A Tale of Twin Crafters [P|Co]

[Flower]

The Doctor studied Surge with some unique powers of observation, being able to determine that he considered the locket of hair to be the most valuable item -- although why was not clear. There were clearly various other herbs and weaponry in the room that one would have thought were more valuable. As Okane's guard stepped up to the Doctor, hand on his dagger at the belt and shield raised up, Surge would be the one to answer.

"Oh, he'll do very well," Surge said, then leaned in toward the Doctor's ear. "You're going to have to take a leap of faith," he whispered as the guard drew his dagger and Okane passed him a vial. The guard walked up to the Doctor and Surge would step back, only about a foot to give them some room, as the squat man clasped the vial in his left hand (the one with the shield). The guard's dagger was made of Mortal's Woe, a special translucent, crystalline metal that shimmered in the lamp light -- more noticeable now that it had been drawn from its sheath.

The guard would hold out his arm, perpendicular to his body and facing up, as if showing the Doctor to do the same. The guard, Okane, and Surge waited to see if the Doctor would follow his lead, the jagged, crystalline edge of his dagger floated in the air above where the Doctor's arm would be if he raised it. It seemed that they intended to cut him... at the very least. Everybody waited, the air ripe with tension, waiting to see if the Doctor would agree. He still did not sense any hostility coming from the party, only that familiar, strange indifference which was, almost, even more unsettling.

The girl, also one of Okane's bodyguards that the Doctor had noted, appeared to have no weapons or packs at all, only pouches that lined her vest and belt. The youth couldn't have been older than fifteen. Thin, blonde hair fell down around her mid-section and her black outfit. She kept a close eye on the Doctor, as if to make sure things didn't get out of hand.

[The Doctor]

And here came the rub. The Doctor already had a bad feeling about this but was always a paranoid person. It is why he has been measuring the whole room and every person he has interacted with, with the exception of the woman earlier. Perhaps not all parties were working on the same information as everyone seemed indifferent towards the Doctor. It was time to go through the facts.

Surge asked the Doctor to gain information on an item or items. This agreement has already been broken due to the circumstances as nothing here seems more important other than the lock of hair and that is something the Doctor could not decipher at this time. Next is the man that stood in charge of the situation, a man named Okane who is an arms dealer and quite renown in the area.

Now we are in a peculiar situation. The man in front of the Doctor was a goon who had a vial and a dagger. The Doctor would know the type of material coming from the Dagger as Mortal's Woe due to his geology capabilities. Next would be the vial. What was in the vial, this was something the Doctor would not know.

Then there was the woman the Doctor felt would give him the most trouble. She was watching him carefully. She was making sure he was not making any movements. The Doctor knew what her intentions was. She was supposed to keep the Doctor in line.

So what are the options? Does the Doctor simply jump in and allow the man to cut him? Sadly that is not the Doctor's style especially when trust was already broken. Surge did not explain this and already has shown he cannot be trusted fully. A plethora of possibilities can happen with this blade and vial, and then the Doctor could find himself in a serious bad situation. One thing for sure, if he gets in a bad situation he may have to fight his way to get his RideBack back. The Doctor needed more information.

He took a glance at every person, looking at their eyes mostly. He wanted to see if any member had a bloodline he may be familiar with. He was looking for red, or white eyes. If he did not see any he would begin. First, as a weaving movement he just stood there hands to his sides while he glanced over towards the woman keeping an eye on him. Unless she had special techniques to notice he simply performed an Exchange the Roles of Host and Guest to her. This was a supplementary technique within the Venatores catalogue but it allowed the Doctor to perform an ability known as Dominate Person (Will 36). He would know if it did not work on the woman unless again she had techniques specifically used against this, and the Doctor only knew of one which was something he knew how to do as well. The Doctor did not make any indication he was doing anything, just looking around in a nervous look (Going to have all Acting auto 100 die roll from Technical Path III, giving a 440). If it worked, the Doctor would not give any roles to the woman and simply wanted her to act how she normally acts.

Then, with the combination of Motionless Self-Action and Pre-sight the Doctor decided to take a glance of the room. What would take 3 seconds the Doctor would see 25 minutes into the past. Pre-sight was an ability within Soulcasters allowing the Doctor to see the energy laid within it. With such a small time frame the Doctor could see into the past area of their viewing as if he was there.

