I realise that most of the encounters we have would be classified as odd, but this one was weird even by my standards.
Earlier today I got agitated and decided to take a walk. It seemed like everything was going nowhere, and I was...hungry. Eventually my frustration got to me (sorry about that chair Michael), so I decided to take a walk and cool down. Turns out there was a nice park near Michael's place, and I soon found a bench to crash on. It was a warm friday, even with the clouds, and it seemed many people were taking advantage of it. I just laid my head back and basked in the many emotions running wild in the park. I became quite engrossed in this, and didn't really pay attention to the passage of time. Suffice to say, I was vaguely surprised when I opened my eyes and saw the sun slipping towards the western horizon.
Now this is where it gets weird.
I started making my way back to Michael's place, when I felt a...pressure in my head. Like someone was gently pressing on my defenses. Naturally I snapped into defense mode, and drew Karlash from his sheath (for those of you who don't know, Karlash can disguise himself through psychic suggestion. Usually as a set of golf clubs.). The moment I did that, the pressure ceased. A niggling at the back of my head was all that saved me from being run through from behind. I turned faster than I can ever remember moving, and blocked the thrust of a scimitar-esque blade. The impact was so strong that I was knocked back a few feet, my boots plowing furrows in the ground. All that I saw of my attacker was a shadowy outline, as if they were cloaked by the darkness somehow. This initial attack was followed by a blazingly fast offensive by my shadowed attacker. For the next few minutes I struggled to defend myself from the most skilled sword-wielder I had ever faced. They were easily my equal, if not my superior.
The fight ended as suddenly as it had begun. My attacker just dissapeared from right in front of me. I quickly did a 360 trying to relocate them, but who ever it was had vanished. Then I heard a laugh drift over the wind. It was followed by, "Consider your exam aced." The voice had a feminine quality to it, but that was all I could tell. I quickly exited the park, and headed back to Michael's. All the while, my mind puzzled over the attack.
An odd encounter
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GhostSpider
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An odd encounter
Konrad Andreas is at peace. I am something new.
WWVLD
WWVLD
Hmm, that is indeed weird. I've dealt with similar before, but... Those screwballs have either been dealt with in a very permanent manner, or have moved on. This does intrigue me. I have never been assailed in such a manner for it then to be suggested that it was some sort of test. (Other than my own defenses, of course, but not in sort of an exam/quiz format).
This leaves me baffled, in a way. The strength, speed, and coordination of the attacker suggests either a buffed up mage that is a skilled swordsman, maybe a psion also worked up in such a manner, or perhaps even something like a vampire. However, Vampires usually prefer to use their natural weapons and grapple where their full strength is best applied.
With the use of shadow in such a way, suggests magic, or perhaps a natural ability. However, I get the feeling, through both instinct and Psi overview of this situation, that is not the case. I think it was magic, maybe a charm, or an incantation. Even if you didn't hear it, a mage need only whisper it in advance, or in some cases, not even then. If the spell was studied and stored before hand, all it could take is the proper gesture to finalize the spell and trigger the release of the energy required.
By the way, did you feel any other sort of Psionic influences, or pulls on the currents of magic/energy in the area?
This leaves me baffled, in a way. The strength, speed, and coordination of the attacker suggests either a buffed up mage that is a skilled swordsman, maybe a psion also worked up in such a manner, or perhaps even something like a vampire. However, Vampires usually prefer to use their natural weapons and grapple where their full strength is best applied.
With the use of shadow in such a way, suggests magic, or perhaps a natural ability. However, I get the feeling, through both instinct and Psi overview of this situation, that is not the case. I think it was magic, maybe a charm, or an incantation. Even if you didn't hear it, a mage need only whisper it in advance, or in some cases, not even then. If the spell was studied and stored before hand, all it could take is the proper gesture to finalize the spell and trigger the release of the energy required.
By the way, did you feel any other sort of Psionic influences, or pulls on the currents of magic/energy in the area?
Secrets and secrets, truth and lies, but which is which? Not knowing is the way to die.
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GhostSpider
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Thats just the thing Razor. Prior to the attack I felt nothing like that. I can usually tell when someone is working some mojo, but in this case there was not even a hint. When they dissapeared after the attack, I felt nothing, almost as if they were an illusion. My gut tells me that is not the case. Also, they could not have been a vampire as the sun was still on the horizon. Furthermore, they had to have had some supernatural strength equal to mine, to have knocked me back.
