Infiltrating The Mortuary

[*Taurus Daggerknight]

Dace nods, quickly pulling out a second scroll and using it to change into a tiny jumping spider. Once shifted, he scuttled into her sleeve accordingly.

[*Cadence]

And what a vantage Roza had!

The walls of the first floor did not reach the ceiling, and Roza could see into multiple areas. The Great hall was an impressive chamber with numerous gigantic skeletal guards off to the side. Beneath her, just beyond the cul-de-sac was the commotion, and it was starting to die down. It's fortunate that she decided to climb up into the walls when she did; two Dusties promptly began to search the cul-de-sac with great suspicion, but did not bother to look up.

Further out, she could see yet another room paved with dark flagstones and roofed with heavy stone vaults. The ceiling was so low, that tall cutters would have to stoop to avoid hitting their heads, and Roza would surely be seen if she decided to spider climb her way all the way there..

Roza had heard of the internment chambers in the Mortuary - rooms containing portals leading to various places in the neutral planes including Mechanus, Acheron, Arcadia, Limbo, Pandemonium, and Ysguard. Dozens of additional portals would be accessible from these rooms and more still in the catacombs beneath the Mortuary. In the center of the chamber was a blank stone slab suspended by chains from the ceiling, allowing it to be faced towards any number of portals.

Of course, there were some chambers whose walls did indeed climb up to the ceiling, and Roza couldn't peek inside this way.

Though... she did make out a most peculiar sight. Well away from the distraction, she saw a ratty looking human male with spiked hair and goggles.. he appeared wrinkled and old. His robes were nondescript and a neutral brown- he would almost fit in here in the Mortuary but something about him seemed off and Roza could tell he didn't belong here. He was apparently tinkering with the massive bronze-armored skeletons in the Great Hall - a quite dangerous (and outrageous) thing to do.


Further down Roza could make out the stairs leading to the Upper Floor.

[*Madnobody629]

Smiling to herself at the searchers below, she would pause a moment on top of one of the walls that didn't quite reach the ceiling as she took in the aforementioned sights. She would take a moment to note the locations of the various portal rooms that she could see; affixing them to her mental map in case a truly quick and dirty exit were required.
Then after noting the position of the staircase up she would find her interest piqued by the old man mucking with the skeletons. Silent and strange she'd make her way over and above; When she got close Dace could feel her start to tense and then slowly relax, as if she had to remind herself that she wasn't stalking prey and had nearly pounced. This momentary flash of instinct tamped down she would watch the man work,very curious indeed.
The next floor would still be there in a few minutes, after all- if this man was up to sabotage then that could be very important information to have.

[*Cadence]

The goggled old fellow was unaware of the vampire who stalked only about 12 feet above his head. He had a small black tone opened and propped in front of him and was chanting softly. Though from the back he appeared to be like most dusties, his view in the front was quite different as he had gadgets of all sorts jutting out of his leather vest. Roza caught sight of a small handheld cannon sticking out of a sheath - a pistol - she had vaguely heard of the new types of weapons.

There were runes on the armor of the giant skeletons and it seemed as if he was attempting to thwart them - though Roza wasn't sure if his intent was to disable or destroy. Or sabotage. He was well-hidden enough such that someone entering the Great Hall wouldn't immediately notice him in front of the giant skeleton- but would have to near him a bit. Roza noticed tiny metallic orbs in a compartment on his glove attached to a small clockwork device made of gears. He was quite old for a human, and some of his fingers were swollen and didn't move as quickly as the others. Something told Roza that he used to be far more effective at this sort of thing when he was younger. He was also breathing heavily, though it might have been more from exertion than nervousness.

Roza and Dace had a decision to make here. They could either ignore this individual and be on their way. Attack him and try to kill him, wait and watch, or talk to him.

[*Taurus Daggerknight]

Spider-Dace rappled down from Roza's sleeve on a thin web strand, settling atop the mans shoulder. Before making a more definitive move, he tried to get a better look at the spell symbols the man was drawing, hoping to discern his intent.

[*Cadence]

From Dace's multiple points of vision on each eye, he could make out that the man wasn't actually drawing runes, but running his hands across the runes etched onto the armor of the giant skeletons. His knowledge of spellcraft allowed him to discern that these runes were activation runes, so it was feasible that he was attempting to disable to skeletons such that they would not be activated in an emergency.

[*Taurus Daggerknight]

....bugger.... Dace silently cursed. Much as he wanted to focus on the current investigation, the thought of what might happen if this saboteur was simply ignored kept nagging at him.

After a few more moments, he made a decision and shifted back to his normal form, while still perched on the mans shoulder, presumably overpowering him in the process. While the would be crook was still overpowered, he quickly spared a glance upward to where Roz was, mouthing "Go!". Immediately after the message, he reached down and swiped the mans gun. Being familiar with firearms, he quickly gripped its handle, finger on the trigger, barrel aimed at the mans head.

"Sudden moves, and I shoot." He says, one hand keeping the man pinned, the other keeping the weapon trained.

[*Cadence]

The poor sod was utterly unprepared for Dace's transformation, and despite a bit of wobbling, Dace managed to stay on top. Unfortunately, Dace's weight was more than enough to make the goggled fellow crumple to the ground noisily as his various trinkets were strewn about the immediate vicinity. One of his gauntlets with tiny metallic spheres started rolling in away from him in all directions. He let out a rather loud yelp and whimpered, shaking, utterly complying with Dace.


From Roza' standpoint, she could see shadows just beyond the hallway of Dusties coming to see what the commotion is about this time.

[*Madnobody629]

As she watched the scene unfold below, were anyone able to read Roza's mind at this point it would be a litany of profanity.
Dropping from the ceiling to land next to them she'd hit the ground and be back on her feet fast. Pulling herself up to her full height, skin chalk white,face gaunt and eyes burning like coals she'd seize the old man, gazing into his eyes as she attempts to overpower his will; to Dace she would only say "Hide".
Gripping him with inhuman strength she would lift him up and run away from where she saw the Dusties coming to investigate, to a patch of shadow where she can shadow jump them both 20' up-to either the shadowed top of a wall or to some sort of gargoyle or other surface capable of supporting their weight. Dominated or not she would clamp a hand carefully over his mouth to keep him from screaming and giving their position away.
Dominated or not, once they were perched she'd whisper "Shhhh...."

[*Cadence]

((Will wait for Dace to state actions))