[Flower]

As the doctor scanned the room, he didn't notice any red or white eyes. In a moment he would attempt to dominate the woman who was keeping a close eye on him. He found that he was able to slip into her mind, although she definitely wasn't a weak-minded opponent, and his gamble had paid off (link). She continued to act normally and the guards fell for the Doctor's nervous shifts and glances. The Doctor would also note that the girl was standing eerily close to Okane's right, which left an intriguing opening for the Doctor.

Then he would look into the past. Suddenly, the Doctor could feel his consciousness falling through time as he looked back at how the room had been just before he entered. Okane had been sitting on the golden cushion for some time it seemed, with the various bodyguards on either side. Although there were six of them. He had rolled some strange herb into a leaf just 25 minutes earlier and tucked it aside as he spoke with another person who had been in the room. This one appeared to be a lucrative merchant, wearing special clothes and fabrics with some of the seals of Nebulia's wealthiest families. It was a man with a messenger pack strapped around his shoulder. The merchant pulled out several vials with an odd assortment of body parts and clippings. One had five teeth. One had several fingernail clippings. There was even a jar pulled out that held a finger.

Okane looked over the items and determined that there were good. He sent one of the guards to retrieve a different jar, this one tucked away in a box on one of the bookshelves. It had been wrapped in a cloth, but the guard removed it and revealed that inside there was a light, purple-colored eyeball. The guard gave it to Okane who handed it to the merchant. "Thank you for your business," Okane said and the merchant left, putting a cloak over his body to hide his face and finer clothes. Okane brought forward a different guard, this one wearing glasses and with long black hair, and told him to take the jars to a man named Vern on the opposite end of the Golden Bazaar. The guard left and took the jars with him in a main pack.

After Okane finished the conversation, he set about rolling up another thin, narrow cigar. It seemed that he kept several of them on his person -- inside a container in his pocket. He did this to pass the time and made jokes with the guards about the some of the patrons in the bazaar. Eventually Surge and the Doctor walked into the room.

As the Doctor finished peering into the past, he would find them all still waiting for his arm to lift up. "Now then, can we get started?" Okane asked, his mouth moving from behind the mask. "Lift up your arm."

[The Doctor]

This is perhaps what is called an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. The immovable Object at this time was the Doctor and the Unstoppable Force was the man standing in front of him. The Doctor has used up all of his senses and abilities at this time to gain what knowledge he could. He even peered into the past to get a better understanding of what has happened and what has to come, however he has yet gained enough. He knew if he continued by asking questions the man in front of him would become impatient. Luckily the Doctor had an ally standing next to him unbeknown to him.

So what was next move. What was the plan the Doctor could perhaps do at this point in time. He reviewed the facts. The man standing in front of him wanted the vial to be filled with the Doctor's blood. The dagger he was holding was a mortal woe dagger which would cause greater harm to the Doctor. Perhaps this was needed? Perhaps this was something the man did not know about. Either way the Doctor knew that Surge was not necessarily hiding something from what the Doctor could tell. He knew what was the most important thing, and it was the object in hand.

It was time for the Doctor to take a leap of faith, but his faith did have a condition.

"Lift up your arm." Said Okane.

The Doctor nodded and parted his lips. "One question," he said looking over Okane. "I am willing to pay tribute," he said calmly, trying to reassure the man before continuing. "It is a simple task and would take no effort, however," he stopped briefly eyeing the Dagger. "Does it have to be from a Mortal Woe Dagger," he said nodding towards it. "Does the Vial need that much tribute?" he continued once more looking at the vial. "If it is needed then please allow me to ease the pain," he continued before finally raising his arm up.

[Flower]

[OOC: Sorry for the short post, want to move us along to the next part and feel like we're reaching a conclusion to this scene.]

Okane, and Surge even more, seemed surprised by the Doctor's request. Okane lifted his hand in a "stop" position and the guard with the special dagger and shield stopped his approach.

"It doesn't matter what weapon is used to pay the price," Okane finally said, "not many of my guards have ordinary weapons, but if you had one I suppose that you could fill the vial yourself. It does need to be filled completely" He glanced at the guard (in a particular way) who made a stifled grunt and brought the vial to the Doctor, passing it forward so that he could take it. Although Surge had seemed surprised by the Doctor's request, he seemed to content that it had not affect his plans.

