Re: Battle, Death and a Pine Cone IC Thread 18

[Warpmind]

"Agreed, if we can find the spirit's offspring her entire reason for helping the Nephandi will be gone and my guess is that she will take her children and go back to her home, though she might be persuaded into helping us, if we meet her before we have freed the lesser spirits though we are going to have to try to convince her that we can help her, perhaps the she will leave us alone...this is not a bad spirit young man, she is just protecting her young..."
Udella said and nodded.

Colin sighed, "Spirits are what they are... not quite conforming to our notions of good or evil, hmm? But no, this one seems quite amicable by her nature, only forced to violence against her will. Seems to be a lot of that going on recently..."

"A Ball can take out several quarters, sometimes an entire city, and yes that kind of mass death and suffering, it would disturb the local laylines, not to mention cause allot of Entropic energy to flare up, there would be quite a bit of...ehm...residue from that the Nephandi could use...and I fear they might be cruel enough to take that many lives to attain their goals."
The Enforcer frowned.

He frowned, "To them, it's not even cruelty - it's an act of mercy, to release so many people from a rotten world... All the more reason to be worried."

"An Aswadim...but that is an Oracle...a Qliphothic Oracle, how could someone even hope to control something like that?"
Udella said her eyes growing large and she muttered something soft under her breath in Italian, words her mother would be shocked that a lady of noble blood knew, it was still far sweeter and softer swearing that the lines Jeffry Morgan might let loose when he felt like it though.
"Ah...ehm forgive the language young man."
She muttered apologetically.

He smiled thinly, "Quite alright; I've heard far worse in reference to this matter..."

"It could be indeed, then again magick to manipulate time was used just as we entered this Labyrinth and they would have felt that, it might just have been guessing on their end...that they know we have someone skilled with Chronomancy with us though, that worry me...though hopefully then they do not know about you or..."
The Enforcer looked in the direction of Crexia, not wanting to say anything directly in case there where ears listening.
"We are going to have to make sure the Cultists are not taken...and anyone else the Fallen might want as well, whatever they want we do not want them to have it."

He nodded, "They want Oblivion, we'll give them Hell instead."

Loretta glanced in the direction of Engrave's wall, more letters and words had appeared now and there was a constant slight scraping sound.
"Busy little fucker...but yes that do seam the practical solution."
The Cultist muttered. Engrave was indeed busy and that seamed to make him happy.

He grinned and winked, "Now, now, Ma'am, please refrain from slandering my new friend in such a manner."

"Yeah I should be fine Mr W...it stings like hell but I can move and cast magick."
James said with a wry grin, carefully avoiding saying your name.

"Good. I was momentarily worried about you there, but you're made of stern stuff, too."

You carefully pull the claws out. Loretta whimpered and she turned very pale but she did not move or pull away and you got the claws out safely as her wounds where slowly knitting back together.
"Thank you."
The Cultist muttered between clenched teeth. Rosario's magick did it's work, and the older Cultist's flesh sealed up though it was still red and swollen. Rosario stopped dancing and put her hands on her knees and breathed heavily and not from her dancing but more from the magick work.
"That is as...good as I can get it...I think..."
She muttered as she slowly woke up from her trance. Leon handed her the bottle of water he had given his brother earlier and she accepted it and took a good swing of if before handing it to her Mentor who took a sip of water before handing the bottle back.
"It will be enough child, thank you. It seams your Cabalmate taught you well when it comes to healing, not that I understand how she did it since your and her Paradigm have nothing in common."
Loretta said.
"I am ready to keep moving."
She announced as she tried to adjust her blouse and jacket and looking displeased at the bloody holes in it, then she remembered you and gestured to the water bottle she had handed back to Leon.
"Did you need any water?"
She asked.

He shook his head, "I'm good."

Adley's frown deepened. It's not that he thought things were about to get easier, of course. But a distinct foreboding was nothing to discount. He looked at Colin. "Are you done with those tanks?" Then he looked over at Nancy. "What do you feel?" he asked her.

He shook his head, "No, I think there's about half a dozen drams or so left. Let me check..."
He quickly shook off the straps and turned the tanks around to look at the gauges.

"Not to quote your own words back at you, but be careful with such," he said.

"I would check them for corruption before taking them but yes there might be something of use in them. I would be careful with letting other shapechangers see you have the claws of one of them though, they might get the wrong idea and cause trouble."
Loretta said, she sounded a bit skeptical.

He nodded, "Agreed; a quick scan is a good idea, and as for letting other shapechangers see them... we have a Dreamspeaker at home; something of a specialist on the matter - and I can confer with the, ah, resident expert here in Chicago on it, too. I suspect, though, that their greatest value will be symbolic. Still, caution is called for, and we should get rid of your blood on them first, as well."
He pushed the Prime monocle into place and muttered "Magia spectare", quickly scanning the claws.

"That is a good point, do not apologize, sodalis," he said to James, taking out his notebook to ball up wads of paper as he spoke. "Ma'am," he said to get Crexia's attention, "We should clean up after ourselves, anyone who can help me expedite that is appreciated. As well, amicus please let me see those claws you are keeping and any others you see." He began to scan around the area they had fought in for the claws that hit Cara, Loretta and James and for the blood to burn away and used the paper and his lighter to start a fire - perhaps not the most flashy way to begin Ignems but it was easier to use fire that was already present than create it. Then he used the fire and prime to destroy the arcane links that the blood contained, much as he did when he put items into the fireplace. As he worked, he remembered the little girl that was his sister's innocence, telling him to follow the fire. His was nothing compared to the conflagration the elder mages could make, not yet, but as the fire bloomed he directed its course with rego ignem and the words his pater had taught him, adding fuel as necessary.

He nodded and handed Adley the claws, "I believe it were these three, and the one that winged her," he nodded toward Cara, "the others that didn't draw blood are probably not worth worrying much about."

Crexia nodded.
"Very well, if everyone is alright to move we should get moving before anything else happens...same formation as earlier please."
She said and she begun moving past the very dead werbear and she headed towards the door towards the living quarters.

He grimaced at the werebear scraps, "Thank Heavens for good boots... Bad way to go."

((OOC: Simple Prime scan, 4,6,9. Should be abundant for a simple look like that...))

[Tane Karyak]

Keep an eye on his Avatar for me if you can Mr Karyak, tell me if her condition worsen.

Can do that with a song. No problem. He said and started singing. From his hands a cold fire rised and from between his fingers the tongues of flames scaped, smoke building up and forming some sort of window that showed the avatar, que little Doe.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"I don't think inviting her back would be wise right now."

"No...it would not."
Udella said with a wry smile.
"It most certainly would not."

"The children are bound to a ring she wears. Recovering that would go a long way, if we can."

"Yes, but to do that we need to get to Abigail and the problem is that I have a feeling the Umbrood Lord will get in the way long before then, unless we happen to stumble upon the Lady of the Labyrinth just wandering around the hallways exposed and vulnerable and I kind of doubt that we will get quite that lucky Sodalis."

"Well, that mage is very dead," he said. "If we can mask temporal resonance though that might be helpful," he suggested.

"I can take care of that, changing the Resonance into something else, or at least trying to."
Cara offered.
"I will help you Sodalis."
Udella said and the old Enforcer and the young Criamon begun to cast a quick spell together, muttering words about Rego Vim, to control magick, and control the Resonance in the area, masking the residue of Loretta's time rote. After the bit of willorking Udella smiled and inclined her head to Cara who nodded.
"It is done."
The Criamon told you.

Adley's frown deepened. It's not that he thought things were about to get easier, of course. But a distinct foreboding was nothing to discount. He looked at Colin. "Are you done with those tanks?" Then he looked over at Nancy. "What do you feel?" he asked her.

"The threes and fives are very angry, the numbers who are not numbers but who still add in into equations have stolen their candy."
Nancy said and shook her head and got a stern look on her face.
"Which is not a very nice thing to do...not at all..."

"Agreed. Can you keep an eye out for trouble, ma'am while I try to top up my shields? I don't want to waste us any time."

Udella nodded at that.
"Yes off course Sodalis."
She said.
"In the meantime I will watch our rear, yes most likely danger will come from further into the Labyrinth but someone might come in through the portal as well and I would not like to be caught unaware."
Olamide offered and she placed herself where she had clear view of the portal, and clear line to deal with anyone hostile coming in from there as well.

"That is a good point, do not apologize, sodalis," he said to James, taking out his notebook to ball up wads of paper as he spoke. "Ma'am," he said to get Crexia's attention, "We should clean up after ourselves, anyone who can help me expedite that is appreciated.

"Thank you Sodalis."
James said with earnest gratitude. Crexia turned around and nodded.
"Ah yes off course, that is probably a good idea."
She said and nodded.
"I can help you with that before we go."

He began to scan around the area they had fought in for the claws that hit Cara, Loretta and James and for the blood to burn away and used the paper and his lighter to start a fire - perhaps not the most flashy way to begin Ignems but it was easier to use fire that was already present than create it.

You found the claws fairly easily, they where glowing a dark, corrupted but still natural magic, there might be some vis in those claws. You get a fire started easily enough.

Then he used the fire and prime to destroy the arcane links that the blood contained, much as he did when he put items into the fireplace. As he worked, he remembered the little girl that was his sister's innocence, telling him to follow the fire. His was nothing compared to the conflagration the elder mages could make, not yet, but as the fire bloomed he directed its course with rego ignem and the words his pater had taught him, adding fuel as necessary.

Your fire and will burn away the arcane connections of the blood on the ground, and on the claws, you might be able to burn away the blood and not destroy the claws themselves though but then you have to pull them out of the fire rather quickly. There was a purity in fire, a purity this place saw little of, and you could feel your Avatar looking the the flames with your eyes, though she said nothing, she seldom did.

Colin sighed, "Spirits are what they are... not quite conforming to our notions of good or evil, hmm? But no, this one seems quite amicable by her nature, only forced to violence against her will. Seems to be a lot of that going on recently..."

"Yes the Nephandi spread that kind of horror and corruption, it is part of what they are, if it was just that one Nephandus being tainted then they would not be so dangerous, but they taint, corrupt and destroy those around them as well, this spirit, their friends...their students...everyone..."
Udella said and frowned.
"This spirit only want to protect her young and as a result are driven to violence...the Nephandi taint everything they touch...that is one of the reasons we have to stop them."

He frowned, "To them, it's not even cruelty - it's an act of mercy, to release so many people from a rotten world... All the more reason to be worried."

"Yes...well death only lead to rebirth which is not what the Nephandi seek, it is more I think they do not care who suffers as long as they find their nothingness..."

He smiled thinly, "Quite alright; I've heard far worse in reference to this matter..."

"Ah yes...I suspect you have young man...then again as my mother always said, so many years ago...such is not how a lady should speak."
Udella said with a slightly amused smile.

