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

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin smiled, "Cats do that. Early man may have domesticated the wolf, but cats domesticated humans, it seems."

"Well at least that is true for my daughter, I think that animal could have gotten just about whatever he wanted from her just by looking at her sadly."
Dalett said and smiled fondly.

He sighed, "She'll not be keen on the collar, either, when I suggest it - but at least a collar can be made to look like a stylish fashion statement. Injection marks, not so much..."

"Well at times one have to choose a lesser of two evils, which is why I am here being led to my doom to protect my daughter so she would not suffer this fate. I can understand the child not wanting to wear a collar, I would prefer the needle myself, rather that than a sign of slavery an ownership no matter how stylish it might look, however a collar will be far less painful and I do suspect those injections will not be good for her in the long run even if she was not afraid of them."
The Nephanda muttered as she walked slowly beside you.

He smiled, not quite smugly, and not quite disrespectfully, "If it helps, I think it's more that you agree that there's enough death in one day, and in one place... If we can easily afford to at least postpone one death today, it'll be a little easier rest for us tonight."

Crexia sigh and nodded.
"There have been...enough death and I fear there shall be more before this is done."
She muttered.
"We will see if the girl have Investment marks...if she do not I will let her live for now since we have a larger group we can afford that small risk."

He glanced over at Rosario, a slightly concerned expression on his face, "For some of us... that little difference can be the difference between coping and needing help to deal with the stress..."

Crexia looked ar Rosario, the Cultist looked pale and drawn her eyes where big and sad and she flinched each time she heard a gunshot from further into the Labyrinth as the other Traditionalists hunted the fleeing pawns down and executed them. Crexia nodded.
"I think many of us will...need help coping with what have happened today."
She muttered softly.
"But I guess sparing one life, at least for now, is worth...something."

He nodded, "Agreed; he's still the most trusted friend I have, for several reasons - even if his memory of me has gaps, I couldn't betray that... I think he'll consent, though, if pressed..."

Udella nodded.
"No do not betray that if he looses control and can not be talked into accepting the serum or some other form of restraint, you will not be the one who deals with him, you can comfort him once he is in custody but you will not betray his trust but yes I think that if it comes to that he will agree, he is a fine young man, his Mentor have done well."
The Quesitor said softly she looked at you for a moment but said nothing more, but it was as if she was saying that especially you she would never pressure to betray a member of your own Cabal even when it was for his own good.

He nodded sternly, "Cotta and Warden set it up some six or seven years ago, or thenabouts, on Gabriel's orders, directly from Abigail herself, and not without objections. Fortunately, Cotta gave Devourer of Fetuses a small token, a talisman to disable the portal instantly, just in case - and we were able to use that. Your Mentor didn't even know about any of it, I believe... It can be, and it was - but the portal is dismantled and the Node... well, probably still burning itself out, I think - that rack could not be allowed to remain like that."

"I...ehm...my room is in that corridor...my Mentor's room is there...fuck a portal to...but how...why?"
The girl muttered she looked rather stressed.
"But that portal is gone right? All gone it can not...suddenly open or anything?"
She asked fearfully.
"I...such a thing is...and yes that rack is...bad...I could hear the screams at night when I went to bed at times, before they all eventually stopped screaming and just lay there...I am used to things like that I have spent most of my life in a Labyrinth but...it is hard for someone not yet Fallen to...accept."
She muttered softly.

He shook his head, "It's not metaphorical, or anything of the sort. Some Fallen just want oblivion for themselves; a state of nonexistence, but some, like Abigail and her crony Larson, literally seek to unmake the world - all that is, that ever was, that ever will be, unraveled and gone, never having existed in the first place. Your Avatar is too attached to Reality... for the goals of the Nephandi, of course it is - but did you ever stop to consider why all the Fallen had to go into the Caul, to have their Avatars broken apart and put back together in the incorrect order, all wrung and distorted, just to agree with the philosophy of the Black Spiral? Creation and growth is the natural state of an Avatar, the pursuit of Ascension, not deterioration and rot and the pursuit of Nothingness..."

"I...was always told I would understand after...I had gone to the Caul and I tried to understand I did. I can understand wanting Oblivion as a personal path a return to nothingness I can understand that but to unmake the world, it have to be metaphorical..."
The girl protested then she sigh.
"My Mentor would not let me go to the Caul, most of the other apprentices went early in their apprenticeships but my teacher she...was afraid for me, afraid I would get scared and hurt and she would not let me go, no matter how much I begged to be allowed to to be like the others...you are right one can not be a Nephandus without going to the Cauls and..."
The girl looked away.
"Yes my Avatar want growth, development and Asencion...but my Mentor...I want to please her I have been told that the goals of the Nephandi is the only right thing from I was around 11 I..."
The apprentice seamed rather confused and she glanced up at you it was all to much for her and now being forced to question her deeply held truths and beliefs she sat there shaking, still sitting on her hands to protect them not knowing what to say or do.

He sighed, "Your Labyrinth is already finished; there's a scant handful of people left alive, we know how to get miss Jerkins' children out of the way, we've turned your enslaved and extorted spirits against you, we're turning your Nodes in on themselves... and even the Jade Demon is here in person because he's utterly fed up with Abigail kicking the hornet's nest. The best you can do for your Mentor, and for yourself, is help us end it with as little further collateral damage as possible."

"My Mentor would have the courage to look death straight in the eye and stay loyal until the end but if everyone is...dead...I..."
The girl looked down and tears rolled down her cheeks.
"They are everyone I know."
She muttered.
"How can you expect me to betray them all even if they are dead?"

He frowned, "She... will not be so lucky, alas. She is Fallen, and quite powerful and skilled at that. For her, I only see one outcome - you don't want me to describe it, but it's going to be... painful, and then nothing. Her pawn, though... might be permitted to live long enough to tend her mistress until the end - I've at least petitioned for showing that much compassion in the face of inevitability. Nobody should go to that without at least one friendly face present..."

"You do not need to describe it...this is a Labyrinth Traditionalist I have...seen it done...it is...horrible."
The young mage muttered and she looked rather sick at the thought though her nausea could be the serum off course.
"Poor Dalett she must be scared out of her mind. I can not imagine...knowing that one go to...that I would die of fright on the spot."
She muttered and nodded.
"I think having her servant with her will ease things, at least a little bit...if anything can ease fear like that...but why would you care about the comfort of a Nephanda?"
She asked and glanced up at you.

He nodded, "A small comfort, and one that is oddly antithetical to the Nephandi ideals, it seems... but yes, much as a quick, painless death is preferable, it's still death. But, a bit of cooperation and luck can still save your life..."

"I guess being remembered still matters for as long as the world exist though I guess no one will remember us when it is all gone...that is kind of sad."
The apprentice whispered.
"I do...not want to die, but would you betray the Traditions if someone pointed a gun at your head? Why then do you think I should betray my side?"
She asked trying to be brave though she was shivering and near tears and was not doing a to good job of it.

He nodded, a dark shade flickering across his eyes, "In the words of Hawkeye Pierce, war is war, and hell is hell, and of the two, war is worse... Because there are no innocent bystanders in Hell..."

The apprentice nodded at that.
"Yeah...true enough words that."
She muttered sadly.
"Why can't mages focus on the fun stuff like other worlds and casting spells and not you know, how to kill others of our own kind?"

He sighed, "Practices are a bit better in the Traditions, you know; when this place is torn to pieces in a little while, the Labyrinth has no more bearing on the value of your life.

"They are? Apprentices are not taken to the beds of older magi or tortured for sport if those said elders desire it?"
She asked as if this was quite normal and she was skeptical of your claim that this was not so in the Traditions as it sounded outlandish to her not to exploit those who was weaker than you unless they had a powerful protector.

The most Abigail can hope for now is to take as many people with her on her way down; she turned her own newborn baby into the very Caul she's hiding with, and she meant to drag the whole Labyrinth into Oblivion if she thought an invading force proved stronger than her defenses. No doubt she's trying to formulate a last-ditch attempt to tear the whole thing apart with friend and foe alike getting caught in the calamity - and we can't have that."

The young mage paled.
"Yeah fuck...you are right Lady Abigail would try to take it all with her if she is going down herself...we might all be done for..."
She muttered.
"Ok listen fine...my Mentor is dead and the Labyrinth is doomed, I do not want to end up in Oblivion or something like that or eaten by some thing that should not be I...am not saying I will give you any information or some shit but I...will help you open my Mentor's passageway."
She said and looked down in defeat.
"Which means I am betraying everyone I know."
She whispered in a sore tone of voice.

(OOC: Dresden Files card game I did not know about that I need to pick it up.)

[Adley]

"I will be vary of her, and I will tie her up as well once the older woman stops being sick." Leon said in Latin.

He nodded at that, satisfied that his sodalis would not be in danger long and that he had taken his suggestion into consideration. He now associated the word 'Serum' with the magick-stopping poison, figuring it must be the name for it. Then he felt a wave of slight disorientation as something half-remembered came to him along the edges of his mind. For a moment, he had conflicting feelings about his pater. In one, this one, the man was nothing short of a bastard who beat him regularly: for discipline, to toughen him up, to ingrain deference to his wishes, to punish him, because it was winter, because it was summer...because his horse died...it seemed any reason. Yet the man had taught him everything he knew and despite a deep-seated hatred of him that only a Tytalan would understand, he could not wish him poorly. The other feelings were much different...he loved that man as if he were his own son of blood. These came with the thoughts of a young man, feeling ill...then they were gone and he was not sure if he should reach for them to come back or not, distractions such as that killed one on the battlefield.

The old judge regarded you with concerned eyes and you could not help but feel a bit like if she was judging you, perhaps this was those that had to face her at a Tribunal felt, and yet there was no malice there only concern. "Well if you would watch over your friend while he secures our prisoner here and then help him deal with the other prisoner's servant, I will go back to helping the injured I am not great healer but I have some small ability in that field."

He felt himself stand a bit more rigid under her assessing gaze but otherwise held a deferential and respectful attitude. Similarly to Crexia, he did not wish to be a burden or show that he was affected by his injury. "This I will do," he said with a nod of his head. It was, after all the same order he had from Crexia, aside from fixing his shields after this was accomplished. He had already inquired about the grog's fate.

He looked at Adley and laid a hand on his shoulder, a brief pat, his voice soft and sincere, "Amicus Magnus, there is none in the world I trust more with guarding my back. We worry, as it seems you are missing a few memories, but your reason and judgment seems unharmed. If, however, you seem to be acting unlike yourself, I may have to restrain you for your own safety. Not just because your Pater would be furious with me if I didn't protect you, but because we are the closest thing to kinsmen, you and I. Do you remember enough to trust me?"

While Colin gave his attention to him, Adley's attention was on the sobbing prisoner in the event she suddenly tried to harm him. Then he said, "I am not badly injured, I do not need to be restrained. I have my orders and I can follow them," he insisted. Then he gave a confused look at why his pater would care...no he would be furious AT him, for needing to be protected in the middle of the battle. And shamed. If he were still a student, no doubt he would be punished severely. "I remember you are my friend of the same House as my closest amicus," he replied, trying to find how they were connected, this kinship that Colin spoke about. Part of his heart was filled by the loss of Carmon, as if this one had suddenly stepped up into that void and yet there was not resentment over it. "I admit that I have had my head head hard. But do not administer that poison to me," he said, warily. "Tie me up instead, if you have to do so." Seeing the others so useless and nauseated...to think of himself so incapacitated in a fight was something he wished to avoid. Then he said, "I was told to protect you while you dealt with the prisoners and then refresh my protections. Other than that, I am prepared to assist you in whatever task is required." There was sadness in his words, some of those here seemed hardly older than children and he knew that some would be given death. Again, he could see Carmon at that task and the sorrow that built while they were on the March. But he was not here, he had been removed in the worst of ways.

// that sucks, sorry that the games fell through. I don't blame you for not wanting to run something with no materials D:

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"This I will do," he said with a nod of his head. It was, after all the same order he had from Crexia, aside from fixing his shields after this was accomplished. He had already inquired about the grog's fate.

Master Udella nodded and gave you a friendly smile.
"Thank you Sodalis."
She said before she left to see to her other tasks, there was a nobility and authority in how she moved and spoke but at the same time she was kind and humble something that probably made her a good judge. She let you to make sure the young prisoner did not harm your friend until she was calm enough to be secured.

While Colin gave his attention to him, Adley's attention was on the sobbing prisoner in the event she suddenly tried to harm him.

The Diedne girl glanced up at you fearfully, she did not make any threatening moves though but she looked scared and confused enough that she might try to make a run for it, for now she was just sitting protectively on her hands and you got a feeling it would take some doing to get her to present them up for binding later, but she did not seam to be aggressive she just seamed to be afraid, confused and sick she was sweating a little and looked around nervously.

(OOC: Yeah and it is harder to run D&D without materials than something in WoD for example. The rules are more complicated. I mean I can run a mostly diceless game in a WoD game just pulling a simple story out on the fly, but D&D needs preparations it is a game that demand allot more paperwork of the GM than some other games.)

[Warpmind]

"Well at times one have to choose a lesser of two evils, which is why I am here being led to my doom to protect my daughter so she would not suffer this fate. I can understand the child not wanting to wear a collar, I would prefer the needle myself, rather that than a sign of slavery an ownership no matter how stylish it might look, however a collar will be far less painful and I do suspect those injections will not be good for her in the long run even if she was not afraid of them."
The Nephanda muttered as she walked slowly beside you.

Colin nodded, "In any case, whatever solution ends up being used, it will not be permanent. I'll make sure there will be times when she will be free to use magic, even if much of her time will be spent restrained for the immediate future... Hum, of course, a piece of jewelry could do the job, as well - a seamless ring in her piercing, for example..."

Crexia sigh and nodded.
"There have been...enough death and I fear there shall be more before this is done."
She muttered.
"We will see if the girl have Investment marks...if she do not I will let her live for now since we have a larger group we can afford that small risk."

He bowed to Crexia; a simple, proper bow as one might expect from an Edwardian butler to his employer, "Thank you, ma'am. That's all I can ask."

Crexia looked ar Rosario, the Cultist looked pale and drawn her eyes where big and sad and she flinched each time she heard a gunshot from further into the Labyrinth as the other Traditionalists hunted the fleeing pawns down and executed them. Crexia nodded.
"I think many of us will...need help coping with what have happened today."
She muttered softly.
"But I guess sparing one life, at least for now, is worth...something."

He nodded, "Tonight will be profitable for the distilleries, I suspect... And sparing a life, even if only temporarily, well... I find that kindness and mercy tends to pay off more often than ruthless expedience, especially in the long run... The Nephanda - Dalett Vega is her name - told me that Larson's Labyrinth is a battlecruiser... and the Handler is an old, powerful woman named Dalisse. And, er, I'm going to find her daughter's cat for re-homing afterwards, on the assurance it is a completely mundane pet. I'll have to do that on the way out, though."

Udella nodded.
"No do not betray that if he looses control and can not be talked into accepting the serum or some other form of restraint, you will not be the one who deals with him, you can comfort him once he is in custody but you will not betray his trust but yes I think that if it comes to that he will agree, he is a fine young man, his Mentor have done well."
The Quesitor said softly she looked at you for a moment but said nothing more, but it was as if she was saying that especially you she would never pressure to betray a member of your own Cabal even when it was for his own good.

He nodded, smiling thinly, "That was a poor choice of words on my part, perhaps... Though, if he is in the Schism War, that might present a different difficulty, since he was alive at the time..."

While Colin gave his attention to him, Adley's attention was on the sobbing prisoner in the event she suddenly tried to harm him. Then he said, "I am not badly injured, I do not need to be restrained. I have my orders and I can follow them," he insisted. Then he gave a confused look at why his pater would care...no he would be furious AT him, for needing to be protected in the middle of the battle. And shamed. If he were still a student, no doubt he would be punished severely. "I remember you are my friend of the same House as my closest amicus," he replied, trying to find how they were connected, this kinship that Colin spoke about. Part of his heart was filled by the loss of Carmon, as if this one had suddenly stepped up into that void and yet there was not resentment over it. "I admit that I have had my head head hard. But do not administer that poison to me," he said, warily. "Tie me up instead, if you have to do so." Seeing the others so useless and nauseated...to think of himself so incapacitated in a fight was something he wished to avoid. Then he said, "I was told to protect you while you dealt with the prisoners and then refresh my protections. Other than that, I am prepared to assist you in whatever task is required." There was sadness in his words, some of those here seemed hardly older than children and he knew that some would be given death. Again, he could see Carmon at that task and the sorrow that built while they were on the March. But he was not here, he had been removed in the worst of ways.

