AS ABOVE (game thread)

20XX-03-13 06:45:00 | C091 enters briefing room. It is located on the second floor of an office building at ████ ████ St., ██████, MA, USA. He is dressed in a standard-issue suit and tie. His face is unremarkable. He was not followed.
20XX-03-13 06:45:05 | C091 begins setup of projector and arrangement of furniture to accommodate exorcists.
20XX-03-13 06:48:32 | C091 concludes setup.
20XX-03-13 06:51:02 | C091 lights a cigarette.
20XX-03-13 06:56:02 | C091 finishes cigarette.
20XX-03-13 06:57:21 | C091 lights a second cigarette.
20XX-03-13 07:00:00 | Exorcists are expected to arrive. Perhaps they do. Perhaps they do not. Perhaps they have already arrived.

THIS IS THE PART WHERE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES - ADMIN.

xxx0959
7:00am
As above, so below

Fact: This will be your first mission. You are outfitted in standard-issue service uniforms. This consists of:

- One (1) BLACK tunic with standing collar and five (5) brass buttons.
- One (1) pair of BLACK straight-leg pants.
- Two (2) BLACK leather penny-loafers.
- Two (2) BLACK cotton socks.
- One (1) BLACK shoulder-length cape, with zinc alloy clasp, for protection from the elements.
- One (1) BLACK sash measuring six (6) feet in length, to be worn as preferred. Tensile strength is sufficient to support a human body by the neck, should capture or sin overflow prove inevitable.

Deviation from approved clothing and hairstyles will be disciplined, unless determined to be essential to the mission.

MISSION FLOW MATRIX
1. BRIEFING
2. ARRIVAL
3. TRACK
4a. INVESTIGATE
4b. PREPARE
4c. REST
5. CONFRONT
6. EXECUTE
7. EXFILTRATE
TENSION

PRESSURE

RECORDED CLUES AND PREPARATIONS
Some sort of "weird baby" attacked people at the hospital a few days ago. An orderly is willing to talk.
Something strange lurks in the psych ward...

---

VITAL INFORMATION CARD

NAME:	HOST:	TYPE: OGRE
FORM:	CAT: 1-2	EXECUTED: // ::

RECORDED TRAUMAS




EXECUTION |

Research indicates that the following track will best set the mood: Enjoy. It is mandatory.

The first to arrive was a stout figure just short of ungainly, their arrival announced by the steady march of their flimsy shoes across the floor that managed to sound like the clomping of military boots under the weight of their feet. They were dressed to the uniform standard expected by CAIN, save that their cape was pinned several inches lower than standard. This allowed the flowing garment to more properly enshroud their shoulders and upper torso, adding to the voluminous impression of their physique. The standing collar of their tunic hid the outline of their jaw somewhat, and drew the gaze to the dome of their head, crisscrossed by several lines of sutures over long-healed wounds, as if whoever stitched them up wasn't around to take the sutures out once they were unneeded, and no one else cared to help them.

Despite their imposing appearance, the figure nudged the door to the briefing room open gently, maintaining posture as they slipped in. Standing to attention, they greeted the Admin with a salute. "Admin C091, sir. Exorcist Bonham reporting in." Having become dissuaded from waiting for an "at ease" (a practice rarely followed during deployment with [REDACTED] company anyway), they quietly took a seat, prepared to receive their orders.

C091 meets Bonham's eyes. He smiles, though there is no geniality in the expression. Resignation, perhaps? It's difficult to tell.
"I'm no Admin, 990. Just CASTLE's mouthpiece. Take a seat." He gestures to the classroom-style seats in front of the projector, all hard plastic welded to cramped desks. "We'll begin the briefing once everyone is here. Time is of the essence, so I do hope your fellow exorcists are not tardy. CAIN takes truancy very seriously.

He smiles, but his eyes betray the meaning. Rogue exorcists are executed.

HE KNOWS HIS PLACE. OBEDIENCE IS REWARDED. - ADMIN.

xxx0960
7:01am
As above, so below

Next came Erasmus, also punctual. Unlike Bonham, however, his punctuality probably came from the indefinite stay of execution hanging above his head, and it showed in the cold look he surveyed the room with, standing in the entrance. Between his legs, a beagle snuffled wetly, crunching down on a bone. Strange, did this building allow pets? Then they came closer into the room, and one could see the rivulets of bloody tears running down the beast's face, marred by the soft growling as it cracked open what looked disturbingly like a human femur.