The guards (save the one that was under the Doctor's control), Surge, and everyone seemed to be waiting to see how the Doctor would proceed. The air felt heavy with hesitation and uncertainty, but with the right action maybe this whole situation could be diffused. At least Okane seemed willing to reach a compromise -- a good sign. The locket of hair, bound with a silver thread, was still held preciously in Okane's hand. The rest depended on the Doctor and whether he would pay tribute as he had claimed. If he did, then the guard with the shield and dagger would be prepared to take the vial and bring it back to his master to inspect the contents.

[The Doctor]

The Doctor began to read the room. It seemed Okane was a man willing to negotiate when necessary so long as it did not interfere with his main objectives. This was good. The man in front of the Doctor grunted and passed the vial towards the Doctor.

The Doctor would take the vial with his right hand. He glanced at it up and down for a moment before he raised his left hand up slowly. "I have something that will allow me to pay tribute," he said calmly looking at the vial. He would slowly move his left hand towards the right side of the inside of his jacket. He did it slowly, carefully in order to not startle the people in front of him. They were willing to compromise with the Doctor, however he did not wish to spook them and make this situation worse.

He did have a feel of control here however, as it seemed he was starting to get a handle. If allowed he would pull out one of his bare boomerangs. The boomerang was incredibly small. It was about the size of a shira-shuriken, sharp along the front edge.

From there the Doctor looked up at the audience once more. "I will begin," he said calmly before placing the boomerang's edge against right hand, but not before he transferred the vial to his left hand, carrying both the boomerang and the vial close together. If allowed, the Doctor would perform a technique. It was just a moment, a blip that took no time at all with the Doctor's capabilities. With the combination of Still Jutsu and Ease Pain found in the Medical arts the Doctor quickly slashed down against his hand. He would cut the hand with his boomerang and allowed the blood to seep into the vial.

If the group allowed him to finish he would top off the vial with his blood before handing it over to the man once again. Once the vial would leave his hand the Doctor would replace the boomerang back into his jacket, while at the same time perform another set of techniques. Once again he used Still Jutsu until the boomerang was back in its pocket. He would clasp his hands together while Healing Hands would begin its process, healing the wound.

Here, the Doctor would wait.

[Flower]

The audience watched, albeit cautiously, as the Doctor drew his weapon from his jacket and made a small cut against his skin -- filling the vial with his blood, having determined this to be the "tribute" that the group alluded to. The Doctor handed the vial back to the guard, who brought it to Okane and dropped it into his hand. Okane looked it over suspiciously, showing it to one of his other guards, before nodding his approval. The first guard put his dagger back into its sheath with more than a little bit of displeasure.

"This will do," Okane said and dropped it into one of his own coat pocket. He walked forward, if he wasn't interrupted, to hand the jar (with the locket of hair) to Surge. "You have upheld your end of the bargain, so I will return the favor. The portal is in the basement of the Bazaar. I've given you the key. The rest is up to you."

Surge would hold the jar tightly in his fist, keeping a close eye on the Doctor to make sure that he didn't try anything suspicious. The guards were still standing watch, but the Doctor still had his ace in the hole. "Thank you," Surge said, and took the arm of the black market merchant -- giving him a half-bow (which Okane returned in a mirror image) before turning to walk out with the Doctor. Leaving the vial of blood behind for Okane's unknown endeavors.

If the two were able to leave without any interruption, then the Doctor and Surge would step back out into the bustling bazaar. It would feel somehow stranger now, to have had an inside glimpse at one of the deals that kept this operation afloat. Although there were people all around the doorway, moving from cart to cart to make their trades with the shop keeps, the Doctor and Surge would be moving away from Okane's gang and into an apathetic crowd. A perfect opportunity to do some sorely-needed catching up as Surge walked ahead, presumably in the direction of the bazaar's basement.

[The Doctor]

The Doctor finished healing up and just stood there quietly. He noticed the displeasure of the guard who wanted to cut the Doctor. A smile crept on him as he watched.

"This will do" Okane said handing the jar towards Surge. He listened carefully as he mentioned a basement in the bazaar. The jar was the key. He saw how Surge held the jar tightly while staring at him. The Doctor in turn looked at him and back at the jar before looking away back up towards the group. He slowly turned with Surge to leave the area. Right now was not a good time to do anything but he knew there was some real interest with the Jar. Sure the Doctor had an ace up his sleeve, the young woman, however he did not want to get into unnecessary trouble.

As they walked outside, the door closed. The Doctor was now in the Bazaar. It seemed Surge was in a rush as the Doctor sorely-needed catching up while Surge walked towards what he presumed to be the Bazaar's direction.

