Darcy lets Tark move up ahead of her, while Igatho nearly bowled her over when she rushed into position.

Darcy passed by the computer rooms not caring about the contents or the white noise (while Jamie gasped a bit in recognition of seeing them. 'I'm surprised they're still working.  Should I check to see what...')

Jamie's musings stopped when the party met the ghost.  Darcy guided Tark behind her.  "I think this is my forte."

She then held up her hands and started chanting.  She does two effects back to back: Protection from Good and Evil, and a form of communal so she can try to contact this ghost.

Meiou chose to drag Jamie from the working computer room " I'm just as curious but lets wait till after we finish here to play with stuff." he said pulling her back to the rest of the group as they went on to find the ghost.

  Tark nods and lets the girls step up for the metaphysical problems.  Jamie and Darcy won't only deal half damage to ghosts should it come down to a brawl rather than a text tree.

  He does keep an eye out for anything else around the darkened (Man, life must suck for everyone without darkvision) rooms and halls.  Though past comments from Meiou about moving pictures he saw the elevator in, have Tark curious if they are dealing with an illusion... Nah, illusory ghosts don't hurt as much as real ghosts, so clearly life would not be so convenient.

"That's good, Igatho.  Keep playing that game."

Nathan lowers his weapon upon spotting the non-hostile ghost.  He recognizes Darcy's protective spell, but not the other one.  Figuring the ghost didn't hear him earlier, he repeats his earlier message.

"Hello.  My name is Nathan.  I'm here with my friends to set right any wrongs.  Please introduce yourself."

The ghost answers in a voice so deep, it rattles everyone's teeth and the room seems to shake with a light blur.* "I no longer know my name. Why are you here?"

*Think Orson Wells's Unicron: https://youtu.be/2WqKkZU4rK8?t=5s

Igatho squeaks and hops from being startled by the voice!

Both Darcy and Jamie froze as they heard that voice.  As Darcy let Igatho hop behind her, Jamie gulped some air, walked in front, and stood up straight.  She looked right at the ghost but also darted around, her mind remembering somewhat she knew of computers and technology, from a time all but forgotten even for her.  'This might be a projected hologram,' she mused in thought, 'rather than a ghost, though in this time they wouldn't be much different."

"We've come because we've heard a warning about a curse," Jamie said out loud, "and we've come to deal with this curse before it harms anyone else."

Meiou jumped abit as Ithago did after all a baby that size jumps your gonna
get spooked if not paying attention. Although through his link with Jamie he heard the hologram remark but
shook his head. One day he was going to have to learn more about
all this old world stuff it seemed interesting the more he encountered it.

  Tark still hasn't discounted illusions as of his last post, but expecting things to be harmless is generally a bad habit... Particularly when letting a witch less stab resistant than himself take point.  Though going all stereotypical muscle man would probably only make the situation worse.

  "What do you remember, if you are still here with no name?"

Nathan also freezes from the amazing voice.  But more for acoustical appreciation.

"Wow!  What a bass!"

His mind immediately goes to what music would fit such low tones.  He's only heard rumors of instruments that can go so low it rattles your bones.  Rare pipe organs with pipes dozens of feet long!  Long has he dreamed of making music with such a beauty. (( Only a few exist in the RL world.  The stop that opens up the 128' pipes has a danger sign next to it. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3Wpn7xyzUqg/hqdefault.jpg  This lucky kid got to play one such legendary organ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmQFS2E2GE4 ))

Too distracted with such thoughts, Nathan takes a while to think of what to say.

"I'll call you Mr. Ghost, then."

The ghost responds, "That's Ms Ghost to you, little angel. The curse is simple: Those who enter here leave possessed of the memories of this place. As long as you stay, you will be fine. You must find a way to break the curse before you leave, or you will be no better off than the others."

Igatho asks, "Do you know how to break the curse?" her r's have that slight twinge of w sound to them as is common of a toddler.

The ghost responds, "The people who were tortured here must be set free! You must perform a certain blood ritual, willingly allow yourselves to be possessed, then permit the spirits to take your bodies to the place where this began, then help them destroy that place. Once this is done, all of the spirits will be able to pass on to the next life. Including me."

As Jamie heard that, she moved up ahead, standing before the ghost.  Her face had a soft expression, her eyes saddened by what she's hearing so far.

After telling the others to move back, she flung out her hands and a series of eight candles floated out of the sleeves of her gown.  They settled into place in an eight-pointed circle, as an elaborate symbol appeared on the floor.  A symbol designed to attract spirits.  A circle surrounding the ghost in a soft warm light.

