15171/Nettie's Tea: Damned Doll

Nettie's Tea: Damned Doll
Date of Scene:	20 June 2023
Location:	Third Floor Workspaces
Synopsis:	When Nettie hosts a dissection of a demonic doll, Talia, Belinda and Patience show up for the show. EVERYONE gets a bit more than they bargained for when the sigil that shows at the end of the imp doll going 'POP' belonged to Albert Crowe -- the younger brother of Nettie Crow -- who passed from the world more than a hundred years ago!
Cast of Characters:	Nettie Crowe, Talia al Ghul, Belinda Gutierrez, Patience Alperen

---

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Tonight they were using the Big Workspace Room. Nettie had expected perhaps a bit larger crowd, judging by the hot water carafes, tea, coffee, finger sandwiches and small dainty bites that had been set up, along with a couple of pizzas and a fruit platter. No expense spared by the Justice League Dark.

    There are a number of folding chairs set up, all surrounding a circle constructed to keep the vile little creature inside. Double warded, the glyphs of the old witch floating around in a 'bubble' that holds a poppet maybe five inches in height in place, It's a crudely made doll, looks like something a gradeschooler might do, wearing a colorful, hand sewn shirt and skirt, and using half a pair of scissors as a sword to try and break the wards that are holding it in place.

    It has scratched in curse words and colorful descriptors of Nettie's presence and possible parentage into the concrete floor below it while its muted gibberish sounds occasionall come out with Abyssal words and the 'pop' of a colorful bit of magic against the wall.

    Nettie is kneeling nearby the wards, her eyes narrowed.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul has gone to enter in, glancing over at the small thing, "So, what exactly are you dealing with here for a construct? It's rahter effective for a golem." She's not sure what else to describe it as or refer to it as. There's no belittling in her tone or any assumption that it is jus ta toy. But no particular respect either. It is a threat, and dangerous if one gets sloppy with it after all.
    For now she just goes to lean against the wall. "And do you want to let it have those things it has in there with it just to be on the safe side?" No one wants a little voodoo doll running with scissors.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Munching quietly, absently on celery sticks dipped in peanut butter, Belinda Gutierrez watches the mystically imprisoned doll like a hawk. Untrained in anything even remotely mystical, she still watches the micro magical thing with an intensity bordering on monomania. The grand array of food stuffs behind is, uncharacteristically, left alone. For now. Belinda spares a glance to Nettie, brow creased with concern before she stares back, eyes harder.

That little /thing/ tried to hurt Mrs. Crowe! Unpleasant consequences bubble near the forefront of the girl's thoughts.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Mm? Golem? If Lydia were here, she'd be able to tell you exactly where you're wrong... but my Prague Jewish Construct history is notoriously bad. Did you know she made the Golem that guards Bushwick? Clever girl, our Lydia. Fantastic artificer. No, no, --"

    The little /thing/ hadn't tried to hurt Nettie. It had tried to assassinate her friend, in front of her, and actually did hurt Talia.

    "This poppet is inhabited by some dangerous, though minor entity. This physical form was made with a piece of Dee's dress from France, and some of her hair. Probably gathered from a comb or brush. Probably stuffed with sawdust and toenails with a couple of iron nails for good measure." the old witch states, and then she takes a seat. "Belinda, Talia, how would you two like a bit of a magic lesson tonight?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would consider, "Ahh, so it's animated, not an animated construct. It's given material form and embodied, rather than just charged." She would say that like there were a difference - just all in definition after all. She would lookdown over and shrug, "By all means. I may be familiar wiht it or I may not, but instruction never hurts." She doesn't exactly have any talent in magic beyond misdirection - so it's always good to get a lesson as to one's adversaries. So she goes in to watch over at it while gesturing at Nettie to go on.

"I presume you do have th warding circle rigged with something non magical as a backup?"

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda gives the doll one last hard glare for good measure, chomping down on her last celery stick with vindictive gusto. Hurt Abuela, hurt Abuela's friends-- same thing in those sharp green eyes! "Is it like with the Cards?" she asks, furious glare turned away from the Doll, shut off. Not having much effect anyway. Needs Skeering Lessons. "Si, Abuela," she adds, smile becoming more cheerful. Less toothsome.