He nodded, "They want Oblivion, we'll give them Hell instead."

"Yes young man...yes we will."
The Enforcer said darkly.

He grinned and winked, "Now, now, Ma'am, please refrain from slandering my new friend in such a manner."

"Ah yes...of course...do forgive me..."
Loretta said and grinned.

"Good. I was momentarily worried about you there, but you're made of stern stuff, too."

"I have to be...I have three apprentices and I run a bloody nightclub in Chicago."
The Cultist said with a wry smile before she winced again.

He shook his head, "I'm good."

Cara nodded and handed the bottle back to Leon who put it in his pack for later.

He shook his head, "No, I think there's about half a dozen drams or so left. Let me check..."
He quickly shook off the straps and turned the tanks around to look at the gauges.

You have five drams left in one of the tanks, and ten in the other.

He nodded, "Agreed; a quick scan is a good idea, and as for letting other shapechangers see them... we have a Dreamspeaker at home; something of a specialist on the matter - and I can confer with the, ah, resident expert here in Chicago on it, too. I suspect, though, that their greatest value will be symbolic. Still, caution is called for, and we should get rid of your blood on them first, as well."
He pushed the Prime monocle into place and muttered "Magia spectare", quickly scanning the claws.

"Yes conferring with an expert about how wise it is to keep something like that might be wise."
Loretta said and nodded. You examined the claws, they where corrupted and quite foul, the Resonance was highly Dynamic and Entropic, you do think you could get a dram of Tass out of the claws that had hit Loretta though, not the best quality Tass.

He nodded and handed Adley the claws, "I believe it were these three, and the one that winged her," he nodded toward Cara, "the others that didn't draw blood are probably not worth worrying much about."

Cara grimaced a bit at that, she handed you the claw that had been healed out of her shoulder and you had the ones that hit Loretta, the other claws lay scattered about the corridor, but they had not hit anyone.

He grimaced at the werebear scraps, "Thank Heavens for good boots... Bad way to go."

"No...perhaps the injuries he got before time froze around him was bad, but all of that...he had no time to feel it, there are far worse ways to die young man, where you feel every agonizing second."
Crexia muttered, she looked at the werbear sludge and shrugged.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

The doe slowly appeared in the smoke, she was shivering and energies swirled about her, some of them was red, angry and dark, and yet they felt so alluring and powerful, this energy was pulled out of her as a ball of pure Prime started burning over the living room table, the ball sputtered red at times and there was suffering in that ball, suffering, death and an inhuman hunger. The doe shivered in pain as energy was pulled out of her, central energy the Quintessence that was her life blood, it was a harsh, brutal process and she screamed and as she did so did Tobias, he screamed around the belt in his mouth and twisted violently in your grip, tears of pain rolling down his eyes, he did not see the strange ball of energy over the living room table, or the doe, he was in to much pain to see anything. The little slender Avatar, though in pain, and scared was holding up well though, she seamed to be safe, for now.
"Your...song is beautiful and...to be able to bring them forth like that..."
Cita muttered but she allowed herself just one moment to look at the doe in awe before she turned her full focus back to her work.
"Hold him...hold him...and keep and eye on his soul...make sure she can take it!"
The spirit healer ordered.

[Tane Karyak]

Tane could not talk as he sang but he was strangelly proud of the doe and her strenght. The boy would go a long way with her.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

The small Avatar shuddered as the Quintessence, quite a bit of it tainted by the poison of the well meaning vampire who had adopted the young Orphan, she was clearly in pain and she was worried about the sounds coming from her host, the treatment hurt, and what hurt her...hurt her young host. The doe put her head on your knee, even a creature like her seeking comfort during a frightening, painful experience, though it was hard to know if her behavior was human in a way due to being incarnated into a host, or if the Avatar herself had such feelings.

Finally the last of the Quintessence was drained from the poisoned Avatar and the glowing ball of Primal flames flickered out of existence, it's fuel gone. The Doe lifted her head, she was weakened now, drained of all free Quintessence in her system, drained of every bit of the essence she was a part of, she was weak, but she was whole and alive, slowly she stood, her thin legs nearly buckling under her own weight and she laid down inside of Tobias soul, as if she was resting in the grass of a old forest, her perfect brown head bent down to the ground as she rested and begun the process of slowly refilling herself from the Quintessence pool, the little soul was weakened and still sick, but not poisoned any longer and given time she would recover.

Tobias had fainted in your grip and he had gone lip against the sofa, he was pale and bathed in sweat.
"Good...that is a good sign, often when...injury to the Avatar occurs the pain is so overwhelming the host can not faint and are left in a...state of inescapable suffering, that the boy is out is a good sign."
Cita said and pressed her keyboard a few more time and then she slowly breathed out and put the machine on the table.
"It is done..."
She whispered.
"The tainting Quintessence of the vampire blood is gone...now that little soul and her host need peace and time to recover but I think...I think they will be alright..."
She said and leaned back in her chair, sweat running down her face as well, and she was almost as pale as Tobias, that bit of magick had taken allot out of her.
"Ehm we...should get him to bed...and...ehm...yeah..."
She muttered and grabbed her head for a moment.
"Fuck...that was not easy..."

[Warpmind]

"Yes, but to do that we need to get to Abigail and the problem is that I have a feeling the Umbrood Lord will get in the way long before then, unless we happen to stumble upon the Lady of the Labyrinth just wandering around the hallways exposed and vulnerable and I kind of doubt that we will get quite that lucky Sodalis."

Colin frowned, "We could be lucky and not be the team that encounters that Spirit... in which case we might find said Lady of the Labyrinth first."

"Yes the Nephandi spread that kind of horror and corruption, it is part of what they are, if it was just that one Nephandus being tainted then they would not be so dangerous, but they taint, corrupt and destroy those around them as well, this spirit, their friends...their students...everyone..."
Udella said and frowned.
"This spirit only want to protect her young and as a result are driven to violence...the Nephandi taint everything they touch...that is one of the reasons we have to stop them."

He nodded darkly, "One of the reasons. They are quite generous with those..."

"Ah yes...I suspect you have young man...then again as my mother always said, so many years ago...such is not how a lady should speak."
Udella said with a slightly amused smile.

He grinned, "I know of a few ladies who would be only too glad to throw that attitude out the window, with the caveat that such a variation on linguistics is called for by the immediate situation at hand."

"I can take care of that, changing the Resonance into something else, or at least trying to."
Cara offered.
"I will help you Sodalis."
Udella said and the old Enforcer and the young Criamon begun to cast a quick spell together, muttering words about Rego Vim, to control magick, and control the Resonance in the area, masking the residue of Loretta's time rote. After the bit of willorking Udella smiled and inclined her head to Cara who nodded.
"It is done."
The Criamon told you.

He nodded approvingly, "Neat work."

"Ah yes...of course...do forgive me..."
Loretta said and grinned.

He chuckled, "Quite alright - I don't think he heard you... nor, do I think, would he have been offended by it. Confused, probably, as he would likely not understand how that verb would apply to him."

"I have to be...I have three apprentices and I run a bloody nightclub in Chicago."
The Cultist said with a wry smile before she winced again.

He arched an eyebrow, "Now there's a pain, alright... I can handle one obstreperous client at a time; I'd hate to imagine the pain of dealing with multiple intoxicated clients at the same time..."

You have five drams left in one of the tanks, and ten in the other.

He whistled quietly, "I was mistaken, I have fifteen drams left still. Plenty of power."

"Yes conferring with an expert about how wise it is to keep something like that might be wise."
Loretta said and nodded. You examined the claws, they where corrupted and quite foul, the Resonance was highly Dynamic and Entropic, you do think you could get a dram of Tass out of the claws that had hit Loretta though, not the best quality Tass.

He frowned, "Ew, pretty corrupted... but i think I could draw out a dram of Tass from these. Not very potent stuff, but probably good for some immediate applications. Hum... I think I understand what my Cabalmate had in mind when he took... trophies from the Fallen..."

"No...perhaps the injuries he got before time froze around him was bad, but all of that...he had no time to feel it, there are far worse ways to die young man, where you feel every agonizing second."
Crexia muttered, she looked at the werbear sludge and shrugged.

He nodded, frowning, "Nevertheless, anything that means a closed casket funeral is pretty bad, and a service requiring a mop and bucket is... pretty horrid, however quick and painless it might be..."

((OOC: Cultist? Colin's comment about being made of stern stuff was directed at James, not Loretta.))

((OOC: Avatar detox! That can't have been pleasant; I hear tell "sweating out" regular drug addictions is a pretty horrid - and potentially deadly - affair, but having the residual toxins forcibly yanked out of your soul has to be exponentially worse. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin frowned, "We could be lucky and not be the team that encounters that Spirit... in which case we might find said Lady of the Labyrinth first."

"Yes we can hope for such luck, then again that would put our other groups in danger so it might not be so lucky after all."
Udella said and frowned.

He nodded darkly, "One of the reasons. They are quite generous with those..."

"So they are...far to generous."
The old Quesitor muttered darkly.

He grinned, "I know of a few ladies who would be only too glad to throw that attitude out the window, with the caveat that such a variation on linguistics is called for by the immediate situation at hand."

He grinned, "I know of a few ladies who would be only too glad to throw that attitude out the window, with the caveat that such a variation on linguistics is called for by the immediate situation at hand."

Udella gave a slight chuckle at that.
"Those ladies might indeed be sensible...sometimes a good...expression of frustration make it all seam easier to deal with, even if it really is not, and that is half the battle now is it not?"

He nodded approvingly, "Neat work."

Crexia gave you a nod in return and Cara smiled a little and looked down.
"Thank you."
She muttered shyly.

He chuckled, "Quite alright - I don't think he heard you... nor, do I think, would he have been offended by it. Confused, probably, as he would likely not understand how that verb would apply to him."

"Ah yes, I have heard Umbroods can be quite literal, not that I have dealt with them much myself, I can see them but that is pretty much it."
Loretta said with a slight grin.
"Well I wish your new friend the best."

He arched an eyebrow, "Now there's a pain, alright... I can handle one obstreperous client at a time; I'd hate to imagine the pain of dealing with multiple intoxicated clients at the same time..."

"Well I have bouncers for those, it is the gangs, the creditors, primadonna artists, vampires and other such problem children that I have to deal with."
Loretta muttered.

He whistled quietly, "I was mistaken, I have fifteen drams left still. Plenty of power."

"Oh joy."
Leon muttered and made a grimace.

He frowned, "Ew, pretty corrupted... but i think I could draw out a dram of Tass from these. Not very potent stuff, but probably good for some immediate applications. Hum... I think I understand what my Cabalmate had in mind when he took... trophies from the Fallen..."

