Mission 3: What Have You Read on Kindle?

[Bluehorse]

Lionel "Freight Train" Williams

I can do this now, over the phone. Uh, when I was a freshman at Oklahoma, I had an English paper that I needed at least a C on or I would have been suspended from the team and miss the bowl game. I turned it in and got a D+, but the teacher told me I could have three days to redo it. I busted my ass on that paper, but I wasn't a very good writer, and I knew I'd never be able to improve it enough. I knew a kid I went to high school with that was not a football player, but was really smart. He was a year ahead of me at OU, and I had him look at my paper and rework it. Not enough to make it look like I didn't do it, but enough to get me a passing grade. He got a C+ and $50. That was the only time I cheated. I'm not proud of what I did. My mom would have been disappointed if I got suspended from the team, but she would have really been disappointed if she found out I had someone do my paper for me. Looking at the other Ghostbusters, he continues. Just so you guys all know, I did all my own work at GBU. It took me longer than normal to graduate, but I earned everything. You don't have to worry that if we're on a call, was this situation an assignment I had someone do for me when we covered it in school. I may have had to repeat a class a time or two, but I eventually passed. Now, if I remember all of it, well...let's just say you've got plenty of other people in this room that you should ask first.

PPP Well, cheating is always tempting. We are human and there is a part of us all that likes to find an easy way out of things. We strive to become better today than we were yesterday. I appreciate you coming to me about this one. It can weigh heavy on our conscious when we did something like lie in order to get a short term reward. I imagine it made the bowl game a little less sweet for you didn't it? But the Lord forgives all those who confess before man! You already learned from this guilt you carried for so long. You didn't want more of it on your shoulders and you became a better man for it, working harder in your later studies, or you would not be here today. God go with you! Go forth and do good work!

[Bluehorse]

Joker
I haven't attended any sort of worship since I was...12. I eat pork on a regular basis, I drink wine and whiskey, and I honestly cannot believe in Allah- or any other form of Divine.

Joker shrugs. I really don't know what to say.

PPP There is a short pause. MmmHmm... MmmHmm... That is a hard one and many people deal with that. I am not here to chastise you and I doubt your teammates would either. I would be interested in an extended conversation with you sometime about how, in your line of work, you cannot believe in the divine, but that is perhaps in its own way another conversation for another time. I will just say this. Regardless of what you call Him: Allah, Yaweh, Jesus, The Soaring Pasta Monster! You may not believe in Him, but He believes in you without reservation. God Loves you, unconditionally, as all Fathers do. God bless you! Go forth, and do good work!

[Rex]

Mac

"Well, I haven't been good about attending church very often, funerals and weddings is pretty much it. I still believe in the All Mighty mind you, just not very good about following through with all the rituals. I can't remember the last time I followed through with Lent for example. I do like to party hard when I party, and on occasion imbibe a bit much alcohol. Been known to do some reckless stuff at times, always with good intentions but sometimes it backfires a bit if you know what I mean."

[Bluehorse]

Mac

"Well, I haven't been good about attending church very often, funerals and weddings is pretty much it. I still believe in the All Mighty mind you, just not very good about following through with all the rituals. I can't remember the last time I followed through with Lent for example. I do like to party hard when I party, and on occasion imbibe a bit much alcohol. Been known to do some reckless stuff at times, always with good intentions but sometimes it backfires a bit if you know what I mean."

PPP chuckles a bit. Well, I think we have all overindulged a bit now and then in our life. As to going to church, I am going to share an unpopular opinion. Church is carried around in one's heart. Think back to when the tribes of Isreal followed Moses all those years as they wandered the desert. Did they have a proper church to go to? Nah, they carried it in their heart with their spirit and the holy spirit that was with them. You've been in church all this time. You do everything with good intentions? Great! If you fail still, that is okay too. That is God showing you how not to do something. You become a better and more experienced person for it. I've failed thousands of times! But I got some stuff right along the way too, and so did you, right? God bless you! Go forth and do good work!

[Taaz]

Well, I do try my best to keep the metaphysical scales balanced between my therapist and The Almighty, papa. But I dont know that I will ever feel fully absolved about leaving home when I did.I always feel like I'm carrying a lil bit of guilt about that no matter how much I try.

[Bluehorse]

Well, I do try my best to keep the metaphysical scales balanced between my therapist and The Almighty, papa. But I dont know that I will ever feel fully absolved about leaving home when I did.I always feel like I'm carrying a lil bit of guilt about that no matter how much I try.

