Re: The Heart of the Labyrinth, Screams and Hope IC Thread 19

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Well she have been sleeping for a few hours, which is good. She have been in an out of sleep since...the ritual..."
Amadeus said and he cast a glance at the door to the Node.
"Hopefully we have found a way to help her now, something to reduce her pain. But yes she is a fighter few would have been able to hold on after...something like that."
The old Verbena said then he smiled a little.
"One of your Cabalmate have made a contact with a spirit who have been able to covert a herbal brew that would deal physical pain, into something that would soothe a soul. Once Master Telar get a bit of rest and your Cabalmates return we will see what we can do for Beatrice."
He said with a slightly hopeful smile.

[Warpmind]

((OOC: Ooog, yesterday was a parade of exhaustions... First, some 7 hours straight of rebooting and manually removing files and registry entries on the computer at work to get the last frickin' traces of Command Workstation 4 finally removed, so I could install version 6, and then I had to swing by the boss' home to install Adobe Acrobat Reader on his home laptop... And then I was b0rked. :/ ))

"Well it have to be your choice what you decide is worth tasting the scourge for."
Crexia said.
"Just know that the thing you speak of will not be cheap."

Colin nodded, "There are quite material benefits to it - and frankly, considering the actual issue at hand, taking one for the team to show the world that sometimes, miracles really do happen might pay off for magic itself in the long run... Obviously, I wouldn't need to be personally and directly implicated. A middle man would do for the delivery of the lost episodes."

"Well there is always magick that can be used for that however if you are just tapping into transmissions from the past using recording equipment should not be a problem and if you actually physically time travel your presence will change enough that you bringing recording equipment along generally will not make that much of a difference when it comes to how much of a disturbance you will cause."
The archmage said and raised an eyebrow.
"As long as you do not give that equipment to the sleepers at the time."

He grimaced, "Bloody hell, no, if I were to actually travel back in time, I'd make a damn good effort not to do something that would be noticed like that."

He gave him another, more thoughtful nod nod and then reviewed everything on the slab one more time. "Anything else?" he asked, motioning to scrape it clean to give back to Crexia.

He shook his head, "No, except... obviously, be very cautious with when and where you might use that Rote - like you said, it's a health risk to do so, and she'd kill me twice over if I let you suffer lasting harm..."

Just as fire erupted where Adley had stood a moment before you used it's energies and the flames died down and you cast a Prime bolt at Doc but your magick was rather quickly countered by the two guarding Nepandae. As the battle raged around you and everyone traded blows Udella turned to you.
"Young man, if I can take their defenses down for a moment do you think you could end one of those women and by that weakening their protection?"
The old Quesitor asked and pointed at the two women who where guarding the rest.

Superpawn tried to shoot at you again, but from his pressed position he missed by a long shot and then he seamed to be out of ammo for all he could do was rage where Adley's spell kept him pressed to the ground. Other than that for the moment the battle was allot of back and forth between the two sides mostly involving shielding against projectiles, and countering one another's effects.

He nodded and pulled out Adjan's pistol again, smoothly dropping out the empty magazine and slapping the one with the last Primium round into place, "Very well, ma'am; one round of Primium left, I'll try to make it count."
He took steady aim at the counterspeller most focused on Adjan's group, exhaled slowly, and squeezed the trigger...

((OOC: So, aimed shot at one of the counterspellers: 2,4,8,8,9,0. Primium round, and hit with four, so 7 dice of Agg: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9... I think she's well and truly distracted. ))

((OOC2: In fairness, Colin probably lost some of it when he took a missile to the face in the first place. ))

((OOC3: Superpawn there is like in Risk; that one little bastard in Alaska who keeps rolling sixes when you try to invade from Kamchatka... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "There are quite material benefits to it - and frankly, considering the actual issue at hand, taking one for the team to show the world that sometimes, miracles really do happen might pay off for magic itself in the long run... Obviously, I wouldn't need to be personally and directly implicated. A middle man would do for the delivery of the lost episodes."

Crexia still have you a somewhat doubtful look.
"I am not sure the recovery of TV shows are what most think of when they ponder the existence of miracles young man, but like I said it is your magick and you are master of what to do with it, even if I might not be able to understand why you would risk so much for this matter."

He grimaced, "Bloody hell, no, if I were to actually travel back in time, I'd make a damn good effort not to do something that would be noticed like that."

"Good at least you are responsible enough not to see to set others in danger by your actions."
Crexia said and she nodded approvingly.

He nodded and pulled out Adjan's pistol again, smoothly dropping out the empty magazine and slapping the one with the last Primium round into place, "Very well, ma'am; one round of Primium left, I'll try to make it count."

Udella muttered softly in Latin her old hands moved through well known symbols and then suddenly you saw the two Nephandae look frustrated for a moment. The old Quesitor gave you a quick nod to signal that you should take the shot she looked rather strained, giving you that window of opportunity had cost her quite a bit.

He took steady aim at the counterspeller most focused on Adjan's group, exhaled slowly, and squeezed the trigger...

You fired of the shot at the woman with the tablet and you hit her in the face, there was a clattering sound as her device hit the floor and she screamed and fell to her knees, holding her face and making terrible, pained sounds, she was still alive and conscious so it was not likely you had hit her brain or if you had nothing that would immediately end her life, but the bullet clearly hurt...allot and she was not casting any spells for a while that was for sure. Blood was starting to pool under her, dripping from between her fingers as the other counterspeller looked a bit confused about what to do.
"Aneera!"
She called out but then her attention was drawn back to her task at hand as Doc's spell was interrupted and Adjan's group started hammering her shields with spells and bullets. Terror filled her eyes for a moment as she realized her defenses would not hold and she called over to your side of the room in a voice that was not used to speaking anything but the Dragon's Tongue.
"The girl is not Fallen, spare her!"
She asked as she indicated the Chief's apprentice.
"I will lover my shields if you spare the girl and kill Aneera rather than taking her in."
She asked desperate to salvage anything. Doc gave her a desperate look probably noticing that he was no on her list of those that she begged mercy for.
"Please do not bring her to Horizon..."
The counterspeller begged, sweat starting to flow down her face as she abandoned her position at the front of the line and huddled down beside the screaming woman putting her arms around her as she struggled with the words.
"Please she is my daughter...."
Then she turned to one of the pawns.
"If they get through my shield without agreeing to my terms kill...us both...but make sure we stay dead you never know how good their healers are."
She said clearly afraid that even if she took her own life she and her daughter would be revived.
"Oh well, shoot Doc to while you are at it but make sure me and Aneera are dead first..."
She said and the pawn, a young woman bowed and nodded and readied her pistol.

(OOC: That is not a happy Nephanda.)
(OOC 2: Well maybe Anna can find some of his lost marbles and well play with them. )

[Warpmind]

Crexia still have you a somewhat doubtful look.
"I am not sure the recovery of TV shows are what most think of when they ponder the existence of miracles young man, but like I said it is your magick and you are master of what to do with it, even if I might not be able to understand why you would risk so much for this matter."

Colin smiled wryly, "Consider this, then: there are people who remember that which was lost, and millions who have reluctantly accepted that they'll never get to see the lost episodes... Having such a miraculous thing happen might have a modest inspirational impact on a bleak world; enough to be worth the cost. It's so greatly accepted as an impossible thing, so doing it, well... The show has always been about inspiration and discovery; it might count as a bit of a kick to the Technocracy as well."

"Good at least you are responsible enough not to see to set others in danger by your actions."
Crexia said and she nodded approvingly.

He chuckled, "Another bonus of making a time machine look like a 1960s police box - nobody would bat an eye at its presence..."

You fired of the shot at the woman with the tablet and you hit her in the face, there was a clattering sound as her device hit the floor and she screamed and fell to her knees, holding her face and making terrible, pained sounds, she was still alive and conscious so it was not likely you had hit her brain or if you had nothing that would immediately end her life, but the bullet clearly hurt...allot and she was not casting any spells for a while that was for sure. Blood was starting to pool under her, dripping from between her fingers as the other counterspeller looked a bit confused about what to do.
"Aneera!"
She called out but then her attention was drawn back to her task at hand as Doc's spell was interrupted and Adjan's group started hammering her shields with spells and bullets. Terror filled her eyes for a moment as she realized her defenses would not hold and she called over to your side of the room in a voice that was not used to speaking anything but the Dragon's Tongue.
"The girl is not Fallen, spare her!"
She asked as she indicated the Chief's apprentice.
"I will lover my shields if you spare the girl and kill Aneera rather than taking her in."
She asked desperate to salvage anything. Doc gave her a desperate look probably noticing that he was no on her list of those that she begged mercy for.
"Please do not bring her to Horizon..."
The counterspeller begged, sweat starting to flow down her face as she abandoned her position at the front of the line and huddled down beside the screaming woman putting her arms around her as she struggled with the words.
"Please she is my daughter...."
Then she turned to one of the pawns.
"If they get through my shield without agreeing to my terms kill...us both...but make sure we stay dead you never know how good their healers are."
She said clearly afraid that even if she took her own life she and her daughter would be revived.
"Oh well, shoot Doc to while you are at it but make sure me and Aneera are dead first..."
She said and the pawn, a young woman bowed and nodded and readied her pistol.

He made a small show of dropping out the empty magazine and sliding a fresh one with the enchanted bullets into place, then nodded to the Nephanda, "We know your daughter is not Fallen - we seek to capture her alive for that."
He glanced at Udella, "I am not a lawyer, but I think it is safe to assume your daughter's Avatar will live on if she surrenders. As for Aneera... That was a Primium round. I suspect she is beyond help now... The best thing anyone can do now, I think, is to end her suffering before she bleeds out. I... at least I will not try to stop anyone from showing her that mercy. And I am sorry, but as I told your daughter a few minutes ago, your best bet for getting to live a little longer now is to put down your weapons and surrender. You know what that means..."

((OOC: We already knew Anna was going to have Colin largely wrapped around her little finger anyway. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin smiled wryly, "Consider this, then: there are people who remember that which was lost, and millions who have reluctantly accepted that they'll never get to see the lost episodes... Having such a miraculous thing happen might have a modest inspirational impact on a bleak world; enough to be worth the cost. It's so greatly accepted as an impossible thing, so doing it, well... The show has always been about inspiration and discovery; it might count as a bit of a kick to the Technocracy as well."