"Ehm...your Cabalmate took trophies from the Fallen...as in Nephandi bits?"
Cara asked and raised a shocked eyebrow.
"Was this the widderslainte?"

He nodded, frowning, "Nevertheless, anything that means a closed casket funeral is pretty bad, and a service requiring a mop and bucket is... pretty horrid, however quick and painless it might be..."

"More horrid for those who see it than for the killed individual but yes I can see your point young man."
Crexia said and regarded you.
"In either case that werbear is no longer a threat to us and that is what matters."
She added coldly.

(OOC: Sorry I completely misread who you meant then, do you want me to change it?"

(OOC 2: Yeah it was not plesant for poor Tobias, having his Avatar shatter from Vampire blood would have been less plesant though. He was lucky with his rolls though, very lucky and get to remain a mage, if he had not been so lucky well, let us just say that when Colin got home Mia would have had some splinters to collect and then Colin might have well...looked at vampires in a whole new way.  Assimilating Avatar shards is not always a good thing. )

[Warpmind]

"Yes we can hope for such luck, then again that would put our other groups in danger so it might not be so lucky after all."
Udella said and frowned.

Colin nodded, "No matter how it plays out, someone will have to deal with her... Hopefully, without violence. But that's hardly realistic, alas..."

"Ah yes, I have heard Umbroods can be quite literal, not that I have dealt with them much myself, I can see them but that is pretty much it."
Loretta said with a slight grin.
"Well I wish your new friend the best."

He nodded, smiling, "Well, with a new identity, I think he'll do fine."

"Well I have bouncers for those, it is the gangs, the creditors, primadonna artists, vampires and other such problem children that I have to deal with."
Loretta muttered.

He sighed, then smirked, "And let's not forget the IRS, the city, state and federal bureaucracies... Sometimes, it's a wonder people can run an honest business at all. At the very least, I generally don't have to worry about robberies. It happened once, and the culprit seemed to run into an impressive streak of bad luck before being gently persuaded to return the stolen goods and surrender to the police peacefully. Flambeau can be so territorial, you know... Ah, well, water under the bridge..."

"Oh joy."
Leon muttered and made a grimace.

He nodded, "I don't like to be around the flavor any more than you do... However, I can't deny its usefulness."

"Ehm...your Cabalmate took trophies from the Fallen...as in Nephandi bits?"
Cara asked and raised a shocked eyebrow.
"Was this the widderslainte?"

He shook his head, "Yes and no... He called it mana; I don't think he meant it the way Linear Magi do, though; probably more in the sense of the power of fallen foes. He's a Dreamspeaker, and a bit barbaric. But he's bloody brilliant with Avatars; he could well surpass any Master of the Art alive, past or present."

"More horrid for those who see it than for the killed individual but yes I can see your point young man."
Crexia said and regarded you.
"In either case that werbear is no longer a threat to us and that is what matters."
She added coldly.

He nodded, "Indeed. And if intel was reliable, they only had the two of them..."

((OOC: Nah, but James could pipe up about it, as well. ))

((OOC: Oh, ew, no, Colin would not have liked that...))

[Adley]

He shook his head, "No, I think there's about half a dozen drams or so left. Let me check..." He quickly shook off the straps and turned the tanks around to look at the gauges...He whistled quietly, "I was mistaken, I have fifteen drams left still. Plenty of power."

"Hm...plans for it?" he asked.

"I can take care of that, changing the Resonance into something else, or at least trying to." Cara offered. "I will help you Sodalis."

"On those that can use it, don't want to throw our hand if we can help it," he said with a nod of thanks, and another as they finished up their work.

"The threes and fives are very angry, the numbers who are not numbers but who still add in into equations have stolen their candy." Nancy said and shook her head and got a stern look on her face. "Which is not a very nice thing to do...not at all..."

Unfortunately, Nancy's comments did not make any sense to him. "Numbers that are not numbers...have stolen their candy." He shook his head a little. "I'm sorry I don't understand," he said apologetically. But he didn't have time to parse this time around.

"Yes off course Sodalis." She said. "In the meantime I will watch our rear, yes most likely danger will come from further into the Labyrinth but someone might come in through the portal as well and I would not like to be caught unaware."
Olamide offered

"Thank you both."

"Thank you Sodalis." James said with earnest gratitude

"I'm glad you thought of it and that you are back up," he said. "While we're working we should figure out any final spells to make," he suggested.

"Ah yes off course, that is probably a good idea." She said and nodded. "I can help you with that before we go."

"Good, let's get this done then. As for the plan, knowing there is something...which way are we going?"

He nodded and handed Adley the claws, "I believe it were these three, and the one that winged her," he nodded toward Cara, "the others that didn't draw blood are probably not worth worrying much about."

"Thank you, amicus," he said, taking them carefully and then setting all of them together with an area to be cleaned up. He was not trying to destroy the claws, there wasn't time for it but remove all the blood on them and the rest of the area. He felt his avatar focus on the flames and gave her a feeling of acknowledgement back in between working, but there wasn't any way to dally.

Ehm...your Cabalmate took trophies from the Fallen...as in Nephandi bits?" Cara asked and raised a shocked eyebrow. "Was this the widderslainte?"

He shook his head, "Yes and no... He called it mana; I don't think he meant it the way Linear Magi do, though; probably more in the sense of the power of fallen foes. He's a Dreamspeaker, and a bit barbaric. But he's bloody brilliant with Avatars; he could well surpass any Master of the Art alive, past or present."

He gave Cara a frown at her talking about 'the widderslainte' along with body parts and then as Colin started talking about Tane. "Ahem, we should take care. The walls literally could have ears," he said as he finished up the cleanup. "I think that is all," he said, with one last look and a nod to Crexia.

// Ouch poor Tobias and avatar. Tough little deer!

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "No matter how it plays out, someone will have to deal with her... Hopefully, without violence. But that's hardly realistic, alas..."

"Indeed, the only way taking down Abigail could possibly happen without violence is if she somehow collapsed from a heart attack, would you surrender in her situation, would any Nephandus surrender knowing what we do to prisoners?"
Udella said and raised and eyebrow.
"But yes someone will have to deal with the woman."

He nodded, smiling, "Well, with a new identity, I think he'll do fine."

"That is good to hear, no one deserve a life of suffering, no matter who they are...well unless they are my ex husband, he deserve that, for anyone else they deserve some happiness."
Loretta said wryly.

He sighed, then smirked, "And let's not forget the IRS, the city, state and federal bureaucracies... Sometimes, it's a wonder people can run an honest business at all. At the very least, I generally don't have to worry about robberies. It happened once, and the culprit seemed to run into an impressive streak of bad luck before being gently persuaded to return the stolen goods and surrender to the police peacefully. Flambeau can be so territorial, you know... Ah, well, water under the bridge..."

"Ah yes, let us not forget them and codes that for example make it illegal to wash the floors with a water pressure under a certain amount, and employee codes that make it illegal to have that kind of water pressure and other such bullshit."
Loretta said and sigh.
"Well I do not that often haven to deal with robberies but gangs and organized crime are a problem, not to mention prostitution...I have no problem with it when it is a voluntary thing, I slept my way to many a position, but far to many try to force women...and men to work the streets and not in my club..."
She added and shook her head.
"I am glad you got your stolen goods back..."
She added.

James gave you a bit of a smile and chimed in.
"If you meant me Mr W then thank you...I might not be from a combat oriented House, but I am still Hermetic, and sometime you just have to get something done and have to continue regardless of how it feels."
He said and looked at his brother, or perhaps he did not want to leave Leon down here alone and that gave him the strength to press on.

He nodded, "I don't like to be around the flavor any more than you do... However, I can't deny its usefulness."

"Well I have to admit that it have been useful thus far..."
Leon muttered though he eyed the tanks suspiciously he did not like being this close to that corrupted Quintessence.

He shook his head, "Yes and no... He called it mana; I don't think he meant it the way Linear Magi do, though; probably more in the sense of the power of fallen foes. He's a Dreamspeaker, and a bit barbaric. But he's bloody brilliant with Avatars; he could well surpass any Master of the Art alive, past or present."

"Hum...well I guess we all have our customs and ways to do things, it seams dangerous though to bring Nephandi parts home, I mean many Chantries have some arcane connections to their members on hand, a bit of blood or hair, so that if they vanish for any reason or are captured by the enemy they can be found again, I will hazard a guess many Nephandi do the same. We do need more spirit healers though so I hope your Cabalmate will do well."
Cara said and nodded though she still looked a bit bothered by the thought of Nephandi bits.

He nodded, "Indeed. And if intel was reliable, they only had the two of them..."

"Let us hope that intel was reliable young man...let us really hope so..."
Crexia said wryly.

"On those that can use it, don't want to throw our hand if we can help it," he said with a nod of thanks, and another as they finished up their work.

"Hum...using it on the Chronomancers itself...yes perhaps...if you will not mind working with me again Sodalis?"
Udella asked Cara and the Criamon smiled.
"I would be honored Quesitor."
Udella smiled and turned to Loretta.
"With your permission Adeptus Majora."
Loretta looked a bit doubtful but she nodded.
"Ok fine enough."
She said and the two Hermetics started working with Udella leading the working this time. Again it was Regom Vim but the magick was far more complex, making the Cultist's own Resonance making it appear as something else. Crexia looked at the two and nodded she started the same working on herself, with the sharp, crisp gestures she favored.

Once done, and the working did not take long, Master of the Art could do quite a bit of magick in short time, especially with a strong Adept for an assistant, Udella turned to Colin.
"Would you consent to the same working done on you young man, I assure you it will not harm you, merely mask the residue of Chronomancy from you should someone study you with magick, the effect should fade again in a few hours."
The Quesitor asked and waited for the Orphan to give or refuse his permission before she did anything else.

Unfortunately, Nancy's comments did not make any sense to him. "Numbers that are not numbers...have stolen their candy." He shook his head a little. "I'm sorry I don't understand," he said apologetically. But he didn't have time to parse this time around.

"Some numbers are negative...but that is natural, there are plus and minus everywhere...and then there are numbers from other times, times that once was but are no more...ugly numbers that do not exist and they eat..."
Nancy muttered then she giggled.
"And they are here...waiting...they know we are here to and they are not happy."

"I'm glad you thought of it and that you are back up," he said. "While we're working we should figure out any final spells to make," he suggested.

James nodded at that.
"I was thinking about something to...better our fate...give us a bit of a leg up on chance...now that there is a moment to cast something."
He said and he fished out his dice again, he used the newer hand gestures but at the same time manipulated the dice to dance between his fingers and then threw them on the ground once he was done, all six fell with six pips showing and the Fortunae gave a satisfied smile. Nancy clapped her heads together excitedly.
"Numbers...good numbers..."
She said and James patted her on her shoulder and then bent down to retrieve his dice.
"Good numbers indeed."

