"Highly doubtful, Gunzosha armor's very valuable and for most the corporealization isn't even voluntary from first donning the armor onward. Not to mention if they're here for someone of Alveua's caliber they're going to need the armor to stand a chance. Only way I could see them doing it is if it was explicitly part of the plan and they'd have been given armor entirely different from before, which seems unlikely."

Once Ilari has his bearings, he follows toward the Forge.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:27, Fri 18 Nov 2016.

"Alright."

They head right for the Forge of Night- and as they get closer it gets darker, the shadows turning the maze of pipes and dark-lit buildings to a chiaroscuro painting.  They start to realize that the Forge of Night inverts light and darkness, making 'shadows' of brightness.

It's a scarily perfect place for the Infiltrators to hide within.  They could probably stay here for weeks without being noticed.

"It smells wrong,"  Ilari tells Lucifer; the two can only barely sense each other.  "If they're not nearby, then they've been through here."

((Wu Wei roll, difficulty 60))

((Roll: 7, 7, 5, 3, 3, 3, 3 & 1
Wu Wei: 43+15+10 = 68
Float 7-7 ))

The unnatural shadows throw Lucifer off at first, but with concentrated effort he's able to start adjusting his inner eye. Just because his light looked like shadow in this place didn't mean it wasn't there.

The Imperators have left their mark here.  He'd know the corpse-essence anywhere; he'd know the faint angry taint of their Malfeas-essence anywhere as well, made all the stronger because they all obviously have a second Malfeas-heart.

But more importantly he knows the personal essence of one of them.  He first felt it so long ago, so very long ago, before he even knew what Essence really was.  The Essence of a dying woman, left to die in a horrible ritual that ripped her ghost from her body.

Anna.  Anna is on the Last Refuge.  Anna is HERE.

As his finely-tuned senses picks up the mix of Void and Malfeas-essence, Lucifer gains a sneer.

"Yeah, they've definitely been here. And all of them are like the one you found, with two Malfeas-hearts. Let's keep-"

Wait. What was this essence?

Daniel stops in his tracks as something old yet never forgotten enters his consciousness, tearing at a scar in his heart that had never healed properly. For a moment he is incredulous, then something worse - vulnerable.

How could she be here? She wasn't a combatant. She couldn't-

...

"...So what they taunted me with was true."

His mental defenses kick in, hastily covering vulnerability with outrage and hate. He starts moving again, with a new sense of urgency in his step. "One of them was... significant to me. I'll handle her."

He moves forth, trailing Anna's essence like a bloodhound. Lucky the place was so covered in shadow his vulnerability would hopefully go unnoticed.

He stalks down the hallways of the Forge of Night, Ilari following behind him, quiet and reserved.  If he's seen anything he doesn't let Lucifer know.

From here it's not difficult to follow the trail.  He can't afford to lose it now.  But then he finds the first problem- a network of pipes and cables thick as a man's leg, and just a little hole, about the size of a child.

"In there?"  Ilari points, "I'm guessing they squeezed through."

Ghost-flesh is malleable, it's not out of the question that they could squeeze into tighter places than others.

Daniel grunts in frustration as the trail leads somewhere he can't follow.

"Most likely. Now we need to figure out where it leads."

He looks around, trying to deduce the pipes' destination to follow them. Should that prove impossible, the best thing to do would be to find Alveua.

"A second, Lucifer?"

Ilari shifts, turning into his wolverine-form and clambering up the pipes.  He returns a few tense minutes later.

"Good news and bad news.  The good news is that I spotted them and I did it without their knowledge.  The bad news is they're holed up in a anterminus."

Anterminus is lower-class slang for a strange section of the hull.  The warrens-like maze of cables, ductwork, etc. eventually form rather large gaps, sort of like clearings in a forest.  Anterminii usually have four or more exits, are very difficult to enter or exit, and are ideal places for druggies or young kid's play-clubs and the like.  In this case, it means they have an extremely defensible stronghold with a lot of potential escape routes- or directions to lead an assault.  Their maps must be excellent indeed.

Oh. Right. That was a thing Lunars can do.

Daniel barely manages to stay put as he waits, deciding to try calling Smoker with a status update after a bit rather than break apart at the seams while waiting.

"Hey. We're at the Forge. They've been here too, and all of them have two Malfeas shards. Traced them to a pipe, Ilari shifted and followed."

He pauses for a moment.

"...Also, Anna is one of them. I need someplace to put her when I capture her."

It's around this time that Ilari crawls back out and gives the news, which Daniel relays, letting Ilari give additional details of the Anterminus's location if possible.

"...So I'm thinking I'll bust in from above or below. Can we get people to block at least some of the escape routes from further ahead?"

"Good.  I got in contact with Alveua.  She doesn't think they're going to attack anytime soon.  She leaves the Forge of Night in four days for her monthly sabbatical, if they know as much of the inner workings of the Last Refuge as they do, it'd be the perfect time to ambush her.  She's set up guards and traps just in case."

At word of Anna, Smoker sucks air between his teeth.

"Yeaaaaaaaah I thought that'd happen one day.  I've got a special cell made for Cygnus, but if you want to throw Anna in there I won't complain."