He nodded, "I can do that, certainly. But as you say, you have your orders and can follow them - that ability is not in question. Our concern is if that changes... in which case I will let you know. Head injuries can prove dangerous minutes or hours, even days later, believe me... And as you wish, I will not give you the poison, but fair warning - the bindings will hurt worse."
He paused for a moment, "As for your closest amicus - no names on the battlefield, of course - he is a good man. I would advice you to put concern for him aside for the day; he's resting back at the Covenant, safe as can be. Far safer than those of us on the battlefield, for certain..."

"I...ehm...my room is in that corridor...my Mentor's room is there...fuck a portal to...but how...why?"
The girl muttered she looked rather stressed.
"But that portal is gone right? All gone it can not...suddenly open or anything?"
She asked fearfully.
"I...such a thing is...and yes that rack is...bad...I could hear the screams at night when I went to bed at times, before they all eventually stopped screaming and just lay there...I am used to things like that I have spent most of my life in a Labyrinth but...it is hard for someone not yet Fallen to...accept."
She muttered softly.

He nodded, "I don't know how the portal was made, precisely; I don't have that deep an understanding - but it was set up as a trap on the Node; if anyone tampered with either, it would suck everything down into nothingness... and Cotta feared it, so she made a back door to dismantling it. Neither the portal nor the Node are going to do anything much for some time now... Least of all scream. Well, the primal flames blazing through the chamber are going to keep blasting away for as long as there is any power left there, but that's about it..."

"I...was always told I would understand after...I had gone to the Caul and I tried to understand I did. I can understand wanting Oblivion as a personal path a return to nothingness I can understand that but to unmake the world, it have to be metaphorical..."
The girl protested then she sigh.
"My Mentor would not let me go to the Caul, most of the other apprentices went early in their apprenticeships but my teacher she...was afraid for me, afraid I would get scared and hurt and she would not let me go, no matter how much I begged to be allowed to to be like the others...you are right one can not be a Nephandus without going to the Cauls and..."
The girl looked away.
"Yes my Avatar want growth, development and Asencion...but my Mentor...I want to please her I have been told that the goals of the Nephandi is the only right thing from I was around 11 I..."
The apprentice seamed rather confused and she glanced up at you it was all to much for her and now being forced to question her deeply held truths and beliefs she sat there shaking, still sitting on her hands to protect them not knowing what to say or do.

He sighed softly, "I'll allow that the Nephandi are right in one regard - the world can be a rather shitty place. But that's as far as I'm willing to go - the Fallen want to unmake everything, to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The Technocracy wants to preserve the world, to prevent sudden change of any sort. The Traditions... Ideally, we'll change the world for the better. The world is flawed, and the Nephandi are not helping... but you can, if you just set your mind to it."

"My Mentor would have the courage to look death straight in the eye and stay loyal until the end but if everyone is...dead...I..."
The girl looked down and tears rolled down her cheeks.
"They are everyone I know."
She muttered.
"How can you expect me to betray them all even if they are dead?"

He shrugged, "Not everyone is dead, yet. But more importantly, if Abigail tears everyone, friend and foe alike, limb from limb, who is the betrayer? Remember, it was the actions of her and Lisa Larson that brought the combined wrath of the Traditions and the Jade Demon down on this Labyrinth today. Abigail is no true leader; she's a narcissistic despot with a hedonistic streak a mile wide. If one of you were lost to the Technocracy or the Traditions, how much do you think she would have given a shit? Hell, Larson had Martha Cunningham gilguled and blamed us for it, and what has Abigail done in response?"

"You do not need to describe it...this is a Labyrinth Traditionalist I have...seen it done...it is...horrible."
The young mage muttered and she looked rather sick at the thought though her nausea could be the serum off course.
"Poor Dalett she must be scared out of her mind. I can not imagine...knowing that one go to...that I would die of fright on the spot."
She muttered and nodded.
"I think having her servant with her will ease things, at least a little bit...if anything can ease fear like that...but why would you care about the comfort of a Nephanda?"
She asked and glanced up at you.

He nodded, "I've been closer to it than I like, too... It's a strange thing, though, how the human will can keep one alive in the most horrifying situations... I've never been quite sure whether that's a blessing or a curse, but... well..."
He frowned, "I care because she is a person. Because she is my prisoner, and I hold certain ideals in high regard when it comes to treating captives. And because... well, some might call me an old softie, I suppose, but I've always believed that people should be treated with a certain minimum of respect, regardless of their background. Even Diego isn't able to make me stray from that, though he does make himself hard to acknowledge as a thinking being..."

"I guess being remembered still matters for as long as the world exist though I guess no one will remember us when it is all gone...that is kind of sad."
The apprentice whispered.
"I do...not want to die, but would you betray the Traditions if someone pointed a gun at your head? Why then do you think I should betray my side?"
She asked trying to be brave though she was shivering and near tears and was not doing a to good job of it.

He shook his head, then looked at the girl with the blankest expression a scar-crossed face could ever muster, "No, I wouldn't... A thousand times no; there's pretty strong precedent for why that's a bad idea in the first place... but be honest with yourself, are the Nephandi truly on your side? The constant abuses you've observed around here, recreational torture, the seniors helping themselves to whatever indulgences they want to from their juniors... and the so-called mistress of this place so callous as to rig the place to get sucked into oblivion if she thought it would be taken by invaders, regardless of the state of the defenses at the time... does that really sound like your own allies, or does it sound like a really bad case of Stockholm syndrome?"

The apprentice nodded at that.
"Yeah...true enough words that."
She muttered sadly.
"Why can't mages focus on the fun stuff like other worlds and casting spells and not you know, how to kill others of our own kind?"

He sighed, "Honestly? Because Mages are humans, and humans are short-sighted idiots as a general rule... I don't know who fired the first shot in the whole bloody war, and at this point, I don't rightly care... but I should like to be standing there after the last shot is fired. And, in all honesty, I think you want the same thing..."

"They are? Apprentices are not taken to the beds of older magi or tortured for sport if those said elders desire it?"
She asked as if this was quite normal and she was skeptical of your claim that this was not so in the Traditions as it sounded outlandish to her not to exploit those who was weaker than you unless they had a powerful protector.

He shook his head, "Not as a rule, no. Oh, it happens, I suppose - a bad apple will crop up from time to time - but we do have laws and rules of conduct. Varying a little from tradition to tradition, of course, and some are far harsher than others in punishing abuses, but on the whole, apprentices are cared for and protected by their mentors, and not exploited as cheap fun by anyone with a flimsy grasp on morals and ethics."

The young mage paled.
"Yeah fuck...you are right Lady Abigail would try to take it all with her if she is going down herself...we might all be done for..."
She muttered.
"Ok listen fine...my Mentor is dead and the Labyrinth is doomed, I do not want to end up in Oblivion or something like that or eaten by some thing that should not be I...am not saying I will give you any information or some shit but I...will help you open my Mentor's passageway."
She said and looked down in defeat.
"Which means I am betraying everyone I know."
She whispered in a sore tone of voice.

He nodded, "Thank you... and there are some lower members who made their escape. You may have just saved their lives, at least - given them the chance to get clear of the area instead of getting caught in whatever Abigail is preparing..."

((OOC: Yeah, it just came out sometime in the past month or so, I think - it's a cooperative card game rather than competitive. I'll give y'all a better report once I get to try it. As for the canceled game - eh, shit happens. It's not that the rules for D&D are more complicated - 5th Ed is fairly kind to the DM like that - but I was in a COMPLETELY different mindset. Fate Accelerated is far more freeform and narrative by design, and when I didn't so much as have my own dice or books with me, that's an Issue.))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "In any case, whatever solution ends up being used, it will not be permanent. I'll make sure there will be times when she will be free to use magic, even if much of her time will be spent restrained for the immediate future... Hum, of course, a piece of jewelry could do the job, as well - a seamless ring in her piercing, for example..."

"Good we are mages we really can not live without magick, if you take that from her it is the same as braking the wings of a bird."
The old Nephanda said then she sigh.
"Well it depends on your leaders, after all if it where me I would not agree to that as a piercing, even a locked one can be ripped out it is something different with a piece fastened around a body part you just can't afford to loose."
Dalett said firmly.
"I just hope the girl is not to traumatized when such alternative restraints are attained for her."

He bowed to Crexia; a simple, proper bow as one might expect from an Edwardian butler to his employer, "Thank you, ma'am. That's all I can ask."

Crexia looked at you for a moment and then simply nodded.

He nodded, "Tonight will be profitable for the distilleries, I suspect...

"Yes after what I have done today...something strong and numbing would be most tempting."
The old Quesitor said darkly before she looked down sadly.

And sparing a life, even if only temporarily, well... I find that kindness and mercy tends to pay off more often than ruthless expedience, especially in the long run...

The Enforcer nodded.
"Yes that is often the case, kindness can be surprisingly effective at times."

The Nephanda - Dalett Vega is her name - told me that Larson's Labyrinth is a battlecruiser... and the Handler is an old, powerful woman named Dalisse. And, er, I'm going to find her daughter's cat for re-homing afterwards, on the assurance it is a completely mundane pet. I'll have to do that on the way out, though."

"Dalett Vega, I will remember her name."
Udella said then she swore softly in Latin at the rest of what you where saying.
"Damnation...a battle cruiser, do you think it can still fly? Larson's Labyrinth I mean? For that is going to present a problem."
She asked then she raised an eyebrow.
"You are rehoming a dead Nephanda's pet cat? Well I guess that is a kind act but it seams a odd thing to think of in a situation like this."

He nodded, smiling thinly, "That was a poor choice of words on my part, perhaps... Though, if he is in the Schism War, that might present a different difficulty, since he was alive at the time..."

"Who was alive at the time of the Schism War? Are you thinking about a former incarnation of your Cabalmate?"
Udella asked then she glanced at Adley.
"Hum yes that would explain the accuracy of how he view that time from what I have read about it at least."

He nodded, "I don't know how the portal was made, precisely; I don't have that deep an understanding - but it was set up as a trap on the Node; if anyone tampered with either, it would suck everything down into nothingness... and Cotta feared it, so she made a back door to dismantling it. Neither the portal nor the Node are going to do anything much for some time now... Least of all scream. Well, the primal flames blazing through the chamber are going to keep blasting away for as long as there is any power left there, but that's about it..."

"That...is bad...what if that portal had gone of by mistake...shit!"
The young prisoner exclaimed nervously then she nodded.
"Perhaps destroying that Node is for the best."

He sighed softly, "I'll allow that the Nephandi are right in one regard - the world can be a rather shitty place. But that's as far as I'm willing to go - the Fallen want to unmake everything, to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The Technocracy wants to preserve the world, to prevent sudden change of any sort. The Traditions... Ideally, we'll change the world for the better. The world is flawed, and the Nephandi are not helping... but you can, if you just set your mind to it."

"But I...have been taught..."
The girl begun she looked a bit irritated she did not like to be made to question her Mentor's teachings, she did not like to have to question everything she had grown up believing to be true.
"I am not so sure I can help all that much."
She muttered.

He shrugged, "Not everyone is dead, yet. But more importantly, if Abigail tears everyone, friend and foe alike, limb from limb, who is the betrayer? Remember, it was the actions of her and Lisa Larson that brought the combined wrath of the Traditions and the Jade Demon down on this Labyrinth today. Abigail is no true leader; she's a narcissistic despot with a hedonistic streak a mile wide.

"Yeah she is a hedonist alright, let us just say I am very glad I am not a pretty boy, she do...horrible things to pretty young men who catch her eye in this Labyrinth."
The girl said and nodded.
"Well she could have handled things better and what Lady Abigail and Lisa Larson is up to I am not so sure I like it though I do not really know what it is, but my Mentor was loyal to the woman and I have no right to question that."
She muttered.

If one of you were lost to the Technocracy or the Traditions, how much do you think she would have given a shit?

"Probably she would not have cared all that much unless the captured person had some important role to play in her plans."
The apprentice admitted and sigh.

Hell, Larson had Martha Cunningham gilguled and blamed us for it, and what has Abigail done in response?"

"Martha have been...by Larson?"
The girl's eyes grew wide.
"But...she is Lady Abigail's favorite student, how? Why would Larson do that? It makes no sense?"
She asked seamed a bit doubtful of your claim.

He nodded, "I've been closer to it than I like, too... It's a strange thing, though, how the human will can keep one alive in the most horrifying situations... I've never been quite sure whether that's a blessing or a curse, but... well..."

The young mage just shuddered at that and looked down.

He frowned, "I care because she is a person. Because she is my prisoner, and I hold certain ideals in high regard when it comes to treating captives. And because... well, some might call me an old softie, I suppose, but I've always believed that people should be treated with a certain minimum of respect, regardless of their background. Even Diego isn't able to make me stray from that, though he does make himself hard to acknowledge as a thinking being..."

"Fucking Diego...your side got him...good riddance!"
The apprentice muttered and spat on the floor.
"Gilgulling him is a mercy for his Avatar can you imagine spending a lifetime stuck in Diego's soul?"
She exclaimed then she sigh.
"Well what you say about captives do make sense I guess but it is so far from anything I have learned from my Mentor, prisoners are not really treated well around here."

He shook his head, then looked at the girl with the blankest expression a scar-crossed face could ever muster, "No, I wouldn't... A thousand times no; there's pretty strong precedent for why that's a bad idea in the first place... but be honest with yourself, are the Nephandi truly on your side? The constant abuses you've observed around here, recreational torture, the seniors helping themselves to whatever indulgences they want to from their juniors... and the so-called mistress of this place so callous as to rig the place to get sucked into oblivion if she thought it would be taken by invaders, regardless of the state of the defenses at the time... does that really sound like your own allies, or does it sound like a really bad case of Stockholm syndrome?"

"I have never been hurt I...well my Mentor have protected me and..."
The girl begun to protest going so far as to shift her butt as if she wanted her hands free to gesticulate her protest at what you where saying but then with one look at Adley she tucked them well under herself again before she continued.
"I do not have Stockholm syndrome I...I...well they have to be my allies they...but my Mentor said..."
She tried to find good arguments and in being forced to question her beliefs she just got angry when she could not answer your questions and looked down and muttered sullenly.
"Asshole!"

He sighed, "Honestly? Because Mages are humans, and humans are short-sighted idiots as a general rule... I don't know who fired the first shot in the whole bloody war, and at this point, I don't rightly care... but I should like to be standing there after the last shot is fired. And, in all honesty, I think you want the same thing..."

"I guess you are right...and it sucks. I do not want my Mentor to be dead. I do not want to lie awake at night and worry what will happen if I get captured by one of the other factions. I do not want some creepy dude who seam to only speak really old Latin to threaten to break my fingers...I do not want any of it and yes I would want to be alive when the last shot in the bloody war was fired...I would want that."
She muttered and glanced at you.

He shook his head, "Not as a rule, no. Oh, it happens, I suppose - a bad apple will crop up from time to time - but we do have laws and rules of conduct. Varying a little from tradition to tradition, of course, and some are far harsher than others in punishing abuses, but on the whole, apprentices are cared for and protected by their mentors, and not exploited as cheap fun by anyone with a flimsy grasp on morals and ethics."

"That do...sound...safer."
The young woman muttered.
"I would like to not have to worry about ending up as the chief interrogator's fun for the evening if my Mentor was not always watching and smacking fingers that got to close, metaphorically and literary meant."
She said and looked a little uneasy.
"That have happened to a few of the other apprentices and they where never the same again afterwards."

He nodded, "Thank you... and there are some lower members who made their escape. You may have just saved their lives, at least - given them the chance to get clear of the area instead of getting caught in whatever Abigail is preparing..."

The young mage looked at you, clearly not sure if she was doing the right thing but she nodded.
"So some escaped? Do you know who?"
She asked and smiled a little then she turned serious again.
"So what happens now?"
She asked nervously.

(OOC: Yeah I get the different mindset thing it would be hard to play a game with a completely different mood than the one I intended. I can do without my books and dice but changing mindset like that can be hard. As for the cardgame it do sound fun I would like to learn more about it.)

