Re: Wrapping up in Chicago, New Trouble at Home and Angry Magi IC Thread 20

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Serge:

Serge kept an eye on his surroundings. It was not often that he traveled this far and even in the dire circumstances he wanted to see what the entirely new chantry looked like.

Morningstar looked very much like a school that had been converted into a Chantry and it seamed to have been expanded several times with different building styles, the hallways where neat and clean but also clearly well worn the building was there to be practical and not for show. Here and there where paintings or photographs on the walls, or little tables with vases and figurines on them.

"Hello my name is Serge Yager. Master Morgan sent me here because he wanted me to meet your student, Meg Lopes, who sent us a prophetic drawing with a somewhat dire warning on it." Serge began.

Cara looked up.
"Good morning Mr Yager I am Cara Willis Hermes bani Criamon you are from Steelhaven then? Yes my student did make a drawing and insist it be sent to your Chantry immediately, I do apologize that her form of communication is not always easy to understand, even for me..."
She said apologetically.

"I managed to interpret it somewhat and from what I managed to understand we are running out of time, the Nephandi are going to get the items they need for a ritual and a third attack may be imminent on Steelhaven. However there are still many things we still do not understand within the drawing. The brass key, the role of the naked women, and what role Horizon plays into it. Even the bloody knight still has some ambiguity to it. Master Morgan asked me to come here and see the picture in person and meet with your student to try and get a better understanding if the picture."

"I see...an attack on Steelhaven that do not sound good."
Cara said as she stood and left the rest of her breakfast behind.
"I do believe Meg is still in her room, and her drawing is also there I will take you to her but please understand my student is a child, a rather fragile child so be careful with her."
The Criamon warned.
"She do not really talk she communicate though drawings for the most part, if you do not manage to get any contact with her then please do not be offended."
She said as she headed to the stairs.

Nicole:

"Yes well that they are the Order of Hermes are ritual magicians they have their way of doing things, but that do not make them bad folks."
Renee said with a small smile and looked down at her rings.
"In fact I married one of them. No one is asking you to work effects with them, let them do things their way."
She said then she frowned.
"I do not know where the Node's security was but as it is not located at the Chantry I suspect it could be between guard shirts or that Steelhaven rely on wards for their security...what do you mean by a plant though? There was a man pretty clearly Fallen at the location of the Node..."

Colin:

Colin nodded and fished the blade out, placing it on the table, "Here it is... you will be wanting to keep it here, in case one of the little hellspawn got away..."

Crexia nodded she looked at the blade and frowned and picked it up.
"Yes well we got some strong indications that Miss Jerkins might be carrying another of her ehm...children...this might come in handy if she decides to give birth..."

He nodded, "The rote will be a fairly simple scrying on the past, through a lens similar to my monocles. The only difference will be that it will be a camera that does the looking, rather than myself..."

"Well that should probably work...if it fit your Paradigm."
Crexia agreed and nodded.
"A little like Perseus using his shield to deflect the Medusa's gaze."

He smiled wryly, "Quite so... Let's just hope the universe doesn't decide to keep upping the ante..."

"Yes that would be most unfortunate."

He grinned wryly, "All things considered, I think she'll be quite fine with not being to the Computer's tastes."

"Well many magi are vein about their Avatars then again having them eaten would not be desirable either."
Udella said with a slight grin.

He nodded, then pondered, "Well, how powerful it is would rather depend on a few factors - namely how powerful the Avatars so extracted are, and how long it can keep a single gland alive like that. Granted, HIT-Marks are quite durable, but that's a mostly intact brain, not just a single gland..."

"The question is if it takes the gland or just the spiritual parts connected to it, and if it can keep them alive how many it have collected. I guess we could try to ask for a scan of the Chief's apprentice's brain but I fear that would terrify the boy and I would hate to put him though more stress."
Udella said and frowned.
"If indeed the Computer took his Avatar and it was not done by some other way by the Union."
She muttered a little uneasy.
"In either case seeing the damage might be a clue but...the boy do not like to have his head touched."

He frowned, "Oh, bugger, there it is... the serum does have one effect over time I did not mention earlier - with long-term use, there begins some cellular death in that particular gland, but like with the proper Lichdom potion, instead of causing dysfunction, it instead makes the link between the Avatar and the Mage stronger. If those glands are saturated in... fuck..."

"Are you saying that the serum if used over time make the Avatar integrate with flesh like...the lichdom ritual do..?"
Crexia asked sharply then she sigh.
"That is not good news, perhaps I should have my head scanned as well to compare with what you saw from long term use of that serum...though I am not really sure what condition my brain is in anymore it might be dried and shriveled up like that of an old Massassa."
She muttered and frowned.

He nodded, "As well it shouldn't - but it would be foolish to assume that even if only one Moloch can rise, that parallel evolution impossible, as it were. The prophecy could be interpreted to suggest multiple ways things could go wrong - who is to say none of those ways could be running parallel?"