PPP You know what most people who come to me really have a problem with? Either they are depressed about something in the past, or anxious about what they worry may happen in the future. What is in the past, is in the past, and when you come before God and ask for forgiveness, it is forgiven and forgotten. And your family? They love you, son. Believe me, they forgive you whether they say it or not. As for the other half, the worriers. They fret and worry about whatever might be, and it is at the expense of what God puts before us today. In the end, all we have is today... this present moment. The past is in the past and the future has not happened yet, nor can we reasonably predict it. If we accept that it is in the hands of the almighty... We will live happier and healthier lives. I hope that makes sense.

God bless you! Go forth and do good work!

[Bluehorse]

The Firehouse:  Home Sweet Home
Back @ HQ
August 24, 2018, 10:30 am
Cool and Breezy

PPP Well, boy. That might be all I can do for now. So what is your plan? Are you going after this Raguel lead you have, or are you planning on going after You Know Who?

Actions?

Brownie Point Pool:
Dr. Jason O'Roarke:  136/136 @
Lionel 'Freight Train' Williams: 117/117 @
Roy O'Dowd: 89/89 (*) @
David "Mac" McAuslan 124/125 (*) @
Dzjokar "Joker" Jelal 147/152 (***) @

Effects in place:
@ - Action Point - ReRoll without a Ghost Die - Merry Xmas 2019!

* - Recovering from Proton Flashback.

*** - Joker's inbox and searches spammed with advertisements for cedar chips for landscaping, which means a -1d6 to the difficulty of all research rolls until the end of next month. Until Sept 11th.

[Taaz]

Sounds like a team vote to me, but I'd see if we can find out more with Raguel, if nothing else than to make sure we dont end up in his sights.

[GreyWolfVT]

Roy nodding his head "Yeah you can say that again. I wouldn't want to be on that bad side."

[Rex]

Mac

"I think we underestimate that risk at our own peril."

[Urson]

Joker
Joker says nothing, just nods as he chews an unlit cigar.

[Bluehorse]

Coming from here:
https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/view ... 91#p599991

What Have You Read on Kindle?
Back @ HQ
September 17, 2018 3:10pm
Nice out!  Warm and Clear.

Joker
Joker makes a call to Rev. Belmont. He'll call whatever 'office' number is listed, or the church's official number. If he finds the Rev's personal number, he'll make a note, but keep that as a last resort.
His intent is to try and arrange a meeting in a public location.
My name is Dzhokhar Jelal. I am a member of the Old Fort Ghostbusters. I would like to meet, so that we can speak face-to-face, as adults. I see no reason for there to be a loud public argument when we can speak calmly and attempt to settle our differences.

Cool:3 +3 BP [5d6]=23 ghost [1d6]=3

For ease of keeping things sorted, I am moving this to here.

Joker makes a call and there is a ring on the other end. After a few moments, it picks up and there is a weathered voice on the other side of an old man. Hello, Church of the Living God, home of Father Belmont. Confess yourself and the cleansing can begin. he sounds... less than pleasent.

[Urson]

Joker
I am Dzhokhar Jelal. I have nothing to confess at this time, Father. I am a man of science, and I believe that everything can be settled with rational discussion. Is there a time that would be convenient? There is a coffee shop near our offices- could we meet there for coffee, donuts, and conversation?

Cool: 3 +3BP [5d6]=12 ghost [1d6]=3

[Bluehorse]

Joker
Cool: 3 +3BP [5d6]=12 ghost [1d6]=3

I will let you keep the 3bp from the last roll since I was not able to apply the first one yet.

Voice on Phone Father Belmont is a busy man and has no time for frivolities like coffee shops full of heathens... but I will see if he will meet with you. Please, hold. by hold he means he thumps the phone on the table and apparently walks away. You hear muffled voices and just when you think they have forgotten you...

Voice on Phone Hello? Who is this? Oh... Father Belmont will see you here at 4pm. You may meet him in the church at his convenience.

[Urson]

Joker
Thank you- I am sure that will be fine.

Joker will check in with Julia. I'm going to visit this Belmont jerk at 4. I'm going to see if maybe this demon has started to infest him- or if he's just that much of a horse's ass.

He'll take a quick shower, make sure his clothes are clean, then call for an Uber to take him to the church, making sure to arrive about 10 minutes early.

[Bluehorse]

Joker
Joker will check in with Julia. I'm going to visit this Belmont jerk at 4. I'm going to see if maybe this demon has started to infest him- or if he's just that much of a horse's ass.

