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

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

When you offer to carry Tobias Cita hesitates but she was clearly still tired, all the work she had done on Avatars over the last few days and the healing work on the poor kid right now had taken allot out of her and Tobias himself clearly needed to rest so she nodded her agreement.
"Very well Tane, thank you. I guess I should take some rest while I have the chance, I have patients that need looking after in the morning after all."
The Virtual Adept spirit healer said then she cast one more look at Tobias and gave you a warm smile before she headed to her own room.
"Good night Tane."
The she added with a bright smile.
"We did it...we saved his Avatar."

You lift Tobias into your arms, he was frozen in the form of a teenager though with the vampire blood he had drunk he could be older, even so lifting a human being was suprisingly heavy but you manage quite easilly anyway. The boy did not wake up as you carried him down to the basement the ordeal he had been through had completely worn him out and he just slept as you carried him into the Node chamber.

You see there Amadeus is sitting beside Beatrice tending to her, the young Verbena looked very pale and she was whimpering in her sleep but at least she was sleeping. Amadeus got to his feet as you where let into the room by Bruce.
"Here I assume this is the boy you spoke of Mr Karyak, let me help you with him."
The old Verbena offered.

[Adley]

"I...I never thought about it that way." The prisoner muttered and looked down. "She do not...shine as she used to...my Avatar I mean, she used to shine like a sun in my center...I...just never realized I...miss that, I miss it allot." He whispered softly. "I guess she will never shine again."

"That is what the caul has done to her," he said, sounding sorrowful.

"That is the address yes. I do not know if he is in a hospital but, ok I do not know if you have ever had any damage to your Avatar, a bad Paradox backlash perhaps, if you had no idea what was happening and you felt that then calling for an ambulance might be the first thing on your mind. I do not know much about your protectors but yes perhaps they can intervene and help the kid."

"I see."

"Yeah I got that concern as well about the Technocrats they do keep their eyes out for anything unusual coming into the hospitals." Crexia said and frowned. "Perhaps we should get to him as soon as possible."

Zach still stood nearby he looked up. "So do you want me to see if I can find this Donny Angenmire?" He asked then he looked at Flavio.
"Ehm I can try I have never taken care of a prisoner before though if you don't count keeping one of my Cabalmates out of trouble when he was in a deep Quiet once...I am not really much of a fighter ehm...but I can try." He said sounding uncertain. Flavio smiled a little. "I am not going to cause problems."

He glanced at Crexia querulously, it wasn't his decision who to leave on guard or to try to find Donny, but he did say to Zach, "I don't know if you can do anything about the link they have on him," he said. "Maybe you could weaken an arcane connection if you had more information? But it looks like we might need to find him soon," he mused. "We don't have time or safe space here to call," he frowned, regarding the idea of having the Brothers help.

Cara sigh and nodded. "Yes, she is clearly a brilliant woman in her way, I wonder what went wrong to make her into the hateful creature that she is." The Criamon said then she sigh. "Will you be alright with fighting after your Quiet?"

He frowned, "She's got a fondness for orchids... She might've made the world a place of greater beauty, had she not... hum... Didn't someone say she was a widderslainte?"

Adjan nodded at that."According to Miss Jerkins yes Abigail is a widderslainte, but as we have seen with a certain someone we both know even a widderslainte can create beauty, Abigail choose her path."

He nodded, "I've had the... distinct experience of meeting both freshly Fallen and widderslaintes that are far from the malevolence one should expect... There's indeed an element of choice, even when reborn already Fallen."

"That is the horror of the Caul, if the Fallen where just willess puppets in a way it would be better, who they where would be gone, but they are not, they still have their free will they are still magi, it is just that will is now influenced by a soul that want non existence, in some this lead to evil and cruelty, but not in all and they could like some we know seek the path of Oblivion for themselves and not drag others along with them, and yet there are those like Abigail, the stereotypical Nephandus that cause nothing but pain and misery."

"Excellent question, and yes, thank you for asking," he nodded to Cara, listening to Adjan and Colin.

Crexia begun to order everyone into formation. "I will be going first...let us keep the healers and support in the middle, keep them safe, I need some of our fighters to make up the back...and let us go."

"I so do not want to go in there." She muttered as she drew her gun. "But let's go finish the bitch."

He frowned at the portal as he drew a gun and held his left hand ready to raise the shield, "A part of me wants to vomit. A part of me wants to throw a few incendiaries through first. Seeing as vomiting would slow me down, and I'm out of incendiaries... no time like the present, unless you're a Chronomancer.

He nodded and stepped up to Crexia's flank, "I've got a one-off shield ready; best have it up front to intercept the first spell flung at us - they'll likely have noticed the shortcut opening..."

Adley queued up where it looked like he was needed to keep those in the middle safe. He pulled his gun, his other hand free to work magick, squaring off at the portal that led to the location of Abigail's seemingly final stand.

// ooc1: pg 399 says to find your initiative, roll one die and then add it to your character’s initiative rating: his Dex + Wits. (then modifiers I assume). So 1d10 roll + dex trait +wits trait (initiative rating) +/- modifiers (I assume). Adley's roll:  6 (dice roll)+ dex 3+ wits 3 -2 for dmg =10

ooc2: have a good camping trip, Anja. Sounds like you're going to somewhere beautiful! And all good, your post was clear to understand. I'm just used to doing quote blocks from other site rp's and it does help when there's a bunch of posts to reply to in different sequences but that one was fine, no worries : )
ooc3: I was gardening and doing chores and appointments all day. Atm catching up on Rick and Morty - which is a hilarious/dark show, inspiration for SoEs...or former SoEs gone rogue...maybe...going Marauder...or worse xD

ooc4: here's what I found so far on multiple effects and triggers: to set a time trigger is Time 4 still. To have more than one effect up at the same time, the difficulty goes up +1 for every two effects running at 1 time if those effects requires concentration. If the effect has a Time-based trigger, one which has been locked into another Pattern, or one that has been cast but whose duration has not yet expired, it does not count toward that total. (check out M20 pg 528-529 for the whole section in case I'm reading it wrong)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Flavio glanced at Adley and sigh sadly after a while he glanced down.
"Yes I guess you are right and I brought her to the Caul."
He sigh and shook his head.
"I do not know how to feel."
He admitted.

Zach glanced at you and shrugs.
"I can try to weaken the arcane connection however if the spell on this guy was set up by a Master of the Art I doubt I can do much, but yes with more information I can at least try. Finding they guy though that I can do."
He said and fished out his phone and the strange home made antenna he had used before. Crexia nodded.
"Good do that, as for the prisoner he is restrained so all you need to do is keep an eye on him."
She said an Zach sigh.
"Very well Ma'am I will do my best."
He agreed.
"Good there is little time for argument right now."
Crexia said and nodded. Then she adressed the question about the Brothers.
"No this is not a safe place to call them...we are going to have to make it work without them."

Cara gave you a concerned look.
"I hope you will be fine, Quiets can be a good way to attain wisom but they can also be damned scary."
She said.
"Let me know if you need anything, Twilight is my House's speciality after all."
She said and smiled to you.
"You have helped me so any time ok and let us just get though this mess for now..."

You stepped into the portal, rotted flesh caressed every part of your being, the stink was unberable and then there was the screams, it felt like crawling through the body piles of a battlefield. You got to the other side of the shortcut and immediatly you saw a spell flash against you and your group a mightly ball of fire.

The room you where now in was a horror, the walls, floor and roof where all flesh with eyes, hearts, sexual organs, livers and everything else growing and pulsating. In the middle of the room there was something that looked very much like a vagina, though it was large enough for a man to lay down inside of it, blueish purple tentacles extended from it as it throbbed on it's dais, in your soul you could feel the fire angle's revultion to the thing, and Colin you feel the same, you feel Mia's disgust, she know the thing is a threat to her and her disgust and unease flooded over you, the other mages in your group seamed to feel the same for there was looks of disgust on everyone's faces.

Around the caul there was six men an women standing, one a tall, slender woman with red hair was the caster of the fireball that had flown towards your group as you entered the chamber, the fiery projectile had missed though and had hit a bit of the wall instead, the Labyrith creature did not like that, not at all and it pulsated and roared in response. There was also a thin black woman carrying several lead discs that she was rubbing together. A badly mutated man with slug like skin and eyes that looked likes windows into nothing, he was carrying a dagger and was muttering something in the Nephandi language. A elderly Asian woman with eyes in her hands stood muttering something under her breath, a man who had bits of skin thorn of to reveal metal parts stood there firring at a group of the Traditionalists with a gun that had popped out to replace his left hand...and in the center of the group stood a tall, elegant woman, once she would have been very beautiful, she was blond, well shapen with bright blue eyes, now half her face and both her hands where pock marked with burn scars and her mouth on one side of her face was permanently twisted into a frown. The woman was wearing a white top and a blue skirt and in her hands where a medical vial filled with blood and she was constantly chanting in Latin. Around the room was the restof the Traditionalist group, making the room rather crowded, you also see three men and two women you had not laid eyes on before they might be the ghouls Tyler had sent, one of them where badly injured.

