>A Simple Vacation To Finland
Pfft, yea right!

>plan
Ok, so the soldiers are here to contain something supernatural, and they are failing.
Options are run or diplomacy. Both can go horribly horribly wrong.

Just speak in english, there are lots of them so someone can understand.
Speak confidently as if you have the authority to do so, say you are here to see the commander on classified information regarding the town, and that the contents of the vehicle are not to be disturbed while you speak to him.

When you meet the commander explain yourself as a mercenary who deals with the supernatural. You can tell there is something such as that going on here but not sure exactly what and would like to offer your assistance. And see if you can get yourself hired to help solve this obviously supernatural issue (I am sure they can pay, plus it would be nice to have some contacts and contracts with governments for supernatural mercenary work). Or if the situation is too dangerous, merely offer advice.

Well, if you try and run, you'll almost be certainly shot at. If you try and talk to them, they will inevitably try and use you to as test subjects for the town. Which one is worse? I have no fucking idea. Ask Big Crazy which option he likes best.

going though the down sounds allot like dangerous unpaid work. on the other hand, the best case scenario if the Russians nab us is getting sent into the town in exchange for letting us go.

>>316404
I do like the diplomacy option, and we may very well have to pass through here on our way back...

On the other hand, evil mist is evil, or at least really creepy

I vote we try diplomacy, if that doesn't work, we kill everyone...

EVERYONE

We don't want the Russians to know it was us.

In the event of a fight, use BC as a distraction. Or failing that Flashbang and dissappear, then reap with Keihas' blade.

either we are going to be sent into the mist, or we will have a bloodbath.

niether sounds good, so I'll go for mist which sounds more interesting.

Although if we could disarm all the Russian and then ask to be taken to thier leader... that would be better.

Regardless you should tell BC what you are going to do.

>>316408
so, which are you voting for?

Oh, another thing about talking to them. we have 3 separate social word-fu traits, some even leveled. Diplomacy is our strongest point.

Trying to run they could shoot us somewhere that will prevent us from driving to escape before healing, they could hit big red, they could shoot a tire and cripple our vehicle, they could call to base and have an artillery unit take us out, etc etc.

"Здравствуйте, мы только через погружение, что, кажется, проблема?"

If that doesn't work, roll down your window and say loudly and clearly "Hello, we're just diving through, what seems to be the problem?" We're just hunters, American, and we're doing some hunting up north for a trip, and we heard that this way is the quickest way up.

We might be able to help, and hey, crazy Russian experiments might be good. They could be testing Krokodil or might need some help from some Americans.

I say, first off check to see if you share any languages. I imagine it's more likely for them to know finnish than english, so try that first. Putting your hands up might be a good idea. Then, try backing off towards the car, see if they'll just let you leave. Whatever you do, do NOT start a shootout, as while you both may have some really good gear and be more than baseline, there's a shitton of them, and you'd get utterly hosed down with bullets. So don't do that.

>>316421
I have an idea. You have a laptop, right Armus? Right? No? Well how bout a smart phone? Please? Ask Big Crazy for one if you don't. Seriously, get a Net connection, look up the words "TAKE US TO YOUR LEADER" in Russian. Try calling over one of the Patrols and saying that, so that you can find a commander who speaks English, Finnish, Mohawk, or Te Reo.

And don't worry. Big Crazy is bullet proof, and Armus can regenerate even if they DO shoot on sight! We'll be fiiiiine. And Armus, get a damn laptop as soon as we get out of this hell hole.

>>316439

Armas and BC can take a few shots, but the car really can't. And they've got a bunch of weapons.

The easiest way to deal with this is to walk away. If the Russians stop us and ask, we lie and claim to be going on a hunting trip. That neatly explains the minifridge, guns, cooking gear, and proximity to their operations. It doesn't explain the smoke grenades, but you can claim those are safety gear if you got lost in the woods and needed to signal for help.

The flashbang is a novelty item you picked up.

There, you now have a plausible lie. Be prepared to bribe your way out of this if they don't buy it.

If you want to talk them into explaining a little about what's going on, you're going to need to establish a personal connection of some sort to whoever you talk to. Keihäs may help with this, it's a great conversation piece.

>>316468
...You want to explain a native Texan and a Maori-Finn with a TRUCKLOAD of guns, magical ones at that, AND flashbangs, and just pass it off as a field trip. And a coincidence.

DO YOU WANT TO BE INTERROGATED!? Don't bullshit the Russian Army like that, bullshit your way IN. Also, if they detected the Spirit Animals via their broken equipment, they may be looking for a Native American. So yeah. We're boned Ah well. TIJUANA AHOY!

>>316470

Then there's always the truth. They were on their way to Finland for a hunting trip there. They noticed the mist, and decided to see if it was something they'd need to be concerned about.

Establishing a personal connection with whoever our interpreter ends up being is still top priority.

I'll be honest: I don't want to get any closer to the spooky white mist. Are your guns at least hidden from a casual glance? Hopefully they'll just blockade you and make you leave; they can't just start killing random tourists, can they?

Glance out the window.

"Huh, looks like you might have some ghosts or spirits, there. Maybe a Snow Maiden. Should we just go around? We'll go around. Get out of you guys' way."

Business as usual.


I've also been trying to think of how to flex our chakras, so to speak. Each night, we should devote just a little time to meditation and trying to open them.

Swadhisthana is the chakra of imagination and sexual potency, color: orange. There're exercises in tantric and kundalini yoga to use, but Armas wouldn't know them. The basic thing is that desire is supposed to unlock this one. Meditate upon the feeling of desire and greed you experienced with Mammon's Embrace, maybe. It is said that those who meditate upon this chakra will never need fear water, and he may cast away anger, jealousy, and other psychic imperfections.

Vishuddha is the chakra of intuition, creativity and regret, color: blue. It supplies power to the lungs and vocal chords, as well as "siddhis", or paranormal powers. When meditating upon this chakra, try to assume a state of serenity like still water. One who meditates upon this chakrs will live forever in spirit, and obtain the knowledge of past, present and future.


Sahasrara governs inspiration, mysticism, transcendentalism and perceiving the Illustrious Self, color: white. Possibly also communicating with god. Focusing upon this chakra results in the detachment from illusion, and accepting the truth of the universe, that all is one. Attaining this state results in a supreme consciousness To open this one, I'd say try to focus upon the senses; sense everything, and then try to go beyond it, past the Veil of Maya and to see the truth of all things.

>>316421
>"Здравствуйте, мы только через погружение, что, кажется, проблема?"

Nah, that's wrong.
It should be:
"Добрый день, товаращи, мы всеголиш то проежали мимо. В чем, кажется, проблема?"


Or better yet, just put on your 'coolface' and lower the window:
"Проблема, коммандир?"
(Problem commander?)



Of course the very best bet would be to try to bribe them our of anything because bribing culture so integrated into Russia that even if they refuse they will not be offended. Don't try to give them 1st world rate bribes wither. 20 euros will do wonders (and in fact is a pretty high bribe for common policeman and soldier)

>>316470
You are giving too much credit to russian army ....


Ask Big Crazy if his spiritual armor can encompass the car so that if we make a hasty retreat, he can absorb the bullets. Or have him make a shield directed one way.

>>316490
Wouldn't that end better with "Какова проблема?" be if we don't want to get our face shot off?

>>316404
As we watch the soldiers approach through the windows, I idly muse to Big Crazy.
"You know-we're both supernaturally inclined mercenaries-what do you say to bluffing our way into camp and offering our services?"
>[Big]"Money's always nice-but why would they buy it? Better-why would they not kill us at the end? I don't know about you, but I have heard NOTHING good about contracting for the Russian army."
"Well it's not like trying to drive out of here fast as we can is looking like a great idea either."
>[Big]"True enough. ..Shit. Why did I let you convince me to scout that place again?"
"Admit it-you were just as curious as me."
>[Big]"Maybe-so, what exactly are you planning."
"Just watch."

I flash a cheery smile at the encroaching russian soldiers, rolling down the window. Maybe somewhere amongst their number-
"Hello there! Just doing some basic reconnasance to get a sense of the situation-we're here to meet with your commander!"
The continue to shout in russian at us.
>[Big]"This doesn't seem to be working."
"Just give it a moment-Do any of you lot speak english?"

The continue advancing-not a one of them looking like they understood what I was saying. ...This plan may not be working as well as I'd hoped.

>>316405
...Well, trying to run definitely would not end well.
"Any ideas on what to say to them? Even some Russian phrases?"
>[Big]"Languages are not my strong point-I'm kind of a shooting specialist, not a planner."
"Well that's no help..."

>>316412
I find myself severely tempted to just murder every last one of the Russian soldiers and just drive away-sure I'd be putting bullets with rifling that could be matched to my guns in them-but really, how are they going to find me? I kill them, drive away, and never visit the area again-it could work.

