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

by Warpmind Tue Jun 13, 2017 1:45 pm

"I know a Void Engineer turncoat to put it bluntly, and as far as I know the young Master of Spirit we discussed earlier as well was with the Void Engineers and then left with the Adepts when they abandoned the Union, perhaps they can get you some of that material, I can certinly ask my acquaintance but off course such texts are usually not traded cheaply."
Crexia offered.

Colin smiled thinly, "I think it will be more economical to get started with the publicly available materials."

The man nodded grimly.
"Thank you I did not...expect...such from a Traditionalist."
He muttered.
"Edgar...that is my name...or was before I joined the Nephandi, more than that you do not need to know."

He nodded, "I think in the end we'll be judged not for how we treat our peers, but for how we treat those weaker than ourselves, and our enemies. I should like not to have my tally too unfavourably skewed."

"Fuck...and it was such a nice Node...damned Traditionalists."
The woman grunted in disgust.

He shrugged, "A matter of taste... The flavour bothered me less than the continuous torture that fueled it... That was why I had to turn it in on itself."

"My Mentor was Hagalaz...she took me and joined the Nephandi before my initiation so I doubt the Cultists would see me as such but yes you seam to know of my teacher, though you have it backwards, she is my teacher no me hers."
The woman said and she narrowed her eyes at you. One look at Rosario would tell you that no the local Cultist did not consider this woman a member of a Cult of Ecstasy...well in effect House though the Cultists did not call their factions so. The curly haired woman hissed.
"Don't engage him...we have no time for this we have to get out..."

He nodded, "Very well... Your Mentor willingly sold her Awakened daughter, her own flesh and blood, to be a vampire's child bride. You will probably be safer away from her..."

The four Nephandi looked at one another then Edgar swore.
"Fuck it, what matters now is survival and trying to get away, this Labyrinth is toast anyway...ok listen the Chief makes these what would you call them, mine golems, they are like little scorpions no more than a hand big but there is a bloody swarm of them, and she protect them from magick as well they are tough little buggers but heat them enough and they will melt like any stone, anyway they strip the flesh of the bones of the Chief's enemies like little stone piranas, the Hollywood version not the real fish."
He said and glanced at Cara.
"So ehm...not that it matters to me, we are enemies but that girl with all the marks is a Criamon is she not? I would get her away now or shoot her before the golems get here to save her Avatar you know."
He grumbled.
"The Chief usually stand at some distance controlling the swarm, they have rudimentary minds of their own but need directions from the Chief or probably they will just scatter."
He said then he sigh.
"The Chief have a semi Hermetic Paradigm, she is an elementalist with some skill, especially with stone, she cast quickly and if she see you be prepared for a blast of magma from her hands or something equally...unpleasant, she is usually protected behind magickal shields as well...she will not follow you into some of the more narrow corridors and chambers though, the Chief is terribly claustrophobic, but while she will not follow her critters will."
Edgar said then he glanced back the way he came fearfully.
"Now if you excuse me I do not plan to be here when the swarm strikes...oh and think about what I said about the Criamon, sometimes death is the better option."

He frowned, "Well, bugger... Someone's watched one too many Mummy movies, then... Hum, semi-autonomous metal constructs, protections against magic, and she's a claustrophobic elementalist... Reliant on line of sight?"

"I guess she will be enjoying Horizon's twin suns soon then...unless she manage to kill you all, she is an idiot and so is Larson."
The blood witch hissed as she made her way towards the end of the corridor, walking backwards to keep her eye on the Traditionalists as she went. You heard soft scraping of many tiny legs in the distance.

He gave the blood witch a grim nod, "Unless she manages to kill herself first... in which case her fate will be even crueler. I can't wish you good luck, so... you had best get out of the way, I hear the skitters."
He frowned at the sounds down the passage, and raised his signet ring in the general direction of the sound and started chanting, "Venti Silencio Mundanus..."

((OOC: So, Arete rolls to prepare a nice little gust of wind that might impede the scorpions, or at least put the security chief in discomfort... 4,7,7 - 2,4,7 - 2,3,9 - 2,2,3 - 2,5,6... Not expecting I get the time for all five of those rolls, but let me know how many of them I can fit in before the bugs are within charge range, as it were. That's when Colin'll try to blow'em off... Razz

Guessing three rolls at the most, but you never know how far and fast sound carries in there...))

((OOC: I'm already taking on one pet Nephanda, and consoling another; there's a limit before Colin becomes the equivalent of a crazy cat lady! Wink

))

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Tue Jun 13, 2017 3:17 pm

Colin smiled thinly, "I think it will be more economical to get started with the publicly available materials."

Crexia nodded at that.
"Yes it probably will."

He nodded, "I think in the end we'll be judged not for how we treat our peers, but for how we treat those weaker than ourselves, and our enemies. I should like not to have my tally too unfavourably skewed."

Edgar nodded, you could see the man was very tired and not just physically exhausted form the fight, there was a deep weariness in him, he would not last long on the run.
"Yes well for some of us keeping a tally have long since become moot."

He shrugged, "A matter of taste... The flavour bothered me less than the continuous torture that fueled it... That was why I had to turn it in on itself."

"Sometimes Nodes demand a sacrifice."
The Hagalaz said and simply shrugged there was no sympathy for the victims to be found there.
"Crafty spell though."
She muttered sourly.
"Still such a waste."

He nodded, "Very well... Your Mentor willingly sold her Awakened daughter, her own flesh and blood, to be a vampire's child bride. You will probably be safer away from her..."

"Yeah...she have not tried to have me turn into a vampire but she have handed me off to higher ranking Nephandi to score points...and to a few darker tings as well..."
The woman said and she tried to appear nonchalant about it but from the expression on her face, well the attempt failed.
"Why would you care where I am safest Traditionalist?"

He frowned, "Well, bugger... Someone's watched one too many Mummy movies, then... Hum, semi-autonomous metal constructs, protections against magic, and she's a claustrophobic elementalist... Reliant on line of sight?"

"Yeah I think she liked to make those long before there where any movies, but yes that is about right, as for line of sight I do not know, but I have not seen her cast a spell at anything that either see or her little friends have not been able to see."
Edgar said and nodded.

He gave the blood witch a grim nod, "Unless she manages to kill herself first... in which case her fate will be even crueler. I can't wish you good luck, so... you had best get out of the way, I hear the skitters."

"I can wish you die screaming as the Chief's pets devour you but if you scream you will die faster as they will get down your throat...I am glad we could work things out though."
The blood witch said and begun to hurry. Edgar cast you a glance.
"Good luck..."
He muttered as the group of Nephandi left.

He frowned at the sounds down the passage, and raised his signet ring in the general direction of the sound and started chanting, "Venti Silencio Mundanus..."

You see Leon who had heard the conversation grab Cara who gave a cry of protest at being handled and lifted her up on top of a table in the hallway, the only bit of furniture there.
"Sorry...sorry."
He apologized. Cara just nodded but she looked rather pale. You saw Olamide get in front of everyone with Crexia her hands weaving a kinetic shield. Leon checked if his gun was loaded. Nancy started muttering to herself and Udella begun one of her Ignem rote to give the critters a warm welcome. Rosario looked down at her crossbow this would not be a easy fight for her and she drew back to where she would be a bit safer so she could offer healing to the wounded, and from the number of tiny stone legs you heard there would be wounded. Your spell was formed well and you held it ready.

(OOC: You will get four rolls. I will wait with having the swarm round the corner until Strife get a chance to post for Adley.)

(OOC 2: Having a collection of captured Nephandi well that is....certainly an odd hobby. Not forget Mr Dale in that count up.)

by Adley Wed Jun 14, 2017 5:33 pm

"Hum...this would be the offspring of that little shit Nicolai then, I am tempted to take his head when we find him." She said then she shrugged. "Well we will deal with that when we get there."

"Or use him to prevent a renewed massassa war, send him back with a bow on and maybe they'll leave us until we can regroup."

"Let us take stock of our medical supplies when we get the chance but I do tend to agree with the honored Quesitor...using a spell to send the man to sleep is probably the kinder option."

"Very well."

Crexia slowly stood up again. "We are going to have to find a blanket or something before we leave him, in that deep sleep he can quickly get to cold." She muttered. "And some support for his head, being tied like that when he relaxed his neck is at a pretty bad angle and will lead to allot of discomfort when he wakes up."

He gave a quick look for something nearby and then shifted him so his hands and head a bit for comfort.

"They might but it is less chance than with English." Crexia said and looked at the one who had obviously used Hermetic gestures. "Taking them will be risky, we have the upper hand and will be able to take them down, but it might cost us dearly." Crexia said then she glanced at the puddle under the Fallen former member of your own Tradition for a moment and frowned.

He gave a grudging nod. As he listened to the back and forth with Colin, who extricated quite a bit of information in short order.

"I can't believe the Chief accepted such a trap she have an apprentice to worry about." He said and the blood witch by his side kicked him in the leg hard. "They do not need to know that Ned!" She said and the blond woman who spoke with a heavy accent chimed in. "The Node is doing what? Helvete!"

"It do not matter Leticia, we will be hunted down by one side or another anyway." He said in a tired sound of voice.
"The best we can hope for is to hole up somewhere and go out fighting when they come, whoever find us first." He muttered grimly. "Yeah well I would rather someone else than the Chief be the one who hunts us down when that time comes."

"My Mentor was Hagalaz...she took me and joined the Nephandi before my initiation so I doubt the Cultists would see me as such but yes you seam to know of my teacher, though you have it backwards, she is my teacher no me hers."

He nodded, "Very well... Your Mentor willingly sold her Awakened daughter, her own flesh and blood, to be a vampire's child bride. You will probably be safer away from her..."

'And me," he thought, but then said aloud to Crexia in Enochian, "The trap-makers," he scowled. He added the names of the Fallen to his list as for...'Ned' he briefly wondered which House he'd turned from, Leticia and Edgar. The last name was familiar too.

"I do not know Sodeles, trouble I will assume but yes we need to get into position." A little louder in English she said.
"Everyone work on whatever quick protective magick you can set up...I need our healer and guides protected...I will take point due to my durability I need someone else with either a mundane weapon or a quick Paradigm to join me so we can keep what is coming from the rest as long as possible...once done with your protections prepare something...destructive I have a feeling we will need it."

"I can use mundane weapons, as for my magick you know its speed. I can also defend the group."

He nodded, smile all but gone again, "Combat style, explicit weaknesses, strengths, numbers... We can take her down without help - but there's no guarantee of it, just a possibility. Knowing as much as possible about the form of the attack will protect us... and by coincidence help cover your escape."

"Fuck it, what matters now is survival and trying to get away, this Labyrinth is toast anyway...ok listen the Chief makes these what would you call them, mine golems, they are like little scorpions no more than a hand big but there is a bloody swarm of them, and she protect them from magick as well they are tough little buggers but heat them enough and they will melt like any stone, anyway they strip the flesh of the bones of the Chief's enemies like little stone piranas, the Hollywood version not the real fish."