She rises from her near crouch, coughing gently before she takes an actual seat alongside the Crowe, brushing a bit of leftover peanut butter from her lip with a napkin. Healthy new respect for spirits, Magickal Thingse, and other curiosities from beyond her experience.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    A healthy respect and fear of the unknown keeps many an investigator alive.

    "Yes. A bit like a brain transfer, though spiritual and there's no body on on the other end of things... so really not like that at all." Nettie states, and she brings a cigarette to her lips, and lights it with her fingertip.

    ""So, these wards that I have placed up are protective wards. They're good for keeping things out -- and keeping things in. But when you cast them, you have to make sure that you point them in the right direction. A bit like putting mayonaise on a burger bun so that the juices of the burger don't soak up into the bun, mm?" she explains to Belinda in a simple manner.

    "The way this circle is cast, we can affect what is inside the circle with a little creativity. Now, how do you reckon would be the easiest way to break open this misbehaving poppet?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod over adn lean back, "So is it imprinted by someone via a focus or an instruction? Or some sort of entity pressed onto it? Or merely created and directed by willpower?" She would muse over and sit back. "And when I mean a backup, I mean something not related over to the magical. For something like this, the backup might be something flammable within that you could trigger with the press of a button or a match. Just something that if it does threaten to get loose or there's a disruption to the wards, youc an instantly destroy it before it can be any sort of threat, in a way that's not reliant on magic."

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda bites her lip at the question. 'Chainsaw' would probably be the wrong answer, considering the puppet's small size. 'Bloody huge axe' for similar reasons. 'Butcher knife' the same, for the same problems. She leans closer, gazing at the manic thing with a new view eyeing it without malice for the first time in the night.

"Is it like the peluche I had when I was young?" she asks quietly, thoughts running, racing. "Teddy bear. In it, the limbs, the arms and legs-- they were sewn onto the torso of the bear; all of it was stuffed seperately." She leans back, head tilted slightly. "Could we remove the threads holding its arms and legs on, remove them, and render it less harmful that way?"

Patience Alperen has posed:
Entering the shoppe if a bit late to this particular party is Patience, The Magdalena. She is dressed in her Work Clothes, which certainly turns a number of heads when she is out on the streets. The black and red tightly fitted leather 'armor', still kitted out with a wide selection of what might, vulgarly, be considered Monster Hunting weapons, still bears some burn marks, rips and even spatters of blood isn't actually hers. In her left hand, she carries a burlap wrapped object just over four feet long.

Looking around, she offers a soft sigh and reaches up to pull back the hood of her cloak. as she makes her way to the occupied room.

Inside, she looks immediately to the warded circle and the creature bent on murder trapped within, first, then she looks to the others in the room.

"Ladies. I'm sorry I'm late. I had another, mm, meeting I needed to attend."

Her brown eyes again look at the little angry thing then to Nettie, "If I can be of assistance...?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Possibly. We can't get close enough to see under its clothing, can we? Nasty little thing." Nettie replies gently to Belinda. "It attempted to lance Ms. Al Ghul with sewing implements the other day. Very bad tempered."

    The little poppet under the bubble of wards makes an incredibly rude gesture in spite of the fact that it has no fingers, his button eyes just happily staring deadly out into space.

    "Have my flamable, Talia. That would be me. Can still sling a fireball with regularity." NEttie gives a little grin to Talia, and brightens when Patience joins in.

    "Ah! Ms. Alperen. I can't recall, have you met the assemblage?" Nettie inquires, m otioning around. "Talia, Patience. Patience, Belinda Gutierrez. Miss Gutierrez, Patience Alperen. She used to work for a larger and far more serious organization with much more stringent and awful practices." NEttie states a sshe inhales on her lit cigarette, and then blows it out and upwards over the ward keeping the little cretin in place.

    "Aye. Trying to figure out the best way to determine what demon is being held within. Likely a wee little thing, some poor imp summoned up by a ne'er-do-well."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would tap her fingers together, "There's a difference between having a backup that's magical and one that's completely non-magical in nature. I just speak of that having done a few things along those lines." She would muse over. "If you want the particulars, it's rather simple. I presume you don't.. But one can focus a bit much over on a single method of concentration. One wants contingencies."