>>316437
>>316472
Okay-fine, let's try Finnish then-we're pretty close to the country, maybe one of them speaks it. I turn to Big Crazy and begin speaking as if he understands me.
" Huh, looks like you might have some ghosts or spirits, there. Maybe a Snow Maiden. Should we just go around? We'll go around. Get out of you guys' way."
>[Big]"The hell are you-"
>[Soldier]"You! Speak Finnish yes?"
Oh hey one of them DOES understand me. Okay...
"Oh, you understand this tongue, not English?"
>[Soldier]" You come to base! Resist be shot!"
..Eh, not exactly fluent in the tongue, but.....
"Yes, take us to commander-that is where we are supposed to be."
For a moment the Russian soldier speaking looks confused-likely expected me to resist in some fashion-
>[DDDD Trait activated]
Which is why I keep speaking in an even, convivial tone.
"Hurry, take us to commander-we are hunters he needs to meet."
Seems reiterating myself did the trick-the soldier says something in Russian to his comrades-

And shortly enough we are getting back on the road, oh so slowly driving down towards the military cordon amidst a cloud of Russian soldiers. We are escorted past hundreds upon hundreds of similarly grim-faced soldiers, our snow-covered vehicle earned more than it's fair share of stares. We are eventually directed to exit the vehicle-given the directive is delivered not just at gunpoint, but at the point of about FIFTY guns... I comply, Big Crazy getting out alongside me. We are escorted into one of hundreds of identical tents-

An oh-so-slightly overweight, balding man with a face as gaunt as a skeleton and eyes so deep-set the bags beneath them nearly look like mottle tumors awaits us, his salt and pepper stubble doing nothing to detract from his professional bearing. The soldier I spoke with shares some words with him, salutes-and leaves. We are left with a full dozen guns trained on us as the aged officer speaks in Finnish.
>[Officer]" I am told you say you are Finnish speaking 'hunters.' Why do you make this claim?"
>[MMM Trait activated]
"Because it is accurate-we were heading to Finland for a combination hunting expedition and... vacation, to be honest. It is the nature of what we hunt that attracted our attention-do you speak English?"
>[Officer]"I am capable of it, yes."
"Excellent-my comrade does not speak Finnish, and I did not wish to leave him out."
>[Officer]"I am losing my patience-why are you here?"
"Because of what it is we hunt. As it happens-situations like this are what we get paid to resolve."
>[Officer]"...Is that a fact?"
"What can I say-we are skilled at killing things that... should not be there. Vampires, Doonongaes-"
>[Big]"Werekin, Goblins, Elves, Imps, Kelpies-really, killing things that aren't supposed to exist is our profession."
"If you have the time for it, you could check with intelligence-I've worked for your country before."
>[Officer]"..Interesting."
The officer paces back and forth for a handful of seconds, letting us stew-before barking out a clipped bit of verbage.
>[Officer]"..I do not have time to check on your claims-I have to have answers by nightfall-and as of yet, I have none."
He turns back to face us.
>[Officer]"You say you are hunters of the Arcane? Then hunt up some answers here in Pobadino-do that, not only will we let you pass on by despite seeing classified military actions-but I'll stick my own approval on your names-You give me answers, you can go anywhere in Russia you want and say that Major General Vladimir Chugainov fully supports you."
>[RAPID RATIONALIZATION Trait activated]
"Which I take to mean there will be no monetary compensation."
>[VC]"You are smart for what sound like Americans."
"So-what DO you know-or do we not get existing intel before going in?"
>[VC]"Simple: Communication lost with Pobadino two weeks ago. Reports from shipping companies that trucks not coming back from town-first report also two weeks ago. Army arrives one week later, after Tyumen response likewise vanishes. Find town dead-no inhabitants-and this fog. We even had strong winds for two days-and the fog did not disperse. Twice, teams sent in with actively broadcasting equipment-twice, teams lost contact shortly after entrance. Our scientists... feh, they know nothing-They say no presence, nothing demonic, angelic, fae-nothing. They cannot explain what is here-which is where you come in. Give me any more data than I have, I will consider your trespassing a moot point, and let you go-give me an answer as to what happened here, you will have a great friend."

So that's the 'job', then.

The real question is-exactly what are we going to ask for/do to make sure we don't also disappear?






I've bluffed my way this far-what's the next step?

Ask Amen?

No money, but a powerful friend and free access to russia. Plus its not like you can actually say no in the current conditions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_ranks_of_Russia#Russian_Federation
This says that in modern russia a general-major (formerly major general) is basically a one star general. There are 4 ranks above him. That being said, he is still a general which makes him pretty high up... And people do get promotions.

the question is really how do we actually do the job. contacting someone on the outside might be frowned upon considering this is classified. I would ask to speak to the scientists and what do they know of the town's history. Ask big red if he thinks his spirits would be safe going deeper in there.

If you do go in, go decked out in full gear.

>>316398
On a random note, shouldn't Armas have sensed the focus of the Russians sneaking up the car? Or is his ability to sense that kind of thing restricted to those watching his person? That's a slightly inconvenient restriction.

>>316481
>Vishuddha is the chakra of intuition... One who meditates upon this chakra will... obtain the knowledge of past, present and future.
This chakra is my new favorite chakra. We must meditate upon it and focus our awareness until our intuition becomes precognitive. Then we will finally be able to kick Savoy's ass, and also be even more ridiculously awesome at stealth than we already are.

>>316612
First order of business is to ask a lot more questions so that you can hopefully get a better idea of what's going on. After you can't think of any more, act like you are reasonably confident that you can solve the problem even if you're actually not.

Things to confirm:
-The teams they sent in reported nothing unusual before losing contact?
-The fog is fairly low to the ground- have they attempted to overfly the town with helicopters or similar? Any results from that?
-What methods of getting a read on what's happening from outside have they tried? Near infrared imaging can see through normal fog without a problem, so I'd expect it to help.
-Have they tried anything to get rid of the fog? Something like an overflight from a helicopter would logically disperse it; ultrasonic scrubbers like they use to get rid of fog at airports might work as well. Not that I expect them to try this on this kind of schedule, but if they have done so already I'd like to know if it worked.

Things perhaps worth asking for:
-Having a helicopter on standby would be my preferred method of insertion/extraction here, if it's available. It would mean that if there's something nasty in the town, you only have to make it onto the roof of a building which sticks up above the fog and then set off a flare rather than fighting your way all the way to the town's outskirts through what might quickly become an extremely hostile environment. We could also use that to send periodic reports, assuming that we're not immediately sucked into some part of the nevernever which is now overlaying the town or similar.
-Get a map of the town and review it carefully before going in. It may or may not help, but it shouldn't hurt.
-Hey, this is a perfect opportunity to get man-portable military gear! I bet they have thermite grenades. Everyone loves thermite grenades. Also bring flares, so that you can shoot them up out of the fog to signal him outside. There are doubtless several colors you can use to indicate different things.

Aside from that, obviously don't go into the town in anything but heavy gear.

If you can, making a phone call to consult with Amen- the general or someone else who understands English can of course stand right by you to make sure that you don't communicate anything overly sensitive- might get you some more information on this. Just ask him for likely explanations for a town filled with fog that does not disperse in the wind for weeks on end, with no one who goes in coming back out. I'd say consult with others, but... we don't really have a ton of people we can call for something like this, and certainly not ones who would keep quiet about it.

Well, I guess we won't know what this is until we're in the midst of it (please don't be Silent Hill *crosses fingers*). Can BC's spirits tell us anything about the town (preferrably without them or us going into the spooky mist)? Specifically, this mist: is it, itself, alive in some way, or merely a side-effect of whatever's in there, like an advantageous hunting mechanism?

While BC is doing the spirit trance, perhaps you could do a little meditating of your own, focusing on the Sahasrara chakra? It is for piercing illusions and seeing beyond, after all. One exercise some people recommend for this is to make yourself indifferent and apathetic as fuck. Let emotion come and go, but do not let it affect you. Focus on your breath, from the diaphram through the other chakras, up to the top of your palate. Imagine the thousand-petaled lotus flower blooming from the crown of your head, stretching out, reaching into the infinite cosmos. Shit like that.

The only precaution I can think of is what was used in the minotaur's labyrinth; steel wire spooled out behind you. And that would be pretty trivial for whatever's in there to follow right to us.

Maybe we could ask to borrow a humvee (the Russian model is called the GAZ 2975 Tiger, I believe)? Lacks stealth, but I'd take firepower and speed over stealth at the moment.

Anonymous 2011/06/23(Thu)00:51 No. 316666 ID: 81f32a
File 130881551602.jpg - (1.27MB , 1100x956 , Armas - Meditation.jpg )

Alright, since you have worked on your chakra, this is the best time as any to try to activate them.
Out of the 3 you have awoken, I think Sahasrara is the best for this situation.

>Spiritual Center, Development of Psychic Abilities, Enlightenment, Unity.
>Crown chakra concerns: spiritual growth, wisdom, union, divine connection, insight, equanimity, awakening, enlightenment

So I suggest you go and meditate to try to get closer to understanding, to the truth, to transcend the human though and connect with the beyond.
Beyond some immediate skill/ability/trait gains, you might be able to find out what is happening there or at least not be tricked by delusions and illusions because you are most definitely going into some mind-fuckery territory. You need to protect your psyche first and foremost and activating Sahasrara powers and reaching some sort of enlightenment can help to pierce the veil of deceit.


Get into the right state of mind, because the Crown chakra is the Consciousness itself, it is a form of primeval power that is the awareness of all the other forces. This element is not of the physical world yet permeates it to the deepest level:
>"I am in the right place at the right time. Happiness is the journey and there is no final destination. Meditate for sanity, to become a beacon of peace, to cultivate compassion, to surrender stress. The effects are more magical and fast-acting than any pill. Meditation is the best medicine. Be. Here. Now. Do one thing at a time with total awareness. Listen fully. Your undivided attention is the most valuable thing you can offer. Your only choice is to live in this present. Accept this gift. Slow down. Enjoy equanimity. Find your balance."

Affirm:"I am. I understand"

1000 Lotus Flower petals unfold
Be here
Be now
Be you
Be all
Gain
Awareness
Beauty of the inner world
Cosmic Consciousness
Spiritual
relax release
you are empowered
realize it
Understanding
God-knowing


If I were certain of the success of this meditation, some visual weird shit happening, I would suggest to mediate in plain view just to freak out the Russian soldiers.... because even in crisis we still troll.
But I am not, so go and find a secluded place before going in there.

>>316612
The general is definitely not telling you everything. This is not a regular town, even before the even.
Question him further, stressing that every bit info he withholds will lead to terrible end.
Also ask him the deal with Tyumen. It is a big city, often called the "Oil Capital" of Russia, if something like this happened there and they can't resolve it .... well, they will not be able to conceal it for too long.

>>316645
At first I was "Huh?"
And then I realized that we can just call him. Perhaps our own phone will not work, but we can convince the general here to use his line to call Amen. Tell him that you need to consult "your specialist on supernatural powers" or something. Then explain everything to Amen, give him all the information and see if he knows anything.


>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV5szIgqnBE

>>316666
Regarding calling Amen:

You don't actually think the General's going to let us 'call out', do you?