[Adley]

"Who was alive at the time of the Schism War? Are you thinking about a former incarnation of your Cabalmate?" Udella asked then she glanced at Adley. "Hum yes that would explain the accuracy of how he view that time from what I have read about it at least."

Again, the woman's eyes were on him and he kept a respectful attitude through her renewed scrutiny. Whatever was passing between them, he decided that the best course was to act as normally as he could until his memories returned fully.

He nodded, "I can do that, certainly. But as you say, you have your orders and can follow them - that ability is not in question. Our concern is if that changes... in which case I will let you know. Head injuries can prove dangerous minutes or hours, even days later, believe me... And as you wish, I will not give you the poison, but fair warning - the bindings will hurt worse."

"This is not the first time I have been injured," he said, though he seemed to acquiesce to the point that head injuries could later be worse with a nod. He had, after all forgotten about the Bonisagus woman. "As long as you do not mangle my hands permanently. I would prefer to be able to use my abilities if I am needed and able should the need arise. That poison you call Serum. I imagine it works from dawn to dusk, or for a set amount of time like a potion. You could not choose to unbind me from it's powers as easily as rope if you had need of me. I would prefer not to discuss this in front of the Diedne and while we must see to this skirmish to its end," he requested politely enough.

He paused for a moment, "As for your closest amicus - no names on the battlefield, of course - he is a good man. I would advice you to put concern for him aside for the day; he's resting back at the Covenant, safe as can be. Far safer than those of us on the battlefield, for certain..."

"Yes, you are correct. I am voicing my association to you, you seemed concerned I had forgotten you. I have not. My duty is here with you under our commander's orders, to complete our mission," he said. With that he straitened his shoulders as if he were shaking off a bad feeling. He didn't much like being told twice to forget about Carmon but it was true, there was no practical use in worrying over him. That could not be argued. The woman on the ground was still fretting - it was a shame, so many of them were so young. He hoped she did not run off...his eyes narrowed at her arms, seeing if she were trying to subtly cast a spell with her hands beneath her. "Let us attend to our tasks," he said. Much of the conversations that occurred following that he did not understand, but he did know body language and could see the emotional changes between the pair. She even spat on the ground, at one point. She was talking coherently and didn't seem to be panicking for the moment, nor attacking or running off which was for the good.

// I like co-operative games, keep me posted

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

The prisoner glanced from you to Colin and back again but she did not speak up or interfere in your personal discussion mostly she looked scared and afraid what you might do to her, well that was normal enough, many Flambeau had a reputation for brutality, often when a Wizard's March where called they where first in line to hunt the cast out magus, for the thrill of the hunt and to be able to test out new, destructive spells on a living target, you had never much approved of such sport and found a March to be a solemn affair, needed yes but solemn. Your House should be more than aggressive firestarters, even your hated Mentor believed that, believed in a nobility to your House and when discussing the heroic end of your Founder focused on the fact that the man willingly had stood his ground and given his life to secure a victory rather than how big and impressive his final spell had been, though it certainly had been at that.

Many Diedne had been burned to death by Flambeau magick and not always quickly, this girl had reason to fear even if you would not treat her so. You know Carmon favored a bit of opium and a sharp blade for executions, it was slow but painless giving them a opium to dull pain and fear and then opening a vein and letting them bleed to death by the fireplace so they would stay warm and comfortable, at least if there where time for such kindness, he always told you that once the fight was over if you had to end someone's life, and especially someone Gifted like yourself, if they cried out in pain, if their final moments where filled with horror then you had lost. But the girl could not know that though the method of execution Colin had spoken of to sounded painless that would require allot of power, few magi where capable of such might. Your Mentor at times spoke with anger of how some of your House hunted down not only Diedne but before that hedge wizards who would not join. He might be a cruel man, heavens knew he was a cruel man but even he saw something wrong in burning some poor herb witch alive, one thing where powerful, organized hedge wizards who could one day grow to become a threat to the Order, but some old crone with a minor Gift? Your House had gotten a reputation as mage killers and there where some among you even your cruel Mentor who where not in favor of that but with those rumors if she had guessed at your House there where no wonder the young prisoner was terrified of you.

The girl did not seam like she was casting a spell, though off course her hands being out of sight where never a good idea. Carmon always said to never let an enemy, especially not another magus hide their hands, it was not safe, your guess would be she was just trying to protect her hands and felt saver with them under her but one never knew. When you said that there was need to attend to your tasks the girl gave you a fearful look, she clearly wondered what those tasks was and feared them.

[Warpmind]

"Good we are mages we really can not live without magick, if you take that from her it is the same as braking the wings of a bird."
The old Nephanda said then she sigh.
"Well it depends on your leaders, after all if it where me I would not agree to that as a piercing, even a locked one can be ripped out it is something different with a piece fastened around a body part you just can't afford to loose."
Dalett said firmly.
"I just hope the girl is not to traumatized when such alternative restraints are attained for her."

Colin nodded, "I have faith. I have to... she's already saved my life a few times in the future."

The Enforcer nodded.
"Yes that is often the case, kindness can be surprisingly effective at times."

He nodded thoughtfully, "And in all honesty, it feels a lot better, too..."

"Dalett Vega, I will remember her name."
Udella said then she swore softly in Latin at the rest of what you where saying.
"Damnation...a battle cruiser, do you think it can still fly? Larson's Labyrinth I mean? For that is going to present a problem."
She asked then she raised an eyebrow.
"You are rehoming a dead Nephanda's pet cat? Well I guess that is a kind act but it seams a odd thing to think of in a situation like this."

Colin frowned, "I think there's a substantial chance it can still fly... That, however, may actually serve us - if we can get to the Handler and take her out, the polyp should be able to act on its own volition, possibly start to leave. And possibly, we might be able to kill the thing - those bastards may be difficult to take out in ship-to-ship battle, but the interior is... less resilient is perhaps the best term."
He smiled thinly, "Madame Vega asked me nicely, as a favour. In return, she volunteered an answer to a question - I chose to learn what she knew of Larson's Labyrinth. She honoured that, and I am compelled to do the same... Of course, I would try to rescue the cat in any case - provided it's not a magical being. It's not its fault that it happens to live in a Labyrinth."

"Who was alive at the time of the Schism War? Are you thinking about a former incarnation of your Cabalmate?"
Udella asked then she glanced at Adley.
"Hum yes that would explain the accuracy of how he view that time from what I have read about it at least."

He nodded, "He knew our old Tremere guest back then - they were the closest of friends when the House... well... Let's just say that's bound to be a complication."
He frowned and whispered, "Bugger... I don't think he can use the pine cone now... That's thrown a spanner in the works - it's Verbena magic, and I don't know how to draw Quintessence from my own flesh and blood..."

"That...is bad...what if that portal had gone of by mistake...shit!"
The young prisoner exclaimed nervously then she nodded.
"Perhaps destroying that Node is for the best."

He nodded, "I don't think it would have gone off accidentally, though - Cotta and Warden were admittedly highly competent."

"But I...have been taught..."
The girl begun she looked a bit irritated she did not like to be made to question her Mentor's teachings, she did not like to have to question everything she had grown up believing to be true.
"I am not so sure I can help all that much."
She muttered.

He smiled thinly, "You haven't been taught so much as indoctrinated - you've not been given the chance to find out things for yourself, have you? Whereas I... I had to find out everything on my own; no Mentor, no Tradition, no single viewpoint forced down my throat. It's amazing what you can learn when you can question multiple perspectives..."

"Yeah she is a hedonist alright, let us just say I am very glad I am not a pretty boy, she do...horrible things to pretty young men who catch her eye in this Labyrinth."
The girl said and nodded.
"Well she could have handled things better and what Lady Abigail and Lisa Larson is up to I am not so sure I like it though I do not really know what it is, but my Mentor was loyal to the woman and I have no right to question that."
She muttered.

He nodded, "Do you know what an Aswadim is?"

"Martha have been...by Larson?"
The girl's eyes grew wide.
"But...she is Lady Abigail's favorite student, how? Why would Larson do that? It makes no sense?"
She asked seamed a bit doubtful of your claim.

He shrugged, "Mrs. Cunningham was sent to aid things in Boston... Nobody here knew what Larson would do to to all the widderslaintes she got, but the horrible truth is, there are almost no widderslaintes alive in Boston... She used up her own, then the ones she could get in from outside... all part of her preparations, it seems, to bind an Aswadim."

"Fucking Diego...your side got him...good riddance!"
The apprentice muttered and spat on the floor.
"Gilgulling him is a mercy for his Avatar can you imagine spending a lifetime stuck in Diego's soul?"
She exclaimed then she sigh.
"Well what you say about captives do make sense I guess but it is so far from anything I have learned from my Mentor, prisoners are not really treated well around here."

He frowned, "Honestly, I'm inclined to think even Diego hates being stuck in Diego..."

"I have never been hurt I...well my Mentor have protected me and..."
The girl begun to protest going so far as to shift her butt as if she wanted her hands free to gesticulate her protest at what you where saying but then with one look at Adley she tucked them well under herself again before she continued.
"I do not have Stockholm syndrome I...I...well they have to be my allies they...but my Mentor said..."
She tried to find good arguments and in being forced to question her beliefs she just got angry when she could not answer your questions and looked down and muttered sullenly.
"Asshole!"

He smiled thinly, "I've been called worse. Occasionally, like now, it's even been quite rightly so..."

"I guess you are right...and it sucks. I do not want my Mentor to be dead. I do not want to lie awake at night and worry what will happen if I get captured by one of the other factions. I do not want some creepy dude who seam to only speak really old Latin to threaten to break my fingers...I do not want any of it and yes I would want to be alive when the last shot in the bloody war was fired...I would want that."
She muttered and glanced at you.

He glanced over at Adley, just for an instant, "Yes, well, he can get a bit old-fashioned on occasion. Finger-breaking is off the menu, though - that much I can at least say with some certainty."

"That do...sound...safer."
The young woman muttered.
"I would like to not have to worry about ending up as the chief interrogator's fun for the evening if my Mentor was not always watching and smacking fingers that got to close, metaphorically and literary meant."
She said and looked a little uneasy.
"That have happened to a few of the other apprentices and they where never the same again afterwards."

He smiled wryly, "I know a few people who would be pretty swift and vicious in their defense of their apprentices... suffice to say, trying something untoward would likely result in a quite permanent learning experience..."

The young mage looked at you, clearly not sure if she was doing the right thing but she nodded.
"So some escaped? Do you know who?"
She asked and smiled a little then she turned serious again.
"So what happens now?"
She asked nervously.

He shrugged, "Names are dangerous things... But yes, Tian got away from the scuffle in Gary, and there was a small group including a Fallen Hermetic and a Fallen Etherite, I believe. As for what happens now, you will come with us to open your Mentor's back door to the Caul chamber, and we will stop Abigail by any means necessary. And after that, I expect you will be the focal point of some fascinating legal debate, depending on your conduct..."

"This is not the first time I have been injured," he said, though he seemed to acquiesce to the point that head injuries could later be worse with a nod. He had, after all forgotten about the Bonisagus woman. "As long as you do not mangle my hands permanently. I would prefer to be able to use my abilities if I am needed and able should the need arise. That poison you call Serum. I imagine it works from dawn to dusk, or for a set amount of time like a potion. You could not choose to unbind me from it's powers as easily as rope if you had need of me. I would prefer not to discuss this in front of the Diedne and while we must see to this skirmish to its end," he requested politely enough.

He nodded, "The bindings I have will not harm your hands - they will, however, be quite painful, and I am reluctant to use them even on an enemy, let alone a friend... I do agree, though, the poison will have to run its course for a full night and day, which makes it less practical in case your abilities are needed again before that time."

"Yes, you are correct. I am voicing my association to you, you seemed concerned I had forgotten you. I have not. My duty is here with you under our commander's orders, to complete our mission," he said. With that he straitened his shoulders as if he were shaking off a bad feeling. He didn't much like being told twice to forget about Carmon but it was true, there was no practical use in worrying over him. That could not be argued. The woman on the ground was still fretting - it was a shame, so many of them were so young. He hoped she did not run off...his eyes narrowed at her arms, seeing if she were trying to subtly cast a spell with her hands beneath her. "Let us attend to our tasks," he said. Much of the conversations that occurred following that he did not understand, but he did know body language and could see the emotional changes between the pair. She even spat on the ground, at one point. She was talking coherently and didn't seem to be panicking for the moment, nor attacking or running off which was for the good.

He grinned, "Then let us make sure we return home with tales to thrill and entertain him; and perhaps to make him wish he could have joined us to see it in person. And to our tasks... We need a mundane rope; no need to harm her hands in any manner, just restrain her wrists..."
He looked up at Leon, still keeping to the Latin, "Sodalis, do you have another rope at hand?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "I have faith. I have to... she's already saved my life a few times in the future."

"Well seeing how you treat a prisoner you do not even know Sir I am sure you will treat your own apprentice kindly, perhaps kindness and understanding can help offset the bad things she will experience."
Dalett said and smiled softly.

He nodded thoughtfully, "And in all honesty, it feels a lot better, too..."

"That it do indeed."
Udella said and nodded in agreement.

Colin frowned, "I think there's a substantial chance it can still fly... That, however, may actually serve us - if we can get to the Handler and take her out, the polyp should be able to act on its own volition, possibly start to leave. And possibly, we might be able to kill the thing - those bastards may be difficult to take out in ship-to-ship battle, but the interior is... less resilient is perhaps the best term."

"Hum...well there would be a problem if the thing decided to leave while our own troops where still on it, through I guess that would also be a kink in Larson's plans as well...hum killing the thing from the inside might work yes but the question is if Larson can still operate even with her ship dead, but yes it do open some new possibilities, and some new problems."
The Quesitor said and nodded.

He smiled thinly, "Madame Vega asked me nicely, as a favour. In return, she volunteered an answer to a question - I chose to learn what she knew of Larson's Labyrinth. She honoured that, and I am compelled to do the same... Of course, I would try to rescue the cat in any case - provided it's not a magical being. It's not its fault that it happens to live in a Labyrinth."

"Hum...well that is a fair enough trade I suppose, surprising and perhaps sobering considering what will happen to her that she would care that much about an animal, but still fair enough. If at all possible we will stop and get the cat then, it is important to honor one's deals, after all like the Protocols says, a mage's word is his honor."
Udella said as she glanced first at you and then at Dalett.

He nodded, "He knew our old Tremere guest back then - they were the closest of friends when the House... well... Let's just say that's bound to be a complication."

"I see, a former life then, well a throwback is not an uncommon what shall we say, setting for a Quiet."

He frowned and whispered, "Bugger... I don't think he can use the pine cone now... That's thrown a spanner in the works - it's Verbena magic, and I don't know how to draw Quintessence from my own flesh and blood..."

Udella raised an eyebrow.
"You think using Heart's Blood will be needed to use the pine cone?"
She asked and glanced at Adley.
"That can be a problem indeed, some Flambeau did learn tricks from the Diedne that fought, before or during the war with them so his might know how, you are probably the one best suited to ask him about it though for if that is needed and he can not use the pine cone we might indeed ave a problem."

He nodded, "I don't think it would have gone off accidentally, though - Cotta and Warden were admittedly highly competent."

"That...is good I suppose."
The apprentice said she still looked rather concerned though.
"Where...are Warden and Cotta among the dead then?"
She muttered and glanced at you.
"Dammit!"

He smiled thinly, "You haven't been taught so much as indoctrinated - you've not been given the chance to find out things for yourself, have you? Whereas I... I had to find out everything on my own; no Mentor, no Tradition, no single viewpoint forced down my throat. It's amazing what you can learn when you can question multiple perspectives..."

"Are you by that saying everyone who have a Tradition or a Mentor are indoctrinated then?"
The girl challenged and glanced up at you.

He nodded, "Do you know what an Aswadim is?"

"Yes off course, a Nephandic Oracle what about it? They are the big heroes of the Nephandi in a way though they seldom act, they just visit Labyrinths at times and are basically worshiped."

He shrugged, "Mrs. Cunningham was sent to aid things in Boston... Nobody here knew what Larson would do to to all the widderslaintes she got, but the horrible truth is, there are almost no widderslaintes alive in Boston... She used up her own, then the ones she could get in from outside... all part of her preparations, it seems, to bind an Aswadim."