Crexia sigh and nodded.
"Well like I said I know of an Orphan who use that series as a basis for his Paradigm so there have to be something in it. In either case you do not have to convince me young man, I might not fully understand how someone can love a piece of fiction so then again I see how my love gets pulled into her shows and her books, perhaps you are right and in that case I wish you good luck, whatever or not I agree with you."

He chuckled, "Another bonus of making a time machine look like a 1960s police box - nobody would bat an eye at its presence..."

"Well I guess that depends on where you would place said time machine young man however yes I guess there are worse things you could use to travel in time...pff time travel when I was a young woman such things where considered impossible by the Order...and by the Cult of Mercury as well."
She muttered and shook her head at such modern ideas and shenanigans.

He made a small show of dropping out the empty magazine and sliding a fresh one with the enchanted bullets into place, then nodded to the Nephanda, "We know your daughter is not Fallen - we seek to capture her alive for that."

The terrified Nephanda looked a bit confused and Udella whispered to you.
"I think she means the woman you just shot is her daughter, they both appear to be old and powerful, I guess we just found out who the biggest threat of them are."
The Quesitor said. The Nephandi counterspeller who now had her arms around the badly wounded woman looked at you.
"Your....language is hard to...get correctly...I would want our Security Chief's student, the girl who seam to be held down by air itself to survive but the one I bore into this world is in my arms, and I only want for her to not be taken to Horizon..."
She muttered, frustrated for the unfamiliar sounds.

He glanced at Udella, "I am not a lawyer, but I think it is safe to assume your daughter's Avatar will live on if she surrenders. As for Aneera... That was a Primium round. I suspect she is beyond help now... The best thing anyone can do now, I think, is to end her suffering before she bleeds out. I... at least I will not try to stop anyone from showing her that mercy. And I am sorry, but as I told your daughter a few minutes ago, your best bet for getting to live a little longer now is to put down your weapons and surrender. You know what that means..."

Udella nodded.
"We do not have the resources to care for a badly injured prisoner, her death is acceptable."
She said as the now crying Nephanda looked at you angrily then she sigh and held the wounded woman tighter protectively.
"I...what about me...what about our pawns what will be done with us? If we...surrender. Will I be dragged to Horizon to be..."
She asked fearfully though she did not seam to care much about Doc's fate in all of this. Doc himself was pacing around desperately looking for anything to use for a focus picking up a few phones but discarding them again, he did not like the smartphones it seamed. Udella sigh.
"We might be able to take two prisoners now that we have the serum and reinforcements but I would not want to have to deal with more than that."
She muttered to you.
"Or main priority is to get the situation under control though, preferably before their healer gets his hands on something he can use to work magick with."

(OOC: Ah yes she will become quite spoiled I recon. )

[Adley]

He shook his head, "No, except... obviously, be very cautious with when and where you might use that Rote - like you said, it's a health risk to do so, and she'd kill me twice over if I let you suffer lasting harm..."

He tilted his head at Colin. 'I will do what must be done and use the signs I have been told about to guide me,' he wrote. Then he scraped down the tablet until it was clear and returned it to Crexia. "Thank you."

While the battle seemed to grind to a sudden halt for parlay after Colin shot the woman in the face, he carefully watched their opponents. Two people stuck under gravity spells, one his own and not quite as strong as he wanted, one person shot but they might be up to something and the doctor scavenging for something to use which he did not want him to find. The one that Colin had shot in the face, and her mother now pleading. Bodies on the ground. He stood ready to shoot or attack anyone making a wrong move in some last ditch effort; elsewise, he waited for further direction from the group leaders, protecting the group from incoming threats in the event it was some sort of play for time.

// @Warp: that sounds like a long and frustrating day - upgrading and updating computers D:

FYI, next Monday-Thurs I will be on minication, I will be around but my posting could be slower : )

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

The pawns still had their weapons drawn and they looked a little uneasy that the counterspeller had even thought to ask about their fate was more than they had expected. The older of the two counterspellers where now mostly concerned with her daughter and pleading for her and the Chief's apprentice. Said apprentice had fire in her eyes but there was a look of defeat there as well, with their protections gone there was little hope of winning or even getting away. Doc where still scavenging desperately. All in all the Nephandi forces seamed to be in a rather hopeless situation. Crexia considered for a moment then she spoke in a clear firm voice.
"Here is the only deal I can offer, drop your shields and surrender and your servants will be executed humanely, they will not suffer, your daughter will be killed, also she humanely, as for yourself and your physician, I want you alive off course but since I have no hold over him but I have on you I will settle for his death. The apprentice will come with us, her cooperation or not will determine her fate. Now if you do not surrender, or try to kill those we want alive, I will make damned sure every attempt to bring them back are done and if successful I will personally see your child dragged into the Main Sentencing Hall to answer for her crimes against reality, cooperate and you save her soul, try to defy me and I will see you both Gilgulled."
The Tytalus said. The Nephandi counterspeller looked horrified for a moment then she motioned for the pawn she had spoken to earlier to stand down.
"I am sorry Mala I do believe they will keep their words though, your deaths will be quick."
She said and the pawn named Mala shook her head.
"Mistress, please we can still go down fighting, or I could make sure they do not capture you alive..."
She pleased but the Nephanda shook her head.
"I will not risk my daughter's Avatar it is over Mala...make your peace with the ones you are contracted to."
She said before she raised her voice it still sounding unused to regular language.
"Throw down your weapons and surrender."
She ordered before she tossed her staff to the side, bringing down her shields, then she wrapped her arms around the screaming, wounded Nephanda again, there was a look of defeat in the counterspeller's eyes as if seeing her daughter so badly hurt had robbed her of all will to fight.

Doc backed away he yelled to the counterspeller in the Nephandi language, panic in his eyes, then he turned to the nearest corridor and tried to run, several of the pawn tried the same, fleeing desperately towards one of the corridors, only "superpawn" and Mala remained, the former still pressed down to his knees looking quite angry and the latter standing steadfast by her Mistress.
"Kill them all save the oldest counterspeller, if she continues to not resist and the Chief's apprentice. Anyone who surrenders give them a kind death, let them choose the method, for anyone else though use what methods will get the job done!"
Crexia said darkly.
"And be careful we are going up against enemies with nothing to loose."
She added and Adjan nodded he opened fire on one of the fleeing pawns hitting the man in the head and he fell dead to the ground while the others started screaming in panic. Hayden still maintained the shields he had been conjuring, just in case as several of the other Traditionalists started to open fire on the fleeing Nephandi, the room filled with the sounds of gunshots and screams of terror and pain.

Crexia looked at the carnage with regret in her eyes then she said.
"Whoever have that serum, secure our prisoners and see to the executions of the others who surrendered."
She said as there was another bang and another dead pawn.
"Right now...I do not feel much better than the ones we are fighting."
She added softly, more to herself than to anyone else.
"I hate this damned war."

(OOC: Have fun at the con.)

[Warpmind]

Crexia sigh and nodded.
"Well like I said I know of an Orphan who use that series as a basis for his Paradigm so there have to be something in it. In either case you do not have to convince me young man, I might not fully understand how someone can love a piece of fiction so then again I see how my love gets pulled into her shows and her books, perhaps you are right and in that case I wish you good luck, whatever or not I agree with you."

Colin grinned, "In all honesty, if I didn't see any gains in it beyond recovering some pieces of fiction, I wouldn't do it."

"Well I guess that depends on where you would place said time machine young man however yes I guess there are worse things you could use to travel in time...pff time travel when I was a young woman such things where considered impossible by the Order...and by the Cult of Mercury as well."
She muttered and shook her head at such modern ideas and shenanigans.

He arched an eyebrow, "Many things are impossible. Are we supposed to let that stop us?"

The terrified Nephanda looked a bit confused and Udella whispered to you.
"I think she means the woman you just shot is her daughter, they both appear to be old and powerful, I guess we just found out who the biggest threat of them are."
The Quesitor said. The Nephandi counterspeller who now had her arms around the badly wounded woman looked at you.
"Your....language is hard to...get correctly...I would want our Security Chief's student, the girl who seam to be held down by air itself to survive but the one I bore into this world is in my arms, and I only want for her to not be taken to Horizon..."
She muttered, frustrated for the unfamiliar sounds.

He frowned, "Ah, my apologies for misunderstanding to whom you referred."

Udella nodded.
"We do not have the resources to care for a badly injured prisoner, her death is acceptable."
She said as the now crying Nephanda looked at you angrily then she sigh and held the wounded woman tighter protectively.
"I...what about me...what about our pawns what will be done with us? If we...surrender. Will I be dragged to Horizon to be..."
She asked fearfully though she did not seam to care much about Doc's fate in all of this. Doc himself was pacing around desperately looking for anything to use for a focus picking up a few phones but discarding them again, he did not like the smartphones it seamed. Udella sigh.
"We might be able to take two prisoners now that we have the serum and reinforcements but I would not want to have to deal with more than that."
She muttered to you.
"Or main priority is to get the situation under control though, preferably before their healer gets his hands on something he can use to work magick with."

He nodded slowly to Udella, speaking softly, "I kept the syringes and a serum flask; two... is easily viable. And the chief's apprentice - I would recommend the restraints for her; I don't know if the serum might interfere with the passageway..."

The pawns still had their weapons drawn and they looked a little uneasy that the counterspeller had even thought to ask about their fate was more than they had expected. The older of the two counterspellers where now mostly concerned with her daughter and pleading for her and the Chief's apprentice. Said apprentice had fire in her eyes but there was a look of defeat there as well, with their protections gone there was little hope of winning or even getting away. Doc where still scavenging desperately. All in all the Nephandi forces seamed to be in a rather hopeless situation. Crexia considered for a moment then she spoke in a clear firm voice.
"Here is the only deal I can offer, drop your shields and surrender and your servants will be executed humanely, they will not suffer, your daughter will be killed, also she humanely, as for yourself and your physician, I want you alive off course but since I have no hold over him but I have on you I will settle for his death. The apprentice will come with us, her cooperation or not will determine her fate. Now if you do not surrender, or try to kill those we want alive, I will make damned sure every attempt to bring them back are done and if successful I will personally see your child dragged into the Main Sentencing Hall to answer for her crimes against reality, cooperate and you save her soul, try to defy me and I will see you both Gilgulled."
The Tytalus said. The Nephandi counterspeller looked horrified for a moment then she motioned for the pawn she had spoken to earlier to stand down.
"I am sorry Mala I do believe they will keep their words though, your deaths will be quick."
She said and the pawn named Mala shook her head.
"Mistress, please we can still go down fighting, or I could make sure they do not capture you alive..."
She pleased but the Nephanda shook her head.
"I will not risk my daughter's Avatar it is over Mala...make your peace with the ones you are contracted to."
She said before she raised her voice it still sounding unused to regular language.
"Throw down your weapons and surrender."
She ordered before she tossed her staff to the side, bringing down her shields, then she wrapped her arms around the screaming, wounded Nephanda again, there was a look of defeat in the counterspeller's eyes as if seeing her daughter so badly hurt had robbed her of all will to fight.