>>316666
>Quad sixes

>FUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

Hrm. This is gonna be a tough mission. Okay. So all we know, is that anything that goes into Pobadino doesn't come out, and that there are no Angels, Demons, or Fae in there.

To me this can mean only one thing. THE NOOSPHERE HAS BEEN BREACHED AND A ZONE HAS FORMED! WE'RE ALL DOOMED!

But yeah. Make all the necessary preparations, like leaving messages for your coworkers if you don't make it, and getting some bodyarmor, then go in.

Be careful. This is either some Spirit World crap, some Time crap, or some Interdimensional crap. I know it would SUCK if we got trapped in Camella's dimension. Avoid any holes in the ground you see...

ask if they tried sending in drones, and when they lost contact with the teams they sent in did they just stop reporting or was there screaming or some such. its possible that its just a barrier that block radio communication.

So wait, everybody is a-okay nit getting shit out of this mission?
A permission to go further (which we didn't need anyway) and a good word in russkie land (a place we might never visit anymore) is enough for you?

No one tried to use our myriad social and haggle traits into good use? Ever?

And you wonder why we keep getting screwed over and over.


Anyway, try to get something out of this mission. We are mercenaries not a fucking charity foundation.
Since getting in cash is unlikely (and perhaps unnecessary) ask the general to pay you in guns.
We are in great luck! We have met russian military, poorly trained (unless special forces), low morale, and best of all, equipped in old, out-dated shit.... Which works great for us!
Tell general to give you a score or two of guns, doesn't matter which, they could be cheap, mass-produced AK-47. What does matter, and make it explicitly known, that you want used guns, the older the better. Tell him you want guns which have gone trough action, which have been in use for a long time. If he can get WW2 era weapons, the better.

Why old weapons? Because Sometimes Merchant values old weapons which have had many owners over new ones. Sure, they wont have been used by supernaturals, but that will be off-set by several decades of service.

Now, some people think that we are in no position for haggling, that we should take it like a bitch.
Which is a stupid reasoning because we are never in position of haggling.
Think back at Castelletti job... were we in position to haggle? Surrounded by armed bodyguards, mafia mob-boss and in middle of their territory. We didn't try to get more out of the job then and you saw what that amounted to.

If we keep with this line of thought, we will keep getting shitty deals.


Also, we have a great position to sway.
Now, we are inside the military encampment, dozens of guns are trained on us.
from the 1st glance this looks like a shit position to be demanding something...

But if you think about it:
From the story we told them, they will get this kind of picture:
We were driving to Finland for a vacation, to relax. Suddenly we saw weird shit, entire town blocked by pants-shitting soldiers. Now, even a person ignorant of supernatural would turn around and walk away. But we know about those things, and knowing the huge risk, we decided to roll into the camp, walk up to the 'leader' and present ourself for a job.
We just told them that we hunt vampires, werekin, fey, etc for sport. We aint afraid of nothing.

The general here has no way of knowing our powerlevel. From his standpoint we could destroy his entire division singlehandedly or we could go down with a single bullet.
Would he take a risk? I doubt so.

This is a guy with a deadline who needs answers. He got 2 supernatural hunter experts who came looking for trouble. We haven't shown a slightest bit of fear or discomfort here.

Besides, this is not even a complete bluff, since Big Crazy would be able to shrug off their attacks.
And heck, russian high-brass (and indeed russian anything with power) are notoriously corrupt.
Having few dozen of old, shitty equipment disappear wouldn't even have anyone bat an eye-lid.



In the end, we have nothing to lose. The guy will not try to kill us because we wanted more out of the job. Russians don't just explode into rage and violence just because you said something, no matter what stereotypes will tell you (...well not always, and it depends. But you can be sure that a veteran, high-ranking military person does not reduce into ball of rage at suggestion to get payed better)
The worst outcome is that he refuses and we do the job anyway.

Ask if they have some equipment you can us for the mission.

Ask for body armour, some grenades, and a recoilless rifle.

>>316748
Please no. We're bargaining for our lives here. We're in no position to demand anything.

i like the idea of asking for payment in the form of a a few old ak-47's or some such. though i really don't think we should push our luck to far here, though if we only get payed after we do the work he might be more willing to pay us.

>>316748
This is good. Voting up.

Oh God >_<

Dudes. This is a RUSSIAN BLACK OPS COMMANDER. He's used to KILLING ANYONE WHO DOESN'T COOPERATE. Sure, we can ask for a few old surplus guns, but trying to throw our weight around will make us DEAD. There are several REGIMENTS worth of guys out there. With artillery, and probably air support. Isn't the power we shall gain from killing the EVIL THING (plus a few surplus guns) worth it?

>>316748
how about no

>>316748
>>316808
>>316842
>>316757
Downvoting. It's just not a good idea to try and get stuff from a guy who is treating letting you leave as payment for getting out of what he believes is a death trap alive.

>>316857

I agree with TMI, People like these guys don't take no stick.

Wait, what?

I wake up to see this bullshit!? >>316748

Are you fucking insane? This is a guy responsible for fighting against the supernatural things in Russia. Nothing good will come out of trying to DEMAND such payment from him. The fucker looks like he will explode at slightest provocation and he does not need to deal with your shit right now.
>Russians don't just explode into rage and violence just because you said something, no matter what stereotypes will tell you
Screw you man! I prefer to follow the stereotypes, they are safer than your baseless assumptions.
They are stereotypes for a reason.
>>316852
Case in point.

>>316808
This guy has a better idea. Lets wait till after the job and nicely ask him if he is willing to part with some guns.



As what to do next.
Try to get more information out of the general, I am sure the secret black ops agent is not telling us some crucial info.
Ask to be allowed to talk with scientists too perhaps they can help us with their science talk.
Do they have their own specialist hunters here? Can't imagine that the unit responsible for such messes doesn't have one.
Ask him if we can use their equipment. Perhaps they have some specialized weapons against ghosts or something that they would be willing to share.
Again, be courteous and don't act like the hottest dick around.
Stock up on grenades and flashbangs at least ... I don't think you will be needing smoke 'nades here.
Perhaps they will let you borrow RPGs?
.... Actually let Big Crazy have a say if they agree to help us out with equipment. Maybe he has some better ideas.

Haggling doesn't sound like too good an idea. Asides, if we pull this off, we'd already be getting in with a russian general, a really damn good and powerful connection.

>>316877
Yeah, just think of the potential!
"Hmmm, how am I supposed to kill the Giant Resurrected Clone of Rasputin, currnently rampaging through Istanbul? AHA! That HIND-D I bought from the "Legitimate Salvage Engineer" the General gave me the number of!"

....Okay, it's a bit far fetched, but still, he's a RUSSIAN BLACK OPS GENERAL. He knows EVERYONE. It's a fair(-ish) deal.

have to agree with posters who say not to haggle
now is not the time

>Our scientists... feh, they know nothing-They say no presence, nothing demonic, angelic, fae-nothing. They cannot explain what is here-which is where you come in. Give me any more data than I have, I will consider your trespassing a moot point, and let you go-give me an answer as to what happened here, you will have a great friend.

Ok, this isn't your run of the mill general. He has scientists who supposedly should be able to detect demons, angels, and fae and they can't detect any of those here.

Also, this means they probably ARE equipped for dealing with the supernatural, so our own escape/victory is not 100% guarenteed.

His current offers are:
Job 1: Find out ANYTHING about the situation (he currently knows next to nothing)
Reward: Waive punishment for our tress-pass. (death? imprisonment?)

Job 2: Give exact answer to what is going on.
Reward: Great friend and ally.

Job 3 (not even specified yet): Actually solve the problem
Reward: not even considered a possibility yet.

What we can haggle for is #3. We find the info on what exactly is going on, and then we play it up, how his men can't even detect the problem... we can then offer to actually solve the problem. Or we might accidentally be forced to solve the problem while scouting and then come back and see how far his gratitude extends.

Gotta say, this feels like Castelletti all over again. "Send in the mooks who're not getting paid to risk their stupid asses first, maybe they'll soften up the monster. Get caught in its teeth, choke it on the way down, something like that."

Of course, since we're here now, in the middle of hundreds of black ops russians, its too late to back out.

>>316645
I slowly reach into my pocket for my cell phone, thinking of calling Amen for some clarity on this oddball situation I find myself in the middle of-

To have seven of the guns pointed at me get a whole mess closer as one of the soldiers relieves me of my phone.
>[VC]"There shall be no contacting outside sources."
>[DDDD Trait activated]
"Even when that source is an expert on the supernatural that might shed light on the situation?"
>[VC]"I shall make it very clear for you Americans-my superiors will have ME shot if news leaks when I am told to keep it quiet-do you think I will risk that for you?"
"The one I was going to call is bound to be discreet-"
>[VC]"Which means nothing to me-you will make do with what resources exist within this camp-or we will dispose of you and continue handling the situation ourselves. Your choice, Americans."

>>316648
As the general pockets my phone, Crazy and I both keeping our hands in the air-I press on, refusing to sound worried.
"So we can question your scientists on the job, at least?"
>[VC]"After performing a blood oath with Lieutenant Colonel Zinaida Jidkova to share nothing you learn with someone not already aware-certainly."
"I'm assuming that refusal to swear such an oath-"
>[VC]"Would be grounds for me to discard you both and have you executed, then buried in the woods-you will find I am quite practiced at keeping things quiet-it is my job, after all."
"...Is this Lietenant Colonel with the scientists we now must question?"
>[VC]"She is indeed-I expect you two to have answers for me when next we meet-elsewise you will be dead."
"Rather blunt about it, aren't you?"
>[VC]"I leave the verbose grandstanding to our politicians."
>>316656
As Big Crazy and I are escorted from the general's tent, I consider something I hadn't noted before: I didn't feel the soldiers' attention on me when they found us in the Escalade. I double check-my training has not failed me, I can feel scores of individuals eyeing me as we march to a new tent-but nevertheless, we were caught unawares. What was different?
>[RAPID RATIONALIZATION Trait activated]
...Ah. They spotted the black vehicle we rode in-and focused on that during their approach-by the time they actually were focusing specifically on the occupants, they had already surrounded us. So... if one detects a vehicle I am in, it could bypass my training, as they aren't explicitly focused on me-something I most certainly need to keep in mind.

