6225/Murder Circles - Revelations

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Murder Circles - Revelations
Date of Scene: 19 January 2019
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Harry Dresden, Kaelyn Silverleaf, Thomas Raith, Lex Luthor
Tinyplot: Murder Circles


Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden had received a wrapped package from sources unknown and clients unknown with a large bundle of cash inside of his office door with a note requesting he investigate 'the activities of the previous owners.' He had heard of the Murder Circles incidents of course, since the details had gone throughout the occult community; the murders, the strange circles written in blood and the attempt to power surge the ley lines of the city freeing...something. Something bad. They had been stopped a few months back in a massive battle between the protectors of gotham with several occult heroes against THINGS from some kind of horrific dream realm.

Carcosan.

Harry had been chasing the leads since then, and while they were doing a great job laying low, what Bob had told him about the entire thing involved way too much Tentacles or Sanity draining things from beyond. He did not like it. He had tracked a small cell of them to one house in particular and summoned what back up he could at the spur of the moment. Right now, he sat with a grilled cheese sandwich and a thermos of coffee...watching.

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
When one puts out a help call, sometimes you get help from rather odd places, or in this case and odd person. There's a ripple, it's huge, like over 9 feet tall and out clops a massyve clydesdale centaur woman... IT's the horse's rear, honest, She pauses just outside the ripple which fades away and looks around curiously, tail flicking back and forth...

Kae then umms "Someone called for help?" She asks curiously, though trying to stay quiet... She then notices harry and watches him curiously, kind of studying him for the reaction to her wandering in hors'ified...

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith is standing with his back agienst Harry's.... well one could suppose that it's still /technically/ a car, eyes casually watching the direction Harry had pointed out to him "Harry, I swear by my unholy good looks and towering ego, if you brought me out in the freezing cold in the middle of the night for nothing, I will drag you kicking and screaming into the Velvet room, tie you down and pin about ten $100 bills to your shirt.

Lex Luthor has posed:
It was subtle, the work Lex Luthor was doing. It was brutal, but subtle. The mercenaries had been hired to make the deaths look like rival gangs taking control of turf to throw off suspicion.

The Bat might claim Gotham as his turf, but Lex had a vested interest in keeping these cultists from accomplishing their mission, and didn't want to be connected to the killings.

From his branch office in Gotham, he was overseeing the entire operation from his officer hub; much like a general leading his troops, he was co-opting networks and mercenary cams to build a clear picture of the chaos he was creating... and making sure it was as orderly as possible.

The entire point of these contracts was so Luthor himself didn't need to go out with his armor to handle business... but with magic, you never know.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden waved to Kaelyn, and then looked at Thomas as he muttered, "It's not for nothing. I took some material from the book and used some sympathetic magic. I traced three of them to this location. They move around a lot but they keep coming back here." He pointed to a string with a bit of leather on it moving back and forth as he moved his hand, "One is in there now....and I am betting the other two come here tonight. They like Tuesdays."

He shuddered at the idea of the Velvet room looking guilty for reasons he didn't want to go into. He looked at KAelyn and whispered, "I might be able to help with that. Let me Listen." He concentrated as he listened, slowly expanding his senses.

"Is that a horse out there?"

"What? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard Mccully."

"I swear I heard..."

As he Listened, he caught a bit of radio chatter. Furrowing his brow he expanded his senses again and heard the distinctive sound of guns. Lots. He grunted with concern. "We might have more company than I expected."

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
Kae's back left hoof raises up slightly and rubs at the instep of her right back hock.. She sighs.... "Ya know, this bod is not built for stealth, right?" She says, and mutters a bit before glancing around... "HAng on, I might be able to maybe make their gaze slip off us..." She says and glances a bit before turning one of her bracelets around and tapping one of the crystals on it. It glows briefly and Kae smirks "Making it put up, well, what one of my apprentices calls a Somebody else's problem field. Should keep em from noticing us if we don't do anything too un towarde... Maybe. IT's not new magic so maybe wont draw wayward eyes too?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith meanwhile reaches behind his back and pulls out a pair of kukri knives. "Stealth? he asks ae, in an amused tone. HAve you met this guy? You're practically a ninja next to him. Last time we worked together I had to run away from a fifteen foot tall demon gorilla throwing flaming poo in the general direction of my charming self. Though that makes me wonder Harry, do we actually /have/ a plan this time?