"You are right off course, but the prospect do bother me, the question then is how do we stop this prophesy from coming true no matter what path it might take to fruition."
Crexia said and frowned again.

He smiled thinly, "Oh, that's the thing - there's no reason to assume my, ah, departure was either violent or involuntary. For all we know, I'll become a Postulant myself, some 150 years before my wife... or perhaps another path of Ascension is opened up by then..."

"Yes we do not know what happened it might be you reached Asencion or became a Postulant or eventually had enough of life and stopped magickally extending it...like I eventually will."
Udella said and smiled a little.
"No do not worry I am not dying tomorrow but I could probably make myself young again...but I don't want to, I have let myself slowly age for I am tired...I have had a good life and it is time in some decades for my Avatar to get a new host to teach...sometimes we come to the conclusion it have been enough...and that is not a bad way to go...I am going to let myself slowly age and eventually retire to somewhere warm by an ocean and live long lazy days with far to many cats until my life eventually ends...or at least that is the plan, it will be a good finale to my life."
She said and smiled a little.

He nodded, "Pain can be an excellent teacher, if it is immediate. Like how some people learn not to stick their finger in a mouse trap only by doing so in the first place... If there's any amount of time separating a mistake from the pain, however, any... educational value is lost with the association. Pain as a punitive measure is... poorly suited in most applications of it."

"Agreed...oh I do remember playing with a hornet as a little girl, that was educational...but the punishment of ordeal should be stricken from Tradition use, punishing someone with torture is ineffective, granted the Council themselves do not use it, they might give horribly painful executions and off course everything done to an Avatar hurt but they do not give pain as a punishment for the sake of pain but individual Traditions, Tribunals and Chantries do and I am not in favor of it..."

"Much more pleasant," he agreed, giving Colin a tired smile. "I never thought of having biological children; I just assumed that any apprentices I took would be my family, as she said...besides, there's other reasons. So it never minded me much." He shook his head at that last comment. "Disturbing is too mild a word..."

"I have had a vulgar son and several fili and I love them all the same I do consider my apprentices my children."
Udella said then she smiles a little.
"Having my son was rewarding but I was sacred as I carried him that he would not Awaken it would be hard for me to share my life with someone who just could not understand that part of me, and I think that is also one of the reasons most magi do not have children of their own."

"I don't blame her, glad that they didn't harm her though."

"I am glad as well, Criamon are rare and precious they should be protected."
Crexia said and nodded.
"Well that and Miss Willis is a sweet natured nice young woman, it would be a shame if something happened to her, especially since she have a young student to tend to."
Udella replied and the archmage smiled.
"Yes well that to."

"I think it's better you didn't see that...I'm not sure how much a video would be able to spare you but I would suppose it's better than a direct view," he frowned. "But, that is where you found the pinecone, wasn't it? I feel there is more to the story, too. Like how did the ship even manage to do that, even on accident...it's worrying. Well, let me know what you find out."

"It is both worrying and disturbing and yes I as well do wonder how the Serafina managed to get to that place which should not exist."
Crexia said and frowned.
"I would like to know more about that pine cone though."

"Traversing the Umbra is difficult enough, out in the Deep?" he shook his head.

"It is a...very strange place...if even such a word can be used about it, and yes while some of us can walk the byroads of the Deep Umbra if that ship leave our reality for the deep...getting our people back will be a challenge, a most dangerous challenge so yes it is best if the ship remains in the inner layers until the assault on Larson's Labyrinth is done."
Crexia said.

"Oh? And you think you know who that might be?" he asked.

Udella smiled a little a replied instead of Colin.
"I think he means me Sodalis I am considering giving the girl a chance if she fully cooperate, she will never be trusted enough to be given the title Quesitor but not all of my House have that title, and it is likely she will be Branded but I might be able to save her life and as she is not Fallen and I do not need a student to give me more prestige...it seamed like a workable solution for all of us."

"Honestly, ma'am things have become quite...ah messy already, haven't they?"

"Well yes you do have a point there young man."
Udella said and brushed her hands over her dirty shirts.
"Perhaps a bit more mess is irrelevant at this point if it is the kind of mess that bring a bit of happiness with it."

"Quite a few things..."

Crexia nodded at that and frowned.
"Well we are going to have to try to figure those things out and beat them over the head until it makes sense."
She grumbled.

"The ship is powered by their avatar?" he asked, looking at him with surprise.

"Well from the rumors I have heard about the Heart of Horizon...the ship is not powered by an Avatar it is an Avatar, Master Telar managed to take a badly damaged Avatar and turn it into a phylactery ship..."
Crexia said.
"So it is not the same thing exactly, but that would make the ship powered by the Quintessence pool itself and not stored batteries."
She said and Udella whistled.
"That is quite impressive."
The Enforcer commented.