Every one of the mages in the group trying to get to Abigail, including a tall, ancient Asian man in golden robes with a beard that reached his knees and a group of men and women gathered around him that had to be the Jade Demon looked rather tired and several was tired. Only the Deaconess Darnell seamed to be able to reach through the defenses around the six Nephandi and do any damage though and even with her most of her bullets where stopped. The Caul chamber where in comlete chaos and the noise was beyond belief as spells where cast, bullets shot and there where screams, shouts and just noise as nearly fifty Traditionalist, twelve members of the Jade Demon's Household and five ghouls tried to get though Abigail's defenses.

Seeing Abigail made your Avatar rage though, beyond the fear and disgust at the Caul, beyond all of it she was angry at what had been done to Dylan and you felt her rage as your own. Again memories of what this woman had done to the man you had once been, things worse than torture flashed in your mind, memories not yourown and you both wanted to flee in terror and tear Abigail apart. That Caul was the soul of the child she had concieved with Dylan against his will, and her slight smile as her barrier kept the attacks out made you remember the smile she had when she forced Dylan to her bed and inside of you the red angel was screaming in rage.

(OOC 1: Thank you that is the same as in new WoD. Would you mind re rolling with that Warp or should I just go with the other roll you alrady made?)

(OOC 2: Thank you, yes it is pretty up here it is right by a small lake, and lots of doggies all round. I prefer to use quote blocks but right now I can not seam to figure out how.)

(OOC 3: I have to check out that show. I was reading a book all day yesterday outside in the nice weather. Hell the author described a method of circle casting, this was a book about English folk magic, that have the Nephandi idea of doing magic by destroying the chance anything but what you want to happen occuring. I think the Quesitors would have a question or two for that author.)

(OOC 4: Thank you for checking that for me.)

[Warpmind]

Udella nodded.
"Ah yes I think it is rather certain that the good druidess will be rather upset as well and she might have a few choice words regarding what you have done, even so having a talk with her about the matter might be most useful."

He nodded, "What I've done... not so bad. What I've been preparing myself to do, in case it becomes necessary... That one is going to earn me some scorn..."

The old Enforcer smiled a little when you said what was left of Cotta was love.
"Indeed that are an important part of the Labyrinth Keeper, perhaps the best part, if something where to remain of her it is fortunate that it is that particular part."

He pondered, "Perhaps it will be what is needed to draw her lover home to the light when she is reborn, as well..."

Udella grinned when you spoke about your lucky jewlery.
"Well such trinkets are both good training and a nice thing to do for your customers my old friend, it may be you have more talent and can reach further in that particular Ars than I."

He grinned, "You should see the rather delicate work I put into wedding rings. Those come with an unspoken guarantee of a perfect wedding day..."

Adjan gave you a look and sigh.
"That is the horror of the Caul, if the Fallen where just willess puppets in a way it would be better, who they where would be gone, but they are not, they still have their free will they are still magi, it is just that will is now influenced by a soul that want non existence, in some this lead to evil and cruelty, but not in all and they could like some we know seek the path of Oblivion for themselves and not drag others along with them, and yet there are those like Abigail, the stereotypical Nephandus that cause nothing but pain and misery."
He said sadly and shook his head.

He nodded, then grinned roguishly, "Well, the Caul doesn't unmake an Avatar, just change it. Anything the Fallen can change, we can change back, once we figure out how. And we will figure it out."

You move through the portal, while you where still trapped in that fleshy horror you felt magick coming towards you, you could not yet see what lay behind the portal mouth but something was sent to intercept your party, you could feel it in your bones.

He grimaced and narrowed his eyes, ready to rapidly assess threats from all directions.

You stepped into the portal, rotted flesh caressed every part of your being, the stink was unberable and then there was the screams, it felt like crawling through the body piles of a battlefield. You got to the other side of the shortcut and immediatly you saw a spell flash against you and your group a mightly ball of fire.

He grimaced, shield flaring into existence, trying to block the fireball and bounce it back toward its caster.

The room you where now in was a horror, the walls, floor and roof where all flesh with eyes, hearts, sexual organs, livers and everything else growing and pulsating. In the middle of the room there was something that looked very much like a vagina, though it was large enough for a man to lay down inside of it, blueish purple tentacles extended from it as it throbbed on it's dais, in your soul you could feel the fire angle's revultion to the thing, and Colin you feel the same, you feel Mia's disgust, she know the thing is a threat to her and her disgust and unease flooded over you, the other mages in your group seamed to feel the same for there was looks of disgust on everyone's faces.

Around the caul there was six men an women standing, one a tall, slender woman with red hair was the caster of the fireball that had flown towards your group as you entered the chamber, the fiery projectile had missed though and had hit a bit of the wall instead, the Labyrith creature did not like that, not at all and it pulsated and roared in response. There was also a thin black woman carrying several lead discs that she was rubbing together. A badly mutated man with slug like skin and eyes that looked likes windows into nothing, he was carrying a dagger and was muttering something in the Nephandi language. A elderly Asian woman with eyes in her hands stood muttering something under her breath, a man who had bits of skin thorn of to reveal metal parts stood there firring at a group of the Traditionalists with a gun that had popped out to replace his left hand...and in the center of the group stood a tall, elegant woman, once she would have been very beautiful, she was blond, well shapen with bright blue eyes, now half her face and both her hands where pock marked with burn scars and her mouth on one side of her face was permanently twisted into a frown. The woman was wearing a white top and a blue skirt and in her hands where a medical vial filled with blood and she was constantly chanting in Latin. Around the room was the restof the Traditionalist group, making the room rather crowded, you also see three men and two women you had not laid eyes on before they might be the ghouls Tyler had sent, one of them where badly injured.

Every one of the mages in the group trying to get to Abigail, including a tall, ancient Asian man in golden robes with a beard that reached his knees and a group of men and women gathered around him that had to be the Jade Demon looked rather tired and several was tired. Only the Deaconess Darnell seamed to be able to reach through the defenses around the six Nephandi and do any damage though and even with her most of her bullets where stopped. The Caul chamber where in comlete chaos and the noise was beyond belief as spells where cast, bullets shot and there where screams, shouts and just noise as nearly fifty Traditionalist, twelve members of the Jade Demon's Household and five ghouls tried to get though Abigail's defenses.

He frowned at the sight of the Nephandi and all the forces aligned against them, then tried to make sure there were no friendlies on the other side of Abigail... and raised his ring toward her, glancing at Crexia, "Milady, there's a lot of ambient magic here... I'm thinking we could build one hell of a gale with all that magic; do you think we could, in concert, huff and puff and blow her house down?"
He pointed his left hand and started chanting, "Tempestas silencio mundanus ex magia!"

((OOC: Derp, I rolled a 2, bringing Colin's initiative up to a whoopin' 7. :/ Ah, well... so he effectively takes a moment to assess the area before acting.))

((OOC2: So, Wind of Mundane Silence fueled by all the ambient magic it can draw on in the room... Arete rolls: 8,9,0 - 1,5,7 - 1,2,7 - 4,9,0... Four rolls, two of which were apparently bothered by a stutter or something, but no botches... putting Colin up to five successes on his own. Any assists? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Udella frowned and nodded.
"Yes and especially considering the young Verbena's situation, I have not met her husband but I hear he is an honorable man I doubt he would turn his wife against her will but the danger to such a relationship of course is what if she becomes injured in some way? That have to weigh on her mind, what you have been prepared to do might just hit a little to close to home."

"Perhaps it will, Warden was a terrible woman but her widderslainte might still stand a chance, perhaps the memory of that love can be the key to save that child...if you can find him or her before the Traditions do."

The old Quesitor smiled warmly.
"That is such a nice thought, to make sure someone's wedding day is a good one, that is a fine thing to do with magick."
She said and patted you on the arm.

Adjan nodded at that when you said that a way to bring the Fallen back to the light would be found.
"I hope you are right, I guess I will believe it is so if for no other reason than the hope such a possibility will bring."
He said and nodded.
"It is the only way we could potentially win over the Nephandi completely."

There in the tunnel there was somthing but it was hard to see, then a fireball blew past your head just as you stepped out of the portal, it was a powerful ball of flame but the one who had conjured it was less skilled with aiming than at making flames and the ball hit the wall behind your party, burning the Labyrinth creature making it shiver and convulse in protest. The fireball was out of your reach so you where not able to return it to the caster but neither did it hit any of your group.

Crexia glanced over at you and raised an eyebrow when you sugjested making a gale with the ambient magick floating around the room then she grinned and nodded and she joined in with your spell quickly matching your chant, working with her felt like working with pure elextrisity, you could feel the old maga's massive power asshe worked with you and while your own consentration flatered for a moment and your magick did not flow to well the spell still went off sending a Wind of Mundane Silence towards the Nephandi's barriar, there where no one directly behind Abigail the wind howled as it was released though and while the protective barriar did not go down it shivered leaving an opening if just for a moment.

One of the Nephandi a small black woman turned towards you and ratteled the led coins in her hands and muttered suddenly you felt a horrible cramp in your stomach as if the woman where twisting your guts, you could try to turn that spell back on her through. The man with the slug skin tossed a bolt of energy towards Crexia who blocked it, and the battle raged on but Abigail's barrier where not as powerful as it had been before.

