Log:Don't Fear The Reaper, Scene 1

Don't Fear The Reaper 2011/12/21 	 Ellbeth Lorelei 1

With classes suspended for the winter break, the campus becomes home for a number of various activities. One such event is a guest lecture by well-known fantasy author Dr. Ellbeth Wyrd. After the lecture, it's time for Ellbeth return home. However, the Rolls Royce -- and Harry -- are nowhere to be found.

Ellbeth looks at the vacant spot where Harry and her Rolls ought to be with some concern. Harry would have messaged her, a quick check on email and voicemail follows, if he had to change the arrangement.

There are no messages from Harry.

Ellbeth says, "Max, trace my call, see if you can get a GPS fix onHarry's PDA from the cell-phone transmissions, please."

Ellbeth places a call to Harry's PDA.

Max is able to place Harry's cellphone in the vicinity of the athletics stadium.

Ellbeth says, "Same again, Max, if you don't mind."

Ellbeth makes a call to the car phone in the Rolls.

Max reports that the car is in the same area.

Ellbeth says, "Max, time for you to download yourself to the Yacht. If I'm not back in a couple of hours, give.. mm... Lorelei a call and tell her what's happened, okay."

Someone picks up Harry's PDA. "H-hello?"

Max says, "Affirmative. Commencing download."

Ellbeth says, "Hi, I was expecting someone taller, and older. Is Harry there?"

"Harry? The driver guy...?" The person on the other side looks like a college kid with a freckled face. "Yo, I think he just got kidnapped. Do you know him?"

Ellbeth nods back to the boy, "Yes. I do. He's my driver and my friend. Can you tell me what happened? Oh, first, is there a classic car close by where you are?"

Ellbeth puts the call outgoing on hold, still listening, and prepares a gate spell.

"Yeah... me and my friend saw the whole thing," the kid says. "The Rolls Royce? Yeah it's here. Sick ride, by the way..."

Ellbeth steps through the gate, appearing in the Rolls, "We like it." She says, opening the door. "Now, tell me every detail you can remember, please."

"Holy..." The stunned college student drops Harry's PDA when he sees Ellbeth appear. After a moment he remembers. "Yeah, my friend Neel caught it on tape. Check it..." He beckons his friend over. Neel pulls out his PDA and offers to show some video to Ellbeth.

Ellbeth smiles, "Thank you, both of you. That was quick thinking. Yes, please do show me the video. Can you transfer a copy to my PDA as well?

The video takes place in the current location: the parking lot beside the stadium. With school on break, there's plenty of open parking here. Probably the reason why Harry moved the car here while waiting for the lecture to end.

Ellbeth watches, intent of seeing the overall picture. She'll be reviewing the video for fine detail, so this time she's looking at grasping the general impression of the kidnapping.

The video starts with the camera following a statuesque blonde woman walking across the parking lot. Although she wears a a scarf over her hair and fashion-conscious sunglasses on her face, her above average beauty is still apparent. Over the video, two voices can be heard, Neel and his friend:

Ellbeth thinks. o O (Maybe after this you'll change your mind and let me enchant a teleport location on you, Harry.)

Neel asks, "You think she's a student?" Friend says, "Too old for that I think... Teacher?" Neel asks, "Man, which class? I'm signing up for that now!"

In the video the woman walks over to the Rolls and stops to ask a question of the driver. Harry rolls down the window to speak with her. The woman points over to another car in the lot, a red sports car with the hood open. The camera is too far away to pick up the dialog.

Ellbeth continues watching.

Harry steps out of the Rolls and around to the trunk of the car to get his tools. His guard is down and he doesn't see it coming when the woman blasts him from behind with energy. It's not a destructive blast -- it seems just enough to knock him out.

When this happens, Neel and his friend blurt out: "Damn!" and "What the hell?!"

The woman turns towards the camera. "Stay there and don't make a noise, if you know what's good for you." Her hand crackles with energy. While she glares and the cameraman, a black van pulls up. A couple of guys in dark clothing with masks gather Harry into the van.

Ellbeth thinks. o O (Okay, not DEMON or the boys would be dead. One of the Fae most likely. Let's watch the magic blast again.)

Ellbeth says, "Can you replay the part where she blasts Harry in the back, please, Neel?""

The video concludes with the men in masks finding Harry's phone and tossing it. The woman waves her hand. The red sportscar changes back into some student's beat-up Honda. The van drives off, and the womans folds her hands together, says something, and vanishes.

Neel obliges and replays the blasting part.

Ellbeth nods slowly. Then looks at the boys. "You have been of immense assistance. If you'll let me know your names and contact details, when Harry is safe and free, you'll have use of my car and Harry as your driver for an all-expenses paid date with your significant others at any venue you desire."

Neel and his friend give you their information and a copy of the video. They're happy to help, and a little embarrassed that the woman scared them into not doing anything sooner to help Harry.

Ellbeth says, "Thank you. You could not have done more, and did all and more than you could be expected to do. The woman is a mage and dangerous. You were right not to try and intervene. Your witness is far more valuable than a failed attempt to intervene against such misused power. I commend you for wisedom beyond your years."