Adley rubbed at his chin and then ran a hand through his hair again, dropping his hand to his side. "Well...spirit does not technically limit itself to linear time, aside from our avatars when they are incarnated - in a way, we as hosts process our experiences via linear time because it is...confusing to say the least to 'be' all of those past hosts. And our avatars experience them with us, with partly our points of view as incarnated beings. When we have moments of uniting our memories with our avatars, we can transcend that sense of singularity, and so access things normally outside of our personal pasts. So I am coming to believe and seems to be the case for me lately at least. So, if that is so and if time is, as you say, in a bowl with many possibilities some of which never come to light, is it possible to navigate the timelines of our other hosts in some way?" he asked,

"Yes i believe it is possible for us to navigate the timelines of our Avatar's other hosts, past, future and sometimes parallel, it is not easy but with the right mindset it can be done, just remember Sodalis that as you begin to manipulate the past, the past might begin to manipulate the future in return."
Crexia said after a moment of consideration.

looking at Colin. "The way I perceive it is that we have their Names, we know who they were and the circumstances surrounding events in question, and our spirits link us to that and you have no greater link than a part of your avatar. It's easier for me to understand how this makes a chain of our past, rather than the future or even things that never happened, but maybe some way can be figured out..." he thought out loud.

"How would you use this to figure out how Master Teomim became Moloch in a discarded timeline and how to prevent the same from happening in our future Sodalis?"
Crexia asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, of course, pardon my speculation..."

"No no...there will be a time for speculation but let us sort out what we know first and then when can speculate Sodalis."
Udella said softly.

"Thank you," he said.

Crexia just smiled a little at that.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

Cara looked up.
"Good morning Mr Yager I am Cara Willis Hermes bani Criamon you are from Steelhaven then? Yes my student did make a drawing and insist it be sent to your Chantry immediately, I do apologize that her form of communication is not always easy to understand, even for me..."
She said apologetically.

"Yes I am from Steelhaven." Serge said answerign Cara's questions.

"I actually think her form of communication is quite cool. I'm an artist too and I must say she is quite good at those drawings." Serge said with a smile.

"I see...an attack on Steelhaven that do not sound good."
Cara said as she stood and left the rest of her breakfast behind.
"I do believe Meg is still in her room, and her drawing is also there I will take you to her but please understand my student is a child, a rather fragile child so be careful with her."
The Criamon warned.

"Don't worry I won't do anything to stress your student out. If all goes well I will just need to see the picture in greater detail to decipher it's meaning. If I can create a copy of the picture I may be able to understand it further. Perhaps a small conversation with Meg about her art but that will be all." Serge reassured Cara.

"She do not really talk she communicate though drawings for the most part, if you do not manage to get any contact with her then please do not be offended."
She said as she headed to the stairs.

"I won't don't worry. I'm just hoping I'll be able to get some information in time. The fact that your student was so insistent that we get the drawing is worrying. She could have sent it with our men who are due to return but the fact that she didn't shows how stressed for time we are." Serge said following Cara.

[Nicole Bouchard]

Anja's Post:

'I didn't say they were bad folks.' Nicole replied, feeling like she'd blundered into a social hole. 'Just that all that hyper-organisation and that stuff sorta... gets to me a bit.'

'Plant, provocateur, double agent. What's saying that this guy was nothing more than a patsy - head filled with cr- wrong information, and sent to the Node so he could be captured and spill his guts? We then think they're planning A, but instead they're planning B.'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Serge:

"Yes I am from Steelhaven." Serge said answerign Cara's questions.

"I actually think her form of communication is quite cool. I'm an artist too and I must say she is quite good at those drawings." Serge said with a smile.

"In a way it is at that but it makes it hard to know if she is cold or want a snack, though she have started drawing less esoteric symbols to ask for more mundane things now, and yes Meg is talented, in more than one way."
Cara said and smiled proudly.

"Don't worry I won't do anything to stress your student out. If all goes well I will just need to see the picture in greater detail to decipher it's meaning. If I can create a copy of the picture I may be able to understand it further. Perhaps a small conversation with Meg about her art but that will be all." Serge reassured Cara.

"Well like I said communicating with Meg is difficult but you are welcome to try as long as you treat her kindly.
Cara said and smiled slightly.
"Seeing the drawing is no problem if you think it can help Mr Yager."

"I won't don't worry. I'm just hoping I'll be able to get some information in time. The fact that your student was so insistent that we get the drawing is worrying. She could have sent it with our men who are due to return but the fact that she didn't shows how stressed for time we are." Serge said following Cara.