Lex Luthor has posed:
Whatever the plan is, it'll likely be dealing with the half dozen commandos that are making surgical sweeps of the building. Single and three round bursts sound in the air despite the suppressors. The hardware being used is military grade, and the armor is bleeding edge. Screams can be heard by this point as people die from gunfire within.

Whoever they are, they're well equipped and know what they're doing. They're also unidentifiable visually, with no visible patches, or gaps in the helmet visors.

Back in the office hub, Luthor is keeping an eye on the situation, "They're retreating to the top floor. Alpha 1 and 2, break off and make sure they're not trying to prepare anything. Everyone else, keep up the sweep as planned."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden says, "They're shooting each other!" He looked at Kaelyn and then felt with his hand, "Nice. We need to get in there, since they are literally killing our clues. And I suspect we to get closer."

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
Kae shrugs "Soo lets go in I guess!" She says and shrugs and begins to wander forward, heavy hoof falls somehow dulled maybe? Who knows. Another odd thing, she's not leaving tracks.. "Hate having to use magic to move quiet... ish... Gonna have to use some to fit in there too." She says now as she litterally walks up to whichever door the breaching team didn't walk up to...

As Kae gets closer, she reaches into a pocket and pulls out a few wands, or maybe rods? She tosses one to Harry.. "They'll stun or temporarily freeze..." She says with a slight grin.. "Am sure ya can figure em out right?" She also tosses makes to possibly toss one to Thomas "You need one too?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
"Magic is more his thing," Thomas says as he steps up to the door and applies his boot to it. The man has the strength to bend barbells around each other, so it's unlikely the door stands much of a chance. "I'm mostly just here to looks pretty and chew bubblegum. Harry took the last of my bublegum."

Lex Luthor has posed:
It doesn't take long for the screaming to give way to hurried footsteps as those inside retreat further into the house to get away from the armed enforcers.

By the time the others are inside, the first floor is quiet... but a chaotic mess. It was a surgical massacre. There are dead bodies of cultists all over the place.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden smiles to Kae, "Nice. Better than having to fry them or blow them back." He still has his staff white knuckled in his grip. These people creep him out but he doesnt want them to die by magic or otherwise.

He whispers, still Listening, "The first floor is clear. I'm not sure where they are....no, four are holed up in the basements, mercinaries...corporate." He moves forward looking from side to side on the door, Kaelyn's device used with the skill of someone who knows what he is doing in his free hand.

"He is also very strong and also good at talking which I might not be good at from time to time...." he beams and moves to the door, opening it and looking at the inside. He sighs,"And I thought leaving Mouse would be a good idea. Remind me not to do that again Thomas." He looks to Thomas and Kaelyn and makes vaugue gestures with his hands in some kind of criss cross actions but is absolutely terrible at doing it in a way that is readable so moves across the closet and says, "The basement joor is a jar.

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
Kae sighs, takes a breath and a simple whispered phrase, said phrase barely audible,but definately there, soft one one's sense of hearing, and rythmic, and well, Kae simply fits inside the house... Whether she's shrunk, or the house has grown, who knows. Probably using some kind of pocket dimensional magic to make it easier for her to move around...

"I just know this, first time one of those corporate mercs make a my little pony reference, I'm kicking em through a wall, or sitting on them, don't know which." She huffs.. Maybe she's trying to be funny? Kae finds her self having to duck out of the way of a chandolier and she sighs.. "Wow someone really doesn't like these cultists... Do we want to talk to those guys up stairs? Or well, yeah, you lead, on, I'll cover the back I guess.. I'm good at blocking things currently, and I have some pretty heafty autonomous enchantments should the mercs start shooting."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith says, "Well Mouse /is/ pretty much the brains of your little operation, now isn't he?" he asks, the banter soft and quiet. Something to distract him from the fact they've walked apparently into a human slaughter house. He holds his knives at guard positions as they move foreword, looking for survivors. "And honestly KAe. That's just rude. Remember, Friendship is MAgic too.""

Lex Luthor has posed:
Down in the basement, the sounds of more gunfire are heard as the commandos continue to massacre the remaining cultists.