The more I think about it, the more sure I become that they intentionally set off my defenses.
The more I think about it, the more sure I become that they intentionally set off my defenses.
Konrad Andreas is at peace. I am something new.
WWVLD
WWVLD
Hmm. A few thoughts: First, its not impossible to work different talents without other users picking them up. Two things I trained in a lot was subtlety and smoothness. Subtlety allows you to work things in such a way as to seem as though there was no Psi or anything else involved. It often requires less energy to do the same job. Often, for lower grade psions and such it helps to keep from tipping them off as either they don't know what to look for, or haven't refined their senses enough to pick it up. (Not that this is the case here. You strike me as being very sharp, but... maybe geared for higher energy uses).
However, I do know that the average psychic out there is only a sensitive, and not able to warp or affect reality. That's really the difference between a psychic and psion. Anyway... the other thing is smoothness. The more smooth the energy itself is, and the more smoothly it is manipulated the much harder it is to detect. Its like looking at an old WWII u-boat or submarine, vs say.. one of the newer Los Angeles Class nuke subs, or even the newer catarpillar engine stealth subs. Less noise, and more hydrodynamic, and with the Cat engines, its like a jet-engine underwater. All moving parts are housed inside the ship, so there's almost entirely no noise to transmit out. It could also be thought of like trying to grip something that's been heavily oiled.
When energy is worked in such a way they may even use the ambient energy in the environment and disguise the frequencies thereof to look like, or match the environment around it, but still will be comprised of the energy they want to work with, such as kinetic energy. I haven't found too many out there that have even thought of such a technique. Another way to disguise energy usage is to mimic the energy pattern of your target. If you can sample them, (and it would have been easy with you being there for so long and sampling from the people in the park) and get a good read of their signature, then you can feel it/see it and replicate it as an overall pattern to the technique you are using it becomes quite difficult to block, or even pick up. Paranoia will teach you to add small little subtle traces in your pattern that only you know how to look for, that they will probably miss, which will clue you in.
I really probably shouldn't be giving out as much as I have in an open forum, but consider it a mini-lecture on Psionics.
There is also the possibility of them having actually slipped through a loophole in your defenses (which seems quite likely) and then simply blinded your Third Eye, which could very well explain the lack of being able to pick up a whole lot with Psi. Did your forehead or head hurt any time within an hour or even up until this point right now? It would probably just feel like a dull pressure or ache? (And the pressure on your defenses might have been just that.)
*sigh* There's a lot that's got me thinking in this situation. Hell, for all I know it might not even have been any form of Psi, Magic, or even Chi usage. Though the latter doesn't strike me as being out of place either, though it wouldn't explain the manipulation of shadow.
When it comes to the shadow part of everything (which has me the most intrigued) it could be anything from a natural ability, which means you probably wouldn't feel it. Most people don't feel another breathing, or feel their heartbeat. I'm trained to, and I still don't all the time, unless I am meaning to. It could be an item like a Cloak of Darkness. That might even stand to reason, because if the duration on it suddenly expired, that could explain why your attacker stopped fighting. Even then though, that doesn't make sense as it was probably very close to the end of twilight at that point.
Maybe this person or thing is some sort of shadow entity. Twilight is the perfect time for something like that. It's not day, and its not night. Shadows are all over the place, stretched and elongated and create all sorts of difficulty for the eyes. "Your eyes can decieve you. Don't trust them," a wise old man said once. Furthermore... if it is some sort of shadow creature, Twilight is even a symbolic time. It is the shadow of the day, and a shadow of night in a way. I've encountered a couple of things that could only act in the short time of twilight, at least with their best potential.
Even with all of this being brought to light, the only thing I can say is this: I may be throwing out all sorts of wrong stuff, things that might throw you off the trail. In the end, trust your gut, your instinct. It is more often than not, in most hunters and psychics of all classes, correct.
However, I do know that the average psychic out there is only a sensitive, and not able to warp or affect reality. That's really the difference between a psychic and psion. Anyway... the other thing is smoothness. The more smooth the energy itself is, and the more smoothly it is manipulated the much harder it is to detect. Its like looking at an old WWII u-boat or submarine, vs say.. one of the newer Los Angeles Class nuke subs, or even the newer catarpillar engine stealth subs. Less noise, and more hydrodynamic, and with the Cat engines, its like a jet-engine underwater. All moving parts are housed inside the ship, so there's almost entirely no noise to transmit out. It could also be thought of like trying to grip something that's been heavily oiled.