I agree that there is probably some urgency there."
Cara said as she led you up the stairs and into a hallways with many wooden doors, she stopped before one of them, knocked and then opened the door, it was the bedroom of two children, on one side of the room there where dolls, toys and books in shelves there where bright pink bedcovers on the bed, on the other there where drawings everywhere on the walls, though here to there where books in the shelves where where few toys. By a desk sat a little girl drawing, she was small, only six or seven years old you think and she might be Spanish or Mexican, she had her hair in a short, brown bob, where wearing blue pants and a bright yellow top with flowers on it and her eyes where large, brown and very old. The girl had an carved in symbol at her forehead and on one of her hands, just like her Mentor. The girl did not look up as you entered the room.
"Meg, this is Mr Yager he have come to talk with you is that ok?"
Cara asked and Meg looked up from her drawing and smiled but she said nothing.

Nicole:

Renee looked at you and sigh but she let the topic about the Hermetics drop and said nothing more about it she just shrugged, about the Nephandus in the Node she said.
"Well he spilled his guts alright he was dying when they found him, shot by the Union...I do wonder what you think the Nephandi would have to gain by killing one of their own and planting him in Steelhaven's Node? Little information was gained from him though as he was in no condition to talk when he was found, however his presence in the Node launced an investigation which led to our current conflict with the Fallen."

[Jeremy Silverstein]

I agree that there is probably some urgency there."
Cara said as she led you up the stairs and into a hallways with many wooden doors, she stopped before one of them, knocked and then opened the door, it was the bedroom of two children, on one side of the room there where dolls, toys and books in shelves there where bright pink bedcovers on the bed, on the other there where drawings everywhere on the walls, though here to there where books in the shelves where where few toys. By a desk sat a little girl drawing, she was small, only six or seven years old you think and she might be Spanish or Mexican, she had her hair in a short, brown bob, where wearing blue pants and a bright yellow top with flowers on it and her eyes where large, brown and very old. The girl had an carved in symbol at her forehead and on one of her hands, just like her Mentor. The girl did not look up as you entered the room.
"Meg, this is Mr Yager he have come to talk with you is that ok?"
Cara asked and Meg looked up from her drawing and smiled but she said nothing.

Serge smiled back and said, "Hey Meg! Really cool room you have here. Kinda reminds me of my room in New York. I also had drawings everywhere. I'm an artist too, look here. This is what I thought my chantry was going to look like."

Serge quickly flipped through his sketchbook and showed Meg the picture of the castle he had drawn during his ride to Steelhaven:



"I came to talk about that picture you sent to Steelhaven. It was a really well-made drawing. Do you think we can have a look at it together? Their's still some parts I can't understand." Serge said softly trying not to intimidate the child.

[Warpmind]

"Much more pleasant," he agreed, giving Colin a tired smile. "I never thought of having biological children; I just assumed that any apprentices I took would be my family, as she said...besides, there's other reasons. So it never minded me much." He shook his head at that last comment. "Disturbing is too mild a word..."

"I have had a vulgar son and several fili and I love them all the same I do consider my apprentices my children."
Udella said then she smiles a little.
"Having my son was rewarding but I was sacred as I carried him that he would not Awaken it would be hard for me to share my life with someone who just could not understand that part of me, and I think that is also one of the reasons most magi do not have children of their own."

Colin nodded, "To be honest, I had rather dismissed the notion for myself until this week... Had not Freddy come to, well, admit her soft spot for me, as it were, I might have kept silent indefinitely, as well. As for having children that might not Awaken - they would certainly grow up True Believers, so they could well understand it with childlike glee, even if they couldn't quite replicate what you do."

Crexia nodded she looked at the blade and frowned and picked it up.
"Yes well we got some strong indications that Miss Jerkins might be carrying another of her ehm...children...this might come in handy if she decides to give birth..."

He frowned, "I know... I'm the one who found out she might be, er... well, that."

"I don't blame her, glad that they didn't harm her though."

"I am glad as well, Criamon are rare and precious they should be protected."
Crexia said and nodded.
"Well that and Miss Willis is a sweet natured nice young woman, it would be a shame if something happened to her, especially since she have a young student to tend to."
Udella replied and the archmage smiled.
"Yes well that to."

He grimaced, "Indeed - I was not quite expecting that response from the... child. Affectionate, but so, so awkward..."

"I think it's better you didn't see that...I'm not sure how much a video would be able to spare you but I would suppose it's better than a direct view," he frowned. "But, that is where you found the pinecone, wasn't it? I feel there is more to the story, too. Like how did the ship even manage to do that, even on accident...it's worrying. Well, let me know what you find out."

"Well that should probably work...if it fit your Paradigm."
Crexia agreed and nodded.
"A little like Perseus using his shield to deflect the Medusa's gaze."

"It is both worrying and disturbing and yes I as well do wonder how the Serafina managed to get to that place which should not exist."
Crexia said and frowned.
"I would like to know more about that pine cone though."

He nodded thoughtfully, "Perseus and the Medusa... not a bad simile. The camera should be able to spare me quite a bit of the sight, actually - it would be similar to how I can cast my various vision Rotes and then let others borrow my monocles to see through. Except that in this case, it would be a camera that looked through the lens, rather than a fellow Mage. The result... should be effectively the same, though; a clear view of the chain of events that... someone else can watch in full at their leisure..."
He frowned, "I should... prefer not to be the one to see what happened, beyond making sure the footage is properly recorded... Not too fond of the horror genre..."