On the way to whichever tent contained the Colonel and scientists-I was struck by an idea-one of the Chakra's I'd awoken a finat awareness of-the Vishuddha-was related to comprehending the past, present and future. Surely such a chakra would be of paramount use to a soldier-yet no ideas come to me on how to manipulate this force, how to awaken it to my use. And so it is that Big Crazy and I are marched into a new tent-to be greeted by a square jawed, iron-haired matron-the Lieutenant Colonel. She begins speaking the moment we enter.
>[ZJ]"I need you both to cut open your right palms-and prepare yourselves to swear an oath of silence."
Given the amount of guns still trained on us-it's not exactly like we have a choice. Big and I both slash our hands, and in turn share grips with the russian officer-as she asks us to swear to silence-using the same phrasing as her commander. 'Do not speak of what you learn to any save those already aware.' There's a loophole in there somewhere-but I find that loophole evading my mind as magic thumps along my body when I swear the oath. On the plus side, the moment we have sworn, she has a total of ten scientists escorted into the room with a translator, and tells us to ask what questions we will. I take her up on the offer.

-The teams thus far sent all have their reports typed up and available-and not a single one has anything irregular in even their last reports-they simply lapse from reports of 'no one found, nothing encountered-' ... into silence. Whatever is in the mist, it claims the soldiers before they notice something is awry and attempt to report.
-Flybys of the town have revealed little-no residents, or indeed anything, has been spotted within the town-each and every report details it as an empty, mist-filled ghost-town, and nothing more. None of the fliers that have passed over the town have reported anything erroneous-nor have any of them gone missing.
-Infrared sensors are, oddly enough, completely unable to pierce the fog-it's not that they register the fog as being warm, and thus preventing readings within-the thermal imaging simply cannot penetrate the mist itself. Thus far, no reason for this phenomenon has been suggested.
-Attempts to remove the mist-be it by turbine or ultrasonic scrubber-have all met with abject failure-the mist clings to the town, and refuses to dissipate or slacken.

With this information gained-and Big Crazy already asking for rocket launchers while I request thermobaric grenades-I move on to more prep for the mission:

-The Russians agree to have a chopper fueled and on standby, pending either Big or I popping a flare (which they provide us with-blue ones that come in three-packs), and will airlift us out if we reach a rooftop in need of evacuation. I make sure to secure my trio of flairs to my waist-as Big Crazy secrets his own within his jacket.
-Big and I both get maps-not exactly all that elaborate, as the village itself is tiny-but hey, it's something. I pocket mine-and Big packs his away in that giant-ass jacket of his.
-I get a bandoleer with a full dozen Russian Thermobaric grenades-can't really tell the make or model, but I am told they are white-phosphorus based. By this point, Big Crazy now has a total of three separate RPG-7's, and a full set of ten TBG-7V rockets-between the two of us, we could probably burn the whole damn town to the ground if we put in some effort.

>>316665
With what questions I could come up with asked and answered-I move on to requisitioning a tent to myself for a moment-a place to get away from the bustle of the camp-and meditate. Yeah-me, meditating-not exactly my strong suit, but Ito said I had to figure out a way to tap these chakra's myself-so might as well give it a shot. Big Crazy absconds to his own tent, mentioning he's going to check if his spirits can pierce the mist-while I busy myself trying to get in touch with a different chakra: the Sahasrara. I seat myself in a meditative stance, trying to distance myself from emotion-I remember seeing that when I looked up the chakra's after Ito's lesson on wikipedia-but for all the effect it's having I'm just scratching my ass. I focus on my breathing, building an even, rhythmic pulse as I picture a lotus with a thousand petals-

To come up with diddley.

Hm.

>>316666 [6666]
[FANART BONUS-TRAINING REORIENTATION]
...New plan: Forget trying to distance myself from emotion-this chakra's about unity, right? How can I tap something about unity if I'm trying to divorce myself from a facet of my existence-my emotions are part of me, right? Maybe the dispassionate approach can work-but it just doesn't hold water for me, and not believing in it... I assume that path to hold nothing for me. No matter how easy it is to distance myself from my emotions... I don't think that's the right way to approach this. I have to face myself-every part of myself-and pull it all together, if I want a claim at unity. I continue to breathe deeply, evenly-I catalogue my emotions, the sensation of heat on my scalp rising as my blood begins to tingle-
>[Amen]Oh-oh oh? This I did not expect-how is it you reach out to my mind?
The fuck? Why can I hear Amen in my mind?
>[Amen]Because you linked our minds-was this not your intent?
I was trying to get a handle on my chakras, why did-
>[Amen]Ah. Chakra manipulation is the study of internalized energies-which, for you, includes my blood. So by focusing inward, you seem to have reached out-to me.
Not exactly what I was looking for.
>[Amen]So, so, so-what WERE you looking for?
I don't know-enlightenment, some spiritual growth?
>[Amen]You are aware that even the prodigals yogis took decades to command their chakras, correct? What leads you to the audacious thought you could achieve it in days?
A lack of options, I'm in a Russ-
>[Amen]Yes I know-you have found yourself in an interesting situation, oh master of mine.
Well? Any thoughts on what the mist is?
>[Amen]Many-and until I have more data, any I offered would be mere guesswork.
...So you need me to enter the mist, then.
>[Amen]Precisely, precisely-and precisely.

...Well, with nothing else changing in my chakras, I open my eyes, stand, exit the tent-

To find Big Crazy, the Colonel and the General waiting for me-along with some twenty other soldiers-as always, guns trained on me. What is it with these guys?
>[VC]"Are you quite done with your meditation? I can have you shot so you have plenty of time to meditate in death, if you prefer."
>[MMM Trait activated]
"In my... reflection, I came to a question."
>[VC]"That being?"
"What is it you are not telling us? There is something... more to this event, something you already know-of that, I feel quite certain."
The general laughs, belly shaking as he idly wipes at his eyes, speaking through his chuckles.
>[VC]"Of COURSE you are not being told everything-are you a Russian, faithful to our country? Are you a soldier, bound to serve us? No? You Americans-you think you have rights wherever you go. Let me be clear-you are alive only because you may be more useful breathing than buried in a ditch. Continue to ask questions that I do not wish to answer-and you can easily be given your own ditch."

>>316748
"Fine-if there is information you wish to withhold-then let us discuss potential pay-"
>[VC]"Is there something wrong with your head? This is not some sort of job you can negotiate: Your lives belong to me until I say otherwise, and I tell you to do something-there is no pay beyond staying alive. You mercenaries... I grow tired of your whining. Say but one more word in my presence without having gained an answer to what has happened here-and I will have you buried alive in the latrines-do I make myself clear?"
Each and every soldier surrounding us switches their guns fire selector to automatic-all still trained on my chest-barring the dozen keeping guns trained on Big Crazy. The part that's terrifying? Vladimir didn't adopt agressive posture, or a threatening tone-he simply stated what would happen like reading off a grocery list-killing us would mean absolutely NOTING to him. ...I may need to revise my approach.
>[MMM Trait activated]
Oh, he made himself clear-clear enough I just nod my head.

>[VC]"Good. Now-get going."

>>316846
>>316852
>>316857
>>316861
>>316869
>>316924
I make a mental note-whatever part of my brain thought it would be a good idea to try and push for payment in this situation is the DUMBEST FUCKING PART OF MY BRAIN, GODDAMN. I hope I can learn from this... but something tells me I'll make more stupid decisions. Fuck, why am I so greedy? ...Oh right, because I love money.

>[NEW SPECIAL TRAIT: SHUT UP STUPID THOUGHTS]
>-Armas can now recognize situations that would be highly disadvantageous to attempt to haggle in-this ability is far from perfect, and needs considerable work-but at least he's beginning to grasp there are in fact people he should not dick about with.
Yes this means you still need to down vote ideas you think will turn out poorly-it's just that now, with sufficient down votes Armas will not even attempt the plan in question

Big Crazy, laden with rocket-propelled explosives, his Mare's Leg strapped to his leg, waits patiently as I reclaim Keihäs from the Escalade, and insure I have enough ammunition for each of my weapons to drop a small town-my jacket jingles merrily as the two of us begin marching towards the mist covered town. As we put some distance between us and the inner edge of the Russian camp, Big Crazy leans over to me.
>[Big]"If you feel like committing creative suicide, next time let me know so I can... not be there."
"Hey, I didn't know the Russian military would be like that."
>[Big]"...They're the RUSSIAN FUCKING MILITARY, what did you expect? Moreso from their 'cleanup' army, or however you want to define these guys. Jesus, I thought I was going to crap my pants back there."
"What are you, a sissy?"
>[Big]"You do realize I could twist you into a knot, right?"
"You do realize that I could put a bullet in the back of your head even now, right?"
>[Big]"..Can we just agree that from now on-I get to negotiate with the Russian army?"
"No promises."
>[Big]"Well, at least now we're headed to the comparative safety of the city-swallowing mist-incidentally, my spirits couldn't pierce the fog on their own."
"That happen often?"
>[Big]"It's the first time they couldn't go somewhere."
"Ah."
Big Crazy hands me a gas mask as he slips one on himself.
>[Big]"Here-the chick said something about the mist maybe being an aerosol or some such-might as well play it safe. Also... I am apparently the one trusted with the radio."
"Well that's not fair."
>[Big]"Maybe if you didn't antagonize them they would have chosen you."

We both come to a stop some five feet from the mist's edge-and wonder what to do next.
>[Amen]I will not be able to offer my advice lest you venture in.
"Oh come on, you're still there?"
>[Big]"What?"
>[Amen]You have maintained the connection between us-of course I'm still here.
"Nevermind."
So how do I get you out of my head?
>[Amen]Given I have considerably more experience than you with matters supernatural, and am in a unique position to already know about this scenario and thus be exempt from the oath you just swore-should you get me out of your head? That-that, that-why, it is the question of the hour.