[Warpmind]

Udella frowned and nodded.
"Yes and especially considering the young Verbena's situation, I have not met her husband but I hear he is an honorable man I doubt he would turn his wife against her will but the danger to such a relationship of course is what if she becomes injured in some way? That have to weigh on her mind, what you have been prepared to do might just hit a little to close to home."

He nodded, "I hope they'll forgive me before December, though... I need to meet... er, someone else then; that's a conversation for another time and place, though."

"Perhaps it will, Warden was a terrible woman but her widderslainte might still stand a chance, perhaps the memory of that love can be the key to save that child...if you can find him or her before the Traditions do."

He nodded, "Or before the Fallen do..."

The old Quesitor smiled warmly.
"That is such a nice thought, to make sure someone's wedding day is a good one, that is a fine thing to do with magick."
She said and patted you on the arm.

He grinned, "Of course, no tampering with free will, just making sure that what can go right will, and what can go wrong won't... No clerical errors or traffic jams, that sort of thing."

Adjan nodded at that when you said that a way to bring the Fallen back to the light would be found.
"I hope you are right, I guess I will believe it is so if for no other reason than the hope such a possibility will bring."
He said and nodded.
"It is the only way we could potentially win over the Nephandi completely."

He sighed, "For some, such a path might take a few incarnations, but it's definitively possible. It will take time, though, like counting sand on a beach..."

There in the tunnel there was somthing but it was hard to see, then a fireball blew past your head just as you stepped out of the portal, it was a powerful ball of flame but the one who had conjured it was less skilled with aiming than at making flames and the ball hit the wall behind your party, burning the Labyrinth creature making it shiver and convulse in protest. The fireball was out of your reach so you where not able to return it to the caster but neither did it hit any of your group.

He frowned as the shield flared up and the fireball passed by, all that effort wasted, "Well, at least accuracy isn't their strongest suit... If they actually hit, though, it's probably going to hurt a lot..."

Crexia glanced over at you and raised an eyebrow when you sugjested making a gale with the ambient magick floating around the room then she grinned and nodded and she joined in with your spell quickly matching your chant, working with her felt like working with pure elextrisity, you could feel the old maga's massive power asshe worked with you and while your own consentration flatered for a moment and your magick did not flow to well the spell still went off sending a Wind of Mundane Silence towards the Nephandi's barriar, there where no one directly behind Abigail the wind howled as it was released though and while the protective barriar did not go down it shivered leaving an opening if just for a moment.

He took a deep breath and grinned at Crexia, "That was invigorating, almost like passing a hefty static electric shock to someone... We've got to work together more often."

One of the Nephandi a small black woman turned towards you and ratteled the led coins in her hands and muttered suddenly you felt a horrible cramp in your stomach as if the woman where twisting your guts, you could try to turn that spell back on her through. The man with the slug skin tossed a bolt of energy towards Crexia who blocked it, and the battle raged on but Abigail's barrier where not as powerful as it had been before.

He was about to say something more to Crexia when he grimaced and looked down, envisioning the thin little thread connecting the black woman's magic to his innards and letting out a discomforted belch instead. He raised his ring toward the woman, feeling around for the magic rummaging in his guts, and tried to push it back and ignite it, briefly glad he didn't *need* the incantations so much as finding them useful...

((OOC: So, basically, Colin wasted the shield when he thought it was immediately necessary - Oh, well, better to have had it ready and used it needlessly, than not having had it an finding the fireball was actually properly aimed... Responding to the gut-wrenching, though, basically the same maneuver as with Warden and Cotta; grab the spell's link and return all the love to sender... Arete roll: 4,7,0. Even assuming Colin's got a +1 Diff adjustment for being distracted, that should be two successes - that'll have to do. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Udella raised an eye brow when you said you had to meet someone else in December.
"I see, your life is indeed a interesting one young man, but yes not all conversations should be had here in the middle of a Labyrinth, I do trust your judgement on that."
She agreed.

When you said that you had to then get to Warden's reincarnation before the Fallen did as well as the Traditions she nodded.
"Indeed or before they do."

She smiled a little about the topic of the wedding rings you made.
"Well Ars Fati generaly do not go against gree will, it affect chance, luck and the general entropy of the world, but yes there are so many things that can run such a big day so a little luck go a long way."

Adjan looked at you and nodded.
"Well since most think it is impossible for a Fallen mage to retun to the light even if it takes several incarnations that means allot more hope than before assumed. I do think proof have to be gathered before the Traditions in general will believe such a thing is possible though."

"I am quite happy with whatever fireball do nto hit me!"
Adjan said as he glanced at where that ball of flame had scorched the wall before he took aim at Abigail but her protective barrier stopped his bullet.
"I wonder if the not so good Lady knows how irritating she is."
The Euthanathos grumbeled.

Crexia gave you a bright smile.
"So we must, well done young man, now let us see what can be done to explore the weakness we have created in the woman's shield. I think perhaps that if we can take from her that vial of blood which is the link to the poor man she is using...ehm yes the soul of Chicago have incarnated as a young Orphan's Avatar and that is his blood, then perhaps we can break her spell."
The archmage said and inclined her head towards Abigail.

It seamed that grabbing magick and sending it back that way Mia had done for you where still beyond your grasp of understanding, just boundcing a spell back to the sender, one tossed that you could do but turning magick around that was allot harder, perhaps you could break the spell if you focused on that, but understanding the nature of the magick rummaging around in your gut at the small woman's hand ratteled those lead coins where something else. Around you the battle raged, there where the sounds of gunshots, chanting, spells flaring across the room and screams, at the forefront of your mind where the pain in your gut though and it was growing, perhaps a simpler spell, just focusing on countering the woman's magick might have better effect.

(OOC: Well with Warden that was a bit of a special situation where Mia did the grabbing and Colin worked with her doing that right of the bat though might be more than he have understanding for at the moment, countermagick though that he can do.)

(OOC: Yeah the Nephandus borched his aiming roll.)

[Adley]

​

"Yes I guess you are right and I brought her to the Caul." He sigh and shook his head. "I do not know how to feel."

"Sorry you did that?" he suggested.

Zach glanced at you and shrugs. "I can try to weaken the arcane connection however if the spell on this guy was set up by a Master of the Art I doubt I can do much, but yes with more information I can at least try. Finding they guy though that I can do." He said and fished out his phone and the strange home made antenna he had used before.
Crexia nodded. "Good do that, as for the prisoner he is restrained so all you need to do is keep an eye on him."
She said an Zach sigh. "Very well Ma'am I will do my best."

"Thank you, whatever you can do to help is appreciated."

Cara gave you a concerned look. "I hope you will be fine, Quiets can be a good way to attain wisom but they can also be damned scary."
She said. "Let me know if you need anything, Twilight is my House's speciality after all." She said and smiled to you. "You have helped me so any time ok and let us just get though this mess for now..."

"I'll want to take to you, certainly once there's a chance. And after we're out of all of this," he said with a nod. Then he took a breath as if he were going underwater and went through the portal, instantly the feelings of rotting flesh touching him everywhere broke him out in intense revulsion. The light at the end that he saw was not something to be hopeful for, his body tried to dodge what he was sure was some type of fireball or primal fire, that missed them or was deflected by Colin's sheild. On the other side of the gate, the feeling of revulsion went even deeper, from his flesh all the way to his soul. There was the caul - that was made of Dylan's child and Abigail - finally right in front of his eyes. He wanted to wipe that smile he saw off of her face forever. But then his eyes caught her actions - her movements over something small in her hands. He tried to hold off on the rage and focus on that, like Moses holding the Red sea while everyone walked through it, only instead of people it was his thoughts and intent that he tried to give full passage and the sea was made of fire. Ahead of him, while he took aim, the others worked up a Wind of Mundane Silence - so there was some type of barrier, not surprising, but there was an opening for a bare moment, a weakness and he tried to make use of it.

// sorry I didn't reply yesterday, was busy with some things then ran out of creative steam - lol I went out and did people-y things xD I am off on vacation this week and it's my SO's bday so I might be online a little less frequently

ooc 2: so who is in the main group now and who went to the kitchen? I know Zach is with the prisoner, and I think Leon went to the kitchen iirc. Crexia, Colin, Adley, Cara, Udella, the water elemental, Hayden...who am I missing, Olamide, Nancy?

ooc3: It looks like there are two rounds here so far? If I had Adley spend some time aiming and assessing the situation since he's injured and his avatar is mighty po'd/making him have flashbacks, can he try to grab the vial or use a spell on it? In the above post it said there was an opening momentarily right after the wind hit, then the barrier was weakened if I read it right. Thanks for clarifying, let me know if I need a roll to see the spot or something beyond the normal:

the spell still went off sending a Wind of Mundane Silence towards the Nephandi's barriar, there where no one directly behind Abigail the wind howled as it was released though and while the protective barriar did not go down it shivered leaving an opening if just for a moment.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Flaio looked at you for a moment.
"I do not know if I am sorry or not. I can say that I miss the way she used to be...but being a Nephandus, being Fallen feel so right now...I...need time storting it out."
He muttered and sigh.