Doc backed away he yelled to the counterspeller in the Nephandi language, panic in his eyes, then he turned to the nearest corridor and tried to run, several of the pawn tried the same, fleeing desperately towards one of the corridors, only "superpawn" and Mala remained, the former still pressed down to his knees looking quite angry and the latter standing steadfast by her Mistress.
"Kill them all save the oldest counterspeller, if she continues to not resist and the Chief's apprentice. Anyone who surrenders give them a kind death, let them choose the method, for anyone else though use what methods will get the job done!"
Crexia said darkly.
"And be careful we are going up against enemies with nothing to loose."
She added and Adjan nodded he opened fire on one of the fleeing pawns hitting the man in the head and he fell dead to the ground while the others started screaming in panic. Hayden still maintained the shields he had been conjuring, just in case as several of the other Traditionalists started to open fire on the fleeing Nephandi, the room filled with the sounds of gunshots and screams of terror and pain.

Crexia looked at the carnage with regret in her eyes then she said.
"Whoever have that serum, secure our prisoners and see to the executions of the others who surrendered."
She said as there was another bang and another dead pawn.
"Right now...I do not feel much better than the ones we are fighting."
She added softly, more to herself than to anyone else.
"I hate this damned war."

He lowered his head for a moment, eyes closed as Crexia metered out her judgment, then pocketed the gun again, pulling out a syringe and the serum flask, quickly filling a shot of the guk for the senior counterspeller. He cautiously stepped over to her, keeping an eye in the general direction of where the others had fled, and knelt down beside her, "I... am sorry. Before I suppress your magic, would you like to... ease your daughter's pain? One last spell for her?"
He shot Crexia a glance, "That would be permissible, under the circumstances, would it not?"
He looked up at Mala, "And you... are not Awakened, are you?"

((OOC: Enjoy the mini-vacation, dude.))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grinned, "In all honesty, if I didn't see any gains in it beyond recovering some pieces of fiction, I wouldn't do it."

"I think perhaps that seeing value where us older magi do not is the greatest gift of the young, sometimes I think I would have gladly given my raw power for the ability to think new again."
Crexia said then she shook her head.
"Then I throw such romantic ideas to the side and get to my senses."

He arched an eyebrow, "Many things are impossible. Are we supposed to let that stop us?"

"Well no, impossible is something that are more difficult to do nothing say impossible forever."
The old Tytalus commented.

He frowned, "Ah, my apologies for misunderstanding to whom you referred."

The counterspeller looked at you for a moment then she nodded though she said nothing.

He nodded slowly to Udella, speaking softly, "I kept the syringes and a serum flask; two... is easily viable. And the chief's apprentice - I would recommend the restraints for her; I don't know if the serum might interfere with the passageway..."

Udella looked at the flask of serum and frowned.
"Hum...yes two should be fine to hold captive, as for the restraints, I do not know how badly they would hurt with those fangs biting into the flesh, I am hesitant to subject a prisoner to something where I do not know...well how cruel it is."
She said said and looked at the rope hanging from your belt.
"You may try them out on me first then we will know if it is something I am willing to subject a prisoner to."
The old mage offered and held out her aged hands she looked so tired and worn.
"I need a few minutes before I can cast any more magick anyway so it do not put us in any greater risk. I do agree we should restrain the girl in a way that can be easily undone in case her magick is needed for that passageway but I do not want to hurt a prisoner more than need be."
She muttered.

He lowered his head for a moment, eyes closed as Crexia metered out her judgment, then pocketed the gun again, pulling out a syringe and the serum flask, quickly filling a shot of the guk for the senior counterspeller. He cautiously stepped over to her, keeping an eye in the general direction of where the others had fled, and knelt down beside her, "I... am sorry. Before I suppress your magic, would you like to... ease your daughter's pain? One last spell for her?"

The counterspeller did not move as you approached her, she was busy with her daughter. You heard several from Adjan's group take up pursuit of the fleeing pawns and the Nephandi healer, there was the sound of shots and screaming. Some of the other Traditionalists where taking care of the wounded from their own side. The Nephanda gave you a surprised look then she offered you a slight, sad smile.
"Thank you."
She muttered looking as if kindness was the last she had expected.
"I...I would like that."
She said and she begun to mutter something in the Dragon's Tongue as she drew several sigils in the air over the younger Nephanda's head. The screaming technomancer calmed down, all that could be heard from her now was labored breath.
"Shhh just be calm child?"
The counterspeller muttered tears rolling down her eyes. The wounded woman tried to speak but as er mouth was badly hurt the sounds that escaped her was not that easy to understand.
"Rikka..."
She managed to utter and her mother shook her head and held the wounded woman tighter and muttered in the Nephandi language and sigh. Slowly the wounded Nephanda seamed to fall unconscious for her body went limp, then she seamed to sort of dissolve into a fine dust, her mother started sobbing hysterically, she sort of curled up into a ball, wrapping her skinny arms around her knees.
"Just...do what you...have to..."
She muttered to you between sobs.

He shot Crexia a glance, "That would be permissible, under the circumstances, would it not?"

Crexia looked skeptical but she nodded in agreement.

He looked up at Mala, "And you... are not Awakened, are you?"

"I am not."
Mala said she eyed you with angry eyes put she put her gun down and sat down beside her Mistress a bit nervously.
"I guess that means I will be shot then? Well at least I do not have a Avatar to loose."
She muttered and looked concerned for the fate of her Mistress.
"What is going to happen to her? And that shit there, will it hurt her?"
She asked and eyed the serum cautiously.
"It do not look like something that really belong inside a human body."

[Adley]

"Kill them all save the oldest counterspeller, if she continues to not resist and the Chief's apprentice. Anyone who surrenders give them a kind death, let them choose the method, for anyone else though use what methods will get the job done!" Crexia said darkly.

Adley gave a nod. Their doctor seemed  far to quick to heal from enchanted bullets for him to trust he would be able to just shoot him down. Instead, he tried to sweep the doctor against a wall with an auram-based spell, similar to what he'd seen Hayden use, before he could get away.

// ooc1: Forces 2: 5, 1, 1 - ah!...curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal - Adley's standing Paradox pool is 5, plus 4 for this rote, 9 total
ooc2: Went to bed with a headache - woke up with a headache >. > But it's gone finally. Long day tomorrow at work, then vacation woot : ) No con, just some downtime down south near a beach. Water still too cold to swim in though. Don't believe what you see on Baywatch, even in summer the water is freezing xD  
ooc3 :All that talk of doctors and Doctors and I realized I started to capitalize it out of habit. Now I'm imagining one of the Doctors with tentacle arms as a Nephandi >. <

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

You tried to work a spell but something went wrong, you could feel it as you where weaving it, the strands of reality itself that your Awakened Will let you touch and reshape slipped badly and unlike when a spell failed, which they did at times, it was irritating but it happened to everyone, this time things really went wrong. You where thrown of your feet by your own magick, luckily you where not injured, though at the time you did not really know that, the massive burst of Paradox that hit you hurt, it hurt badly, a bit of Paradox trickling in only gave an uncomfortable, uneasy feeling as reality tightened around you but this, oh this was different as reality's displeasure slammed into your soul, hurt her though she was not damaged it still hurt and while the pain was fleeting it was reminder of the cost of magick, a cost you where getting ever closer to paying.

Crexia looked quite concerned as Adley where thrown of his feet by his own failed spell and she moved to to check on him but Adjan was faster and as the haze of pain lifted you saw your friend looking down at you with concern, in the background you heard shots fired and screams.
"My friend...are you alright? What happened?"
The Euthanatos asked, up close you could see how badly hurt he had been and while healed the amount of fresh pink skin told you how close to death something down here had brought him, how only one deep cut down the side of his face was left and he offered you a had to help you up.
"Do you need to aid of a healer?"
He said and nodded towards the Verbena woman from Lavender who stood over the Solificato from Flamingo trying to heal her wounded shoulder.

(OOC: Ouch well I will let you choose if you want me to roll for a backlash now or wait though off course the more Paradox build up the worse it gets. I am not so sure you get quite that much though the Labyrinth is in the Umbra, throwing folks around with magick really is not vulgar here.)

(OOC 2: Headaches sucks. Vecations are fun. Yeah the water is not warm enough for swimming here either.)

(OOC 3: I am going to the doctor's office tomorrow for my desensitization training I will only be seeing a nurse but perhaps I can find someone with tentacles there. My regular doctor did ask me last time if I practiced black magick when he saw me reading a book on witchcraft in the waiting room perhaps we have some Nephandi recruiters over there. )

[Adley]

There was a particular look that his face got just before the paradox hit him, accompanying the doom feeling where he knew something bad was about to happen that he couldn't stop. He tried to steel himself and hope for the best as the invisible foot of the great reckoner stepped down towards him and reminded him that he was still, after all, only a man. With a winded-sounding grunt, he toppled right off his own feet and onto the ground.

"My friend...are you alright? What happened?" The Euthanatos asked, up close you could see how badly hurt he had been and while healed the amount of fresh pink skin told you how close to death something down here had brought him, how only one deep cut down the side of his face was left and he offered you a had to help you up. "Do you need to aid of a healer?"

Dazed, he glanced up at Adjan and tried to grab his hand. The sounds of fighting around him...battle. He wasn't sure how long he was down for and if a new fight broke out. How much he was even hurt. Had to move. "Backfired...'dox," he tried to say, then gestured to Adjan's face in dismay. "Careful," he tried to add. "Protect them..." he muttered, trying to get up.

// It's up to you as the GM, it's your call if you roll a backlash or just add to the pot though when you start standing on a pool over 10 things can get dicey quick so discharging some of it might now be better than waiting xD. But I /did/ count it up as if it were a vulgar with no witnesses. Coincidental is one less. For reference pgs 547-549
 
@desensitization training - lol, well I don't know if I should hope you find someone with tentacles at your nurse's place. But, I hope it goes well for you

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adjan grimaced and nodded, he gave you a hand up.
"If you think you are alright I will, take it easy and breathe through it."
The Euthanatos said softly, then when he was sure you could stand on your own he nodded and headed after the others to protect them.