That's when the Doctor acted.

Eyes off of him, he was no longer the center of attention. In a Bazaar of about a hundred people the Doctor was simply one of many. In fact he was simply a "Fly on the wall". Without sacrificing a movement the Doctor simply moved in a non detection field. Those trying to find the Doctor must make a Sense Motive Check against the Doctor's Acting skill as he simply "existed". If he was successful he was simply an unimportant detail in the background. This allowed the Doctor to hide in plain sight, however the Doctor decided to follow along Surge. He would just simply be dismissed.

The Doctor used two skills in his bag. The first was his Urban Tracking just in case if Surge got too far. The other was a blend skill. Just in case if he was caught from the Fly On the Wall capabilities, the Doctor would blend in with the crowd using his Full Body Corset, becoming one with many as he would glide within the crowd following Surge, heading towards the direction.

What was Surge's next step.

[Flower]

As Surge had taken off into the bazaar, the Doctor began to move into the crowd and attempt to become an uninteresting detail in the background. Surge wouldn't be able to spot the Doctor anymore -- as he looked around confused for a second -- and it would appear as if the Doctor's ruse had worked. However, Surge seemed to anticipate a problem and so he stood in place with his eyes closed for a second. Then, all of a sudden, he would be gone into thin air unless the Doctor's will was strong enough to see through his Invisibility (Will save DC 25). Whether or not his trick succeeded, Surge would move back through the crowd with more hesitation than before -- watching his back as if the Doctor were still following behind.

If the Doctor didn't see through Surge's trick, then he'd be left alone in the crowd with only his knowledge of the basement and the Golden Bazaar's black market to guide him.

If the Doctor was able to see through Surge's trick, a likely scenario, then he would be able to follow close behind until Surge left through an enormous archway in the front of the bazaar. It had been crafted out of pristine, white marble. Surge would move down a platform of wide steps, and the Doctor would be able to turn around and see the domed ceiling of the bazaar. And that it appeared to be crafted from gold, or at least some imitation, as it sparkled and shone decorated with the sunlight. But he wouldn't have long to admire its architecture as Surge came to the bottom of the steps and took off across a courtyard.

He moved around the foundation of the bazaar to be alone, unseen by the guests above them, and looked for something. Soon the Doctor and Surge would both note a door wedged into the marble around the corner. The door was locked (Padlock, Impossible) and decorated with strange symbols, not to mention a garnet had been crafted into the middle of the wood. Surge approached the door as if getting ready to open it.

SPOILER: Click to show

Invisibility
Rank: "B"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: The user can conceal themselves from ordinary vision, giving them the benefits of full concealment.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Affects anyone who sees the target. The user is able to perform this technique on the target they touch. The duration of this technique lasts for 5 minutes per class level. This technique may be negated with a Will Save of 10 + 2 per Class Level + Impeccable Will. The creature or object touched becomes invisible, vanishing from sight, even from darkvision. If the recipient is a creature carrying gear, that vanishes, too. If the user performs the Jutsu on someone else, neither the user nor their allies can see the subject, unless they can normally see invisible things. Items dropped or put down by an invisible creature become visible; items picked up disappear if tucked into the clothing or pouches worn by the creature. Light, however, never becomes invisible, although a source of light can become so (thus, the effect is that of a light with no visible source). Any part of an item that the subject carries but that extends more than 10 feet from it becomes visible, such as a trailing rope. Of course, the subject is not silenced, and certain other conditions can render the recipient detectable (such as stepping in a puddle). The Jutsu ends if the subject attacks any opponent. For purposes of this Jutsu, an attack includes any Jutsu targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the Jutsu. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon and have them attack. If the subject attacks directly, however, it immediately becomes visible along with all its gear.
Limit: Must be a Sensor Specialist.

[The Doctor]

NQn2WWK61-20 Will Save

The Doctor made the wrong move. He moved upon impulse and he cursed himself for doing so. He watched as Surge closed his eyes and disappear before appearing to him. He was still before performing the technique. The Doctor's knowledge of Chakra Lore kicked in as he watched carefully. With his skill of Chakra Lore (250) he would try to identify it. If successful he would determine the Jutsu was Invisibility while using Still Jutsu. He believed it was Still Jutsu since the man did not make a move while performing it, or this was a variation of Invisibility and not a GenJutsu.