"Why would Larson attack widderslaintes, yeah sure there are some conflict between those who are born Fallen and those who go through the Caul in this life. Some Barrabbi look at widderslaintes as not dedicated enough since they did not suffer through the Caul and often do not even remember it and some widderslainte look at Barrabi as mere turncoats and like a figure in a novel once said never trust a traitor, however why would Larson have widderslainte...ehm...it makes no sense!"
The girl said and shook her head disbelieving.
"Do Lady Abigail know about this? I mean not only will she not be happy about her own apprentice being attacked, and she will not be happy about my Mentor either by the way, she do care about her students she will want to kick your ass, but beside all that Lady Abigail is a widderslainte herself!"
She said and shook her head again.
"It makes no sense."
She repeated then she sigh.
"Do that mean that Martha is dead now?"

He frowned, "Honestly, I'm inclined to think even Diego hates being stuck in Diego..."

"Yeah well let us just say he have embraced the stereotype of a Nephandus, kicking grandmothers and bathing in puppy guts, he is an idiot!"

He smiled thinly, "I've been called worse. Occasionally, like now, it's even been quite rightly so..."

"Yeah...you are damn right it is rightly so, you are a very, very big asshole!"
The girl grumbled angrily no one like to have their worldview challenged by the man who killed their teacher.

He glanced over at Adley, just for an instant, "Yes, well, he can get a bit old-fashioned on occasion. Finger-breaking is off the menu, though - that much I can at least say with some certainty."

"Are you sure? And how can I trust you about that."
The girl said, she did not look like she planned to untuck her hands from under her bottom anytime soon.

He smiled wryly, "I know a few people who would be pretty swift and vicious in their defense of their apprentices... suffice to say, trying something untoward would likely result in a quite permanent learning experience..."

"My own Mentor did defend me you know, many Nephandi to defend their apprentices. For example you do not want to play a finger on our main interrogator student, not if you value your brain not poked full of holes...it is sort of his thing..."
She muttered and shuddered.
"Anyway my own Mentor took care of a few who tried things with me as well and Lady Abigail would skin anyone who hurt her three students alive if she caught them."

He shrugged, "Names are dangerous things... But yes, Tian got away from the scuffle in Gary, and there was a small group including a Fallen Hermetic and a Fallen Etherite, I believe.

"If that why you have not give me your name? Or asked mine?"
She asked then she smiled.
"Good Tian is nice I hope he do get away, as for Fallen Hermetics well we have a few of those, first, second and third generation like I would be if my Mentor had let me go to the Cauls...Etherite hum...I think we only have one of those though, Doc was a Progenitor or something I think, a long time ago or whatever the Progenitors was before they took that name, Technocracy history is not my strong suit."

As for what happens now, you will come with us to open your Mentor's back door to the Caul chamber, and we will stop Abigail by any means necessary. And after that, I expect you will be the focal point of some fascinating legal debate, depending on your conduct..."

"I guess I can do that, to make sure Lady Abigail do not try to take us all with her when she go down...but legal debate, I do not understand?"
The girl said and she looked rather confused.

We need a mundane rope; no need to harm her hands in any manner, just restrain her wrists..."
He looked up at Leon, still keeping to the Latin, "Sodalis, do you have another rope at hand?"

Leon nodded he looked fine now despite being shot earlier he handed you the string of a backpack or something.
"Will this do?"
He asked and looked at the young prisoner that did not look like she trusted what you where saying about Adley not harming her hands not did she look like she would be presenting them for binding anytime soon, it was safer to keep them tucked away.
"Ehm do you need help holding her?"
Leon asked looking like he did not relish the idea of holding a young woman down so you could bind her hands. Leon did reply in Latin smoothly, most Hermetics learned to speak that language.

[Adley]

He glanced over at Adley, just for an instant, "Yes, well, he can get a bit old-fashioned on occasion. Finger-breaking is off the menu, though - that much I can at least say with some certainty."

He looked back at Colin rather blankly - whatever he'd said wasn't for his ears and he did not seem distressed, but if he wanted his attention he had it momentarily.

He nodded, "The bindings I have will not harm your hands - they will, however, be quite painful, and I am reluctant to use them even on an enemy, let alone a friend... I do agree, though, the poison will have to run its course for a full night and day, which makes it less practical in case your abilities are needed again before that time."

"Pain is surmountable and I am no stranger to it, though in either case I do not wish to be left defenseless. However, I commend your wish to avoid needless cruelty."

He grinned, "Then let us make sure we return home with tales to thrill and entertain him; and perhaps to make him wish he could have joined us to see it in person. And to our tasks... We need a mundane rope; no need to harm her hands in any manner, just restrain her wrists..."
He looked up at Leon, still keeping to the Latin, "Sodalis, do you have another rope at hand?"

He did not smile back. In fact, quite the opposite, given what had heard happened to Carmon from their Commander and the fact they were dealing with the aftermath of a battle, he looked achingly sad. Yet he knew this was a common attitude, to regale in war stories and it was supposed to be good for morale. "I am sure he will be glad of our safe and victorious return, he replied in a flat tone. Then, "I have upset the prisoner unduly, I did not mean to do so though I doubt she will care for an apology. I will not interfere unless she attempts to harm us or herself, try to escape or something of that nature unless ordered to do so." The Diedne girl was scared of him and though he didn't want to provoke her further, he had a duty to perform and that was not something he would apologize for.

"Will this do?" He asked and looked at the young prisoner that did not look like she trusted what you where saying about Adley not harming her hands not did she look like she would be presenting them for binding anytime soon, it was safer to keep them tucked away.
"Ehm do you need help holding her?"

Giving the string a look over to see if it would work or cause more harm than good, he then returned to keeping an eye on things.

// to be fair, some of the Labyrinth's people speak 'really old Latin' and would defo be considered creepy from others POV xD

[Warpmind]

"Well seeing how you treat a prisoner you do not even know Sir I am sure you will treat your own apprentice kindly, perhaps kindness and understanding can help offset the bad things she will experience."
Dalett said and smiled softly.

Colin nodded, "I certainly hope so."

"Hum...well there would be a problem if the thing decided to leave while our own troops where still on it, through I guess that would also be a kink in Larson's plans as well...hum killing the thing from the inside might work yes but the question is if Larson can still operate even with her ship dead, but yes it do open some new possibilities, and some new problems."
The Quesitor said and nodded.

He pondered, "Without a brain and a Handler, the polyp would be dead in the water, as it were - its organic components would most likely be rendered inert, useless... Larson, though, would not be personally affected, even if her dark fortress were disabled. Plus, I would expect her to have installed various supplemental electronics independent of the creature itself. She is certainly clever enough to implement that sort of backup..."

"Hum...well that is a fair enough trade I suppose, surprising and perhaps sobering considering what will happen to her that she would care that much about an animal, but still fair enough. If at all possible we will stop and get the cat then, it is important to honor one's deals, after all like the Protocols says, a mage's word is his honor."
Udella said as she glanced first at you and then at Dalett.

He nodded darkly, "She held her daughter as she personally ended her suffering. It's a very... maternal thing to want to ensure the things her daughter loved will remain, I suppose."

Udella raised an eyebrow.
"You think using Heart's Blood will be needed to use the pine cone?"
She asked and glanced at Adley.
"That can be a problem indeed, some Flambeau did learn tricks from the Diedne that fought, before or during the war with them so his might know how, you are probably the one best suited to ask him about it though for if that is needed and he can not use the pine cone we might indeed ave a problem."

He nodded, "I fear it's going to be awkward at best, and dangerous at worst to try to impress on him the importance of the thing..."

"That...is good I suppose."
The apprentice said she still looked rather concerned though.
"Where...are Warden and Cotta among the dead then?"
She muttered and glanced at you.
"Dammit!"

He nodded slowly, "They did not go down easy; Warden tried to gilgul me on the spot, which happened to work in my favour, and Cotta..."
He glanced down at his arm and leg, "Well, Cotta had a bit more success in trying to harm me, but ultimately, she was overpowered. And I can't rightly claim skill and power won the day..."

"Are you by that saying everyone who have a Tradition or a Mentor are indoctrinated then?"
The girl challenged and glanced up at you.

He smiled wryly, "To a far lesser extent, perhaps, but being given a Paradigm by a Mentor does have some... very similar traits. Still, I do have to note that while the Nephandi are a concern for the Traditions, it doesn't seem the Fallen serve the role of monsters under the bed, as I hear Traditionalists do for the Fallen..."

"Yes off course, a Nephandic Oracle what about it? They are the big heroes of the Nephandi in a way though they seldom act, they just visit Labyrinths at times and are basically worshiped."

He nodded, "Basically... It would seem Larson is trying to summon and bind one. How is a little more... fuzzy, but it appears to be the endgame of a seventy-year plot... We've been catching up fast this week."

"Why would Larson attack widderslaintes, yeah sure there are some conflict between those who are born Fallen and those who go through the Caul in this life. Some Barrabbi look at widderslaintes as not dedicated enough since they did not suffer through the Caul and often do not even remember it and some widderslainte look at Barrabi as mere turncoats and like a figure in a novel once said never trust a traitor, however why would Larson have widderslainte...ehm...it makes no sense!"
The girl said and shook her head disbelieving.
"Do Lady Abigail know about this? I mean not only will she not be happy about her own apprentice being attacked, and she will not be happy about my Mentor either by the way, she do care about her students she will want to kick your ass, but beside all that Lady Abigail is a widderslainte herself!"
She said and shook her head again.
"It makes no sense."
She repeated then she sigh.
"Do that mean that Martha is dead now?"

He frowned, "It makes sense in that Larson is perhaps more ruthless and callous than Abigail - and there are details we don't know... and I don't think Abigail knows of Larson's treachery, either. As for Martha Cunningham, she is alive and in our custody... but an Eater of the Weak no longer."

"Yeah well let us just say he have embraced the stereotype of a Nephandus, kicking grandmothers and bathing in puppy guts, he is an idiot!"

He smiled thinly, "Even his Mentor prefers the permanent company of a polyp - and that's saying something..."

"Yeah...you are damn right it is rightly so, you are a very, very big asshole!"
The girl grumbled angrily no one like to have their worldview challenged by the man who killed their teacher.

He sighed, "Some times, it is necessary to be shaken to the core... I don't expect Christmas cards, but I do hope to see you come out on the other side, as magnificent as you ought to be."

"Are you sure? And how can I trust you about that."
The girl said, she did not look like she planned to untuck her hands from under her bottom anytime soon.

He nodded to where he gave her the shot, "Because of the serum. Finger-breaking is the archaic way of preventing hand seal-based magic when no other means are available. You are rendered - pardon the expression - impotent for 24 hours. At that time, well... you might be given the choice of broken fingers or another shot. Between you and me, I'd opt for the shot. As for how you should expect to trust me... I'm an outright terrible liar; never had the taste nor the skill for it. Of course, that's something you'd expect to hear from a skilled liar, as well, so there's a catch-22."

"My own Mentor did defend me you know, many Nephandi to defend their apprentices. For example you do not want to play a finger on our main interrogator student, not if you value your brain not poked full of holes...it is sort of his thing..."
She muttered and shuddered.
"Anyway my own Mentor took care of a few who tried things with me as well and Lady Abigail would skin anyone who hurt her three students alive if she caught them."

He nodded, "And I will step into Gabriel's shoes, it seems - though with less torture and needles."

"If that why you have not give me your name? Or asked mine?"
She asked then she smiled.
"Good Tian is nice I hope he do get away, as for Fallen Hermetics well we have a few of those, first, second and third generation like I would be if my Mentor had let me go to the Cauls...Etherite hum...I think we only have one of those though, Doc was a Progenitor or something I think, a long time ago or whatever the Progenitors was before they took that name, Technocracy history is not my strong suit."

He nodded, "That's pretty much it, yes. And Tian did seem a decent fellow. In fact, he's the one who made me promise to show mercy to Gabriel's apprentice, and so I shall."

"I guess I can do that, to make sure Lady Abigail do not try to take us all with her when she go down...but legal debate, I do not understand?"
The girl said and she looked rather confused.

He smiled wryly, "What to do with you... Gilgul may be highly unlikely, but as you seem quite capable, there may be a few Masters willing to argue in favour of apprenticing you, and just as many determined to see you legally executed for conspiring with the Enemies of Creation... Hence, a complicated legal debate. I'd prefer to be optimistic, though."

Leon nodded he looked fine now despite being shot earlier he handed you the string of a backpack or something.
"Will this do?"
He asked and looked at the young prisoner that did not look like she trusted what you where saying about Adley not harming her hands not did she look like she would be presenting them for binding anytime soon, it was safer to keep them tucked away.
"Ehm do you need help holding her?"
Leon asked looking like he did not relish the idea of holding a young woman down so you could bind her hands. Leon did reply in Latin smoothly, most Hermetics learned to speak that language.

He nodded, "That looks solid enough, thank you... and unless she cooperates and puts her hands out in front, a helping hand may, unfortunately, become necessary..."
He looked at the girl again, switching back to English, "Miss, if you would?"

"Pain is surmountable and I am no stranger to it, though in either case I do not wish to be left defenseless. However, I commend your wish to avoid needless cruelty."

He nodded, "So be it. Let us hope it will not be necessary, in any case."

He did not smile back. In fact, quite the opposite, given what had heard happened to Carmon from their Commander and the fact they were dealing with the aftermath of a battle, he looked achingly sad. Yet he knew this was a common attitude, to regale in war stories and it was supposed to be good for morale. "I am sure he will be glad of our safe and victorious return, he replied in a flat tone. Then, "I have upset the prisoner unduly, I did not mean to do so though I doubt she will care for an apology. I will not interfere unless she attempts to harm us or herself, try to escape or something of that nature unless ordered to do so." The Diedne girl was scared of him and though he didn't want to provoke her further, he had a duty to perform and that was not something he would apologize for.

He cleared his throat, almost embarassed, "My tone may have seemed more flippant than appropriate; my apologies. I am confident he will be all too glad to speak with you again soon, though, and hear of your victories."
He nodded, "If she remains reluctant to present her hands, would you kindly lend a hand in raising them to be tied together?"

((OOC: A very good point, that... Some of these Labyrinthine denizens may even have picked it up back when Rome was a Republic still, or at least from someone who was alive back then. ))

((OOC2: I just realized, if Colin were to accept an Apprenticeship in the Order of Hermes, it would probably only be if Crexia offered it - and even then it is unlikely, though he'd of course be dreadfully polite about it, considering his ambitions. But if that were to happen, how many Hermetics would be desperately jealous of him, when he introduced himself with a magical lineage of only three people, from Crexia, to her Mentor, to Tremere himself? I mean, you'd have people expected to remember a chain of maybe twenty to thirty "ancestors", and here's this upstart with just three? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"I have upset the prisoner unduly, I did not mean to do so though I doubt she will care for an apology. I will not interfere unless she attempts to harm us or herself, try to escape or something of that nature unless ordered to do so." The Diedne girl was scared of him and though he didn't want to provoke her further, he had a duty to perform and that was not something he would apologize for.

The prisoner glanced up at you when you mentioned her and she looked at you for some time, she did look rather terrified but she also seamed to not quite know what to make of you.
"I am okey."
She muttered and looked down again, still afraid you would hurt her.

Giving the string a look over to see if it would work or cause more harm than good, he then returned to keeping an eye on things.

The rope would hold her but it was not ideal it was to thin and it was not long enough to tie in a way that would disperse the pressure so there would be a greater chance she would be hurt, at least with this her wrists and hands would have to be checked regularly to make sure blood was still flowing, it would hold through.

Colin nodded, "I certainly hope so."

Dalett nodded at that and gave you a smile.

He pondered, "Without a brain and a Handler, the polyp would be dead in the water, as it were - its organic components would most likely be rendered inert, useless... Larson, though, would not be personally affected, even if her dark fortress were disabled. Plus, I would expect her to have installed various supplemental electronics independent of the creature itself. She is certainly clever enough to implement that sort of backup..."

"Well taking out the brain and the Handler would be good but yes as long as the flesh of the creature do not immediately dissolve then I doubt it would pose and immediate risk to Larson and her gang. In any case discussions about what to do about the polyp is probably best reserved for where no ears we do not want to overhear such things can listen."
Udella said as she glanced in your direction.

