Walk the Line, Chapter I: Tipping Point

[Jackinthegreen]

The sensor has a very clear image of the girl.  She wanders around the room a couple times, looks at some magazines, and flops into a chair with a very bored expression on her face.  Then she gets a shifty look, glances around surreptitiously, and pulls the matte black vial out of her pocket.  She stands up and moves directly under the light fixture, squeezing the vial tightly in her hand and holding it toward the light.  After a long moment, she opens her hand and the vial is clear; in a half second the vial starts glowing, and she quickly pulls the stopper and downs the liquid inside.  Then she sits again and closes her eyes, her face becoming blankly blissful.

A few minutes pass, and then she begins to convulse, her limbs flailing.  She knocks over the magazine stand and falls to the ground.

Radon shook his head as he watched the video.  Her actually drinking the stuff was worse in some ways than his assumption that she'd been attacked.  At least nothing was going around kissing people to cause these problems.

After finishing the video and making sure it was saved as evidence, he had his personal sensor record him investigating the situation.  He patted her down and turned out her pockets in case she had anything else on her person (Take 20 on a Perception/Search essentially. Total of 30 on the check.)  What he found he analyzed, made notes about, then put in a box and set it aside.  He then got a length of silk rope and bound her, figuring that would kill two birds with one stone in case she convulsed again and the police wanted to secure her.  If she was able to break free of it then he'd know the drug acted like Bull's Strength, though he doubted it did because such magic was usually Transmutation and he hadn't noticed that aura on her.

After securing her, he accessed DivNet and called the police.  "This is Radon Ens at number nineteen, circle two, Market Wedge.  I have in custody a girl who imbibed an unknown magical drug and is currently unconscious because of it.  Symptoms so far are convulsing, entirely blackened eyes, and magical auras of divination, illusion, and necromancy.  Could I get an officer to take the report, as well as a Medic to treat this girl?"

(click to show/hide)

Rolling the Thievery/Use Rope check for binding now, not like she'd get out of it of course with a base +22 on Radon's end and a -5 Dex mod due to being helpless.  Unless she convulses and interrupts it of course?  I have no problems editing this if the actions don't fit with the story you imagined. 1d20+22=29

[AyeGill]

"Don't bother with that, he's dead as they come. And you don't seem to understand. I found him half a mile outside the airlock. And it wasn't the cold that did him in, either."

[sirpercival]

After securing her, he accessed DivNet and called the police.  "This is Radon Ens at number nineteen, circle two, Market Wedge.  I have in custody a girl who imbibed an unknown magical drug and is currently unconscious because of it.  Symptoms so far are convulsing, entirely blackened eyes, and magical auras of divination, illusion, and necromancy.  Could I get an officer to take the report, as well as a Medic to treat this girl?"

((all that is fine))

"Um... yeah, hold on.  What was your location again? Right, 19 C2, Market.  I'll send someone over."


Roy receives a message from Daniel at the station: "Rook! If you're done playing around, Miles would like a word with you... or you can check out this call we just got.  19 C2, Market.  Some girl took a drug and passed out, guy wants to give a statement."

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Roy responds inside his own head. "The security vid just showed the guy who called us lying down and disappearing. I've got his body though; someone found it outside the airlock and carried it over here. He's dead. Requesting someone come outside and grab him; I'll investigate the call."

As he finishes, he speaks out loud to the man. "I'll have to ask you to wait here for an officer to relieve you of that body. Thank you for your service, by the way." Roy stays with the man momentarily, until he sees someone coming out the door, then bolts back to his vehicle and punches the coordinates into his map. What the hell was going on?

[AyeGill]

Sighing, Jack retrieved his lighter and a pack of cigars from his bag. He pulled out one of the thick, cheap rolls of tobacco, stuck it in his mouth and lit it.
Still dealing with this shit, and no end in sight. Why did you have to die right where I would find you, pal?

[sirpercival]

Sighing, Jack retrieved his lighter and a pack of cigars from his bag. He pulled out one of the thick, cheap rolls of tobacco, stuck it in his mouth and lit it.
Still dealing with this shit, and no end in sight. Why did you have to die right where I would find you, pal?