He frowned. "Are the golems imbued with spirits?" he asked, then directed a look at the Hermetic barrabus. "Are they controlled by a Name? Is fire their only weakness?" he asked, as he was not very keen on a swarm of on-fire creatures writhing about if they weren't destroyed in the first wave.

"The Chief have a semi Hermetic Paradigm, she is an elementalist with some skill, especially with stone, she cast quickly and if she see you be prepared for a blast of magma from her hands or something equally...unpleasant, she is usually protected behind magickal shields as well...she will not follow you into some of the more narrow corridors and chambers though, the Chief is terribly claustrophobic, but while she will not follow her critters will." Edgar said then he glanced back the way he came fearfully. "Now if you excuse me I do not plan to be here when the swarm strikes...oh and think about what I said about the Criamon, sometimes death is the better option."

Adley said to Crexia, "I can bring help that might be able to help deal with them, but it will take time to call them here," he said. We also have our elemental friend, she might be of use here to keep them away from us until we are ready." Then he stepped closer to Cara and bolstered up his kinetic shield while he waited on her order to set him to initially defend or attack...likely it would end up a mix of both. "

// and they've got a collection of vamps too >. <

I figure he'd try that as soon as the Nephandi did not seem to be about to attack them, as ordered. Then prepare an offensive spell of some kind depending what he finds out. Will pop up the dice rolls in a bit, sorry for delay running late out the door.

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Wed Jun 14, 2017 6:08 pm

"Or use him to prevent a renewed massassa war, send him back with a bow on and maybe they'll leave us until we can regroup."

"You are probably right Sodales."
Crexia said hesitantly the old, former Tremere was not found of vampires, not one little bit.

He gave a quick look for something nearby and then shifted him so his hands and head a bit for comfort.

You find a blanket in the sofa and place that around the hedge wizard and a pillow the same place so he would sleep a bit more comfortably, the man did not stir or move when you shifted him around, his breath was deep and even and he was clearly in a very deep sleep.

'And me," he thought, but then said aloud to Crexia in Enochian, "The trap-makers," he scowled. He added the names of the Fallen to his list as for...'Ned' he briefly wondered which House he'd turned from, Leticia and Edgar. The last name was familiar too.

"Hum...I would like them gone but right now we have other concerns."
Crexia said and she seamed to be making similar mental lists to the ones you where keeping.

"I can use mundane weapons, as for my magick you know its speed. I can also defend the group."

Crexia nodded.
"Keep an eye on our less combat worthy members, especially our healer but I think we might need everyone who can fight doing just that."
She said and frowned.

He frowned. "Are the golems imbued with spirits?" he asked, then directed a look at the Hermetic barrabus. "Are they controlled by a Name? Is fire their only weakness?" he asked, as he was not very keen on a swarm of on-fire creatures writhing about if they weren't destroyed in the first wave.

Edgar looked at you as if you had asked him if the sky was blue but the blood witch stepped in and nodded.
"Yeah I think so, but I have not examined them myself."
She said. Ned regarded you for a moment then he nodded.
"I would think they are controlled by a Name, the Chief's magick is based on old Hermetic theory, I do not know what that Name is though."
He said and shook his head.
"Also not fire...heat, just tossing a fireball at them will do nothing but they are made of stone, melting them to slag will work. I guess that if the Chief should fall unconscious that might scatter the swarm or if she find herself unable to use magick."
He said and shrugged to show he really did not know more.

Adley said to Crexia, "I can bring help that might be able to help deal with them, but it will take time to call them here," he said. We also have our elemental friend, she might be of use here to keep them away from us until we are ready." Then he stepped closer to Cara and bolstered up his kinetic shield while he waited on her order to set him to initially defend or attack...likely it would end up a mix of both. "

"Hum...very well the rest of us will try to keep the swarm off your back while you call for help, but time is of the essence. Yes I am planning on asking our elemental friend for help."
Crexia said. Cara gave you a nervous but grateful look.
"D...do you think we will be able to beat them Sodalis?"
She muttered fearfully from atop the table, her fear was natural, you would die a horrible death if the sward ate your flesh starting with the skin, with a Criamon who knew how much damage it would do to her Avatar.

(OOC: Do not worry about the delay not a problem.)
(OOC 2: Ok Book of Secrets is in and while there is allot of good information there including a whole section on phylactery there are some information that will not be used in this game if you two do not mind. The section on Tradition justice is written from the point of view of a post Revised setting where the Traditions have been rebuilt in a far more liberal way and we play in a 2 ed setting so some of that will be darker. For example in Book of Secrets with indentured servitude it is mentioned a modern practice to never make someone a slave of someone who is more powerful and of the opposite gender which makes every sense in the world but which the Traditions before the collapse just did not care about, things like that which are good developments society wise but which the far more conservative Council before the Horizon War was not that keen on, other than that the section on Tradition justice is great. We can not use the new rules for Gilgul, since they are different than in any other edition of the game and would contradict things that have already happened in the game. Basically in the new books Avatars are very durable critters that will survive just about anything so while Spirit 5 will shatter an Avatar and that will not be comfortable for the host and stop them from using magick for a while it will heal and come back so you have to shatter it, then use Mind 5 to destroy all connections between Avatar and host and then Entropy 5 to destroy the shards fated connection to one another and shatter them in all directions, then comes more things if you also want to kill the host but yes while this is not a bad idea it go against how it works in other books and so would contradict how we have already done things so we will continue to use the ritual found in Guide to the Traditions and the old idea that Spirit 5 is enough to Gilgul a mage, unless any of you protest that. I might use the idea that Avatars could heal over time though but this would be unknown to the Traditions and would not be over seven days. Branding also have been changed in that now someone are sentenced to how many years a Brand will last, this I will include as it makes sense, if you are punishing someone for being an oath breaker you do not necessarily want that to last into the next incarnation, a longer lasting or permanent Brand will then be worse than one that is set to last for a few years. In either case burning something into a mage's Avatar is not comfortable for the victim.)
(OOC 3: Yeah that is four vampires now if you do not count Isabella but she is after all a Custos and she might take offense to being considered a part of a collection.)

by Adley Thu Jun 15, 2017 5:11 am

"You are probably right Sodales." Crexia said hesitantly the old, former Tremere was not found of vampires, not one little bit.

He gave a slight shrug. "Not that I am advocating it specifically of course, I would not know if such were exactly an option for us," he said. "But there is much to do before now and then at any rate."

Crexia nodded. "Keep an eye on our less combat worthy members, especially our healer but I think we might need everyone who can fight doing just that."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, looking for Rosario.

"Yeah I think so, but I have not examined them myself." She said. Ned regarded you for a moment then he nodded.
"I would think they are controlled by a Name, the Chief's magick is based on old Hermetic theory, I do not know what that Name is though." He said and shook his head. "Also not fire...heat, just tossing a fireball at them will do nothing but they are made of stone, melting them to slag will work. I guess that if the Chief should fall unconscious that might scatter the swarm or if she find herself unable to use magick."

"Heat, understood." He said to Crexia in Enochian, "If we could catch one of them, can you use it as a link back to her mind or is that a dangerous or needlessly complex prospect to consider?"

"Hum...very well the rest of us will try to keep the swarm off your back while you call for help, but time is of the essence. Yes I am planning on asking our elemental friend for help."

He took out a scrap of paper and made sure it was one scribed with a circle for Earth as he said, "It's a summoning, you know how that can go, but I have the agreement already however if we're just going to blast everything with heat, I would not like to bring them into that."

"D...do you think we will be able to beat them Sodalis?" She muttered fearfully

"Yes, we must, sodalis. And we will. Try to stay within my shield if you can, like before," he advised.

// For the kinetic shield: 4, 5, 0; 1, 6, 3
the diff is 6, if it's vulgar no witnesses so squeaked by there to avoid a botch at least - not sure how many rolls should put, because if Crexia tells him to summon, he'll have to devote time there, I figure at least 2 rolls and that's 4 as for Colin iirc.

No, Isablella is a custos, not a collector's item. Not that Adley is too fond of that collection! A former friend from a past life now an ancient vampire, a coworker, his coworker's sibling >.>

Had a hugely busy day, lots of stuff going on. Then I was poking around the new book for a while. Good stuff! I thought that making more than one brand censure made sense and yeah the new rules for the Gilgul rote do make better overall sense but since we already have use the one we're using (from I think the OoH book?), it instead could be a different version of that ritual that may be developed in the future, as there are levels of branding as well. Or that in their specific training at Sp5 they know an old, archaic way to do it (for example). I like the inclusion of signatures in the optional resonance rules since that's kind of what we've been doing. There was a line somewhere regarding vampire blood-bound mages that Verbena were the ones that helped the Order as a favor with breaking vampiric blood bonds. I wonder who they were talking about ; ) Also, check out pg. 77: Shattered Avatar Merit.

I think we should have a sticky thread with top-post of our 'house rules' for what we've ruled on so we have somewhere handy to keep track of things. And maybe a separate post where we can discuss stuff?

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Thu Jun 15, 2017 6:22 am

He gave a slight shrug. "Not that I am advocating it specifically of course, I would not know if such were exactly an option for us," he said. "But there is much to do before now and then at any rate."

"It is sound counsel Sodalis and we can make such a delivery to prove a point that should be legal enough and while I would have preferred one less vampire in the world...doing what you advice is wiser but we have other things to worry about before then."
Crexia muttered.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, looking for Rosario.

Rosario stood near the door to the Nephandic Chief's room checking her crossbow over and looking rather tense.

"Heat, understood." He said to Crexia in Enochian, "If we could catch one of them, can you use it as a link back to her mind or is that a dangerous or needlessly complex prospect to consider?"

Ned just nodded at that. Crexia considered.
"Hum...yes I can do this and it should not be to complex how dangerous it would be depend on how much problem those little critters are, my mind should be safe enough if I may say so myself, when it comes to Ars Mentem I have some experience."
She said and smiled.
"The plan is sound..."

He took out a scrap of paper and made sure it was one scribed with a circle for Earth as he said, "It's a summoning, you know how that can go, but I have the agreement already however if we're just going to blast everything with heat, I would not like to bring them into that."

Crexia looked at Udella who was busy conjuring up a Ignem rote.
"Give the honored Quesitor a minute to get her spell going then we can hold of on the heat once you have summoned our allies."
She said and nodded. Udella nodded that she had heard that part of the plan though her soft chanting never stopped and her old hands never stopped moving for the sigils, the Renaissance sigils that where still in use and which the old mage employed really where allot more complicated than the older ones.

"Yes, we must, sodalis. And we will. Try to stay within my shield if you can, like before," he advised.

"Yeah...ehm should I stay on the table...Le...ehm our Jerbiton placed me on here to protect me."
She asked and indeed she was standing on a small table the only furniture in the hallway. Cara shivered but she had a determined look in her eyes.
"Just tell me what you want me to do, my magick is not very offensive but I can try...and also..."
She hesitated.
"If we are overrun Sodales could you..."
The young Criamon looked at you fearfully for a while before she continued the request.
"Shoot me?"
She muttered and looked down.
"I do not want them to get my Avatar as well as my life..."