You suddenly felt the world grow strange around you, as if your mind was being pulled down under a deep, dark water, you had not yet been in a serious Quiet, smaller ones yes but nothing to bad so you did not know the signs of dropping into one, but this was frightening, as if your mind did not really fit with the reality you saw around you, as if two realities merged, you heard the sound of combat and part of you realized what was happening, another part saw a open field and a fight against a group of Druids so long ago, you saw Andy, Lavender's Verbena healer standing over someone who was bleeding, her magick was not like something you had ever seen but it was clearly Diedne as you saw her cutting into her own flesh using her own blood to power her spell and you wondered why this short haired Diedne woman was helping someone on your side, perhaps she was a prisoner, you did not approve of letting a prisoner walk free though, but then again the Druids where skilled healers.

A few meters from you a woman stood that you recognized, Lady Crexia, she was a feared battle commander, they said she was the filia of one of Tremere the Founder's own students, and others said she was even older, that she had answered Bonisagus' call but that she had already been a powerful maga at that point. You saw her standing there in fine chainmail, a Roman gladius in her hand...ah yes you must have knocked your head...yes you where fighting against the diabolist Diedne, you saw the sun glint down at you from above, one of your friends, a scarred Tremere was securing another prisoner you saw, ironic that his name was Celtic. You did wonder where Carmon was though, you could not see him anywhere among your allies and you felt a pang of fear that your friend might be hurt, you vaguely remember something bad happening to him, something very bad but you just do not remember what. The Diedne woman seamed to finish with her healing and she helped her patient to sit up then she looked over at you, she was a pretty enough woman, with hard eyes, she had not had an easy life you think, it was a shame then they all had to die.
"Are you hurt? Do you need my help?"
The Diedne woman asked and she took a step towards you as she flicked blood, her own, of her knife and took a few steps towards you. That was just to much, one thing was offering some deal of better treatment to get a Diedne healer to help the wounded but letting her stay armed, that was just to much and no one seamed to pay the woman any heed, it was most confusing. And the language, you hear something that could be derived from the tongue of England but it was to different that it was hard to make out more than a word or two, why where no one speaking Latin? It just did not make sense. All you knew is that you where Einje filius Mallader ex Flambeau and you where in the middle of a battle and one of the enemy was walking towards you with a knife...then again she had just healed one of your allies, could she be friendly? But the blood magick marked her Diedne did it not?

(OOC: Eight points of dox then, two now welcome to a Quiet. Basically everything Adley sees for a little while will appear like it would to someone living around year 1000. A gun will look like a bow or a sword, a phone would be a crystal ball for teleporting one's voice, the Nephandi are Diedne diabolists and their custos and so on. He can still function and the Quiet are not likely to last for long, but yes something like seeing a Verbena in your midst is somewhat disturbing. Well perhaps Colin can manage to talk him out of the Quiet that can happen if the Quieted mage have a friend they trust enough that can reach them in their addled state.)

(OOC 2: Thank you well me noping out and getting out of the nurse's offer before letting her stick me are more likely I guess than there being Nephandi recruiters there, but the latter would be more...ehm entertaining. )

[Adley]

He watched as Adjan walked away from him into...a sunlit field. That wasn't right...was it? He stood for a moment, dazed with the feeling of drowning in himself. Confusion showed on his face as he surveyed the battle scene as if he had double vison and neither of the scenes he saw made sense. Carmon...was not here. He should be here. He was always with him. Was he captured? There was another man, his friend. Another Tremere. That was good. But where was Carmon? This man had a different name.

He touched the back of his head, thinking he must have been hit badly by a truncheon, knocked off his horse. He was holding a crossbow in one hand, as if it were forgotten. He glanced at it, not understanding why he was carrying one when he was not on horseback. Where was his sword? He patted at his sides. He lost his weapon? Unforgivable. Then he saw her, the druid coming towards him. Unbound, unhindered even. Healing them? He could not understand what she was saying. It was not even the tongue he heard them speak. "Stay back," he said in antiquated Latin. "Do not raise your weapon towards me. Lower your knife." He did not wish to show her that he was weakened or confused, eyeing her warily and addressed their Commander. "My Lady, why is this woman approaching us in this manner, do you not see it? Has she befuddled our senses...yet she is healing us. What are my orders? Should she be put with the rest of the Diedne?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

The Druidness looked rather confused.
"Did you hit your head?"
She asked in her strange language, not that you understood her, she looked concerned but then she would if she was in the middle of the enemy, somehow she understood that you where weary of her though and put her kinife back into her belt.
"I...do not...really speak...Latin."
She managed in very shaky Latin but even this was hard to understand the pronunciations where all wrong, but then again that was a problem with the Germanic Houses, Latin where not always coming easy for them and there had been a few arguments about holding Tribunals in the local language. You got that she tried Latin at least but not much more.

Crexia turned towards you, her chain main slightly clinking together as she moved, she cast one look at you and her eyes grow wide for a moment.
"Diedne? Oh..."
She muttered then she took it all in stride.
"Sodalis you must have hit your head or are affected by Twilight."
She replied, at least she spoke Latin as one should she walked over to you and put a hand on your arm.
"She ehm...is of House Bonisagus a claimed student before the war against her old teacher's House...she is on our side."
Crexia said with a look at Andy that both told the Verbena to back away and play along, not that Andy understood a word of what she was saying, she did back off a bit and held her bleeding hands to the side to show that she meant no harm and spoke in that odd language of hers.
"Is he in Quiet Ma'am?"
Crexia nodded.
"Yes I think so, take care of the other wounded...your presence is disturbing him, I will find out how bad it is."
Ah yes off course the Tremere commander would speak this woman's odd language a Tremere would make sure she could communicate with her healer, what she told the woman was impossible to tell though but she seamed to be shooing her off and she went to check on a woman who was sitting on the floor with a nasty gash in her arm.

Crexia returned her attention to you.
"What is it that you see Sodalis...ehm just so I will know whatever is affecting you have hot damaged your senses."
The old Tremere said calmly concern in her voice as well, well it was natural enough Twilight could make one see what was not there and if you had hit your head badly something might be broken inside your head, learning that you saw the battlefield clearly should calm your Commander's worry, you might be a bit confused but you did not feel injured, not seriously at least. You still did not see Carmon though, not among the dead on the ground, nor among your allies, he should be here...

[Warpmind]

"I think perhaps that seeing value where us older magi do not is the greatest gift of the young, sometimes I think I would have gladly given my raw power for the ability to think new again."
Crexia said then she shook her head.
"Then I throw such romantic ideas to the side and get to my senses."

Colin chuckled softly, "The curse of the inexperienced, I suppose, to be forced to innovate, and the curse of the experienced to lose interest in innovation when the tried and true works so reliably..."

Udella looked at the flask of serum and frowned.
"Hum...yes two should be fine to hold captive, as for the restraints, I do not know how badly they would hurt with those fangs biting into the flesh, I am hesitant to subject a prisoner to something where I do not know...well how cruel it is."
She said said and looked at the rope hanging from your belt.
"You may try them out on me first then we will know if it is something I am willing to subject a prisoner to."
The old mage offered and held out her aged hands she looked so tired and worn.
"I need a few minutes before I can cast any more magick anyway so it do not put us in any greater risk. I do agree we should restrain the girl in a way that can be easily undone in case her magick is needed for that passageway but I do not want to hurt a prisoner more than need be."
She muttered.

He paused for a moment, then nodded, unwinding the rope from his belt and taking them over to Udella, carefully tying her hands and trying to not puncture her skin too much in the process, "As you ask, milady... Take a short breather, and I will try to release you without any further discomfort afterwards..."

The counterspeller did not move as you approached her, she was busy with her daughter. You heard several from Adjan's group take up pursuit of the fleeing pawns and the Nephandi healer, there was the sound of shots and screaming. Some of the other Traditionalists where taking care of the wounded from their own side. The Nephanda gave you a surprised look then she offered you a slight, sad smile.
"Thank you."
She muttered looking as if kindness was the last she had expected.
"I...I would like that."
She said and she begun to mutter something in the Dragon's Tongue as she drew several sigils in the air over the younger Nephanda's head. The screaming technomancer calmed down, all that could be heard from her now was labored breath.
"Shhh just be calm child?"
The counterspeller muttered tears rolling down her eyes. The wounded woman tried to speak but as er mouth was badly hurt the sounds that escaped her was not that easy to understand.
"Rikka..."
She managed to utter and her mother shook her head and held the wounded woman tighter and muttered in the Nephandi language and sigh. Slowly the wounded Nephanda seamed to fall unconscious for her body went limp, then she seamed to sort of dissolve into a fine dust, her mother started sobbing hysterically, she sort of curled up into a ball, wrapping her skinny arms around her knees.
"Just...do what you...have to..."
She muttered to you between sobs.

He watched warily, but sympathetically as the Nephanda gently ended her daughter's life, and gently pulled up her sleeve afterwards, quickly trying to find the outline of the bicep to administer the serum, "For what it's worth, I am sorry it had to be this way, but war is war, and soldiers must act accordingly... I believe you'll feel a burning sensation, and a lack of power flow between your Avatar and yourself... It won't harm you, but the sensation will likely be distressing. It is not permanent, however."

"I am not."
Mala said she eyed you with angry eyes put she put her gun down and sat down beside her Mistress a bit nervously.
"I guess that means I will be shot then? Well at least I do not have a Avatar to loose."
She muttered and looked concerned for the fate of her Mistress.
"What is going to happen to her? And that shit there, will it hurt her?"
She asked and eyed the serum cautiously.
"It do not look like something that really belong inside a human body."

He nodded darkly, "I'm afraid that will be the fate in stock for you... However, if you wish, I will advocate for you to tend to your Mistress until her... end comes. Nobody should face that without a friend present..."
He looked down at the syringe, and carefully pressed the contents into the Nephanda's arm, "This is a serum made to suppress a Mage's Avatar - their ability to use magic. It will be uncomfortable; I am told it burns a bit, and it's a rather large quantity of liquid to be inserted at once... and I agree; it rather looks like something you'd use to lubricate machinery, or perhaps liquid soap... It's a foul thing, but effective and, as far as I know, without any lasting or even harmful side effects. I must admit to some curiosity, however, as to how your Labyrinth came to possess such a vast supply of the stuff - several bottles of it in the security chief's safe, and other bottles in the possession of members like miss Jerkins... I'm given to understand the stuff is a quite valuable commodity, unpleasant as it is."