Zach nodded as he tapped at his phone.
"I am working about it now and I will see what I find, as for Flavio I will keep and eye on him though it makes me uneasy...I mean helping to keep him prisoner, considering what is going to happen..."
The Virtual Adept stopped talking and looked at the prisoner who grimaced.
"It do not matter who keeps an eye on me kid...don't worry about it."
He muttered and Zach sigh.
"I ehm...will do my best."
He repeated but he looked a bit uneasy.

Cara nodded and smiled when you said you wanted to talk with her when there was time and you where all safe.
"I would like that Sodalis."

Crexia and Colin's spell had created and opening that could be exploited. It seamed like Abigail's five allies where doing the fighting while the Lady of the Labyrinth herself focused on the barrier she was creating. The sounds of battle raged around you, a bit of ground shot up towards Andy who managed to dodge to the side, two fireballs tried to hit Crexia, they hit but fissled against her Parma Magica. An Prime bolt hit a young hedge wizard you had seen in the hallways of Morningstar, the woman screamed and hit the floor, Adjan bent dont to drag her out of the way, there was full chaos, and yet that small opening was there, Colin and Crexia had bought you that...

(OOC: Not a problem I am a bit less online now than usual as well, just post when you feel like it you do not have to post every day when something comes up. Also I hope you SO have a good birthday.)

(OOC 2: I was thinking Leon got some of the other NPCs with him, some of those that have not been much important in the story. I have a list of them, Eden, Zara, Betty, and Qeb, only Qeb and Betty have been introduced I think. Zach is watching the prisoner, everyone else is in the Caul chamber.)

(OOC 3: Yes Adley can make such an attemnt, he do not need to roll to see the opening if he have spells up to see magick like watching the weaving, he will have to roll to try to grab the vial out of Abigail's hands though.)

(OOC 4: Sorry for not describing the battle in to much detail I feel like I am slacking off but there is a limit to how much I can write on my phone.)

[Warpmind]

She smiled a little about the topic of the wedding rings you made.
"Well Ars Fati generaly do not go against gree will, it affect chance, luck and the general entropy of the world, but yes there are so many things that can run such a big day so a little luck go a long way."

Colin smiled wryly, "Indeed; I can prevent random mishaps, but I cannot protect against in-laws... Then again, I haven't heard of any such misbehaviour at any wedding recently, so who knows?"

Adjan looked at you and nodded.
"Well since most think it is impossible for a Fallen mage to retun to the light even if it takes several incarnations that means allot more hope than before assumed. I do think proof have to be gathered before the Traditions in general will believe such a thing is possible though."

He frowned, "Well, it's hardly as though many have been given the chance to try in the past..."

"I am quite happy with whatever fireball do nto hit me!"
Adjan said as he glanced at where that ball of flame had scorched the wall before he took aim at Abigail but her protective barrier stopped his bullet.
"I wonder if the not so good Lady knows how irritating she is."
The Euthanathos grumbeled.

He nodded, "I know what you mean; I've been hit by one too many for comfort, myself. And I believe the harridan revels in it."

Crexia gave you a bright smile.
"So we must, well done young man, now let us see what can be done to explore the weakness we have created in the woman's shield. I think perhaps that if we can take from her that vial of blood which is the link to the poor man she is using...ehm yes the soul of Chicago have incarnated as a young Orphan's Avatar and that is his blood, then perhaps we can break her spell."
The archmage said and inclined her head towards Abigail.

He nodded, "I'll see what I can do."

It seamed that grabbing magick and sending it back that way Mia had done for you where still beyond your grasp of understanding, just boundcing a spell back to the sender, one tossed that you could do but turning magick around that was allot harder, perhaps you could break the spell if you focused on that, but understanding the nature of the magick rummaging around in your gut at the small woman's hand ratteled those lead coins where something else. Around you the battle raged, there where the sounds of gunshots, chanting, spells flaring across the room and screams, at the forefront of your mind where the pain in your gut though and it was growing, perhaps a simpler spell, just focusing on countering the woman's magick might have better effect.

He grimaced, then placed his left hand behind the small of his back, ring facing his spine, and glared venomously at the small woman, facing her directly before casting a Wind of Mundane Silence straight through himself - it might be uncomfortable for him, but less so than the gut-wrenching spell being worked on him already...

((OOC: So, a quick Wind of Mundane Silence for plowing through the spell and hopefully surprise and distract the li'l Nephanda. Arete rolls: 2,4,0 - 3,5,0 - 4,4,7. A bit slow working, but I think Colin's going to need at least three successes for this to work, so three more rounds it is... ))

((OOC2: I make it four rounds for Colin and Crexia to break wind at Abigail, then Colin's busy for four more rounds trying to counter the little hag that's giving him volvulus...)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Ah yes inlaws...well at least in this day and age young pepole choose their own partner, at least here in the West, had I not been Gifted and a magus had not come to take me away for training my father would have found a strategic husband for me and sold me off...well in either case you are doing a good thing young man."
Udella said and smiled to you.

Adjan sigh.
"No not many but there have been Fallen that have not been caught or have been given mercy and none of them have found the path back to light."
He said.
"Off course that do not mean it could never happen, only that as far as we know, with one epection no one have been able to do what you speak of."

Adjan gave you a wry look when you spoke of fireballs.
"Well let us try to avoid such projectiles and any other our enemies might throw at us and if they hit us to make sure we repay them in kind."
He said and grinned.

Crexia nodded.
"Good and be careful."
Was all she said.

You wored your Wind of Mundane Silence right through yourself, it took a bit of time while the battle raged around you, it was not comfortable, it was not a very strong wind so it was not unberable however you could feel your magickal nature flutter in the wind, you got the absurd feeling of Mia lifting a thin hand to keep her hat from blowing of in the wind, your spell seamed to work though and that wrenching in your gut stopped, you still felt a bit ill, but you suspect that will quickly pass. The little black woman with the lead coins glared at you, she clearly found it quite rude that you had destroyed her spell and she rumaged around in her dress pocket and took out an old coffin nail and several more lead coins and started pushing the nails through them, then she took a small onion and put that on the nail as well, whatever spell she was working on, probably you would not enjou finding out, luckily though it seamed like her current working would take a bit of time to rain it's caster's displeasure down on your head or whatever body part she was currently targeting.

(OOC: That will do it to end the Nephanda's spell. I do not think Colin would take any damage for that wind a WoMS need to be pretty strong to actually do damage.)

(OOC 2: Little hag why do I get the feeling our little English folk magick practicing witch is nto Colin's favortite Nephandus? Yeah Strife have some rounds to act in now.)

[Warpmind]

"Ah yes inlaws...well at least in this day and age young pepole choose their own partner, at least here in the West, had I not been Gifted and a magus had not come to take me away for training my father would have found a strategic husband for me and sold me off...well in either case you are doing a good thing young man."
Udella said and smiled to you.

He smiled wryly, "You may have been deprived a husband of convenience, but I can't quite see it as a loss..."

Adjan sigh.
"No not many but there have been Fallen that have not been caught or have been given mercy and none of them have found the path back to light."
He said.
"Off course that do not mean it could never happen, only that as far as we know, with one epection no one have been able to do what you speak of."

He smiled, "Let's give it a few years. I've got reason to believe we're on the precipice of something wonderful."

Adjan gave you a wry look when you spoke of fireballs.
"Well let us try to avoid such projectiles and any other our enemies might throw at us and if they hit us to make sure we repay them in kind."
He said and grinned.

He grinned, "Enthusiastically seconded."

You wored your Wind of Mundane Silence right through yourself, it took a bit of time while the battle raged around you, it was not comfortable, it was not a very strong wind so it was not unberable however you could feel your magickal nature flutter in the wind, you got the absurd feeling of Mia lifting a thin hand to keep her hat from blowing of in the wind, your spell seamed to work though and that wrenching in your gut stopped, you still felt a bit ill, but you suspect that will quickly pass. The little black woman with the lead coins glared at you, she clearly found it quite rude that you had destroyed her spell and she rumaged around in her dress pocket and took out an old coffin nail and several more lead coins and started pushing the nails through them, then she took a small onion and put that on the nail as well, whatever spell she was working on, probably you would not enjou finding out, luckily though it seamed like her current working would take a bit of time to rain it's caster's displeasure down on your head or whatever body part she was currently targeting.

He let out a sour belch and shot the little Nephanda a dirty look, then focused on Abigail, "Abigail! Call off your minion with the coins; I have a message from Martha Cunningham! She lives, and I can't pass on her words if your lady there interferes with me!"

((OOC: Yeah, unless aimed at a more purely magical being, like a fairy, ghost or vampire, a three-success WoMS should be little more than odd sensation. As for the little woman with the coins, I am now reminded of the 3.5 D&D spell Flensing. Material component: one onion. It does exactly what you would think it does... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Udella smiled a little at that.
"It would have been a simpler life to bea wife and a mother and little else but I think I prefer the one I have."
She muttered.