Since the Doctor was able to see through the trick he continued to follow the man through the Bazaar while Surge kept looking back even more cautious. When the Doctor and Surge would leave the Bazaar the Doctor used his stealth and moved with the man. He would follow down the platform of wide steps, down to the bottom and across the courtyard. If there were enough people around for the Doctor to continue the ability of blend he would do so, if not he would simply use his stealth capabilities. Every time he was within 3 meters of a shadow he could hide from view in the open without the aid of anything to actually hide behind. This was the capabilities of Hide in Plain Sight. Combining with Walking Shadow the Doctor could use this against creatures with blindsense, blindsight, and tremorsense. Speaking of Tremorsense the Doctor moved with mimicking movements to match that of tremorsense allowing him to be undetectable in such a way.

When they reached the bottom he would stay his distance but moving with the man. He would make note of the door's decoration and type of lock. He did in fact carry a Lockpick set and was confident in his skill to get through it. One of the Doctor's Expertise was that of Locks. He trained a lot in terms of locks, learned the makes, creations, and different fashions. What became a hobby exercise slowly turned into an obsession as he looked at the designs upon the door in front of him. He would slowly move behind Surge, enough to keep a distance arms range with a small blade.

He slowly stood up, while changing his expression. It was an expression of curiosity and yet with a tinge of concern. All an act of course, but he wanted Surge to know he was there. "Fancy door, how do you get in?" he asked with a sleight heightened voice, again making it sound curious and yet concerned.

1-20

[Xango]

Just keep moving. Surge thought to himself, hesitating with dull fear, caution spiking at having lost track of the Doctor. At least he's lost track of me too..

"Fancy door, how do you get in?"

Surge made a sound like gargling cold oatmeal. He turned around suddenly, his fists balled into hostile knots, eyes wildly taking in the sudden form of The Doctor behind him. He tried to back up in the same instance, a practiced motion from one used to combat, but was too near the ornate doors arcanely marked bulk to complete the movement. His right elbow banged against the door's surface, dislodging a small mundane dagger from within his sleeve, which clattered noisily to the ground between his shoulder-width splayed feet while the jar he held fell along with it. The jar bounced once before being taken back into Surge's grip, who flailed like a madman afraid the precious container might break. He was shaking. For just a few seconds too long, something like murderous intent radiated through Surge's body, but he calmed himself quickly enough once he was able to recognize the doctor's face and voice. He used the motion of bending down to retrieve the dagger to further steady himself before chuckling lightly and taking a few deep breaths in and out. The jar remained unbroken. The lock of hair inside was miraculously undisturbed.

"You...scared the devil out of me! Thought I'd lost you. Easier to move through the crowd without them gawking, I suppose." He seemed to be offering and unprompted explanation for his own stealth maneuvers as well as The Doctors, his voice getting quieter as each word of the sentence completed.

He ignored the Doctor's question about the door, adding "Just a Doctor, eh?" and laughing more, this time a far more genuine guffaw. He met the Doctor's eyes with his own gaze for an instant before turning to face the door once more, his Sensor-adept invisibility fading completely. He set the jar down, reached his calloused hands towards the door, fingertips tracing it's odd symbols as if afraid the pressure of his touch might make them fade away. And then.

One of the symbols on the door glowed bright silver. Then another. The locket of hair within the jar seemed pulled by gravity that ignored the boundary of the jar itself, was pressed against the side closest to the door as if it would break the glass.

A single strand of hair bypassed the jar's solidity, winding up through the air, inserting itself into the space of the first glowing symbol. More of the symbols glowed. Surge turned back to the Doctor with a face full of childish excitement as from the other side of the heavy barrier verge, howling winds overwhelmed every other sound in the nearby bazaar. A slit appeared, an opening. Surge had to shout to be heard, had to lower his center of gravity to avoid being subtly forced towards the door's cracking cacophony.

"A LEAP OF FAITH, DOCTOR! A LEAP OF FAI--"

A blinding flash. Surge was gone. The jar was gone. But.

The door was open.

[The Doctor]

(I'm so sorry, this might be a shorter post than I would like lol)

The Doctor waited, watched as the man was scared. He kept his composure, his cool as he stood there in a somewhat ready position while the man took his step back, running into the doors. He watched as he saw the man's right elbow bang against the door. His eyes darted towards the dagger just for a brief moment before paying attention to the man's chest area. It seemed like combat may happen. That's when the sound echoed within the room. The Jaw would bounce as Surge would grip it.