He nodded darkly, "She held her daughter as she personally ended her suffering. It's a very... maternal thing to want to ensure the things her daughter loved will remain, I suppose."

"Yes...I suppose so it is still hard since I am one of those who might be called in to...be part of the six. To do that to someone who...are not all bad...though I guess no one is not even Gabriel he did care for his apprentice after all...ah forgive this old woman I am still affected about what we did to Cotta..."
Udella muttered as tears begun to appear in her eyes and she turned away to deal with it and get herself under control.
"Doing what we did to the Labyrinth Keeper...always comes at a personal cost, forgive me."

He nodded, "I fear it's going to be awkward at best, and dangerous at worst to try to impress on him the importance of the thing..."

"Well then let us hope we will not need that pine cone before your Cabalmate are back to his senses again then."
The old Quesitor said she sounded a bit concerned.

He nodded slowly, "They did not go down easy; Warden tried to gilgul me on the spot, which happened to work in my favour,

"Well...fuck...ouch, that can not have been fun."
The girl said with sympathy in her voice.
"You must have one hell of an Avatar for it to survive that."
Mia approved of that comment she was quite pleased.

and Cotta..."
He glanced down at his arm and leg, "Well, Cotta had a bit more success in trying to harm me, but ultimately, she was overpowered. And I can't rightly claim skill and power won the day..."

"Shit...well I guess it is what happens in this damned war."
The young prisoner muttered.
"It is a shame though, Warden was creepy but Cotta could be nice...at times."

He smiled wryly, "To a far lesser extent, perhaps, but being given a Paradigm by a Mentor does have some... very similar traits. Still, I do have to note that while the Nephandi are a concern for the Traditions, it doesn't seem the Fallen serve the role of monsters under the bed, as I hear Traditionalists do for the Fallen..."

"Well perhaps because we do not usually Gilgul you."
The girl muttered then Leon muttered.
"Well I grew up being rather afraid of the Nephandi, but there are less chance of being taken by a Nephandus than a Technocrat but they certainly are bogymen for little Traditionalist children."
He commented. The prisoner sigh.
"In either case how am I more brainwashed than a Traditionalist apprentice?"
She challenged.

He nodded, "Basically... It would seem Larson is trying to summon and bind one. How is a little more... fuzzy, but it appears to be the endgame of a seventy-year plot... We've been catching up fast this week."

The young prisoner looked at you slack jawed.
"Ehm...how could such a thing even be possible? They are Oracles I mean they are so powerful, though off course if she could pull it off...well shit we would all be fucked, and then I am not talking a little bit fucked but rather mega fucked!"
The girl declared.

He frowned, "It makes sense in that Larson is perhaps more ruthless and callous than Abigail - and there are details we don't know... and I don't think Abigail knows of Larson's treachery, either.

"That...really suck and Lady Abigail is not going to be happy. I just do not understand what Larson could possibly hope to gain from it."
The young apprentice said and shook her heard in disbelief.

As for Martha Cunningham, she is alive and in our custody... but an Eater of the Weak no longer."

"Poor woman...what...is going to happen to her? Will she be kept like that alive but...less...you know?"

He smiled thinly, "Even his Mentor prefers the permanent company of a polyp - and that's saying something..."

"Yeah...he tried to you know force himself on his own Mentor once, it did not go to well for him, bloody bastard, I do understand why she left on a Battle Cruiser rather than stay with him. Many would say serving on a ship is an honor though."

He sighed, "Some times, it is necessary to be shaken to the core... I don't expect Christmas cards, but I do hope to see you come out on the other side, as magnificent as you ought to be."

The girl looked at you for a long time she did not seam like she knew what to say and after a while she looked down, you had managed to shake her to the core though if nothing else and she was now questioning everything she had earlier believed, which was not a fun thing to do.

He nodded to where he gave her the shot, "Because of the serum. Finger-breaking is the archaic way of preventing hand seal-based magic when no other means are available. You are rendered - pardon the expression - impotent for 24 hours. At that time, well... you might be given the choice of broken fingers or another shot. Between you and me, I'd opt for the shot.

The apprentice winced and shifted a little, sitting on the injection site what probably not comfortable.
"Yeah that serum burn like hell and it do sort of feel like someone Prime enchanted a bee that stung me on the butt and the idea of not being able to use magick for a certain amount of time is scary, very scary but since I assume most of the pain I felt was from my own failing spell...I would prefer the serum to...broken fingers."
She muttered and looked down her voice getting very soft.
"My Mentor bought a slave once, a Traditionalist hedge wizard, his former Mistress had broken his fingers before he was sold, they where blue, purple and black and the fingers where in all sort of angles and here and there bones poked though. I had to help hold hm down as she healed him, and she did not manage to do so perfectly his hands are still...in a bad way. I am never going to forget his screams as she set his bones, she did not want to use anesthetics for she said his agony and her comforting him would break his will to her...it worked over time but I can not get his hands out of my mind...poor guy."

As for how you should expect to trust me... I'm an outright terrible liar; never had the taste nor the skill for it. Of course, that's something you'd expect to hear from a skilled liar, as well, so there's a catch-22."

"Yeah...I will reserve judgment on that one."
The girl muttered wryly.

He nodded, "And I will step into Gabriel's shoes, it seems - though with less torture and needles."

"Yeah Gabriel do love those...it will probably be good for the kid to have to see less torture, the guy is fucking crazy at times but don't tell him I said that."

He smiled wryly, "What to do with you... Gilgul may be highly unlikely, but as you seem quite capable, there may be a few Masters willing to argue in favour of apprenticing you, and just as many determined to see you legally executed for conspiring with the Enemies of Creation... Hence, a complicated legal debate. I'd prefer to be optimistic, though."

"So my Avatar is safe at least, and there is a chance I will survive?"
The girl muttered, fearful but at least with a little bit of hope.

He nodded, "That looks solid enough, thank you... and unless she cooperates and puts her hands out in front, a helping hand may, unfortunately, become necessary..."
He looked at the girl again, switching back to English, "Miss, if you would?"

Leon nodded he looked at the girl.
"It would be preferable to avoid."
He said then he sigh.
"If we have to hold her where do you want her hands?"
The prisoner looked fearfully at you and then at Adley.
"Are you sure you are not going to harm my fingers?"
She asked nervously still with her hands well tucked under her.
"And I do speak Latin you know."
She added. Leon smiled to her.
"I am sure we will not do that, but off course if you fight there is always the chance of an accident, please do not be afraid."
He tried and smiled to her.

(OOC: Some of the members of the Labyrinth are quite old and some of them speak in very creepy ways indeed.)

(OOC 2: Hum...well Crexia would be a good fit then again if Colin becomes someone's apprentice he will have to abandon Anna unless they take her in as well. However yes there would be some jealousy indeed, not to mention she is an archmage in several Spheres, the Deacon Prima of one Chantry and on the Deacon Council of another. If that Bastard Tytalus was ever dethroned she would be a candidate for Prima, tough she would refuse, she prefer to solidate her power rather than red tape.)

[Adley]

He nodded, "So be it. Let us hope it will not be necessary, in any case."

"Yes."

He cleared his throat, almost embarassed, "My tone may have seemed more flippant than appropriate; my apologies. I am confident he will be all too glad to speak with you again soon, though, and hear of your victories."

"There is nothing to forgive," he said, much as Adley would have done. The pained look in his eyes eased as he turned his mind away from Carmon's situation and back to the current skirmish.

He nodded, "If she remains reluctant to present her hands, would you kindly lend a hand in raising them to be tied together?"

"I can do this, though I may scare her further as she is understandably wary of me. I suggest making sure that her hands are tended to on a regular basis after she is tied and until she is freed, to make sure the humors flow and prevents any harm."

"Are you sure you are not going to harm my fingers?" She asked nervously still with her hands well tucked under her.
"And I do speak Latin you know." She added. Leon smiled to her. "I am sure we will not do that, but off course if you fight there is always the chance of an accident, please do not be afraid.

He gave the best way, in his opinion, to bind her hands so she would not be a threat. Then he repeated, "There is no longer any need to break your fingers now that you have this Serum to contain your gifted abilities. We cannot allow your hands to be free so you will be tied up now. Please follow the instructions you are being given," he said.

// Colin trained my a Tremere-now-Tytalus. All that potential social power...

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"I can do this, though I may scare her further as she is understandably wary of me. I suggest making sure that her hands are tended to on a regular basis after she is tied and until she is freed, to make sure the humors flow and prevents any harm."

The prisoner looked up at you nervously she clearly was afraid you would hurt her. Leon nodded.
"I can help out if need be but let us see if we can get her to comply willingly first I do not want to hurt her more than necessary."
The Jerbiton said then he nodded.
"Checking on her hands regularly, got it we should be able to do that."

He gave the best way, in his opinion, to bind her hands so she would not be a threat. Then he repeated, "There is no longer any need to break your fingers now that you have this Serum to contain your gifted abilities. We cannot allow your hands to be free so you will be tied up now. Please follow the instructions you are being given," he said.

The girl looked at you for some time before she hesitantly lifted her behind and held out her slender hands, they where a bit dusty and dirty from having been pressed against the ground and she balled them into fists to at least protect the fingers while she eyed you wearily, then her eyes turned to Colin.
"How do...you want me to hold them?"
She asked and somewhere deep in your memory you seamed to remember someone you cared about asking you that question, the memory was painful, but you could not place who had said it or when...a friend needing to be restrained during a Twilight? No far more serious, Quesitors had come for her and it was seldom the Order arrested anyone, if you where up on charges you would get a letter about it and be expected to attend the next local Tribunal, if it was very serious a Tribunal might be called to deal with your trial but keeping a magus captive was just to much effort, it was only done for the worst diabolists unless information had to be forced out of someone. But you remember standing there with shackles while a small woman in a white dress asked you how she should place her hands....and yet you can not place her face or her name, another Diedne perhaps, one you had been friends with before the war, that had to be it...you can feel your head hurting, you must have been hit rather hard.

(OOC: Yeah Colin could end up shaking up the Order.)

[Tane Karyak]

Ok, that's fair. I'll call upon it after i bring tobias down here. Tane said and got to the work of adjusting the node for the sick and, by the way, making it warmer with blankets and whatnot before bringing Tobias down

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Amadeus nodded at that.
"Very well Mr Karyak."
He said and went into the Node chamber to check on Beatrice. The black haired Verbena woman who had given you the message that the werewolves in town wanted to see your Rokea allies was already there, taking care of the girl, it was important after all that she did not wake up afraid and alone.

There was not that much you could do to adjust the Node chamber it was only the natural glass bowl that Beatrice was sleeping in. The young Verbena was pale and sick, she was whimpering and twisting and turning uneasy in her sleep, but at least she was sleeping. Then there where some large round stones with ancient writing on them surrounding the bowl. You where able to get some blankets and a pillow from one of the store rooms though. Most of the basement storerooms where used to house prisoners now but asking Andrew the boy said that you could find some extra blankets in the room he was guarding and he got some for you and a pillow as well so you where able to make a fairly comfortable bed for Tobias.

On your way up from the basement to get Tobias you meet Jeffry Morgan in the stairs, he is also on his way up to the main floor.
"Good night Mr Karyak."
He said politely though the man looked a bit frustrated as he quickly ascended the stairs.

[Warpmind]

"Well taking out the brain and the Handler would be good but yes as long as the flesh of the creature do not immediately dissolve then I doubt it would pose and immediate risk to Larson and her gang. In any case discussions about what to do about the polyp is probably best reserved for where no ears we do not want to overhear such things can listen."
Udella said as she glanced in your direction.

Colin smiled wryly, "Actually, in this one case, it might serve us to be loose-lipped, if just to watch the reactions of the Fallen. They're quite perturbed we know this much, and they might let on a bit more than they are aware of in terms of confirmation if they overhear... But yes."

"Yes...I suppose so it is still hard since I am one of those who might be called in to...be part of the six. To do that to someone who...are not all bad...though I guess no one is not even Gabriel he did care for his apprentice after all...ah forgive this old woman I am still affected about what we did to Cotta..."
Udella muttered as tears begun to appear in her eyes and she turned away to deal with it and get herself under control.
"Doing what we did to the Labyrinth Keeper...always comes at a personal cost, forgive me."

He frowned and patted Udella on her shoulder, carefully placing his arm so her eyes would be momentarily hidden from view, "I think... I may be the one person who isn't a Soulrender who best understands what you mean. I know the pain of it all, and... hm... Actually, there is that one guy, Diego; if anyone fits the bill of 'all bad', he might be it... I can't even find a Fallen with a single positive word about him. That's not helping though... but all of Cotta's love and care is not lost, remember?"

"Well then let us hope we will not need that pine cone before your Cabalmate are back to his senses again then."
The old Quesitor said she sounded a bit concerned.

He nodded, "It was supposed to be potentially instrumental today - presumably in catching the poor Carlyle girl. We might have to postpone that for safety's sake after all; see if he comes around quickly..."

"Well...fuck...ouch, that can not have been fun."
The girl said with sympathy in her voice.
"You must have one hell of an Avatar for it to survive that."
Mia approved of that comment she was quite pleased.

He grinned wryly, "She is more powerful than ever, actually... but the pain of it knocked us out for a couple of days, yes..."

"Shit...well I guess it is what happens in this damned war."
The young prisoner muttered.
"It is a shame though, Warden was creepy but Cotta could be nice...at times."

He nodded sadly, "The two loved one another deeply, though - and I do regret that Warden will be reborn alone... They both tried to harm me, and I grew stronger for it - and for that I am grateful. But war is war..."

"Well perhaps because we do not usually Gilgul you."
The girl muttered then Leon muttered.
"Well I grew up being rather afraid of the Nephandi, but there are less chance of being taken by a Nephandus than a Technocrat but they certainly are bogymen for little Traditionalist children."
He commented. The prisoner sigh.
"In either case how am I more brainwashed than a Traditionalist apprentice?"
She challenged.

He smiled thinly, "Ask your Avatar. Traditionalists learn in concert with our Avatars, but you... you've been taught at cross purposes to it."

The young prisoner looked at you slack jawed.
"Ehm...how could such a thing even be possible? They are Oracles I mean they are so powerful, though off course if she could pull it off...well shit we would all be fucked, and then I am not talking a little bit fucked but rather mega fucked!"
The girl declared.

He frowned, "She's been consolidating power and preparing for decades; it's an impossible feat, and I don't know if she can do it - but I think she believes she can do it, and that makes her all the more dangerous. Especially if she's overestimated her ability."

"That...really suck and Lady Abigail is not going to be happy. I just do not understand what Larson could possibly hope to gain from it."
The young apprentice said and shook her heard in disbelief.

He snorted, "Larson would sell her own flesh and blood daughter to gain a little more power towards her scheme. That's not an exaggeration - we've managed to rescue her daughter, who has revealed she had been ordered to come to the Labyrinth to be a sacrifice. Obviously, she was less keen on that."

"Poor woman...what...is going to happen to her? Will she be kept like that alive but...less...you know?"

He shook his head, "We're not so needlessly cruel... and besides, she is a knowledgeable enemy of both high prowess and standing among the Fallen. Most likely, what information can be gained from her will be taken down - hopefully over a cup of tea rather than torture; the bloody practice is beyond unreliable anyway - and then she will be allowed to pass on painlessly. There are some among us who lead quite full lives after losing their Avatar, but only by their own choice... Not all have managed to bounce back, as it were..."

"Yeah...he tried to you know force himself on his own Mentor once, it did not go to well for him, bloody bastard, I do understand why she left on a Battle Cruiser rather than stay with him. Many would say serving on a ship is an honor though."

He shrugged, "Serving on a ship, I can see that. Having your mind and soul shackled to the polyp's brain, perhaps less so... Personally, I prefer my ships with less genitalia poking about the corridors, though."

The apprentice winced and shifted a little, sitting on the injection site what probably not comfortable.
"Yeah that serum burn like hell and it do sort of feel like someone Prime enchanted a bee that stung me on the butt and the idea of not being able to use magick for a certain amount of time is scary, very scary but since I assume most of the pain I felt was from my own failing spell...I would prefer the serum to...broken fingers."
She muttered and looked down her voice getting very soft.
"My Mentor bought a slave once, a Traditionalist hedge wizard, his former Mistress had broken his fingers before he was sold, they where blue, purple and black and the fingers where in all sort of angles and here and there bones poked though. I had to help hold hm down as she healed him, and she did not manage to do so perfectly his hands are still...in a bad way. I am never going to forget his screams as she set his bones, she did not want to use anesthetics for she said his agony and her comforting him would break his will to her...it worked over time but I can not get his hands out of my mind...poor guy."

