Skyline

//Time for me to run an RP. A few things before we start.

-No more than two characters per player.
-Both magic and fire arms are available.
-The world this takes place in is of my own design and shares no lore with Nifelheim or Earth.

Now, onto the story.


Lightning tears the sky in half masking the gun shot. The storm with no rain causing thunder and lightning to sporadically sound off is common at this time of year. At nearly one in the morning most would be asleep or at least inside. But not for the group who just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time. Some of them having met earlier and some simply out for their own reasons. Regardless, their paths all have lead them to this particular spot.

Glass shatters from above as a body is thrown violently from a third story window. A loud thump as the body hits a car then bounces off into the sidewalk. Those who look up to the window see no one. Just a hole in the glass and darkness.

A figure in a long, hooded raincoat, jolted, at the sound of the impact. The hood obscured its facial expression and the figure remained frozen for a second, before running up to the body and placing two fingers on its neck, checking for pulse.

Briefly looking over the body for signs of injury, the figure looked up at the broken window and squinted at it, trying to spot as much detail from it as it could.

Judging by the smear of blood leading from the roof of the car down to the now grounded body and the ungodly angle the neck is twisted at the victim is most certainly dead. The brief overview of the body however reveals no further information. It's hard to tell if it was the fall or the struggle above that killed this man.

The area behind the window still remains dark and refuses to give any details. However, something hanging slightly off the edge does catch the figure's eye. A portion of wood perhaps belonging to a chair or door.

There is a sigh beside the figure. A man, dressed very casually in jeans and a stained white t-shirt with messy brown hair, is staring down at the corpse. The very faint stench of alcohol can be detected coming from the man.

"Police. Don't touch the body" a female voice quietly echoed from under the hood, then the figure's head began moving left and right, scanning for the buildings main entrance.

Without taking her eyes off the building for one moment, her hand pulled a small cellphone from her belt and dialed the local police department:

"..this is unit 1-41, I have a possible homicide, requesting backup" she continued to speak for a few more moments, relaying the name of the street to the other side. Then hung up the phone and pulled a MP-443 Grach handgun from under the raincoat and began quietly advancing towards the buildings main entrance, taking care to remain behind natural cover when possible. Her gun held close to her body and aimed directly into the sky as she moved forward.

The pathway to the door provides some cover but not enough to safely engage in a shootout. As the woman moves to the door she appears to remain undetected apart from the man who is still standing beside the body.

The door to the building is made of solid metal. A key card reader acts as the locking mechanism. However there is a large dent near the card reader. The door also looks like it was kicked open then slammed shut again. Unlocked but partially jammed.

A woman about 6'3 with long blonde hair tied into a bun, falls in behind the hooded figure, a gold badge rests on her right breast above her police uniform, "I got your back." She says quietly drawing a Glock 18 and racking a round, "I got lethal if you want to go less." She says keeping her voice lowered as she keeps her aim down the hallway keeping one hand rested on the figures shoulder.

The woman hugged the wall, just beside the door and tried to peek through the dent, then inspected the door frame. She seems to be looking for trip wires or some kind of booby traps that may have been rigged to the door.

Then she took another general look at the building. She seems to be trying to deduce if this is a living apartment complex, an office building, a warehouse or something else.
She also seems to be checking to see if the building is old or new, and if the metal door was an old, or a recent addition to the building.


After that she scanned the surrounding area, trying to determine if this building is isolated by roads from all sides, or if its linked to adjacent buildings.
Finally she looked up, to see how many floors the building has and if any lights are lit in any of its other windows.

"Prepare to breach, I'll check for booby traps" the woman quietly called, inspecting the door:
"Nice and quiet, don't want to telegraph our position yet"

The woman nods. She moves to the middle of the doorframe, "Unit 4-20 preparing entry. Supporting unit 1-41." She says quitely into her radio keeping her gun forward she waits for 1-41's mark.

Judging by the faint scratches on the door and the slightly weather worn siding this building is on the older side. The door was installed when the building was first built. A sign catches 1-41's eyes reminding about PPE and only allowing authorized personal to enter. The building looks to have 4 floors including the ground level. It would be safe to assume that this building has something to do with welding or metal working. The building is sandwiched between two others. A chain like fence topped with barbed wire prevents anyone from taking a shortcut between the building, but both 1-41 and 4-20 do recall an alley running behind the building as well. Jumping between the roofs of any of them would require a decent amount of skill and some luck. A single road runs in front of the building.

