Mage - Eric

8th May 2013, Night 264, 20:30

After a particularly long day, the pair of you decided to meet for a drink at a pub by London Bridge, called the Two Keys. It was quieter than normal tonight and only one or two of the regulars were present. In truth, the pub has seen better days, having changed management three times in two years and each appearing to invest a little less each time. The barstaff seem tired and disinterested, clearly wishing for something better to do but unsure how to obtain it - or perhaps even what it is they're after.

At 20:30 you finish your drinks and decide to leave, whether to head home and prepare for tomorrow or to move on to somewhere else.

[Do you travel with Jennifer at least part of the way or stay out a little longer?]

Jennifer says that she will head home if you are as well.

Looking up from his phone, Eric shrugs and suggests that he walk Jennifer back to the tube station. He wasn't completely ready to go back just yet, however, he'd most likely take a walk alongside the Thames and head back home from Waterloo.

He finishes texting Susan ("On the way back, don't wait up"), grabs his jacket and stands to leave.

Works to upgrade the tube station have made the approach to London Bridge awkward. You have to cross the road and then back again to get to the ticket hall, which is strangely empty.

The air smells sharp, like burnt petrol and ozone.

[roll Wits + investigation, dif 7.]

[Wits 3 + Investigation 2]

[1, 4, 5, 7, 10]

[Are we re-rolling 10s?]

Yep

5

You can hear faint noises like whispering, just on the edge of your hearing but the words are indistinct. The way the sound bounces off the walls makes the source difficult pin-point

"Jennifer, stay close. We're not alone."

Eric slides his hand into his pocket and grips the small wooden disc (the size of a small coin) he carries there. He whispers softly in the High Speech and allows his senses to expand.

[Attempting to cast Seizing the Threads to gain Mage Sight]

[Dice pool of 8 = 1, 1, 2, 3, 7, 7, 9, 9]

The ticket hall, indeed the whole building is beginning to twist and shift all around you.

Jennifer runs out into the street and promptly vanishes

Cursing under his breath, Eric turns as Jennifer runs. He is on the verge of following, but stops dead in his tracks the moment she vanishes.

[What does it look like though Mage Sight when the building twists? Also when Jennifer vanishes? I'm not going to pursue just yet, I want to get a better idea of what is going on.]

Cracks are beginning to appear in the brickwork and from them spout black-petalled flowers. They are followed by thick, black thorny stems. They begin to converge together and space inside the ticket hall is starting to get a little tight...

[I can't rule out Jennifer's vanishing act as being something Geist-y...]

His curiosity getting the better of him, Eric steels himself and strides towards the passage to the platforms, glancing about to try and scrutinise the resonance of the altered station.

[Scrutiny is Intelligence (2) + Occult (3) = 3, 4, 4, 8, 8]

It seems natural enough or rather, it seems to be a natural part of the environment you are currently in.

[At the risk of assuming stuff - is this place reading as being part of the natural/living world?]

[Are the plants coming from just the floor, or out of the walls/ceiling too?]

Determined to get to the root of the problem... Eric heads for the nearest platform.

The plants appear to be coming from from every join of two artificial materials and yes, this place does appear to be part of the natural world - if anything the tube station is the unnatural.

The thorns have now formed something like a hedge, which seperates as you approach to permit you access to what lies beyond.

Eric steps through the parting in the hedge and proceeds down to the platforms.

[I'll cast Hard Air (p. 197) to try and get 3 points of armour]

As he makes his way down the stairs he waves his wooden coin in the air around him, commanding the air around him to thicken into a protective barrier.

[1, 2, 4, 4, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10, 10 :-D]

The air obeys but you get the feeling this is more due to its choice rather than your command.

You descend the stalled escalator slowly. The air now smells fresh with a hint of pollen. The flowers are different here, black roses giving way to cherry blossoms

Eric reaches out to touch the cherry blossoms, trying to take one as he makes his way down.

They shudder gently at your touch but only recoil when you try to take one.

[Do you continue?]

[If the blossoms are also at the bottom of the escalator, I'll try and grab some then. Not too keen about getting into a wrestling match on the stairs...]

You manage to take one and while the thorns almost hiss in anger they dont turn hostile.

Ahead is a thick nest of vines. What sounds like a baby's cries come from within

[Okay, this is freaking him out, but he's not prepared to turn away from a potential person in trouble...]

Eric calls out in the direction of the vines... "Hello, do you need any assistance?"

There's no answer but along with the crying you can now hear a woman's voice trying to soothe the child.

Eric approaches the nest of vines, looking for any sign of a way in or around it.

Trying to keep his voice calm and even, he calls out to the woman, asking if she is hurt. He'll tell her that his name is Eric and he's here to help her.