He nodded, then pondered, "Hm, Prime-enhanced bees and the like sounds like an interesting... no matter. We found the chap your mentor bought. He'll be coming home with us."

"Yeah...I will reserve judgment on that one."
The girl muttered wryly.

He nodded, "Wise decision. You may well find that extending trust to me is not the worst choice to make, but it's nevertheless a gamble."

"Yeah Gabriel do love those...it will probably be good for the kid to have to see less torture, the guy is fucking crazy at times but don't tell him I said that."

He shrugged, "I'd not worry about him, if I were you. I was the one who killed him in Gary, in fact, and believe you me, even his impressive power couldn't help against sudden bisection."

"So my Avatar is safe at least, and there is a chance I will survive?"
The girl muttered, fearful but at least with a little bit of hope.

He nodded, "I'm sure of it - the chances for the latter increase with cooperation, of course."

"I can do this, though I may scare her further as she is understandably wary of me. I suggest making sure that her hands are tended to on a regular basis after she is tied and until she is freed, to make sure the humors flow and prevents any harm."

He nodded to Adley, "Agreed."

Leon nodded he looked at the girl.
"It would be preferable to avoid."
He said then he sigh.
"If we have to hold her where do you want her hands?"
The prisoner looked fearfully at you and then at Adley.
"Are you sure you are not going to harm my fingers?"
She asked nervously still with her hands well tucked under her.
"And I do speak Latin you know."
She added. Leon smiled to her.
"I am sure we will not do that, but off course if you fight there is always the chance of an accident, please do not be afraid."
He tried and smiled to her.

He nodded, "For binding the wrists, I'd say up front, for practical reasons presently outweighing the strictest security measures. Gently, though; tight enough to prevent extrication, but not so tight as to cut off all circulation."

The girl looked at you for some time before she hesitantly lifted her behind and held out her slender hands, they where a bit dusty and dirty from having been pressed against the ground and she balled them into fists to at least protect the fingers while she eyed you wearily, then her eyes turned to Colin.
"How do...you want me to hold them?"

He nodded, "Up front, if you please - better for balance, and if you need to touch anything."

((OOC: Ooog, yesterday was a torpor day. Sorry for no post, but I couldn't find the energy somehow..."

((OOC2: Yeah, the Anna thing is the definite dealbreaker... but I can almost see the scene at some point in the future, "Beloved Primus, do you remember the Orphan who was apprenticed by the venerable former Tremere lich in our House a few years ago?" "Yes?" "He's at the door with a small entourage of what seems to be a dozen Soulrenders, half from House Guernicus and half from House Tytalus, and he'd like your cooperation in some... 'house cleaning', I believe were his precise words? And he said something about having purchased all the debts, whatever that means..." ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin smiled wryly, "Actually, in this one case, it might serve us to be loose-lipped, if just to watch the reactions of the Fallen. They're quite perturbed we know this much, and they might let on a bit more than they are aware of in terms of confirmation if they overhear... But yes."

Udella nodded and sigh.
"You may be right, then again talking about our plans openly are a risk even if they disturb the Fallen, discussing it with a prisoner you are fairly sure will not escape yes, then their discomfort at our degree of knowledge can be a boon, but with these walls you never know who are listening in."
The Quesitor warned.

He frowned and patted Udella on her shoulder, carefully placing his arm so her eyes would be momentarily hidden from view, "I think... I may be the one person who isn't a Soulrender who best understands what you mean. I know the pain of it all,

The old Hermetic gave you a grateful look that you preserved her dignity and her lips curled into a sad smile.
"Yes you...might know the pain of it, of having had to do something so...terrible."
She said softly.

and... hm... Actually, there is that one guy, Diego; if anyone fits the bill of 'all bad', he might be it... I can't even find a Fallen with a single positive word about him. That's not helping though...

"Yes I have heard about that guy from you and others, even so, even if he might deserve it, doing that ritual to...anyone should not be easy, it is a terrible thing and it is never right even if it is at times necessary."

but all of Cotta's love and care is not lost, remember?"

Udella smiled again and nodded, she still looked sad though.
"Yes a part of her live on in you, let us hope it is a part of her good side, at least she will not be forgotten, and it will not be forgotten that while she was in many ways a monster, she was also a woman who had hopes and dreams and felt love, fear, hope and pain like we all do."

He nodded, "It was supposed to be potentially instrumental today - presumably in catching the poor Carlyle girl. We might have to postpone that for safety's sake after all; see if he comes around quickly..."

Udella frowned deeply.
"Agreed, we can not attack Carlyle without having every boon we can on our side, I am not sure if any of us can take her Avatar in a fair fight, and if the Virtual Adept Spirit Healer's trap fails...with nothing to fall back on we are dead, I do not like going after Abigail while Carlyle might fall us in the back, and off course the final decision are up to our Tytalus commander but I would vote that we hope Carlyle is in to much pain to move and go after the Lady of the Labyrinth first and see if your Cabalmate recovers in the meantime."
She said then she hesitated.
"There is a way to...try to awaken him from his Quiet though, but it would be dangerous...usually it is best to let such insanity run it's course unless it is violent, but in this case, perhaps the risk is worth taking."
The old Quesitor muttered.

He grinned wryly, "She is more powerful than ever, actually... but the pain of it knocked us out for a couple of days, yes..."

The apprentice gave you a sympathetic look and winced.
"Fuck...I have never had any other trouble with my Avatar than being hit with Paradox, but I have seen others be...hurt...that can not have been fun but if your soul is okey and stronger perhaps it was worth it?"
She asked though she looked a little uneasy at the thought of it.
"How can an Avatar get stronger by being hurt though?"

He nodded sadly, "The two loved one another deeply, though - and I do regret that Warden will be reborn alone... They both tried to harm me, and I grew stronger for it - and for that I am grateful. But war is war..."

The girl paled.
"Master Cotta was...oh no..."
She said and looked down and got tears in her eyes.
"That is horrible!"

He smiled thinly, "Ask your Avatar. Traditionalists learn in concert with our Avatars, but you... you've been taught at cross purposes to it."

"Well my Mentor said that when I had been to the Caul I could start listening to him, but he do not want to Fall and he do not want to destroy reality, and he protest quite allot at the notion."
The apprentice said.
"But he would agree with my Mentor once we Fall or so she said."

He frowned, "She's been consolidating power and preparing for decades; it's an impossible feat, and I don't know if she can do it - but I think she believes she can do it, and that makes her all the more dangerous. Especially if she's overestimated her ability."

The young mage looked at you for a moment then she paled even more.
"Ehm...yeah you are right...shit...a pissed of Aswadim, that would be bad...what the hell could anyone throw at someone like that to stop them from...well doing anything they pleased...ok fine, fine I will do what I can to help I do not want my ass spanked by a ticked off Oracle!"

He snorted, "Larson would sell her own flesh and blood daughter to gain a little more power towards her scheme. That's not an exaggeration - we've managed to rescue her daughter, who has revealed she had been ordered to come to the Labyrinth to be a sacrifice. Obviously, she was less keen on that."

"There go Larson's mother of the year award...I guess I am not to surprised, I have seen some really fucked up things in this Labyrinth, I mean generally Nephandi have the idea that since this reality is wrong and have to end, no action is wrong or to cruel, do whatever you please...mix that with corruption Jhor and allot of power and things get rather bleak. I am used to it though...mostly."
She said and she tried to sound more okey with the horrors she had seen than she really was.

He shook his head, "We're not so needlessly cruel... and besides, she is a knowledgeable enemy of both high prowess and standing among the Fallen. Most likely, what information can be gained from her will be taken down - hopefully over a cup of tea rather than torture; the bloody practice is beyond unreliable anyway - and then she will be allowed to pass on painlessly. There are some among us who lead quite full lives after losing their Avatar, but only by their own choice... Not all have managed to bounce back, as it were..."

The apprentice looked at Dalett for a moment and shuddered.
"I can not imagine living after...something like that, to live without magick it must be horrible, those that manage that have some serious balls I for sure never could."
She whispered and shook her head sadly.
"I hope you guys will not torture Martha and I guess you are right that torture is unreliable I have seen Gabriel get answers only to find them to be false information, his victims would just say anything to get him to stop, I guess anyone would under his tender care...I hope you are right that Martha will just be allowed to die a painless death."

He shrugged, "Serving on a ship, I can see that. Having your mind and soul shackled to the polyp's brain, perhaps less so... Personally, I prefer my ships with less genitalia poking about the corridors, though."

"Yeah it is not exactly my career of choice but then Handlers do get a high position and much respect and can move through the Umbra like no one else so I guess for some the sacrifice they have to make to become one is worth it. As for the genitalia, well if you get lonely when out in the Umbra...it is better than other organs, I have a liver growing out of the wall in my room."

He nodded, then pondered, "Hm, Prime-enhanced bees and the like sounds like an interesting... no matter. We found the chap your mentor bought. He'll be coming home with us."

"Is he going to be killed or something?"
The young mage asked.
"It would be a shame if he was he is a nice guy and it is not like he had any choice in anything, he is just a slave."
She said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Prime enchanted bees...yeah a whole hive of them and them drop it into a Construct."
She added and grinned.

He nodded, "Wise decision. You may well find that extending trust to me is not the worst choice to make, but it's nevertheless a gamble."

The girl looked at you for a long while then she sigh and nodded.
"Yeah we will see...I am Allison Dorva by the way, I know you said no names but this place already knows mine. I guess I am going to give you a minimum of trust I can start with my name."

He shrugged, "I'd not worry about him, if I were you. I was the one who killed him in Gary, in fact, and believe you me, even his impressive power couldn't help against sudden bisection."

"Well damn...I guess you took him by surprise though, I am going to miss many of those that lived this Labyrinth but not that bastard, good riddance!"

He nodded, "I'm sure of it - the chances for the latter increase with cooperation, of course."

Allison sigh.
"Yeah I know and I will cooperate first of all it seams all my allies are dying and I have to do what I can to survive, secondly I do want to avoid the before mentioned Oracular spanking, for while the Traditions are scary you are not quite as terrifying as a angry of Oracle."

He nodded, "For binding the wrists, I'd say up front, for practical reasons presently outweighing the strictest security measures. Gently, though; tight enough to prevent extrication, but not so tight as to cut off all circulation."

Leon nodded and he handed you the rope.
"You should probably do it, believe it or not I do not have allot of experience in tying people up, I think I bruised the other prisoner though she just shrugged when I apologized to her and told me not to worry about it that she was rotting so it happened, still I would not want to bruise anyone else."
He said. Allison scowled a bit at the both of you.

He nodded, "Up front, if you please - better for balance, and if you need to touch anything."

The apprentice nodded she held out her hands to you, still balled into fists, just to be sure, it would be easier not to fasten the rope to tightly if her hands where relaxed as when they where tensed you would had to pull it tighter so it would not get to loose when she relaxed but it was not a big problem.
"I guess that is more comfortable as well I would not be that helpless."
Allison muttered, she seamed far less scared now though the situation still made her apprehensive and the new of her Mentor's death, the sudden burst of Paradox and the whole situation was allot to take all at once, she looked rather resigned and tired.

(OOC: Don't worry about it, this game have been running for two years, no one can expect any player not to have some off days with a game running this long.)

(OOC 2: Well Crexia might be talked into taking Anna as well, and she would have the resources to pay for the best defense and best therapy to be found in the Traditions, but off course being someone's apprentice do come with some drawbacks, then again Crexia have an impressive lineage and she have the title Quesitor even if she is not Guernicus and could train an apprentice in Tradition law quite well. And yes such a visit would make a certain most beloved Primus sweat. )

[Adley]

"I can help out if need be but let us see if we can get her to comply willingly first I do not want to hurt her more than necessary."
The Jerbiton said then he nodded. "Checking on her hands regularly, got it we should be able to do that."

"Thank you, sodalis."

"How do...you want me to hold them?" She asked and somewhere deep in your memory you seamed to remember someone you cared about asking you that question, the memory was painful, but you could not place who had said it or when...

He nodded, "For binding the wrists, I'd say up front, for practical reasons presently outweighing the strictest security measures. Gently, though; tight enough to prevent extrication, but not so tight as to cut off all circulation."

"I guess that is more comfortable as well I would not be that helpless." Allison muttered

It was good that his sodales were there to answer the question, that his hesitation to answer seemed to have no immediate impact though his expression became vacant momentarily, followed by a twinge of pain. For a moment he was chasing a memory, trying to pin it down but it was elusive and escaped him the more he tried to contain it within his understanding. A Diedne friend, in a white dress? It did not make sense. He did not like when things didn't make sense. His head was aching badly but he tried to work through it, though he was now taking the others concern more seriously. Still, when he lifted a hand to touch is head again he felt no wound. No gash, not even a lump though it felt as if there should be one by now. He blinked and then rubbed at his ear in irritation before watching Colin tie up the girl.

// lol...beloved Primus - that would be quite a thing to see, Colin filus Crexia of House Tytalus taking him on xD

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Thank you, sodalis."

Leon glanced at you and nodded.

Leon stood ready to help out with tying up Allison but when the girl cooperated he kept his distance it just would not do to crowd her and potentially scare her into hysterics again, glancing over at you the Jerbiton looked concerned and he spoke in his strange but understandable Latin.
"Are you alright Sodalis? Is something wrong?"

(OOC: Well he would be a force to be reckoned with, and knowing Colin he would be able to talk the good Primus out of his seat. )

[Warpmind]

Udella nodded and sigh.
"You may be right, then again talking about our plans openly are a risk even if they disturb the Fallen, discussing it with a prisoner you are fairly sure will not escape yes, then their discomfort at our degree of knowledge can be a boon, but with these walls you never know who are listening in."
The Quesitor warned.

Colin nodded, "True enough - when the walls have ears, we ought to bring earplugs first..."

The old Hermetic gave you a grateful look that you preserved her dignity and her lips curled into a sad smile.
"Yes you...might know the pain of it, of having had to do something so...terrible."
She said softly.

He shrugged, sighing softly, "Well, suffice to say, there are two sides to... that ritual, and the other side is remarkably unpleasant, too..."

"Yes I have heard about that guy from you and others, even so, even if he might deserve it, doing that ritual to...anyone should not be easy, it is a terrible thing and it is never right even if it is at times necessary."

He shook his head, "No, it should not... Hum, I do wonder, though, if it might be possible for a very skilled Master of the Art to take a severed piece during... that, and turn it inside out before sticking it back into place? It would doubtlessly be painful in the extreme, but might it help with the... side effects, if one could use it for restorative purposes instead of destructive..."

Udella smiled again and nodded, she still looked sad though.
"Yes a part of her live on in you, let us hope it is a part of her good side, at least she will not be forgotten, and it will not be forgotten that while she was in many ways a monster, she was also a woman who had hopes and dreams and felt love, fear, hope and pain like we all do."

He nodded, "The part that could see spirits... and, I think, the part that was fond of Warden, and worried for her fellows... And, perhaps, if I am lucky, a part that will be fully redeemed in relatively short time."

Udella frowned deeply.
"Agreed, we can not attack Carlyle without having every boon we can on our side, I am not sure if any of us can take her Avatar in a fair fight, and if the Virtual Adept Spirit Healer's trap fails...with nothing to fall back on we are dead, I do not like going after Abigail while Carlyle might fall us in the back, and off course the final decision are up to our Tytalus commander but I would vote that we hope Carlyle is in to much pain to move and go after the Lady of the Labyrinth first and see if your Cabalmate recovers in the meantime."
She said then she hesitated.
"There is a way to...try to awaken him from his Quiet though, but it would be dangerous...usually it is best to let such insanity run it's course unless it is violent, but in this case, perhaps the risk is worth taking."
The old Quesitor muttered.

He frowned, "He doesn't seem so much violent as ruthless - as pragmatic as I myself am at my darkest. But this method to pull him back out... I'm not going to like what you're about to suggest as an option, am I?"