The door appears to be free of traps and the building is completely dark save for a very faint glow that is hard to pinpoint. The AC appears to be on causing a metallic hum and some light creaking. Otherwise you can obtain no further details.

4-20 grips her Glock with one hand, her other falling to her belt, gripping her flashlight and pulling it up to rest her gun hand over her flashlight hand. The movement was snappy, quick, and well trained, muscle memory at it's finest. she shines the light between the crevices between the door before resting back and giving a weighty kick nearest to the door latch. Shining her light directly into the hallway.

The smell of death hits both officer's like a back draft. What was once a place for workers to hang up coats and store lunches looked like someone threw a pig into a wood chipper. The entire left side of the room is coated in a combination of blood and viscera. A mangled corpse laying in the gore indicates the victim seemingly exploded from impacting the wall at a high velocity. A light, now more noticeable comes from the hallway at the back of the room. The hallway has a single turn to the right at the end of it. A noise that sounds like a flickering light mixed with an insect like click comes from deeper in the building.

The hooded woman covered her nose and mouth, with the sleeve of her gun-free hand:

"...okay, new plan. I'm calling SWAT.
Until they arrive, we contain the suspect inside the building. There's no way we're going there alone."


The woman briefly looked at her partner, then aimed her gun down the hall and continued to watch it.



"We need to make sure the suspect doesn't leave the building.
There's only two of us, so, lets split up to cover the the building from all sides.

I'll stay here and watch the north-west corner of the building.
Circle around toward the other side of the building and watch its south-east side.


That way, we'll have all its exits covered and we'll have a good view of the rooftops. If someone tries jumping from roof to roof, or to leave through the ground entrances, we'll see him.

Lets try to contain the suspect inside the building like this, until SWAT gets here, then we'll methodically storm the place, clear it room by room.


I don't have a radio on me, so here's my cell number. Call me or shout, if anything changes on your end."





Still watching the front entrance and keeping an eye on all the windows, the woman stuck to the shadows and made her way back to the broken car:

"Clear the area immediately, your life is in danger" she whispered to the man who smelled of alcohol, then reached for her cellphone again and dialed the police station:



"1-41, update, its a blood bath. I need a SWAT team on this location.
I also need you to establish a police perimeter in a 10 kilometer radius around this building.
There's so much blood here, the suspect will likely have blood traces over his body. Detain anyone like that immediately. Don't let anyone leave or enter the perimeter, until we find the suspect. Out"



She hung up the phone and went to the north-west corner of the building, then took cover behind the nearest parked car.
Gun aimed, she began scanning the buildings entire exterior, including the roof, watching for any sign of movement.




She also quickly scanned the building for a fire escape ladder, that may connect the ground level with the roof.

1-41 recieves a confirmation from dispatch. A SWAT team would be there within 20 minutes.

The man eyes the officer, gestures to the body, then folds his arms. She catches a glimps of an arcane ring. His less then subtle way of letting 1-41 see it is not lost on her. ((Lore dump about magic next post))

The area 1-41 takes position at has several vehicles to use as cover. From this podution she can get a faily clear view of the building. The cloud cover momentarily breaks letting the full moon illuminate the roof top. She can see a fire escape ladder though it is closer to where 4-20 would be positioned.

Then, something draws her attention back to the main part of the building.

It seems like her eyes are playing tricks on her at first but something walks by a window on the second floor. Some form of hooded cloak covering most of its body. Even at this distance 1-41 could guess the figure stands near seven feet tall. From where the face would be a yellow light flickers with a strobe like effect. An unexplainable wave of dread washes over her as she gets her first glimps but the feeling just as mysteriously goes away as the figure steps from 1-41's line of sight.

Magic Lore

Magic is usable by everyone but not everyone has the natural ability to cast it. Certain people require books, staffs, wands, or jewelry like a ring in order to use magic.