"Traversing the Umbra is difficult enough, out in the Deep?" he shook his head.

"It is a...very strange place...if even such a word can be used about it, and yes while some of us can walk the byroads of the Deep Umbra if that ship leave our reality for the deep...getting our people back will be a challenge, a most dangerous challenge so yes it is best if the ship remains in the inner layers until the assault on Larson's Labyrinth is done."
Crexia said.

He frowned, "Definitely make sure to anchor the shuttle to the polyp, in case it decides to leave before I can... At least then I have a chance to get back into the shuttle and pray that I can fly by the equivalent of GPS..."

Yes, I think it's important to remember that sometimes...magical medical attention as you call it is indeed a boon, but not one that should be taken for granted."

He nodded, "All the same, humans are surprisingly tough; even without magic, we generally survive any injury that doesn't kill us on the spot..."

"I'm not saying the reason wasn't good, but they too have been through much. He nearly died in the last battle. i trust him too but some things are better kept close as we can, if we can. For now."

He nodded, "He certainly deserves rest, but as was already pointed out, this bubble was for... political reasons as well as restorative."

"It's a terrible kind of burden, isn't it...?" he shook his head.

He nodded, "To paraphrase a Jewish proverb, I'd rather wish my shoulders didn't look quite as broad..."

"Oh? And you think you know who that might be?" he asked.

Udella smiled a little a replied instead of Colin.
"I think he means me Sodalis I am considering giving the girl a chance if she fully cooperate, she will never be trusted enough to be given the title Quesitor but not all of my House have that title, and it is likely she will be Branded but I might be able to save her life and as she is not Fallen and I do not need a student to give me more prestige...it seamed like a workable solution for all of us."

He grinned and nodded to Udella as she replied.

He shrugged slightly. "I wouldn't dismiss it, if it feels true, the pattern will continue to emerge."

He nodded, "If. If nothing more rears its head, I'm quite content with that, too."

"Well many magi are vein about their Avatars then again having them eaten would not be desirable either."
Udella said with a slight grin.

He smiled wryly, "Well, perhaps it's not so much the Mages who are vain on behalf of their Avatars as their Avatars being quite determined, refined ladies."

"The question is if it takes the gland or just the spiritual parts connected to it, and if it can keep them alive how many it have collected. I guess we could try to ask for a scan of the Chief's apprentice's brain but I fear that would terrify the boy and I would hate to put him though more stress."
Udella said and frowned.
"If indeed the Computer took his Avatar and it was not done by some other way by the Union."
She muttered a little uneasy.
"In either case seeing the damage might be a clue but...the boy do not like to have his head touched."

He nodded, "If you were to try to persuade him, it might be best to point out that such a picture of his head would not require interfering with it - just have him lie down with his head inside a cylinder that takes three-dimensional pictures of it. Even if contrast fluid were to be necessary, it will be injected through the arm, and won't interact with the brain in any manner."

"Are you saying that the serum if used over time make the Avatar integrate with flesh like...the lichdom ritual do..?"
Crexia asked sharply then she sigh.
"That is not good news, perhaps I should have my head scanned as well to compare with what you saw from long term use of that serum...though I am not really sure what condition my brain is in anymore it might be dried and shriveled up like that of an old Massassa."
She muttered and frowned.

He smiled thinly, "I would hazard that your brain is still intact - every cell of it dead, but still in place, frozen in time, as it were."

"This is the damage to the brain you mentioned?"

He shook his head, "No, this is essentially harmless. The damage was caused by residual Primium particles clumping together and creating clots in the blood vessels in the brain... leading to headaches and eventually strokes. And of course, it being Primium, the problem would be an utter nightmare to spot on scans, or to clean up by blindly searching through the brain for metal particles..."

"The ship is powered by their avatar?" he asked, looking at him with surprise.

"Well from the rumors I have heard about the Heart of Horizon...the ship is not powered by an Avatar it is an Avatar, Master Telar managed to take a badly damaged Avatar and turn it into a phylactery ship..."
Crexia said.
"So it is not the same thing exactly, but that would make the ship powered by the Quintessence pool itself and not stored batteries."
She said and Udella whistled.
"That is quite impressive."
The Enforcer commented.

He nodded to Crexia, "Yes, that's a more accurate description - a remarkable achievement, and the only way she managed to save a badly injured Avatar. In fact, he captain is coming to visit her soon, at which time I will present a drawing I made of the ship. She'll be a beauty to behold in flight... And frankly, I hope it will be a long time before someone builds her equal - seeing as how it is built as a necessity."