But, she goes quiet then as Nettie goes toe xplain more and just leans against the wall. "And if it's a demon, there are ways to hit it animated even without anything thautamalogical or specialized at all." She would give a nod over to Patience.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda's eyes narrow, a scathing glance shot back at the vile little creature with renewed venom. She glares daggers at the little monster, then tosses her head with a snort, turning to aptience with a quick wave in welcome. "Hola!" she offers cheerfully-- nose practially quivering, stolen scents, quick breath, curiosity. Newcomer, but one In The Know-- or would not be here!

Another sniff. Curiosity again. And habit!

"We could always Hoffa it," she adds, turning back to the tiny construct with an overly toothy smile. "I know where we could get a concrete drum and a rowboat. Quick trip to center of harbor. Concrete overshoes and swimming lessons!" She pauses, coughing in embarassment. "Well, maybe another time?"

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen watches the possessed little doll with curiosity for a moment longer before looking to the others as introductions are made. With a grim smile, she nods, "Talia. Belinda. I am pleased to meet you."

Walking closer to Nettie, she glances to the woman, "It has tried to murder? You said assassinate, I believe I heard, as I entered?" She looks back to the ward-bound doll thoughtfully. Not taking her gaze away from the doll, she muses softly to Belinda's suggestions, "That would be effective, to a point, of course. But without banishing the demon, it would continue to live, continue to try and break free, even under water. It wouldn't die and it could potentially possess other things. Or animals. Depending on its power. I'm not certain we're prepared to combat a demon possessed halibut. Or shark. As an example.."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I lived through the nineteen-eighties; I keep a can of hairspray and a lighter in my bag in case someone needs help lighting candles for my birthday cake. Or I suppose Captain America's. He's almost as old as I am." Nettie considers, and she gives a thoughtful drag on the cigarette.

    "Demonic groupers. FelDolphins. Mystic devilfish." she replies thoughtfully to Patience, and she gives a small smile.

    "Small cetatians with Dread Porpose."

    And she gives a soft hrm. "You heard right. Just as my last remaining apprentice from the second world war was departing our world, this thing activated. There's some sort of soul stealing magic on it, but until we figure out who sent it and what's in it..." she considers a moment.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod over and sit back, "Well, I would presume that it was targeted at them rather than you. It seems rather.. Triival to have been sent after you. If it was meanta s a warning or a message, then it would have been something more theatrical. No.. This would have been sent after them, and you would not have been expected to show up." She thinks about it tactically.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda can't help it; in spite of the situation, the dire little creature-- she giggles, clamping her hands over her mouth in glee. "No swimming then," she promises, eyes twinkling in restrained mirth. "Evil tuna sandwiches. Sinister sardines. Pizzas, they would be ruined forever!"

She settles with a warm pleasure, momentary wrath dispelled. She gazes at the thing thoughtfully, a twitch as she listens to Ms. Ghul, considers the wee beastie. Thoughts roaming, circling. Thoughtful.

"In the War," she asks after a moment's hesitation, chewing the idea over with care. "Did you ever face someone... Magical? Mystical? Some evil warlock-wizard-witch person who had their own apprentices?" She gazes at the doll closer, leaning forward with renewed interest. "An... evil student, cut off from their master? They knew a little, but not enough to be... well, really a concern, until they thought they could attack a weaker target?" She grimaces, eyes darkening . "Much weaker. Perhaps did not expect you!"

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen nods grimly to Nettie's affirmation. Listening to the other thoughts and counsel, she considers the little possessed doll.

"I can try to speak to it if you like?" she offers to Nettie. "As you know, my... family.. has a history of compelling demons."

"Is it possible to reduce the radius of the warding circle, I wonder? Giving it less room to move may prove easier."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Best way to terrorize someone is to use someone they love against them, it makes them hesitate. Sometimes you have to count on that hesitation to give you an opening for worser things."

    And Nettie chews on her cigarette a moment, tilting her head back a moment.

    "Well. My coven of apprentices did kill a number of Nazi who also happened to dabble in the occult. My previous student Mary Jessop-Hyde - ask Tynan about how she feels about Barbies - killed two of her sisters-in-arms on the spot, overwilled the others and attempted to kill me. She's in Hell, but she tends to get out from time to time. Currently there is a rather powerful necromancer out there who has it out for much of the planet perhaps, risen from the Hyborean age. A demon who fooled me into being his best friend. Possibly the man I won the Candle from in a game of cards in Tibet... but let's narrow it down more. Who would know that I had a blood ward on my student after altering her memories? Mary would. Any number of remaining mystics could figure it out. Anyone who has a trouble with the JLD and knew my work well enough from when I wasn't such a nice witch." Nettie considers.