(OOC: It is coincidental in here, the Labyrinth are in the Umbra after all which is why magick have been easier since the group got here and no one have gotten any Paradox, so Adley do get enough successes, but yes he will probably get two rolls before Udella get her rote going.)

(OOC 2: Don't forget the traumatized Nosferatu but yes a Hermetic would not be to pleased about vampires everywhere.)

(OOC 3: It do make sense with the new rules for Gilgul absolutely making it far more of a difficult ritual to pull off, as it have been anyone with Spirit 5 can do it and Avatars are supposed to be a big deal, however since we have used the old rules we should stick to them for consistency, then again we have touched on the idea that Avatars reform, we might actually bring that into the game only it takes more time than seven days and the Council do not know. We also will not be changing the rules for vampire ghouls since that would clash with the story around Tobias so we will continue using the Blood Treachery rules for that unless anyone minds. Yeah the section on Brands are good and also that they have varying degree of time they will last and while it do not say so I would assume that the deeper and longer lasting a Brand is the more traumatic for it's victim, so a seven year Brand might not be as painful as a permanent one though still probably unpleasant. Yes the Resonance rules are basically what we have been using. Yeah wonder who when it comes to the Verbena. I have started one thread for rules discussions regarding shit that can happen to your Avatar, and I will start a few more as soon as I have the time as for the sticky thread I completely forgot I will get on that, sorry.)

by Tane Karyak Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:04 am

Ok then, i'll bring only the mattress and some blankets. Is there anything else going on around here? How's Bee?

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:12 am

"Well other than the war there is not much going on, not down here, your Cabalmates have come up with an idea that might help Beatrice and I have been attempting to manufacture something for her pain, hopefully it will work."
Amadeus said and indicated a small jar he was holding in his hand.
"She have been sleeping some but she wake up quite often, she is in allot of pain and sleep do not come easy, after what was attempted done to her...it is no wonder she can't sleep."
He said sounding worried.
"She is weak and tormented and...there is just so little I can do to help her...damn that woman D'Angelo!"

by Warpmind Thu Jun 15, 2017 12:36 pm

Edgar nodded, you could see the man was very tired and not just physically exhausted form the fight, there was a deep weariness in him, he would not last long on the run.
"Yes well for some of us keeping a tally have long since become moot."

Colin smiled wryly, "We are Mages. You'd be surprised at how much one can accomplish when one decides to try... Not that I'd necessarily expect you to turn away from the black spiral, of course, but I do think it is possible to turn around and start walking the other way... Sainthood is probably too tall an order, but some degree of equilibrium might yet be possible."

"Sometimes Nodes demand a sacrifice."
The Hagalaz said and simply shrugged there was no sympathy for the victims to be found there.
"Crafty spell though."
She muttered sourly.
"Still such a waste."

He nodded, "True enough, but the form this sacrifice took was... simply unacceptable. And yes, it rather is a waste... but then, it's not as though I had the time to take it all with me. Even if I can use it without contracting Jhor."

"Yeah...she have not tried to have me turn into a vampire but she have handed me off to higher ranking Nephandi to score points...and to a few darker tings as well..."
The woman said and she tried to appear nonchalant about it but from the expression on her face, well the attempt failed.
"Why would you care where I am safest Traditionalist?"

He shrugged, "I hate war like only a war veteran can... Collateral damage in particular. Your Mentor has trespassed and conspired against some of the people closest to me, and used her own flesh and blood as a mere game piece to that end. If given half a chance, I am fairly sure she'd use you as a human shield when I come for her... and I'd appreciate keeping collateral damage to a minimum."

"Yeah I think she liked to make those long before there where any movies, but yes that is about right, as for line of sight I do not know, but I have not seen her cast a spell at anything that either see or her little friends have not been able to see."
Edgar said and nodded.

He nodded, "So it seems likely she has a small limitation in that regard, even if she can daisy-chain around it..."

Edgar looked at you as if you had asked him if the sky was blue but the blood witch stepped in and nodded.
"Yeah I think so, but I have not examined them myself."
She said. Ned regarded you for a moment then he nodded.
"I would think they are controlled by a Name, the Chief's magick is based on old Hermetic theory, I do not know what that Name is though."
He said and shook his head.
"Also not fire...heat, just tossing a fireball at them will do nothing but they are made of stone, melting them to slag will work. I guess that if the Chief should fall unconscious that might scatter the swarm or if she find herself unable to use magick."
He said and shrugged to show he really did not know more.

He pondered, "Well, cutting off the serpent's head is a time-honoured method..."

"I can wish you die screaming as the Chief's pets devour you but if you scream you will die faster as they will get down your throat...I am glad we could work things out though."
The blood witch said and begun to hurry. Edgar cast you a glance.
"Good luck..."
He muttered as the group of Nephandi left.

He smiled wryly, "I think I'll prefer Miss Jerkins' wish that I die honourably in battle, if it's all the same to you... And may you, like she will, hold on to your pride and dignity at the last..."

Adley said to Crexia, "I can bring help that might be able to help deal with them, but it will take time to call them here," he said. We also have our elemental friend, she might be of use here to keep them away from us until we are ready." Then he stepped closer to Cara and bolstered up his kinetic shield while he waited on her order to set him to initially defend or attack...likely it would end up a mix of both. "

He glanced over at Adley, "Your fire spirit acquaintance?"

You see Leon who had heard the conversation grab Cara who gave a cry of protest at being handled and lifted her up on top of a table in the hallway, the only bit of furniture there.
"Sorry...sorry."
He apologized. Cara just nodded but she looked rather pale. You saw Olamide get in front of everyone with Crexia her hands weaving a kinetic shield. Leon checked if his gun was loaded. Nancy started muttering to herself and Udella begun one of her Ignem rote to give the critters a warm welcome. Rosario looked down at her crossbow this would not be a easy fight for her and she drew back to where she would be a bit safer so she could offer healing to the wounded, and from the number of tiny stone legs you heard there would be wounded. Your spell was formed well and you held it ready.

He made to lurch forward and reach past the shield to unleash the gust of wind, not particularly eager to hit Olamide and Crexia in the back with it... It'd seem rude and counterproductive, after all... Hopefully, the Wind of Mundane Silence would if not cripple the little golems, then at least stagger them somewhat. He might understand the process of melting metal on a mundane level, but he still had a long way to go to do it magically.

"Yeah...ehm should I stay on the table...Le...ehm our Jerbiton placed me on here to protect me."
She asked and indeed she was standing on a small table the only furniture in the hallway. Cara shivered but she had a determined look in her eyes.
"Just tell me what you want me to do, my magick is not very offensive but I can try...and also..."
She hesitated.
"If we are overrun Sodales could you..."
The young Criamon looked at you fearfully for a while before she continued the request.
"Shoot me?"
She muttered and looked down.
"I do not want them to get my Avatar as well as my life..."

He glanced over at Cara, then handed her Adjan's pistol with a small nod, "One Primium round... Don't waste it, and don't use it unless the rest of us are down and the things are crawling up the table. If all else is lost... there might be no-one else to pull the trigger for you..."

((OOC: Oh, yeah, poor Mr. Dale, too... "How nice you decided to come visit in one of your more lucid moments, Master Porthos. Please, feel free to pet the Nephandi, but please don't feed them. Don't worry, they're housebroken." Yeah, no, Nephandi petting zoo is probably not going to be a hit... Wink

))

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Thu Jun 15, 2017 3:58 pm

Colin smiled wryly, "We are Mages. You'd be surprised at how much one can accomplish when one decides to try... Not that I'd necessarily expect you to turn away from the black spiral, of course, but I do think it is possible to turn around and start walking the other way... Sainthood is probably too tall an order, but some degree of equilibrium might yet be possible."

"I...am what I am Traditionalist I doubt there is any redemption for me..."
Edgar said then he gave a tired sigh.
"Perhaps being captured by your faction would not have been so bad...but I and my soul will not see our end naked paraded in front of a leering crowd...death for the both of us though...might not be...so bad."
He said to himself more than to you.
"I have done things there are no return from Traditionalist...we take care of Gabriel's little girl and I hope I never see you again."

He nodded, "True enough, but the form this sacrifice took was... simply unacceptable. And yes, it rather is a waste... but then, it's not as though I had the time to take it all with me. Even if I can use it without contracting Jhor."

"Hum...well the sacrifice of a few worthless sleepers are hardly an issue they can always breed and make more."
The Hagalaz said without a hint of sympathy in her voice.
"This world is cruel why pretend it is clear than it is...no Jhor eh...it seams you are a most crafty little Traditionalist I wish I had you chained up somewhere so I could learn your secrets and see you bleed."
She said in the same tone of voice as if she was inviting you over for tea.

He shrugged, "I hate war like only a war veteran can... Collateral damage in particular. Your Mentor has trespassed and conspired against some of the people closest to me, and used her own flesh and blood as a mere game piece to that end. If given half a chance, I am fairly sure she'd use you as a human shield when I come for her... and I'd appreciate keeping collateral damage to a minimum."

"Yeah she is kind of a bitch and sure she would use me as a human shield it would cost her nothing."
The trap maker said bitterly.
"It is not much I can do though I stand no chance against her..."

He nodded, "So it seems likely she has a small limitation in that regard, even if she can daisy-chain around it..."

Edgar nodded at that.
"It would seam likely."

He pondered, "Well, cutting off the serpent's head is a time-honoured method..."

Ned sigh and gave a nod.
"That would work Traditionalist, but getting to that head might probe to be difficult."

He smiled wryly, "I think I'll prefer Miss Jerkins' wish that I die honourably in battle, if it's all the same to you... And may you, like she will, hold on to your pride and dignity at the last..."

"You got Jodelle then, fuck neither the Chief nor Lady Abigail will be please about that...well that is no longer my problem, you are still an enemy though but I guess an honorable death in combat will do...and yes I do plan to Traditionalist, when my time comes I will go down in an orgy of blood and pain and drag as many of my enemies with me to hell as I can."
The blood witch said proudly ad grinned as she moved towards the end of the corridor.

He made to lurch forward and reach past the shield to unleash the gust of wind, not particularly eager to hit Olamide and Crexia in the back with it... It'd seem rude and counterproductive, after all... Hopefully, the Wind of Mundane Silence would if not cripple the little golems, then at least stagger them somewhat. He might understand the process of melting metal on a mundane level, but he still had a long way to go to do it magically.

As you lurched forward the first of the stone scorpions rounded the corner, and there was allot of them, hundreds...thousands of them flooded into the corridor you and the rest where in, they crawled over one another and moved like a dull, gray mass, your rote seamed to stagger them for a little while though and some of them fell to pieces and became innate stones again, though more of the critters rose from the floor itself to take the place of their fallen comrades. Crexia swore and used the moment you had bought the party to release a rote of her own, the spiders ran towards the Traditionalists but while the corridor where fairly short it seamed like they had many times that distance to run, as if space itself had been distorted around them. Udella finished her rote and the end of the corridor became hot like in a coercible, you felt the heat as well but it was not painful while it was centered just at the end of the corridor and should have melted flesh of your bones, it felt like it was a kilometer away and all you felt was a mild heat against your skin, the scorpions that where in view melted and became slag on the now molten floor, but just around the corner you hear the pitter patter of thousands of their kin who ran into the slaggly remains of the other scorpions and melted themselves until a bridge of them where formed as the floor cooled to allow more of the creatures do relentlessly advance.