I ponder Amen's musings as I eye the mist-still completely opaque-and start to wondering:

-The center of the village is occupied by a clinic-a single story affair that is more or less at the epicenter of the mist.
-There is a rifle shop that has visible scorch marks on the second floor on the northern end of this town-the only place with anything about it looking out of sorts-you know, besides the missing residents and the mist.
-On the East side of the village is the largest house in the settlement-a three-story affair that looks like an ancient haunted house, straight from a fairy tale.

Other than that... there's just the mist, and the buildings it largely obscures.





What should be our destination?
What should we be looking for/listening for/wary of whilst within the mist?
What gun should I have in hand as we explore?

You really should maintain the connection with Amen... at least for now.

Idea. How long has it been before each team disappeared?
If you step into the obviously supernatural mist, but remain close enough to be visible to the people outside and the scientists could point their equipment at you. If it was a sufficiently short period of time, you could wait that long near the edge of the mist before venturing further in. Essentially you act as bait while they observe what might attack you.

>>317052
I agree with the keeping Amen around, but waiting in the perimeter of the mist is liable to get the russians thinking we're not going to actually investigate the town. They're on a strict time limit, so lets not give them the idea we're wasting their time.

>-There is a rifle shop that has visible scorch marks on the second floor on the northern end of this town-the only place with anything about it looking out of sorts-you know, besides the missing residents and the mist.

>Scorch marks
>One known opening of gates to the Nevernever signs is human combustion
>People who enter VANISH
>The only other rip to the Nevernever we encounter did the same to us and Camella
>This is a person-central gate to the Nevernever.

MOTHERFUCKING SILENT GOD DAMN HILL.

If we have twine or something, it might be wise to link ourselves together. I'd say, leave Amen to try and identify the mist. We listen real hard for movement - particularly underground. The mist doesn't really link up with Camella's account of her dimension hopping, but for some reason I'm put in mind of it anyway.

Tell BC not to notice you if he can help it - and then use your 'feel people watching' senses. Head to the rifle shop; clues to the whereabouts of the previous teams, and being able to scavenge like the vulture you are. Good times in Armas-land.

>>317053
Good point. Its a sensible plan but the Russians are not exactly sensible right now.

>>New ability: Downvoting actually cancels an action
Best ability EVER!

>'Do not speak of what you learn to any save those already aware.' There's a loophole in there somewhere

Since you know how strict to the word supernatural bindings are, you can focus on "speak" part and write/mimick/gesture/smoke-signal whatever happened here. As long as you do not verbally tell, you are in the clear.
Or at least I think. Since Amen is here, you can verify that.

>[Amen]Ah. Chakra manipulation is the study of internalized energies-which, for you, includes my blood.
Ah, Okay.
So that means we have integrated Amens blood. Does that mean we cold get other powers out of it? Maybe this counts like a 3rd bloodline for us?

>[Amen]Yes I know-you have found yourself in an interesting situation, oh master of mine.
Eh?
How did he know?
....
Wait a second, did he have connection to us all the time since we have drank his blood?
Meaning he can hear and see what we can?
Damn you, Amen, you voyeuristic pervert!!!

>So how do I get you out of my head?
What?
We don't want him out of our head. Hell, having him here works great for us even outside this situation.
>should you get me out of your head? That-that, that-why, it is the question of the hour.
Alright, we keep him for now. But don't say anything or else he could interpret it as an order and never leave if we need him to in the future.



Anyway, we have entered.
Now ask Amen what he thinks, if he has any ideas. Where we should go and warn us of the dangers (he could willingly lead us into a dangerous situation because we never specified not to. He is a dick like that).
Barring that, lets investigate the rifleshop first. The other two destinations scream NOPE to me and I'd like to explore them later.

Since we are inside ask Big Crazy if his totem spirits can do their surveillance thing again.

>What gun should I have in hand as we explore?
Keihas, I guess. With bayonet ready for action.

>>317045
>Do not speak of what you learn to any save those already aware.
That leaves any nonverbal method of communication completely open, even writing about it afterward. How convenient.

On another topic: We have Amen's blood and magics within our body, and thus can reach out to him. Do we not also have the blood and magics of Lieutenant Colonel Zinaida Jidkova within our body, thanks to the mechanics of that blood oath? If our blood had not mixed, it wouldn't be effective. Amen obviously has a better handle on this than we do; ask him if there's anything to that theory, and if so, what we might be able to do to her by the manipulation of this connection... or, if we don't have the strength yourself, by letting Amen at her using us as a repeater.

If this theory holds together, it should be noted that it would be unwise to do anything that would tip the Russians off to the fact that we have a back door into the skull of one of their magically-powered military officers. I seriously doubt that they'd take it well. We should hang onto it as a potential asset, though.

>What should we be looking for/listening for/wary of whilst within the mist?
Given that the others to come here before us must have relied mostly on their visual senses and it clearly didn't work out for them, it would be prudent to focus ourself upon our more supernatural methods of awareness. The Vishuddha chakra can likely tie back to this- it has great synergy with our abilities already. It is the chakra of serentity, which should be relatively easy; we have a significant number of Traits reflecting our ability to remain calm and unworried even in the most stressful situations. Where others panic, Armas remains peaceful. We also have fairly spectacular awareness of our intuition- for is that not what our ability to sense others' attention upon us is rooted in? Making good use of the Vishuddha chakra should be mostly a matter of assuming a serene mindset and letting the energies of our throat flow through the rest of our body, acting in support of the sensing abilities that we already have. Feeling the vibrations of our throat when we speak and the effect of that on our energies might help us grasp it as well. Hopefully this will sharpen our intuition (and hearing, which the Vishuddha is also responsible for) and help us to sense any dangers before they strike.

And if it doesn't, well. We'll still have our already-sharp intuitive abilities going for us, and it's not like we need to close our eyes and ears to try and make this work. A serene mindset demands that we don't stress over the possibility of failure.

>What should be our destination?
Rifle shop first. Seems like the only place that might let you know what your predecessors did.

>What gun should I have in hand as we explore?
Keihas. We are most familiar with it and it's got the most flexible range of all our weapons. If we encounter something that needs heavy firepower instead of precision shots or deadly melee stabs we can switch up.

Keihas.

Also, the Rifleshop first. We need to find the Epicenter. Dear god, I really hope this mist doesn't cause dimension shifts. We'd probably run into the Illuminati or an army of Fae Space Commandoes on the other side.

Or worse, we end up in Bob's other quests and get insta-killed by one of his other badass protagonists

i think we should get our magic weapons (and the ones we want to become magical)names, because names have power and naming is often considered magic into itself, also depending on the name and what we were thinking at the time we may influence the direction of our weapons development, about the Matebas we should try naming the night vision one after winter and the thermal after summer while concentrating in what each court represents,hot, cold, day, night, planths, snow, etc.

>>317104
I've been trying to figure out how to make that happen since the conduit thing popped up. I want Armas working for Mordre, but don't see it happening.

>>317074
we still don't know if amen is male or female or neither

>>317125
It's neither.

Check out the gun shop.

Also, dismount the thermal sight on your Mateba, since we've established that this fog makes IR useless.

>>317104
>>317116
Come to think if it, Mordre is actually not all that powerful by current day standards. A single airstrike or a few 125mm sabots would probably destroy him... then again I haven't read the quest in a long time so I might be completely wrong.

>>317106
This does sound interesting.

>>317146
Uhhhhh, dude? At this point Mordre is considered a mini-World God. And can fly, regenerate, vaporize mountains, and CONTROLS THE WORLD ECONOMY. Oh, and he has enough magical powers to basically do anything. And he is worshipped as a god in two countries. He's basically the parallel universe version of Armus.

But yeah, RIFLE SHOP. Oh, and if you see something that looks like a pair of legs wearing a strait jacket? About face and leave, because FUCK SILENT HILL.

>>317152
Again, I haven't read in a LONG time

>>317052
...You can, what, see what I see?
>[Amen]Hear what you hear-even read surface thoughts, yes, yes yes. Should Master return from this, one believes they would be quite knowledgeable about the venture, and thus exempt from the oath.
I reflect on the reports.... was there something I mis-huh. There was a team that lasted three hours-and one that lasted ten minutes-no real stability of vanishing point.
>[Amen]Suggestive of a roving entity within the mist.
It... would explain the time discrepancies-any other thoughts?
>[Amen]None, none none yet pertinent to this-you must enter.
There it is then.

I experimentally extend my fingertips into the fog-the moment my digits crest the disturbingly clear-cut border, I lose sight of them-the whole hand follows without anything visible, even under the noon sun. I pull my hand back, the fog refusing to cling to my limb as it exists.... hm. So there's no buffer zone?

>>317058
...I find myself thinking of a game I played quite a few years ago, involving a secluded, mist-covered town... and I recall that human combustion was a symptom of a Gate to the Other side opening-that plus scorch marks make me wonder just what could have happened, should the rifle shop prove the source of the troubles.
>>317060
Yeah... Definitely using that loop of rope to tie Big and I together-eh, five feet of slack, that should be enough.
"Big this is going to sound strange-but try not to pay attention to me in the mist. I mean, if you don't feel periodic weight on the rope for a while, sure look, but otherwise-"
>[Big]"This has something to do with that bullshit trick you pulled at Smets' right?"
"It could help us detect other presences in the mist."
>[Big]"...Fine, whatever."
"To the rifleshop, then."

With that we plunge into the mist, both thankful we are well tall enough that our heads and shoulders crest the mist's peaks. Navigation is easy-but with all the Russian soldiers at the perimeter watching us, I can't get a solid read-too much attention focused on me to differentiate. I guess I'll have to wait until they actually aren't watching us-a thought interrupted by the radio squealing to life.
>[ZJ]"Confirm current target."
"Rifle shop."
There is no response-and we keep walking. The footing is tenuous, as each step has to be placed blind-but we recall the general layout-where road should be, referenced against the rooftops visible to us. It takes about eleven tense, quiet minutes, before the two of us finally reach our destination-to find that, the moment we close the front door-the mist immediately evaporates. The gunroom entry floor is revealed, aged and modern rifles alike in display cabinets and on locked racks, crates of ammunition-quite a few Polish, and a few Czech rifles and shotguns amongst the mass of Russian long arms. I note one of the cabinets to have been broken open, up to ten possible guns now elsewhere, the rack empty-
>[Big]"Look at this."
I turn around-and see the mist... undulating against the glass, swells and lulls like a sea's cross-section taking the place of normal behavior for vapor. The ripples aren't large-no more than a half inch, at best-but still, a further detail and clue about the situation. ..Again, the radio squeals briefly to life."
>[ZJ]"Target reached?"
"Confirmed-investigating."
Again-the extent of the exchange.