    "Also could be that it's no one attached to me at all, just wanted a very old soul to add to a pretty bauble, or to make Orichalcum." the old witch considers, and makes a face. "You need the soul of a warrior and a lot of Old Atlantean. Buggery language." she mutters, and then gives a soft 'hrm?' and looks up to Patience.

    "... that is true. All right. Here. Belinda? This takes two. Put your hands there and there. " she points, and she brings her own hands down.

    "And we're just going to slide like an aperature of a camera, slowly pushing it to 'close' the bubble."

    And as the bubble closes in, the little poppet begins to freak out a little more, attempting to stab at hands, faces, the walls and floor, anything to look tougher and more intimidating!

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would go to watch on at it, "Well, you clearly have a long list. We'll need to start narrowing it down.. I would presume that it wasn't intended to take you on or your arrival was expected. It's not nearly powerful enough and the enchantments are subtle." Making something like a murder yarn-doll isn't high on the list of things that could take on a high powered witch. She goes to tap alon gat her chin over and then look into it.
    "And there's no chance of connection over with whomever pressed the entity into possession of this at all?" Yes, the place was heavily warded, but sometimes she felt it best to check. And then reprimanded herself for having not checked in the first place to see if the thing had some sort of tracker or internal wireless camera installed in it. She was getting soft and sloppy.
    "And you swept it for electronics or any tracker?"

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda takes position, quivering with delight-- and caution. Eagerness-- magic! --balanced against the nearness of the wards, the faint nonsensical 'sense' that leaves her teeth itching.

Complicated.

She works with the Greywitch, narrowing the focus of the circle down, the dance of translucent symbols on ground and in the air closing together as the circle tightens. The grin she casts the doll in its own turn smooths into confident satisfaction. Sharp points clash against the inimicable wards; sparks flutter as if steel striking stone. Though at Talia's suggestions, her smile quickly fades to practiced blandness. Thoughts racing anew-- do wizards and witches and magicalspellmabobbers *do* that sort of thing?

Shake off dark thoughts. Focus!

Patience Alperen has posed:
She smiles as Nettie confirms it is possible to shrink the warding circle down, even if complicated. Watching as Belinda moves ot help Nettie perform the rite, Patience focuses on the possessed doll.

Walking closer she looks at it intently.

"We'll start politely. What is your name?" she asks.

Not expecting it to be cooperative, given its actions so far, she reaches up and pulls out a necklace from under her armor - four square headed nails bound together with simple copper wound wire. Holding it firmly in her right hand where the artifact can be clearly seen. Her left hand moves to take a vial of holy water. It, too, is held where the demon can see what will be in store for it soon enough.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Ease yourself back Miss Gutierrez. I only know of so few exorcists... almost makes me wish I brought a candy box." Nettie whispers, looking to Talia, and then pushing back, still setting crosslegged on the floor.

    The poppet makes a rude gesture up to Patience, making an imitation of performing a lewd act until its painted-on face turns to the nails.

    And there is a hissing sound, like steam escaping vent. The doll work inside flips out, jumping, turning, banging against the far side of the warded bubbble, and then crawling up along the bubble, scratching with useless nubby hands, its painted-on mouth twisting into a grimmace, a snarl and then an open, bleeding wound as the fabric rips.

    <Brarrath!> it finally snaps, its voice coming out like high pitched metal grinding.

    "<I AM BRARRATH! I WAS NOT COMMANDED FOR THIS!>

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda winces at the creature's voice, nails across her ears. She leans back (and back!), staring at the thing with renewed jaundice. A flurry of emotions-- shuffling back, she settles across the circle from Mrs. Crowe, eyeballing cautiously. "Do they still make candy boxes?" she asks questioningly, glancing up from the doll-thing. "I have seen one for chocolates, and I guess those taffee, toffee things were in one, but it did not look very sturdy..."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would go to lean back over and watch thoughtfully. "I didn't think it was quite that animated." she would quip. "It appears that the entity is quite willing to talk quickly. The one that commanded it should be rather disappointed with their sloppy work." She's presuming that if they are watching that there will be a bit of a fit over that comment.
    She presumes that they're not, but never too late to layer on another bit of bait just in case.
    She's rather amused at the whole indulgence of tormenting the helpless thing while it cannot resist back at them.