He glanced over at Cara, then handed her Adjan's pistol with a small nod, "One Primium round... Don't waste it, and don't use it unless the rest of us are down and the things are crawling up the table. If all else is lost... there might be no-one else to pull the trigger for you..."

Cara took the gun in shaking hands.
"T....thank you..."
She muttered and looked at the weapon.
"W...where should I aim to be sure...that the bullet...leaves me dead and not just wounded? I have never considered ehm...doing something like that to...myself."
She said and she tried to suppress her shivers of fear as she glanced over at you with her big brown eyes.

(OOC: Considering the abuse Dale have been through he do not like being touched and would not appreciate being petted. Anna probably would not mind though she would rather be fed sweets. Jodelle though...no do not pet Jodelle unless she is tied down very securely. Diego well you do not want to pet him, and then we have the two that Tane captured I guess you can pet them which leave the widderslaintes, I am not so sure Colin would like anyone petting Bee. Razz

)

by Warpmind Fri Jun 16, 2017 2:11 pm

"I...am what I am Traditionalist I doubt there is any redemption for me..."
Edgar said then he gave a tired sigh.
"Perhaps being captured by your faction would not have been so bad...but I and my soul will not see our end naked paraded in front of a leering crowd...death for the both of us though...might not be...so bad."
He said to himself more than to you.
"I have done things there are no return from Traditionalist...we take care of Gabriel's little girl and I hope I never see you again."

Colin nodded, "Just make sure you don't get captured by the Technocracy... I'd hate for them to add to their... Human Resources. And I will."

"Hum...well the sacrifice of a few worthless sleepers are hardly an issue they can always breed and make more."
The Hagalaz said without a hint of sympathy in her voice.
"This world is cruel why pretend it is clear than it is...no Jhor eh...it seams you are a most crafty little Traditionalist I wish I had you chained up somewhere so I could learn your secrets and see you bleed."
She said in the same tone of voice as if she was inviting you over for tea.

He smiled darkly, "I don't think Sleepers are worthless... and I suspect you might find poking at me for secrets would be more dangerous than the surface would imply. Just ask your Avatar..."

"Yeah she is kind of a bitch and sure she would use me as a human shield it would cost her nothing."
The trap maker said bitterly.
"It is not much I can do though I stand no chance against her..."

He shrugged, "With only what she's taught you, no, I suppose not... but why engage her on only her terms?"

Ned sigh and gave a nod.
"That would work Traditionalist, but getting to that head might probe to be difficult."

He grinned, "Difficult, yes. But I don't believe in the no-win scenario. There's a way, all I have to do is find it - even if that means cheating."

"You got Jodelle then, fuck neither the Chief nor Lady Abigail will be please about that...well that is no longer my problem, you are still an enemy though but I guess an honorable death in combat will do...and yes I do plan to Traditionalist, when my time comes I will go down in an orgy of blood and pain and drag as many of my enemies with me to hell as I can."
The blood witch said proudly ad grinned as she moved towards the end of the corridor.

He watched her walk away with a nod, "Yes, I'm sure you will... And we'll make a note of that and plan accordingly for the next time you encounter ours."

As you lurched forward the first of the stone scorpions rounded the corner, and there was allot of them, hundreds...thousands of them flooded into the corridor you and the rest where in, they crawled over one another and moved like a dull, gray mass, your rote seamed to stagger them for a little while though and some of them fell to pieces and became innate stones again, though more of the critters rose from the floor itself to take the place of their fallen comrades. Crexia swore and used the moment you had bought the party to release a rote of her own, the spiders ran towards the Traditionalists but while the corridor where fairly short it seamed like they had many times that distance to run, as if space itself had been distorted around them. Udella finished her rote and the end of the corridor became hot like in a coercible, you felt the heat as well but it was not painful while it was centered just at the end of the corridor and should have melted flesh of your bones, it felt like it was a kilometer away and all you felt was a mild heat against your skin, the scorpions that where in view melted and became slag on the now molten floor, but just around the corner you hear the pitter patter of thousands of their kin who ran into the slaggly remains of the other scorpions and melted themselves until a bridge of them where formed as the floor cooled to allow more of the creatures do relentlessly advance.

Colin's eyes widened briefly, "Oh, bugger... That's a lot..."

Cara took the gun in shaking hands.
"T....thank you..."
She muttered and looked at the weapon.
"W...where should I aim to be sure...that the bullet...leaves me dead and not just wounded? I have never considered ehm...doing something like that to...myself."
She said and she tried to suppress her shivers of fear as she glanced over at you with her big brown eyes.

He frowned, "I never quite reached such a point, either, but..."
He opened his mouth and gestured with two fingers pointing to the roof of his mouth before grimacing, "As centered as possible... you only get one shot, but there will be absolutely no coming back from it. I'd rather get the pistol and the round back unspent, mind you."
He shook his head to dispel the dark shadows over his eyes, then fished out his Chaos Wand and Jake's pistol, aiming down the corridor and toward the wall opposite the corner the golems came around, "Projecta repercutio ad hominem!"
Then he fired...

((OOC: So, basically, human-seeking ricochets - going with pure luck (Entropy 2) for this one. Arete roll: 4,5,8... two successes? Dex+Firearms-wound penalties: 7,9. Assuming the spell's successes reduce the diff adjustment for going around a wall by 2, that's two hits... so five dice of Agg: 5,7,9,9,0 - Holy ballistics, Batman! Shocked

))

((OOC2: True, Patrick would probably not want to be touched. And Colin would not object to anyone trying to pet Beatrice - he'd be too busy getting the hell out of Amadeus' way. Razz

))

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Fri Jun 16, 2017 4:09 pm

Colin nodded, "Just make sure you don't get captured by the Technocracy... I'd hate for them to add to their... Human Resources. And I will."

"I carry a mundane weapon on me along with my magickal tools for a reason."
Edgar said bitterly.
"With the Traditions at least you will be executed after...well..."

He smiled darkly, "I don't think Sleepers are worthless... and I suspect you might find poking at me for secrets would be more dangerous than the surface would imply. Just ask your Avatar..."

"What do my Avatar have to do with..."
The woman begun but then she paled and stop talking and backed away a bit quicker.

He shrugged, "With only what she's taught you, no, I suppose not... but why engage her on only her terms?"

"What other terms would I have to engage her on? Hopefully she will not hunt me down but she did Awaken me we are spiritually linked."
The Hagalaz muttered she stopped her backing away for a moment to glare at you but under that glare she looked rather scared.

He grinned, "Difficult, yes. But I don't believe in the no-win scenario. There's a way, all I have to do is find it - even if that means cheating."

Ned gave a bit of a grin.
"Well I am not going to bet on your chances of survival Traditionalist but since you are one of the nicer ones I have met since I defected I will wish you good luck."
The Fallen Hermetic said.

He watched her walk away with a nod, "Yes, I'm sure you will... And we'll make a note of that and plan accordingly for the next time you encounter ours."

The blood witch gave you a dark grin.
"It seams out next encounter will be fun then Traditionalist."
She said as she backed away.

Colin's eyes widened briefly, "Oh, bugger... That's a lot..."

"Apparently the enemy Chief feel we have quite enough damage to her Labyrinth and have decided to end this bullshit."
Olamide said dryly.
"But we are not dead yet."

He frowned, "I never quite reached such a point, either, but..."
He opened his mouth and gestured with two fingers pointing to the roof of his mouth before grimacing, "As centered as possible... you only get one shot, but there will be absolutely no coming back from it. I'd rather get the pistol and the round back unspent, mind you."

"I em...don't know if I can...do...that to myself I..."
Cara took a deep breath to steady herself.
"I guess if it is to protect my Avatar I could, it's safety are the thing most dear to me...but if I...I have to...do that...would it hurt?"
The Criamon muttered fearfully.
"I...will try to get them back to you unspent Sir..."
She added with a nervous smile.

(OOC: Before I write what happens with Colin's rather impressive shot I have to ask since I have very little knowledge of firearms, what is the range of it? Crexia's rote have extended space between your group and the corner where the scorpions are coming from so it is not just a few meters anymore.)

(OOC2: Ah yes good call that might be best for Colin's safety I am not so sure Amadeus would care who got between him and whoever decided to pet Beatrice. And his living, animated Cacti and other plants with sharp and pointy bits sure as hell would not care. Razz

)

by Warpmind Fri Jun 16, 2017 6:37 pm

"I carry a mundane weapon on me along with my magickal tools for a reason."
Edgar said bitterly.
"With the Traditions at least you will be executed after...well..."

Colin nodded, "A small mercy... but a mercy nonetheless."

"What do my Avatar have to do with..."
The woman begun but then she paled and stop talking and backed away a bit quicker.

He nodded slowly, "Precisely that."

"What other terms would I have to engage her on? Hopefully she will not hunt me down but she did Awaken me we are spiritually linked."
The Hagalaz muttered she stopped her backing away for a moment to glare at you but under that glare she looked rather scared.

He tapped the side of his nose, "Innovate. She might be stronger than you where she excels, but you might have some abilities she does not... that could make all the difference. But, I should not counsel you, I suppose."

Ned gave a bit of a grin.
"Well I am not going to bet on your chances of survival Traditionalist but since you are one of the nicer ones I have met since I defected I will wish you good luck."
The Fallen Hermetic said.

He nodded, "I would get in legal trouble if I wished you the same, as I'm sure you know. But thank you."

The blood witch gave you a dark grin.
"It seams out next encounter will be fun then Traditionalist."
She said as she backed away.

He frowned, "About as fun as being in a house on fire, I should think..."

"Apparently the enemy Chief feel we have quite enough damage to her Labyrinth and have decided to end this bullshit."
Olamide said dryly.
"But we are not dead yet."

He smiled wryly, "Well, I suppose we could take it as a compliment. She thinks we're a pretty big threat, it seems."

"I em...don't know if I can...do...that to myself I..."
Cara took a deep breath to steady herself.
"I guess if it is to protect my Avatar I could, it's safety are the thing most dear to me...but if I...I have to...do that...would it hurt?"
The Criamon muttered fearfully.
"I...will try to get them back to you unspent Sir..."
She added with a nervous smile.

He shook his head, "Hurt? Not likely... you should be dead before your head hits the floor with a shot like that. A shot to the vital organs, though... bleeding out could take up to minutes of agonizing consciousness - I'd advise against that. Still, let's fight on under the assumption that we can beat this flood... and perhaps you could try to unravel how the Security Chief controls them all? Seems rather like a complex puzzle to me."