"Good, let's get this done then. As for the plan, knowing there is something...which way are we going?"

"We are going towards the living quarters to try to find Carlyle, I want to take her out before she come after us, and we are also going to try to take out anyone we find along the way to make sure they can not attack our other groups."
Crexia said firmly.
"And hope we find this Cotta as well...so we go room to room taking out those who are there until we come to Carlyle's chambers...then engage her, following our...plans. There is something there but right now we do not know what so we follow the original plan until it shows it's hand, just be alert, we have no time to chase shadows..."
She added darkly.

"Thank you, amicus," he said, taking them carefully and then setting all of them together with an area to be cleaned up. He was not trying to destroy the claws, there wasn't time for it but remove all the blood on them and the rest of the area. He felt his avatar focus on the flames and gave her a feeling of acknowledgement back in between working, but there wasn't any way to dally.

You get the blood cleaned up, the claws are scorched but there is still Tass in them if anyone wanted to bring them along, they just do not look pretty anymore, not that they ever did. Your Avatar said nothing and only watched silently then withdrew deeper into your soul where her home was.

He gave Cara a frown at her talking about 'the widderslainte' along with body parts and then as Colin started talking about Tane. "Ahem, we should take care. The walls literally could have ears," he said as he finished up the cleanup. "I think that is all," he said, with one last look and a nod to Crexia.

"Ah...forgive me Sodalis..."
Cara said and looked down.
"You are right of course."
She added. Crexia nodded.
"Good...good...is everyone ready to continue then?"
She asked.
"Keep your wits and senses with you...we are not in the clear and we are in the lair of the enemy."
She advices as she prepared to continue into another corridor unless someone had anything else that needed doing first.

(OOC: Yeah tough little deer but Tobias felt that one and the treatment could have Gilgulled him if he was not lucky, and the thing is he is still Blood Bound, the treatment removed the blood and Quintessence from it, stopped the decay but it did not remove the mental part of it.)

(OOC 2: Due to James' rote everyone get to re roll once, just announce that you are doing so, fate is on your side.)

[Warpmind]

"Indeed, the only way taking down Abigail could possibly happen without violence is if she somehow collapsed from a heart attack, would you surrender in her situation, would any Nephandus surrender knowing what we do to prisoners?"
Udella said and raised and eyebrow.
"But yes someone will have to deal with the woman."

Colin frowned, "I was more concerned with the spirit whose offspring is held hostage. Abigail... is a different beast to contend with. As for Nephandi surrendering... well, I've heard tell of one rather spectacular individual in town. No names now, though..."

"Ah yes, let us not forget them and codes that for example make it illegal to wash the floors with a water pressure under a certain amount, and employee codes that make it illegal to have that kind of water pressure and other such bullshit."
Loretta said and sigh.
"Well I do not that often haven to deal with robberies but gangs and organized crime are a problem, not to mention prostitution...I have no problem with it when it is a voluntary thing, I slept my way to many a position, but far to many try to force women...and men to work the streets and not in my club..."
She added and shook her head.
"I am glad you got your stolen goods back..."
She added.

He grinned, "The stolen goods were good to get back, but I think the best thing is the way the word spread in the, ah, unsavoury social strata, that the proprietor of that silver shop had some nasty 'insurance' going. Apparently, there was some insurance racket in the neighbourhood a few decades ago, and that got rather brutally ended... So there just haven't been any gangs trying to pull that racket on our block again since."

James gave you a bit of a smile and chimed in.
"If you meant me Mr W then thank you...I might not be from a combat oriented House, but I am still Hermetic, and sometime you just have to get something done and have to continue regardless of how it feels."
He said and looked at his brother, or perhaps he did not want to leave Leon down here alone and that gave him the strength to press on.

He nodded, "Spoken like an Officer."

"Hum...using it on the Chronomancers itself...yes perhaps...if you will not mind working with me again Sodalis?"
Udella asked Cara and the Criamon smiled.
"I would be honored Quesitor."
Udella smiled and turned to Loretta.
"With your permission Adeptus Majora."
Loretta looked a bit doubtful but she nodded.
"Ok fine enough."
She said and the two Hermetics started working with Udella leading the working this time. Again it was Regom Vim but the magick was far more complex, making the Cultist's own Resonance making it appear as something else. Crexia looked at the two and nodded she started the same working on herself, with the sharp, crisp gestures she favored.

Once done, and the working did not take long, Master of the Art could do quite a bit of magick in short time, especially with a strong Adept for an assistant, Udella turned to Colin.
"Would you consent to the same working done on you young man, I assure you it will not harm you, merely mask the residue of Chronomancy from you should someone study you with magick, the effect should fade again in a few hours."
The Quesitor asked and waited for the Orphan to give or refuse his permission before she did anything else.

He bowed politely, arms slightly out to the side, "I would be glad of it, Milady. I can do some obfuscation of my own, but I would have to experiment a little to make sure it would work exactly right for this purpose."

"Hm...plans for it?" he asked.

He strapped the tanks back on again, "There's always room for a bigger, better boom. I can probably tear into the fleshy Labyrinth walls, or set up the equivalent of an automated turret to fire into an area. But if you have a specific idea for it, I'm all ears."

"Well I have to admit that it have been useful thus far..."
Leon muttered though he eyed the tanks suspiciously he did not like being this close to that corrupted Quintessence.

He grimaced, "I'm going to rinse out my Resonances afterwards... I might not contract Jhor from the use, but it's still going to leave unpleasantries."

James nodded at that.
"I was thinking about something to...better our fate...give us a bit of a leg up on chance...now that there is a moment to cast something."
He said and he fished out his dice again, he used the newer hand gestures but at the same time manipulated the dice to dance between his fingers and then threw them on the ground once he was done, all six fell with six pips showing and the Fortunae gave a satisfied smile. Nancy clapped her heads together excitedly.
"Numbers...good numbers..."
She said and James patted her on her shoulder and then bent down to retrieve his dice.
"Good numbers indeed."

He was looking slightly in a different direction as the dice hit the floor, "Six sixes; excellent roll..."
He glanced down at the dice as the last one came to a halt, "Ah, sorry, it's a... reflex."

"Thank you, amicus," he said, taking them carefully and then setting all of them together with an area to be cleaned up. He was not trying to destroy the claws, there wasn't time for it but remove all the blood on them and the rest of the area. He felt his avatar focus on the flames and gave her a feeling of acknowledgement back in between working, but there wasn't any way to dally.

You get the blood cleaned up, the claws are scorched but there is still Tass in them if anyone wanted to bring them along, they just do not look pretty anymore, not that they ever did. Your Avatar said nothing and only watched silently then withdrew deeper into your soul where her home was.

He nodded thoughtfully as he got the claws back, "Yes, I think I might be able to use these for an amulet... A protection against its like, perhaps?"

"Hum...well I guess we all have our customs and ways to do things, it seams dangerous though to bring Nephandi parts home, I mean many Chantries have some arcane connections to their members on hand, a bit of blood or hair, so that if they vanish for any reason or are captured by the enemy they can be found again, I will hazard a guess many Nephandi do the same. We do need more spirit healers though so I hope your Cabalmate will do well."
Cara said and nodded though she still looked a bit bothered by the thought of Nephandi bits.

He nodded, "Suffice to say, he's been reprimanded for it, and the items have been ordered removed."

"Ah...forgive me Sodalis..."
Cara said and looked down.
"You are right of course."
She added. Crexia nodded.
"Good...good...is everyone ready to continue then?"
She asked.
"Keep your wits and senses with you...we are not in the clear and we are in the lair of the enemy."
She advices as she prepared to continue into another corridor unless someone had anything else that needed doing first.

He gave Adley a brisk nod, and once more leveled the pistol and signet ring down the passageway, following Crexia's lead.

((OOC: Well, one of the primary psychological roots of addiction is isolation and depressions stemming from loneliness; a sort of bleak knowledge that that sort of escapism is only because there's literally no better option available. And I think we have a good chance at providing Tobias some better options now. Now, a supernatural component to the addiction, not immediately part of the blood and Quintessence itself, that's going to be the tough customer... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin frowned, "I was more concerned with the spirit whose offspring is held hostage. Abigail... is a different beast to contend with. As for Nephandi surrendering... well, I've heard tell of one rather spectacular individual in town. No names now, though..."

"Well I do not think we will get a ring in Abigail's possession without going through her first, unless she leave it in her room...and that room might have it's own danger...as for the one you speak of...yes indeed I know of this person as I helped the Senior Quesitor of the Chicago Tribunal handle his defense..."
Udella said and gave you a bit of a look and scratched her head.
"I do seam to have a tendency to take on hopeless cases."
She muttered.

He grinned, "The stolen goods were good to get back, but I think the best thing is the way the word spread in the, ah, unsavoury social strata, that the proprietor of that silver shop had some nasty 'insurance' going. Apparently, there was some insurance racket in the neighbourhood a few decades ago, and that got rather brutally ended... So there just haven't been any gangs trying to pull that racket on our block again since."

"Ah yes such a rumor can be worth gold."
Loretta said and grinned.
"Unfortunately Chicago is ripe with organized crime...I guess however it is just a thing one have to deal with. Ah and the bloody Syndicate, they are far to active here as well, the other Conventions though tend to stay on the map."

He nodded, "Spoken like an Officer."

James gave you a self conscious smile.
"You are...to kind...I just want to protect my...Chantry, my Cabal and my brother..."
He muttered and looked down. Leon glanced at the Fortunae and smiled.

He bowed politely, arms slightly out to the side, "I would be glad of it, Milady. I can do some obfuscation of my own, but I would have to experiment a little to make sure it would work exactly right for this purpose."

Udella nodded.
"Thank you young man."
She said and she and Cara begun casting the same rote they had used on Loretta, it felt slightly tingly, there was a soft, warm feeling of Stasis and Dynamism mixed together and then the two Hermetics ended their working.
"That should do it, now your Resonance will mark you as good with Forces...not Time."
Udella said with a slight smile before she nodded to Cara.
"Well done young lady."
She said and Cara blushed over the praise.

He grimaced, "I'm going to rinse out my Resonances afterwards... I might not contract Jhor from the use, but it's still going to leave unpleasantries."

"Yeah...I think I would be bathing for a week if I had touched any of that shit."
Leon grumbled.

He was looking slightly in a different direction as the dice hit the floor, "Six sixes; excellent roll..."
He glanced down at the dice as the last one came to a halt, "Ah, sorry, it's a... reflex."

James smiled as he retrieved his dice, wincing sharply as he bent down.
"Oh no problem...I find that using dice make it easier for me to focus on my luck and fate work."
He said and winced again and the straightened.
"Well hopefully that little spell will help us a bit."
He announced.