The Doctor himself would take a step back keeping his hands to his sides somewhat ready, to give the man some room, but more importantly to give him more room just in case. He watched the man carefully, reading his body, reading his movements while noticing the man slowly began to compose himself.

He watched the dagger being picked up and the Jar. It was a good thing it made it through while bouncing off of the floor.

"You...scared the devil out of me! Thought I'd lost you. Easier to move through the crowd without them gawking, I suppose." Surge quickly spoke out. His question was ignored. "Just a Doctor eh?"

"I was behind you all this time. Perhaps you misplaced me," The Doctor responded, not necessarily telling a lie. He was indeed behind Surge, but that was a mistake. He should have just followed the man without making a spectacle of himself and perhaps scaring the man, or even making the man distrust him. Though now the question about the door would be answered.

"Just a Doctor," he said with a smile in response, giving a slight grin off of his face.

He watched as the man was essentially opening the door. The hair moving through the jar, winding up through the air as it inserted itself into the glowing symbol. He looked at Surge noticing the excitement on his face. He did not know where the door lead but it made Surge quite happy.

Then the howling winds occurred. The Doctor raised an arm up as he steadied himself. He looked up and saw as Surge shouting, and being forced towards the crack. The words rang in his ear. It was just like before. What did the Doctor have to lose. He had his resolve and his curiosity got the better of him. So the Doctor moved forward towards the door and would head in, following in pursuit.

(Let me know if this is okay, or if there's something wrong so I can fix it).

[Xango]

Stepping through the door is akin to entering a long, wide tunnel. You are aware of forward motion but there is no necessity to actually move your own body - you are being pulled or dragged, falling or climbing; directions make no sense in this interstitial plane. But your time in this 'between-place' is brief. There is not a light at the end of this tunnel, whose walls stretch around you like a smooth off-white porcelain throat, there is instead a blackness, a dark spot further ahead than your hands can reach. The motion of the tunnel is guiding you towards this darkness. As you draw closer, you begin to hear several noises. Some of them are voices. Only one is familiar.


"Wha-what...why....w-w-where...where is...sh---". It is Surge's voice. Your experience as a Doctor informs you that his voice is pained. He has been injured, but by what you cannot be sure.

"WE DON'T BLOODY KNOW, YOU MONSTERS! WE DIDNT BRING HIM, WE NEVER BROUGHT ANYON---" A stranger's voice. It belongs to an older gentleman, intelligent sounding, but angry, scared. It screams in contrast to the soft pleading tone of Surge.

"Brokkr...calm down, we can still treat him, they won't come in with the portico's aperture ajar. Help me. Grab the tools." A calmer voice, from a man even older than the other.

"Won't come in. No we musssn't. But humansss ssstay. Good little humansss. You being bad. Not ssso sssmart. You don't leave. We'll get King. King will know. King will decide. Kill you traitorsss. Grind your bonesss."

This voice is like no other you have heard, but you can already tell. It is formed by something without a human tongue, and it is hungry.


Pushed through the darkness at the tunnel's end, you find yourself in a 25 by 25 foot stone cell. The only light comes from a gathering of roughshod candles flickering with gray light, and the fading of the 'door' behind you, which seems to take up the entirety of the rear cell wall. On this side of the bizarre portal, only the strange symbols remain; it is like a stone carving and had you need to stepped through it, there would be no indication that it was a doorway at all. If you look around closely, you will notice that this cell is neighbored by others, but that every other cell is constructed from what looks like red tar, molded into the shapes of spheres. It is a prison cell of blistered pustules radiating heat. The cell of stone crafted around the symbol-marked door is a new addition, seems to have been constructed specifically for it's strange occupants.

Surge is on the ground. Peeking through thin openings cut into the stone that allow guards to reach in, is a horrifying humanoid creature with a head bristling with horns. In the creatures hand is a spear whose blade is quickly removed from Surge's gut. Blood quickly pools beneath him. Two older men sit next to him, going about the work of Doctor's, trained hands placing pressure and ripping scraps from their own worn prison clothing to act as bandages. In the corner of the room are thousands of sheets of paper divided into two piles. One pile seems to hold sketches of bizarre machines and armor. The other pile holds what look like drawn and redrawn blueprints for some type of shop.

"EITRI, HE'S NOT GOING TO---"

"Shh, we have a visitor..."