((OOC: With 9mm Parabellum rounds, and a decent pistol for it, an average marksman can fairly reliably hit a man-sized target at 30-50 meters or so, and a highly skilled marksman at about 90 meters, tops. The bullet, however, can apparently be lethal at up to some 1800 meters - but that's a ridiculous range for that sort of precision. That'd require favorable wind conditions and getting lucky with shooting skywards in the general direction of whoever you might want to hit. Razz

So yeah, Colin didn't pause to consider the spatial adjustment, but if the corridor hasn't been extended too far, he might yet get in a lucky hit. Razz

))

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Fri Jun 16, 2017 7:18 pm

Colin nodded, "A small mercy... but a mercy nonetheless."

Edgar gave a tired nod.
"A small mercy."
He agreed.
"Perhaps you could get some of my kind to surrender if doing so would not mean humiliating and being gawked at as we...face our ends...some of us are tired, so very tired...of life after life filled with hate...longing for Oblivion and pain."
He said sadly and sigh.
"Well we need to get going..."

He nodded slowly, "Precisely that."

The trap maker gave you a poisonous look but she did not dare to say anything.

He tapped the side of his nose, "Innovate. She might be stronger than you where she excels, but you might have some abilities she does not... that could make all the difference. But, I should not counsel you, I suppose."

"Hum...well my faction are fond of traps."
The Fallen Hagalaz said and grinned.
"But no legally you should probably not give me to much advice Traditionalist, hey with some luck your bloody faction will get my Mentor good before she have time to look for me, that would suit me just fine."

He nodded, "I would get in legal trouble if I wished you the same, as I'm sure you know. But thank you."

"Yeah you want to be careful with that, some members of House Guernicus tend to have a rather literal view of the law and will slap your ass with the Code or the Protocols or both depending on your Tradition faster than you can say cake."
Ned said and grinned a bit as he hurried away.

He frowned, "About as fun as being in a house on fire, I should think..."

"That is what life is about Traditionalist having fun while you are alive and going out in a blaze of glory."
The Fallen blood witch said and grinned. as she rounded the corner, still walking backwards and then you hear she and her group running.

He smiled wryly, "Well, I suppose we could take it as a compliment. She thinks we're a pretty big threat, it seems."

"Well then let us not disappoint the lady shall we."
Olamide said as she begun some rote, her hands moving quickly into the hand gestures you had seen other Hermetics use to make fire.

He shook his head, "Hurt? Not likely... you should be dead before your head hits the floor with a shot like that. A shot to the vital organs, though... bleeding out could take up to minutes of agonizing consciousness - I'd advise against that.

"That is good...I...ehm...well the point would be to die quickly enough that my Gift could leave and untangle himself from my skin so my imprints where nothing but scars and not a part of him if...the scorpions...consume me so minutes of bleeding out would not be good. I guess that if the situation was different and I had to die I would prefer pain to well damage to my head...I guess many mages would, but right now if things go bad it is the safety of my soul I have to think about."
Cara said and shivered.

Still, let's fight on under the assumption that we can beat this flood... and perhaps you could try to unravel how the Security Chief controls them all? Seems rather like a complex puzzle to me."

"Yes...that will be my task in this fight."
Cara said as she put the gun in her belt so she could have her hands free for the complex gestures she used.
"And we have to assume we will win this...I have an apprentice and a brother to come home to..."

He shook his head to dispel the dark shadows over his eyes, then fished out his Chaos Wand and Jake's pistol, aiming down the corridor and toward the wall opposite the corner the golems came around, "Projecta repercutio ad hominem!"
Then he fired...

You doubt you could have aimed at that distance, the distance the bullet traveled down the short corridor seamed to be about 1000 meters, but luck was on your side and as it hit the wall on the opposite side there was still enough force in the projectile that when it by accident hit one of the eyes growing out of the wall, causing blood and bits of corrupted puss to flow from the wound, some more Labyrinth flesh started stirring violently and a big chunk of wall fell loose crushing a couple of dozen of the Chief's little golems and slowing the swarm a little as they had to navigate over or around the big bit of wall that now lay under an exposed, naked and very angry bit of living, diseased flesh that had been growing under the large stones the wall where constructed from. Leon gave an impressed whistle but really your bullet hitting a weak point in the wall had been dumb luck, it was to far away for you to aim it properly, at least your spell had worked, though it certainly looked most impressive.

(OOC: He still get lucky as long as the bullet have enough force behind it to do damage it is a wonder what magick can do.)

by Adley Fri Jun 16, 2017 9:49 pm

Rosario stood near the door to the Nephandic Chief's room checking her crossbow over and looking rather tense.

"Try to stick behind or inside my shield, if you can. At long as it lasts..." he said, as she was not too far away.

"Hum...yes I can do this and it should not be to complex how dangerous it would be depend on how much problem those little critters are, my mind should be safe enough if I may say so myself, when it comes to Ars Mentem I have some experience."

He pondered, "Well, cutting off the serpent's head is a time-honoured method..."

"Taking a note from my friend's working before this now, would it be useful to try to send a jolt down to her so the spell collapses? Or would that leave us a different trouble of those creatures with no direction but their own?"

He glanced over at Adley, "Your fire spirit acquaintance?"

"No," he said. "A rare boon from a friend," he said, something in his voice speaking slight reluctance to have to use such, but that this seemed as if it could be emergency enough to do so.

"Give the honored Quesitor a minute to get her spell going then we can hold of on the heat once you have summoned our allies."

"Their intent is protective and the are of the earth; if we need them now then I shall call them, otherwise they have a task," he explained as much as he dared, as he found what he needed to start that work.

"Yeah...ehm should I stay on the table...Le...ehm our Jerbiton placed me on here to protect me." She asked and indeed she was standing on a small table the only furniture in the hallway. Cara shivered but she had a determined look in her eyes.

"I can try to cast a rote that would allow you to float...flying would take direction that I could not offer to you. It might be disorienting or could take you out of my shield...I can also try to cast a kinetic shield on your imprints," he said as the idea arrived in his brain that he might be able to do that now.

"If we are overrun Sodales could you..." The young Criamon looked at you fearfully for a while before she continued the request. "Shoot me?" She muttered and looked down. "I do not want them to get my Avatar as well as my life..."

"If I must, yet I will fight to my end..."

He glanced over at Cara, then handed her Adjan's pistol with a small nod, "One Primium round... Don't waste it, and don't use it unless the rest of us are down and the things are crawling up the table. If all else is lost... there might be no-one else to pull the trigger for you..."

"T....thank you..." She muttered and looked at the weapon. "W...where should I aim to be sure...that the bullet...leaves me dead and not just wounded? I have never considered ehm...doing something like that to...myself."

If anything, watching Colin give Cara a bullet to brain herself made him focus even more on making sure everyone would make it out of this new threat intact.

He made to lurch forward and reach past the shield to unleash the gust of wind, not particularly eager to hit Olamide and Crexia in the back with it... It'd seem rude and counterproductive, after all... Hopefully, the Wind of Mundane Silence would if not cripple the little golems, then at least stagger them somewhat. He might understand the process of melting metal on a mundane level, but he still had a long way to go to do it magically

As you lurched forward the first of the stone scorpions rounded the corner, and there was allot of them, hundreds...thousands of them flooded into the corridor you and the rest where in, they crawled over one another and moved like a dull, gray mass, your rote seamed to stagger them for a little while though

Udella finished her rote and the end of the corridor became hot like in a coercible, you felt the heat as well but it was not painful while it was centered just at the end of the corridor and should have melted flesh of your bones, it felt like it was a kilometer away and all you felt was a mild heat against your skin, the scorpions that where in view melted and became slag on the now molten floor, but just around the corner you hear the pitter patter of thousands of their kin who ran into the slaggly remains of the other scorpions and melted themselves until a bridge of them where formed as the floor cooled to allow more of the creatures do relentlessly advance

Colin's eyes widened briefly, "Oh, bugger... That's a lot..."

It was...it was more than he thought would come, and he was not known for optimism in the face of Nephandi-borne danger anymore. But he had a few seconds earned to try to get help here, he hoped they would be enough so that together they could turn the tide.

// I slept for basically two days straight, sorry to be AWOL-ish. What an exhausting week! No one wants to pet Diego, unless it's with a gilgul-stick. There's no need to apologize, either, Anja for not putting up that thread, it's all good. I just wanted to put it somewhere before it gets culled from my PMs

Adley wants to call up Uragi's kids but doesn't want to announce verbally whose kids those are, that would be awkward and possibly dangerous to the chantries, so he's writing it down on his earth elemental circle, out of sight of the Nephies. I don't know how much that might add to the difficulty to call them but he's got part of his focus. If he's got a crystal still on him, or use his rock,so they can 'hear' him, and quint to guide them. S2: 8, 4, 4; 5, 4, 7
Second question is if he wants to make Cara her own shield, I would assume it would take both Forces3 and Spirit, at least S2 to find her prints and forces to strengthen their resilience? I'll roll for this if she agrees to it, or for the other idea to float her out of harms' way.

Also, have I mentioned the Labyrinth is nightmare fuel, lol. Eurgh...

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Fri Jun 16, 2017 10:20 pm

"Try to stick behind or inside my shield, if you can. At long as it lasts..." he said, as she was not too far away.

Rosario nodded at that she looked down at her crossbow.
"Will do thanks but ehm...is that shield two ways, can I get my arrows out?"
She asked.

"Taking a note from my friend's working before this now, would it be useful to try to send a jolt down to her so the spell collapses? Or would that leave us a different trouble of those creatures with no direction but their own?"

"I would rather have them directionless than actively and coordinated attacking us."
Crexia said and nodded.
"Then at least there is a chance they will go back to being rocks or they will flee if we throw something dangerous their way...I can try to do this if the rest of you can keep them busy for a little while..."

"Their intent is protective and the are of the earth; if we need them now then I shall call them, otherwise they have a task," he explained as much as he dared, as he found what he needed to start that work.

"If you think they might be able to help us then call them but if they are not aggressive in nature they might not be able to do that much but as these critters are very physical I doubt Umbroods would be in danger from them."
The archmage said and nodded.
"We do need all the help we can get though."

"I can try to cast a rote that would allow you to float...flying would take direction that I could not offer to you. It might be disorienting or could take you out of my shield...I can also try to cast a kinetic shield on your imprints," he said as the idea arrived in his brain that he might be able to do that now.

"Floating sounds good but would make me useless probably if there is to much inertia I will not be able to consentrate, protecting my imprints though...I would appreciate that Sodalis."
Cara said a but hesitant to let anyone use magick on her imprints but she was desperate enough to allow it.
"I have some Tass on me if it will help?"

"If I must, yet I will fight to my end..."

Cara looked at you and was about to reply when Colin handed her Adjan's gun, it was probably good she did not know the weapon belonged to an Euthanatos.
"We all will fight until...there is no more hope..."
She muttered softly.
"It seams I will...be able to take care of it myself if...there is no other choice."
The Criamon said fearfully.