When energy is worked in such a way they may even use the ambient energy in the environment and disguise the frequencies thereof to look like, or match the environment around it, but still will be comprised of the energy they want to work with, such as kinetic energy. I haven't found too many out there that have even thought of such a technique. Another way to disguise energy usage is to mimic the energy pattern of your target. If you can sample them, (and it would have been easy with you being there for so long and sampling from the people in the park) and get a good read of their signature, then you can feel it/see it and replicate it as an overall pattern to the technique you are using it becomes quite difficult to block, or even pick up. Paranoia will teach you to add small little subtle traces in your pattern that only you know how to look for, that they will probably miss, which will clue you in.
I really probably shouldn't be giving out as much as I have in an open forum, but consider it a mini-lecture on Psionics.
There is also the possibility of them having actually slipped through a loophole in your defenses (which seems quite likely) and then simply blinded your Third Eye, which could very well explain the lack of being able to pick up a whole lot with Psi. Did your forehead or head hurt any time within an hour or even up until this point right now? It would probably just feel like a dull pressure or ache? (And the pressure on your defenses might have been just that.)
*sigh* There's a lot that's got me thinking in this situation. Hell, for all I know it might not even have been any form of Psi, Magic, or even Chi usage. Though the latter doesn't strike me as being out of place either, though it wouldn't explain the manipulation of shadow.
When it comes to the shadow part of everything (which has me the most intrigued) it could be anything from a natural ability, which means you probably wouldn't feel it. Most people don't feel another breathing, or feel their heartbeat. I'm trained to, and I still don't all the time, unless I am meaning to. It could be an item like a Cloak of Darkness. That might even stand to reason, because if the duration on it suddenly expired, that could explain why your attacker stopped fighting. Even then though, that doesn't make sense as it was probably very close to the end of twilight at that point.
Maybe this person or thing is some sort of shadow entity. Twilight is the perfect time for something like that. It's not day, and its not night. Shadows are all over the place, stretched and elongated and create all sorts of difficulty for the eyes. "Your eyes can decieve you. Don't trust them," a wise old man said once. Furthermore... if it is some sort of shadow creature, Twilight is even a symbolic time. It is the shadow of the day, and a shadow of night in a way. I've encountered a couple of things that could only act in the short time of twilight, at least with their best potential.
Even with all of this being brought to light, the only thing I can say is this: I may be throwing out all sorts of wrong stuff, things that might throw you off the trail. In the end, trust your gut, your instinct. It is more often than not, in most hunters and psychics of all classes, correct.
Secrets and secrets, truth and lies, but which is which? Not knowing is the way to die.
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GhostSpider
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Alright, new weirdness. I woke up this morning and found a package at the foot of the bed. It had my name on it. I used one of the magic trinkets I have to perform a "bomb sweep", and it gave me the all clear. Opening it I found...a half-mask and a note. The note had GPS coordinates, a time, and a date. Nothing more. The mask was quite intriguing. It was made from ivory, and had runes tracing all along the edges of it. Neither Michael nor myself have been able to identify the runes, but we have concluded that the mask is not a rune artifact. Object reads don't seem to work on it either.
I have no intentions as yet to put on the mask, at least not until I have identified it. Michael was more than a little upset at this latest intrusion into his house. Can't say that I blame him.
I have no intentions as yet to put on the mask, at least not until I have identified it. Michael was more than a little upset at this latest intrusion into his house. Can't say that I blame him.
Konrad Andreas is at peace. I am something new.
WWVLD
WWVLD
That's...really weird. Adama had a mask like that... It was a handmade clay mask, and he'd carved a few runes into it... They weren't runes of any particular form, just symbols that had come to mind while making the mask.
Scary thing is, over time, there were more and more symbols etching themselves over the surface of his mask, and it started giving off its own energy. It's hard to describe what kind of aura it was, but...I know I didn't like it.
As for shadow energy...I can get you information, but I don't know if you'd trust it, considering the source...
Scary thing is, over time, there were more and more symbols etching themselves over the surface of his mask, and it started giving off its own energy. It's hard to describe what kind of aura it was, but...I know I didn't like it.
As for shadow energy...I can get you information, but I don't know if you'd trust it, considering the source...
I am not A bitch...I am THE bitch. And to you, I'm MS Bitch.
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Kei Nakamura
- Posts: 497
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:06 pm
Yeah. He's enjoying what he can of mundane life.