Both men now stare up at you.  They are on guard, Haggard, malnourished.  Rags barely cover their bodies more than the scars crisscrossing their hands and arms.  The only other objects in the room are foul smelling buckets, a few ruined books, and the bones of small vermin picked clean.  They have moved Surge's body away from the cells tiny stone opening, away from the guard's spear.  There is a piece of driftwood acting like a desk and bits of charcoal propped up against the East wall, on which the symbols of the door you stepped through have been copied, modified, enlarged, or shrunken.  Marks on an upraised stone block near the floor serve as the familiar image of a crude calendar; they have been here for at least a year. 

Surge stares only at the ceiling.  Despite it being in the way of the men trying to help him, he clings to the jar as if it will keep him alive.  

The creature walking the halls licks his spear and saunters away giggling maniacally.

[The Doctor]

The Doctor felt himself being pulled. The sense of floating while moving forward came upon him. He could not see but the Doctor concentrated his observation to his ears. Eyes stayed open just in case while he felt the motion of moving. As the Doctor drew closer that was when he first heard it. It was Surge's voice. He was in distress.

That's when he heard the other voice, a man yelling out loud. Then the name came, Brokkr. The Doctor did not waste time. He had already exposed himself so much and it was something he did not like. Luckily he already had been wearing most of what he needed anyways. With a few press of the buttons along his left inner sleeve the Doctor's Full Body Corset began to work, altering him some. The helmet attached wrapped around the Doctor's face. The clothes altered with the Doctor's appearance. His jacket was black mimicking the jacket he was already wearing. His equipment never changed. No the Full Body Corset only altered the Doctor's appearance. Everything else stayed the same. The Pants were of cargo design but with no added features. The shoes he was wearing were that of combat boots. Around his waist was a simple belt but the more interesting change was his shirt. The protection did not alter as there was really none but it seemed he was wearing a padded design of shirt with a chest piece looking to be of protection, perhaps Kevlar made. The color was also black. The most important part was the Doctor's face was being hidden. The helmet was mostly black, sleek in design. The gloves around his hands changed as well to be more rugged.

When pushed through the Doctor would find himself in the decent sized room. He collected himself, allowed his eyes to adjust to the dim light. Thanks to the Doctor's training of Kyusho he was accustomed to low-light. His eyes could see light twice the distance. He quickly observed his surroundings to get the proper grounds. The Doctor had questions. He noticed Surge bleeding out. He noticed the two men with him. He looked to the corner and saw the piles of sheets. Most peculiar.

What was even more interesting was the horrifying humanoid creature with a head bristling of thorns. The Doctor was a monster hunter. In a blink he went through his memory palace while scouring through his palace looking for a description of such a creature. The Doctor's knowledge of Creature Lore was immense. If he found nothing however he would not push it for now.

Then the 2nd name was released. Eitri. The Doctor looked at the two men. He saw they were in horrible conditions. His eyes looked at the hands noticing they have been through some rough times, perhaps from their own decision. The Doctor moved away from the walls while eyeing the man known as Surge. He walked over towards the men were. "Step aside, I can heal him," he said calmly, waiting to see what they would do. "3 Questions. Where are we? Why are we in a Prison Cell? How do we get out?" The Doctor asked through the helmet. He asked whether they moved out of the way or not.

[Xango]

Your knowledge of creature lore makes the being's true nature readily apparent; the guard is a Devil, Ogrelim Breed, but of a level considerably lower than that of Thrice Horned Caste reputed to dwell within the desolate hellkin prairies of the sixth abyss. For a creature of darkness, it is relatively weak - but it is not alone, and floating, walking, and shifting about the many other cells in this prison others of it's kind can be seen and heard.

Surge is in danger of death. The lacerations to his stomach have all but removed most of his lower intestine, and his hand falls stiffly to hold himself together. He is shivering with the same palpable shock that causes the two men attempting to tend to his wounds to stare wide-eyed at you.

"WHO...WHO ARE YOU?" You are questioned immediately, but neither prisoner has the strength to stop you going neared to Surge, and they could not defend him from further attack even if they wanted to. They resolve themselves to trusting your offer of aid, though they have little hope that you can do anything more for the man than they could. Though both hear your questions, only one answers, but it is obvious from his mannerisms that he is wary of strangers. They seem to have expected the appearance of Surge. Your appearance causes them only additional fear.