It was...it was more than he thought would come, and he was not known for optimism in the face of Nephandi-borne danger anymore. But he had a few seconds earned to try to get help here, he hoped they would be enough so that together they could turn the tide.

"First call your allies and see if they can help, then help hold them off so I can sever the link between the little shits and their creator."
Crexia ordered, she had her embroidery cloth out and was sewing symbols in black wood on white background as fast as she could.

(OOC: Do not worry about that, get the rest you need. No one want to pet Diego and a Gilgul stick would be the most horrifying talisman ever. I am working on a reply to the rules threads.)

(OOC 2: The Nephies are long gone with their tails between their legs before the stone scorpions arrive. I think that should work fine it is still within his ritualistic Paradigm so writing the name up should work fine though it might take a little longer. He probably have a crystal on him if you think he have packed one. I would say that roll should be enough to call the Spirits but silently guiding them might be harder. As for cara yes Forces 3 for the shield and Spirit 2 to find her Imprints and use Forces to strengthen their resilience so you can be sure that if she is swarmed she will die before the critters get to the Imprints themselves.)

(OOC 3: Well Nephandi are not known for their fuzzy cozy homes.)

by Warpmind Sat Jun 17, 2017 1:01 am

Edgar gave a tired nod.
"A small mercy."
He agreed.
"Perhaps you could get some of my kind to surrender if doing so would not mean humiliating and being gawked at as we...face our ends...some of us are tired, so very tired...of life after life filled with hate...longing for Oblivion and pain."
He said sadly and sigh.
"Well we need to get going..."

Colin nodded, "I believe it's possible to undo the Caul's work. Perhaps even in the same life as the Caul was entered. Some day, you might be able to turn around after all, and enjoy a life of making, rather than unmaking."

"Hum...well my faction are fond of traps."
The Fallen Hagalaz said and grinned.
"But no legally you should probably not give me to much advice Traditionalist, hey with some luck your bloody faction will get my Mentor good before she have time to look for me, that would suit me just fine."

He smiled darkly, "Well, she is on my quite personal short list."

"Yeah you want to be careful with that, some members of House Guernicus tend to have a rather literal view of the law and will slap your ass with the Code or the Protocols or both depending on your Tradition faster than you can say cake."
Ned said and grinned a bit as he hurried away.

He grinned, "Not too worried about any rules limited to any one Tradition, really... The Protocols, though, are relevant."

"That is what life is about Traditionalist having fun while you are alive and going out in a blaze of glory."
The Fallen blood witch said and grinned. as she rounded the corner, still walking backwards and then you hear she and her group running.

He smiled thinly and muttered, "Better to burn out than to fade away, said the villain of the story. And the hero of the story lived happily ever after... Well, at least until the next movie."

"That is good...I...ehm...well the point would be to die quickly enough that my Gift could leave and untangle himself from my skin so my imprints where nothing but scars and not a part of him if...the scorpions...consume me so minutes of bleeding out would not be good. I guess that if the situation was different and I had to die I would prefer pain to well damage to my head...I guess many mages would, but right now if things go bad it is the safety of my soul I have to think about."
Cara said and shivered.

He nodded, "Nobody wants to take their own life. But some times, external circumstances or diseases of the mind make it seem like the only solution. It's still a resort I should like for us all to avoid."

"Yes...that will be my task in this fight."
Cara said as she put the gun in her belt so she could have her hands free for the complex gestures she used.
"And we have to assume we will win this...I have an apprentice and a brother to come home to..."

He smiled, "Indeed, a family to come home to is often the thumb on the scale."

You doubt you could have aimed at that distance, the distance the bullet traveled down the short corridor seamed to be about 1000 meters, but luck was on your side and as it hit the wall on the opposite side there was still enough force in the projectile that when it by accident hit one of the eyes growing out of the wall, causing blood and bits of corrupted puss to flow from the wound, some more Labyrinth flesh started stirring violently and a big chunk of wall fell loose crushing a couple of dozen of the Chief's little golems and slowing the swarm a little as they had to navigate over or around the big bit of wall that now lay under an exposed, naked and very angry bit of living, diseased flesh that had been growing under the large stones the wall where constructed from. Leon gave an impressed whistle but really your bullet hitting a weak point in the wall had been dumb luck, it was to far away for you to aim it properly, at least your spell had worked, though it certainly looked most impressive.

He grinned sheepishly at Leon, "Oh, it's hardly as though that were a matter of good marksmanship. Luck that the Labyrinth creature reacted to..."
He blinked, "Oh, right, that could work... It'll be disgusting, but, hmm, a sinister spiral and..."
He took a step closer to the wall and started tracing a counterclockwise spiral with the wand, opening the tanks on his back to fuel possibly his most hideous work yet... "Carnem corrumpere."

((OOC: So, basically, Entropy 2, Prime 2 - sending a wave of deliberately decay-inducing Quintessence through the Labyrinth creature, down the corridor from which he little golems are coming. With a little luck, it won't kill the Labyrinth, but cause it enough pain that it'll screw up the terrain in the corridor, and possibly lash out at anything moving down the passage, as well... And, of course, pumping any leftover Quintessence from the tanks into the wave, as well. Must be running low soon... Arete rolls: 4,7,8 - 5,8,9 - 4,4,8... and that's all we'll take the time for, unless Colin gets chomped before he gets to the third roll. Razz

))

by Adley Sat Jun 17, 2017 4:19 am

Rosario nodded at that she looked down at her crossbow. "Will do thanks but ehm...is that shield two ways, can I get my arrows out?" She asked

"It's possible to know the edge of it, as I do when I use my weapon. Harder perhaps for you, but you can use it as partial cover...please don't full-release shoot inside it, that would be unpleasant."

"I would rather have them directionless than actively and coordinated attacking us." Crexia said and nodded.
"Then at least there is a chance they will go back to being rocks or they will flee if we throw something dangerous their way...I can try to do this if the rest of you can keep them busy for a little while..."

"Right, good luck then."

"If you think they might be able to help us then call them but if they are not aggressive in nature they might not be able to do that much but as these critters are very physical I doubt Umbroods would be in danger from them."
The archmage said and nodded. "We do need all the help we can get though."

"If they manifest themselves they could help but they are protective spirits. A swarm."

"Floating sounds good but would make me useless probably if there is to much inertia I will not be able to consentrate, protecting my imprints though...I would appreciate that Sodalis." Cara said a but hesitant to let anyone use magick on her imprints but she was desperate enough to allow it. "I have some Tass on me if it will help?"

"Here, let me try the latter then," he agreed. "Hold onto the tass for now," he said with a nod of thanks. He shifted closer, reached out towards her, concentrating, hands shaped the sigils for forces and spirit as he spoke. He imagining the energy between them bridging a gap, searching spiritually toward the spiritual-physical intersections where the subtle and gross vibration levels of Cara's imprints were, as if he were drawing a mantle of protection over their delicate spiritual nature and sealing it with each word, protecting her under the Name of the 71st divine Name, Haiel, a martial angel of protection against evil.

"First call your allies and see if they can help, then help hold them off so I can sever the link between the little shits and their creator." Crexia ordered

He blinked, "Oh, right, that could work... It'll be disgusting, but, hmm, a sinister spiral and..."
He took a step closer to the wall and started tracing a counterclockwise spiral with the wand, opening the tanks on his back to fuel possibly his most hideous work yet... "Carnem corrumpere."

"Understood," he said to Crexia in a clipped voice and began calling them, out of the way of the firestorm at hand, within his hand was the circle and the stone and in his spirit the Name on his tongue. He had some of his attention suddenly partly diverted by Colin, up to something with the tank...he didn't want friends showing up into that either...what was he doing now?

// He has a rock, which while not perfect since the spiders are crystal-like it is of the Earth so better than nothing. If it helps to give Quint so they can find him in the place, then he will do that. Once they are there with them, he can try to direct them with his voice. And heck, if it takes longer then that might be a good thing, considering Colin just opened the tank again lol - I assume two sux will not be enough, how many roll-time is there, assuming something else doesn't happen?
The first roll for covering up Cara's marks was: 0, 9, 6 (what is the diff?)

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Sat Jun 17, 2017 6:19 am

Colin nodded, "I believe it's possible to undo the Caul's work. Perhaps even in the same life as the Caul was entered. Some day, you might be able to turn around after all, and enjoy a life of making, rather than unmaking."

The Fallen Etherite looked puzzled then he gave you a tired smile.
"I doubt there are much hope for that Traditionalist but perhaps...one day...we are going to have to see it would be nice would it not if it was possible."

He smiled darkly, "Well, she is on my quite personal short list."

The Hagalaz gave a cruel smile.
"Good luck then, I hear Horizon is lovely this time a year and she do need a vexation."

He grinned, "Not too worried about any rules limited to any one Tradition, really... The Protocols, though, are relevant."

Ned gave you a bit of a smile.
"An Orphan then, well that have it's own potential and yes there are always the Protocols, Conspire not with the enemies of Asencion I remember them well enough, I neber listened much to that particular one myself."
He said and grinned.

He smiled thinly and muttered, "Better to burn out than to fade away, said the villain of the story. And the hero of the story lived happily ever after... Well, at least until the next movie."

"We will see Traditionalists, perhaps the ones who want to end this piss poor excuse for a reality will be the heroes of this flick."
The blood witch said with a grin.

He nodded, "Nobody wants to take their own life. But some times, external circumstances or diseases of the mind make it seem like the only solution. It's still a resort I should like for us all to avoid."

"Yes I would like to avoid that indeed...well I guess we are going to have to defeat the little bastards then."
Cara said and she gave you a half optimistic smile.

He smiled, "Indeed, a family to come home to is often the thumb on the scale."

The Criamon nodded at that and she gave you a bit of a smile.

He grinned sheepishly at Leon, "Oh, it's hardly as though that were a matter of good marksmanship. Luck that the Labyrinth creature reacted to..."
He blinked, "Oh, right, that could work... It'll be disgusting, but, hmm, a sinister spiral and..."

Leon still looked rather impressed to his expression changed to confusion as you went on.
"What are you talking about?"

He took a step closer to the wall and started tracing a counterclockwise spiral with the wand, opening the tanks on his back to fuel possibly his most hideous work yet... "Carnem corrumpere."

The sea of scorpion like stone creatures where making their way around the new obstacle in the floor and flooding the hallway that Crexia had made a kilometer long even if it still looked like just a few short steps in length, the creatures blackened the floor and then something organic, diseased and foul shot up out of the floor spreading stone and carped everywhere as the bit of Labyrinth flesh begun to flail about crushing hundreds of the stone creatures, more rose to take their place but their numbers where reduced, several places the walls rumbled and cracked and bits of flesh screamed in protest. The fuel tanks ran out of well, fuel just as a great maw with sharp teeth appeared and swallowed a few of the stone creatures whole and you could hear them crush as the thing chewed them and then it's tentacle like tongue with eyeballs along it's length came out again looking for fresh victims, the Labyrinth creature was angry now, very angry. Crexia gave you a bit of a look but she said nothing.