Up in the top floor, the sounds of shouts can be heard... and someone screaming in pain for a lot longer than being shot. There's also the sound of electricity being conducted, followed by muffled voices.

"Nest, Alpha 1. Package is secure. Collateral is dealt with. Requesting extraction in five at rally point 1."

Back at the hub, Luthor just watches the helmet cams, "Extraction is on it's way." Another button is pressed on the computer suite he's monitoring the situation from, "Ferryman, extraction is go. They've requested five minute eta."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden looks from Kaelyn to Thomas and says, "Can we....not do the cultural references war right now? By the way, speaking of which I think that if that SEP reference came from Douglas Adams, more awesome on you." Quietly, stretching his senses, he whispered, "Hexus..." making the radios and tech of teh mercs likely fritzed a bit. "I don't wanna freak them out but I would rather question these guys and these guys need to go to the cops, not the mercs. Also I'm not a big fan of murder, even of murderers...."

Down below, the lights go out and the radios are not working very well. The basement is lit by gaslight but it casts eiry dark shadows on a room that does not feel...good. Having learned a lesson from previous attempts, in a distant chamber, three masters sit around in a circle chanting....the feel of the house begins to grow frosty and the shadows grow long. Something seriously magical is going on. But not the summoning of a demon.

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
At the friendship is magic comment, a very very large hoof somehow lands dangerously close to a certain person's foot...

Kae bblinks and tilts her head, sighing.. "Yeah someone's casting something big and frosty, we'd probably better hurry." She mutters.. "You guys go down the stares first, I'll follow, don't want to land on one of you guys by accident, less you think the casters are on a different level, And we'd probably best hurry.... Another option is I can get to you guys when you find what yer looking for and I can try to check out the flks up stares... Up to you." She says simply.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith artfully manages to step away from the crashing hoof, grinning playfully at the centaur. Still the moment is to serious for flirting, and he nods, "I'll take point, try and distract them. Harry you blast anything that tries to, you know, kill me. I dislike when people do that."

Lex Luthor has posed:
It's around the time the group heads down into the basement that pained shouts can be heard from the commandos, allowing just enough time for the remaining two cultists to flee elsewhere in the basement, out of sight. "Switch to local mode." One of the mercenaries hisses through his helmet.

Clearly Harry has had an effect with that spell.

When they come into view though, the commandos turn their attention on the newcomers, though their weapons are /not/ raised towards them. "We're not here for you, leave and you won't be harmed." The presumed leader states with authority as they waits for Harry and companies move.

Upstairs, the same commgear is fried, but they already know their orders and where they're going. The target they're capturing is already being carried as the two start to head out into the night through an upstairs window, moving for one of the taller buildings in the neighborhood.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden shouts out at this point, "PUT DOWN YOUR GUNS!" It's a noble idea and he is trying to save lives, but it ignores the simple reality of what the spell is. He doesn't recognize it at first but as the hairs stand on the back of he quickly attempts to fix a bad situation as he shouts, "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES BUT WE TAKE CARE OF THE CULTISTS...." Its not the most diplomatic but it is....genius and it scares the shit out of him. "Thomas, draw a salt circle...KAelyin if you can raise a mental shield do it...or join Thomas..."

The concept of thin places in the never never, the space between words is an easy one such as a grave yard being a thin place for ghosts or a forest being an easy place to a faery forest realm...but the universe is vast and there are places where there are mathematics far beyond three dimensions that need to be known merely to exist, mathematics and non euclidean geometry that is just WRONG to mortal human minds, some of which are touched on to do magic but some are twisted even for wizards. All the casters were doing was making the house a ...thin...place.....letting the walls between worlds bleed thin, not to pull through a demon but to expose the reptile brains of the monkeys inside to the impossible non real physics of the realm of the dreamlands....a madness that could infect the less intelligent or the bestial....the shadows grew longer. The cultists, used to this, were utterly unaffected and smiled. The mercinaries might not be so lucky.

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
Kae tilts her head.. "How bout a 4 layer warding circle?" She says simply. She moves up besides the other two wizards, yeah, kind of crowding but they can allways duck under that barrel of hers. "Here we go..." She says her personal wards flaring a bit at the whole spell thing before she motions to the troopers "Step in here to! IF you want!" She says and out comes... Her phone! Yup i's a phone, a not so common every day variety phone? Kae taps some things into it muttering "First time I've ever gotten to do this.." She mutters and suddenly a three dimensional image of a 4 layer protection circle appears and Kae flicks at it, drawing the 'hologram' out nice and big, before it settles on the ground around the wizards. IT then burns its way into the floor, litteraly "Salt too!" She says with a bit of a grin. It's forced but there you have it...

