Alisha drives with the group in her car with a broken window giving a ride to those who need it. She goes with Domingo seeking information on the witch but lets him take the lead to get the information.
When Xannder gives his comment, she says to him "All Witches are considered crazy by the logical sorts. But if magic is real then is it truely crazy Xannder?"
I have seen it myself, I still think it's crazy. I'm still not sure if you all are real or if I'm stuck in a bad dream. Although that Zombie took a chunk out of me, so pinching myself probably wont work...
Xannder gives Roy a sad look.
Bummer...
"Actually, if you want to get technical about it, you were bit by a ghoul," Dom said with a shrug, after returning from a sporting goods store to buy a Leather Jacket.
"Oh, FYI, the Politically Correct term is 'Practitioner' or 'Mage'. Some folks get offended if you use words like 'Witch' or 'Wizard', or whatever. And believe me, crazy or not, we want Mary on our side, if only so she doesn't curse us while we're dealing with all the other insanity that's popped up."
You arrive at the given address and find Crazy Mary's house to be an ordinary looking two story house.
A black car much like the ones used by the FBI is parked in front of it.
Dom sighed as he spied the car. "Well, that's just perfect."
He thought about the situation for a moment.
"Roy, you're going to hate me for suggesting it, but maybe it's time to come clean to the Feds."
Roy shakes his head as he dismounts. "That's a bad idea, Dom. They'd be as likely to throw us in back of that car as help us. I don't trust the Feds, especially Dep Seven." Roy pulls down his bandana and frowns, setting his rifle in the trunk of Alisha's car. "We should go in careful and hope that things don't turn ugly. If Mary has any common sense--and she might not if she's actually a mage--but if she does, she'll come with us, not them."
"They're not all bad," Dom protested weakly. He then sighed. "Yeah, I know. I'm grasping at straws. I'm just saying, this feels a bit above our weight class, and I'd really like to get the word out to someone I trusted. I guess we'll just deal with it as best we can."
Dom took a steadying breath.
"Alright, everybody in the pool, I guess."
You go up to the house and knock and the woman who appears at the door seems quite young -in her mid twenties. She's openly wearing tactical gear and has several guns on her.
She looks you over "Were you expecting visitors Mary?"
"No, who is it?" comes the reply from an older woman inside.
Alisha says before the PC's go to the door, "I am sure the US government would like to avoid having an army of undead or a horde of were beasts running amok. Besides, we could use more firepower at our back to accomplish our goal. Coming clean although being selective of what we say might be the best course of action."
When the government agent answers the door, she says to her, "Greetings Mam, allow me to introduce myself. I am Alisha Quinn, a PHD in history and mythological studies. We are interested in meeting with the woman named Mary who resides in this household. We believe she has some useful information concerning two waring factions in this region. "
"Oh? And what factions might that be?" she says
Roy pushes forward. "What Alisha means to say," he says, shooting her a glance, "is that we'd like to speak with her about some business, which my colleague here can explain in more detail." He shrugs and looks sheepish as he pats Dom's shoulder and pushes him forward. "I'm just a grunt, you know the deal I'm sure."
Sorry seems I forget to put the link to the google drive at the top for the this game. I added the link, this is were I put images when I have some for you. Currently is s map showing the path from Harvey's to crested butte and another of the girl your talking too.
"Is that so? Well I'm Ashley, I'm with the special task force in town to deal with all these disappearances. I was just here asking Mary some questions about her missing daughter. I can step outside and come back back in a moment if it's urgent." she replies.
I did not realize they made special agents so... Attractive.
Xannder blurts out quietly. He begins turning red after realizing what he had done.
Roy coughs, trying not to slap the back of Xannder's skull. "Ahem. Well. Yes, that'd be helpful, Ashley. Alex," he says, looking meaningfully at Xannder, "how about you keep Agent Ashley company while we head inside." Roy tries to make his implications clear, and hopes the norm will get it. Rather leave Dom, but I'll need him inside. Besides, I'm liable to find that pairing off in the bushes by the time we're done.
Alisha raises an eyebrow at Roy but lets him jump in. She had thought they were going to spill the beans to the agent and get the authorities in on the situation but it seems Roy wants to still keep things under wraps. Alisha not being a master of deception or a skilled conversationalist decides to let the others take the lead in addressing the agent.
I'd be happy to!
Xannder walks up to Ashley and reaches out a hand.
Name's Alexander Harris, friends call me Xannder. Pleasure to meet you!
"Mary, may we come in?"
"Mary, we're friends of the Thomsons. I was here for Ivan Thomson's funeral. Can I assume you know what he did for a living?," Dom asked in as kindly and soothing a manner that he could muster.
"We're in need of your expertise. And, more importantly, if what I'm hearing is right, we're hear to help your daughter."
"Not sure how much he's gonna be able to get out of her. She seems pretty out of it. From what I understand he daughter is around 10 or 11 years old and Mary never let her out of the house, not even once and then one day she just vanished from her room." says Ashley once she and Xannder are alone.
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Mary does seems pretty out of it. She barely even acknowledges your arrival.
"My girl had everything she could ever have wanted...why did she run away? She should have been happy-She knew only the storybook tales I told her. The real world is too hard, too dangerous. Her powers could have manifested at any time, I couldn't let her mingle with them..." she says
Such a sheltered life, I would have wanted to run away too... So what are you doin in this neck of the woods?
"Mary, Mary? Come on now, I need you to focus. Your daughter needs you to focus."
"I promise we'll find your little girl and bring her home. She didn't run away. But she is in danger. That big, bad world you're scared of has her now, and we can help you. But first you need to tell me what you know about fighting Shadows -- as in the monsters. We know a bit. Enough to know we need something more than we got. Help us bring your girl home, Mary."