>>317074
Any ideas yet?
>[Amen]Your suspicion of a Nevernever Gate still has merit-but thus far there is nothing to point to a specific option. More data, more, more-that is what one needs to be of service, master.
Alright-next....
"Big, could your totems tell you anything in the mist?"
>[Big]"Couldn't even leave my body in that murk. Inside this room-yeah, they function like normal, but that mist is as good as stone to them."
"Okay-the scorch marks appeared to be on the second floor-let's go."

We keep the rope attached between us, knots accessable to each of us for instant freedom should we desire. Up and up the creaking, sagging steps-to find the second floor sporting the ten rifles presumably missing from the case below-with ten shells on the ground.

Scattered about the room are ten separate blood spatters.

>[Big]"Well that ain't good."
Amen?
>[Amen]If-if if your senses were more attuned to the magical I could offer more-as it is, I can only say the stench of Fear and Despair marks the deaths that transpired here-ten in number.

>>317080
Amen...
>[Amen]You wonder at the extent of Blood's value-specifically pertaining to the Mortal that bound you in Bloodoath, yes? It is true-some of her blood exists within you now, in that shared bond-but it has the feel of partitioned energy. One would need to be most masterful at Blood magics to take command of her in any way through such a fragment-but it is possible.
...Huh.

I focus on my more supernatural end of awareness, attention travelling to my chakras... wait did I just see movement at the Clinic?
>[AMBUSH EXPERT Trait activated]
To hear the door swing open downstairs, despite being firmly shut, the mist once more given entry-

As I realize that I STILL feel the pressure of surveillance-despite being where no Russian soldier could see me-and Big Crazy looking down the stairs, away from me.

My hands tighten on Keihäs.




What's the next move from here?

As fast as you can, touch Keihas to the blood on the floor.

Whatever it is has to open doors, so close the door at the top of the stairs. Before, you could tell if you could tell if you were being listened to or watched, see if you can tell which, or if it's another sense.

Then, crouch down, and listen yourself, and feel the vibrations in the floor with your hand, and try to detect any steps up the stairs.

That's peculiar. If the mist is a hunting mechanism for whatever is prowling about out there, why would it go to the second floor to kill these people?

No, Amen said Despair, right? These people committed suicide rather than face whatever's out there.

Maybe watch out for emotional manipulation (you know the feeling of Amen, of Other, in your thoughts; watch out for similar inserted feelings); if these were townspeople I could see them breaking under the strain, but trained army operatives who already knew about the supernatural? Doubt it.

>>317173
Ten people, ten guns, ten stains. It makes perfect sense. However, whatever is coming up the stairs is NOT HUMAN. If it WERE human, it would have tried to escape the Mist by now, by hiding indoors or running. It is hostile. Make it dead. Also, alert Big Crazy. To the thing you are about to make dead.

Don't jump to conclusions, be ready but don't be trigger-happy.

Maybe there is some creature that is not visible to mundane senses in the room? Or could someone or something have sensed you enter the mist and is now scrying you?

Is there any way to tell if the mist is alive/part of a 'living' being?

>>317171
I jab Keihäs' stock into the nearest bloodstain-the wood vibrating as the dried fluids are pulled free, added to the burgundy wood of my rifle-before I kick the door leading back downstairs shut, crouching down with gun in hand as my fingertips rest on the wood beneath me-feeling nothing-and still feeling observed. I raise my hand back up, both hands again on the rifle-and keep it firmly pointed at the door.

>>317173
These guns, the stains, the spent shells, the sense of Despair Amon felt-it points to suicide.
>[Amen]Agreed.
Can you detect external sources attempting to manipulate my mental state?
>[Amen]Most certainly, oh master of mine.
Inform me if any are detected by you.
>[Amen]It shall be done.

Damn-even with the door shut, that sense of being observed doesn't fade.
>[Big]"...They say we're surrounded by life-that we can't percieve."
"Your spirits?"
I note Big Crazy to have his Mare's leg out, against my back watching the second floor window, eyes dancing over the scorch mark marring one side of the frame.
>[Big]"Yeah-they say this room even, if full of life."
I keep focusing, trying to track back any of the attention I feel-but it's too dispersed, multifaceted-as far as I can tell the whole damn room is watching me.

Which is why when one of the floorboards next to me creeks-
>[AMBUSH EXPERT Trait activated]
I don't hesitate before scything my bayonet through the open air above the creeking floorboard-

And spray blood across the wall, hot and steaming, the glassy edge of my blade coated in scarlet.

I feel the attention on me explode a hundredfold, it's weight nearly physically weighing me down-

As I hear the sounds of heavy steps, hurried and frantic, pounding up the stairs to the shut door. Big turns around to face the doorway with me, trying not to stare at the blood stain I left.

The door begins to fly open-






Actions?

The mist shouldn't reach the second floor, so stay there. If have BC be there too.
Remember how you located those invisible things on that demonic stairwell? Do that and see where the surveillance is coming from.

Perhaps the death here was ritualistic? To summon something into the world? There are no bodies here so SOMETHING took them away.
See if there are any patterns or something.


Ask Amen if this seems like Wyld Hunt like event. See what he knows.
Ask him if we took those blood spatters and mixed them with our blood could he analyze them and get more information.

>>317349
[Damn too late]

Tell BC that invisible shit is attacking us.
Tell him to use his Totems to pinpoint the there location when attacking them.

While BC shoots at everything crouch in front of him and cut down everything with your bayonet.
I feel like using the rifle-play we learned, with the blade that can cut through anything with paper, in small room against numerous opponents will be better than trying to shoot them. Armas could cut down several opponents with a single swing. Besides, swinging blindly with a blade has higher chance to hit something than shooting blindly.

When you next spot an invisible attacker, try a curved upwards slash with keihas where you start with a shallow cut with the bayonette followed by jamming the butt of the gun into the wound.

Run towards BR and the door, be prepared to stab as soon as it opens and try to keep it closed as the mist melts away when its closed.

While running to the door swipe your hand in the blood you drew and lick it, hopefully amen can recognize it once inside you, thanks to your connection.

>>317366
definitely agree with this, stab and jam the butt of keihas in, so keihas knows what it will soon feed upon.

Aw fuck.

Big Crazy's gun will blind and deafen us, right?
Shit.
Does he have anything else than Doorbell and RPGs?

Damn, why didn't he requisition a heavy machinegun from Russinas???


at this point RPGs sound better than Doorbell actually

Use a smoke grenade. Toss it a little bit down the hall. If they're invisible yet have physical form, the smoke should outline them nicely as they move; this has the side benefit of giving us something to work with on trying to guess what they are, size-wise at least, perhaps even something of form.

Ask Big Crazy for clarification: "Life all around us - no breaks in the sensation? Sounds less like individual hunters and more a single mass consciousness. And the feeling of life, and them being able to bleed... not spirits or ghosts. Demonic, maybe; I fought an evil stairwell that was kind of like this, once. Anyway, I feel their attention on me. They'll go for me, I think. Be ready."

Half tempted to stay here, above the mist - but the origin obviously isn't here, unless its the suicidees become ghosts. No, I say we battle our way to casa Spooky House.

"We're in a ghost story, right? Well, time to head for the spookiest goddamn place we can find and see what turns up."

Then either head downstairs and out, or just take a dive out the window. It's only the second floor, after all!

>>317380
I don't think we are above the mist. when a the door is closed and the room is completely sealed the mist disappears. when the door is opened and we are against connected to the town the mist reappears. So sealed containers are exempt from the mist

>>317384
The mist only comes five feet off the ground. Hence this bit
>both thankful we are well tall enough that our heads and shoulders crest the mist's peaks

Anyway, Big Crazy does have the throat seeker as a side arm, but I'm not entirely sure that'd be a good idea since we don't know if these things have throats, but we know that we do.

Rather than what we should do, since I don't have a clue about that, I figure I'll plan for if this multi-faceted presence manifests all at once in the room leaving us swarmed. What are the Judges loaded with? Shot or slugs? If shot, than hopefully we were cheap with the ammo and we'll get a nice wide spread when we unload them around the room.

You cut something - despite the pounding steps, whatever it is may still be in the room and bleeding, so look out for blood drops whilst Crazy watches the door. Say "If it's a person, don't shoot."

Ask Amen to buffer you against any harmful side effects, consume some of the blood you've spilt, and then soak the rest up with Keihas, so that the stock has tasted the blood of your enemy.

Also ask Amen to warn you of any incipient ambush without distracting you if that would be more dangerous - he can watch through our senses and may perceive things we miss.

Whenever you speak with Amen, or he looks through you, try to capture the feeling of the Sahasrara chakra being used. That is the chakra of communication with "god", and Amen may well be the closest you have at the moment. When you get too the Arctic, it might well if worth trying to recapture this feeling and concentrate on your memories of communicating with Ogrimmir.

You also need to learn how to detect and control when Amen can reach into you, and you should do this every time you speak to him.

Remember that you saw movement at the clinic moments ago, so something more broad may be happening.

If this battle doesn't stretch out for several updates, next course of action should be the Clinic.
Have Amen keep you updated along. Tell him to give most helpful and useful advises.