Everyone is born with an affinity to one of the schools of magic. Either they can cast it with little training or items that allow them to cast such magic are easily used and understood. These spells are mastered much faster than the others. They also have school of magic which their body tries to nullify. These null spells are hard to cast and take far more time in order to strengthen

There are four magic schools that combine to make something called Aether. Magic is cast by altering the Aether to follow 1 of 4 properties of existence.

Magic Schools

Necromancy (Light): The manipulation of life and death.
Ex: Raise Zombie and Regenerate Limb

Primal (Dark): The manipulation of elemental magic.
Ex: Fireball and Hail Storm

Blood (Law): Altering the body in order to gain an advantage
Ex: Night Vision and Iron Flesh

Fate (Chaos): Using/bending the laws of magic and physics to protect and damage.
Ex: Shield and Arcane Laser

Why is Necromancy light?
Creating undead is a very minimal use of this school and the magic in this school is more used to destroy the undead. Also, as dead tissue is referred to as necrotic the manipulation and healing of this dead tissue ties in with the healing nature of this school.

Why is Primal dark?
While a campfire can provide warmth, and lightning can provide energy both of these elements can quickly get out of control and can cause massive harm and death.

The woman hid behind the car, trying not to be seen from the windows and continues watching the building.

She dialed the police station again and whispered:

"...possible suspect is seven feet tall, wearing a hooded cloak. Still in the building. Second floor at this time."

She looked at the man with the ring and angrily waving at him to leave the area. Her face is kinda scary.
The woman then continues watching the building, still behind cover and begins awaiting the SWAT team.

4-20 sticks close to the wall moving around the building, "4-20 to dispatch. Send a clean up crew as well." She ducks under windows as she takes her position. Her flashlight runs along the building before noticing the Fire exit, "that'd be a good breaching area." She quitely says to herself keeping her gun down and staying alert. She pulls back the slide, ejecting the round in the chamber, she catches the round with her flashlight hand and presses the bullet between her ring finger and the center of her palm.

The man shrugs then walks off. He doesn't seem particularly phased by the body or 1-41. His normal walk indicates that either the stain and stench was someone else spilling on him or he is very good at hiding his drunkenness.

The next twenty minutes tick by painfully slow. A feint breeze picks up moving the night time air through the area. Within the area of the city you both are in right now there is little in terms of traffic and city noise. This area sits between a lite industrial area and a residential area. Quiet and mostly dark save for a few street lamps.

Silently as it can the SWAT van pulls up to the scene. From the back step a number of people. Six of them wearing the standard issued SWAT armor. Four carry carbine rifles while the other two carry reinforced riot shield and axes. Along with those an additional three step out. One of them decked out in full heavy riot armor. Looking more like a walking tank than anything else. The second wearing a hooded trench coat made from cloth, recognizable as the SWAT teams mage. Finally is the man wearing a standard police sergeant uniform with a bullet proof vest. A shotgun slung across his back.

The mage brings a hand up to her temple and a momentary spark of magic pulses through her skull. 1-41 and 4-20 feel a familiar rush as the telepathy spell mentally connects everyone. The remainder of the squad, save the sergeant, double check their gear.

"I need an update on the current situation." the sergeants voice feeds into both officers mind.

"2 bodies, 1 thrown through a window at the front of the building, the second splattered against the walls inside. Confirmed entitys inside, unknown race and gender. It sounds like the place is crawling with bugs." 4-20 responds to the mage, "the door leading inside I breached. There is a second entrance on my position behind the building, a fire exit." As she responds she casts a spell giving herself night vision, "Awaiting orders."

"Officers Casperksy, Seth, and Carmine will assist you around the back." Two of the rifle users and one with a riot shield move out and around to where 4-20 is. "Strauss, Kane," he gestures to the second riot shield officer and the heavily armored individual "Support 1-41"

"4-20 and 1-41, you and your squad will both clear each floor before moving up." he pauses slightly, checking his phone "All officers are cleared for lethal force"

Something catches the eye of 4-20, noticing it first with her night vision. Then 1-41 followed by the rest of the SWAT team. Standing on the roof is the figure. Cloak dramatically billowing despite their being little to no wind. It's eyes pulse yellow and a new voice breaks into the the telepathy. It sounds raspy, metallic, and also like someone in incredible pain is screaming at the top of their lungs



"F e E d!"