Mary looks up "What do you need?"
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"Hunting monsters, looking for missing townsfolk, you know the usual" Ashley replies in a casual tone.
"We need something that will hurt incorporeal monsters. Usually, that means something magical. And we wouldn't say no to some sort of charm or talisman to protect us from them. We know they're weak against light."
What do you mean by monsters? Like the boogie man?
She think for a moment"Incorporeal and weak against light? A shade then, A sun flask should work and Ghost touch oil. I don't have much of it prepared and I can't make more right now...but I will give you what I have and you're going to need to use it sparingly." She gets up and opens a hidden door in her bookshelf revealing a small hiding hole. She takes out four flasks. "These two are Sun flask. Trow it and when it shatters it makes a bright flash of light that has the same effect as direct sunlight for about one second it will also badly burn any corporal being you trow it at. These two are ghost touch oil, any blade or bullets soaked in it will work against ghost and such but the effect wears off after an hour. There is enough here for 2 swords or knives, twenty crossbow bolts or around 40 bullets. Please if you find my daughter bring her back safe...I have done what I can except maybe one for thing, If you wish I can try to read your future."
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She seems disappointed "You know serial killers and such...Real terrible folk. So how did you get that injury?" she replies.
Dom thanked Mary for the supplies.
But then he blinked rapidly several times, befuddled by the offer to read his future. It wasn't that he didn't think she could do it. He'd heard of mages doing all sorts of craziness. It was more that he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Uh, sure," he said uneasily, glancing to Alisha and Roy.
What the hell. Maybe it'll make her feel better. Poor woman's been through enough.
She nods sadly and goes to fetch a crystal ball.
She begins the reading and enters a trance like-state.
"You have an enemy in your future one who dwells in a castle. A powerful man whose enemy is light and whose powers are beyond mortality. You will seek him in the castle and while he will find you many times you will only find him once. You will find him in the very heart of darkness, his home. This place is the center of his life, the one place he must return. The passage is blocked by the grief that haunts him, to open the way you must seek were his light lies dead, slain by his darkness.
In your battle I see weapons that may yet decide the outcome. A magic sword, a holy cross and a book. The sword you will find in the heart of the wilds , far from human hands, guarded by a fey spirit. The symbol is stolen but you can recover it in a place of death, among the dead. The book sits amid the ancient lore of the castle, a library that is a place of wisdom, warmth and despair.
When you finally find him your final battle will ensue and the victor is yet uncertain, however if you do not remove his strength or find the weapons you will surely fall."
She moves slowly when she is done as if coming awake from a long sleep.
"I hope that helps you, it can sometimes be rather vague...I'm not actually aware of what I said. If you have any questions I will answer if I can."
Dom is disturbed by the reading, but decided to ignore it for the time being. There was plenty of time to analyze all she had said later.
"You've done enough, Mary. Thank you. We'll find your daughter, and bring her home."
Roy stands by as Dom does the talking--he's better at the talking--and his face turns grim as Mary gives her reading. He trades a glance with Alisha, but shrugs the words off. "We'll get your daughter, ma'am. Don't worry." Roy nods to Mary before pulling up his bandana and heading back outside.
"Come on, Xannder. We've got work to do." He gives Ashley another hard, suspicious look before getting on his motorcycle and revving the engine.
Xannder replies to Ashley I got bit, was real nasty too. Something out near the woods on the edge of town took a clean chunk right out of me. Maybe that is related to what happened to the townsfolk. I was going to head to the hospital to make sure I did not get rabies or something, but I was trained to take care of wounds like this in the Army. Were you a military..?
Xannder gets cut off by Roy.
Sorry Ash, looks like we weren't able to get much out of her either. Say, would you be interested in maybe catching a cup of coffee when your not workin? I know it's a longshot, but the Government can't make you work 24/7 without at least a smidge of down time.
Alisha attends to meeting with Mary and after getting her assistance she says, "You have my thanks Mary for your assistance. We will use the magic you have given us to fight this evil that has infested these lands and rescue those caught in the middle of all of this. One thing I would like to ask is that if we survive this quest, I would be interested in learning the ways of Arcane magic. There will come times when Magic will be required to defeat our foes and I would like to be able to provide a more active support to my fellows in the field."
"There is little I can teach you on that account. My magic is innate, it comes from my bloodline. What you seek is magic that can be learned from books. I think if you look you will find what your looking for in the castle, other than that you can try seeking out other magic users. That special agent who is here might be able to help with that, I saw her using her cellphone." replies Mary
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Ashley considers it "Maybe someday but I think were going to be quite busy in the next couple days." she replies
As you leave she goes back into the house.
Alisha nods, "Well books are old fashioned these days. I do not see a problem with spells being on cellphones and tablets so long as the incantation is the same it will work the same way in theory. I appreciate your assistance Mary. We shall depart to our task."
With that she departs with the others
"So, what did you and the nice federal agent talk about, Xannder?"
Well, if you need to let off some steam, just let me know.
Xannder Heads to the car.
We talked about the birds and the bees... Grown up stuff. Also, sounds like the government is chasing after a serial killer. Not sure if that is what they are labeling what is happening in town. Was your visit fruitful?
"We got some help. Now let's take care of business."
Alisha Quinn says, "I just wish we could get more help in this Task. We are seriously outclassed and outnumbered by our opposition. I would feel a lot safer if we got the Government agents at our back or better our front. We may have to take a strategic approach with the shadows, perhaps draw some away from their posts and face them individually rather than as a group."
You head back out of the village and head back into the forest. Hurrn meets up with you shortly after you enter the woods.
"Find what you were looking for?" he asks