If you got time (like going to the clinic could take about 10 minutes) ask Amen how the things are going on the homefront. Ask if anyone has visited, if police did any investigating. If the investigation didn't happen yet, tell him that in addition to implicating Savoy, he is to leave some evidence that connects him with the Nazi Germans, so that police has some kind of lead. Also, tell him to make all the evidence to be as non-fabricated as possible.
Update your orders on what to do when someone comes: Amen is to notify you when someone comes so that you can decide what to do next (for example, we don't want Amen to host Blackbeard amiably if he comes). Actually, have him tell you whenever someone comes to the mansion (our orders imply that Amen should only act if someone comes in invited, we never said what to do is someone sneaks in the house)
Also, tell Amen to gather information on Savoy and his actions, to monitor him to the best of his abilities, using whatever powers he has for that and contacts, but without any cost to Armas (be it monetary or otherwise). That also includes Blackbeard. ... Also Doonongeas.
Also tell him to give you general updates from home that might be interesting for you till we get to the next interesting bit in this ghost town.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2011/06/25(Sat)12:55 No. 317535 ID: a76809
File 130903174951.jpg - (1.44MB , 1600x1200 , House.jpg )

>>317349
Even as the door is opening-I find my mind filled with a dark possibility-the deaths, the presumed suicides-were they ritualistic? Could the rifle shop indeed be the source of this entire event?

Maybe when I have a moment we can investigate that.

>>317359
"Invisibl-"
>[Big]"I know."

And that concludes everything we could say, before the door finishes swinging open. While I work my bayonet at the empty air-to be rewarded with sprays of blood-Big elects to not use his eardrum-destroying firearm-and instead, I hear the harsh reports of the Tokarev pistol I loaned back to him. In the course of three seconds after the door opens, we add seven new blood sprays to the walls and floors-none of them ours.

>>317366
>When you next spot an invisible attacker
>spot an invisible attacker.
>see the invisible.
>Do the undoable.
>Touch the untouchable.
>ROW RO-wait this isn't TTGL.

>>317380
The sound of creaking floorboards explodes into a cacophony, the building squealing nonstop as I feel the weight of attention slackening.... is this otherworldly force pulling back? Would be easier to be sure if I could see anything-which gives me an idea. I unclip one of my two smoke grenades, tossing it down the hallway-in time to see the smoke swirling about unseen limbs dashing back down to the first floor. As the last bit of movement vanishes around the corner, that sense of attention on me fades away.....

Leaving us alone once more, surrounded by bloodied walls.
"Do your spirits still detect life?"
>[Big]"What was detected has retreated into the mist-so they can't tell me shit anymore."
"That mist is really starting to piss me off."
>[Big]"Ayup."
"Hmm-no breaks in the sensation, though? Sounds less like individual hunters and more a single mass consciousness."
>[Big]"Not too sure of that-it kinda seemed like just a big cluster of life, rather than one big old thing."
"That so? The feeling of life, and them being able to bleed... that doesn't sound like spirits or ghosts."
>[Big]"I can tell yah right now, I'm a bit familiar with ghosts-and this seems nothing like them."
" Demonic, maybe; I fought an evil stairwell that was kind of like this, once."
>[Big]"You fought.... a stairwell?"
" Anyway, I don't feel their attention on me anymore-so now, to planning our next step."
>[Big]"I'd like a plan that involves us leaving this shop, actually."
"You know that would mean going through the mist, right?"
>[Big]"I don't know-if you look at that rooftop out the window, if you had a running start I think we could make it-and from there, we could make our way down the whole block, between sheds and high fences."
"...Let me see if I understand you properly here: You want to-hold on."

I slam the door shut once more, and continue speaking as I make my way around the room soaking up the bloodstains with my rifle.
"You want to, in an effort to avoid the mist, jump to a building's roof, and from there play Mario jumping around, sometimes on particularly small and rickety surfaces?"
>[Big]"What, you'd rather get back in the mist?"
"....Point."
Amen?
>[Amen]"There is a faint magic to the mist-of that this one is now certain-but it's nature continues to confound-it does not match any known vapor-based entity, nor does it match any of the magical workings this one knows that could erase a mortal settlement. Truly, truly truly-this one finds itself genuinely intrigued by what has been found."
How helpful.

"So... we're in a ghost story, right? Well, time to head for the spookiest goddamn place we can find and see what turns up."
>[Big]"Big-ass abandoned mansion-type house?"
"Nailed it in o-"

My foot catches on empty air, and I nearly pitch forward.
>[Big]"Try not to trip over your own feet, bucko."
"Look, I-"

The radio again squeals to life.
>[ZJ]"report."
"Still at rifle shop-accosted by unkown, non-visible entities-noted they are corporeal, as they had to open doors. Relocating."
The radio clicks back off-just in time for me to see Big untie our harness and take a running leap, shooting through the window to tumble onto the adjacent rooftop. He calls out to me, adjusting his backpack of rocket launchers and ammunition.
>[Big]"You coming or what?"

>>317371
Eh, fuck it. I jab my bayonet down into the mass I kicked, seeing more blood on the transluscent blade-and reverse the rifle, shoving the stock into the space I just cut-the gun quivers, shakes and quakes-and when next I move my foot, it passes only through open air. ...Okay.

After one last check to make sure I got all the blood spilt in the room, I take my own running leap, barely getting my feet on the roofs edge, beginning to pitch backwards-

Big crazy grabs my hand and hauls me the rest of the way onto the roof.
>[Big]"Way I figure, if we cut down this way over here..."
We take a moment to consider our path-during which time I eyeball the clinic twice, getting a faint feeling of being watched-before we set out, leaping from shed to house, from fence to gate, staying above the mist-

As attention begins to gather about me once more-damnit, where is it coming from?

...Like I was thinking-we're reaching the mansion's entrance-

And run out of places to jump to, staying above the mist.

>>317490
>[Amen]This one has had sufficient data gathered to make a deduction, regarding the nature of this mist.
As Amen speaks... I note his words seem to buzz within my scalp.
>[Amen]The mist has a magical effect it causes on all those who enter it-but rather than being immediate, it is slow, insidious. No, no no more comment can be made currently, beyond that the effect is mental in nature. Brief exposures should prove negligable.
Are you certain on that?
>[Amen]No-certainty cannot be reached without an answer we as of yet do not have.

"So-in, then?"
>[Big]"Yeah... uh, just a head's up, but my spirits are saying a sizable amount of murder has been committed in that house-it's steeped in the essence of Death and butchery."
"Good to know."

Taking a moment to check my own state-the sense of attention on me unabated, lacking any sense of direction-I leap down into the mist after Big and I re-secure ourselves to one another, both trotting up to the darkened house.

..Is it just me or did it get a bit... darker when we got close to the house?

The entry level is large-twinned staircases leading to the second floor, obscured in the gloom-as the light streaming through the open door highlights dozens of glass bottles strewn across the floor. All the attention I feel upon myself now comes from my back-from outside this house.

There are two northern, a western and an eastern door on the first floor, and there appear to be more passageways on the second floor, but with the darkness surrounding us I can't be sure.




What's our next move from here?

>When you next spot an invisible attacker
>see the invisible.
Spot as in detect, not see with your eyes.
When I made the statement we detected one via sound (creaking floorboards), we detected others via conjecture (door opened, there must be a person AT the door as it opens).
After that post (but before update) we also came up with the idea of using smoke grenades, which works fine...
Also I am not assuming that every single opponent we face in this town is going to be invisible.

Besides which, even with wild flailing... or just in general when you fight ANYTHING in the future with keihas a move where you inflict a shallow wound to end up with jamming the gun's stock into it afterwards would be useful. With a normal gun it would be less effective then a full thrust or cut, but with the keihas' special property it should be more effective.

Mmm, you know what, lets make a report:
"Invisible attackers can be detected by non visual means. Floorboard creak, doors open, smoke grenades outline their bodies, injuries cause them to bleed, presumably footsteps will appear in snow"
"when killed, corpses remain invisible"
"Mist's magic is mind affecting in origin, very slow acting to avoid detection. No effect for short exposure"
"Ritual suicide signs in gun shop, 10 people in a circle. Mansion steeped in death, it literally gets darker as it is approached"

Speaking of footsteps, would be nice to have some flour or snow right about now.

You know, how often do you end up using all your grenades on your current mission? I mean, six should be enough for any single incident you run into, right? And you have twelve. So, maybe toss one into the mansion first to fuck up anything wanting to ambush you at the doorway. Also, if you go down into the Mansion's basement, this should be how you approach all stairs going down.

Normally, I'd say check everything upstairs first, but the overtime mental effects means the direct route, so I say go straight for the creepy mansion's basement where whatever is here is probably lurking.

>>317535
Ask Crazy if his spirits can feel inside the house.

Amen said he could tell more about what was happening if your magical senses were better. You can't do much to permanently strengthen them, but we can cut out extraneous background noise. Ask Big Crazy to keep watch, and settle down to a dew seconds contemplation, then close your eyes, holding Keihas on you lap and concentrate on the feeling of the magic from the gun for a second, before trying to extend what you feel from that. Recognise blood as being the link from the past to the future through the present, as the heart beats out the roll of years, and son follows father as daughter follows mother, all bound in the lines of their blood. Knowing this, wipe some of the blood from Keihas' blade, and bring it to your lips, to taste, not to swallow, anointing Vishuddha, the chakra that is communication, and ask the blood to tell you its story. You may not yet have the ears to hear what it says, but hopefully your passenger will.

Don't waste too much time with this, but generally, if you can, make every waking moment part of practising awakening your chakras. After a while, it should become second nature.

It's also worth checking with Armas if the house has an internet connection. If so get him to search for any legends or local folklore about the village.

When you're up and about, seeing if there are any head signatures with the thermal scope, and see if the night vision cuts through the un-natural gloom.

Unless BC finds something to indicate otherwise, you should carve your own path through the building with Keihas, rather than relying on the normal doors. Any inhabitants are dead or hostile, and they would know the layout far better than you, so best to cancel that advantage.

Dangit. The mist must be made of DESPAIR. That's why everyone shot themselves I guess. If you RUN REALLY FAST, you should be able to make it to the Haunted Mansion before the Mist or the Lurker-in-the-Mist kill you. Then, once inside the haunted mansion, stick to Crazy. Have him locate the source of THE EVIL. Then shoot it to death. Oh, and STAY OUT OF THE MIST. Once inside the house, don't touch any mist. EAT that thing to survive if need be, but DON'T GO OUT THERE. And don't drink the water. They put something in it. To make you forget.