A cop wandered out of the building, and the original guy left... but the newcomer just glanced at Jack and the body curiously, shrugged, and wandered into a donut shop across the street without saying anything.  After, Jack stands there waiting for someone to come talk to him...  but after 10 minutes, no one has arrived.  Then suddenly, the body shudders slightly, and starts to move.  The eyelids flicker.

Roy responds inside his own head. "The security vid just showed the guy who called us lying down and disappearing. I've got his body though; someone found it outside the airlock and carried it over here. He's dead. Requesting someone come outside and grab him; I'll investigate the call."

As he finishes, he speaks out loud to the man. "I'll have to ask you to wait here for an officer to relieve you of that body. Thank you for your service, by the way." Roy stays with the man momentarily, until he sees someone coming out the door, then bolts back to his vehicle and punches the coordinates into his map. What the hell was going on?

Roy arrives at Acquisitions, Inc.

Radon sees a car pull up outside.

[AyeGill]

Jack's head jerked towards the now suddenly moving corpse, surprised. After staring at the changeling for a few confused seconds, he tentatively prodded him with a dirt-covered boot.
"You all right there? Think you dozed off for a second," he said, chuckling.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Jumping out, pumped from the excitement and confusion of the day, Roy steps lightly to the door, knocking before testing the handle and stepping in if possible. "This is the police, responding to a call. Anyone here?"

[Jackinthegreen]

Radon got up and opened the door for the man.  He looked over the officer and noticed the insignia on his jacket.

"Good, you're from the hack division.  Kinda wish you had a Medic with you like I suggested to dispatch, but at least you have transport.  I don't fancy dragging a druggy girl around.

Anyway, I'm Radon.  I found this girl lying on the floor when I came back with an Endure Elements item for her.  My sensor recorded her taking a dose of some drug then passing out in the chair.  A little later she started having some sort of seizure and fell to the floor.  Besides the seizure, other effects of the drug seem to be entirely blackened eyes, quickened breathing, and likely some internal stuff.  I restrained her so she wouldn't hurt herself or her surroundings if she did it again, plus you guys might want her questioned if she ever wakes up.  Take a look at the recording to verify if you'd like."

Radon lowered his sensor's defenses and handed it to the officer for perusal.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Roy suddenly looked quite alarmed. "All black eyes, you said? Did she say anything weird?" The question was half-pointless, as Roy was already going over Radon's visual.

After viewing it twice on accelerated mode, Roy looked over to her. For a moment, he forgot the man who'd made the call, and instead immediately shot a call to Daniel. "Daniel, this is Roy. Calling in an emergency; check that dead man that was brought in, and make sure they get a med scan on him. Check for signs of drugs. I'll also need an ambulance at my location, girl here might be ODing on something. Both vics share similar symptoms in a short radius of one another, in too short a timeframe. I also want some divs to scan crowds and check for similar black-eye scenarios elsewhere in Circle two of Market Wedge. Repeat, scan for black-eye individuals in Circle Two, market wedge."

"Where's the vial? Did you analyze the girl?"

[Jackinthegreen]

Radon pulled the vial out of the box and handed it to the officer.  He was somewhat taken aback by the sudden alarm, but figured he'd best answer questions before asking his own.

"She had it in her fist when I found her.  I had to pry her hand open because her muscles had locked up.  At first it was clear and only the lid was black, but it slowly became the same color as the lid.  It probably reacts to light.  As for my analysis of her, upon finding her I used Detect Magic and noticed faint auras of divination, illusion, and necromancy that were strongest at her eyes, mouth, and hand.  Divination and illusion would suggest it's some kind of hallucinogenic drug, while necromancy would alter the life force and likely knock the user out.

Now then, do you mind telling me why you're on ed--"  Radon paused mid word as he put 2 and 2 together. "Damn, some other idiot has taken this stuff too haven't they?"

[Flay Crimsonwind]

"At least one, yes. Thank you for that information." Roy relayed the information to Daniel, hoping the poor div wasn't being overloaded.

[Jackinthegreen]

"If there's anything else you need, let me know.  What was your name, by the way?"