He nodded thoughtfully as he got the claws back, "Yes, I think I might be able to use these for an amulet... A protection against its like, perhaps?"

"Sympathic magick then Sir, that can be useful."
Cara said as she eyed the claws a bit uneasily.
"Even so those ick me out, are you sure they would be safe to use for a charm?"

He nodded, "Suffice to say, he's been reprimanded for it, and the items have been ordered removed."

"Ah yes...that is probably a good idea, you would not want the Fallen to find your Cabalmate after all."
The Criamon commented.

He gave Adley a brisk nod, and once more leveled the pistol and signet ring down the passageway, following Crexia's lead.

Crexia open the door to another corridor, this one had three doors on each side and a turn at the end, the rooms where marked on the map as private bedrooms. Anna's own room where there, and her Mentor and Mel's, not all the rooms where marked though, the little girl had gotten tired of writing up names. The infirmary was at the end of the hall. There where no one in the corridor, but you heard soft voices arguing from the door to what was marked as the infirmary.

(OOC: Well with Tobias he was never really depressed, he got fed vampire blood and that is addictive but yes there is a psychological element to it, however the addiction he and his Avatar is cleansed of, the spiritual one at least, the psychological one might remain though as drinking vampire blood is extremely pleasurable, and even more so for a mage since they can use the Quintessence in it far more efficiently. The blood bond though last for years after there are no more blood in a ghoul's system where they are supernaturally in love with the vampire they are bonded to and want to serve them and that is still there. In short the kid will still need help, and a kind, understanding Mentor to lead him back to health and get him back on track, but at least now his Avatar is not going to shatter.)

[Warpmind]

"Well I do not think we will get a ring in Abigail's possession without going through her first, unless she leave it in her room...and that room might have it's own danger...as for the one you speak of...yes indeed I know of this person as I helped the Senior Quesitor of the Chicago Tribunal handle his defense..."
Udella said and gave you a bit of a look and scratched her head.
"I do seam to have a tendency to take on hopeless cases."
She muttered.

Colin grinned, "Hopeless? I wouldn't go quite that far... Important cases, yes, but not hopeless. Win or lose, the outcome is always important, and even your first case was a victory greater than the loss... you saved the Protocols from mob rule, I think, and that was far more important than saving the life of the admittedly guilty..."
He turned serious, just for a moment, and lowered his voice, "Without you at that time, in that place, I don't think the laws that hold the Traditions together would have survived; precedent and contemplation would have been thrown on the bonfire, and lynch mobs would have been the judicial standard..."

"Ah yes such a rumor can be worth gold."
Loretta said and grinned.
"Unfortunately Chicago is ripe with organized crime...I guess however it is just a thing one have to deal with. Ah and the bloody Syndicate, they are far to active here as well, the other Conventions though tend to stay on the map."

He nodded, "I don't suppose lending you 'The Boondock Saints' for a few weeks would help much, either..."

James gave you a self conscious smile.
"You are...to kind...I just want to protect my...Chantry, my Cabal and my brother..."
He muttered and looked down. Leon glanced at the Fortunae and smiled.

He nodded, "That's all the motivation you need. And at that, it's a pure motivation."

Udella nodded.
"Thank you young man."
She said and she and Cara begun casting the same rote they had used on Loretta, it felt slightly tingly, there was a soft, warm feeling of Stasis and Dynamism mixed together and then the two Hermetics ended their working.
"That should do it, now your Resonance will mark you as good with Forces...not Time."
Udella said with a slight smile before she nodded to Cara.
"Well done young lady."
She said and Cara blushed over the praise.

He grinned, "That's a clever shift, actually... And it might confound any counterspellers they have long enough to sneak something past them, too..."

"Yeah...I think I would be bathing for a week if I had touched any of that shit."
Leon grumbled.

He grimaced, "Indeed... Word of advice, don't try teleporting with something like this."

James smiled as he retrieved his dice, wincing sharply as he bent down.
"Oh no problem...I find that using dice make it easier for me to focus on my luck and fate work."
He said and winced again and the straightened.
"Well hopefully that little spell will help us a bit."
He announced.

He smiled, "I do think it will. A lot, in a pinch."

"Sympathic magick then Sir, that can be useful."
Cara said as she eyed the claws a bit uneasily.
"Even so those ick me out, are you sure they would be safe to use for a charm?"

He shrugged, "Sure? No. But i intend to make sure before I actually craft anything from them. Examine first, test second."

"Ah yes...that is probably a good idea, you would not want the Fallen to find your Cabalmate after all."
The Criamon commented.

He nodded, "Or his friends and family."

Crexia open the door to another corridor, this one had three doors on each side and a turn at the end, the rooms where marked on the map as private bedrooms. Anna's own room where there, and her Mentor and Mel's, not all the rooms where marked though, the little girl had gotten tired of writing up names. The infirmary was at the end of the hall. There where no one in the corridor, but you heard soft voices arguing from the door to what was marked as the infirmary.

He quickly noted the known rooms' locations, and filed Anna's room away for later - there just might be a few items there she'd want for later; a personal diary, perhaps, or some other mundane trinket... He narrowed his eyes at the infirmary door and whispered to Crexia, "The survivors from the second battle at the post office might be in there, in a pretty sorry state, but I don't think we should take any chances."

((OOC: True enough, but abstinences from physical addiction can be pretty harsh, too... and those are sort of the backlash as things are clearing up and trying to stabilize themselves again. It usually takes months or years to get over it normally; having the residual toxins dragged out in five minutes sounds horrible beyond compare. But yes, at least the poor deer won't shatter...))

((OOC2: Well, I'm about to call it a weekend early, and head off to get bits examined and possibly cut off, or at least an appointment to get bits cut off. Yay. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grinned, "Hopeless? I wouldn't go quite that far... Important cases, yes, but not hopeless. Win or lose, the outcome is always important, and even your first case was a victory greater than the loss... you saved the Protocols from mob rule, I think, and that was far more important than saving the life of the admittedly guilty..."

"Perhaps you are right Mr Wainwright the cases where not hopeless and the one who surrendered made it, though for other reasons than my counsel...as for my first case, I could not save them...I still remember the screams...they tried to send me home to Italy before...well I would not go I was there in the crowd, they deserved a friendly face...and I heard the screams...I...well ehm...it was long ago..."
Udella said and she looked sad and shook her head.
"And since that time I have become a soulrender myself...I fear the law, needed as it is, have still taken much."

He turned serious, just for a moment, and lowered his voice, "Without you at that time, in that place, I don't think the laws that hold the Traditions together would have survived; precedent and contemplation would have been thrown on the bonfire, and lynch mobs would have been the judicial standard..."

"I think you over estimate my importance. I did my job, under qualified as I was for it, but I just did my job...but yes we should focus on the here and now."
The old Quesitor said, but she gave you a kind, grateful smile even so.

He nodded, "I don't suppose lending you 'The Boondock Saints' for a few weeks would help much, either..."

"I very much doubt it..."
Loretta said sounding amused.

He nodded, "That's all the motivation you need. And at that, it's a pure motivation."

"Pure perhaps, it is still a selfish motivation though. I am thinking of the city and the rest of the world of course as well, but closest to my heart as to why this must be done are the ones I love."
James said and sigh and glanced over at Leon.
"Well in either case, no matter the motivation this Labyrinth needs to be taken down, which mean someone need to take the risk, so it might as well be me eh..."

He grinned, "That's a clever shift, actually... And it might confound any counterspellers they have long enough to sneak something past them, too..."

"That would be my hope yes....and anything that might give our side a little leg up on the Nephandi would be good."
Udella said and gave a small smile.
"At least it should keep you safe from becoming a spell ingredient."

He grimaced, "Indeed... Word of advice, don't try teleporting with something like this."

"I...will keep that in mind..."
Leon said and raised an eyebrow.
"I will try to avoid the temptation."

He smiled, "I do think it will. A lot, in a pinch."

James smiled and nodded as he put his dice away in his pocket.

He shrugged, "Sure? No. But i intend to make sure before I actually craft anything from them. Examine first, test second."

"That is probably wise Sir, to make sure it is safe before you craft something from it."
Cara said, still sounding a bit doubtful.

He nodded, "Or his friends and family."

"Very true, it would not be good if the Fallen got them either."
The Criamon agreed and nodded.

He quickly noted the known rooms' locations, and filed Anna's room away for later - there just might be a few items there she'd want for later; a personal diary, perhaps, or some other mundane trinket...

You do remember Anna mentioned that she collected marbles and had jars of them, they where one of the few non study related items her teacher allowed her, though she did sneak of to play video games in the rooms of one of the other Nephandi in the Labyrinth when Gabriel where not looking.

He narrowed his eyes at the infirmary door and whispered to Crexia, "The survivors from the second battle at the post office might be in there, in a pretty sorry state, but I don't think we should take any chances."

Crexia nodded and glanced at the infirmary door.
"Agreed, those magi are Master of the Art, even Paradox sick and wounded they might be a danger, we should probably take the infirmary first since that are the only room in the corridor where we know someone are in, but we should be careful, and swift about it."
Crexia whispered.
"And hope this doctor the girl have marked up as quite dangerous is not there at the moment..."
She said and looked at the door.
"Move in."
She ordered softly.

(OOC: Yeah Tobias will have a tough time for a while, he is not healed and done, he is no longer poisoned, so his Avatar will survive, but the rest of the work is ahead of him. Not to mention that treatment was rather traumatic, the boy have allot of healing to do.)

[Adley]

"Hum...using it on the Chronomancers itself...yes perhaps...if you will not mind working with me again Sodalis?"
Udella asked Cara and the Criamon smiled.

'If someone is looking it harder to find might help," he said.

He strapped the tanks back on again, "There's always room for a bigger, better boom. I can probably tear into the fleshy Labyrinth walls, or set up the equivalent of an automated turret to fire into an area. But if you have a specific idea for it, I'm all ears."

"No, not yet."

"Some numbers are negative...but that is natural, there are plus and minus everywhere...and then there are numbers from other times, times that once was but are no more...ugly numbers that do not exist and they eat..." Nancy muttered then she giggled. "And they are here...waiting...they know we are here to and they are not happy."

"I think I know what you mean. And yeah, they do know we're here by now," he agreed with a concerned look. Still, they had to press onward.

James nodded at that. "I was thinking about something to...better our fate...give us a bit of a leg up on chance...now that there is a moment to cast something." He said and he fished out his dice again...

"Sounds good to me," he said to James with a nod. Seeing the dice made him think of Adjan, he hoped the group his friend was with were doing alright. He turned his attention back to cleaning up.

He was looking slightly in a different direction as the dice hit the floor, "Six sixes; excellent roll..."
He glanced down at the dice as the last one came to a halt, "Ah, sorry, it's a... reflex."

