nyc ♔ i hope this isn't my last night

[recycling]

WHO || Davin, Alice, Matt, Sawyer
WHAT || The Knights trace inexplicable messages being played on the radio
WHERE || NYC
WHEN || April 18th, 2015
HOW || Actionspam

Strange transmissions cutting into radio stations with no recognizable source. Mysterious messages in Shadowkind languages that no one's been able to decipher. And very few leads on where to go with all of this, except for a couple names of some of the random citizens who seem to have received the messages. It's hardly much to go on, but definitely an interesting mystery, that takes the small team into the heart of NYC. They arrange their flight to arrive after sundown, for Davin's sake, and he's pretty openly scornful about being assigned to what's likely a wild goose chase.

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sawyer ♔ closed

[behindcloseddoors]

[ it's a pleasant enough wednesday for this time of year. sawyer's driving back into the city from wherever, when static comes over the car's speakers. shrill electronic whines and discordant buzzes pop from the speakers, interrupting an urgent voice, which speaks in what she recognizes as elvish, although it's too quiet at first to make anything out. ]

[incantatio]

[The sounds are startling enough that the car swerves, Sawyer wrestling it back under control before she can veer too far into oncoming traffic (Drive 18). A hand snakes out to turn the volume of the radio down but when she catches the familiar language, she does the opposite, turning it up as she tries to catch what is being said.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ she catches it as the message repeats, some of the words in English by necessity: ]

You must [ STATIC ] the FAO Schwarz store [ WHINE ] 5th Avenue and acquire a BunBun electronic rabbit within [ BUZZ ] hours. You must go to that [ WHINE ] store. You must [ STATIC ] this task within the next twenty four hours. You may go with as many people as [ BUZZ ]. You must not fail.

[incantatio]

[There's a blur of fur as a curious Ferret scampers up onto the dash, head hanging over the edge as it stares upside down at the radio before turning it's intelligent gaze on Sawyer.]

Don't look at me. [You know you wanted a conversation between Sawyer and Oscar okay. His little head turns to the side. Resting judgment face.] Don't.

[Her hands grip the wheel a little tighter as she eyes the road, a turn coming up to her right and with a groan (and a Crit Fail on her Will Save as well as a Nav check of 17), she gets into the right line and flicks her indicators on.

FAO Schwarz store here she comes.]

Happy now.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ the building faces the street, and it's difficult to find parking in NYC on a good day, so she's going to have to hoof it a ways. the entrance has double glass doors that swing outwards, and then automatic sliding doors just inside. the walls are glass, allowing customers to glimpse the wonders inside. a customer service desk stands directly to the left upon entering, and the shelves here at the front of the store hold seasonal clearance merchandise - valentine's day stuffed animals mostly, in this case, as well as ice skates and a few staggered christmas items. the store is bustling as always, so it's hard to navigate anywhere. ]

[incantatio]

[This time of year? Yeah Sawyer probably stands with her nose all but pressed against the glass, shivering from the cold as the whimsical allure of the store and promise of warmth finally draws her inside. She does at least consider the possibility that she'd heard incorrectly, that this was some prank or a seriously messed up scavenger hunt so rather than waste time searching the aisles, she goes straight for the customer service desk, the small furry face of Oscar peeking out at his surroundings before burying himself back inside the warmth of her Winter coat as Sawyer waits for somebody to serve her.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ the somewhat harried looking desk employee finishes her phone call and hangs up, turning to sawyer with a plastered on smile. ]

Can I help you?

[incantatio]

Hi - yeah. Um... [She gives an infinitessimal shake of her head, hands resting on the counter.]

I don't suppose you, happen to sell something called a, 'BunBun electronic rabbit', do you?

[behindcloseddoors]

[ the woman's eyes immediately light up with recognition at the name, the sort of wearied irritation of someone who has been asked that question a hundred times today. ] I don't know if we have any left. Those things are flying off the shelves.

MEANWHILE ❧

[recycling]

[ meanwhile, the knights themselves are interviewing a burly cab driver who wynn directed them to. he insisted on their cramming into the cab and paying on the clock for his time, and he doesn't have very much enlightening to say on the subject, much to davin's continued annoyance. this is not the vacation you're looking for.

"It just came on outta nowhere. Radio wasn't even on. How the hell does that makes sense?" ]

[icouldbe_bess]

[ ugh new yorkers. ]

It doesn't. I think it's pretty clear none of this makes sense, which is what we're trying to do. Do you remember anything that was said, did you recognize the language?

[recycling]

[ "It was all just gobbledygook. I tried turning the radio on... changing the station... all the same thing. One of my passengers said it was Dwarvish but he didn't even speak it." ]

So the other passengers could hear it, then.

[icouldbe_bess]

[ not that we're implying you made this shit up or anything. ]

Has it only happened the once?

[recycling]

[ "Once was enough. I'll be glad if I never hear that nonsense aga--" oh hey what's that weird sound

coming from the speakers real quiet ]

[icouldbe_bess]

[ alice all but vaults over the seat in her haste to turn the radio up. but she's a slippery eel so she probably doesn't elbow anyone in the face as she goes. (dex 20 total) she's cranking this bitch up to eleven, sry for your delicate ears, davin. ]

[recycling]

[ "Hey!" the driver protests, but the radio fills the car with the sound of some kind of Shadow language. davin snaps at matt to yank out his drakenet phone so they can make with the translating. ]

[byrned]

[ Matt's been pretty distracted looking out the window because everything is amazing to him, but oh right they need him. Got it. So he pulls out his phone and starts to get up the recording app to capture the sound ]

[recycling]

[ sawyer, davin, alice, and matt all head towards the back shelves at the same time, moving past racks of large items - basketball backboards and nets, soccer goals, bicycles, etc. as each looks around for a bunbun, make spot checks plz ]

[icouldbe_bess]

[ alice has her eyes peeled. (spot 24) look, she spent a lot of time dwelling on christmas gifts for her nephew, toy stores are her jam now, i guess. ]

[incantatio]

[Bringing the Nat 20 spot checks to the party is this half-elf who is probably making a beeline for the bun bun as we speak.]

[byrned]

[ (Spot 16) so he probably heads in the right direction but gets distracted by a plastic piano on the way ]

[recycling]

[ all three of them would take notice of not only the other people making a beeline for the bunbun, but also another figure who is right on top of it: a burly caucasian man with blonde hair in an unfashionable buzz cut. tattoos are on his neck, which they would all recognize as prison tattoos. he wears khaki slacks, a denim shirt, and a baggy rain parka.

all four of them also notice something about him that definitely doesn't belong in a toy store: holstered under his left arm is something bulky, most likely a handgun.

sawyer notices that he's also wearing concealed body armor of some sort.

they all hit the bunbun at about the same time, and he reaches out for it. anyone who wants to try to beat him to it can make a reflex save. ]

[icouldbe_bess]

[ yeah, no, alice knows better now that she has been literally impaled with a sword, so she pulls back and away. and edges behind davin. :D IT'S JUST A TOY. she is not being shot for a toy. ]

[incantatio]

[Oh hell no. She's not looking to get dead just because a radio told her to get this friggen toy, especially not going head to head with Rambo over here so she's not only not going to reach for it, she's going to take a step back, eyeing Rambo cautiously.]

[byrned]

[ Matt isn't looking for a fight, especially not in the middle of a toy shop. So he pulls his hand back ]

Hey sorry mate, was just for my little sister, you know she's been wanting one of these a lot. [ bluff 15 ]