"Put that back, you fool," Archlich snapped as he strode over to the table. "A bungler like you would probably manage to read the one line in that book that could kill us all."
Archlich approached the grey candle and gave it a cursory look before reading the notes that were scattered around it.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
((Ill just post whats on the note because either of them could pick it up and read it.))
It seemed the page of notes was only a part of a set. It started:
[ QUOTE ]
...is an integral layer of protection for the magitech taken past the gate. The wax, if used to write the correct rune, wards off the ill effects it has on the technological part of our magitech but the magnitude of the protection is unknown. With further experimentation, the protection can be simulated with more magitech if only it were reliable. There just doesnt seem to be a way to overcome the...
[/ QUOTE ]
The rest was on other pages which were missing. There were drawings and diagrams of a rune on the page itself. There didnt seem to be much else around the room but voices from outside could be heard.
((Pokes Essex 
))
Andrew heard the voices from outside. "Stay here, I'll go up to take a look."
He went out into the rubble once more and jumped, firing the rockets on his ankles in fuel-dump mode at the same time, propelling him upwards briefly. He grabbed the lip of the hole and heaved himself onto it, then ducked into the room with the large magical crystal core in it. He backed flat to the wall near the door and listened.
((Okay, I'll listen but not speak from here on out. I'll email Leo if I have anything to say. Talk to you in a couple weeks!
EDIT: That wasn't clear. I mean, I won't be posting, but I'll be reading. I wasn't talking about Andrew, who will still be doing things. Much clearer now 
))
2.0 put his hands up defensively, chuckling. "Heh, calm yourself, magic-lover. You have about as much chance as blowing something up in this place as I do. Heck, I would say you WANTED to blow the upper level to smithereens from how you talked, but that is neither here nor there."
He blew the dust from some covers, before walked to the desk behind Archlich. "So, what, are we gonna light the candle or what?"
((*Uses the Onmi-Poke technique on Khell, Hal, Ess and DaTroll*))
"A spell for protecting mechanical devices from magical residue," Archlich said quietly to himself. "Interesting. I have not run across such an application."
The lich reached down and picked up the note. He looked at it a second longer before the thing burst into flames and was turned to ash. Then he pocketed the candle and turned to Experiment.
"Unless you have any other brilliant suggestions, we should depart," he said curtly.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
((I guess I /poked them too hard 
))
((I really don't want to do anything without seeing what Essex does. . . she's been interfacing with the robot for AGES now. Don't worry, I have excellent Poking resistance. ))
((A shame though cause I have so much that I want to reveal but no one to discover. I guess not everyone likes not being told the plot and being forced to learn it themselves.
Oh and the Omni-Poke technique may cause dizzyness, swelling of the breast, loss of appetite and should not be used by women over the age of -3.))
((GAH! I knew I was neglecting something.
My humblest apologies, Leo.))
Essex suddenly burst out laughing...although it was a sad laugh.
"...What a good husband."
With that, she disengaged from the cleaning droid.
"We won't be learning much else from this unless we get someone who knows their way around magic." she said to Hal. "In any case, I say we check out the place where the bullet casing was found."
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
Curtis looked around. "Uh, where'd we get to?"
He and the TacOps were lost.
---
"Ok...Deep breath..." The TacOps in the bush sighed, clutching his rifle tightly.
He dove out and charged in.
"RAWR!" He yelled, holding his rifle ready to fire.
"Okay," Hal said, wondering if she wanted him to take her hand again.
"Uh. . . where is that. . . exactly?" he said, blushing slightly. "The lab or something, right. . .?"
Hold on. . . wasn't that the place he had tried to send his Phantasm? His eyes narrowed.
((No worries. I try not to progress a scene without response from everyone present. Id say that TacOp wasnt actually in the scene but outside...
Anyway, dont feel rushed to respond to this thread, its not that important.))
Andrew hid near the door and listened to the voices outside. What do ya mean it was ninjas!? I need you to find out who they were, who sent them, why they were here, everything! said a familiar voice. It was the detective who had been called from the murder scene to investigate an explosion near the lab. He was talking to two other officers who were cautiously examining the laboratory door lying unhinged on the ground.
Suddenly a TacOp charged out of the bushes with his rifle ready to fire. On reflex, the officers and detective Holmes dove away from the entrance with their handguns drawn to fire at the threat.
~~
The other group lead by Essex moved to the sitting room. Without much searching a single slug shot could be seen on the polished wood floor.
"GAH!" The TacOps yelled, suprised at the men.
He dove back out of the doorway and into the bushes once again.
"Oops..."
"I keep forgetting I'm not on Battle Planet any more..."
". . .Yeah, okay, in this room," Hal said, feeling embarassed. "I knew . . . okay, I didn't."
He searched the area nearby for any trace of blood, or bullet holes, or some evidence of what this shot had done. . .
The casing itself had a small "M" stamped on it. It would take some guesswork, but it would eventually be recognized as the "Maltan Arms" symbol. MA was, of course, the maker of all Maltan bullets, including the three present.
((/clears throat.))
((Isn't that the bullet I fired?))
((Yeah, but now you came out and said it 
. Just a little misdirection for those not paying attention....well, at least I'm have fun messing with people.))
((Oopsie...))
((/clears throat again. *Goes to the store to get some Mucinex*.
Seriously though, is another clue required or what?))
"A Maltan bullet. . ." Hallucinogen said. "I don't really think this has anything to do with the crime. . ."
He looked carefully around the room, scanning it with his radiation as well. In such a small area, his personal radar would be able to practically map the place out. . . it would be pretty hard for him to miss anything, given time.
((A PM from Leek.))
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Andrew relaxed somewhat. He realized he hadn't been in this room before and took a look around. Most of it was exploded or otherwise ruined, but there still might be something in the wreckage.
He had just enough time to examine his surroundings when he heard the loud "GAH!" from an unfamiliar voice. He stiffened up and reflexively grabbed at his waist for his sword, which was, of course, gone. I need to get something to replace it. Hell, a wooden plank would work...
~~
In the wreckage, he finally found his liuyedao that he had lost during the last battle. It must have been moved by the various winds that were summoned.
~~
Hal was correct that it had nothing to do with the crime, the bullet was the one the TacOp shot the magitech robot with earlier. In the room, Hallucinogen would find nothing out of the, just the tell-tale signs of the scene that happened between the TacOp and the robot earlier.
~~
Hold it! Hold it! What are you doing out here? the detective demanded from the TacOp that retreated into the bushes again, Did you cause this explosion? Bah! I knew I should have kicked you off the crime scene when I had the chance. Who knows what evidence weve lost now.
Richard was ready to kick the TacOp from the bush but noticed something about the robots guarding the lab. How the heck did you deactivate these things?
((And just because Im feeling this is too ambiguous, is really boring(still havent gotten far enough into it though) or Im just a horrible GM, Ill give you more clues.
-There are still NPCs that havent been talked to such as Detective Holmes, Ian and some others.
-There are still areas not explored like the guest house, or where the murder took place(the Banquet Hall).
Ill cut this part of the RP short if necessary.))
2.0 took in the room, huffing. "I prefered the other room."
He quickly stepped over to a bookshelf, picking out a random book, and flipping it open.
"Ugh... All this gobbeldy [censored]... What happened to 'Insert plug here'? Hell, I would even prefer an immensly complicated algorithm and encryption to these things..."