Hmm...six sixes. Well maybe they were the sixes then, from Nancy's comment.

He nodded thoughtfully as he got the claws back, "Yes, I think I might be able to use these for an amulet... A protection against its like, perhaps?"

"Just be careful, I don't want a pack of pissed off werebears coming after you."

"We are going towards the living quarters to try to find Carlyle, I want to take her out before she come after us, and we are also going to try to take out anyone we find along the way to make sure they can not attack our other groups."
Crexia said firmly. "And hope we find this Cotta as well...so we go room to room taking out those who are there until we come to Carlyle's chambers...then engage her, following our...plans. There is something there but right now we do not know what so we follow the original plan until it shows it's hand, just be alert, we have no time to chase shadows..."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a nod.

You get the blood cleaned up, the claws are scorched but there is still Tass in them if anyone wanted to bring them along, they just do not look pretty anymore, not that they ever did.

"Good...good...is everyone ready to continue then?" She asked. "Keep your wits and senses with you...we are not in the clear and we are in the lair of the enemy."

He gave Adley a brisk nod, and once more leveled the pistol and signet ring down the passageway, following Crexia's lead.

He returned his friend's gesture and then set himself up in a position to protect Cara, Nancy and the others in the event they were met with more unpleasantness as they opened the door.

Crexia open the door to another corridor, this one had three doors on each side and a turn at the end...

"The survivors from the second battle at the post office might be in there, in a pretty sorry state, but I don't think we should take any chances."

Adley frowned, suddenly remembering the ghost and wondering if she had gotten inside. The mentor of her boy was in that infirmary too, banged up from 'dox. He looked at the rooms and the hall, checking for any signs of traps.

"Agreed, those magi are Master of the Art, even Paradox sick and wounded they might be a danger, we should probably take the infirmary first since that are the only room in the corridor where we know someone are in, but we should be careful, and swift about it." Crexia whispered. "And hope this doctor the girl have marked up as quite dangerous is not there at the moment..." She said and looked at the door. "Move in."

Any 'doctor' the Nephandi had managed to turn would be trouble, he thought and kept himself on guard with his weapon ready as they approached.

// good luck Warp, hope all is ok.
Perception roll for the area, if needed: 4,0,2,8

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

'If someone is looking it harder to find might help," he said.

Udella nodded at that.

"I think I know what you mean. And yeah, they do know we're here by now," he agreed with a concerned look. Still, they had to press onward.

Nancy looked at you with a serious look in her eyes then she smiled.
"We will stop the numbers that do not exist, we will not lake them mess up the calculations."
She declared.

"Sounds good to me," he said to James with a nod. Seeing the dice made him think of Adjan, he hoped the group his friend was with were doing alright. He turned his attention back to cleaning up.

James nodded.
"Yeah I hope so, my magick tend to be less right in your face you know, but it tend to be useful anyway."
The Fortunae commented as you finished the cleanup.

He returned his friend's gesture and then set himself up in a position to protect Cara, Nancy and the others in the event they were met with more unpleasantness as they opened the door.

Crexia opened the door to the corridor into the living quarters wing of the Labyrinth which also held the rec room, kitchen and infirmary, nothing happened immediately, it was just a corridor, but you see that here and there the wooden wall panels merged into pink, inflamed flesh, other than that it could have been a corridor in any building. Cara and Nancy followed closely behind you, then the rest of the group and Olamide made up the rear just in case someone would try to ambush the party.

Adley frowned, suddenly remembering the ghost and wondering if she had gotten inside. The mentor of her boy was in that infirmary too, banged up from 'dox. He looked at the rooms and the hall, checking for any signs of traps.

You see no traps, yes magick have been done here as one would expect in a place where a group of mages lived, you where not fully in the Umbra so everything looked brighter and yet more horrid and dark to your eyes as you glanced around but nothing seamed to be amiss yet.

Any 'doctor' the Nephandi had managed to turn would be trouble, he thought and kept himself on guard with his weapon ready as they approached.

As you approach you hear the muffed argument from inside of the infirmary.
"You are crazy Ed...you need to get back to guard duty...fuck you say we are under attack if the boss finds out you are here...well let us just say I would not want to be you..."
One male voice said. Now and again you hear a woman's pained moans and howls of agony.
"She will not find out and besides...fuck her, she is letting my teacher just lay here without any treatment or pain medication as a punishment for things getting out of hand at the post office...I am not leaving her here like this...at least I can give her something...for the pain you know."
A deeper voice replied, this voice to was young...again the woman screamed.
"I know you are worried about your teacher Ed but Doc will be back soon and I do not want to see you in trouble...besides you do not even know how much to give her...you could kill her..."
The voices was muffled by the door between you and them but you clearly heard the argument between the two men. Crexia raised and eyebrow and moved to enter the room, making a gesture for Colin to kick in the door so she could quickly subdue anyone trying to fight.

(OOC: I did not see your second OOC Warp, I hope all is ok.)

[Tane Karyak]

After Everything, go catch a nap. I'll take care of the boy. I'll bring him down to the node with Bae. They can comfort each other and surely she can fill again. He said to Cita, and then turned to teh figure of the Doe, tiredly eating the grass of a drained soul And you have done great. You'll heal soon, and we'll take you far away from any vampire so this can't happen again, alright? he asked with a smile We'll be seeing each other again in the future, though. I'd like to ask you some things and check up on you and see how you evolve.

[Warpmind]

"Perhaps you are right Mr Wainwright the cases where not hopeless and the one who surrendered made it, though for other reasons than my counsel...as for my first case, I could not save them...I still remember the screams...they tried to send me home to Italy before...well I would not go I was there in the crowd, they deserved a friendly face...and I heard the screams...I...well ehm...it was long ago..."
Udella said and she looked sad and shook her head.
"And since that time I have become a soulrender myself...I fear the law, needed as it is, have still taken much."

Colin laid a gentle hand on Udella's shoulder, squeezing lightly, "You were never supposed to win the first trial, and... you were right; everyone should have one friendly face there at the end. And the Law isn't perfect... Laws never are, but they're the best we have, and they should be reviewed regularly, but we have a semblance of stability to build on... But that's a topic for later."

"I think you over estimate my importance. I did my job, under qualified as I was for it, but I just did my job...but yes we should focus on the here and now."
The old Quesitor said, but she gave you a kind, grateful smile even so.

He shook his head, "I don't think I exaggerate at all... I'll clarify later."

"Pure perhaps, it is still a selfish motivation though. I am thinking of the city and the rest of the world of course as well, but closest to my heart as to why this must be done are the ones I love."
James said and sigh and glanced over at Leon.
"Well in either case, no matter the motivation this Labyrinth needs to be taken down, which mean someone need to take the risk, so it might as well be me eh..."

He shrugged, "The Monkeysphere will do. Pretty much every good officer in history have prioritized protecting what they love over destroying the enemy. That's what's given them the strength to do what was necessary... without turning to savagery and war crimes."

"I...will keep that in mind..."
Leon said and raised an eyebrow.
"I will try to avoid the temptation."

He grimaced, "It's a neasy thing to banish the... residue before it sticks, but you need to keep a clear head. I managed when caught by surprise; I should probably find it easier to do so if I did it while prepared for it - but all the same, I'd rather avoid the issue altogether. Suffice to say, it's one more bloody obvious reason trading in this shit is illegal."

"That is probably wise Sir, to make sure it is safe before you craft something from it."
Cara said, still sounding a bit doubtful.

He smiled wryly, "Well, I do intend to confer with... I believe the term is Fera? In any case, I mean to check closer with those more knowledgeable on the general issues before committing to anything specific."

"Just be careful, I don't want a pack of pissed off werebears coming after you."

He shrugged, "I'd actually suspect the werebears would be able to sense some of the properties of the origin - so if it's an amulet to ward off... what was the term for Fallen werecreatures again... I think the shark called them Qyrl? They might not be too angry about using corrupted werebear scraps in such a manner. Corrupted werebears, of course, would be an entirely different issue, but those would be pretty upset with us in any case, I guess."

Crexia nodded and glanced at the infirmary door.
"Agreed, those magi are Master of the Art, even Paradox sick and wounded they might be a danger, we should probably take the infirmary first since that are the only room in the corridor where we know someone are in, but we should be careful, and swift about it."
Crexia whispered.
"And hope this doctor the girl have marked up as quite dangerous is not there at the moment..."
She said and looked at the door.
"Move in."
She ordered softly.

He nodded and stepped up to the side of the door with the doorknob, quickly checking whether the door swung outwards or inwards, and gripped the doorknob with his left hand, ready to open it up.

As you approach you hear the muffed argument from inside of the infirmary.
"You are crazy Ed...you need to get back to guard duty...fuck you say we are under attack if the boss finds out you are here...well let us just say I would not want to be you..."
One male voice said. Now and again you hear a woman's pained moans and howls of agony.
"She will not find out and besides...fuck her, she is letting my teacher just lay here without any treatment or pain medication as a punishment for things getting out of hand at the post office...I am not leaving her here like this...at least I can give her something...for the pain you know."
A deeper voice replied, this voice to was young...again the woman screamed.
"I know you are worried about your teacher Ed but Doc will be back soon and I do not want to see you in trouble...besides you do not even know how much to give her...you could kill her..."
The voices was muffled by the door between you and them but you clearly heard the argument between the two men. Crexia raised and eyebrow and moved to enter the room, making a gesture for Colin to kick in the door so she could quickly subdue anyone trying to fight.

He smoothly opened the door - hoping the hinges wouldn't creak loud enough for the people inside to notice too soon, and not so forcefully as to immediately make it seem like an intrusion... and then he quickly scanned the room and aimed for the guy on the left.

((OOC: So, waiting to fire until Crexia Does Her Thing, and then all bets are off...))

((OOC2: All is, obviously, not OK, and hearing the urologist say they need to cut the whole thing off is rather unnerving. Good thing, it's a circumcision, not a penectomy, so it's not the WHOLE whole thing that goes, but it was still an unfortunate choice of words... Imagine trying to put on a turtleneck sweater with the collar made of hardened, unyielding leather... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin laid a gentle hand on Udella's shoulder, squeezing lightly, "You were never supposed to win the first trial, and... you were right; everyone should have one friendly face there at the end.

Udella gently patted your hand and nodded sadly.
"I know I was never supposed to win that first trial, but I wish I could have helped them, I do not agree with what they did, and they deserved to be punished but...I wish I could have saved their souls...perhaps I managed to make it a little bit easier for them at the end at least...I do not know...I hope so."

And the Law isn't perfect... Laws never are, but they're the best we have, and they should be reviewed regularly, but we have a semblance of stability to build on... But that's a topic for later."