"I'll start counter-chanting now... Pour salt into the burned in circle... that'll make it more potent..." She says and without waiting, begins just that, one thing about those born into magic and all, when drawing on their own power, sometimes auras become visible, even to the normal eye, Kae's is, burning bright as it appears runes and other arcane symbols float around her while she focusses on trying to counter the cultist's spell...

Thomas Raith has posed:
"And here I thought Wizards and technology didn't get along. How did that thing survive Harry's Hexus spell?" he asks curiously as he pulls out a large ziplock back full of salt. He bites the corner off and uses the hole for a nice even pour as he traces around the circle that the phone created. "Harry, I hate to tell you but I'm pretty sure her magic is cooler then yours."

Lex Luthor has posed:
Luthor doesn't hire idiots for these sort of jobs, but it's clear that at least two of the four are starting to buckle under the pressure of reality closing in on them. "what... is..." One clutches his head, "We were warned about weird shit." One of the more enduring members replies. "Take them and go. We're not getting paid to deal with magic."

They don't drop their guns, but they are moving to leave supporting each other, and will leave Harry and his friends alone if they're left alone.

The two carrying the knocked out cult leader are about to enter the tall apartment complex nearby... and the sound of a stealth VTOL approaching the neighborhood can be heard by those listening.

Seems extraction is arriving soon.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden is already stealthed thanks to Kae and while not invisible isn't stopping them as he feels the hammer on his own mind. He casts a stink eye at Thomas, "Everyone's a critic. Mine has points for personality." The four cultists can't summon a Dream Wraith but they know a spell or two and are chanting. He uses the jolt from Kae's paralysis but finds that it is harder than it would be since the belief is harder in this alternate version of reality. He is not really here for them. He looks at the makeshift material in the compass and reaches into a hidden panel in the wall to take out the book. It will reveal more clues about what this is all about but by not taking on the muttering cultists, he gives them time to summon a Hound of Tindalos.

Unless stopped by Kaelyn or Thomas the mercs make it out just fine even if the details of Thomas, Kaelyn or Harry is minimal as well due to Kae's SEP field.

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
Kae's eyes litterally have a slight glow to them as she whispers, mouth working through its own chant as she is tryng very hard to keep the cultists from summon whatever it is they're trying to summon. As she sees magic form, she squints, then puts her own arcane abilities to work, 'flexing' her muscles as it were to try and undo what was done as fast as it's done...

As she squints and whispers, Kae litterally types in a text while still whispering. It's very simple as she shows it to Harry. It says "Spell is slippery, this is tough to counter."

She then flails her arms and rolls her eyes, a forehoof stomping as her little text let the cultists get just a bit more leverage, so Kae throws more energy into the counter cast, trying hard to pull that leverage back... She grits her teeth rather audibly and her tail lashes back and forth now with the woman's concentration.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith finishes pouring out the salt, placing the bag back in his pocket and redrawinging his Kukri knives, keeping an eye on the cultists and making sure none of them are getting close to the horse lady. Doesn't stop him from making bad jokes. "Just focus. Put your blinders on. I'm sure you'll be able to prance all over these guys."

Lex Luthor has posed:
It's around the time the stealthed VTOL craft starts to land on the rooftop that another newcomer comes into view. A green, black and purple power armor of unknown design lands on the roof opposite the house where Harry and company are at with a small metallic thud.

Lex walks over to the edge of the rooftop, the helmet of the warsuit concealing his identity as he activates the sensor suite to give a full biological and physical sweep of the house and surroundings.

Harry Dresden has posed:
The Hound of Tindalos is rewinded in time, the countering for its summoning beginning before it manifest. While not killing it, it is wounded and hurled across space and time, quite upset.

Due to the remote casting, Kaelyn is able to continue to counter it but in what she does it is about even until Harry remembers he has a book which is an actual sympathetic link between the two, stepping into her warding circle and channeling his magic in tune with the book through hers. The two wizards are more than a match for the three sorcerors and the spell is shattered. The effect slowly starts to leave but the cultists are eying Thomas but for some reason seem far more afraid of him than most might as if they sense that he is more than he appears to be.