[sirpercival]

Jack's head jerked towards the now suddenly moving corpse, surprised. After staring at the changeling for a few confused seconds, he tentatively prodded him with a dirt-covered boot.
"You all right there? Think you dozed off for a second," he said, chuckling.

The man looks around, confused.  "Wh-- where am I?"

The door to the police station opens, and a cop sticks his head out, looking around.  He sees Jack and the changeling, and shrugs, then goes back inside.

"Daniel, this is Roy. Calling in an emergency; check that dead man that was brought in, and make sure they get a med scan on him. Check for signs of drugs. I'll also need an ambulance at my location, girl here might be ODing on something. Both vics share similar symptoms in a short radius of one another, in too short a timeframe. I also want some divs to scan crowds and check for similar black-eye scenarios elsewhere in Circle two of Market Wedge. Repeat, scan for black-eye individuals in Circle Two, market wedge."

Daniel responds. <Hey rook, I dunno what you're talking about.  There's no dead man, just a couple guys hanging around talking outside the station.  I'll send an ambulance your way, though.>

[AyeGill]

"You're right outside a police station in North. Not long ago I found you 'bout half a mile from the airlock - on the outside, see - dead as they come. I wasn't able to determine the whatchacallit cause of death, so I decided to carry you to the police station. This cop asks me to wait outside for someone to take a statement, but the other cop just goes to have a donut. Then you wake up. You might wanna go and talk to them cops, see if they can tell you anything." Jack turns around and starts to walk towards the nearest bar. "Gonna go get a drink. If you finish with them police within, say, couple hours, why don't you come buy me a drink as a, watchacallit, token of gratitude for saving your life?"

[Flay Crimsonwind]

"Whaddya mean there's no dead guy? There was a man outside with a dead person on the pavement!" Roy looked horribly confused. He kept looking back and forth at the girl, the guy, down at the floor. "Damn! What?!..... oh, sorry. I'm officer Roy Bishop. Look, Radon was it? As soon as the ambulance gets here to pick up the girl, can I ask you to accompany me down, just to formally submit your statement? Paperwork, you understand." Roy was going to seethe if the man picked the body up again and left. What ws he thinking, leaving a corpse with some man he didn't know who had dragged the body from outside an airlock to a police station?

"..... Hey, Radon. Could this combination of magical elements make a body appear dead for a time, do you think? I know there's no precedence, but..... I think it might work.... theoretically...."

[Jackinthegreen]

Radon would have a good laugh later about someone slipping through the police's fingers again.  Zook "Frosty" might get a kick out of it too.  For the moment though, he was going to be serious.

"I'd normally say that would have made a stronger necromancy aura, but at this point it seems anything is possible.  Did you happen to use Detect Magic on that other guy, just in case? And yeah, I'll accompany you to make a statement.  I recorded her taking the drug as well as the effects later on, so it should be fairly solid proof of what happened."

[sirpercival]

"You're right outside a police station in North. Not long ago I found you 'bout half a mile from the airlock - on the outside, see - dead as they come. I wasn't able to determine the whatchacallit cause of death, so I decided to carry you to the police station. This cop asks me to wait outside for someone to take a statement, but the other cop just goes to have a donut. Then you wake up. You might wanna go and talk to them cops, see if they can tell you anything." Jack turns around and starts to walk towards the nearest bar. "Gonna go get a drink. If you finish with them police within, say, couple hours, why don't you come buy me a drink as a, watchacallit, token of gratitude for saving your life?"

The man trails after you, his face slowly altering to seem like a nondescript human.  He's still looking around in a daze.  "North?" he murmurs.  "But I've never been to North..."

"Whaddya mean there's no dead guy? There was a man outside with a dead person on the pavement!"

<Nope.  Just a couple guys talking -- a changeling, and a Domeskipper (looks like).  Ambulance is inbound.>

[AyeGill]

Jack chuckles to himself again. "You have now."

[Flay Crimsonwind]

"The domeskipper had the.... tell me, the changeling's clothing....." Roy describes it to Daniel, barely able to repress a sigh when he hears about the ambulance.