"Yes we do need laws. Guernicus himself realized this that is why he told Bonisagus that a House of judges was needed then the Order was first founded."
Udella said proudly, she rightly took pride in her House.
"But the laws should be adjusted and changed more often to make sure they are fair...but yes this is a topic for when we are not in a Labyrinth trying to take out a nest of Nephandi."
She said with a slight smile.

He shook his head, "I don't think I exaggerate at all... I'll clarify later."

The old Enforcer looks at you and raised and eyebrow then she nodded.
"Later then, though I still think you do me to much honor young man."

He shrugged, "The Monkeysphere will do. Pretty much every good officer in history have prioritized protecting what they love over destroying the enemy. That's what's given them the strength to do what was necessary... without turning to savagery and war crimes."

James looked at you and sigh.
"Well thank you Mr W...your words are kind."
He said and looked down.
"I guess all any of us can do is our best in this."

He grimaced, "It's a neasy thing to banish the... residue before it sticks, but you need to keep a clear head. I managed when caught by surprise; I should probably find it easier to do so if I did it while prepared for it - but all the same, I'd rather avoid the issue altogether. Suffice to say, it's one more bloody obvious reason trading in this shit is illegal."

Leon looked at you, then gave the tanks of Quintessence a disgusted look.
"Yes, and that is a good low, we have allot of archaic, useless laws in the Traditions but keeping trade with corrupted Quintessence illegal makes allot of sense, it is not something we want literary floating around now is it."

He smiled wryly, "Well, I do intend to confer with... I believe the term is Fera? In any case, I mean to check closer with those more knowledgeable on the general issues before committing to anything specific."

"Yes I have heard my Cabalmate refer to them as so, and by individual names I do not remember, like I think she calls werewolves Garou...but yes investigating first is wise, but if you find use in the foul things then well I guess we have to take the edges we can get in this war."
Cara said and nodded looking a bit uncertain at the claws and lifting a hand to massage the sore spot in her shoulder.

He shrugged, "I'd actually suspect the werebears would be able to sense some of the properties of the origin - so if it's an amulet to ward off... what was the term for Fallen werecreatures again... I think the shark called them Qyrl?

"Wer...shark...as in an honest to goodness fish turning into a human?"
Leon asked and raised an eyebrow.
"Well why am I surprised Horizon have a colony of self aware, telepathic jellyfish who have established diplomatic relations with the Council so why not...why should anything surprise me anymore."
The Fortunae exclaimed.

He nodded and stepped up to the side of the door with the doorknob, quickly checking whether the door swung outwards or inwards, and gripped the doorknob with his left hand, ready to open it up.

The door swung inwards.

He smoothly opened the door - hoping the hinges wouldn't creak loud enough for the people inside to notice too soon, and not so forcefully as to immediately make it seem like an intrusion... and then he quickly scanned the room and aimed for the guy on the left.

You open the door, there where four people in the room, two of them on the left, one was a young man in his mid twenties, he had light brown hair and blue eyes. He sat cross legged on a bed, he just wore pants...for a good reason his back was black and blue with deep lacerations, some of which was stitched up and bandaged, others still oozing a bit of blood, the man had received a savage beating not so long ago, he sat playing cards with another young man, this was just a boy, he looked like he could be Hispanic or Italian, with short, black hair, black eyes and golden brown skin, he looked shellshocked his eyes large yet looking at nothing, his cards held in shivering fingers. To the left stood a man with blond hair and sky blue eyes, he was wearing a simple black turtleneck and dark jeans and his hair was in a short ponytail, he stood with a bottle of medicine in his right hand clearly trying to decide what to do with it. On the bed, strapped down so she would not harm herself lay a woman, she was trashing around and screaming. It was the teleporter from the Post Office, her head was slowly splitting open and her skull and part of her brain was turning into a gruesome mouth with teeth that could open and snap at anyone who came close enough...how she was alive though this transformation was unclear, blood and clear cranial fluids were soaking her pillow and she was just screaming from both her regular mouth and her new one...Paradox was not kind to the Fallen.

The room you looked into was rectangular, there where five beds along one wall, the other had two sinks and and examination table, to the far end there where a cabinet with medical equipment and another bed behind a curtain, probably for small operations, to the far right corner there were a very well organized desk.

Crexia wasted no time, the teleporter where bedridden and in the middle of a horrid backlash but she was a Master of the Art which made her dangerous. The Tytalus made a gesture with her hand and the teleporter's neck snapped, the screaming stopped...then the woman on the bed burst into flames, a very hot, very localized flame that reduced her body to ash in seconds.
"I want one or two of them alive for questioning if possible."
Crexia said in a cold, efficient voice.

The man with the medicine bottle dropped that bottle and it shattered to the floor, then he screamed at seeing his teacher die before his eyes like that. The one who had been beaten reacted mote quickly he grabbed his hard playing buddy by the wrist and tried to drag the other man out of bed to get under it for some cover, grunting in pain as he did so. None of the three remaining people in the room attacked though, and nor did they seam to have weapons, then again some of them where probably mages so they did not need a weapon to be dangerous.

(OOC: Ouch that do not sound good. I hope you get things fixed and get better soon Warp.)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

After Everything, go catch a nap. I'll take care of the boy. I'll bring him down to the node with Bae. They can comfort each other and surely she can fill again. He said to Cita,

"Very well, but bring extra blankets it can get cold down in the Node room, and inform Master Nassa first, he is rather protective of his student and might not react well to you bringing a stranger down to where she is kept...a Node would be the best place for Tobias right now though, and he should not be left alone for now, this have been traumatic for him, he will need care."
Cita instructed as she stood to check on the boy.
"His puls is a little weak but it is even. I think he will be fine but he will need rest and he might panic when he comes though."
She said in a tone of voice that said she was rather used to dealing with patients who had taken some damage to their souls, and what their reactions might be.
"He might be scarred or be in a dissociative state, that is not uncommon after injuries to the Avatar...make sure he is warm and that someone is there to calm him when he wakes up."
She instructed.

and then turned to teh figure of the Doe, tiredly eating the grass of a drained soul And you have done great. You'll heal soon, and we'll take you far away from any vampire so this can't happen again, alright? he asked with a smile We'll be seeing each other again in the future, though. I'd like to ask you some things and check up on you and see how you evolve.

The doe lifted her head to look at you with kind, trusting eyes then she nodded, she was to tired to form words, slowly she got to her shaking feet and walked back into her forest, back into her host's soul, turning around once she gave you a grateful look before she was gone, seeking refuge into Tobias' soul which was her home to recover. She did not seam to mind you reaching out to her again though, but right now she was just so tired and weak, her legs shaking and her head hanging down, but she would grow strong again. Tobias himself had allot of healing to do to though, it would not be an easy road for the two of them, but hopefully they would recover.
"You did well Mr Karyak."
Cita said and patted your should with a tired smile.
"Very well."

[Warpmind]

Udella gently patted your hand and nodded sadly.
"I know I was never supposed to win that first trial, but I wish I could have helped them, I do not agree with what they did, and they deserved to be punished but...I wish I could have saved their souls...perhaps I managed to make it a little bit easier for them at the end at least...I do not know...I hope so."

Colin smiled and winked to Udella, "Hope springs eternal..."

The old Enforcer looks at you and raised and eyebrow then she nodded.
"Later then, though I still think you do me to much honor young man."

He smiled, "And I politely disagree."

James looked at you and sigh.
"Well thank you Mr W...your words are kind."
He said and looked down.
"I guess all any of us can do is our best in this."

He nodded, "Truer words were never spoken. Let's just hope our best is good enough."

Leon looked at you, then gave the tanks of Quintessence a disgusted look.
"Yes, and that is a good low, we have allot of archaic, useless laws in the Traditions but keeping trade with corrupted Quintessence illegal makes allot of sense, it is not something we want literary floating around now is it."

He nodded, "And my Rote is perfect for disposing of it safely - it can save many a Mage from the Jhor normally contracted by getting rid of it - but no, the less of the stuff lying around, the better. Having the means to get rid of nuclear waste is only second best to not having the nuclear waste in the first place..."

"Yes I have heard my Cabalmate refer to them as so, and by individual names I do not remember, like I think she calls werewolves Garou...but yes investigating first is wise, but if you find use in the foul things then well I guess we have to take the edges we can get in this war."
Cara said and nodded looking a bit uncertain at the claws and lifting a hand to massage the sore spot in her shoulder.

He nodded with a smile, "Yes, waste not, want not."

"Wer...shark...as in an honest to goodness fish turning into a human?"
Leon asked and raised an eyebrow.
"Well why am I surprised Horizon have a colony of self aware, telepathic jellyfish who have established diplomatic relations with the Council so why not...why should anything surprise me anymore."
The Fortunae exclaimed.

He arched an eyebrow, "Yes, I believe it's a shark that becomes human, rather than the opposite. Sentient jellyfish, though, that's new to me. Hardly surprising anymore, I suppose, but decidedly novel."

You open the door, there where four people in the room, two of them on the left, one was a young man in his mid twenties, he had light brown hair and blue eyes. He sat cross legged on a bed, he just wore pants...for a good reason his back was black and blue with deep lacerations, some of which was stitched up and bandaged, others still oozing a bit of blood, the man had received a savage beating not so long ago, he sat playing cards with another young man, this was just a boy, he looked like he could be Hispanic or Italian, with short, black hair, black eyes and golden brown skin, he looked shellshocked his eyes large yet looking at nothing, his cards held in shivering fingers. To the left stood a man with blond hair and sky blue eyes, he was wearing a simple black turtleneck and dark jeans and his hair was in a short ponytail, he stood with a bottle of medicine in his right hand clearly trying to decide what to do with it. On the bed, strapped down so she would not harm herself lay a woman, she was trashing around and screaming. It was the teleporter from the Post Office, her head was slowly splitting open and her skull and part of her brain was turning into a gruesome mouth with teeth that could open and snap at anyone who came close enough...how she was alive though this transformation was unclear, blood and clear cranial fluids were soaking her pillow and she was just screaming from both her regular mouth and her new one...Paradox was not kind to the Fallen.

The room you looked into was rectangular, there where five beds along one wall, the other had two sinks and and examination table, to the far end there where a cabinet with medical equipment and another bed behind a curtain, probably for small operations, to the far right corner there were a very well organized desk.

Crexia wasted no time, the teleporter where bedridden and in the middle of a horrid backlash but she was a Master of the Art which made her dangerous. The Tytalus made a gesture with her hand and the teleporter's neck snapped, the screaming stopped...then the woman on the bed burst into flames, a very hot, very localized flame that reduced her body to ash in seconds.
"I want one or two of them alive for questioning if possible."
Crexia said in a cold, efficient voice.