Adjan looked at you for a moment then he nodded.
"Very well I can hope at least, I am not sure I dare completely believe before I see what you are talking about here for myself, but I can dare to hope."
The Euthanathos then grinned a bit about the topic of avoiding projectiles.

Abigail turned to look at Colin for a moment, she hesitated still careful not to miss a beat with the protective magick she was workig with the blood vial in her hands then she looked at the small black woman.
"Agnes wait."
he said and the women stopped with the onion half onto the coffin nail. Abigail then turned to you.
"My apprentice lives? Speak Traditionalist do you have her, have she been harmed? What are her words?"
She demanded, clearly very concerned.

[Warpmind]

Adjan looked at you for a moment then he nodded.
"Very well I can hope at least, I am not sure I dare completely believe before I see what you are talking about here for myself, but I can dare to hope."
The Euthanathos then grinned a bit about the topic of avoiding projectiles.

Colin nodded, "Hope, indeed."

Abigail turned to look at Colin for a moment, she hesitated still careful not to miss a beat with the protective magick she was workig with the blood vial in her hands then she looked at the small black woman.
"Agnes wait."
he said and the women stopped with the onion half onto the coffin nail. Abigail then turned to you.
"My apprentice lives? Speak Traditionalist do you have her, have she been harmed? What are her words?"
She demanded, clearly very concerned.

Colin nodded, "Thank you... Yes, she lives, yes, we have her, and we have done nothing toward her. We did rescue her from a sleeper mental hospital - not a good one - and... her message, though perhaps not verbatim is that you've been betrayed. Lisa Larson has sacrificed every widderslainte in Boston she could get her hands on - Martha is, in her own words, an Eater of the Weak no more. There have been no mass captures and gilguls in the Traditionalist Chantries in Boston recently; that would have been turned into," he spat with a sour expression, "a spectator sport, heavily advertised for bragging rights, so I can say with remarkable certainty that our side isn't the culprit when it comes to your loss of manpower. I've... spoken with Martha, over the phone; she told me of your favourite orchid forum, though sending you a warning of Larson's betrayal through there was deemed legally indefensible - and for what it's worth, I am sorry for your loss at your ally's hands. If it is any consolation, I will try to arrange for you and Martha to meet one last time after we've captured you..."

((OOC: Manipulation+Expression seems the appropriate roll here... Well, Manipulation, in any case, since Colin lacks the appropriate skills for it. Roll comes to 7,0 to render Abigail distraught and give her a distraction penalty to her spellcasting. A bit cynical, yes, but she'd want to know, even if it hurts, I'll wager, and Colin's offer to try to bring the two women together is sincere.))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adjan smiled a little and nodded, hope indeed, there was nothing more for him to say but it was clear that the death magus hoped you where right and that he was willing to give the idea the benefit of the doubt even if it might just be a fool's hope.

Abigail gave you a doubtful look.
"Why would my prize student be in a sleeper mental hospital."
Then her eyes widened.
"W...what, how...but..."
She said horrified and her powerful protective barriar shivered with her shock, weakening it further than what you and Crexia's spell had done to it.
"Are you standing there and claiming that Lisa Larson have Gilgulled my student?"
She said looking incredulous.
"That is impossible...fuck the bloody Italian twins...there wll be blood."
She swore anger blazing like fire in her eyes.
"What about...my other students? I know one of them died in the Labyrinth not long ago at least she got a honorable death in combat, but my oldest is missing do your damned faction have her as well?"
She demanded as she glared at you and if looks could kill, well with a mage they probably could but the powerful old Nephanda was not trying to kill you at the moment at least though she was clearly enraged.
"What is going to happen to Martha now?"
She finally asked.
"Will she at least be granted death? And what of the other widderlsainte I sent Larson to aid the cause, have the twins gotten her to do the same to them? Dman that woman I am going to rip her spine out thought her nose show show it back up her ass!"
The Lady of the Labyrinth swore.

Abigail raised and eyebrow.
"Captiring me alive? That is not happening, you and your friends will die here, expect for a few of your prettier men, those I will keep alive for my own amusement."
She declared but she was clearly shaken up over the news about her apprentice.
"However yes if I should get captured...I would appriciate seeing my student again."

[Warpmind]

Abigail gave you a doubtful look.
"Why would my prize student be in a sleeper mental hospital."
Then her eyes widened.
"W...what, how...but..."
She said horrified and her powerful protective barriar shivered with her shock, weakening it further than what you and Crexia's spell had done to it.

Colin nodded slowly, "That's why... The hospital in question is a dump where the police place apprehended individuals who... don't precisely live in the same world as themselves when the drug screening comes back negative."

"Are you standing there and claiming that Lisa Larson have Gilgulled my student?"
She said looking incredulous.

He nodded, "That is what Martha claimed. She contacted her apprentice, who tried to escape Chicago before being put on a plane. He made a mistake in where to seek help... and thus we obtained his phone while he... escaped Gilgul. That was immediately before we rescued the Bergen girl, and shortly after that, we extricated Martha from the psychiatric facility, whereupon she called her apprentice's phone again, and I talked her into surrendering to our people. She... may believe her apprentice still lives, which may be a kindness..."

"That is impossible...fuck the bloody Italian twins...there wll be blood."
She swore anger blazing like fire in her eyes.

He arched an eyebrow and fished up his phone, quickly setting it to record speech, "Italian twins? Can you be more specific - do you know their names?"

"What about...my other students? I know one of them died in the Labyrinth not long ago at least she got a honorable death in combat, but my oldest is missing do your damned faction have her as well?"
She demanded as she glared at you and if looks could kill, well with a mage they probably could but the powerful old Nephanda was not trying to kill you at the moment at least though she was clearly enraged.

He pondered, "I'm not sure who your oldest is, I'm afraid, but... what is her name?"

"What is going to happen to Martha now?"
She finally asked.
"Will she at least be granted death? And what of the other widderlsainte I sent Larson to aid the cause, have the twins gotten her to do the same to them? Dman that woman I am going to rip her spine out thought her nose show show it back up her ass!"
The Lady of the Labyrinth swore.

He sighed softly, "Martha... will be questioned. I doubt it will take very long, and I doubt torture will be used, as well - at this stage, there'd be little to no point in that. And then... even with her Avatar gone, she is still a potentially dangerous and highly knowledgeable enemy - I very much doubt there's any chance she can avoid execution. It... will most likely be instantaneous. And yes, it seems that all your widderslainte have suffered the same fate in Boston..."

Abigail raised and eyebrow.
"Captiring me alive? That is not happening, you and your friends will die here, expect for a few of your prettier men, those I will keep alive for my own amusement."
She declared but she was clearly shaken up over the news about her apprentice.
"However yes if I should get captured...I would appriciate seeing my student again."

He shook his head, smiling darkly, "I'm afraid you are wrong about that. Today, doom has come to your Labyrinth, invited by your long chain of sins. Undead or alive, you're coming with us."
He smoothly fished up a few of Dalett's buttons, trying to determine which fleshy outcroping behind Abigail and Agnes were closest to them, to provoke the Labyrinth creature into attacking them.

((OOC: So, I'm thinking that would be a... Perception/Awareness roll to pick that up? Seems more appropriate than Alertness, at least... So the roll comes to: 7,7,7 - LUCKY! ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded slowly, "That's why... The hospital in question is a dump where the police place apprehended individuals who... don't precisely live in the same world as themselves when the drug screening comes back negative."

"Did this hospital harm my apprentice? For is so they will be made to pay."
Abigail said in a dangerous tone of voice nearly a growl and her stiff, scarred lip twisted into an even deeper frown.

He nodded, "That is what Martha claimed. She contacted her apprentice, who tried to escape Chicago before being put on a plane. He made a mistake in where to seek help... and thus we obtained his phone while he... escaped Gilgul.

"The boy is dead then I assume...that will hit Martha hard she loved that kid."
Abigail muttered then added to herself.
"She never would let me touch him, oh well such a shame at least he will be reborn and we can pick him up again."

That was immediately before we rescued the Bergen girl, and shortly after that, we extricated Martha from the psychiatric facility, whereupon she called her apprentice's phone again, and I talked her into surrendering to our people. She... may believe her apprentice still lives, which may be a kindness..."

"Ah so you are to blame for my gift to that little snot of a vampire escaping, you are a most irritating man little imp!"
Abigail grumbled then she sigh.
"So your faction got my apprentice out of that hospital, then she escaped but you talked her into surrendering to the Traditions...I see well if the state you say she is in is right that is probably better than her being on the streets alone...and yes not knowing that her student is dead is a kindness."
She said and her frown deepened.

He arched an eyebrow and fished up his phone, quickly setting it to record speech, "Italian twins? Can you be more specific - do you know their names?"

Abigail considered for a moment then she shrugged her finger caressing the vial of Orphan blood.
"Well I guess I might as well tell you I would like to enact my vengeance against the pair myself but the Tradition's punishment for dealing with my kind is quite brutal so I might be satisfied with that one is named Vittoria Sophia D'Angelo, her brother's name I am not sure of, I have not met him, all I know is that the pair is Larson's pets."
She said and scoffed in contempt.