Ilari dusts himself off, "I can certainly hold off a spot or two.  Maybe we can call some Ilmorijo to block off the exits?  There are three others."  He sketches a design on a piece of paper- it looks like a malformed square with an 'exit' on each side.

"I can put in the call.  Let me check the Anterminus Registry." Lucifer hears the tapping of keys, "That'd be Anterminus FON-25-FINNEGAN?  Looks like a square with another square taken out of the upper right corner?  Four possible entrances for smaller beings, on the same plane as the anterminus?  Good news and bad news.  The good news is you've got space underneath it, a local residence.  The bad news is that directly above is a holding tank.  Water, meant to get dropped down in case the forge ever goes nova."

"Mmh. That'd fit the long play they've been doing so far, although we probably don't have the full four days anymore - they're likely to become concerned over the scout not returning."

Daniel inhales deeply at the mention of the cell. "That sounds fitting. Get it ready."

As Daniel compares Ilari's portrayal with Smoker's description it becomes apparent they're talking about the same place.

"Yeah, sounds about right.... The holding tank's placement is unfortunate, but there's little to be done beside try to prevent them from tearing the roof up when they lose. Only other option is arrange a counter-ambush and wait till Alveua leaves, but there's too many things that could go wrong while waiting."

He glances to Ilari and then the pipe as he ponders. "How quickly can you get Ilmorijo or other soldiers on the exits? And could we drain the tank? We might not want to even if we could, though - the infiltrators might be alarmed or they could have sabotaged the Forge to go boom as a plan B."

"Scouts disappear for a while."  Smoker says, "Thing is, they wouldn't know.  They wouldn't have contact.  There's no landline there.  Closest one is actually in the Forge of Night itself.  So they wouldn't be able to make contact until after Alveua leaves."

"Holding tank's huge.  That might take days, would be pretty obvious.  I can get some support teams over there in maybe an hour- including some spirit assault teams who can dematerialize and work their way in, but I got the feeling you want all of that to yourself."

"They've not been in there for very long, Lucifer.  I doubt they've had the chance to sabotage the Forge of Night yet."

"They'd know whenever the scout was supposed to make contact or return, which would be sometime before the ambush in any case. I doubt they'd intentionally attack Alveua with an incomplete team. And even if that was their plan, the ones remaining may not plan to sit idly for four days - should be another Scout in there that might make rounds and find out we're on to them. Not to mention they're likely to set the tank to blow regardless of anything else if we let them."

He exhales, glancing to the wall with the pipe like he was looking through it to the enemy.

"We can't let them sit there. Any number of things could go wrong while waiting. Attacking now risks collateral damage, but that's likely to only grow worse if we wait."

...And Anna is there.

"Get who you can on the exits. Spirits are welcome to serve as reinforcements to block or pursue the enemy where mortals can't, but Ilari and I will be the spearhead. If you've got suitable Elementals or Spirits to reinforce the tank from the inside, that'd be good too. Let me know when you've made the calls, we'll start heading for the domicile."

"Give me an hour," He repeats himself, "And I'll be sending along someone to help with the residents.  You never know when they're going to put up a fight."

He hangs up.

Ilari has already looked up the local floor plan, "There's an elevator to the next floor."

"I think I could handle it, but sure. Message me when everyone's in position."

He hangs up, nodding to Ilari. "Let's go."

"Fine, you got it."

The two of them move to the lower level.  This takes longer than expected- an ancient elevator and winding hallways make for a long trip, and trying to make sense of the map adds more.  By this time they can see Ilmorijo starting to spread out through the area.

They find the residence.  Inside is a small, wiry-looking man that's blind in an eye, a bigger brawnier one with an impressively bushy beard, an aging Neomah, and a child that looks quite a bit like the two men.  The child blinks at Lucifer.

"Yeh?  Whaddyou want?" The wiry one asks him.

"It's the Morningstar, innit?"  Bearded Guy looks unimpressed.

"So's what.  I saws him yesterday.  Last week, too.  He was eatin a fish sammich."

"Yeh, but haat was the forge."

"Things'n follow you down here, you know well as I.  Trashburnipal?"

"I see the light in him!" The Neomah points.

"Yeh, well, light's everywhere."

Ah. It was this kind of people.

"Hey", Daniel opens without much decorum. "There are ghosts lurking nearby and I need to go through your house to get to them. There could be collateral damage so you should get away and take any valuables you can easily carry. You'll be compensated for the trouble and possible damages."

Ilari puts a hand on Lucifer's shoulder, "Best listen to him, knowsayn?"

"Valewballs?  Hell, we ain't got none of those," The one-eyed one says, "How much's the compensation?  Upperdecks apartahment?"

"I don't wnat no upperdecks apartment.  We haat enough."  His partner grumbles.

"Nothin's enough for yew?  Sheet."

"What kind of ghosts?"  Trashburnipal asks Lucifer.

The young boy's the most perceptive, thus he's the first to leave.  But not before giving Lucifer's leg a hug!  "Yer my heerow."  Then the others leave, grumbling.