Harry really wants to make a bad my little pony joke, he just isnt' thinking of one except things involving Nay or Hay or Weigh or Weigh and is focusing mainly on keeping the book warded---HOLY MOTHER OF FRELL is a spaceship landing on the house?!

The mercs are glad to see the cavalry and cheering over the kind of working comm units that sound weak.

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
As the spell shatters, Kae is allowed to well stop with the counter spelling... She then looks at Harry and gives a thumbs up with a wink. Next she peers at Thomas... "Ya ever thought about being a contestant at a thoroughbred race?" She says with a rather 'sweet' smile... "I'm sure the idea might stirrup plenty of thoughts y'mgiht be able to saddle yer self with later..." She then points "Hah! I can make bad quirky horse jokes too!" And she then stares at the scared cultists "And no I don't want to reign it in either, now... Just whaaaat exactly were ya planning on doing here? Hmmmm?" she asks curiously, putting her hands on her 'hips' as it were.. well at least the junction of horse and torso.. she'd have to bend her torso backward to litterally put her hands on her hips.

Kae then glances around, tail lashing a bit as she does... "Ya know, why issit I don't feel too accomplished at this point?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
"You don't feel accomplished. All I got to do was pour out a bag of salt." He considers for a moment and adds, "I mean I got to look absolutely magnificent doing it, but still it was a total waste of my talent on loan from God." he says making sure not to step past the protective circle which is likely keeping his brain from frying like an egg.

Lex Luthor has posed:
The two heading for the rooftop extraction are already in the VTOL craft, while the four that just left are starting to get into the elevator up to the roof now.

"I need to invest in magical protection. These incidents are getting out of hand." Lex muses to himself up on his roof. The centaur thing has his curiosity, but it's Thomas who truly gets his attention... though without a blood sample, not much to do there but speculate.

Still, the mercenaries look like they're not having trouble, so Lex keeps an overwatch on the three in the house for now. Most of the cultists are dealt with, and those left behind will tell others about the massacre. Fear of being associated with the cult will spread.

Exactly as planned.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden says, "You prevented a ....thing...some kind of demon, from killing me. These cultists need to be turned over to the authorities..." despite the fact that when the Wardens got word of what they had summoned they would likely be killed. He nodded to Thomas, "Next time I'll let you go first....also both of you exuded a number of very pithy comments at my expense and really, if you can't get the witty dialog, what's the point?"

"I will wait for GCPD to get here. Thomas if you dont want to do paper work I can cover for you, and same with you Kaelyn."

Kaelyn Silverleaf has posed:
Kae Pshaws, and shrugs... "Bah, I run a store that sells to the magical folks and to normals alike... I know allllll about paperwork. Though your particular council buys from me and pretty much leaves me alone otherwise... So does Wu.... Dr Strange did a bit too then he went foop, but I'm guessing Wu counts." She says and rubs the back of her neck...

Kae then grins "Anyhow it was kinda fun, ya think we should question these cultists and get what info we can from them?" She akss, tail swishing again, Duck Thomas! Yes Kae's getting better and kinda aiming...

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith weaves around the tail with the grace of a dancer. It's not fair he doesn't even do yoga. Then he nods at Harry. "Alright Dresden, a pleasure working with you as always. Do me a favor and stop by the Blue lady sometime soon, there is a matter I'd like to discuss with you."

Lex Luthor has posed:
When the VTOL lifts off and starts to head for the hidden runway outside Gotham, Lex also takes off, the sound of his suit thrusters easily heard as he accelerates to 500 MPH in seconds, heading for his own armory in the city.

Time for phase two.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden says, "I have an arrangement with the GCPD, these guys are mortal enough that I'm not crossing my friend, even though I wouldn't put a lot of stock on their lasting long when the council finds out what they summoned. And sure Thomas...definitely will. Tomorrow, next day tops. I'll call your secretary." He smiles at the known arrangement between Thomas and girl. When it sounds like the space shuttle lifts off the roof he mutters, "Jesus I am glad I didnt hex that....I'm bad enough...adding Rocket fuel...."