He pondered, "I'm not sure who your oldest is, I'm afraid, but... what is her name?"

"Jodelle Jerkins is her name, do the Traditions have her?"
Abigail demanded angrily.

He sighed softly, "Martha... will be questioned. I doubt it will take very long, and I doubt torture will be used, as well - at this stage, there'd be little to no point in that. And then... even with her Avatar gone, she is still a potentially dangerous and highly knowledgeable enemy - I very much doubt there's any chance she can avoid execution. It... will most likely be instantaneous. And yes, it seems that all your widderslainte have suffered the same fate in Boston..."

"Martha will tell your side nothing I do not care what condition she is in she is still my student!"
Abigail said proudly.
"Damn I should have been there to protect her...when you spoke to her...how...how did she sound...how badly is she mentally?"
She asked and shook her head.
"Well death would be a mercy in that condition...someone will pay for this they will pay dearly...fuck the Italians I bet that half wit idiot Larson bought their loyalty with my widderslaintes, that seam to be all they care about...bloody imbeciles the lot of them!"
She raged then she took a deep breath and shifted her hand gestures a little to bring her mind back to her magick.

He shook his head, smiling darkly, "I'm afraid you are wrong about that. Today, doom has come to your Labyrinth, invited by your long chain of sins. Undead or alive, you're coming with us."

"That is not going to happen you will all die and ugly or not I will fuck your corpse!"
Abigail promised then she raised an eyebrow.
"Undead...you have a vampire with you then...now during the day? Well that is more grim than I would have expected from the Traditions still I will take my chances kid."

He smoothly fished up a few of Dalett's buttons, trying to determine which fleshy outcroping behind Abigail and Agnes were closest to them, to provoke the Labyrinth creature into attacking them.

There was a mouth a little to the side of the group of Nephandi, a liver right behind them, two penises to the left, a tentacle handing from the roof and some entrails on the floor, the tentacle and the mouth might be capable of attacking the group.

(OOC: Sorry for my late reply I started reading a book intending to read for a few minutes and when I looked up it had been four hours and my mother was all set for us to go home, also I am back home with an internet connection now so I can make better posts again, thank you both for your patience.)

[Warpmind]

"Did this hospital harm my apprentice? For is so they will be made to pay."
Abigail said in a dangerous tone of voice nearly a growl and her stiff, scarred lip twisted into an even deeper frown.

Colin shook his head, "I don't think they harmed her - confined her and gave her some sedation, yes, but not outright harm."

"The boy is dead then I assume...that will hit Martha hard she loved that kid."
Abigail muttered then added to herself.
"She never would let me touch him, oh well such a shame at least he will be reborn and we can pick him up again."

He shrugged, "Someone will find him, at least..."

"Ah so you are to blame for my gift to that little snot of a vampire escaping, you are a most irritating man little imp!"
Abigail grumbled then she sigh.
"So your faction got my apprentice out of that hospital, then she escaped but you talked her into surrendering to the Traditions...I see well if the state you say she is in is right that is probably better than her being on the streets alone...and yes not knowing that her student is dead is a kindness."
She said and her frown deepened.

He nodded, "Couldn't very well allow an innocent child to suffer that fate. Especially not the... well, the man's a bit of an idiot who made the wrong call, but that's no reason to let his daughter suffer Nicolai's whims. The undead little shit will get his soon enough."

Abigail considered for a moment then she shrugged her finger caressing the vial of Orphan blood.
"Well I guess I might as well tell you I would like to enact my vengeance against the pair myself but the Tradition's punishment for dealing with my kind is quite brutal so I might be satisfied with that one is named Vittoria Sophia D'Angelo, her brother's name I am not sure of, I have not met him, all I know is that the pair is Larson's pets."
She said and scoffed in contempt.

He nodded and handed the phone surreptitiously to Udella, "Well, that information will certainly prove... a potent weapon. We'll make sure they get their just desserts..."

"Jodelle Jerkins is her name, do the Traditions have her?"
Abigail demanded angrily.

He nodded, a briefly sad look flickering across his face, "We do. She has not been tortured, she's been treated with the respect due a capable and valorous warrior - one I would have been honoured to fight alongside under different circumstances - and she will meet her end proud and unbroken. And I will be there to watch; no one should face that without a friendly face in the crowd, at least..."

"Martha will tell your side nothing I do not care what condition she is in she is still my student!"
Abigail said proudly.
"Damn I should have been there to protect her...when you spoke to her...how...how did she sound...how badly is she mentally?"
She asked and shook her head.
"Well death would be a mercy in that condition...someone will pay for this they will pay dearly...fuck the Italians I bet that half wit idiot Larson bought their loyalty with my widderslaintes, that seam to be all they care about...bloody imbeciles the lot of them!"
She raged then she took a deep breath and shifted her hand gestures a little to bring her mind back to her magick.

He nodded, "I doubt she will give up anything, yes. She sounded as though she was traumatized - which obviously was the case - but she was still coherent and more worried for her apprentice being sent into the lion's den than her own fate. I've... seen a few different outcomes of her state, and I would think that, given time and a change of heart combined with a merciful judge, she could have made a quite capable Mercere... Not, of course, that such is a likely opportunity, but I believe she could make it through the trauma."

"That is not going to happen you will all die and ugly or not I will fuck your corpse!"
Abigail promised then she raised an eyebrow.
"Undead...you have a vampire with you then...now during the day? Well that is more grim than I would have expected from the Traditions still I will take my chances kid."

He looked at her, a gaze of steel, "It was a contingency plan for miss Carlyle. We did not end up needing it, thank God, and it's a contingency we'll not be using for anyone except you, if necessary... Yes, it's grim, and horrid, but sometimes good men are forced by necessity to do things that can only be deemed an abomination... I will by far prefer to take you alive, but I'll accept the alternative."

There was a mouth a little to the side of the group of Nephandi, a liver right behind them, two penises to the left, a tentacle handing from the roof and some entrails on the floor, the tentacle and the mouth might be capable of attacking the group.

He leaned over to Crexia, lowering his voice to a mere whisper, "Do you see the liver over there? I happen to know for a fact, to my displeasure, that a sharp blow to the liver causes a person to vomit quite violently... can you test if the same applies to a Labyrinth?"
He then glanced back toward the tentacle hanging from the roof, and flicked a button into the air toward it, willing a brief, painful flare of tainted primal flame to run along the tentacle, to make it rebel against its 'owners'. "Help me out here, Cotta... Gladius ex malomagia!"

((OOC: So, a brief spark, enough to irritate and induce pain to the Labyrinth, but not so much as to sever it... and hopefully give it a taste of some nearby, familiar Resonance... Arete roll: 7,7,8. Well, that should be more than enough... Gonna designate one success to duration, then, so it keeps irritating the tentacle.))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin shook his head, "I don't think they harmed her - confined her and gave her some sedation, yes, but not outright harm."

"Even so...they will pay, dammit they will pay!"
The Lady of the Labyrinth said and frowned.

He shrugged, "Someone will find him, at least..."

"Yeah I guess you are right Traditionalist he better hope it is us that find him then."

He nodded, "Couldn't very well allow an innocent child to suffer that fate. Especially not the... well, the man's a bit of an idiot who made the wrong call, but that's no reason to let his daughter suffer Nicolai's whims. The undead little shit will get his soon enough."

"I will sacrifice anyone for the cause, that include that little Janissary brat, as for Nicolai since it seams like my plans are just falling apart on me what happens to that fool is not my concern, you however are on my radar Traditionalist and you will be dealt with!"
Abigail promised darkly.

He nodded and handed the phone surreptitiously to Udella, "Well, that information will certainly prove... a potent weapon. We'll make sure they get their just desserts..."

Udella accepted the phone and put it in her pocket.
"For what the word of a Nephandus is worth this might be useful indeed."
She said several of the other magi looked rather doubtful and shocked at the revelation. Abigail just glared at you.

He nodded, a briefly sad look flickering across his face, "We do. She has not been tortured, she's been treated with the respect due a capable and valorous warrior - one I would have been honoured to fight alongside under different circumstances - and she will meet her end proud and unbroken. And I will be there to watch; no one should face that without a friendly face in the crowd, at least..."

Abigail's face twisted into a mask of rage.
"I will have Jodella back, whole and undamaged if I have to cut every Traditionalist in the city to shreds to get her, you will not take one more of my apprentices from me!"
She declared.
"If you have treated her kindly I might spare you some...discomfort in this but you are all going down mark my words I want my student back!"

He nodded, "I doubt she will give up anything, yes. She sounded as though she was traumatized - which obviously was the case - but she was still coherent and more worried for her apprentice being sent into the lion's den than her own fate. I've... seen a few different outcomes of her state, and I would think that, given time and a change of heart combined with a merciful judge, she could have made a quite capable Mercere... Not, of course, that such is a likely opportunity, but I believe she could make it through the trauma."

"Martha is strong, she is stronger than most."
Abigail said proudly.
"However a life without magick...is not worth living not for anyone...and she will not trade her loyalties for a meaningless life of suffering."
She muttered with grief in her voice.