"Thanks," Neel says. The boys stick around to talk with campus security, who have show up to investigate the incident

Ellbeth thinks, and then goes online to a web forum she knows is frequented by dark mages, etc. She leaves a message - Nightshade, you have come into possession of something valuable belonging to me. Please contact me to discuss the terms of it's return. Dr Wyrd. -

In response, Nightshade sends Ellbeth a private invite to her home in the hills just outside of the city on the evening of the winter solstice -- the longest night of the year. - 'Come alone' is what they says in these sorts of messages, right? This time, it's the opposite. If you want to see your Harry again, I'd suggest bringing all of the able bodied capes that you can summon. I'll explain when you get here. N

Ellbeth thinks. o O (I really need to find a way to track a teleport. Now, if Harry has been kidnapped to put pressure on me, someone will have to make contact. I wonder if Nightshade has been hired by somebody and by whom if she has. And.. a reply. Curious, very curious.)

Ellbeth composes and sends a message to HeroNet.

For the attention of all available heroes who are free on the evening of the winter solstrice, I need your help. Harry, who many of you know, and for those who don't he is my driver and handyman, has been kidnapped. The kidnapper has contacted me and asked for a meeting in the company of as many heroes as I can muster. Why? I don't know. If you areavialable can wish to assist please contact me. Ellbeth Wryd.

Ellbeth phones Lorelei after placing her message on HeroNet.

Lorelei answers. "Hello?"

Ellbeth says over the phone, "Hello, Lorelei. It's Ellbeth. Is anythink stirring in the shark infused murky waters that passes for Fae politics? Because Harry's just been kidnapped and I don't think it's my old playmates from DEMON."

Lorelei says, "I was just reading your post - what happened?! And yes, things are always going on, but.... I can't think of anything that would involve you or Harry....."

Ellbeth says, "I know only a little more than the post detailed. A female mage who I've identified as Nightshade kidnapped Harry with the aid of a couple of masked henchmen. She was seen by a couple of college students who had the presence of mind to record the incident. I contacted Nightshade via one of the darker web forums that mages use, and she sent me a reply that basically said if I wanted to see Harry again to go to her place on the evening of thewinter soltrice with as many able bodies capes as I could muster."

Lorelei says, "If's she's not fussy about who then I guess it's not likely to be a trap per se? Though I suppose she might have guessed some people you might turn to."

Ellbeth adds, "Nightshade is an occasional mage for hire, and occasionally in business for her own benefit. She's not usually associated with DEMON. I had considered it might be a way of gathering a large number of targets in a small space for a trap. But another option thatfits, given the insistence on the winter soltrice as a meeting point, is Nightshade has trouble heading her way on that night and wants a few capable people around to help out. Villians tend not to help unless there's cash involved. Heroes do it for free. I'll be trying to find out more before the time.

Lorelei says, "Well, I'll help, of course! Why did you think there might be a fae connection?"

Ellbeth says, "Because the two groups of people I know I've upset are DEMON and whatever fraction of the Fae court is opposed to the nobles who I've been helping out as the liasion between Earth culture and the Fae embassy."

Lorelei says, "Ah. Well, nice to know your list of enemies isn't too long! What did you do to upset DEMON? Not that upsetting them is a bad idea."

Ellbeth says, "Everything I can. DEMON are one of the few groups who I'd go out of my way to disrupt, hinder and otherwise utterly eradicate."

Lorelei nods. "I don't blame you. I really can't understand why anyone would do the sort of things they do."

Ellbeth says, "Power. They think they can co-opt the power of the demonic world to gain power in our world. They seek to rule and corruption and foulness is the price they are willing to pay. At that, they are one step above COVEN."

Lorelei nods. "I should be learning about what people will do for power by now. Still - I'd have thought only idiots would try to get it through dealing with demons. Kind of like juggle atomic bombs. A bad idea."

Lorelei says, "Ok, I admt many demons aren't *that* powerful, but still."

Ellbeth says, "And many demons are. DEMON is as willing to risk trying to use the powerful ones, because that way lays more power for themselves. They are egoistic in theextreme. Theynever think the demons can escape their control, until it's too late."

Lorelei nods. "Idiots, as I said...."

Lorelei says, "Not that the fae aren't also rather... hubristic at times."

Ellbeth says, "Yes. However, from what I know of Nightshade's past she would not be involved with DEMON. The Fae on the other hand, yes. But the nature of the instructions for the meeting make me doubt it. Most likely it's either a trap or she's in need of serious amounts of meta help on that night and doesn't know any other way to ask."

Lorelei says, "Well, either way, turning out in force and being cautious seems the best approach.... Hm, unless it's a diversion, of course. It *could*, I suppose, be an attempt to get all available heroes away from something else."

Ellbeth says, "That's possible, but unlikely. I'll be there. I can haveeveryone anywhere on the planet in six seconds. Not a very effective diversion."

Lorelei says, "Ah, right. Of course. Stupid of me."

Ellbeth smiles, "Not stupid, just a small oversight. It's been a while since we have seen each other. And my powers change with each new edition of the character class book."

Lorelei laughs. "And... well, with the amount of time I'm spending in Undermoon, time is passing faster for me, often. Not good for remembering things."

Ellbeth nods on the screen. "You don't have to tell me about that. Lorelei, the one thing I miss on Undermoon is a decent clock. With the time rate as it is, an hour or so over there can be days late to an appointment here."