Erasmus looked much like any other highschool student, albeit one that had outgrown the outfit in age, if not in spirit. He wore his designated uniform with an air of sullen resignation, nodding stiffly to the two others in the room. "Exorcist Doyle. Reporting." Once the bare minimum of ceremony had been fulfilled, he dropped to one knee, taking out a handkerchief and wiping gently at his hound's face. It came away bloody, but he didn't seem to care.

Only then did he take a seat, with Orion winding itself beneath his feet, staring up at the other humans with a look of wistful hunger.

Kyle had arrived early, mostly because he didn't like being bitched at. Unfortunately, he noticed the office building had a coffee shop on the first floor.

"Fuck it."

When he stepped off the elevator on the second floor, he saw the open door to the room he was reporting to. Something smelled like dog, and it wasn't him (for once).

Strolling in with eight drinks in drink carriers (he wasn't sure exactly how many Exorcists were called in) he sees the guy in charge and a few others had already arrived.

One had a puppy!

Catching himself starting to smile when he saw the beagle, he stops himself and swings his gaze back to the guy running the show. He hated his uniform, but it was clean and well kept and he always wore it to the meeting. The job, on the other hand... He paused in the doorway, his imposing -- almost predatory -- figure standing framed momentarily.

"Lycaon, reporting. Brought drinks cuz it woulda been rude t'show up with one for me but not th' rest o' th' class. Four white chocalates, two chai, two drip with some sugar packets and little cream packet-thingies on the side."

He put the carriers on the table, and grabs one of the white chocolates before pulling a desk directly behind another desk, sitting on the desk itself amd putting his feet in the seat of the desk in front of him. "Sorry, I ain't fit in a desk like this since middle school."

With that, he settled in and took a sip of his coffee.

Fact: Exorcists are not issued money, save for ITEM N70, purchased for one (1) scrip. Someone is missing their coffee order.

C091 takes a drip coffee, adding cream but not sugar. He alternates between sips of coffee and drags of his cigarette, in a measured, steady rhythm.
"XY077. X779." He does not glance up as Kyle splays himself across two desks. "Insubordination is noted and will be recorded. You are issued verbal discipline as per CASTLE ref 0156."

20XX-03-13 07:01:09 | The air is thick with the scent of cigarette smoke. There are no open windows. The nicotine addiction endemic to CAIN operatives is evident in this man.

Salem will arrive, dangerously close to being late. He is wearing his standard issue uniform comfortably but not slovenly. His sash is tied just above his waist in a manner reminiscent of his prior profession.

With a nod of greeting to those gathered, his tired eyes will fall upon Lycaon's rapidly depleting drink carrier.

"Coffee? What's the occasion?"

He takes a seat nearby, poised to grab a drink for himself.

Stifling a laugh by pretending to cough when the poor sap running the meeting mentions insubordination, Kyle instead takes a drink of his coffee.

"We have t' be here," Kyle replies to the newest attendee, raising his cup. "Grab one."

Dumbass probably thinks I stole th' coffee. I'd never! I stole th' money I used t' buy the damn coffee. Pretty sure th' dude was a dealer though, so fuck 'im anyways.

To the rest, there are a few notable moments of silence, before a smile creeps across Lycaon's face and he takes another drink, still perched on the dual-desk seating he had arranged.

I wonder if I can pet the puppy?

She doesn’t quite dare to be late. But she also doesn’t really care much.

So, a whole 49 seconds late, a girl appears in the doorway. She looks like a high school senior, but dressed in a way-too-formal uniform. Her sash is draped like a shawl around her shoulders. Her black clothes are a sharp contrast to her bright blue hair.

She looks up at the others.

"Hey," she says, in a tone that lands somewhere between "hi" and "I don’t care."

She walks into the room without apologizing or caring about being late.
As she passes Kyle’s table, she picks up a white chocolate drink. She doesn’t thank him for bringing it. She just takes it.

Finally, she drops herself into the last remaining chair.
"So... I heard you guys need me?" she says, now sitting sideways in her seat.

Salem will gratefully take a coffee and begin sipping before attempting to find a comfortable position at his desk.

He will fail.

"Yes. We have need of your services. You five are the only Category 1 exorcists located in our New England campus not currently on mission, administrative leave, recovery, or bereavement. As such, you have been assigned to one another, and will remain as a team until your duty is finished."
C091 stubs out his cigarette and immediately begins lighting another one.
"There is a Sin in this city. Your duty as a team is to execute it. There will be time for introductions in transit. Are there any questions before the briefing begins?"

"Negative."

"Will there be snacks for Orion?" Erasmus rasped out in a wistful tone. The HOUND-type manifestation perked up slightly at its name being called, snapping the bone in half eagerly at the prospect of prey.