He looked at her, a gaze of steel, "It was a contingency plan for miss Carlyle. We did not end up needing it, thank God, and it's a contingency we'll not be using for anyone except you, if necessary... Yes, it's grim, and horrid, but sometimes good men are forced by necessity to do things that can only be deemed an abomination... I will by far prefer to take you alive, but I'll accept the alternative."

Abigail glanced at you and smiled a little.
"Ah the first few steps down the path of corrupting such and absolute delight. I will take my chances Traditionalist, we will kill you all, and if you should get through my defenses I will die and if you do what you threaten I will take those fifty fifty chances they are better odds than in captivity and even should you have a vampire at the ready I would rather rise again a vampire than let myself be Gilgulled to the leer of your comrades in the Main Sentencing Hall."
The Nephanda said and scoffed some of her allies looked a bit nervous though even as they fought against the Traditionalists around them.

(OOC: I will wait with replying to Colin's wall shenanigans until Strife get a chance to reply to, talk is one thing but actions that drastically chance the situation that Adley should get a chance to react to first.)

[Adley]

Flaio looked at you for a moment. "I do not know if I am sorry or not. I can say that I miss the way she used to be...but being a Nephandus, being Fallen feel so right now...I...need time storting it out."

"Your avatar didn't want you to go in; when you came out you knew something was wrong and from what I hear you probably felt traumatized. You spent decades trying to be right about things that you did that you knew were wrong to do. So feeling 'right' about being wrong now...could very well be wrong, don't you think? Maybe another lie, you're telling yourself, that it feels right, or that it's your now-Fallen avatar's desires mingling and confusing you," he reasoned. "Especially given everything else we just discussed. You don't really feel right about it, or you wouldn't try so hard to make the entire Tellurian fit your one path, so you 'can be right' in the literal end."

Zach nodded as he tapped at his phone. "I am working about it now and I will see what I find, as for Flavio I will keep and eye on him though it makes me uneasy...I mean helping to keep him prisoner, considering what is going to happen..." The Virtual Adept stopped talking and looked at the prisoner who grimaced. "It do not matter who keeps an eye on me kid...don't worry about it."

"Keep your guard up, in case he tries to escape after all. Or someone comes."

Crexia and Colin's spell had created and opening that could be exploited. It seamed like Abigail's five allies where doing the fighting while the Lady of the Labyrinth herself focused on the barrier she was creating. The sounds of battle raged around you, a bit of ground shot up towards Andy who managed to dodge to the side, two fireballs tried to hit Crexia, they hit but fissled against her Parma Magica. An Prime bolt hit a young hedge wizard you had seen in the hallways of Morningstar, the woman screamed and hit the floor, Adjan bent dont to drag her out of the way, there was full chaos, and yet that small opening was there, Colin and Crexia had bought you that

It was all a whirl around him as well as inside him but for that one rent he saw in the Nephandi's barrier - a place where reality was back to as it should be, or at least closer to that...he moved his hands quickly, focusing on what lay beyond that stopgap as he spoke - the vial in Abigail's palm, to form the spell his pater had taught him to break the arcane connections on the blood in the vial that were being used to direct Abigail's rote. A thought arrived: if the Qlippothic magic made it so that only that connection existed that Abigail was exploiting, it would be fragile, not just prone to paradox, but there would be only that one spell and not the strength of the Tellurian, or anything of the universe. Cutting across that befouled connection, as it should not be there, should be possible. Less hard than reweaving reality, or countering her spell, through another spell. Yet not nearly easy thing to do, she was a Master Nephandi and like before with the rage stewing inside of him plus he was now wounded, and her voice...he could hear it, she was talking about saving pretty men for her amusement. As she had Dylan. Fear. Rage. Disgust. Fire. But for all that, he knew that he had to keep control. It was vital. One step in front of the other, just like taking aim with a gun through the boundaries of his sights. Or a sword through between two shields. See the gap. Act.

// @Anja thanks for the who-went-where! That is a lot of NPCs to look after and don't worry about the battle desc, you're fine I just ask alot of questions. And glad you had a safe trip home and a nice visit.
@Warp, lol...one onion, the similarity can't be denied. Also, nice roll with three 7s. If only it was a slot machine xD

ooc2: iirc, he had to put the Prime scan spell up to check one of the Fallen's items in one of the scenes before so it should still be active. I can also make a new roll for WtW, though let me know. Trying to sever arcance connections against a Qlippothic spell, while wounded at -2 is Nintendo hard, so sinking in the tass they just received and using the banked sux I got a while back to give a chance in hell:

Prime 2: Arete roll is 4,9,7 - and used one banked sux, 2 quint - that should get it going, anyway. If it needs follow up rolls and that's possible to do with the barrier, the next are 3, 4, 3 and 2, 5, 9

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Your avatar didn't want you to go in; when you came out you knew something was wrong and from what I hear you probably felt traumatized. You spent decades trying to be right about things that you did that you knew were wrong to do. So feeling 'right' about being wrong now...could very well be wrong, don't you think?

Flavio sigh and looked at you his eyes where wide and he was shaking.
"Perhaps you are right Traditionalist but that would not be an easy thing to admit, to be wrong about all of this would be...far more painful than any torture you could put me through."
He muttered.
"I am not sure if I could handle that."

Maybe another lie, you're telling yourself, that it feels right, or that it's your now-Fallen avatar's desires mingling and confusing you," he reasoned. "Especially given everything else we just discussed. You don't really feel right about it, or you wouldn't try so hard to make the entire Tellurian fit your one path, so you 'can be right' in the literal end."

"Perhaps but if I can not trust the direction of my Avatar what can I go by? I would be like a ship out at sea with no stars or no lighthouses to navigate by, just adrift and lost, I need something to believe in Traditionalist, some path to walk, for if not what good am I?"
The prisoner asked he looked confused and lost.
"But perhaps it is wrong to try to force my path on the Tellurian itself no matter what my Avatar think, once she stood for individual freedom but all she once was have been twisted."
He admitted.

"Keep your guard up, in case he tries to escape after all. Or someone comes."

"Yeah I mean he will be rather desperate...if I was captured by a faction that would...ehm...yeah desperate do not begin to cover it. I will keep my eyes open."
Zach promise.
"And if something happen I will try to get him and me somewhere safe."

It was all a whirl around him as well as inside him but for that one rent he saw in the Nephandi's barrier - a place where reality was back to as it should be, or at least closer to that...he moved his hands quickly, focusing on what lay beyond that stopgap as he spoke - the vial in Abigail's palm, to form the spell his pater had taught him to break the arcane connections on the blood in the vial that were being used to direct Abigail's rote. A thought arrived: if the Qlippothic magic made it so that only that connection existed that Abigail was exploiting, it would be fragile, not just prone to paradox, but there would be only that one spell and not the strength of the Tellurian, or anything of the universe. Cutting across that befouled connection, as it should not be there, should be possible. Less hard than reweaving reality, or countering her spell, through another spell. Yet not nearly easy thing to do, she was a Master Nephandi and like before with the rage stewing inside of him plus he was now wounded, and her voice...he could hear it, she was talking about saving pretty men for her amusement. As she had Dylan. Fear. Rage. Disgust. Fire. But for all that, he knew that he had to keep control. It was vital. One step in front of the other, just like taking aim with a gun through the boundaries of his sights. Or a sword through between two shields. See the gap. Act.

You begun to work on that Arcane connection, it felt thick and warm, you had the feeling the owner of that blood was a jovial man, kind and perhaps to trusting, but a good man and now this woman was slowly draining the Quintessence out of his Avatar and the life out of this city, you worked your magick, Abigail's spell would be hard to counter, it was very well made, and bursting through her barrier would be all but impossible but there in that tiny glass vial lay the weakness. You felt your will cutting through the link between that blood an it's owner banishing it, making it no longer a proxy for the man it had been drawn from...you could feel this magick straining you to the limit and then, that arcane connection was gone, there was a look of complete horror on Abigail's face and then suddenly one of Hayden's fireballs hit Agnes straight in the chest, the little Nephanda looked compeltely shocked as she was sent into the wall and she did not even scream.

Over fifty mages now had access to the six Nephandi and the whole battle turned into a bloodbath, especially since everyone had been giving it their all to get though Abigail's barrier. There where a few screams as bullets, fireballs, called spirits, ice spikes, Prime bolts, curses anything but shoes and the kitchen sink all but ripped the group of Nephandi save Abigail apart, there where a moment of just screams and then the Lady of the Labyrinth was alone.

He leaned over to Crexia, lowering his voice to a mere whisper, "Do you see the liver over there? I happen to know for a fact, to my displeasure, that a sharp blow to the liver causes a person to vomit quite violently... can you test if the same applies to a Labyrinth?"
He then glanced back toward the tentacle hanging from the roof, and flicked a button into the air toward it, willing a brief, painful flare of tainted primal flame to run along the tentacle, to make it rebel against its 'owners'. "Help me out here, Cotta... Gladius ex malomagia!"