Adley rubbed at his chin and then ran a hand through his hair again, dropping his hand to his side. "Well...spirit does not technically limit itself to linear time, aside from our avatars when they are incarnated - in a way, we as hosts process our experiences via linear time because it is...confusing to say the least to 'be' all of those past hosts. And our avatars experience them with us, with partly our points of view as incarnated beings. When we have moments of uniting our memories with our avatars, we can transcend that sense of singularity, and so access things normally outside of our personal pasts. So I am coming to believe and seems to be the case for me lately at least. So, if that is so and if time is, as you say, in a bowl with many possibilities some of which never come to light, is it possible to navigate the timelines of our other hosts in some way?" he asked, looking at Colin. "The way I perceive it is that we have their Names, we know who they were and the circumstances surrounding events in question, and our spirits link us to that and you have no greater link than a part of your avatar. It's easier for me to understand how this makes a chain of our past, rather than the future or even things that never happened, but maybe some way can be figured out..." he thought out loud.

"Yes i believe it is possible for us to navigate the timelines of our Avatar's other hosts, past, future and sometimes parallel, it is not easy but with the right mindset it can be done, just remember Sodalis that as you begin to manipulate the past, the past might begin to manipulate the future in return."
Crexia said after a moment of consideration.

"How would you use this to figure out how Master Teomim became Moloch in a discarded timeline and how to prevent the same from happening in our future Sodalis?"
Crexia asked and raised an eyebrow.

He grinned wryly, "I would rather not we delve too deep into the timeline that was nullified in 1470... I wouldn't even begin to guess at how we might reach a timeline that could never have existed... Future me is playing a dangerous game by giving me forewarnings of things that happened and suddenly won't happen after all... I've already changed a few minor details, such as who suggested my apprentice and I visit Mrs. Knox and her husband in France in December..."

"You are right off course, but the prospect do bother me, the question then is how do we stop this prophesy from coming true no matter what path it might take to fruition."
Crexia said and frowned again.

He pondered, "Eternal vigilance... We do know a few... indicators. There's little we can do outright regarding the Union's possible efforts until they make an overt move - at which point we will have to descend on them like the angry fist of God. The... serpents in our own gardens, though, we can more easily find and decapitate. Well, figuratively, at least, if not necessarily literally."

"Yes we do not know what happened it might be you reached Asencion or became a Postulant or eventually had enough of life and stopped magickally extending it...like I eventually will."
Udella said and smiled a little.
"No do not worry I am not dying tomorrow but I could probably make myself young again...but I don't want to, I have let myself slowly age for I am tired...I have had a good life and it is time in some decades for my Avatar to get a new host to teach...sometimes we come to the conclusion it have been enough...and that is not a bad way to go...I am going to let myself slowly age and eventually retire to somewhere warm by an ocean and live long lazy days with far to many cats until my life eventually ends...or at least that is the plan, it will be a good finale to my life."
She said and smiled a little.

He smiled thinly, "Not entirely dissimilar to Chief Joakim's plans for when he's... finished his last piece of business. And yes, reaching the natural conclusion of your life, surrounded by your loved ones... is a good way to pass on. While I would perhaps like to see that young firebrand who defended us in that grand trial once more, I suppose doing so would deny the kindly, grandmotherly woman she grew up to be."

"Agreed...oh I do remember playing with a hornet as a little girl, that was educational...but the punishment of ordeal should be stricken from Tradition use, punishing someone with torture is ineffective, granted the Council themselves do not use it, they might give horribly painful executions and off course everything done to an Avatar hurt but they do not give pain as a punishment for the sake of pain but individual Traditions, Tribunals and Chantries do and I am not in favor of it..."

He nodded, "Perhaps not so much stricken as redefined... Labour to make reparations might be a suitable sentence of ordeal - for example..." He coughed lightly, "setting a brazen Orphan to help construct a new Chantry for a group of Mercere after he had the Union blow up their old one..."

[Nicole Bouchard]

Anja's Post:

Nicole looked as though she was going to say something in reply, but didn't; perhaps realising she'd end up digging a deeper hole. So she stuck with the audible question. 'Well... they could gain by sending us on a snipe hunt so they can hit the chantries while we're away, get us to walk into an ambush or attempt to get us to pick a fight with some Cryptid [night-folk] group for the hell of it. But - I'm sure the Powers That Be have already taken care on all this.' saying the last part quicker, making it clear she was merely thinking aloud, not telling them what to do.

[Adley]

"It is both worrying and disturbing and yes I as well do wonder how the Serafina managed to get to that place which should not exist." Crexia said and frowned. "I would like to know more about that pine cone though."

"It's...it has certain properties, all of which we have not yet figured out. I don't know how safe it would be to discuss current speculations..."

Colin nodded and fished the blade out, placing it on the table, "Here it is... you will be wanting to keep it here, in case one of the little hellspawn got away..."

Crexia nodded she looked at the blade and frowned and picked it up. "Yes well we got some strong indications that Miss Jerkins might be carrying another of her ehm...children...this might come in handy if she decides to give birth..."