The apprentice gave you a sympathetic look and winced.
"Fuck...I have never had any other trouble with my Avatar than being hit with Paradox, but I have seen others be...hurt...that can not have been fun but if your soul is okey and stronger perhaps it was worth it?"
She asked though she looked a little uneasy at the thought of it.
"How can an Avatar get stronger by being hurt though?"

He smiled wryly, "Have you ever seen a spider or crab moult? Essentially that... and yes, it was actually worth it, though it presents a number of new... complications to address. I would not recommend it as a training method for anyone else..."

The girl paled.
"Master Cotta was...oh no..."
She said and looked down and got tears in her eyes.
"That is horrible!"

He laid a warm hand on her shoulder, smiling softly, "She was... but not all of her is gone. A memory remains; I'll carry her with me 'til my dying day, in a manner of speaking."

"Well my Mentor said that when I had been to the Caul I could start listening to him, but he do not want to Fall and he do not want to destroy reality, and he protest quite allot at the notion."
The apprentice said.
"But he would agree with my Mentor once we Fall or so she said."

He nodded, "He would agree with your Mentor once your Avatar had been torn apart, twisted inside out and pasted back together in the improper order... does that, all things considered, really sound like a reasonable way to convince it of their point of view?"

The young mage looked at you for a moment then she paled even more.
"Ehm...yeah you are right...shit...a pissed of Aswadim, that would be bad...what the hell could anyone throw at someone like that to stop them from...well doing anything they pleased...ok fine, fine I will do what I can to help I do not want my ass spanked by a ticked off Oracle!"

He nodded, "The only thing i could think of to counter an angry Aswadim would be some of our own Oracles. And unfortunately, I don't have their contact information, so it'd be rather difficult to call for their aid on the spot. And the clash between the two would probably be as destructive as just the Aswadim unleashed in any case..."

"There go Larson's mother of the year award...I guess I am not to surprised, I have seen some really fucked up things in this Labyrinth, I mean generally Nephandi have the idea that since this reality is wrong and have to end, no action is wrong or to cruel, do whatever you please...mix that with corruption Jhor and allot of power and things get rather bleak. I am used to it though...mostly."
She said and she tried to sound more okey with the horrors she had seen than she really was.

He smiled, "Not all are quite as... anti-social, fortunately. Some can be not only civil, but even decent. Tian, Devourer of Fetuses, Diego's apprentice June... I've not spoken enough with Dalett over there, but she seems reasonable enough. Jodelle... Well, she is certainly polite enough, though I expect had things been the other way around, she would have happily strung my entrails out across the hallway and made me watch. And then there's the one of the chaps from the Jade Demon's household; quite the classic Confucian gentleman. If nothing else, he did give a good impression of the Jade Demon's household, all things considered. Oh, certainly an enemy, who I would be honourbound to fight under other circumstances, but I can't say I wouldn't regret doing so..."

The apprentice looked at Dalett for a moment and shuddered.
"I can not imagine living after...something like that, to live without magick it must be horrible, those that manage that have some serious balls I for sure never could."
She whispered and shook her head sadly.
"I hope you guys will not torture Martha and I guess you are right that torture is unreliable I have seen Gabriel get answers only to find them to be false information, his victims would just say anything to get him to stop, I guess anyone would under his tender care...I hope you are right that Martha will just be allowed to die a painless death."

He smiled wryly, "I could introduce you to a few such remarkably courageous individuals... And no, I sincerely doubt torture is a likely route to be taken in Martha's case. Forcefully snooping around in her memories... is unfortunately a more likely prospect, considering how her defenses will be mostly broken by the loss of her magic, but i hope she will be convinced to relate everything in a more civil manner. And I expect her chance for living far beyond giving testimony to be near nil; even without her magic, she is still a dangerous enemy with her knowledge."

"Yeah it is not exactly my career of choice but then Handlers do get a high position and much respect and can move through the Umbra like no one else so I guess for some the sacrifice they have to make to become one is worth it. As for the genitalia, well if you get lonely when out in the Umbra...it is better than other organs, I have a liver growing out of the wall in my room."

He chuckled softly, "I'd be too worried about vagina dentata for that, however lonely I were to get out in the Umbra, I'm afraid... As for the liver in your room, if I were you, I would probably invest in some fava beans and a good Chianti, if only for the morbid joke of it all..."

"Is he going to be killed or something?"
The young mage asked.
"It would be a shame if he was he is a nice guy and it is not like he had any choice in anything, he is just a slave."
She said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Prime enchanted bees...yeah a whole hive of them and them drop it into a Construct."
She added and grinned.

He shook his head, "So long as he can be kept safe, he'll live... what happened to him in that sale was illegal, and someone will answer for it. And yes, an enchanted hornet's nest in a Construct might prove an amusing tactic."

The girl looked at you for a long while then she sigh and nodded.
"Yeah we will see...I am Allison Dorva by the way, I know you said no names but this place already knows mine. I guess I am going to give you a minimum of trust I can start with my name."

He smiled, "Allison... Pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss Dorva. For the time being, you can call me John Steed, or Scarface, aliases I'm not too concerned with using in the field. Perhaps later, you'll learn my real name."

"Well damn...I guess you took him by surprise though, I am going to miss many of those that lived this Labyrinth but not that bastard, good riddance!"

He nodded, "Admittedly, he was laying down a barrage on my colleagues, and didn't hear me sneak up behind me with a double-barreled shotgun. It was a far quicker and cleaner death than he deserved, perhaps, then again, he did treat at least one person decently in his life..."

Leon nodded and he handed you the rope.
"You should probably do it, believe it or not I do not have allot of experience in tying people up, I think I bruised the other prisoner though she just shrugged when I apologized to her and told me not to worry about it that she was rotting so it happened, still I would not want to bruise anyone else."
He said. Allison scowled a bit at the both of you.

He nodded, "I'm hardly the rope enthusiast myself, but I expect Mrs. Vega would bruise a bit easily, Jhor taken into account. Still, I will try to be as careful as I can."

The apprentice nodded she held out her hands to you, still balled into fists, just to be sure, it would be easier not to fasten the rope to tightly if her hands where relaxed as when they where tensed you would had to pull it tighter so it would not get to loose when she relaxed but it was not a big problem.
"I guess that is more comfortable as well I would not be that helpless."
Allison muttered, she seamed far less scared now though the situation still made her apprehensive and the new of her Mentor's death, the sudden burst of Paradox and the whole situation was allot to take all at once, she looked rather resigned and tired.

He nodded and carefully tied the cord around her wrists - a few figure eights around her wrists, a couple loops around the point where it crossed, and a strong double knot on the side away from her hands; one that would not be able to slip out.

((OOC: Well, getting the Primus unseated would be the lesser challenge, I think. Getting him out of the chair without him tearing half of Concordia to bits in the process, that might prove a bit more difficult. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "True enough - when the walls have ears, we ought to bring earplugs first..."

Udella nodded at that.

He shrugged, sighing softly, "Well, suffice to say, there are two sides to... that ritual, and the other side is remarkably unpleasant, too..."

The old Quesitor just nodded sadly at that and looked down.

He shook his head, "No, it should not... Hum, I do wonder, though, if it might be possible for a very skilled Master of the Art to take a severed piece during... that, and turn it inside out before sticking it back into place? It would doubtlessly be painful in the extreme, but might it help with the... side effects, if one could use it for restorative purposes instead of destructive..."

Udella looked at you considering for a moment.
"You are thinking about letting the condemned keep a small bit of magickal ability? Perhaps enough to feel Quintessence flow but not do much with it to perhaps prevent some of the...depression and hopelessness that comes after? Hum...it might be possible and the law might allow it if that shard where not able to reincarnate or cause trouble, at least for those innocent souls that are just born wrong like widderslainte children not yet corrupted in mind, but like you said it would be painful beyond belief and the trauma of the loss, it would require allot of care for the unfortunate prisoner later and I am not sure many would accept such a job tough it might make House Mercere's work easier for those they take it...might...the thing is once a Gilgul is...done..."
The Quesitor said softly.
"The pain is over, yes the person will be in horrible mental anguish for the rest of their life but the well not physical but you get what I mean...pain...is over, however if anything is left, that agony will continue for...who knows how long. I fear many would die from the pain alone and of those who survived, who knows if the traumas from such prolonged agony would be much better than loosing their magick completely if all they where left with where a sliver of ability."
She said and shook her head.
"Then again for some any amount of pain would be worth it to not be left completely without any remains of their Avatar..."

He nodded, "The part that could see spirits... and, I think, the part that was fond of Warden, and worried for her fellows... And, perhaps, if I am lucky, a part that will be fully redeemed in relatively short time."

"Those are...good parts, still I do worry about you young man, and cleansing what have been so utterly corrupted is not an easy task."
The old Enforcer said and frowned.
"Again this is a topic we need to be careful in discussing though."
She warned hastily.

He frowned, "He doesn't seem so much violent as ruthless - as pragmatic as I myself am at my darkest. But this method to pull him back out... I'm not going to like what you're about to suggest as an option, am I?"

"He is a warrior, doing what a warrior must."
Udella said and sigh then she shook her head.
"No you are not going to like it...now you can try to talk him out of the Quiet that is possible, not easy but possible but it can also make him more unstable as he gets more confused...or I can send you into his madness, into his inner world to find him and bring him back out, the danger off course that you might get lost in your friend's madness, and your body will just be a lifeless doll as your mind continue to walk the battlefield of a war long since fought and won, forever lost never to return...like I said it is not plesant, and could be seen as invading his privacy as you will see parts of him...your Cabalmate might wish to keep to himself."

He smiled wryly, "Have you ever seen a spider or crab moult? Essentially that... and yes, it was actually worth it, though it presents a number of new... complications to address. I would not recommend it as a training method for anyone else..."

"Yeah I have seen that on TV...that sounds sort of cool and disturbing at the same time."
Allison said her eyes wide.
"Ehm what would have happened if your Avatar had gotten stuck in it's former skin like spiders can, I mean they die if no one get them out when that happens, and no I would not want to try that method."

He laid a warm hand on her shoulder, smiling softly, "She was... but not all of her is gone. A memory remains; I'll carry her with me 'til my dying day, in a manner of speaking."

The young mage gave you a confused, sad look.
"How can you...be carrying one of Cotta's memories?"
She asked before she looked away again more tears flooding her eyes.
"D...did it take long? The ritual I mean? Did she suffer for long and are she...dead now?"

He nodded, "He would agree with your Mentor once your Avatar had been torn apart, twisted inside out and pasted back together in the improper order... does that, all things considered, really sound like a reasonable way to convince it of their point of view?"

"Well...no...I guess not, I never liked to think about that part of it. I was afraid of going to the Caul but it was sort of one of the things you have to do, like a rite of passage, but I do not want him harmed you know...he is my soul...or part of my soul or something and he is...beautiful...but my Mentor said..."
The young apprentice looked at you not really wanting your words to make sense but not being able to refute them.

He nodded, "The only thing i could think of to counter an angry Aswadim would be some of our own Oracles. And unfortunately, I don't have their contact information, so it'd be rather difficult to call for their aid on the spot. And the clash between the two would probably be as destructive as just the Aswadim unleashed in any case..."

"Yeah no we don't want that and the regular Oracles generally don't do anything from what I have been told, they just sit somewhere being all wise and meditating and shit."
Allison said and shook her head, she still looked rather pale.

He smiled, "Not all are quite as... anti-social, fortunately. Some can be not only civil, but even decent. Tian, Devourer of Fetuses, Diego's apprentice June... I've not spoken enough with Dalett over there, but she seems reasonable enough. Jodelle... Well, she is certainly polite enough, though I expect had things been the other way around, she would have happily strung my entrails out across the hallway and made me watch. And then there's the one of the chaps from the Jade Demon's household; quite the classic Confucian gentleman. If nothing else, he did give a good impression of the Jade Demon's household, all things considered. Oh, certainly an enemy, who I would be honourbound to fight under other circumstances, but I can't say I wouldn't regret doing so..."

"Yeah Miss Jerkins would do what needed to be done to get the answers she wanted out of you. I have not seen her torture anyone for fun, she might use your life force for Tass if she needed to, she never like to let a resource go to waste but torture for no reason is not her style but she would kill you have no doubt about that if given half a chance. The thing is it still is the same system though. Tian is kind because he desire to be so, not because he think that is the way it should be or that there is a right or wrong, he want to be that way. The Nephandi say, do, act and be as you please, whatever you can get away with do it for there are nothing good in this world, no greater ideals to uphold other than your own."
The girl explained.
"And if you do not desire to run around and play Hannibal Lecter then well, you don't and besides the most effective Nephandus is not the one who stand at the bottom of a stairs filled with granny corpses, no one will listen to him, it is the guy who preach for our ideals, but who are you know, a regular, nice guy, you will never listen to Mr Granny killer but your neighbor with strange ideas, he might just get past your defenses."

He smiled wryly, "I could introduce you to a few such remarkably courageous individuals...

Allison looked doubtful.
"That would be creepy, I mean I admire their guts but...what do you say to someone who have lost...so much?"
She asked her eyes wide.

And no, I sincerely doubt torture is a likely route to be taken in Martha's case. Forcefully snooping around in her memories... is unfortunately a more likely prospect, considering how her defenses will be mostly broken by the loss of her magic, but i hope she will be convinced to relate everything in a more civil manner. And I expect her chance for living far beyond giving testimony to be near nil; even without her magic, she is still a dangerous enemy with her knowledge."

"I guess that is a relief. I hope they do not go poking around in her mind though, she do not deserve such a violation."
The girl said sadly.
"Poor Martha."

He chuckled softly, "I'd be too worried about vagina dentata for that, however lonely I were to get out in the Umbra, I'm afraid... As for the liver in your room, if I were you, I would probably invest in some fava beans and a good Chianti, if only for the morbid joke of it all..."

"Hum...yeah we...lost a Labyrinth member to that a few years ago...now that is am embarrassing way to go and bound to create one fucked up widderslainte with traumatic past life memories so...well yeah...anyway...well Chianti...hum...now that would be a bit funny."

He shook his head, "So long as he can be kept safe, he'll live... what happened to him in that sale was illegal, and someone will answer for it. And yes, an enchanted hornet's nest in a Construct might prove an amusing tactic."

"Good I would hate for him to be killed...but it was illegal? The Traditions can not sell their slaves as they please?"
Allison asked and cocked her head to the side in surprise.
"As for the hornet's nest, well that would create some butt hurt Technocrats."
She said and grinned.

He smiled, "Allison... Pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss Dorva. For the time being, you can call me John Steed, or Scarface, aliases I'm not too concerned with using in the field. Perhaps later, you'll learn my real name."

"Well aliases from films might not be the ones to worry about the most but fair enough Mr Steed then."
She said and she gave you a half smile though she still looked very wary.

He nodded, "Admittedly, he was laying down a barrage on my colleagues, and didn't hear me sneak up behind me with a double-barreled shotgun. It was a far quicker and cleaner death than he deserved, perhaps, then again, he did treat at least one person decently in his life..."

"Well he might not have deserved a clean death, but dead is dead and he is out of everyone's hair now."
Allison said then she nodded.
"And yes he doted on his apprentice...he was always kind to her, everyone else though, not so much."

He nodded, "I'm hardly the rope enthusiast myself, but I expect Mrs. Vega would bruise a bit easily, Jhor taken into account. Still, I will try to be as careful as I can."

Leon nodded.
"Yeah she...said as much but...do you think it is true...that she is you know...rotting inside I mean...shit that got to hurt."
The Jerbiton muttered a bit uneasy.
"I so do not want to attract Jhor."

He nodded and carefully tied the cord around her wrists - a few figure eights around her wrists, a couple loops around the point where it crossed, and a strong double knot on the side away from her hands; one that would not be able to slip out.

Allison looked down at her wrists and twisted them a little as if to test the rope then she settled down.
"Can I take my hands back now?"
She muttered as she was still holding them out and she was still a bit nervous about them, about ending up like William if you changed your mind and decided to hurt her.