He's scary enough that things tend to leave him alone to do so. What doesn't leave him alone finds out the hard way why it's a bad idea to piss him off. He's a little focused on the more difficult aspects of mundane life, at the moment... Getting and holding onto a job despite his injuries, keeping up with rent, and keeping a stocked fridge. The typical bachelor routine.
For the most part, he's pretty content. I talk to him on MSN from time to time.
We're both waiting for the other shoe, though... He seems pretty certain everything's gonna go horribly wrong at some point or another. I think it's gonna be around Halloween, when he's gonna have to get involved again.
He's scary enough that things tend to leave him alone to do so. What doesn't leave him alone finds out the hard way why it's a bad idea to piss him off. He's a little focused on the more difficult aspects of mundane life, at the moment... Getting and holding onto a job despite his injuries, keeping up with rent, and keeping a stocked fridge. The typical bachelor routine.
For the most part, he's pretty content. I talk to him on MSN from time to time.
We're both waiting for the other shoe, though... He seems pretty certain everything's gonna go horribly wrong at some point or another. I think it's gonna be around Halloween, when he's gonna have to get involved again.
I am not A bitch...I am THE bitch. And to you, I'm MS Bitch.
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GhostSpider
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Keeping a stocked fridge.
Not something I have to worry about anymore. Kei, you once asked me whether I got any "nutritional" value out of my empathic vampirism, and the answer is yes. I recently stopped eating real foods, and relied totally on my other "ability". I was a bit hungrier than usual, but I did not suffer any debilitating effects. Still, I think I'll keep eating regular foods, just to keep me partially grounded.
Konrad Andreas is at peace. I am something new.
WWVLD
WWVLD
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GhostSpider
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ALRIGHT, I'VE FUCKING HAD IT!!
WHOEVER SENT THEIR LACKIES AFTER ME HAD BETTER LISTEN UP!!
THEY'RE ALL DEAD, AND THEY FAILED!!
S0 WHOEVER YOU ARE, RUN FAR AND HIDE WELL, CAUSE WHEN I CATCH YOU ITS NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY!
OH YES DOROTHY, THERE WILL BE BLOOD!!
WHOEVER SENT THEIR LACKIES AFTER ME HAD BETTER LISTEN UP!!
THEY'RE ALL DEAD, AND THEY FAILED!!
S0 WHOEVER YOU ARE, RUN FAR AND HIDE WELL, CAUSE WHEN I CATCH YOU ITS NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY!
OH YES DOROTHY, THERE WILL BE BLOOD!!
Konrad Andreas is at peace. I am something new.
WWVLD
WWVLD
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GhostSpider
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What happened is that some asshole sent something like 30+ ghouls and cultists after me. I've got a broken arm, a new set of cracked ribs, and a nasty headache. Still its not the injuries that have got me pissed (they'll be healed by next week), no its the sheer audacity of it.
*Takes a deep breath*
Alright here's what happened. I was coming back from my meeting with my mystery assailant (more on that later). I was heading through an empty lot when the first of them jumped me. Some guy dressed all in black, came charging at me with a police baton is his hand. My first thought was, "Great, some punk is trying to mug me." I sidestepped his attack, grabbed him and tossed him back across the lot. Thats when fourteen more of his buddies appeared. All wearing the same apparel and all wielding blunt instruments. They all moved to surround me, and it at this point that I started thinking that this was more than just a simple mugging. They had not demanded anything from me, in fact they hadn't said a word.
I drew Karlash, and pointed him at the thugs. "If you guys value any of your appendages, than you'll walk away." They made no response. Thats when the smell hit me. A very familiar smell.
"Ah damn. Grave ghouls."
*Takes a deep breath*
Alright here's what happened. I was coming back from my meeting with my mystery assailant (more on that later). I was heading through an empty lot when the first of them jumped me. Some guy dressed all in black, came charging at me with a police baton is his hand. My first thought was, "Great, some punk is trying to mug me." I sidestepped his attack, grabbed him and tossed him back across the lot. Thats when fourteen more of his buddies appeared. All wearing the same apparel and all wielding blunt instruments. They all moved to surround me, and it at this point that I started thinking that this was more than just a simple mugging. They had not demanded anything from me, in fact they hadn't said a word.
I drew Karlash, and pointed him at the thugs. "If you guys value any of your appendages, than you'll walk away." They made no response. Thats when the smell hit me. A very familiar smell.
"Ah damn. Grave ghouls."
Konrad Andreas is at peace. I am something new.