The three unnamed officer's skulls detonate in a shower of gore. The mage reacts a split second later severing the telepathic connection. 1-41 and 4-20 are still hit with a massive migraine as they feel a couple blood vessels pop.

"KILL THAT THING" the sergeant shouts

4-20 Fires 4 somewhat focused shots at the figure, aiming for the center of mass. She quickly sprints into the building where there is more cover. She holds her breath steadying her nerves as she begins clearing the first room, starting to secure the building. She calls over her radio, "4-20 we have what appears to be a hostile mage, two officers down. Suspect is currently on rooftop."

The hooded woman screamed out in pain, briefly ducking and grabbing her head with one hand. Wincing, she took cover behind the nearest car and raised her gun, squeezed off two shots in the direction of the creatures center of mass.

A barrage of bullets flies at the figure. It twists dodging out of the way of several but still is hit by a few rounds. A dull thunk as the bullets land and seem to have no open effect is cause for alarm. Crouching down the figure leaps off the roof.

More shots try to take it out of the air but to no avail. The figure lands in front of the shield swat, Strauss, making his way over to 1-41 to back her up. Raising his shield to no avail Strauss is struck in the chest by what looks to me a fist made from metallic bone. He is launched into the SWAT van impacting with a wet crunch. Blood sprays up and out the back of the SWAT officer as the van slides about half a meter back. It's back is turned to 1-41 at the moment as it crouches down, focusing on the sergeant. Kane, the SWAT in heavy armor, thankfully is a bit closer to 1-41 frantically gestures for her to move inside. Even with the face covered fully the panic in Kane's eyes is evident.

Inside 4-20, now backed by Caspersky, Seth, and Carmine make their way into the first floor of the building. Several brutally murdered bodies lay about the place. Some simply with snapped necks and other's looking similar to the one in the first room. 4-20 notices that the bodies that are brutalized are wearing the worker uniform and the others are in civilian clothing.

The woman took off, vaguely running in the direction of the building. Her head is frantically twisting left and right, scanning the area.
She's actively looking for an electrical transformer box.


"Throw a flashbang at him and clear the blast area!" She screamed, finally stopping and turning around to look at the monster.


She waited two seconds for the other officers to clear the blast area, then very carefully aimed her gun and fired a single bullet, into the gas tank of a car, nearest to the monster.

1-41 is unable to spot any fuse box at the moment. Finally laying eye's upon it the officer is unsure of what exactly is attacking them. Made entirely from bone colored metal, hunched slightly over. It's arms and leg's slightly longer than they should be. The cloak still pulled over it's head hides the face in shadow. Only revealing the dead yellow glowing eyes.

The creature prepares to leap at 1-41 but is momentarily detracted by the flash bang. Turning away to shield it's face. It searches for 1-41 but is struck by a fireball created from the detonating car. The officer feels a wave of heat wash over her. The creature creature staggers back and tears it's burning cloak from it's body. The rest of it comes into view. It's face appears as mostly a skull. The upper half bone but the lower half looking to have skin. The mouth however is non existent.


There is a momentary pause as 1-41 locks eyes with the creature. Her bodies goes numb and the telepathy connection reopens. The world goes white and for a moment the remaining squad are all aware of each other's thoughts. The connection lasts a fraction of a second before something stronger takes over.

Everyone's mind is suddenly filled with images flashing by almost to fast to comprehend. A sound that sounds like a guttural hum mixed with a faint high pitch shriek accompanies the images. All that can be made out of it is the flash of an indistinct person in a lab coat writing something on a clip board, a wall showing an x-ray of both a human and a bird, and first person view of the creatures hands covered in blood. The world goes white.


1-41 comes too leaning against the building wall for support. The creature is nowhere in sight as well as every member of the SWAT team being gone except the mage, Kane, and 4-20 who is pulling her self to her feet right beside 1-41.

4-20's vision returns as she is picking her self up off the ground. She someone ended up back out side. Her body reacting to steady itself before her mind is fully aware has a slight vertigo like effect.

A muffled static voice is coming off of the 4-20's radio. It takes a moment for everyone to pick up on it. "H-hello? Is anyone still alive?" The voice is unmistakably the creatures but it is not screaming or distressed.