IC - 16 - Day 3 - Simon and Jocelyn

[Mephistophilis]

Smoky dark clouds broil across the sky but in the car it seems things are brightening up. Glancing through the shattered rear window, the source of the light is a large car driving up from behind, headlights and fog lamps beaming through the gloom and illuminating the road ahead in a stark juxtaposition to the darkness around.

Somehow the pouring hail and rain almost seems to part for the SUV, as it pulls up alongside Jocelyn's car. The window of the blue SUV slides down and they can see, over in the driver's seat, a smiling John Balfour. No hail is entering through his open window and he gestures them to get in.

'Nothing like this has been seen since Moses called down a hailstorm on Pharaoh' he shouts over the din of the storm.

[Silver Priest]

Keeper,Did the figure Simon saw in the sky look like the one he saw in his first dream?

When Simon sees Balfour drive up, a sly smile forms on his face. Of course, how convenient.


"Ah Reverend Balfour, so good to see you here! And yet somehow I am not surprised." Simon gets it, drying himself off as he does.

"Thank you for the ride, sir. You know, I must apologize to you. When I first met you I thought you were, well, a loon. But recent events have made me reconsider my earlier assessment. What you've been able to do recently sir--- it's incredible craftsmanship. That Angel, in the sky? I'm still not certain how you pulled it off!" He leans in closer. "The rubes will believe it of course. But we are both intelligent men; how did you do it, sir? I can't help but to be curious. And admiring; people will be lining up for miles to join your church!"

[Mephistophilis]

Simon,In Simon's first dream there were hazy, smokey wings and malevolent red eyes, the figure he saw in the sky had a similar haziness and red eyes but was a whole winged figure with an angry, almost skeletal face and lightening zigzagging from the eyes. Most strikingly similar was the sense of there being [i]something[/i] there, some thing, some entity that was aware of his presence, aware of it and not pleased.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you," says Jocelyn, scrambling across to the SUV. She has accepted Simon's hologram explanation, as the alternative is unthinkable, but she's not sure how he created the hailstorm. Some sort of weather control device, maybe? "It's quite impressive."

[Mephistophilis]

Balfour's smile dissolves into a look of confusion at Simon's intense expression and odd words. 'I think you'll find this natural disaster was the work of God, and his Passover Angel, it is far beyond the control of a mere man such as myself.'

By the time Simon and Jocelyn have settled in the SUV the weather has eased off further. Cars have started to rejoin the motorway and the traffic is beginning to flow again. Apart from Jocelyn's car there fortunately do not seem to be any other crashes or casualties. 'Where would you like me to drop you off?' asks Balfour.

Simon,Is [b]Balfour[/b] laughing at you? Does he think you're an idiot?

[Silver Priest]

Simon frowns, displeased at Balfour's continued deception.

"Again with the Passover Angel! Please, Reverend. I know you are a very intelligent man, but so am I. I've been able to figure out your real plot. Not everything, mind-- I'm still uncertain how you had me dream about the angel and then yourself. Did your drug me to cause delusions? I know you're a skilled chemist or have access to one; Everyone of us who entered Lewiston's apartment were struck by it, and I'm assuming he was given a stronger dose. Even his little kitty cat suffered." Simon chuckles. "Well played sir, oh oh, well played!"

"I deciphered your code hidden within your book, everything! How torn up and guilt ridden you feel about your God given mission, yes? You yourself asked me for help last night, and I want to. I can get you through this, Reverend! But you must be honest with me. Once I find Reginia, and I will, you need to tell me everything about the upcoming chemical attack. I know you are an agent of Red Trumpet and much of what they are planning. I cracked the code, the reason Exodus does not feature in your tales." He smiles at him knowingly,a glint in his eyes, the look of a man who thinks he's figured out everything.

OOC:   If Jocelyn and I are smited from this I am very sorry Mr.Handy.

[Mr. Handy]

"Please forgive my colleague," says Jocelyn, not having expected that Simon would "pull a Kris" - and crank it to 11. "The sight of the Passover Angel has overwhelmed us. We're on our way to Chievely to interview a witness who may have seen Regina and her kidnapper on the night of the abduction. We're meeting DS Bates there."

[Mephistophilis]

Clearly confused, Balfour doesn't start the car and looks back and forth between Simon and Jocelyn. Initially he seems more bemused than anything else at Simon's words, then increasingly angry, 'This again, like the detective, what is it with you...' but at the mention of a code in his book his eyes grow wide and when he hears 'Red Trumpet' he visibly panics. Then at Jocelyn saying they had seen the Passover Angel his head snaps round to look at her.

Keeper rolls,Power 80% with disadvantage, 01

OOC,Can whoever has lowest Luck roll it - I think it is Jocelyn at 42

[Mr. Handy]

This is not turning out to be a good day for Jocelyn.