The man with the medicine bottle dropped that bottle and it shattered to the floor, then he screamed at seeing his teacher die before his eyes like that. The one who had been beaten reacted mote quickly he grabbed his hard playing buddy by the wrist and tried to drag the other man out of bed to get under it for some cover, grunting in pain as he did so. None of the three remaining people in the room attacked though, and nor did they seam to have weapons, then again some of them where probably mages so they did not need a weapon to be dangerous.

He nodded and shifted his aim right, to the beaten young man, low on the spine, and squeezed off a shot, hoping to paralyze rather than kill outright. He then cast a glance at the youngster standing on the left, "Edmund Tilder? Your mother is looking for you. Surrender, and we'll be merciful. Down on the floor, please."

((OOC: Dex+Firearms, 5,5,6,9, +2 Diff for targeting a specific part of the body, 1 success... 4 dice of Agg, 1,4,7,9 - that looks like a spinal injury to me, alright... And for Ed, I think Manipulation+Intimidate seems the most appropriate - 2,2,3,4,9... Well, it's one success, and Eddie might be a bit disadvantaged here, so... Who knows? Best wait for Adley's actions to see what happens next, though...))

((OOC2: Well, getting an appointment for the surgery, so the problematic skin should be removed soon enough.))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin smiled and winked to Udella, "Hope springs eternal..."

Udella smiled a little at that though there was a sadness in her eyes, she did regard you with that strange, knowing but disbelieving look though, but she said nothing.

He smiled, "And I politely disagree."

The old Quesitor patted your hand again.
"Well you are a kind man."
She said, still not exactly accepting the praise.

He nodded, "Truer words were never spoken. Let's just hope our best is good enough."

"Yes for if it is not good enough...well I fear what the end result of the Nephandi's plans might be."
James said and sigh.

He nodded, "And my Rote is perfect for disposing of it safely - it can save many a Mage from the Jhor normally contracted by getting rid of it - but no, the less of the stuff lying around, the better. Having the means to get rid of nuclear waste is only second best to not having the nuclear waste in the first place..."

"Well if you can help clean up Nodes that the Nephandi have corrupted or the Technocracy have sanitized without anyone have to get affected by that Resonance that is an enormous boon."
Leon said and sigh.
"Well I guess using that shit against the Nephandi is better than leaving it laying around, but it sure are making me feel uneasy."
He muttered.

He nodded with a smile, "Yes, waste not, want not."

Cara nodded but she still looked rather uneasy at the idea of using werbear claws in a charm.
"Yeah...you are right Sir."

He arched an eyebrow, "Yes, I believe it's a shark that becomes human, rather than the opposite. Sentient jellyfish, though, that's new to me. Hardly surprising anymore, I suppose, but decidedly novel."

"That is quite...amazing..."
Leon said then he nodded.
"Yes the jellyfish that are an interesting bunch, I have not seen any of them though, it costs a bit to travel to the part of the ocean they live in, but they are said to be wise and powerful."
He announced.
"I would love to meet them. But yeah it comes to a point where nothing is surprising anymore."

He nodded and shifted his aim right, to the beaten young man, low on the spine, and squeezed off a shot, hoping to paralyze rather than kill outright.

You fire of a shot just as the beaten man are trying to get the other man out of the bed, your bullet enter the lower part of the spine, it is hard to know how badly he is injured for he screams and fall to the floor where he continued to scream. The other young man looked terrified and raised his hand up to his ears and whimpered but he did not seam to have the presence of mind to get out of bed and find cover when his friend hit the floor and he just sat there, curled into a bawl, mewling with his hands over his ears while the man you had shot screamed on the floor.

He then cast a glance at the youngster standing on the left, "Edmund Tilder? Your mother is looking for you. Surrender, and we'll be merciful. Down on the floor, please."

Edmund looked at you, there where stark shock on his face from seeing his Mentor be murdered right in front of him then he looked at the screaming young man on the floor.
"Merciful in how you...well I know what your kind do to captured Nephandi, I would prefer a bullet..."
Edmund muttered and looked at you angrily.
"The man you shot is just a pawn...he have no chance to fight against you please...help him."
He muttered then he seamed to realize what you where saying and half turned.
"My mother? Impossible she was...killed when I was little..."
He muttered uneasy, what he did not do was get down on the floor though, but he held his hands to the side and did not make any threatening moves there was little he could do against a whole group of other mages, and he looked confused, scared and ridden with grief.

(OOC: Yes I will have the Nephandi in the infirmary react to Colin but we should wait for Strife before bringing it further and let him reply.)

(OOC 2: Good luck with that and get better.)

[Adley]

Nancy looked at you with a serious look in her eyes then she smiled. "We will stop the numbers that do not exist, we will not lake them mess up the calculations." She declared

"Yes we will," he agreed.

He shrugged, "I'd actually suspect the werebears would be able to sense some of the properties of the origin - so if it's an amulet to ward off... what was the term for Fallen werecreatures again... I think the shark called them Qyrl? They might not be too angry about using corrupted werebear scraps in such a manner. Corrupted werebears, of course, would be an entirely different issue, but those would be pretty upset with us in any case, I guess."

"I wonder if you can ward off Qyrl. At any rate, I suppose it's true they would be upset with us anyway. I might be upset to see someone using parts of people even if they were corrupted. I digress though, just be careful."

"Yeah I hope so, my magick tend to be less right in your face you know, but it tend to be useful anyway."
The Fortunae commented as you finished the cleanup

"Sometimes you need both to get what you need to do accomplished."

As you approach you hear the muffed argument from inside of the infirmary.
"You are crazy Ed...you need to get back to guard duty...fuck you say we are under attack if the boss finds out you are here...well let us just say I would not want to be you..."
One male voice said. Now and again you hear a woman's pained moans and howls of agony.
"She will not find out and besides...fuck her, she is letting my teacher just lay here without any treatment or pain medication as a punishment for things getting out of hand at the post office...I am not leaving her here like this...at least I can give her something...for the pain you know."
A deeper voice replied, this voice to was young...again the woman screamed.
"I know you are worried about your teacher Ed but Doc will be back soon and I do not want to see you in trouble...besides you do not even know how much to give her...you could kill her..."
The voices was muffled by the door between you and them but you clearly heard the argument between the two men.

It seemed James's rote was in their favor, the doctor wasn't yet back, and that seemed to be Edmund. Visiting his mentor, he supposed...someone in there was having a bad time, and it seemed to be Edmund's mentor. The 'nice' person, that the other Nephandi had spoken about apparently had been at the Post Office. He couldn't say anything, for fear of giving away their position but he frowned.

Crexia raised and eyebrow and moved to enter the room, making a gesture for Colin to kick in the door so she could quickly subdue anyone trying to fight.

He nodded and stepped up to the side of the door with the doorknob, quickly checking whether the door swung outwards or inwards, and gripped the doorknob with his left hand, ready to open it up.

He got ready to act as the front of the group moved into the room.

He smoothly opened the door - hoping the hinges wouldn't creak loud enough for the people inside to notice too soon, and not so forcefully as to immediately make it seem like an intrusion... and then he quickly scanned the room and aimed for the guy on the left.

there where four people in the room, two of them on the left, one was a young man in his mid twenties, he had light brown hair and blue eyes. He sat cross legged on a bed, he just wore pants...for a good reason his back was black and blue with deep lacerations, some of which was stitched up and bandaged, others still oozing a bit of blood, the man had received a savage beating not so long ago, he sat playing cards with another young man, this was just a boy, he looked like he could be Hispanic or Italian, with short, black hair, black eyes and golden brown skin, he looked shellshocked his eyes large yet looking at nothing, his cards held in shivering fingers. To the left stood a man with blond hair and sky blue eyes, he was wearing a simple black turtleneck and dark jeans and his hair was in a short ponytail, he stood with a bottle of medicine in his right hand clearly trying to decide what to do with it. On the bed, strapped down so she would not harm herself lay a woman, she was trashing around and screaming. It was the teleporter from the Post Office, her head was slowly splitting open and her skull and part of her brain was turning into a gruesome mouth with teeth that could open and snap at anyone who came close enough

Crexia wasted no time, the teleporter where bedridden and in the middle of a horrid backlash but she was a Master of the Art which made her dangerous. The Tytalus made a gesture with her hand and the teleporter's neck snapped, the screaming stopped...then the woman on the bed burst into flames, a very hot, very localized flame that reduced her body to ash in seconds. "I want one or two of them alive for questioning if possible." Crexia said in a cold, efficient voice.
The man with the medicine bottle dropped that bottle and it shattered to the floor, then he screamed at seeing his teacher die before his eyes like that. The one who had been beaten reacted mote quickly he grabbed his hard playing buddy by the wrist and tried to drag the other man out of bed to get under it for some cover,

He nodded and shifted his aim right, to the beaten young man, low on the spine, and squeezed off a shot, hoping to paralyze rather than kill outright. He then cast a glance at the youngster standing on the left, "Edmund Tilder? Your mother is looking for you. Surrender, and we'll be merciful. Down on the floor, please."

Edmund looked at you, there where stark shock on his face from seeing his Mentor be murdered right in front of him then he looked at the screaming young man on the floor.
"Merciful in how you...well I know what your kind do to captured Nephandi, I would prefer a bullet..."
Edmund muttered and looked at you angrily.
"The man you shot is just a pawn...he have no chance to fight against you please...help him."
He muttered then he seamed to realize what you where saying and half turned.
"My mother? Impossible she was...killed when I was little..."

This clearly was not going to go easy to Edmund Tilder's eyes. The man looked terrified as the only friends and family he had remembered were essentially killed in front of him. Still, whatever had happened to the screaming woman, killing her might have been a mercy though done under different circumstances. It was harsh, having to take an infirmary of all places but these were mages and a cornered, hurt mage was dangerous indeed. And the other man screaming was loud, not that screaming did not seem to be a norm around this place, he figured.**

// **OOC: Ok, before I post the rest of my post, I just want to clarify real quick who is where in the room because I'm not sure. The mentor is dead in bed, what's left of her. There's a pawn on the floor, shot in the spine screaming. Edmund was holding the medicine and is talking to Colin, standing next to his mentor's bed. Where's the fourth person? Thanks : )

// OOC2: @Warp, youch dude! D: That does not sound comfortable. Hope that's taken care of soon and you have a speedy recovery

[Tane Karyak]

"He might be scarred or be in a dissociative state, that is not uncommon after injuries to the Avatar...make sure he is warm and that someone is there to calm him when he wakes up."

Noted, and will do. Great work, that was awesome. he said patting rising and hugging her. YOu're awesome! He waited taking the time for them to recover from the strong impression of a delicate work well done. Ok then, go to sleep,
i'll go down, talk to Master Nassa, bring Tobias and his bed down and go off tot he library to seek some books about laws and jurisprudence.

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