'Oh, damn I had forgotten about that..." He grimaced.

He nodded, then pondered, "Well, how powerful it is would rather depend on a few factors - namely how powerful the Avatars so extracted are, and how long it can keep a single gland alive like that. Granted, HIT-Marks are quite durable, but that's a mostly intact brain, not just a single gland..."

"The question is if it takes the gland or just the spiritual parts connected to it, and if it can keep them alive how many it have collected. I guess we could try to ask for a scan of the Chief's apprentice's brain but I fear that would terrify the boy and I would hate to put him though more stress." Udella said and frowned. "If indeed the Computer took his Avatar and it was not done by some other way by the Union." She muttered a little uneasy. "In either case seeing the damage might be a clue but...the boy do not like to have his head touched."

He nodded, "If you were to try to persuade him, it might be best to point out that such a picture of his head would not require interfering with it - just have him lie down with his head inside a cylinder that takes three-dimensional pictures of it. Even if contrast fluid were to be necessary, it will be injected through the arm, and won't interact with the brain in any manner."

"I don't think he is going to wish to be examined in such a way. He...tries to be helpful of course and he is, but what happened to him..." he shook his head.

"Are you saying that the serum if used over time make the Avatar integrate with flesh like...the lichdom ritual do..?"
Crexia asked sharply then she sigh."That is not good news, perhaps I should have my head scanned as well to compare with what you saw from long term use of that serum...though I am not really sure what condition my brain is in anymore it might be dried and shriveled up like that of an old Massassa." She muttered and frowned.

"Hang on...pardon. Being a lich does, as you say, create a static sort of existence from what you are saying, ma'am, at least compared to other magii. And this poison...do you think the serum could be one of the things that is involved in this Moloch business? What would happen if someone got high doses of this stuff for a period of time?" He frowned. "What would happen if you mixed it up into a longevity potion?"

He shook his head, "No, this is essentially harmless. The damage was caused by residual Primium particles clumping together and creating clots in the blood vessels in the brain... leading to headaches and eventually strokes. And of course, it being Primium, the problem would be an utter nightmare to spot on scans, or to clean up by blindly searching through the brain for metal particles..."

"That sounds very problematic," he said, frowning. "Systemic damages to the body from primium..."

"Well from the rumors I have heard about the Heart of Horizon...the ship is not powered by an Avatar it is an Avatar, Master Telar managed to take a badly damaged Avatar and turn it into a phylactery ship..." Crexia said. "So it is not the same thing exactly, but that would make the ship powered by the Quintessence pool itself and not stored batteries." She said and Udella whistled. "That is quite impressive." The Enforcer commented.

He nodded to Crexia, "Yes, that's a more accurate description - a remarkable achievement, and the only way she managed to save a badly injured Avatar. In fact, he captain is coming to visit her soon, at which time I will present a drawing I made of the ship. She'll be a beauty to behold in flight... And frankly, I hope it will be a long time before someone builds her equal - seeing as how it is built as a necessity."

"The ship is...an avatar? That seems...very strange...I'm not sure what to think of that..."

"Yes i believe it is possible for us to navigate the timelines of our Avatar's other hosts, past, future and sometimes parallel, it is not easy but with the right mindset it can be done, just remember Sodalis that as you begin to manipulate the past, the past might begin to manipulate the future in return."

"Not manipulate so much as see, though I suppose that could be a manipulation of its own, could it? This sort of thing is why I leave it to the experts..."

"How would you use this to figure out how Master Teomim became Moloch in a discarded timeline and how to prevent the same from happening in our future Sodalis?"

He grinned wryly, "I would rather not we delve too deep into the timeline that was nullified in 1470... I wouldn't even begin to guess at how we might reach a timeline that could never have existed... Future me is playing a dangerous game by giving me forewarnings of things that happened and suddenly won't happen after all... I've already changed a few minor details, such as who suggested my apprentice and I visit Mrs. Knox and her husband in France in December..."

"Admittedly, I haven't thought out exactly /how/, I just have some ideas," he said, "other than using the ars of con--er, correspondence, time spirit and probably entropy, in some combination. But I honestly don't know if that's a wise thing to do."

He frowned, "Definitely make sure to anchor the shuttle to the polyp, in case it decides to leave before I can... At least then I have a chance to get back into the shuttle and pray that I can fly by the equivalent of GPS..."

"Noted..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Serge:

Serge smiled back and said, "Hey Meg! Really cool room you have here. Kinda reminds me of my room in New York. I also had drawings everywhere. I'm an artist too, look here. This is what I thought my chantry was going to look like."

Serge quickly flipped through his sketchbook and showed Meg the picture of the castle he had drawn during his ride to Steelhaven:

The little girl looked up and smiled at you then she found a new piece of paper and quickly drew a simple dragon on it and handed you and smiled.