"Being a witch comes with the ability to commune with spirits," Jamie said, her voice was more from her elven side, with a tinge of eternal wisdom.  "Not only do they just take you over, but they also become a part of you for a time.  I've done this ritual many times back in my coven, as I come across ghosts such as these.  I don't know if you're willing to have this done to you, and if you're hesitant, I understand."

She then stepped into the circle and appeared to float in the air as she approached the ghost.

She reached over to hold the ghost's hands in hers, and her voice almost had a motherly tone to her.  "These people have no experiences in dealing with you spirits, my lady, but I've been the vessel of many spirits in my life.  Not only have I guided them to the next life, but some of them even joined me in appreciation.  I have several options myself that you might be interested in."

She then moved closer to the spirit, her lips next to the ear.  "I'll let you join with me, my dear, so you can do what you wish to move on.  Even if the others are wary, you can still use me, you and your friends, as I guide you, all of you, to the next chapter of your existence.  We will break this curse, we will move on to the next life, and we all will be free.  As it should be."

She then moves her arms wide and looked into the ghost's eyes, her lips were almost kissing them.  "Come," she said.

Meanwhile, Darcy's eyes were wide.  She didn't know what was more harrying:  The idea of a ghost possessing her, or this Witch allowing it to happen to her without a thought.  She didn't voice it, but she prayed that Jamie Wisdomtouch knows what she's doing.

The rabbit cringed and backed up abit at the idea of being possessed.
"Now i mean no direspect ofcourse but I've got enough blacked memory in my head for a life time. I would really prefer to not add to it."

  Now, see.  This is why having a professional witch along is often a good idea.

  "Will you be okay taking an entire facility worth of ghosts at once? Or is there nothing we can do to help in this situation."

  He comments to Meiou "There are probably a lot more spirits than there are bodies to go around as it is, so I won't really blame you for skipping out Meiou. So uh... Just direct any spares wanting your body my way, I guess?"

  OOC: Tark A and Tark B have very different opinions on how cool Jamie is.  One of the more interesting things about playing the same character in multiple locations that can turn up.

OOoooh!  Possessed of the memories of the place!  Now the nonsense Nathan was getting from those guys' thoughts earlier make more sense!

"Ms?  Oh.  Sorry.  No offense intended."

Jamie's ritual and sales pitch make Nathan feel... uncomfortable? Tainted? Ready to use smite evil, turn undead, and douse the witch with holy water?  Hard to put the nameless feeling into words.  So he simply frowns and readies his weapon, searching for a diplomatic way to defuse a witch-devouring-a-soul standoff.  (Or the alternative where the witch was unknowingly out of her depth and winds up controlled by a host of malevolent spirits.)

"I wouldn't be so quick to take this ghost at her word, Jamie.  Nothing we've experienced so far has even remotely hinted that there's anything but evil down here.

"What assurances can you give that what you say is true, Ms Ghost?"

The ghost says, "I can offer no proof to earn your trust. Your trust can only be given. While your caution is wise, the fact is you are trapped. If you like, you can have one of your friends exit the cave and watch them become a haunted, partly insane individual. In short, you have little choice. You could always just stay here in the cave for the rest of your days."

Igatho says, "I'll go! If a ghost haunts me, I'll hit them like I did to the other guy!"


EDIT:

The ghost then looks at Jamie. "Your offer is accepted. Your companions are as hesitant as expected, but you are not."

The ghost then moves towards Jamie. As do a host of other ghosts that look like they had been waiting behind walls. "Last chance to check with your allies. They sounded like they wanted to help, but also want proof. Offer a suggestion for their sake."
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:54, Thu 22 Feb 2018.

In reply to Igatho (msg # 356):

Jamie's eyes showed an understanding far beyond her youthful expression.  "It's all right, spirit.  They're not as experienced in these things as I am.  Tark might be more willing than he lets on, but the others?  I'm afraid you need someone who knows who they're doing."

She then turns her head back to the others.  She could see one such ghost standing behind Darcy, but that ghost was more out of awe over what she's seeing, "I never thought I'd see one like her," Jamie heard this ghost say.  "How does she keep such a humanlike appearance."

That causes Jamie to raise an eyebrow, but she leaves it at that.

"You might find me a little...off...for the next several moments, my dearies,"  Jamie said as she pointed to her head.  "But I assure you that I'm still inside me, among the others.  Just follow along and be ready to smash what I tell you.  We'll break this curse and go home, I assure you."