"We are in Ghartlechreim, a province in the Land of Myth...you are...no longer in the world of men, which is where I assume you have come from, Mr.....?". He eyes your dark armor suspiciously, noting it's design with a sort of academic interest. His gaze suggests that he is attempting to discern it's construction and style despite the stressful conditions of his surroundings. A quiet yelp from Surge draws everyone's attention before he continues on, scanning you for weapons or signs of aggression.

"We are in a prison cell because...well..."he starts, before; "BECAUSE ITS ILLEGAL TO BE HUMAN IN THIS GODSFORSAKEN COUNTR--" followed by Eitri chiming in "Calm down Brokkr. Our troubles belong to us, and us alone."

Eitri tries to look into your eyes, scrutinizing your every mannerism, careful to observe your actions towards Surge and determine the level of your doctoral prowess. But your last question has given him pause, and he lowers his head in defeat before answering you, patting Surge's hand, the one that still holds the strange jar. "We'll take care of her, it's fine, don't worry." He whispers to Surge.

He looks up at you once more. "I don't think we can get out. Not unless they..."

And then the stone walls of the cell begin to shift. From each corner, red pus-like growths blister up, slow liquid congealing, spreading across the stone floor like disease. From the meter-wide opening where the guard attacked Surge, the Devil-Guard's face has returned. He stares at you too, but it is not with a look of fear. He stares at you with pleasure. As the red substance bubbles up to fill the cell, your quick mind let's you assess the rate of it's expanse.

In three posts, the cell will be completely filled with the strange substance.

In two posts, Surge will die unless drastic medical measures are taken.

"OUR WORK!!!" Brokkr calls out furiously, running towards where the red overtakes their sketches. He reached out to snatch a few of the sheets stacked near the top, and then recoils in pain before even touching them. They give off visible waves of heat and burn the paper on which the two have paid our their plans for a better future.

"Ssso many humansss. New and old. Sssick and weak. Ssshould tassste foul. But Ssso sssweet. Black armored one. Let you go. If you kill. Kill the othersss. Can trussst usss...". The voice of the guard is atrocious and he laughs as if he does not believe even his own words.

[The Doctor]

He recognized the type of being. He recognized this place was some sort of prison. Eyes narrowed as he began moving towards Surge.

"WHO...WHO ARE YOU?" yelled out the man but judging from the build of the man they could not stop the Doctor. The Doctor knew they were afraid. He was dressed in a formidable way. The way the Doctor was dressed was in fact to put fear upon those around him. It was also a great way of hiding who he was.

The Doctor stood over Surge and the others as he examined the body briefly. From what he could tell, the man was bleeding, and quickly. He knelt down to the man. The Doctor clenched his right fist extending the index finger's middle knuckle. He first would try to pry Surge's left arm away and would quickly tapped the crease of the wrist between the tendons of the palmaris longus and the flexor carpi radial muscle. Then, immediately he would aim with the same hand up at the temple. Both spots the Doctor would strike with the middle knuckle. The first point was called Neigwan which was a starter point for most techniques in the Medical Field of Kyusho. The second point was the damage point of Shangquan. If the Doctor was successful he would knock Surge unconscious for the next 40 minutes. Then, without time to spare he would immediately strike at the man's head again, but this time along the Tongziliao. This one was right to the side of the eye. If he was able to hit this point, Surge would not remember the last four hours. The purpose of these attacks was not to inflict pain. Instead, the Doctor needed to take Surge out of the equation. For the Doctor's sake, and his own.

As the next to him began to explain the situation the Doctor began to concentrate on the Chakra within him. He forced the chakra into the palms of his hands as he began to use Moderate Healing Hands. A Simple trick, that did not cause discomfort for the Doctor.

He noticed Eitri was looking at him, but all the man would see was the smooth dark dome of a helmet. No eyes, could be seen. Only void.

"Who is her," the Doctor asked hearing the whisper.

That's when the Doctor made his quick observations. While continuing to heal Surge he first looked behind him to see if the portal had closed. If it did he would try to see if there was something similar for him to use the jar as before to get out. If not he would hear where the voice was coming from. He blocked out the words as he knew that this being had no intention of keeping its word. Instead the Doctor was locating its position. Finally, the Doctor would quickly examine the walls of the prison to get an idea of where an opening was, such as a door, or locks. If the Doctor was able to gain any information from these three setups the Doctor would make his move.

[Wolf of the Falls]

"The opening to the cell is open. Leave."

-Cohort Mission completed