He watched as Adjan walked away from him into...a sunlit field. That wasn't right...was it? He stood for a moment, dazed with the feeling of drowning in himself. Confusion showed on his face as he surveyed the battle scene as if he had double vison and neither of the scenes he saw made sense. Carmon...was not here. He should be here. He was always with him. Was he captured? There was another man, his friend. Another Tremere. That was good. But where was Carmon? This man had a different name.

He touched the back of his head, thinking he must have been hit badly by a truncheon, knocked off his horse. He was holding a crossbow in one hand, as if it were forgotten. He glanced at it, not understanding why he was carrying one when he was not on horseback. Where was his sword? He patted at his sides. He lost his weapon? Unforgivable. Then he saw her, the druid coming towards him. Unbound, unhindered even. Healing them? He could not understand what she was saying. It was not even the tongue he heard them speak. "Stay back," he said in antiquated Latin. "Do not raise your weapon towards me. Lower your knife." He did not wish to show her that he was weakened or confused, eyeing her warily and addressed their Commander. "My Lady, why is this woman approaching us in this manner, do you not see it? Has she befuddled our senses...yet she is healing us. What are my orders? Should she be put with the rest of the Diedne?"

The Druidness looked rather confused.
"Did you hit your head?"
She asked in her strange language, not that you understood her, she looked concerned but then she would if she was in the middle of the enemy, somehow she understood that you where weary of her though and put her kinife back into her belt.
"I...do not...really speak...Latin."
She managed in very shaky Latin but even this was hard to understand the pronunciations where all wrong, but then again that was a problem with the Germanic Houses, Latin where not always coming easy for them and there had been a few arguments about holding Tribunals in the local language. You got that she tried Latin at least but not much more.

Crexia turned towards you, her chain main slightly clinking together as she moved, she cast one look at you and her eyes grow wide for a moment.
"Diedne? Oh..."
She muttered then she took it all in stride.
"Sodalis you must have hit your head or are affected by Twilight."
She replied, at least she spoke Latin as one should she walked over to you and put a hand on your arm.
"She ehm...is of House Bonisagus a claimed student before the war against her old teacher's House...she is on our side."
Crexia said with a look at Andy that both told the Verbena to back away and play along, not that Andy understood a word of what she was saying, she did back off a bit and held her bleeding hands to the side to show that she meant no harm and spoke in that odd language of hers.
"Is he in Quiet Ma'am?"
Crexia nodded.
"Yes I think so, take care of the other wounded...your presence is disturbing him, I will find out how bad it is."
Ah yes off course the Tremere commander would speak this woman's odd language a Tremere would make sure she could communicate with her healer, what she told the woman was impossible to tell though but she seamed to be shooing her off and she went to check on a woman who was sitting on the floor with a nasty gash in her arm.

Crexia returned her attention to you.
"What is it that you see Sodalis...ehm just so I will know whatever is affecting you have hot damaged your senses."
The old Tremere said calmly concern in her voice as well, well it was natural enough Twilight could make one see what was not there and if you had hit your head badly something might be broken inside your head, learning that you saw the battlefield clearly should calm your Commander's worry, you might be a bit confused but you did not feel injured, not seriously at least. You still did not see Carmon though, not among the dead on the ground, nor among your allies, he should be here...

He slowly turned his head to look at Adley, arching an eyebrow and asking in Latin, "Battle-brother, why did you suddenly switch to Latin? Did you... Oh... Oh, dear... do you remember who I am?"

((OOC: Well, Capaldi will regenerate into a new Doctor come the Christmas Special. Though one must wonder what the First Doctor would say to the Twelfth growing tentacles. ))

((OOC2: "Are you practicing black magic?" "No, more like fifty shades of gray magic." ))

((OOC3: Well, this is going to be lovely... So, throw Adley in the cell with Gloria until his head comes back to our time? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin chuckled softly, "The curse of the inexperienced, I suppose, to be forced to innovate, and the curse of the experienced to lose interest in innovation when the tried and true works so reliably..."

Crexia gave a wry smile and nodded.
"True and it is doubly so for my kind, becoming a lich...cost and even if I try to keep my mind pliable, there is only so much I can do. I am what I am and like Umbroods I fear I shall never be either more or less than what I am."
She said then she added softly.
"Well I made my choice long ago and I stand for it, good and bane."

He paused for a moment, then nodded, unwinding the rope from his belt and taking them over to Udella, carefully tying her hands and trying to not puncture her skin too much in the process, "As you ask, milady... Take a short breather, and I will try to release you without any further discomfort afterwards..."

It seamed that Udella's magick was not blocked at all before you punctured her skin with the snake heads' fangs, and you had to go somewhat deeply for them to actually stay in her skin, they where needle sharp though and as long as you are careful to avoid larger veins it is not likely to harm the old mage much. As you pressed the fangs into her skin though she cried out and her knees buckled under her and she would hit the floor if you do not grab her, she did not seam to hear the last bit you where saying she just weakly gasped as her body shook in pain.
"Stop...please stop...we...can not use this...on a prisoner unless...there are no other...choice..."
Well there where little point in testing more from her reaction the restraints caused rather extreme pain, and the only question really was if the pain would be fleeting or if it would persist the entire time a willworker was bound by the foul things.

He watched warily, but sympathetically as the Nephanda gently ended her daughter's life, and gently pulled up her sleeve afterwards, quickly trying to find the outline of the bicep to administer the serum, "For what it's worth, I am sorry it had to be this way, but war is war, and soldiers must act accordingly... I believe you'll feel a burning sensation, and a lack of power flow between your Avatar and yourself... It won't harm you, but the sensation will likely be distressing. It is not permanent, however."

The Nephanda sat still other than her body slightly shaking with her sobbing. Her muscles where well defined though, she had kept herself in reasonable shape despite being so grunt that where where a good chance she was suffering from Jhor, an impression that was strengthened by the fact that her skin felt paper thin, touching her the woman felt frail and old though just by her outward apperance she did not look to be much more than thirty.
"We both knew we might fall in battle."
The Nephanda muttered.
"I just wish that if one of us where to fall, it had been me, then again in this situation...well we both knew we might get captured by another faction as well."
She said, the woman sounded sad and defeated, she looked at you as you explained about the serum and nodded.
"I...do not think I have ever been without my...magick before..."
She whispered more to herself than to you.
"Yes I imagine that will be disconcerting."
Then she sigh and looked away, still softly sobbing.
"I am not going to resist."

He nodded darkly, "I'm afraid that will be the fate in stock for you... However, if you wish, I will advocate for you to tend to your Mistress until her... end comes. Nobody should face that without a friend present..."

"I...would like that...she...have treated me well when she did not have to."
The pawn said softly.
"I...would like to replay her."
She muttered and the old Nephanda glanced up at her for a moment.
"Thank you child, though it is probably better for you to die here, not that I would mind...a friendly face but dying on the battlefield with pride is better than being humiliated by the Traditionalists in their execution grounds."
Mala shrugged.
"Perhaps, then again in addition to being there for you Mistress...I get to hold of on meeting my Masters...I doubt they will be to please with me."
The pawn said and the Nephanda sigh.
"Well no I suppose they will not child, I suppose they will not."

He looked down at the syringe, and carefully pressed the contents into the Nephanda's arm, "This is a serum made to suppress a Mage's Avatar - their ability to use magic. It will be uncomfortable; I am told it burns a bit, and it's a rather large quantity of liquid to be inserted at once... and I agree; it rather looks like something you'd use to lubricate machinery, or perhaps liquid soap...

Well sometimes being afflicted by the late stages of Jhor where a benefit for the needle slid through the woman's skin and tissue like butter, you remember from the future that both with Kyle and later with Anna that rather firm pressure had to be used as to get that thick liquid to flow through the needle and not clog it up or make the pressure at the tip to high it had to be eighteen or sixteen gauge, the Nephanda did not seam to notice the needle though but when the serum started to flow into her arm she winced sharply and flinched though she did not move beyond that.
"Do it hurt Mistress?"
The pawn asked and the Nephanda shrugged.
"It...burns but I live with worse from the rot in my bones...do not concern yourself with me child."
She muttered sadly but then she gasped as the serum started taking effect and she looked honestly terrified.
"Disconcerting indeed."
She muttered and shuddered. Mala glanced at you and then at the syringe.
"It look like you have taken some Haribo candy and melted it, you know the shit chemistry set treats that you can get in packs of treats from other nations."
The pawn muttered.
"And yeah I know what an Avatar is I have lived with mages most of my life."

I must admit to some curiosity, however, as to how your Labyrinth came to possess such a vast supply of the stuff - several bottles of it in the security chief's safe, and other bottles in the possession of members like miss Jerkins... I'm given to understand the stuff is a quite valuable commodity, unpleasant as it is."

"Doc, our healer makes it. I have no idea how I am not a chemist. He learned it from a Technocrat that our missing interrogator...I assume your side have something to do with the missing part...tortured to death."
The Nephanda said and she winced a little again as she lifted one hand to rub at her arm, she had bled a little, not that unusual with a needle that large.
"There are trace amounts of Primium in the shit or so I hear."
She said, well it is what she tried to say she still mispronounced words, English was not her favored language that much was clear.

(OOC: Well then the question what kind of Latin do Colin speak, Adley would be speaking Classical Latin at the moment, is that the same type that Colin speak if not they will probably be able to understand one another but it would be like a Norwegian speaking with a Dane.)

(OOC 2: Ah yes that is the reply I should have made, well my doctor did follow up with asking if I was the same as a certain idiot that loved to burn Churches and now like to be a point of shame for anyone wo worship the old Norse Gods while being a neo Nazi so I told him no I am not. If you believe in what I do then it is mostly healing, spiritual development and well wishing with fancy tools, if you do not believe in it then it is a form of self development.)

(OOC 3: Well considering that Gloria thinks she is a Diedne living just before the war I doubt putting the two of them in a cell right now would go that well at least they will be speaking the same language for unlike many Diedne at the time Gloria do speak perfect Latin.)

[Warpmind]

Crexia gave a wry smile and nodded.
"True and it is doubly so for my kind, becoming a lich...cost and even if I try to keep my mind pliable, there is only so much I can do. I am what I am and like Umbroods I fear I shall never be either more or less than what I am."
She said then she added softly.
"Well I made my choice long ago and I stand for it, good and bane."

Colin nodded, "All things considered, there are far worse things to be than a fixed point..."