Julia nods. Be careful while you're gone. I don't really know or frankly what to know whatever it is going on over there after some of what I have heard you guys saying about it. But I have a really bad feeling down deep in my gut that something bad is going to happen.

He'll take a quick shower, make sure his clothes are clean, then call for an Uber to take him to the church, making sure to arrive about 10 minutes early.

The Uber ride is reasonable and efficient for a quick trip like this. -$4 Once he drops you off he takes his money politely and drives off. The church stands before you looking... well, frankly it doesn't look like much. It certainly doesn't give you that warm welcome feeling that St. George and Alexandria Orthodox Church did where you met with Papa Popascu, or even the down-home Mayberry-type feeling of Brother Berry's little church by the Cado Mound. Something just feels... oppressive. There is a noticeable pressure in the air that gives you the hint of an oncoming headache, and it is just almost imperceptively harder to breathe. Instead of the early autumn, fresh air everything here seems to have staleness to it. Everything feels just enough wrong to all add up and make your hair stand on end a little. Taking your first step onto the grounds, your PKE begins sounding an alarm on your phone. You feel cold seem to leap up your foot and slide quickly up your leg all the way up to the small of your back.

[Urson]

Joker
Caught by surprise, Joker jumps and swats at his leg- then grabs for the small of his back as the cold settles there. He slips a hand under his shirt to make sure nothing physical is there, then taps his phone to bring up whatever details the PKE can provide.

[Bluehorse]

Nothing physical is there. Just tangible and inexplicable cold. When he steps back, it is slow to recede from his leg, but it does, all the same, that more familiar and so often forgotten warmth returns to his leg from the top down, leaving that pins and needles sting for a few moments as his body seems to remember the lingering sensation of... whatever that was.

The PKE readout on his phone matches very close to what Etta had seen when she first arrived. A very clear Class 6 reading on the meter with high readings on ecto and kinetic energy ambient in the air surrounding the church. No wonder it is giving off the creepy vibe; however, these readings are bouncing all over the place. The only thing for certain is that it is coming from the inside of the church.

The PKE on his phone seems to struggle to pinpoint anything from this distance, so he knows it is outside the general 30' range. He would need a PKE attachment or a dedicated device to get a better reading from here.

[Urson]

Joker
Joker scowls and takes notes (and makes sure his phone is on vibrate). He mentally braces himself, then moves on to the church. He flinches when the cold moves in, but continues to the doors.
He cautiously opens the door and steps inside.

[Bluehorse]

Joker sloshes through the foul standing water in front of the small church. As he nears the church there is a brief flash of the front of the church being a face, the windows, eyes, the door, a gaping maul of teeth. It is gone as quick as it appears, leaving you wondering if you really saw it. Roll hard cool to see how it affects you

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Upon opening the door there is a loud groaning creak of the old unoiled henges, announcing your arrival, as well as any bell or chime, could have. An oppressive feeling pushes down on your shoulder and for a brief moment, you see your breath in front of you despite how warm it is outside... well, at least before you stepped foot on the property. You see two rows of pews to the left and right that look pretty standard. A long worn carpet goes from the entrance all the way down to the altar in the front. The carpet is worn through to the wood floor that is under it, which is also worn thin where countless feet have walked up and down the path to the pulpit.

Everything here looks worn and in disrepair. Some attempts are repairs have been made over the years, but all of it is a growing series of eyesores. A clear, standard window that is clouded in grime where before there was a stained glass window that doubtless matched the others which are patched with tape and paper, blocking more of the imagery. The ceiling is sagging and has parts missing and others sloppily patched with plaster or miss-matched tiles. At least a couple of support beams seem to have sagged and even hung partly broken. The walls in a couple of places showed having been broken apart and cemented together again soon. There was little attention put to making the space look... nice? On the front stage, there is an old pulpit in the middle and a worn and broken rail for payers, an equally neglected choir section to the left, and to the right... There was the infamous Rood. It was ragged scorched wood that simply looked ancient in the shadowy corner where it stood.

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Your phone was vibrating wildly in your pocket as if it were panicking. Looking at it too long made your chest clench and you could almost feel the tension building when...

"Can I help you, young man?" came an old wheezing but unpleasant voice from directly behind you. Same hard cool roll as before.

It was an old man with a severe but emaciated look about him. He was pale as a corpse and haggard in appearance. This was not Father Belmont, but clearly one of his followers. The bent, frail-looking man pointed a boney finger at Joker. I asked you a question, young man.