Setting up home base

((@Wujen - I never said she was a spirit. Also there is a big difference between manifesting and materializing. Manifesting just makes you visible/audible on the physical plane as a ghost, but you are still on the astral and interact with the world as though you are on astral. A materializing being actually has a physical presence on the physical plane. Mages can manifest, but not materialize. 'Normal' spirits can do both.))

The bodies appear to have all been gassed to death. None has any particular signs of physical trauma and all are fairly rotten by this point. They are wearing typical lab clothes with no personal belongings other than their security passes. The only other thing of note in the room is a small computer console.

Torpor looks at the woman in the circle, "Who and what are you? And why should we set you free?"

Her voice seems to echo from everywhere at once, "You may call me Taishoko. Why should you not set me free?"

WuJen sees Torpor addressing someone in the second Mana barrier says "can someone bring my body in here. I'm not breaking that circle, and getting out of this room like this is a pain.

Torpor says to the air loudly, "I am not sure the air is safe for you to breath."

Then I strongly suggest you not speak with what and who ever is in that circle. Definitely don't let it out until we can assess the danger. Given what else we have found in here, it's unlikely to be cuddly, and someone went to alot of trouble to make sure nothing makes it out of here. These barriers are fairly strong. We can always wait for the power to come back up and wait for the AC to clear any remaining fumes, or maybe I could get Air to help clear the fumes once Cinder goes home.

(ooc: I know, but the air elementals don't actually have a power for moving air around. It was more of an rp statement. I will if it becomes an immediate need. It would likely be just as effective to have someone rig a vehicle or drone power plant to the buildings ventilation, or check for backup generators)

Seeing no immidiate danger, WuJen returns to his body as there is little he can accomplish from astral space.

Once he manages he checks the teams comms for images of the room in hopes of being able to get a handle on what's in there.

(Ooc: please make any applicable magical theory, threats, ect. tests)

((did we establish that the power is off because the power company hasn't turned it on yet, or is there some way that Chougou can try to turn it back on?))

Chougou moves his drone over to examine the computer.

Int 5 + Rea 5
Fuchou 复仇 carried out 10 launched of one d6 :

, , , , , , , , ,

((the power to the building is off. This room is running on independent power, which is why you were able to disengage the maglock. I forgot to mention it earlier, but the lights and all the other electronics in this room do currently function))

The computer currently is on with a prompt asking for username and password. Unfortunately, no one has decided to stick a convenient post-it note with login info written on it on the machine. Getting in will require some hacking. ((which Chougou can attempt remotely, if he wishes))

Someone eventually sends a video feed of what they are looking at to Wujen and as he sees the room and the woman he realizes a couple of things. First, that the external mana source that is maintaining the binding circle is likely some kind of ley-line (which could be useful for other things if you can clear away the unrelated stuff in this room). It may possibly even be powering the room's electrical needs as well, but he would need to study it closer to figure that out. If that is the case, such technology would be quite valuable.

The second thing he realizes is that the girl who is currently chained up within the binding circle is not a spirit. She looks like she might be a type of oni. There are many types of oni, the most common of which are essentially trolls who like to eat people. Those types of oni are brutishly large, strong and usually have red or blue skin. This girl does not appear to fit that description and given the extensive restraints, flowers and binding circle around her, he suspects she must be a demon oni. Demon oni are powerful magical creatures from the Jigoku metaplane who almost never come to this plane of their own will. Most are instead summoned using blood magic, which would make sense given the fact that this apparently was an Ankev facility. The flowers surrounding her appear to be oniyuri flowers, a type of lily that is unique to the Desian Islands which are said to dampen the magical abilities of all oni (and is generally one of the few things that the various types of oni have in common). It is unclear whether they are actually functioning to that effect, but they probably don't hurt to have around if that were one's goal.

"I can leave the room and bring you my mask Wujen, i am of little use in here at the moment." Torpor then walks out of the room and outside to where Wujen is and hands him his gas mask.

Standing around, Sun looks at the girl in the circle. "Sooo what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

The girl says in her echoing voice, "Months of nothing but being imprisoned in this spot. Please release me. I belief the keys to my collar are in that desk with the light box on it."

She points over at the desk with the computer console on it.