It seamed that Udella's magick was not blocked at all before you punctured her skin with the snake heads' fangs, and you had to go somewhat deeply for them to actually stay in her skin, they where needle sharp though and as long as you are careful to avoid larger veins it is not likely to harm the old mage much. As you pressed the fangs into her skin though she cried out and her knees buckled under her and she would hit the floor if you do not grab her, she did not seam to hear the last bit you where saying she just weakly gasped as her body shook in pain.
"Stop...please stop...we...can not use this...on a prisoner unless...there are no other...choice..."
Well there where little point in testing more from her reaction the restraints caused rather extreme pain, and the only question really was if the pain would be fleeting or if it would persist the entire time a willworker was bound by the foul things.

He frowned and unhooked the restraints again with one hand, steadying Udella with the other, "Bugger... I had hoped they wouldn't be outright torturous... No such luck, is it? Very well, the bindings stay unused unless there's no alternative..."

The Nephanda sat still other than her body slightly shaking with her sobbing. Her muscles where well defined though, she had kept herself in reasonable shape despite being so grunt that where where a good chance she was suffering from Jhor, an impression that was strengthened by the fact that her skin felt paper thin, touching her the woman felt frail and old though just by her outward apperance she did not look to be much more than thirty.
"We both knew we might fall in battle."
The Nephanda muttered.
"I just wish that if one of us where to fall, it had been me, then again in this situation...well we both knew we might get captured by another faction as well."
She said, the woman sounded sad and defeated, she looked at you as you explained about the serum and nodded.
"I...do not think I have ever been without my...magick before..."
She whispered more to herself than to you.
"Yes I imagine that will be disconcerting."
Then she sigh and looked away, still softly sobbing.
"I am not going to resist."

"I...would like that...she...have treated me well when she did not have to."
The pawn said softly.
"I...would like to replay her."
She muttered and the old Nephanda glanced up at her for a moment.
"Thank you child, though it is probably better for you to die here, not that I would mind...a friendly face but dying on the battlefield with pride is better than being humiliated by the Traditionalists in their execution grounds."
Mala shrugged.
"Perhaps, then again in addition to being there for you Mistress...I get to hold of on meeting my Masters...I doubt they will be to please with me."
The pawn said and the Nephanda sigh.
"Well no I suppose they will not child, I suppose they will not."

He frowned and nodded, "The pain will be great... indescribably so. Having a friendly face to focus on will make it... a little less unbearable. I will make the petition. I can't promise it will be approved, but it will at least be considered."

Well sometimes being afflicted by the late stages of Jhor where a benefit for the needle slid through the woman's skin and tissue like butter, you remember from the future that both with Kyle and later with Anna that rather firm pressure had to be used as to get that thick liquid to flow through the needle and not clog it up or make the pressure at the tip to high it had to be eighteen or sixteen gauge, the Nephanda did not seam to notice the needle though but when the serum started to flow into her arm she winced sharply and flinched though she did not move beyond that.
"Do it hurt Mistress?"
The pawn asked and the Nephanda shrugged.
"It...burns but I live with worse from the rot in my bones...do not concern yourself with me child."
She muttered sadly but then she gasped as the serum started taking effect and she looked honestly terrified.
"Disconcerting indeed."
She muttered and shuddered. Mala glanced at you and then at the syringe.
"It look like you have taken some Haribo candy and melted it, you know the shit chemistry set treats that you can get in packs of treats from other nations."
The pawn muttered.
"And yeah I know what an Avatar is I have lived with mages most of my life."

He nodded, "The effect is, as I said, not permanent... and I'm not certain, but you may yet be able to communicate with your Avatar; I don't know if the serum restricts more than the Quintessence flow. And yes, now that you mention it, it rather does look like molten wine gum."

"Doc, our healer makes it. I have no idea how I am not a chemist. He learned it from a Technocrat that our missing interrogator...I assume your side have something to do with the missing part...tortured to death."
The Nephanda said and she winced a little again as she lifted one hand to rub at her arm, she had bled a little, not that unusual with a needle that large.
"There are trace amounts of Primium in the shit or so I hear."
She said, well it is what she tried to say she still mispronounced words, English was not her favored language that much was clear.

He frowned, "So your Doc makes it... Hum, perhaps we can capture him alive and persuade him to share the secret. It is doubtful, though... And yes, I killed Gabriel. His death was instantaneous; far more generous, perhaps, than he deserved. In fact, I suppose I personally am responsible for a great deal of your losses this weekend, but please don't think there was any malice in it on my part."

((OOC: I think Colin's most likely trained in Renaissance Latin, which is the closest to Classical Latin, rather than New/Modern Latin. So more like a Norwegian speaking with a Swede than a Dane. Or like a New Englander speaking with a Texan. ))

((OOC: You can just imagine the expression on the poor guy's face, can't you? ))

[Adley]

"I...do not...really speak...Latin." She managed in very shaky Latin but even this was hard to understand the pronunciations where all wrong, but then again that was a problem with the Germanic Houses, Latin where not always coming easy for them and there had been a few arguments about holding Tribunals in the local language. You got that she tried Latin at least but not much more.

Crexia turned towards you, her chain main slightly clinking together as she moved, she cast one look at you and her eyes grow wide for a moment.
"Diedne? Oh..." She muttered then she took it all in stride. "Sodalis you must have hit your head or are affected by Twilight." She replied, at least she spoke Latin as one should she walked over to you and put a hand on your arm.
"She ehm...is of House Bonisagus a claimed student before the war against her old teacher's House...she is on our side."

As the Diedne's weapon was lowered, he gave a small nod at her. He still could not understand what she was babbling about, her Latin was poor. As the Commander approached him, he kept looking at Andy with suspicion. Finally, Crexia's words made sense of the situation. A Bonisagus could have taken her for an apprentice before their House fell to diabolism. He was not sure he should trust her fully but he had his order that she was on their side.

"What is it that you see Sodalis...ehm just so I will know whatever is affecting you have hot damaged your senses."

He began reporting what he saw: where they were and the battlefield's description of a field, the time of day by the sun, a count of their allies, the injured and the dead and the captured Diedne. "I have been looking for signs of the Red Woman, that fearsome coven leader we have heard about. They say she hides in the woods now. But my lady, do forgive me. I do not understand what the Bonisagus was saying, her language is strange to my ears." Then, with a hint of shame, "I seem to have dropped my sword when my head was hit. I have my crossbow. And worse, we are missing one of your House. I do not see him...he has not been injured, I feel something bad has happened to my amicus."

He slowly turned his head to look at Adley, arching an eyebrow and asking in Latin, "Battle-brother, why did you suddenly switch to Latin? Did you... Oh... Oh, dear... do you remember who I am?"

He did not realise he was even being addressed at first but he felt Colin looking at him. He returned his gaze with a pinch of confusion. "Sodalis, why do you speak to me in that confusing tongue? Do you need help with that Diedne?"

// lol New Englander speaking with a Texan. Been there and done that. That's not too bad. Eh, at least Adley doesn't think he's Dylan, that would go over a lot worse right now.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "All things considered, there are far worse things to be than a fixed point..."

"Yes there are far worse things, but sometimes I wish...hum well if wishes where horses eh?"
Crexia said with a slightly sad smile.
"Let us focus on the task at hand..."

He frowned and unhooked the restraints again with one hand, steadying Udella with the other, "Bugger... I had hoped they wouldn't be outright torturous... No such luck, is it? Very well, the bindings stay unused unless there's no alternative..."

Udella drew a breath of relief as you got the snake head restraints off her, the small wounds after the fangs where red and swollen and she drew several deep breaths to steady herself.
"No...no such luck...it would not...be right to use them...on a captive if there...is any other choice."
She muttered as she tried to gather wits.
"Please do forgive my outburst..."
She muttered and gingerly touched the small holes in her wrists. Crexia gave you and Crexia a concerned look but before she could come over to check what was happening she had to see to some problem between Adley and one of the Verbena from Lavender, Olamide came over though and held out a water bottle towards Udella.
"Testing the odd restraints we found?...Here Ma'am have some water."
She said and Udella looked up and smiled.
"Thank you Sodalis."
Udella said in a tired voice.
"Now please do not look at me with such worry I am fine...I am more embarrassed than anything at my...outburst."

He frowned and nodded, "The pain will be great... indescribably so. Having a friendly face to focus on will make it... a little less unbearable. I will make the petition. I can't promise it will be approved, but it will at least be considered."

The captured Nephanda gave you a terrified look and while it was not possible for her to get paler she did sort of turn waxy gray and she buckled over, away from her daughter's ashes and emptied out whatever had been her breakfast.
"F...forgive me...I do not feel well."
She muttered, terror in her eyes, her voice shaking. Mala hesitated but then put her arms around her...well owner.
"Mistress I...wish there was something I could say."
She muttered but her owner did not reply she was struggling with trying to control her fear and she was squeezing her eyes shut and swallowing hard several times. Mala looked at you.
"Thank you."
She muttered.

He nodded, "The effect is, as I said, not permanent... and I'm not certain, but you may yet be able to communicate with your Avatar; I don't know if the serum restricts more than the Quintessence flow.

"Well I guess it will be made permanent soon enough."
The Nephanda said bitterly then she sigh.
"I...can feel him there, inside my soul, watching, our bond seam to be untouched if a bit more fuzzy than usual, I guess that is a comfort at least. I would not like to loose him and my daughter at the same day."
The captive whispered and she looked like she might be sick again and fresh tears flooded her gray eyes.

And yes, now that you mention it, it rather does look like molten wine gum."

"It sort of feel like to, hot, molten wine gum I mean."
The Nephanda muttered wryly as if a bit of humor was the only thing she had to shield herself against the terror of what lay ahead of her.

He frowned, "So your Doc makes it... Hum, perhaps we can capture him alive and persuade him to share the secret. It is doubtful, though... And yes, I killed Gabriel. His death was instantaneous; far more generous, perhaps, than he deserved. In fact, I suppose I personally am responsible for a great deal of your losses this weekend, but please don't think there was any malice in it on my part."

"War is war, I understand and it seams the dead is the lucky ones. Well we fight, and we win or we die, there is little else to it, I do not blame you for surviving Traditionalist, though I wish things had been different."
The woman said bitterly.
"Hum...Gabriel was my...daughter's father, not that it matters much and not many will grieve his passing save his student, well he was a strong warrior and did his job at least."
She said and sigh.
"Dalett...it was my name once, in case you where wondering...probably not I am one more Nephandus, but if you where that...was my name and the only one I have you can pronounce, Dalett Vega. As for Doc well I doubt you can torture it out of him but you never know, I do not know the skills of your interrogators though I suspect I will learn."
Dalett said and looked away.

