Call of Colthulhu: Team One's Adventures

"My contact has set up a static teleportation circle in a safe location. They would rather not meet you for security reasons, but the circle will be maintained for as long as possible, and it would be optimal for you to bring Deep Secret through. If the situation would not allow it, however, getting what you can and safely extracting is the priority. I don't want you to get too badly hurt in the process." Moon Gazer says. "In regards to Deep Secret's capabilities, we believe that she may be learned in Elk magic. To the extent that she might be able to use combat magic, we can't be certain. Her greatest ability is purportedly, her siren's song. Named after the legendary sirens of old, my contacts tell me that her influence may not be pure oratory talent. Subconscious suggestion, perhaps. Anything more is conjectures and rumors, but Deep Secret's family has had an association with certain diamond dog mining companies as well. We also have past records of her borrowing books from libraries in regards to magical creatures, specifically subterranean animals. You might want to keep an eye out for... strange fauna."

"The book would probably be better read... later, when time is not limited. But yes.The basics are in there; nothing specific, even we don't know much beyond general knowledge, but that should at least give you some reference to work with."

"So watch out for my hoof itching, spontaneous fireballs, and horrific gribblies. Got it!" Aurora nodded, smiling confidently as she took her things back, taking the book for now. "As for helping...I mean, at this point, I think we're in just a little too deep to walk away, at least in good conscience, you know?" She thought for a moment, glancing at Flashpoint. "Also, less glitter, more..Ashes, sort of? Honestly, I don't remember too much of the end there because I think I got knocked out at the end of it myself."

"Aspiration described it as akin to shattering glass or some type of cracking. Fitting, considering its primary host form as a gem." Moon Gazer says, idly, as she continues marking out what looks like some kind of ritual circle. "Once you're ready, please step onto one of the three circles."

Flashpoint doesn't say anything else, having secured his items, and steps into the circle.

"Just a minute," Torque said as he pulled out two small black rings. "If there's a chance we'll be going underground, there's one prototype I need to try out." He took off his glasses and fitted the rings around the lenses before putting them back on. "Okay, that'll do...I hope." He then packed up the rest of his items and stepped into the circle. "So, once we secure Deep Secret, where will we find the portal back, exactly?"

Aurora chuckled softly, stepping into one of the circles confidently, glancing at the others.

"Same way back. We don't have remote teleportation, as teleportation circles are far more efficient." Moon Gazer begins chanting in an unknown, profane tongue, but before the group can complain, there is a great ripping noise, and suddenly they are no longer facing the mare. "Good luck..."

They find themselves staring at a wall, on which are words, already fading, saying 'Across the street, the gray stairwell.' Light is streaming through a doorway opposite to the wall.

Flashpoint sighs at the sudden shift in reality. After a moment, he turns and looks at the door. "Alright, so do we wanna kick the door in? Or grab her out on the street?"

"I vote for dealing with them *in* the safehouse. If they get outside, there's a better chance for them to run off or cause collateral damage. As for the "breaking down the door", if they're on a different floor, bashing down the front door might give them a warning rather than give us the element of surprise." Torque tried to peer through the doorway to get a better idea of what lay right inside.

Rolling Perception...19 (1d20) + 9 = 28

Flashpoint flaps up to a window to take a look inside.

---

How many floors does the building have? If 2+, then he's checking inside the nearest 2nd floor window.
Perception inside the window: 3+11= 14

Aurora thought for a moment, nodding. "Yeah, I'd rather them not run. That said, I still vote for kicking the door down if we can catch them by surprise." She tried to look in through a window herself, following suit and trying to get around to make sure there weren't any eyes on them that shouldn't be.

---

Perception to...Erm, find anyone watching them if possible.

1d20+8 = 14+8 = 22.

Torque blinks, and he realizes that in that moment, he suddenly has an image of the building's rough layout in front of him. He blinks again, and it's gone, but he can still remember the key details. There are two exits, one in front, one out back. No clear windows, they're all drawn up by curtains, to Flashpoint's frustration. Two floors going underground, a single stairwell connecting the two floors. No rooms; it's a studio space. He can almost hear a whisper of "You're welcome" in Moon Gazer's voice.

Aurora takes a quick look around, and can confirm that the streets are deserted; it seems not to be a busy part of town. She continues to keep watch, and can ensure that the coast is clear.

"Well, that'll work," Torque said. "Moon Gazer just sent me the floorplans telepathically. Front and back doors, studio layout, one staircase leading underground. So, we going to sneak in, or just bash the door down and run down the staircase?"

"I'll go around back." Flash volunteers, taking wing and flapping up. "I'll flush them, be ready." He flaps over the building and drops to the door on the other side, and quietly tests to see how secure it is.

Flashpoint, roll perception or mechanics.

18+11=29 Perception

The door seems fairly solidly built, locked up with a thick looking padlock. The wood itself is also quite solid and strong, but Flashpoint's keen eyesight picks up the almost microscopic cracks in the hinges of the door; it seems the humid environment has done a number on the hinges, rusting them through and weakening them, perhaps enough to give out with a strong enough buck.

Flashpoint regards the hinges and steps back, lining up a kick. He flaps into the air, readying his horseshoes, and then circles up in a wide loop to come in at high speed, aiming for the door for a full body breach, laying into the weak side of the door with a heavy shoulder, at speed.

---

Action taken:

The door flies open with a bang, and Flashpoint finds... an empty room. The door, smashed clean off its hinges, falls to the floor with a loud thud. Aside from a rush of stale air, Flashpoint does not see anyone waiting. In the corner of the room is a set of stairs, going downwards.

Flash glances towards the back door, then the stairs, then decides on getting backup before heading underground. He backpedals to the still shut door, keeping an eye on the stairs, in case anyone tries to make a break for it. Reaching back, he opens the door for the other two outside. "No one on the main floor."

---

Gonna have him re-prep pyrotechnics to keep it primed for flashbanging when needed.

Torque glanced around the empty studio. "...Didn't spend much on furnishing the place. Then again, I suppose looking abandoned is the best disguise for a safehouse." He then trotted over to the stairs and looked down. "I hope it's a simple basement and not some maze of tunnels or something."

Rolling Perception to look downstairs...3 (1d20) + 9 = 12 (w/ Darkvision)

The stairs terminate at a landing that is essentially its own little room; a door separates it from the remainder of the downstairs, although even from where Torque stands he can see that the door is ragged and barely hanging off its hinges.

"Yeah, I don't think she'll be open for simple negotiations so easily, nice as it'd be to sit down and...I dunno, discuss the finer points of summoning and how to avoid getting fried by said summons if they backfire. I suppose we go in, make sure if she has help, they don't interfere, and...I dunno, try to get her to surrender? I dunno that it'll be that smooth, but it's a start." Aurora suggested as she glanced downstairs, weighing various options. "I mean, there's the risk of her teleporting away, but...I dunno, if we act fast enough, we may be able to keep her from doing anything like that."