"It's possible to know the edge of it, as I do when I use my weapon. Harder perhaps for you, but you can use it as partial cover...please don't full-release shoot inside it, that would be unpleasant."

"Hum...if I go into a trance I should be able to see the edges of your shield clearly...and no I will try to avoid doing that."
The Cultist said and smiled as she took aim on the approaching sea of tiny creatures using the concentration needed for that to slip into one of her magical trances she moved past the shield for a moment and released and arrow right into the swarm before ducking back under it's protection.

"Right, good luck then."

Crexia nodded at that as she focused on her stitching for some rote or another.

"If they manifest themselves they could help but they are protective spirits. A swarm."

"Hum...that sounds like exactly what we need..."
The archmage said and nodded then she threw her needlework towards the swarm and several of them, a good number in fact just stopped as if frozen in time, just standing there.

"Here, let me try the latter then," he agreed. "Hold onto the tass for now," he said with a nod of thanks. He shifted closer, reached out towards her, concentrating, hands shaped the sigils for forces and spirit as he spoke. He imagining the energy between them bridging a gap, searching spiritually toward the spiritual-physical intersections where the subtle and gross vibration levels of Cara's imprints were, as if he were drawing a mantle of protection over their delicate spiritual nature and sealing it with each word, protecting her under the Name of the 71st divine Name, Haiel, a martial angel of protection against evil.

Cara nodded about the Tass.
"As you will Sodales but let me know if you need it."
You felt each of Cara's imprints as a fountain of perfect light, you had seen Avatars that had shown themselves to you, and you had felt them there but to actually touch one with your magick, it felt like you where touching the Criamon's inner being and the young woman gasped. You know yourself had felt uneasy the few times someone had looked at or in the case of Cita even touched your soul, it felt far to private and now it somehow felt clear why Beatrice though all the pain and horror she had been through had cried to you over the Spirit Masters touching her wounded soul without permission, and before that, or before that when she had been Branded the degradation she had felt over someone grabbing her soul without her consent and proceed to burn a mark into it. This thing your magick brushed felt like something holy, something so perfect and personal that the very idea of someone approaching it without permission felt appalling. Perhaps the part of you that had been Dylan reacted to the fact that the Criamon's soul was what his sister's Avatar had been before she had sold herself to the Nephandi to save him, powerful, Primordial and perfect but you felt anger rise in you over the though of those Masters of the Art that hurt Beatrice touching something so...holy, so personal, touching that part of her without her consent, you felt anger towards whoever had Branded her on Horizon...and you felt anger for yourself, you felt anger towards Cotta who had tried to harm your Avatar, and that creature Ulv had summoned that had reached for it, standing int he presence of those wheels of perfect golden light that shone like a sunset out of Cara's imprints you felt an increased need to be protective from your Avatar, protective of herself...protective of Beatrice and even your new brother, and this woman who stood on that table and allowed you to sense for that most delicate and holy part of herself, your will reached out and formed small shields to protect her, thin yet strong barriers over each symbol that was carved into her skin, one for every degree of every Art she knew you realized and one for every Seeking and every spiritual realization she had ever had and there...the center one on her forehead...one for her Awakening. You could see her Avatar there, not directly but you saw his light as you worked, as you search for and touched that innermost part, a normal mage would not be so easy to do this with, it would be way beyond your skills at the moment but in a way with their Imprints the Criamon where so, vulnerable and you felt her perfect, beautiful light as you worked, and the sensation of something so divine, so perfect for a moment washed away the feeling of disgust from all you had seen in the Labyrinth, just for a moment off course, but it was refreshing non the less, your warrior angle was a protector, and now she and you protected something so precious, it felt...right...on a fundamental level.

"Understood," he said to Crexia in a clipped voice and began calling them, out of the way of the firestorm at hand, within his hand was the circle and the stone and in his spirit the Name on his tongue. He had some of his attention suddenly partly diverted by Colin, up to something with the tank...he didn't want friends showing up into that either...what was he doing now?

You offered up a bit of your Quntessence to help the spirit spiders find you and called to them, the stone in your hand was not perfect but it was close enough and soon you could feel their presence as they gathered around you in the Umbra, distance did not matter to them, space and time where strange concept to them, and they just stood there stomping their tiny legs as they begun to reinforce the floor at your feet, the few who had ended up on your feet started repairing your shoes, always working that was their purpose. One of them arrived with a toy, porcelain teacup, this had to be the one that Jane had befriended that she played teatime with but who just ignored the child mage's game and reinforced her tea set instead, something it was still doing and it saw inside the tiny cup with all of it's legs poking over the edge of it, still working and looking at you expectantly for a new task. When the little spider gafflings felt what Colin was doing though they got very uneasy and stamped their little feet fearfully but they never stopped working though the one in the teacup crawled more into it.

(OOC: Quint always help when calling spirits. The diff would be seven normally for the shields on Cara, highest Sphere used are 3 and it is Coincidental but you are near a Node so it is 6 so that rote works out very well and you get one willpower point back as a bonus since it is a special experience to touch another Avatar with your magick and doing exactly what your Avatar and that shard inside of her want to do, protect.

For calling the spirits the diff would be 6 normally but are 5 due to the Node, let us say each call is about 30 seconds you only scribble their name it should not take to long to go through the simple ritual to call them while the others fight the swarm in the distance.)

by Warpmind Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:06 am

The Fallen Etherite looked puzzled then he gave you a tired smile.
"I doubt there are much hope for that Traditionalist but perhaps...one day...we are going to have to see it would be nice would it not if it was possible."

Colin smiled, "It would indeed be nice... It would change the entire bloody war to our advantage."

Ned gave you a bit of a smile.
"An Orphan then, well that have it's own potential and yes there are always the Protocols, Conspire not with the enemies of Asencion I remember them well enough, I neber listened much to that particular one myself."
He said and grinned.

He shrugged, "Perhaps you should have. Your change of allegiance was, I'm sure, an unfortunate loss."

"We will see Traditionalists, perhaps the ones who want to end this piss poor excuse for a reality will be the heroes of this flick."
The blood witch said with a grin.

He shrugged, "I remember doing the hero thing once... Didn't turn out well. Seldom does, in the long run..."

Leon still looked rather impressed to his expression changed to confusion as you went on.
"What are you talking about?"

He grinned wryly, "Just an idea - might turn the Labyrinth on the golems."

The sea of scorpion like stone creatures where making their way around the new obstacle in the floor and flooding the hallway that Crexia had made a kilometer long even if it still looked like just a few short steps in length, the creatures blackened the floor and then something organic, diseased and foul shot up out of the floor spreading stone and carped everywhere as the bit of Labyrinth flesh begun to flail about crushing hundreds of the stone creatures, more rose to take their place but their numbers where reduced, several places the walls rumbled and cracked and bits of flesh screamed in protest. The fuel tanks ran out of well, fuel just as a great maw with sharp teeth appeared and swallowed a few of the stone creatures whole and you could hear them crush as the thing chewed them and then it's tentacle like tongue with eyeballs along it's length came out again looking for fresh victims, the Labyrinth creature was angry now, very angry. Crexia gave you a bit of a look but she said nothing.

He sighed and half-smiled to Crexia, "Well, it worked; that should slow down the golems a little... we might want to find another passage, though; this one looks a bit more unhealthy..."

You offered up a bit of your Quntessence to help the spirit spiders find you and called to them, the stone in your hand was not perfect but it was close enough and soon you could feel their presence as they gathered around you in the Umbra, distance did not matter to them, space and time where strange concept to them, and they just stood there stomping their tiny legs as they begun to reinforce the floor at your feet, the few who had ended up on your feet started repairing your shoes, always working that was their purpose. One of them arrived with a toy, porcelain teacup, this had to be the one that Jane had befriended that she played teatime with but who just ignored the child mage's game and reinforced her tea set instead, something it was still doing and it saw inside the tiny cup with all of it's legs poking over the edge of it, still working and looking at you expectantly for a new task. When the little spider gafflings felt what Colin was doing though they got very uneasy and stamped their little feet fearfully but they never stopped working though the one in the teacup crawled more into it.

He looked over at Adley, "If it makes you feel better, the tanks are now dry, and I shouldn't..."
He looked down at Adley's feet, eyebrow arching slightly.

((OOC: Going to assume Colin sees the gafflings and/or at least the teacup... Also, it's nice that the difficulty drops for being near a Node, but ewwwwww. Razz

))

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:24 am

Colin smiled, "It would indeed be nice... It would change the entire bloody war to our advantage."

"It probably would, I have little hope of it though, without a Labyrinth...I will soon be dead to live the whole thing again next life."
Edgar said with a grunt.
"But perhaps one day, in some incarnation."

He shrugged, "Perhaps you should have. Your change of allegiance was, I'm sure, an unfortunate loss."

"I am quite happy as a Nephandus, and there was few other paths to walk so do not concern yourself with that Orphan."
Ned said and shook his head.

He shrugged, "I remember doing the hero thing once... Didn't turn out well. Seldom does, in the long run..."

"Well you never know Traditionalist."
The blood witch said and grinned before she left.

He grinned wryly, "Just an idea - might turn the Labyrinth on the golems."

"That is creative...disturbing but....creative."
Leon said and raised an eyebrow.

He sighed and half-smiled to Crexia, "Well, it worked; that should slow down the golems a little... we might want to find another passage, though; this one looks a bit more unhealthy..."

"Yes well I am not sure we have another passage to get where we are going, but we can worry about that when the rest of the swarm is dealt with."
Crexia said and glanced up from her new embroidery patch as she was quickly sewing in symbols her fingers bled a few droplets of a bluish liquid where she had stung herself in her haste but she did not seam to notice.
"If I ever decide to build a house with rotting flesh walls and body parts that might attack me then...well I was going to say shoot me but rapport me to the Quesitors are probably the more correct cause of action."
Leon said and frowned as he looked at the disgusting display before him.
"Shit..."

He looked over at Adley, "If it makes you feel better, the tanks are now dry, and I shouldn't..."
He looked down at Adley's feet, eyebrow arching slightly.

You see the little gafflings at Adley's feet they where small, adorable green things with a crystalline, metallic green hide, each one would fit in your hand but there sure was allot of them, some of them had striped in different colors and some of them would chitter in tune to the stomping with their tiny legs. You see one of them who had brought one of Jane's prized toy teacups along, it was one of the child's favorite toys and was sure to be a fine arcane connection to the little mage child, not that the spider spirit meant any harm, it was busy enforcing and repairing the cup.

(OOC: Magick brought to you by a torture fueled corrupted Node now on fire...enjoy.)

by Warpmind Sat Jun 17, 2017 7:43 pm

"It probably would, I have little hope of it though, without a Labyrinth...I will soon be dead to live the whole thing again next life."
Edgar said with a grunt.
"But perhaps one day, in some incarnation."

Colin nodded, "Then I hope to see you come home to the light in a later life."

"That is creative...disturbing but....creative."
Leon said and raised an eyebrow.

He grimaced, "Very much so, on both counts."