He began reporting what he saw: where they were and the battlefield's description of a field, the time of day by the sun, a count of their allies, the injured and the dead and the captured Diedne. "I have been looking for signs of the Red Woman, that fearsome coven leader we have heard about. They say she hides in the woods now.

Crexia nodded as you spoke she seamed to be pleased that you had your senses about you.
"Red Woman? Ah yes...her...hum yes she might be hiding...but for now it is this skirmish we need worry about."
She said softly and patted you on the shoulder lightly.

But my lady, do forgive me. I do not understand what the Bonisagus was saying, her language is strange to my ears."

"I do think her new Mentor took her more to save her from her former House to be honest he may not have trained her well in Latin Sodalis, she asked if you needed healing, and the if you had hit your head. I told her to see to the other wounded that I would deal with this."
The Tremere explained. Well it was not unheard of Bonisagus magi using their right to save a few of the Diedne students before they where corrupted as the tension between Diedne and House Tremere tensed and everyone saw war coming some thought it just as well Gifted children where a rarity after all and if they could be reeducated that would be a boon for the Order.

hen, with a hint of shame, "I seem to have dropped my sword when my head was hit. I have my crossbow.

"Think nothing of it, you have your magick and your bow for now and we will find your sword when time allow, you where injured Sodalis."
The old Tremere said and nodded at your commented, it was not a good thing loosing your sword and certainly not for a war mage, had you still been under your damnable Mentor's thumb you could only shudder to think what he would do to you for such an offense, well for once perhaps his punishments would be deserved but the commander seamed more concerned with winning the fight and recovering the situation than berating you for loosing your weapon, she was a practical woman the Tremere commander, then again they said she was a lich, they tended not to be much moved by emotion, not that you had met anyone else like her, very few where willing to pay what such dark rites demanded.

And worse, we are missing one of your House. I do not see him...he has not been injured, I feel something bad has happened to my amicus."

Crexia looked down regret in her eyes, perhaps she did feel emotions despite both what she was and her Parma Magica's protection.
"You are thinking about Carmon then...he...ehm...was captured by the enemy we are fighting...captured and tortured. You and several others rescued the man but he...is badly hurt and is safely back at my Covenant resting."
The commander said but somehow you felt that she was not telling you all of it, torture was a horrible thing, you had been tortured, and you had seen men break under it, and yet somehow you doubted a Tremere lich would react with such...sadness in her eyes over her Housemate's physical abuse, not if he was alive and would recover with time and care.

He did not realise he was even being addressed at first but he felt Colin looking at him. He returned his gaze with a pinch of confusion. "Sodalis, why do you speak to me in that confusing tongue? Do you need help with that Diedne?"

As you spoke to Colin you saw that the captive he had been tending to seamed to be fairly docile, there was a look of defeat in her eyes as she sat there huddled together with her servant, grief and fear in her eyes, that you had seen before, it was...a regrettable part of his war. The other prisoner though was bound under some spell, there was an arrow in her tight but she seamed to be otherwise unharmed and she looked fierce, she had not yet given up and you saw her lips move in some incantations and her slender fingers eked out the gestures of a spell against the pressure some spell or another was holding her down with, that young woman was planning something and everyone seamed far more focused on the more docile prisoner and the ones trying to flee.

(OOC: Well if he had thought he was Dylan that would indeed have gone bad...poor Dylan the Nephandi was not kind to him.)

[Tane Karyak]

I work with spirits since i'm a dreamspeacker, or so it seems now, my house is a healing node and i got a nature spirit refugeed there. I belive i can handle, and i would have sooner if not for the war getting in the middle. WHy don't you present us and i'll see what i can do?
Master Telar will be out for a time. The work with young Tobias took a heavy toll, but i think i'm going to be able to help the spirit. he said.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

work with spirits since i'm a dreamspeacker, or so it seems now, my house is a healing node and i got a nature spirit refugeed there. I belive i can handle, and i would have sooner if not for the war getting in the middle. WHy don't you present us and i'll see what i can do?

"Well I have already managed to contact her. Your Cabalmate met her by accident and then since I knew the name she use for herself contacting her was not to hard...hum...perhaps you can make something stronger though, if you can get her to work with opiates it would be better, I have only been able to make the kind of medicine I can boil in a pot, the spirit is Shimmer the spirit of cook fires, so she is not likely to convert anything that can not be cooked."
Amadeus said and nodded.
"I have managed to make something I think will work though."

Master Telar will be out for a time. The work with young Tobias took a heavy toll, but i think i'm going to be able to help the spirit. he said.

"Well the woman do need her rest, and we can not move on with working on Beatrice before your Cabalmates are back from Chicago anyway, right now both of them need to sleep and build their strength."
He said and nodded.
"Did you want to see Beatrice? I do not mind as long as you do not wake her."
The Verbena said and smiled a little and nodded towards the door to the Node chamber.

[Warpmind]

Udella drew a breath of relief as you got the snake head restraints off her, the small wounds after the fangs where red and swollen and she drew several deep breaths to steady herself.
"No...no such luck...it would not...be right to use them...on a captive if there...is any other choice."
She muttered as she tried to gather wits.
"Please do forgive my outburst..."
She muttered and gingerly touched the small holes in her wrists. Crexia gave you and Crexia a concerned look but before she could come over to check what was happening she had to see to some problem between Adley and one of the Verbena from Lavender, Olamide came over though and held out a water bottle towards Udella.
"Testing the odd restraints we found?...Here Ma'am have some water."
She said and Udella looked up and smiled.
"Thank you Sodalis."
Udella said in a tired voice.
"Now please do not look at me with such worry I am fine...I am more embarrassed than anything at my...outburst."

Colin nodded and coiled up the rope again, absentmindedly shoving it in a pocket, "So these induce excruciating pain... Not a good option, but in lieu of proper handcuffs, and if the serum is unsuitable..."

The captured Nephanda gave you a terrified look and while it was not possible for her to get paler she did sort of turn waxy gray and she buckled over, away from her daughter's ashes and emptied out whatever had been her breakfast.
"F...forgive me...I do not feel well."
She muttered, terror in her eyes, her voice shaking. Mala hesitated but then put her arms around her...well owner.
"Mistress I...wish there was something I could say."
She muttered but her owner did not reply she was struggling with trying to control her fear and she was squeezing her eyes shut and swallowing hard several times. Mala looked at you.
"Thank you."
She muttered.

He nodded, "Quite alright... Now, one of the ladies here will come search you - it'd be improper for me to do it, obviously. Miss Mala... Would you kindly make sure your Mistress doesn't get too uncomfortable, under the circumstances? And... help move her over there?" He pointed toward where the healers were working.

"Well I guess it will be made permanent soon enough."
The Nephanda said bitterly then she sigh.
"I...can feel him there, inside my soul, watching, our bond seam to be untouched if a bit more fuzzy than usual, I guess that is a comfort at least. I would not like to loose him and my daughter at the same day."
The captive whispered and she looked like she might be sick again and fresh tears flooded her gray eyes.

He frowned, then lowered his voice to a whisper, "If it helps, he can survive, not in the same form, but he can become part of a new whole; a new Avatar... It is not the end, just breaking it down to prepare a new beginning..."

"War is war, I understand and it seams the dead is the lucky ones. Well we fight, and we win or we die, there is little else to it, I do not blame you for surviving Traditionalist, though I wish things had been different."
The woman said bitterly.
"Hum...Gabriel was my...daughter's father, not that it matters much and not many will grieve his passing save his student, well he was a strong warrior and did his job at least."
She said and sigh.
"Dalett...it was my name once, in case you where wondering...probably not I am one more Nephandus, but if you where that...was my name and the only one I have you can pronounce, Dalett Vega. As for Doc well I doubt you can torture it out of him but you never know, I do not know the skills of your interrogators though I suspect I will learn."
Dalett said and looked away.

He nodded, "Dalett Vega... If you wish, I will light a candle for your passing. It's the least I can do. As for Gabriel's student, well... I'm taking her on, myself; giving the poor child a second chance... An old toy and a new name, and a Mentor to protect her from the worst. And you would be surprised at how much information I've coaxed out of your colleagues by not torturing them..."

He did not realise he was even being addressed at first but he felt Colin looking at him. He returned his gaze with a pinch of confusion. "Sodalis, why do you speak to me in that confusing tongue? Do you need help with that Diedne?"

He frowned at Adley and sighed, still replying in Latin, "Sodalis, you know the man who taught me the language was not a... Gifted man. No, this one should be no more trouble. The other one, however, might try something."

As you spoke to Colin you saw that the captive he had been tending to seamed to be fairly docile, there was a look of defeat in her eyes as she sat there huddled together with her servant, grief and fear in her eyes, that you had seen before, it was...a regrettable part of his war. The other prisoner though was bound under some spell, there was an arrow in her tight but she seamed to be otherwise unharmed and she looked fierce, she had not yet given up and you saw her lips move in some incantations and her slender fingers eked out the gestures of a spell against the pressure some spell or another was holding her down with, that young woman was planning something and everyone seamed far more focused on the more docile prisoner and the ones trying to flee.

He carefully moved away from Dalett and stepped over to the security chief's apprentice, capping the used syringe and finding a new one, as well as the serum bottle before beginning to prepare a shot for her, as well. "Now, let's hope this won't interfere with her Resonance..."

((OOC: Perception+Awareness seems the appropriate roll to notice the girl's up to something: 2,2,5... I think that's a pretty big nope right there... ))

((OOC2: "Confusing tongue", bah, whippersnapper. At least Colin has a ready explanation for his... awkward Latin dialect. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded and coiled up the rope again, absentmindedly shoving it in a pocket, "So these induce excruciating pain... Not a good option, but in lieu of proper handcuffs, and if the serum is unsuitable..."

Udella gave a tired nod.
"Well at least they...do when placed, far more than the physical wounds should...indicate, it feels like being strangled like when getting a good dose of Paradox at once, it is most unpleasant."
The old Enforcer said and she rubbed her wrists, rubbing away the few droplets of blood that had seeped from the tiny wounds.
"Probably not as bad as the practice of crushing a captive's hands that was done...and sometimes still are done when no other options are available, it is effective when the mage in question use hand gestures for their magick...this would be preferable to than and compared to the serum...well at least these cuffs can be removed you are not on a 24 hours limit but no unless there are no other options I would not use them for a prisoner, but if you have to take a captive and there are no other methods...well I would feel terrible doing it to someone though."