And with that, she turns back to the ghost she's still holding hands with and leans in as if giving her a kiss.  With this contact, everyone sees the ghost lose whatever shape she was and begin to seep into Jamie.  As this happens, Jamie's skin started to glow and her long red hair become more untamed than normal.  In fact, the locks, as well as her flowing witch dress, appear to float in the air as if gravity as turned off.

As the ghost's former arms disappear she opens her now white glowing eyes and welcomes the others to approach her with a warm smile.

The rabbit shudders. Reminds him too much of those books he would sometimes
read in old buildings when he was off on his own. This made him really
uncomfortable but he tried to brave it.

  At the very least if things go wrong, all the ghosts are now in one body vulnerable to suplexes

  "So uh...  Is this a twelve step plan situation, or 'one needlessly complex step' plan?  I'm going to be displeased if they want us to throw you into a distant volcano"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:55, Sat 03 Mar 2018.

Nathan keeps his grim expression, watching the goings on.  So far it seems like nothing evil is going on.

"No need, Igatho.  I think Jamie's got this handled."

He's still ready for the sudden Exorcist jump scare.

Seeing the others not object too much, the ghosts all enter Jamie! Jamie now knows the following:

She is currently possessed of 233 ghosts. Of those ghosts, 30 are scientists who used to work here. The other 203 are people who were tortured and experimented on in this lab which existed in the basement of a science museum. Unbeknownst to the people attending said museum, people were being tortured just 2 levels below their feet while they had fun and shopped.

Jamie also knows the answer to Tark's question. It really is as the ghost said: Take ghosts to location X. Destroy location X. Problem solved.

Igatho has a peeved pouty-lipped expression.
https://psychcentral.com/lib/w...2/04/upset-child.jpg

Igatho mutters, "....better not hurt Jamie."

Jamie gasps at the sheer number of ghosts entering her.  For a moment, she stiffens up, but she then relaxes, her face saddened by the number of people who were tortured.  As she closed her eyes, her whole body appeared to glow with an inner fire with the number of spirits inside her.  Even her floating hair almost resembled an open flame.

In her mind, all 233 of those spirits found themselves along a forest path, before them, a Bavarian village stood among the trees, under a lush canopy below a starry sky.  All the buildings have lit lanterns inside, and local music can be heard from everywhere and nowhere in particular.  It all gave a feeling of warmth and welcome to her visitors.

As they headed into town, they saw others in the village, memories of those she helped before, mingling with the ever-present memories of the red-haired elf they're inhabiting.  In some buildings, there were storefronts showing what happened to previous ghosts.  Some were transformed into angels, fly through the air, and on to the next world; while others found themselves into other beings in reincarnation.  There were even various machines being built in some places where spirits go in...

Her eyes open, revealing only a white glowing light without any pupils, whatever tear she shed over how some of the ghosts died, it had already fallen off her now placid face.  Her voice seemed to be a harmony of several voices mingling with her own. "Two floors down," she said, "Follow me."

She then walked ahead in a slow, steady pace, her feet not making a sound.  She only looked ahead as if something was guiding her.

The rabbit just started following jamie stretching out as he walked by.
"I'm sure she's fine. Lets get this over with as quickly as possible"

  Tark nods to the tall baby and the short man "For as sure as she seems to be able to handle it, the less time she's sharing a one room apartment with a crowd the better."

Nathan is still none too pleased with the creepy special effects going on.  Not exactly one to trust the undead, even if they were unjustly treated.  After all, it's their negative energy of undeath fueling the curse that instilled madness into all those living guys from earlier.

Still, he'll be relieved when these folks move on to their final destination.  Assuming Jamie's being honest about helping and isn't harboring some dark agenda of luring in ghost children with a metaphorical candy house so she can eat them.  Witches.  99% of them give the rest a bad name.

Then Tark's comment makes Nathan stifle a laugh.  "Now I'm imagining a comedy skit based off too many people sharing the same room.  'The Overstuffed House, starring Bob Getsa, Olsen Cameron, Scott Stamos, The Quintuplets, and Bozo's Wagon-Full-of-Clowns Circus Troop."

He plays one of those silly sitcom jingles to help lighten the mood.

Igatho is staring intensely at Jamie and says nothing.

Inside Jamie's mind, one ghost approaches her and says, "Hello... I'm the one who had forgotten her name. If you would... I will shepherd the spirits who are here while you reassure your team that you are alright. Then I will guide you to the lower, hidden basement..."

Igatho says, "I hear you Miss Noname Ghost! You said there was a lower, hidden basement! Do you hear me?!"

Back inside Jamie's mind, the ghost looks surprised briefly, but then gives Jamie a helpless smile. "...I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Very young children often show the ability to communicate with spirits... please calm your friends? I will wait."