"Yes well I am not sure we have another passage to get where we are going, but we can worry about that when the rest of the swarm is dealt with."
Crexia said and glanced up from her new embroidery patch as she was quickly sewing in symbols her fingers bled a few droplets of a bluish liquid where she had stung herself in her haste but she did not seam to notice.
"If I ever decide to build a house with rotting flesh walls and body parts that might attack me then...well I was going to say shoot me but rapport me to the Quesitors are probably the more correct cause of action."
Leon said and frowned as he looked at the disgusting display before him.
"Shit..."

He frowned, "We might be able to punch through a wall with a little more safety than traversing... that corridor."
He glanced at Leon, "I think in this case the rotting part of the flesh walls was my fault... A house made partially of living flesh could still be tolerable as an experiment, I suppose, but not like... this."

You see the little gafflings at Adley's feet they where small, adorable green things with a crystalline, metallic green hide, each one would fit in your hand but there sure was allot of them, some of them had striped in different colors and some of them would chitter in tune to the stomping with their tiny legs. You see one of them who had brought one of Jane's prized toy teacups along, it was one of the child's favorite toys and was sure to be a fine arcane connection to the little mage child, not that the spider spirit meant any harm, it was busy enforcing and repairing the cup.

He bent down and picked up the teacup and the spirit that clung to it, "Oh, these guys are adorable... A little, what's the word... creepycute? But this teacup should not be here..."
He put them down on the table Cara was sitting on, "Miss, just in case, if the rest of us fall, destroy the cup so it won't fall into the wrong hands... I recognize it, and it shouldn't have come along..."

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Sat Jun 17, 2017 8:03 pm

Colin nodded, "Then I hope to see you come home to the light in a later life."

Edgar looked at you for a moment, he said nothing he just nodded before he hurried after the other three fleeing Nephandi.

He grimaced, "Very much so, on both counts."

Leon gave you a wry smile.

He frowned, "We might be able to punch through a wall with a little more safety than traversing... that corridor."

"Perhaps so but then again we might meet more of that lovely creature if we punch through a wall."
Crexia said hesitantly.
"Well let us focus on the problem at hand for now it will not take the little bastards long to reach us."
She said as her hands worked on her embroidery.

He glanced at Leon, "I think in this case the rotting part of the flesh walls was my fault... A house made partially of living flesh could still be tolerable as an experiment, I suppose, but not like... this."

"What is wrong with stone and wood and well anything but a mass of tentacles and organs? I mean I would rather live in a cardboard box than at this place..."
Leon grubbed.

He bent down and picked up the teacup and the spirit that clung to it, "Oh, these guys are adorable... A little, what's the word... creepycute? But this teacup should not be here..."

The little spider spirit continued to spin it's web to strengthen the tiny, porcelain toy then it noticed you, gave a start, jumped down and hid behind Adley's feet chittering angrily that you had taken it's work from him, but then it found a crack in the floor to repair and forgot all about it.

He put them down on the table Cara was sitting on, "Miss, just in case, if the rest of us fall, destroy the cup so it won't fall into the wrong hands... I recognize it, and it shouldn't have come along..."

"I will burn it out of existence...if it look like we are loosing Sir."
The Criamon said she did not ask anything more about it she was busy looking at the scorpions her hands moving quickly in complicated gestures for some spell she was conjuring.

by Adley Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:04 pm

"Hum...if I go into a trance I should be able to see the edges of your shield clearly...and no I will try to avoid doing that." The Cultist said and smiled as she took aim

"Good, then," he said with a nod.

Cara nodded about the Tass. "As you will Sodales but let me know if you need it." You felt each of Cara's imprints as a fountain of perfect light...

"I will begin work now," he said, and then started creating the protection. The experience of it was intense and intimate, though standing in a hall of horrors for a moment, he felt like he was experiencing something perfect. That helping to protect her was doing something right, in a place that was wrong, something that would help Cara's soul survive, and hopefully Cara along with it in this life. But the clear, water-like clarity of Cara's energy, almost overwhelmingly close experience of her avatar, brought along with it a slew of emotions from his own avatar, its anger at the transgressions they had witnessed and resultant growing need to prevent them. He tried to channel it into the necessary work, to keep them safe. And when he felt the shields had come into manifestation, one by one, knowing by experience what they were now, he felt thankful. There was not time for many words but he looked at Cara when the work was done. He had a slight blush along his ears and cheeks, over his nose, as if he were embarrassed and it had nothing to do with the sudden heat in the fetid hall. The feeling was related to the sense of wonder and exposure both. He gave her a knowing look, highly aware of what she had allowed and the beauty that he had felt, then a determined nod. He was going to keep them all safe.

The sea of scorpion like stone creatures where making their way around the new obstacle in the floor and flooding the hallway that Crexia had made a kilometer long even if it still looked like just a few short steps in length, the creatures blackened the floor and then something organic, diseased and foul shot up out of the floor spreading stone and carped everywhere as the bit of Labyrinth flesh begun to flail about crushing hundreds of the stone creatures, more rose to take their place but their numbers where reduced, several places the walls rumbled and cracked and bits of flesh screamed in protest. The fuel tanks ran out of well, fuel just as a great maw with sharp teeth appeared and swallowed a few of the stone creatures whole and you could hear them crush as the thing chewed them and then it's tentacle like tongue with eyeballs along it's length came out again looking for fresh victims, the Labyrinth creature was angry now, very angry. Crexia gave you a bit of a look but she said nothing.

He sighed and half-smiled to Crexia, "Well, it worked; that should slow down the golems a little... we might want to find another passage, though; this one looks a bit more unhealthy..."

"Yes well I am not sure we have another passage to get where we are going, but we can worry about that when the rest of the swarm is dealt with." Crexia said and glanced up from her new embroidery patch as she was quickly sewing in symbols her fingers bled a few droplets of a bluish liquid where she had stung herself in her haste but she did not seam to notice. "If I ever decide to build a house with rotting flesh walls and body parts that might attack me then...well I was going to say shoot me but rapport me to the Quesitors are probably the more correct cause of action."
Leon said and frowned as he looked at the disgusting display before him.
"Shit..."

He frowned, "We might be able to punch through a wall with a little more safety than traversing... that corridor."
He glanced at Leon, "I think in this case the rotting part of the flesh walls was my fault... A house made partially of living flesh could still be tolerable as an experiment, I suppose, but not like... this."

Adley saw the Labyrinth itself begin to attack the creatures in the wake of Colin's attack, but was in the middle of calling for help - it was still a disturbing sight to behold. The warning about the hungry walls were now a reality, there in front of them, and it was angry. The Labyrinth itself was hostile but for now working against itself.

You offered up a bit of your Quntessence to help the spirit spiders find you and called to them, the stone in your hand was not perfect but it was close enough and soon you could feel their presence as they gathered around you in the Umbra, distance did not matter to them, space and time where strange concept to them, and they just stood there stomping their tiny legs as they begun to reinforce the floor at your feet, the few who had ended up on your feet started repairing your shoes, always working that was their purpose. One of them arrived with a toy, porcelain teacup, this had to be the one that Jane had befriended that she played teatime with but who just ignored the child mage's game and reinforced her tea set instead, something it was still doing and it saw inside the tiny cup with all of it's legs poking over the edge of it, still working and looking at you expectantly for a new task. When the little spider gafflings felt what Colin was doing though they got very uneasy and stamped their little feet fearfully but they never stopped working though the one in the teacup crawled more into it.

He looked over at Adley, "If it makes you feel better, the tanks are now dry, and I shouldn't..." He looked down at Adley's feet, eyebrow arching slightly.

He glanced down and noted the teacup with a frown. He had not expected that, he didn't want to bring any links in here. He tried to mentally bring the group together, the one with the teacup had his attention, given the situation. "I thought we could use some reinforcements," he said, making sure the door to Willie was shut against the scorpions.

He bent down and picked up the teacup and the spirit that clung to it, "Oh, these guys are adorable... A little, what's the word... creepycute? But this teacup should not be here..." He put them down on the table Cara was sitting on, "Miss, just in case, if the rest of us fall, destroy the cup so it won't fall into the wrong hands... I recognize it, and it shouldn't have come along..."

The little spider spirit continued to spin it's web to strengthen the tiny, porcelain toy then it noticed you, gave a start, jumped down and hid behind Adley's feet chittering angrily that you had taken it's work from him, but then it found a crack in the floor to repair and forgot all about it.

"I will burn it out of existence...if it look like we are loosing Sir."
The Criamon said she did not ask anything more about it she was busy looking at the scorpions her hands moving quickly in complicated gestures for some spell she was conjuring.

"Thank you," he said to Colin as he dealt handily with the cup, he didn't want Jane to get into any trouble. Then focused his energy towards his friends the spiderlings, to try to get their attention. "Greetings" he said in Enochian. One of them was Harry, somewhere, came the stray thought. Now that they were all in once place, he was surprised at the turnout. The instructions he gave were simple as he could since they did not really speak in Enochian. It was more a word-shaped feelings driven through the rock of what he had so intensely sensed just earlier working with Cara: These are my friends,' he directed to those in his group clearly in his mind, picking out those, like Rosario, that needed the most protection with a bit more strength. 'Will you please help me protect and preserve that which cannot be touched within my friends and myself, protect also our material vessels that hold that which cannot be touched within us, from our enemies, the stone-golem scorpions?'

// Awe, creepycute! Like jumping spiders https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f9/0f/cf/f90fcf70f997dd7d9d7cef45ae23d90a.jpg...those are cute.

by Warpmind Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:25 pm

"Perhaps so but then again we might meet more of that lovely creature if we punch through a wall."
Crexia said hesitantly.
"Well let us focus on the problem at hand for now it will not take the little bastards long to reach us."
She said as her hands worked on her embroidery.

Colin nodded, "True, but that might be a less angry piece than this... But, later."

"What is wrong with stone and wood and well anything but a mass of tentacles and organs? I mean I would rather live in a cardboard box than at this place..."
Leon grubbed.

He grinned, "I was thinking more along the lines of a magical larder with fresh beef or mutton growing on the walls, or perhaps a clinic with emergency replacement organs growing for transplant recipients... But nothing so semisentient as this, nor as extensive..."

He glanced down and noted the teacup with a frown. He had not expected that, he didn't want to bring any links in here. He tried to mentally bring the group together, the one with the teacup had his attention, given the situation. "I thought we could use some reinforcements," he said, making sure the door to Willie was shut against the scorpions.

He nodded, "Agreed. They might not be able to melt the little golems, but..."
He frowned, "The golems would be made with qlippothic magic - could your little guys, er, repair that, as it were? Assuming these spiders are the ones I heard were making miniscule repairs at home?"

"I will burn it out of existence...if it look like we are loosing Sir."
The Criamon said she did not ask anything more about it she was busy looking at the scorpions her hands moving quickly in complicated gestures for some spell she was conjuring.

He nodded; no more need for elaboration.

((OOC: I was thinking more like this guy - http://orig02.deviantart.net/54a4/f/2012/011/3/b/adorable_spider_3_by_scythemantis-d4m037r.png Wink

))

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