Ivy and Chrome PbP Forums

{OOC: Sorry for the delay everyone. We had family in this weekend and I didn't spend much time on the computer.}

The priest seems about to respond when he's interrupted by a soldier asking him a question. By then Darl is concentrating on his spell and doesn't hear the question or the answer. {OOC: By the way, slight correction. I got my wires crossed in the second post, it's a priest and not a regular guard.}

Darl spends a minute concentrating and manages bit by bit manages to pull some energy from the surrounding soldiers (16 PPE). As soon as he feels that he's gotten all of the PPE he's going to, he concentrates on a new spell (Net PPE loss -14). Darl feels his consciousness travel back in time. The disembodied feeling of being in the present and the past threatens to break his concentration before a picture finally coalesces in his mind.

It is dark and the two guards lay dead on the ground. Blood pools on the ground next one of the guards. A dark robed figure is kneeling on the ground next to the other one; a jar of some sorts is being held next to the dead man's neck to capture the blood flowing from the severed artery. The jar fills and the dark figure quickly buts a stopper into it. Pulling back it's cloak the figure deposits the bottle in a hidden pocket. In the last instants as the spell world begins to evaporate, Darl catches a glimpse of a dark, hairy bare knee. The leg just above the knee is covered in what appears to be multiple scars.

Once again Darl feels the disjointedness of being in two realities at once before it settles once again in the present time. As Darl's eyes focus once again on the present he sees the Priest looking at him expectantly. "I really must insist that we go inside now." He says bluntly.

OOC: Was the vision from the extent of Darl's range, or could he try a few minutes earlier in order to try and catch a better glimpse of the perp? And did he happen to see which way the perp left? (Was expecting a few minutes as opposed to a few moments, given the cost of the spell. Though we could also assume the priest interrupted things.)

IC:
As the vision fades, Darl makes an effort to commit a few last details to memory ... approximate height of the perpetrator, color of their cloak, and whether the scarred leg impared their movement at all; attempting to recall if there was any indication of a limp or other such trouble with motion.

Looking back at the priest, Darl lets out a a snarl. "Fine ... Though if you had not broken my concentration, and would have let me focus for a few more minutes, I could have caught a glimpse of who killed those guards. Now, we can go see Tobius, and let the chance of recatching the vision fade while he interrogates us for the next hour ... or you can let me try again now, so that I might actually have some answers to questions I'm sure he'll be asking. Which will it be?"

Assuming the latter, Darl will follow in silent disgust.

OOC: The time span was longer than it seemed; the blood being collected in the jar takes a few minutes. Also, the duration is listed as one minute per level of caster; sorry, one of the limitations of being low level. I gave you a teaser in the middle assuming you would use that information to fine tune what you want to see, either before or after what I gave you.

IC:
Darl commits a few more details to memory about the moment he observed. The figure was shorter than Darl but taller than most humans. Its black cloak covered up most features, but Darl could see a rigid outline of either a hard carapace or body armor. Its shoulders are broad and the glimpse of an unarmored arm that Darl got revealed more scarring. In retrospect, the scars appear to have been made by a sharp object such as a knife or sword. It was difficult to get any more details than that as the cloak was black and obscured further details. The hood was pulled over the figures head so its face was not visible. The vision ended before the figure started moving, so it's impossible to tell from that viewing if the figure was impaired by the injuries to its legs.

The priest purses his lips before responding. "One more quick try, and then we really must go."

Once again Darl concentrates and tries to draw magical energy from the soldiers around him. The milling crowd has brought others within range (18 PPE gained). After a minute of concentration he prepares to travel into the past again...

{OOC: Please specify whether you want to go forward from your last viewing or backward. You are still well within the time range of your spell, so either is possible.}

OOC: Doh! Sorry, my bad. I missed the 'minute per level' duration, and was going only by the spell description. Apologies.
As for the recast, let's go with before.

The black of night once again replaces the present as Darl concentrates and delves the mysteries of the past hour. (net -12 PPE)

The two guards stand watch staring out into the night. One man yawns and rubs his eyes blearily before continuing has scan of the surrounding darkness. Visible to Darl, but not to the two men, the door behind them slowly opens...first a crack and then far enough for a person to come through; but no person does and the door closes again. Then, before his eyes the dark figure appears out of nowhere behind the guards. One moment it's all darkness, and the next the hooded and robed figure appears with a long curved blade in hand. Reaching around the first guard the figure quickly and silently slashes clean through his throat. At the commotion of the dropping body, the other guard turns and has only moments to take in what's happening before he too falls prey to the shadowy, quick figure. The figure is obviously not slowed by the wounds that created the scars Darl saw earlier on its body. Both throats are cleanly cut and spurt blood as the hooded figure quickly retrieves the jar from its inner pocket and begins to fill it with the fleeing life blood.

OOC: This all took less than a minute, but nothing else of interest that Darl didn't already see occurred during that time.

IC:
Light replaces dark as Darl once again returns to the present. This time the priest insists that they go inside. As they walk down the hall and past Father Malaki's office Darl sees another crowd of people outside the old man's office. Even with his height, Darl can't see anything beyond the open door. The priest directs Darl to Brother Tobius' office where he finds the rest of the group waiting.