He nodded, "Quite alright... Now, one of the ladies here will come search you - it'd be improper for me to do it, obviously.

Again the Nephanda looked confused.
"Improper? I am your captive and helpless, I am probably to afflicted with Jhor to be desirable but...well before I got powerful enough that few could take me, even among my own...I am pretty used to being...hum..."
She muttered not understanding then she nodded and glanced up at you.
"Thank you...I did not think it would matter...but for some reason it do. I have a sharp knife in my belt pouch, I would not want the one that do search me, to cut herself, and you have my permission to take it now if you prefer...I...am not used to kindness from others than Mala and...my daughter."

Miss Mala... Would you kindly make sure your Mistress doesn't get too uncomfortable, under the circumstances? And... help move her over there?" He pointed toward where the healers were working.

The pawn nodded.
"I will take care of her."
She said as she gently helped her owner to her feet.
"Lean on me Mistress...are you ok?"
She asked and the counterspeller nodded though she bent over and dry heaved again, the thought of what would happen to her, the stress of loosing her daughter and adrenaline slowly leaving her system was making her rather queasy and the serum probably did not help. Kyle had said it made him ill a few minutes after it was injected into his system.

He frowned, then lowered his voice to a whisper, "If it helps, he can survive, not in the same form, but he can become part of a new whole; a new Avatar... It is not the end, just breaking it down to prepare a new beginning..."

Dalett looked at you again she looked rather scared and miserable, Nephandi where no more pleased at the thought of loosing their Avatars than Traditionalists.
"I guess...that thought do help a little."
She said and tried to smile.
"I...am not sure I understand though, I always thought that when that...ritual was done...that was it..."
She whispered then she shuddered and looked away.
"Will...he feel pain...my Avatar I mean? Is he going to feel it. I mean I have seen the thing done, we have a couple here that...are far to fond of it and I have always wondered...if the soul...feel..."
She stopped talking and started sobbing uncontrollably again Mala held her Mistress gently.
"Shhh it is ok Mistress, come, let us go over where the Traditionalist pointed and sit down..."
She urged and tried to get the Nephanda to move, to think about something else.

He nodded, "Dalett Vega... If you wish, I will light a candle for your passing. It's the least I can do.

"I...would like that...but I would prefer if you would light one for my daughter...she...well I can do nothing more for her...well other than one thing..."
The Nephanda hesitarted and she looked at little like she expected you to hit her for asking a favor.
"Ehm I...well you are an enemy I have no right to ask anything of you I...my daughter had a cat, a silly thing, what use are a pet for a Nephandus...but she loved that animal...is it any possibility you can get the animal to a shelter or if not put him down so he will not starve down here alone...he is just a cat, not magickal...my child would...rest easier if she knew her pet was taken care of I think."
She asked and she sort of raised her arms and took a step back bracing to be struck, she was not used to good treatment of captives.

As for Gabriel's student, well... I'm taking her on, myself; giving the poor child a second chance... An old toy and a new name, and a Mentor to protect her from the worst.

"Hum...you are saving her from...the ritual?"
Dalett asked then she gave a slight smile.
"Gabriel would test his student's skill at countermagick up against mine, she have remarkable talent, it would be a shame to destroy such a gift..."

And you would be surprised at how much information I've coaxed out of your colleagues by not torturing them..."

"More of us are captured?"
Dalett asked with dismay in her voice then she muttered bitterly.
"I guess your Horizon will resound with screams soon then."
Then she gave you a surprised look.
"No...torture?"

He carefully moved away from Dalett and stepped over to the security chief's apprentice, capping the used syringe and finding a new one, as well as the serum bottle before beginning to prepare a shot for her, as well. "Now, let's hope this won't interfere with her Resonance..."

The apprentice eyed the serum and the syringe and her eyes widened and she begun to move faster, looking a bit desperate, not that you noticed that she did much save struggle against her invisible bonds.
"Stay the fuck away from me!"
She yelled in the middle of it as she fought to move her fingers enough to cast her spell, she sounded desperate and scared and like talking was an effort with all that pressure on her chest and her lungs.
"Just...stay away..."

(OOC: What Adley sees is probably Colin dipping a needle in some sort of poison. Resonance was not really a term back then, old Hermetics knew it as a mage's sigil. You had both the Sigil that where one's symbol of one's House membership, it basically is your symbol of being a Hermetic in good standing and can be given to others to let them speak and vote on your behalf, and then there are the sigil which is basically Resonance that will let someone among other things figure out who cast which spell.)

[Warpmind]

Udella gave a tired nod.
"Well at least they...do when placed, far more than the physical wounds should...indicate, it feels like being strangled like when getting a good dose of Paradox at once, it is most unpleasant."
The old Enforcer said and she rubbed her wrists, rubbing away the few droplets of blood that had seeped from the tiny wounds.
"Probably not as bad as the practice of crushing a captive's hands that was done...and sometimes still are done when no other options are available, it is effective when the mage in question use hand gestures for their magick...this would be preferable to than and compared to the serum...well at least these cuffs can be removed you are not on a 24 hours limit but no unless there are no other options I would not use them for a prisoner, but if you have to take a captive and there are no other methods...well I would feel terrible doing it to someone though."

Colin nodded, "I'm definitively going to want to examine these for myself... Compare them to the work on regular suppressing handcuffs, as well. Might find a way to make it less... unpleasant, even. But these... Emergencies only."

Again the Nephanda looked confused.
"Improper? I am your captive and helpless, I am probably to afflicted with Jhor to be desirable but...well before I got powerful enough that few could take me, even among my own...I am pretty used to being...hum..."
She muttered not understanding then she nodded and glanced up at you.
"Thank you...I did not think it would matter...but for some reason it do. I have a sharp knife in my belt pouch, I would not want the one that do search me, to cut herself, and you have my permission to take it now if you prefer...I...am not used to kindness from others than Mala and...my daughter."

He nodded and carefully extricated the knife, "Yes, you are my helpless captive. I was trained by the British military; there's something called the Geneva Conventions, addressing ethical treatment of prisoners... I try to hold myself to those ideals; I may be a rarity among the Traditions for that, but at least I can try to be a good example..."

The pawn nodded.
"I will take care of her."
She said as she gently helped her owner to her feet.
"Lean on me Mistress...are you ok?"
She asked and the counterspeller nodded though she bent over and dry heaved again, the thought of what would happen to her, the stress of loosing her daughter and adrenaline slowly leaving her system was making her rather queasy and the serum probably did not help. Kyle had said it made him ill a few minutes after it was injected into his system.

He smiled sadly, "I think the worst should pass within a few minutes, at least."

Dalett looked at you again she looked rather scared and miserable, Nephandi where no more pleased at the thought of loosing their Avatars than Traditionalists.
"I guess...that thought do help a little."
She said and tried to smile.
"I...am not sure I understand though, I always thought that when that...ritual was done...that was it..."
She whispered then she shuddered and looked away.
"Will...he feel pain...my Avatar I mean? Is he going to feel it. I mean I have seen the thing done, we have a couple here that...are far to fond of it and I have always wondered...if the soul...feel..."
She stopped talking and started sobbing uncontrollably again Mala held her Mistress gently.
"Shhh it is ok Mistress, come, let us go over where the Traditionalist pointed and sit down..."
She urged and tried to get the Nephanda to move, to think about something else.

He winked, "I came back... it took centuries, but I came back. There are all sorts of stray fragments out there, trying to reform - not all will remember their past lives, but some might, and there'll be a new chance to get things right..."
He frowned, "And yes, it will hurt. A lot. Though from descriptions, I suspect the Caul hurt worse and for longer..."

"I...would like that...but I would prefer if you would light one for my daughter...she...well I can do nothing more for her...well other than one thing..."
The Nephanda hesitarted and she looked at little like she expected you to hit her for asking a favor.
"Ehm I...well you are an enemy I have no right to ask anything of you I...my daughter had a cat, a silly thing, what use are a pet for a Nephandus...but she loved that animal...is it any possibility you can get the animal to a shelter or if not put him down so he will not starve down here alone...he is just a cat, not magickal...my child would...rest easier if she knew her pet was taken care of I think."
She asked and she sort of raised her arms and took a step back bracing to be struck, she was not used to good treatment of captives.

He smiled, "If it's a mundane cat, I'll certainly do what I can to get him rehomed - I think, perhaps, I already saw him down the way we came from. It's an innocent bystander in all this, so I think that should be a fairly easy thing to arrange, so long as I can convince him to come along."

"Hum...you are saving her from...the ritual?"
Dalett asked then she gave a slight smile.
"Gabriel would test his student's skill at countermagick up against mine, she have remarkable talent, it would be a shame to destroy such a gift..."

He nodded, "Yes, for as long as I can. Her talent is impressive, and... she already placed her faith in me when Gabriel first took her in; I just didn't have a chance to do anything before this weekend. But that's a bit complicated..."

"More of us are captured?"
Dalett asked with dismay in her voice then she muttered bitterly.
"I guess your Horizon will resound with screams soon then."
Then she gave you a surprised look.
"No...torture?"

He frowned and nodded, "Yes, and those screams will likely haunt me until my dying day... And no torture. It's unreliable, inhumane, it dehumanizes the victim and the torturer alike, and I simply see no benefit in doing it. Discomfort as an element of incarceration is one thing - binding fingers and the like to prevent a clever escape attempt - but deliberately inflicting pain to extract information is, well... there's no way to know if the victim is telling the truth without relying on methods that effectively eliminate the need to torture a prisoner in the first place. And torture for other purposes is just an abomination. My view is not the universal opinion of the Traditions, unfortunately, but baby steps, as they say..."

The apprentice eyed the serum and the syringe and her eyes widened and she begun to move faster, looking a bit desperate, not that you noticed that she did much save struggle against her invisible bonds.
"Stay the fuck away from me!"
She yelled in the middle of it as she fought to move her fingers enough to cast her spell, she sounded desperate and scared and like talking was an effort with all that pressure on her chest and her lungs.
"Just...stay away..."

He frowned and carefully stabbed the syringe into the most obvious muscle he could see - thigh or buttock, most likely, depending on whether the girl was face up or face down - and injected the serum smoothly, "I'm sorry for the discomfort this will cause, but it's preferable to using your mentor's restraints, it seems."

[Sponsored content]