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen is mindful of the others in the room but her focus is on Brarrath as it tries to find some means to escape the warding or at least get itself as far from the holy objects as possible.

"Who commanded you. And what is it that you were commanded to do."

Taking a step forward, she slips the cross and its chain over her head so that she can hold it closer to the warded bubble. "Answer or you will force me to invoke The Power that you know I possess."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "... it *was* attempting to stab you with a sewing kit. Death by a thousand needles is still death, Talia." Nettie states, stretching her hands out a moment as she wrinkles her nose. NOt a demon she was familiar with, certainly not one of the bigger more fancy ones. She shifts her weight a moment and shakes her head.

    "Imagine needing a scalpel to remove a freckle, Talia. And then destroying the freckle using a steam roller. This demon has no desire to be crushed or destroyed by Patience, who's from a rather special family. Better blooded than mine." Nettie replies quietly, and then turns to Belinda.

    "The boxes one gets at a cinema. I like junior mints quite a lot. Helps with the, oh," she mutters, looking cross-eyed at her lit cigarette, and then pulls it out of her mouth and crushes the cherry between two calloused finger tips.

    "Been warned about smoking around the wee ones. Need to hire a minder for myself."
    The ward holds; the imp in the doll squeals and tries to get itself as far away as possible from Patience.

    <I was commanded to take the soul of the old biddy and return with it to my tormentor!> the imp replies, <Cursed to wear a freaking DOLL and bid to only move when some witch entered the room! Steal the memories, steel the tormentor! Touch me not! Release me so I can flee! Oh blazes that hurts so much to LOOK at!>

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda giggles quietly, smiling as she bows her head gratefully to the old witch. "I think our old cinema in town just had popcorn," she muses, attention stolen back to Patience's display. Rapt fascination as she watches!

And bites her tongue. 'Better blooded family'. Bel keeps her mouth shut as she watches stubbornly, eyes observing, watchful. And at a bit of a loss. Water and nails?

Patience Alperen has posed:
It certainly seems to be forthcoming with details, and so quickly. It would be enough to make many grow over confident and let their guard down, perhaps.

"Who is your tormentor. Who commands you" Patience presses the demon. Another step closer, still holding the cross formed of iron nails out. The vial of holy water is kept in hand. There is no sense in over playing this before it was necessary.

"Nettie? Any idea who it's talking about?" she wonders.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    <Nnnngggg -- the Tormentor... name... ALBERT CROWE!> the doll cries out, and at unleashing the name of what bound it, the doll itself catches on fire, magic condenses within the bubble of the ward itself, and doll, imp, spirit, and all other things burst into flames within the warded bubble.

    And then, the gooey remains of the demon and doll curdle like spoiled milk set to a microwave, and form a sigil within the ward... a calling card of sorts.

    Nettie just... blinks.

    "... they're not supposed to pop."

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The young lady stares at the doll, eyes widening at its sudden, spectacular demise. Belinda winces, grimacing, glancing to Patience and Mrs. Crowe. A murmur under her lips, she rises up, moving on silent feet to the corner cabinets, opening it with swift aplomb. A quick rummaging later, she elbows the door shut again before she runs back over.

Quick inventory: air freshener, one of the thick, dark candles once used to dispel every evil scent from the air, a packet of slightly-expired incense sticks.

Wordlessly, she kneels down alongside the Greywitch, setting out the first of her payload dilligently.

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen listens and frowns as the demon reveals the additional details. As the demon finds itself vanquished by, assumedly, betraying the commands of its tormentor, she studies the sigil that is formed from the remains.

"Albert Crow.." she repeats. Because most people can't hear the 'e' at the end.

Looking to Nettie she tilts her head, "Is that someone you know of?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "That's impossible. SOmeone's having a jolly time of things." NEttie frets, and she reaches down into her pocket. She pulls out that silvery flask, she untwists the top, and lifts to her lips as she tastes pine.

    "Albert Crowe was my youngest brother. That's his sigil. BUt he disavowed Magic... and besides" Nettie gives a nod, and with a click of her fingers she lights the candle and the insence as the smell of rotting meat and long spoiled milk begins to fill the room.

    " -- he's been dead for over a hundred years."