>>317540
But the mist acts very slowly, current exposure shouldn't have much effect. I would warn big red.

>>317537
Actually, omit telling the russians about the mist. I don't want to be killed for being "infected" and we can always tell them later.

now is not the time to do any time consuming meditation. as for the big creepy house, I vote you have big crazy's spirits check it out and then burn the place to the ground.

Oh boy.
A creepy-ass house that even the invisible stalkers are avoiding?
I'M SURE NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN IF WE GO IN THERE.
>All the attention I feel upon myself now comes from my back-from outside this house.
Seriously, when you went to the rifle shop the attention kept on you, meaning that those things were already inside. Whatever is in here. The invisible things are afraid of it.

Seriously, do we really want to investigate it now? Perhaps the clinic is better idea? At least whatever is in there, you will be able to see it. And hell, maybe it is not even a monster but a survivor? I mean, there is a chance .... a small one .... okay- a tiny chance.

eh, If we are going to investigate the house:

>dozens of glass bottles strewn across the floor
Investigate the bottles. Touch them, perhaps Amen can determine something.

>There is a faint magic to the mist-of that this one is now certain-but it's nature continues to confound-it does not match any known vapor-based entity
Ask Amen if he entertained the idea that there is no actual mist and that it is some kind of illusion. Nothing that we know of mists applies here (does not move with the wind, body becomes immediately invisible even on the outskirts of the mist)

Or maybe the mist is the protection mechanism against whatever is there in the house made to come forth by whatever is in the clinic? And those invisible things aren't really hostile? They could have overrun us when we were outside, in the mist.
.. Or is it too far of a stretch?

>What's our next move from here?
enter the front door like a boss.

If there is no mist inside the house have BC scan it with his totems, no sense in blindly walking around when it can be done directly with the help of his magic spirits.
If there is mist. Close the doors so it

...So... Wait... Is the mist -avoiding- the house? ...Please tell me it isn't, because that's just a horrible sign. Do we really want to be in here? I mean... Maybe we should check out the clinic first. Armas said he thought there was something watching him from there, there might be clues there.

At least if the house is full of Star Spawn or whatever it means that the Invisible Stalker's and the Insanity Mist can't get us.

Explore Cthulhu House. Keep your eyes on Crazy. It would suck if he came all this way only to get eaten by floorboards or whatever.

>>317554
but if we eat the heart of cthulu we get stronger!
ok, thats more of a "long term goal" here in the mist.
I add my vote to those suggesting we check the clinic first.

>>317537
We should tell the Russians nothing we don't have to tell them. They are bastards who are forcing us into a dangerous mission with a gun to our heads, aren't paying us for it, and might shoot us afterward on principle to contain the information. They do not get our full cooperation for that, just the minimum that we can get away with giving them.

So don't give them shit. They don't deserve it.

>>317600
On the one hand, yes that is true.
On the other hand they are supposedly our "ticket out" via airlift and we might need to call on them for extra supplies. They might be more amiable to pay if we actually solve the problem (since they just expect info) and finally, if we DO decide to slit some throats on the way out we would probably have an easier time if they think us to be cooperative.

Also perhaps they can assist with a smoke machine or things like that.

>>317537
I click on the radio, still looking through the open doors of the house, Big Crazy at my side.
>[ZJ]"Da?"
"Invisible entities in the village-retreated into mist when engaged above the mist's coverage. When killed, corpses remain invisible. Found evidence of ritual suicide at rifle shop-second floor, ten individuals."
>[JZ]"Describe evidence."
"Ten guns, each one round fire, ten blood spatters in room that, if caused on a human would have been a fatal amount of blood loss. Blood appeared human."
>[ZJ]"Noted. Current location?"
"Mansion."
>>317538
"...There is something wrong with this house."
>[ZJ]"Explain."
"The mist excludes the mansion and only the mansion-there is a perimeter of mist-less space about the building, which no other building witnessed had. In all other cases, the mist will even enter buildings if doors are open. Any reason I can't torch the mansion?"
>[ZJ]"Still not enough data to determine the cause-request denied."
Ah, gotta love the Russian military.

>>317546
"Sure about that? Two things: The invisible entities are avoiding the mansion-thus far they avoided no other location."
>[ZJ]"How do you know they are avoiding it?"
"Just because they're invisible doesn't' mean their undetectable-and its a personal thing, I doubt you have the equipment to replicate it."
>[ZJ]"Noted. Second reason?"
I tentatively step into the house, picking up the nearest bottle on the ground before retreating back to open ground, Big Crazy still married to me at the hip. I eyeball the bottle...
"A great many empty bottles inside house entrance-somewhere around a hundred. Based on the one I just grabbed-their bottles of alcohol, all empty."
For a moment I wonder if the Colonel was listening, no responce forthcoming.. but then-
>[VC]"Confirm: You found excessive amounts of empty liquor bottles? What kind is the sample?"
"I can't read Russian-but it smells like vodka."
>[VC]" Chyort voz'mi! ...Tebe Pizd'e-"
There is a crackle of static-and the Colonel is on the line again.
>[JZ]"Under no circumstances are you to damage that house prior to investigation-any attempt to do so will result in a shoot on sight order being issued for you to all members of the quarantine-is this clear?"
"Crystal."
*click*
I just wish I knew what that meant.

"I suddenly find myself very disinclined to investigate this building."
>[Big]"You and me both."
>>317539
"Can your spirits detect anything in the house?"
>[Big]"No-not a soul, or presence, or anything-just an empty house, as far as they can tell-you know, beyond the baseline spookiness and the death-association."
I yet again feel my thoughts slipping towards the partly awakened Chakra-this time returning to VIshuddha. I had the wrong idea before-trying to isolate and separate-so, approaching this Chakra without such nonsense filling my head should work, right?

Except that something feels... wrong, when I try to use the chakra of past, present and future-like it shouldn't be touched. Call me superstitious-but FUCK trying to mess with that until I am well clear of this mist-I got way too many unanswered questions to start adding new spins to the mystery here.

>>317547
>>317569
"So.... Clinic, then?"
>[Big]"Clinic it is."

So it is that both of us opt to avoid the house altogether, and start working our way above the mist to the clinic-as we do I feel that sense of observation once more spread out all around me-and as it is still as maddeningly uninformative as before, I continue to ignore it, eyes glued to the clinic-it was that window there I saw movement in-but it's too dark within to see through the noon glare-and nothing disturbs the blinds this time around. Was I imagining it? As we head deeper and deeper into the heart of the strange mist covering this town, I find myself doubting it.
>[Amen]Real, real real-what you recollect was most certainly perceived, so short of illusory magic, the event in question occurred.
I didn't even feel Amen's presence returning to my mind, gotta-
>[Amen]Return? You energized my blood-from then on, this one has not left master's mind-nor, in fact, will this one barring outright order. And forgive this one their rudeness, but it is the height of arrogance to think you could so easily detect such subtle workings of power as to feel something as old as this one using their own blood as a medium. It is doubtful any save the most experienced of workers could do so-and as you barely perceive your own Chakras, this would not include you.
Fine, fine-any ideas yet on what is happening here?
>[Amen]As you surmised-the General's response was critical-the presence of many empty bottles of mortal spirits greatly disturbed him-and seems central to determining the cause. Based on this, all gathered evidence was compared against all known beings related to intoxication-but no Divine, Fae, Demonic, Angelic or Draconic entity or collective operates in a manner comparable to this-all that has happened, is more possible answers being disproven.

I had planned to ask Amen more-but my attention, along with Big's, is immediately drawn to a sound coming from the clinic, the sound of wood tearing, or brick breaking-of the most guttural, profuse snoring I have ever heard, echoing out the open doorway-

A doorway the mist does not venture past
I realize that as we neared the clinic the sense of being observed has intensified-our watchers are more intent on us now than they were at any prior point.

Big looks at me, clearly looking for suggestions on what we should do.





So what is our next move?

rolled 61 = 61

---

Try a test. But a bullet through the door to the clinic, and, trusting in Keihas' hunger to guide your aim in the right direction now it has tasted the blood of the mist, fire a shot directly into it.

You want to see if the mist recoils from the door, as if afraid that what's inside may be awakened by the bullet. That may tell you if it's one creature, or many single ones. Also, get Amen to examine the reaction closely for anything you might miss.

>>317666
This should say: "Aim a shot at the window to the clinic, and, trusting..."

With the plate glass of the window shattered, assuming it isn't bullet proof class, you should be able to see through it as well.

>>317666
Dude. Don't try and see if Russ-thulhu is awake by SHOOTING HIM IN THE FACE. Let's try a different method. Like looking. With our eyes. Dammit. We should have asked the Russians for a fiber optic camera. Oh well. Just... Look inside. Carefully. Russian myths are SERIOUS SHIT.

>>317666
NO. NO NO NO NO FUCK NO.

The mist isn't touching it... I am thinking a survivor, one who is a mage perhaps?
We can sneak or Knock.
I suggest we knock.

>>317666
also downvoting this. DO NOT OPEN FIRE (right now)...

We should have Crazy take out the rockets and wait while we take a look. We're the sneaky guy, so pop our head in the door and see what's there. And if it's something we want dead? Grenades. Lots of Grenades. Toss in... Four? Six? Just toss them in. Wake it up with explosions and fire.

>>317666
Downvoting breaking a window and waking the thing mist creatures are afraid of when there is an open doorway we can sneak to and get a look from.

rolled 71, 23, 72, 82 = 248

---

>>317678
And with how loud it's snoring, it's mouth should be a nice target. Aim the grenades for the things mouth. Take your time with the throw.

>>317683
So, you just want to kill whomever is in there without even looking?

>So, you just want to kill whomever is in there without even looking?

>We should have Crazy take out the rockets and wait while we take a look. We're the sneaky guy, so pop our head in the door and see what's there. And if it's something we want dead? Grenades.
>while we take a look.
>take a look.

>>317693
sorry, my bad there.
Ok, good plan.