"Nothing like that, but enough", Daniel replies about the compensation before turning to the Neomah. "Militaristic ones, likely with heavy equipment. You should tell those nearby to take some distance as well in case things get ugly."

A faint smile tugs at his lips as he ruffles the little boy's hair before he leaves. "Be good, kid."

Once the inhabitants are gone he starts pacing around the apartment, looking up at the ceiling and then Ilari. "Should get some people blocking this way too. Any idea on the best place to breach?"

Trashburnipal hurries out, shouting at the locals to 'CLEAR THE FUCK OUT, EXALTS'.

The apartment is a trash heap, to put it lightly.  Trashburnipal- like most Neomah- has made a nest.  Hers is old rags and worse.  There'd be more flies, but they're both pretty sure the flies would drop dead midflight.

"Yeah, looks like we've got some Terrae down the hall, which is the last thing we need.  But help's help." He looks up at the ceiling, "Well, if my spatial awareness is correct..." He points at the bathroom, wrinkling his nose, "Right above the toilet.  Water pipes lead right past."

Daniel nods, assessing the rickety ceiling before finding a slightly less trashy spot to lean on.

"Nothing else for it now, then. Once Smoker confirms the guys are in position I'll bust through there. If there's anything you'd like to do or say before the confrontation, now would be the time."

Slightly less trashy- that's a joke.

"Nothing for now.  I'm ready when you are." Ilari raises his laser pistol, "I'll cover this hole at first, just in case someone tries a quick scuttle past."

Some time later they get the phone call.

"Hey.  I've got Ilmorijo, Terrae, and some of the Godguards situated around all the place.  We've also set up some saltward barriers.  I've personally overseen Alveua set up a ward trap near the Forge of Night, in case they try to make an all-or-nothing break for her.  You've got the go."

"Gotcha. Here goes."

Daniel hangs up, a grim determination over his features as he puts his phone inside a small but heavily reinforced case. The poor piece of technology stood at least some chance of making it out of the confrontation in one piece that way.

He walks to the bathroom slowly, raising his right hand as the Manifest Destiny flows from his back over his arm with a stream of clacks and whirrs before settling into its true form in his hand.

Lucifer gives Ilari a look and a nod. Then he starts glowing golden and the Manifest Destiny comes to life in his hands, gathering Solar energy and coalescing it into a giant spike at the weapon's mouth that keeps growing far past the barrel's size. After the spike's grown far beyond what should be considered reasonable for a hand-held projectile weapon, it winds into a spin.

Finally the shot is discharged, ripping into the ceiling like it was clay and tissue paper. Platinum wings flashing around him, the Zenith isn't far behind as he leaps and smashes through the wreckage raining down on his way up.

Ilari nods back at him.  "Good luck."

The ceiling gives way with a squeal of torn metal.  A gaping hole reveals five suited figures jumping back before they can be harmed, and then Lucifer finds himself among them:  four Imperators, their green hearts beating behind soulsteel and bone armor, weapons raised!

One holds a big, powerful-looking gun, no doubt meant to punch through the strongest armor- the Leader.

The Soldier carries a pair of large pistols.

Another that we'll call the Assassin carries a sniper rifle.

The last... Anna.  Anna is there, her helmet off, carrying a staff with a sparking black point.

There are indeed 4 exits, and 3 are wide tunnels that slowly narrow- the last being the one Ilari had already explored in his animal form.

There's very little space in the anterminus but Anna draws a solid soulsteel globe from her back and tosses it in front of her, hoping to deploy some mobile cover for the Soldier.  The Assassin starts chanting the thaumaturgy necessary to shield him from Lucifer's view.

((https://docs.google.com/docume...bGc/edit?usp=sharing))

((Initiative roll: 10, 7, 7, 5, 3, 3, 2 & 1)
using Blue Flame Dragon w/ Unarmed
Waning Metal Protection Spell: 52 (27+15+10)
FoB: 40 (15+15+10) / 2 Chi
Initiative: 53 (23+20+10)

Attack roll: 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 5, 3 & 1
1M, 1S Chi on Black Tigers Hunting
2 Chi on Grand Horse Tramples Rice
Break Anna's Wave (Might): 60 (25+25+10)
Knockback Soldier against Assassin: 66 (26+20+10+10)
Strike Soldier: 48 (18+20+10) ))

One might be surprised how nimble Lucifer could be when unfettered by the Longinus's formidable bulk. The Morningstar's platinum wings momentarily shimmer in a protective cocoon as he reaches the apex of his leap, then in the next moment he's upon the enemy like a bolt of judgment.

He intercepts Anna's Soulsteel orb before it can unfurl, kicking the heavy orb away to one of the exits like a jet-black football. His eyes linger on her for a split-second before he rushes on, dashing for the Soldier with a rushed open-palmed strike. The strike turns out to be a distraction more than anything, however, as he continues the motion and grasps the Gunzosha, aiming to send him sprawling toward the cloaking Assassin. They may have found out a way to put two Malfeas shards in a single ghost without disaster, but what would happen when two such pairs were smashed together?

All this he does with wordless focus.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:39, Thu 01 Dec 2016.