"I am not so sure these organs work the way ours, well yours do but I can give it a try."
Crexia said and she flicked her hand and a bit of air made a fist and gave that liver a punch, the wall creature convulsed but nothing much more happened, that tentacle was not pleased what you poked at it with Primal fire though however by this time whatever Adley was doing had taken place and the air was full of screams as Abigail's allies where thorn apart by everything but the kitchen sink. Abigail herself ducked under the aggravated tentacle and dropped the vial of Donny's blood and drew a gun and brought it to her head clearly planning on ending herself, horror on her face she knew she had lost and now all she wanted was to save her Avatar for a new incarnation.

(OOC: I am still at my mother's place but we have gone home to her house now and are no longer in her camping wagon. Well yes writing up what everyone of 60 plus NPC's are doing would just take to long.)

(OOC: No the Prime scanning spell is still in effect so do not worry about that. Also that should do it, the arcane connection itself is not protected Abigail never thought of that, one little straw toppling a fortress.)

(OOC 3: If anyone of you want to try to stop Abigail from shooting herself please make appropriate rolls to see if you react quickly enough.)

(OOC 4: Sorry for a bit quick write up I have to get to bed as I am getting up early tomorrow and I wanted to getting something up.)

[Warpmind]

"Even so...they will pay, dammit they will pay!"
The Lady of the Labyrinth said and frowned.

Colin shrugged, "Sleeper attention will be directed to the conditions there. Any mistreatment will be made public knowledge, and if necessary, the place will be shut down. Anyone who has actually abused patients will be tried and convicted by a court of law. They'll pay as necessary."

"Yeah I guess you are right Traditionalist he better hope it is us that find him then."

He smiled thinly, "We shall see."

"I will sacrifice anyone for the cause, that include that little Janissary brat, as for Nicolai since it seams like my plans are just falling apart on me what happens to that fool is not my concern, you however are on my radar Traditionalist and you will be dealt with!"
Abigail promised darkly.

He replied just as darkly, "And that willingness to sacrifice others is why we are here today. It put you in our sights, it brought up a long and bloody track record... We are not here for vengeance, we're here for justice, and to put an end to a threat."

Abigail's face twisted into a mask of rage.
"I will have Jodella back, whole and undamaged if I have to cut every Traditionalist in the city to shreds to get her, you will not take one more of my apprentices from me!"
She declared.
"If you have treated her kindly I might spare you some...discomfort in this but you are all going down mark my words I want my student back!"

He stared back at her, unflinching, "We will take them all, as and when we get around to them. We might be able to let you see them one last time, before the end, but you and yours are finished today. But as long as I have any influence, you will be treated humanely. Of course, the influence of an Orphan, barely an Initiate, doesn't extend far, but my words seem to carry some weight nonetheless."

"Martha is strong, she is stronger than most."
Abigail said proudly.
"However a life without magick...is not worth living not for anyone...and she will not trade her loyalties for a meaningless life of suffering."
She muttered with grief in her voice.

He nodded, a tone of sympathy in his voice, "Yes, I believe you are right in that she is strong, and that she won't trade her loyalties for extending what remains of her life. As for whether or not it's worth living for anyone... you would be amazed at what people have found meaning in after losing their magic."

Abigail glanced at you and smiled a little.
"Ah the first few steps down the path of corrupting such and absolute delight. I will take my chances Traditionalist, we will kill you all, and if you should get through my defenses I will die and if you do what you threaten I will take those fifty fifty chances they are better odds than in captivity and even should you have a vampire at the ready I would rather rise again a vampire than let myself be Gilgulled to the leer of your comrades in the Main Sentencing Hall."
The Nephanda said and scoffed some of her allies looked a bit nervous though even as they fought against the Traditionalists around them.

He smiled darkly at her, "Who said these were my first steps? The difference between you and me - I pay for my deeds gladly. That doesn't make a horrible necessity right, but it makes it possible to build something better on the consequences. Of course, you would not understand that... but are you really sure you would rather risk vampirism?"

"I am not so sure these organs work the way ours, well yours do but I can give it a try."
Crexia said and she flicked her hand and a bit of air made a fist and gave that liver a punch, the wall creature convulsed but nothing much more happened, that tentacle was not pleased what you poked at it with Primal fire though however by this time whatever Adley was doing had taken place and the air was full of screams as Abigail's allies where thorn apart by everything but the kitchen sink. Abigail herself ducked under the aggravated tentacle and dropped the vial of Donny's blood and drew a gun and brought it to her head clearly planning on ending herself, horror on her face she knew she had lost and now all she wanted was to save her Avatar for a new incarnation.

He raised his gun, taking quick aim at Abigail's gun hand, "Never thought I'd envy a wall for its intestinal fortitude..."
He took the shot at her hand, to more or less literally disarm her.

((OOC: So, Dex+Firearms: 2,9,0. Diff 9 (light pistol 7+2 for specific area of target) still makes two successes. W00t! ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin shrugged, "Sleeper attention will be directed to the conditions there. Any mistreatment will be made public knowledge, and if necessary, the place will be shut down. Anyone who has actually abused patients will be tried and convicted by a court of law. They'll pay as necessary."

"That is not enough Traditionalist, I will rip the souls out of their bodies and feed their children to my Labyrinth walls before their eyes before I slowly grind them to bone and blood stating with their toes."
Abigail roared.

He smiled thinly, "We shall see."

"So we shall."
The Nephanda said with a grim look in her eyes.

He replied just as darkly, "And that willingness to sacrifice others is why we are here today. It put you in our sights, it brought up a long and bloody track record... We are not here for vengeance, we're here for justice, and to put an end to a threat."

"Oh save me your self righteous speeches Traditionalist and go fuck yourself."
Abigail said and glared at you.

He stared back at her, unflinching, "We will take them all, as and when we get around to them. We might be able to let you see them one last time, before the end, but you and yours are finished today. But as long as I have any influence, you will be treated humanely. Of course, the influence of an Orphan, barely an Initiate, doesn't extend far, but my words seem to carry some weight nonetheless."

Abigail just screamed in rage at you and then followed a long series of shouted threads for things she would do to you that clearly would require quite advanced degrees of Ars Corpus to full of as most of them where medical impossibilities.

He nodded, a tone of sympathy in his voice, "Yes, I believe you are right in that she is strong, and that she won't trade her loyalties for extending what remains of her life. As for whether or not it's worth living for anyone... you would be amazed at what people have found meaning in after losing their magic."

"Meaning perhaps, however that do not mean a life without magick is worth living, not when you have seen what wonders it can bring."
Abigail declared. Jerome who was busy taking aim at the man with the slug like skin a little ways from you just scoffed at that though he looked somewhat saddened.
"Martha will never talk, never it is just a shame she is to polite to tell the lot of you to go put your heads in a meat grinder."
Abigail continued, ignoring the scoffs from the Mercere.

He smiled darkly at her, "Who said these were my first steps? The difference between you and me - I pay for my deeds gladly. That doesn't make a horrible necessity right, but it makes it possible to build something better on the consequences.

"You keep telling yourself that Traditionalist it will make it far easier for my side to get to you eventually."
Abigail said and her scarred face twisted into a contented smile.

Of course, you would not understand that... but are you really sure you would rather risk vampirism?"

"Vampirism do not frighten me Traditionalist, well not more than other forms of Gilgul do, and while somewhat limited a Massassa can still become quite powerful, as a vampire I would have a chance of vengeance and the thing is like I said I would rather thank a fifty, fifty chance of vampirism, than no chance being the captive of the cursed Traditions!"

He raised his gun, taking quick aim at Abigail's gun hand, "Never thought I'd envy a wall for its intestinal fortitude..."
He took the shot at her hand, to more or less literally disarm her.

You shot, and hit but not before Abigail was able to fire off her own bullet, your own projectile hitting her gun hand just before or at the same time as she fired though disrupted her aim a little, the bullet still went through her head, but not cleanly and not it the place she had intended, the Nephanda still hit the floor with a soft grunt, bleeding badly from both her head and her badly wounded hand, but she was not dead, not yet and it might be possible to safe her life with magickal healing.

(OOC: And now we should let Strife get a chance to respond as well.)

[Tane Karyak]

I'm just a nurse, Cita. Thank you for comming and helping us he said and went off

I's ok, he has lost weight fighting the decease, and he's small. he said tucking him into bed. Now the next thing i have to do! He said energetically and walked off, not remembering what he had to do.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

I'm just a nurse, Cita. Thank you for comming and helping us he said and went off

Cita gave you a kind smile as you left.
"I could not have done it without you."
She said as you walked away carrying Tobias.

I's ok, he has lost weight fighting the decease, and he's small. he said tucking him into bed. Now the next thing i have to do! He said energetically and walked off, not remembering what he had to do.

Amadeus nodded and glanced over at the young Orphan as you tucked him into the blankets on the floor. Tobias whimpered a little but did not wake up.
"I will keep an eye on him while I am down here with Bee anyway."
The old Verbena promised before you left.

You had to check on your shapeshifter allies, check on your prisoner, talk with Kyle when he woke up, then meet with the Quesitor George had given you the phone number to and then with the werewolves living in the marshes in the morning and you probably should get some sleep in there somewhere as well.

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