OOC,Luck roll (42% stat) talking to [b]Balfour[/b]: 0

[Mephistophilis]

Balfour's face screws up into a look of anger, 'You claim to have seen the Passover Angel, you, an unbeliever' he snarls at Jocelyn. 'You truly have no idea, do you? You stupid woman.'

He turns back to Simon, a look of hatred in his eyes, shouting, 'And you, you pathetic little worm. You dare to mock me, to question me, like that intolerable detective, taunting me, blaspheming against the Lord, instead of finding my precious daughter, my Regina, exalted over every child. Where is she?'

His eyes widen and he stares, unblinking at Simon. His breathing becoming more rapid.

'I am the prophet of the Passover Angel, like Abraham I was chosen by God to conduct his will. I will not fail him and when the Passover Angel comes, you, all the unbelievers, you will see the true power of God.'

He lurches forward and seizes Simon by the neck, his large hands starting to squeeze.

Keeper rolls,0

[Silver Priest]

Simon's eyes go wide and he gives a muffled gasp. He begins to struggle to break free of the hold.

roll if allowed,0

[Mr. Handy]

"Stop, you're killing him!" cries Jocelyn, trying to break Balfour's grip on Simon's neck and lock his arms.

OOC,Fighting(Brawl) roll (60% skill) to restrain [b]Balfour[/b] and break his hold: 0

[Mephistophilis]

OOC,Okay, Balfour got a surprise attack and got a hold of Simon. Now we'll move in DEX order - Jocelyn, Balfour, Simon. I find these multi character brawl manoeuvres difficult so let me know if you have any objections to what I'm doing

Jocelyn tries to reach over and pull at Balfour's arms but he shakes her off with little difficulty. Balfour continues to squeeze Simon's neck as hard as he can. Simon struggles for breath and claws at Balfour's hands, his vision starts to swim and then speckle with pricks of light before a blackness narrows his vision to a small circle of light and the last thing he sees is Balfour's snarling face.

As Simon goes limp, Balfour releases him, and turns to Jocelyn. His angry, twisted face softens for a moment but then the snarl returns to his lips, his eyes wide and steely, 'Your turn.'

Keeper rolls,Jocelyn disadvantage due to size difference 0, Balfour Dodge 1 Balfour strangle with bonus 2 3 damage 4 5 Balfour POW 6

Jocelyn,Jocelyn failed as she was at disadvantage due to the size difference. It is now Simon's action if he regains consciousness, then Jocelyn

Simon,I'm afraid Simon has just taken 7 HP of damage and a Major Wound - Balfour's a big guy - Simon's passed out transiently - roll CON to see if he recovers consciousness quickly. He gets to act next if he regains consciousness

[Silver Priest]

Con 60%,0 Bah. Can I spent 3 luck to wake up?

[Mephistophilis]

Simon,Of course!

Waking up on the floor of the car, Simon's vision gradually returns, his neck aches and he still finds breathing difficult. He can see Balfour leaning over towards Jocelyn.

[Silver Priest]

Simon groans, his throat hurts tremendously. But seeing Balfour going for Jocelyn he knows he must do something to distract him long enough for Jocelyn to stun him..

": Ia! Narlato wagh'nagl iszkur boret'l!"

OOC:   Please don't let me have just summoned The Passover Angel.

[Mephistophilis]

Balfour slowly turns back to look at Simon, from his twisted mouth he intones 'Ia! Narlato wagh'nagl iszkur boret'l.' The wind begins to pick back up again outside the car and the rhythmic thudding of hail starts to pound the roof of the SUV. There is a peal of thunder.

Keeper rolls,Balfour POW 0

[Mr. Handy]

Since Balfour isn't attacking at the moment, Jocelyn refrains from fighting him for now. She instead takes out her mobile phone and calls DS Bates.

[Mephistophilis]

Balfour continues, almost chanting now, his eyes seeming to glaze over, 'Iä Narlato! Cf’ayak’vulgtmm, vugtlagln vulgtmm.'

Jocelyn,I think that'd be a Luck roll to see if her mobile is working in the storm

[Silver Priest]

As the storm resumes Simon's eyes widen in realization as the storm begins again. Then it hits him; Balfour must be talking to the people controlling the storm. Red Trumpet.

The scholar is still not certain exactly how Balfour is pulling it off, but the words he is speaking seem to be some sort of code phrase designed to trigger the illusions they had seen. And now he's once again trying to deceive them, sell this ridiculous story of modern day Biblical signs. The deception infuriates him. Disregarding his pain, he reaches out with his hand and tries to strike the reverend in the throat, in order to interrupt his speaking and ruin whatever magic trick he was pulling.

"Enough of this!"

Brawl 25%,0