WWVLD
WWVLD
As I said, your better half doesnt stand a chance. Especially if he tries to take my bounty.KonThaak wrote:Malakai, if you're aiming to try to commit Society-member-assisted suicide, I'd say you're well on your way...if Gabe doesn't have you dead by morning, that is.
Are you prepared to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? 
солдат дьявола
солдат дьявола
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GhostSpider
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Shadowstalker
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GhostSpider
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GhostSpider
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GhostSpider
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The ghouls came from all sides, and it was not just grave ghouls either. There were several Dybbuks in the crowd advancing on me. There were close to twenty of them.
"I'm getting the slight feeling that someone might not like me." I muttered to myself.
The guys in black hung back while the ghouls advanced. I charged into the horde of ghouls. I swung Karlash in a dizzying assault, lopping off arms, legs, and heads with equal vigour. Within a few minutes half the grave ghouls were down, but the humans and the dybbuks still hung back. Something was defintely off.
It was not fear that was holding them back, I didn't taste any from them. No, it was something else, but I couldn't seem to figure it out. They obviously wanted the grave ghouls to wear me down, but why weren't they carrying more potent weapons?
In my confusion, I didn't sense the dybbuk behind me until it had hit me in the chest and sent me flying. Karlash was knocked loose from my hand, and I found myself sprawled out on the ground. The dybbuk appeared above me, reached down and grabbed me by the neck. It began applying pressure, but not as much as it could have. Even as I am now, it still could have crushed my throat, but it held back.
The world started turning black.
"I'm getting the slight feeling that someone might not like me." I muttered to myself.
The guys in black hung back while the ghouls advanced. I charged into the horde of ghouls. I swung Karlash in a dizzying assault, lopping off arms, legs, and heads with equal vigour. Within a few minutes half the grave ghouls were down, but the humans and the dybbuks still hung back. Something was defintely off.
It was not fear that was holding them back, I didn't taste any from them. No, it was something else, but I couldn't seem to figure it out. They obviously wanted the grave ghouls to wear me down, but why weren't they carrying more potent weapons?
In my confusion, I didn't sense the dybbuk behind me until it had hit me in the chest and sent me flying. Karlash was knocked loose from my hand, and I found myself sprawled out on the ground. The dybbuk appeared above me, reached down and grabbed me by the neck. It began applying pressure, but not as much as it could have. Even as I am now, it still could have crushed my throat, but it held back.
The world started turning black.
Konrad Andreas is at peace. I am something new.
WWVLD
WWVLD
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GhostSpider
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So, things were not looking good. Karlash was somewhere off in the distance, I was surrounded by bad guys, and a dybbuk was slowly asphyxiating me. It was at this point that I got mad.
The weird thing was, it was a kind of righteous indignation anger. All I can remember thinking was, "How dare they." It went through my head several times, and then everything snapped back into focus. The world stopped going black, and went red instead.
I reached out and grabbed the dybbuk's wrist, and started squeezing. The victorious look on its face died, and fear replaced it. I heard bones snap and break, and then the pressure on my throat vanished. My other arm shot out and grabbed the dybbuk by the throat. I looked it in the eye and smiled. I then ripped its throat out. I kicked its thrashing body away from me, and stood up.
"Amateur." I then proceeded to lick its blood off my hand.
The weird thing was, it was a kind of righteous indignation anger. All I can remember thinking was, "How dare they." It went through my head several times, and then everything snapped back into focus. The world stopped going black, and went red instead.
I reached out and grabbed the dybbuk's wrist, and started squeezing. The victorious look on its face died, and fear replaced it. I heard bones snap and break, and then the pressure on my throat vanished. My other arm shot out and grabbed the dybbuk by the throat. I looked it in the eye and smiled. I then ripped its throat out. I kicked its thrashing body away from me, and stood up.
"Amateur." I then proceeded to lick its blood off my hand.
Konrad Andreas is at peace. I am something new.
WWVLD
WWVLD
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Willie Long
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Umm, you feelin' okay, jack?-
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duamerthrax
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duamerthrax wrote:now how many people here are saying "i told you so"?
First at me and now at GS...though I'm not sure exactly what we told him so about. At least, I don't recall saying anything to him about much of anything... It seemed like the changes in him happened against his will, while this THING that's STILL attached to me...happened because I messed with stuff I shouldn't've been.
Meh... Seems like we're unraveling fast.
I am not A bitch...I am THE bitch. And to you, I'm MS Bitch.