Sun goes to check the desk and see if there's anything there besides the keys.

The desk is locked, but any of the security passes belonging to the dead scientists gets it open. A set of keys is sitting in the first drawer along with random stationery such as pens, paper, rubber bands, paper clips, etc. A second drawer is filled with savory snacks such as potato sticks and puffed cheese umaibo. There are a couple of chocolates in there as well, but they appear to have melted. The third drawer is filled with assorted reagents.

(ooc: I am guessing you are using the more traditional Oni. Oni are also an orc variant with bright colored skin.)

WuJen takes the mask from Torpor and heads inside to see everything with his own eyes.

Upon seeing the girl he says "Hello. I am called WuJen. What would you like to be called?"

"You need not worry that we will keep you in there. I am concerned for the safety and f the community, so we will take time to discern your nature and the best way of getting you out, but I have no intention of seeing you bound if we can send you home or safely free you. Even if keeping you would be valuable in terms of money or power I'd still let you go, my only higher priority is the safety of my friends and community. "

"Why did those who set this up bind you like this? It seems they were involved in some dangerous research, which is why we are so cautious."

((those oni also exist elsewhere, which is why I say there are many types but she is not that))

The woman says, "They call me Taishoko. I was summoned and imprisoned here for research. The people in this building were studying beings who touch both this world and the world of magic: the astral plane. I believe they wished to make a machine that could do the same, but I do not know as to what purpose the machine would serve. There are other beings on other floors which they were also researching to the same end. If you release me, I will be no threat to you or your people. Those who have offended me have already perished."

Glancing at her chains and the flowers around her, she continues, "I have grown weak with hunger and exposure to these flowers. If one of you feeds me, I will grant that person a wish upon my release."

What is it you eat? We are already trying to arrange some meals for some of the other research subjects trapped here, so long as I can safely provide it I would of course provide for you until your release as well.

Taishoko says, "Soul energy. Ki. Life force. Just a little will be enough to restore my strength. In return I will grant any wish within my power."

Will any source suffice? I could arrange for animals. I doubt I will find many volunteers for having their essense drained.

Chougou will volunteer over the Commlink to offer some of his life force for a wish

Sent from Topic'it App

"You should be very careful. Essence Drain can be addictive and is deadly. The creatures that feed with it are often very powerful, and don't think much of their food supply. The Ki taken is not something that heals over time, usually. In short, it's a bad idea.

You aren't awakened, so the damage is mitigated in the respect that you won't be losing your connection to magic along with the Ki, but it will make the damage you have taken from your implants worse.

Ideally, if we need to feed her we should be looking for terminally ill patients that cannot be cured, assuming she can't feed on animals. Most creatures that exist on Ki cannot, the Ki must come from sapient creatures."

To Taishoko WuJen says "I really need to know more about you and how you feed before I'd consider letting you feed on myself. As devastating as losing Ki is for all of us, it is worse for those with magic.

It seems we might find a volunteer willing to accept your offer, though I advise against it. What do you eat at home? It seems like helping you return there would be safest and most satisfactory for all."

"Seriously, whoever these researchers were, they were radically irresponsible and playing with some very bad fire. If you want to study dual natured entities go find a hellhound or something. The spiders seem like they are worth the danger, but infecting people with hmhvv of any flavor, or summoning this Oni is just a bad idea."

Taishoko says, "I will only grant a wish to one who willingly offers their ki to me. Animals can neither consent nor state their desire. At home, I feed upon the same ki as I do here. The rules are different in Jigoku though. There, I can pluck ki like you would pluck apples from a tree. The ki here tastes better and is more filling, but must be freely given or it loses its potency. One person should be able to provide me enough sustenance that I can grant a wish and return home.

"Though you seem concerned about the weakening of your magic, the wishes I can grant are beyond anything mortal magic can ever aspire to. Some have wished for increases to their magical ability in the past. This is within my power. I can even grant it to those who have none, if that is desired.

"I do have limits. I cannot restore life which my extension also means I cannot restore lost ki. I cannot alter the past. I will not provide more wishes nor any requests that require me to remain a slave to fulfill. Beyond that, I can grant almost anything you might desire once an agreement is made.

"However, before we get to that, I require my freedom." She gestures to the collar around her neck and says, "Please, release me."