(OOC: Well that would make the Incarna that the first Primi decided to imprison in the center of the realm just because they could happy. Mages are always so sweet to spirits. )

[Warpmind]

Udella looked at you considering for a moment.
"You are thinking about letting the condemned keep a small bit of magickal ability? Perhaps enough to feel Quintessence flow but not do much with it to perhaps prevent some of the...depression and hopelessness that comes after? Hum...it might be possible and the law might allow it if that shard where not able to reincarnate or cause trouble, at least for those innocent souls that are just born wrong like widderslainte children not yet corrupted in mind, but like you said it would be painful beyond belief and the trauma of the loss, it would require allot of care for the unfortunate prisoner later and I am not sure many would accept such a job tough it might make House Mercere's work easier for those they take it...might...the thing is once a Gilgul is...done..."
The Quesitor said softly.
"The pain is over, yes the person will be in horrible mental anguish for the rest of their life but the well not physical but you get what I mean...pain...is over, however if anything is left, that agony will continue for...who knows how long. I fear many would die from the pain alone and of those who survived, who knows if the traumas from such prolonged agony would be much better than loosing their magick completely if all they where left with where a sliver of ability."
She said and shook her head.
"Then again for some any amount of pain would be worth it to not be left completely without any remains of their Avatar..."

Colin shook his head, "Actually, I was thinking of a full restoration... It's not very likely, is it? As for giving the condemned a small... fragment of relief, it might be argued, and it might work, but... that was really not something I had considered at this time."

"Those are...good parts, still I do worry about you young man, and cleansing what have been so utterly corrupted is not an easy task."
The old Enforcer said and frowned.
"Again this is a topic we need to be careful in discussing though."
She warned hastily.

He nodded, "One part out of several, and yes, this is not the place... I might be spending some time in a bubble later, testing the serum on myself for a firsthand record of how it feels for a willing test subject... I should like your company at that time; there are some things I should like to discuss with you."

"He is a warrior, doing what a warrior must."
Udella said and sigh then she shook her head.
"No you are not going to like it...now you can try to talk him out of the Quiet that is possible, not easy but possible but it can also make him more unstable as he gets more confused...or I can send you into his madness, into his inner world to find him and bring him back out, the danger off course that you might get lost in your friend's madness, and your body will just be a lifeless doll as your mind continue to walk the battlefield of a war long since fought and won, forever lost never to return...like I said it is not plesant, and could be seen as invading his privacy as you will see parts of him...your Cabalmate might wish to keep to himself."

He frowned, "I think option B sounds safer for the general surroundings... and I would be willing to risk that for him. I think... he would forgive me for the intrusion, as well, and I think he would be ready to do the same for me... There's no-one else I would trust to do that for me, and I think that is reciprocated..."

"Yeah I have seen that on TV...that sounds sort of cool and disturbing at the same time."
Allison said her eyes wide.
"Ehm what would have happened if your Avatar had gotten stuck in it's former skin like spiders can, I mean they die if no one get them out when that happens, and no I would not want to try that method."

He frowned, "That... sounds like a quite likely outcome if things had not gone quite as well, actually..."

The young mage gave you a confused, sad look.
"How can you...be carrying one of Cotta's memories?"
She asked before she looked away again more tears flooding her eyes.
"D...did it take long? The ritual I mean? Did she suffer for long and are she...dead now?"

He smiled wryly, "It's a kind of magic... She had a necklace, given to her by Warden. I remember how it was given to her, while she was anointing the Labyrinth walls with some potion of her own making... A very nice piece of jewelry, with an exquisite engraving in Swahili... As for the ritual..."
He looked down for a moment, "When it's being done to you, time loses meaning... the pain goes on and on for an eternity, with no end in sight... and then, suddenly, it all stops. On the outside, it was a quite swift affair, but I can't pretend she didn't suffer a lot... And yes, she received a merciful death immediately after..."

"Yeah no we don't want that and the regular Oracles generally don't do anything from what I have been told, they just sit somewhere being all wise and meditating and shit."
Allison said and shook her head, she still looked rather pale.

He shrugged, "I hear tell they've been known to show up when something needs to be done, like some spectral Obi-Wan telling some unsuspecting Mage to do something urgent. But yes, they're rather enigmatic and distant, and that's probably safer for us all..."

"Yeah Miss Jerkins would do what needed to be done to get the answers she wanted out of you. I have not seen her torture anyone for fun, she might use your life force for Tass if she needed to, she never like to let a resource go to waste but torture for no reason is not her style but she would kill you have no doubt about that if given half a chance. The thing is it still is the same system though. Tian is kind because he desire to be so, not because he think that is the way it should be or that there is a right or wrong, he want to be that way. The Nephandi say, do, act and be as you please, whatever you can get away with do it for there are nothing good in this world, no greater ideals to uphold other than your own."
The girl explained.
"And if you do not desire to run around and play Hannibal Lecter then well, you don't and besides the most effective Nephandus is not the one who stand at the bottom of a stairs filled with granny corpses, no one will listen to him, it is the guy who preach for our ideals, but who are you know, a regular, nice guy, you will never listen to Mr Granny killer but your neighbor with strange ideas, he might just get past your defenses."

He nodded, "Sleepers have some beliefs in that regard; modern witchcraft, I think, holds to 'Do what thou will, and harm thee none'. The idea of doing what you will isn't the problem, in and of itself - it's the idea of doing what you will to anyone and expecting to get away with it without anyone stronger, well, doing back, that's the thing that's problematic. Because however powerful you are, there's always going to be someone stronger, smarter or just plain more stubborn. And as Abigail is finding out, she just might have provoked all three at once... And the claim that there is nothing good in this world is just plain incorrect. Just look at Mrs. Vega and her relationship with her daughter, for example... that was a good thing, and I... I was forced to destroy it."
He frowned, "And it is true, subtlety is more efficient in the long run... more insidious, easier to trust..."

Allison looked doubtful.
"That would be creepy, I mean I admire their guts but...what do you say to someone who have lost...so much?"
She asked her eyes wide.

He smiled thinly, "Well, I suppose 'Hello' would be as good an opener as any... Discussing their loss might be deemed a bit impolite, though."

"I guess that is a relief. I hope they do not go poking around in her mind though, she do not deserve such a violation."
The girl said sadly.
"Poor Martha."

He nodded, "I agree... Hopefully, she will be questioned over a cup of tea - one of our senior Magi at home has a wonderful rote for clarifying testimony like that without actually prying into the mind of the witness."

"Hum...yeah we...lost a Labyrinth member to that a few years ago...now that is am embarrassing way to go and bound to create one fucked up widderslainte with traumatic past life memories so...well yeah...anyway...well Chianti...hum...now that would be a bit funny."

He arched an eyebrow, "Well, we were warned some parts of the Labyrinth could get rather chompy... I guess that chap didn't pay attention to the warning labels, then."

"Good I would hate for him to be killed...but it was illegal? The Traditions can not sell their slaves as they please?"
Allison asked and cocked her head to the side in surprise.
"As for the hornet's nest, well that would create some butt hurt Technocrats."
She said and grinned.

He frowned, "Not as such. In fact, 'slaves' is not even an accurate term for it. The fellow was convicted of a crime and sentenced to a term of indentured servitude - not precisely the same thing, and certainly not something that should let him be freely bartered as a commodity."

"Well aliases from films might not be the ones to worry about the most but fair enough Mr Steed then."
She said and she gave you a half smile though she still looked very wary.

He frowned, "Well, that one was from a TV series. I'm disinclined to acknowledge the Avengers movie as canonical..."

Leon nodded.
"Yeah she...said as much but...do you think it is true...that she is you know...rotting inside I mean...shit that got to hurt."
The Jerbiton muttered a bit uneasy.
"I so do not want to attract Jhor."

He gave Leon a quiet nod.

Allison looked down at her wrists and twisted them a little as if to test the rope then she settled down.
"Can I take my hands back now?"
She muttered as she was still holding them out and she was still a bit nervous about them, about ending up like William if you changed your mind and decided to hurt her.

He nodded, "Yes, that should be alright."

((OOC: Well, then, THAT would indeed be the greatest trial by fire for Colin's diplomatic skill - one Incarna in full rage mode would be a tall order, even for his knacks... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin shook his head, "Actually, I was thinking of a full restoration... It's not very likely, is it? As for giving the condemned a small... fragment of relief, it might be argued, and it might work, but... that was really not something I had considered at this time."

Udella looked confused for a moment.
"Ehm...no one knows how to...twist an Avatar back to a clean form young man, if we knew that then we could do it to the whole thing, we can no more do it on a mere fragment then a complete soul, anything is possible but I know of no one who can perform such a spell."
She said and shook her head.

He nodded, "One part out of several, and yes, this is not the place... I might be spending some time in a bubble later, testing the serum on myself for a firsthand record of how it feels for a willing test subject... I should like your company at that time; there are some things I should like to discuss with you."

Udella raised an eyebrow then she nodded.
"Very well I accept, some time in a time bubble might not be a bad idea so we can talk then in private indeed, and as for the serum, I guess it is a good idea to know what such a thing feel like before you put it into your new apprentice...."

He frowned, "I think option B sounds safer for the general surroundings... and I would be willing to risk that for him. I think... he would forgive me for the intrusion, as well, and I think he would be ready to do the same for me... There's no-one else I would trust to do that for me, and I think that is reciprocated..."

Udella nodded she looked at Adley for a moment.
"If you are sure...I can cast the spell once you are finished dealing with the prisoners...but remember you may get lost, he see you as a fellow Hermetic in his madness so you will see yourself as such in his mindscape, it will feel real but there will be signs and guideposts that can take out out of the madness and you can bring him along, if he trust you enough...while you are in his mind time might not be what it is on the outside, it will be confusing but if you are willing...well we might need your friend back with us before we go after young Carlyle..."
The old maga said but she seamed rather concerned about the prospect.

He frowned, "That... sounds like a quite likely outcome if things had not gone quite as well, actually..."

"Well shit...I guess you are lucky then. It must be scary to think about what could have happened."
The apprentice said as she gazed at you wide eyed.

He smiled wryly, "It's a kind of magic... She had a necklace, given to her by Warden. I remember how it was given to her, while she was anointing the Labyrinth walls with some potion of her own making... A very nice piece of jewelry, with an exquisite engraving in Swahili...

"Yeah Master Cotta was always taking care of the walls making ointments for the Labyrinth creature and potions and tending it as well as she could, and I remember the necklace she wore...she was from Kenya I think or rather her mother was, way, way back when."

As for the ritual..."
He looked down for a moment, "When it's being done to you, time loses meaning... the pain goes on and on for an eternity, with no end in sight... and then, suddenly, it all stops. On the outside, it was a quite swift affair, but I can't pretend she didn't suffer a lot... And yes, she received a merciful death immediately after..."

The girl looked at you and she looked like she might just be sick.
"T...that...is...horrible..."
She whispered then she looked over at Dalett.
"She must be...so scared..."
She whispered and looked down.
"At least...Cotta is not suffering anymore but I will never forgive you guys you know, for doing that to her, I am not going to forgive you!"
She hissed stubbornly.

He shrugged, "I hear tell they've been known to show up when something needs to be done, like some spectral Obi-Wan telling some unsuspecting Mage to do something urgent. But yes, they're rather enigmatic and distant, and that's probably safer for us all..."

"Yeah...I guess it is safer, so ehm...let us not piss them off. I mean when someone have the powers of a god, be nice, smile and leave them the fuck alone I say."
Allison muttered nervously.

He nodded, "Sleepers have some beliefs in that regard; modern witchcraft, I think, holds to 'Do what thou will, and harm thee none'. The idea of doing what you will isn't the problem, in and of itself - it's the idea of doing what you will to anyone and expecting to get away with it without anyone stronger, well, doing back, that's the thing that's problematic. Because however powerful you are, there's always going to be someone stronger, smarter or just plain more stubborn. And as Abigail is finding out, she just might have provoked all three at once... And the claim that there is nothing good in this world is just plain incorrect. Just look at Mrs. Vega and her relationship with her daughter, for example... that was a good thing, and I... I was forced to destroy it."

"Well it is sort of that but not quite. The idea o modern witches is that as long as no one is harmed, it is no one's business than your own what you do, they do not hold to old ideas that you should not eat certain food, have certain lovers or wear certain clothes because my book said so, instead they think that as long as no harm is done all is good. What the Nephandi believe is more like when you don't care if you spill paint on your already washed out and trash shirt since it is ruined anyway so you might as well spill shit on it, the world is already ruined so just have fun."
Allison explained.
"The difference between saying hey be a decent person and otherwise do what you want and saying all is shit so more shit don't matter, and yes everyone is aware that someone bigger and stronger might come along, we are all aware our paths...or their paths perhaps I should say usually end in screams, but at least they have fun on their way down, that is how they look at it."

He frowned, "And it is true, subtlety is more efficient in the long run... more insidious, easier to trust..."

Allison nodded at that.
"Exactly."

He smiled thinly, "Well, I suppose 'Hello' would be as good an opener as any... Discussing their loss might be deemed a bit impolite, though."

"I guess but...knowing what they...are no longer...it...I mean they would be a constant reminder that it could happen to any mage and that is just...creepy as hell..."
She said and shuddered.

He nodded, "I agree... Hopefully, she will be questioned over a cup of tea - one of our senior Magi at home has a wonderful rote for clarifying testimony like that without actually prying into the mind of the witness."

"Hum that sounds practical...and yes I hope your side are kind to her I mean after what you say she have been through...being cruel to her would just be...wrong."
Allison said and shook her head sadly.

He arched an eyebrow, "Well, we were warned some parts of the Labyrinth could get rather chompy... I guess that chap didn't pay attention to the warning labels, then."

"No he did not...and now he is dead...it happens, he bled out on the floor as the wall ate his dick...no glorious Decencion for Violator of Rats, it happens."
She said and shrugged.

He frowned, "Not as such. In fact, 'slaves' is not even an accurate term for it. The fellow was convicted of a crime and sentenced to a term of indentured servitude - not precisely the same thing, and certainly not something that should let him be freely bartered as a commodity."

"Hum...I guess that is kinder, if the indentured servants have rights and such. The Nephandi have slaves, you see Mala over there she is owned by Miss Vaga, she can do whatever she please with her but she choose to be kind to her...it seams rather natural to me..."
Allison said and shrugged again.

He frowned, "Well, that one was from a TV series. I'm disinclined to acknowledge the Avengers movie as canonical..."

"Well you do find the name in the movie so it is from a movie as well."
The girl said and grinned.

He nodded, "Yes, that should be alright."

Allison nodded she pulled her hands back and looked at the bindings for a moment before she relaxed her arms and let her hands fall, finally uncurling her fingers and flexing them.
"Is it to tight? Are you hurt?"
Leon asked concerned but the girl shook her head.
"Nah this is fine, it is not uncomfortable really just a bit awkward."

(OOC: Yeah and a very pissed of Incarna it is. You see the original Primi choose a location for Horizon that happened to be the lair of a powerful, sleeping Incarna, so they went to war with it and we are talking epic raid party style war here with all the original Primi if I do not remember it wrong, their apprentices and several other magi against this ancient in effect god. Several magi where killed including one of Lady Nightshade's own apprentices, so a river is named after her, but eventually the Traditionalists won and bound this Incarna who was just really protecting himself and his home and then built a realm on top of him and now he have been bound like this for over 600 years ok time do not matter to spirits but even so, he is not a happy god, not a happy god at all and he is sort of right to be for that was a bit of a dick move by the Traditions.)

[Adley]

...the Jerbiton looked concerned and he spoke in his strange but understandable Latin. "Are you alright Sodalis? Is something wrong?"

He frowned a little at him and then said, "Nothing so great that completing our mission should not remedy." 'Einje' went back to minding the tying of the girl's hands, watching as she tightened up and then loosened them, and how much slack that might afford her for trying to escape or cause issues such as taking up an offense. There was a great deal more chatter than he would have liked, most of it in that language. Why could people not speak plain Latin, if they knew it? It seemed his friend was talkative with prisoners - but there was an older maga there of Master's rank and if she saw fit to let him speak then so be it. The girl seemed calmer now. He wondered what they needed her alive for at any rate...

// Next time, if I get asked if I might want to belay paradox from the GM and think it might be better to risk a lower amount of dox pool for a higher later, while in a Labyrinth, remind me of 'that time when Adley thought he was in the Schism War and Colin had to go bring him back' >.>;

ooc2: lol @ 'what studying languages is like meme' - greek & latin: https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19961582_1434849799903040_2561557436326881259_n.jpg?oh=a46e1947af2bbf9b4ba5adce7e88e9be&oe=59C3B7F7

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