"I came to talk about that picture you sent to Steelhaven. It was a really well-made drawing. Do you think we can have a look at it together? Their's still some parts I can't understand." Serge said softly trying not to intimidate the child.

The girl cocked her head to the side and looked at you for a moment then she stood, when to the shelf and found the drawing she had sent and handed it to you, she still said nothing though, just handing you the drawing.

Colin and Adley:

Colin nodded, "To be honest, I had rather dismissed the notion for myself until this week... Had not Freddy come to, well, admit her soft spot for me, as it were, I might have kept silent indefinitely, as well.

"It is good that young Miss Adlebloom went to you to admit her feelings then."
Udella said and smiled a little.

As for having children that might not Awaken - they would certainly grow up True Believers, so they could well understand it with childlike glee, even if they couldn't quite replicate what you do."

"Perhaps you are right old friend and I am the one who are arrogant old friend, but I was always afraid that child would just not understand me if he did not Awaken himself but yes they would be true believers that is true and perhaps that is enough."
The old archmage said and looked at you for a moment.

He frowned, "I know... I'm the one who found out she might be, er... well, that."

"Yes well hopefully she is not due just yet, we could stop the process but who know what would happen if she was made to abort the little monster."
Crexia said and frowned.

He grimaced, "Indeed - I was not quite expecting that response from the... child. Affectionate, but so, so awkward..."

"Little Meg you are thinking about...yes she is certainly a peculiar child."
Crexia said.

He nodded thoughtfully, "Perseus and the Medusa... not a bad simile. The camera should be able to spare me quite a bit of the sight, actually - it would be similar to how I can cast my various vision Rotes and then let others borrow my monocles to see through. Except that in this case, it would be a camera that looked through the lens, rather than a fellow Mage. The result... should be effectively the same, though; a clear view of the chain of events that... someone else can watch in full at their leisure..."
He frowned, "I should... prefer not to be the one to see what happened, beyond making sure the footage is properly recorded... Not too fond of the horror genre..."

"The question is if seeing all that would be safe. I would say perhaps the loved ones of those lost might want to see what happened, but I am a little concerned what such footage can do to someone."
Crexia said then she sigh.
"Well the method to record it sounds well thought out at least, I do think that should work."

He frowned, "Definitely make sure to anchor the shuttle to the polyp, in case it decides to leave before I can... At least then I have a chance to get back into the shuttle and pray that I can fly by the equivalent of GPS..."

"If the polyp leaves for the Deep Umbra and you are still on it unless that shuttle is made for Deep Umbral travel I doubt you can survive in it, the Deep is not like the closer layers it literary is the space between space, the void...nothing the place with things that should not be and it is completely impossible to understand without proper training."
The old Tytalus warned.

He smiled wryly, "Well, perhaps it's not so much the Mages who are vain on behalf of their Avatars as their Avatars being quite determined, refined ladies."

"Well that happens as well, and sometimes they are determined, refined gentlemen as well, or a stag seen in the edge of the woods...hum...anyway pride in one's Avatar is not uncommon..."
Udella said and smiled.

He nodded, "If you were to try to persuade him, it might be best to point out that such a picture of his head would not require interfering with it - just have him lie down with his head inside a cylinder that takes three-dimensional pictures of it. Even if contrast fluid were to be necessary, it will be injected through the arm, and won't interact with the brain in any manner."

"That might work, I would not be me trying to persuade him but perhaps Chief Joakim can explain this to him and he can make the boy agree, he is skittish though so if the machine makes much noise it might scare him, as you might understand he is quite fragile...perhaps watching someone else getting such pictures taken can make him more comfortable about it."
Crexia said and nodded.
"I will speak with Chief Joakim about it."

He smiled thinly, "I would hazard that your brain is still intact - every cell of it dead, but still in place, frozen in time, as it were."

"Hum...well I can get headaches so you might be true, well I guess we will find out then if I have Mr Horton scan me as well."

He shook his head, "No, this is essentially harmless. The damage was caused by residual Primium particles clumping together and creating clots in the blood vessels in the brain... leading to headaches and eventually strokes. And of course, it being Primium, the problem would be an utter nightmare to spot on scans, or to clean up by blindly searching through the brain for metal particles..."

"Hum...I see. I do wonder why they added Primium to the serum, I mean there where no Primium in my potion, the blade I used for the ritual to open my veins that is Primium, hand crafted and refined so I guess some of it might have entered me as residue but there where no Primium in the potion itself so why add it if those serums are based on a lichdom potion?"
Crexia said and frowned.

He nodded to Crexia, "Yes, that's a more accurate description - a remarkable achievement, and the only way she managed to save a badly injured Avatar. In fact, he captain is coming to visit her soon, at which time I will present a drawing I made of the ship. She'll be a beauty to behold in flight... And frankly, I hope it will be a long time before someone builds her equal - seeing as how it is built as a necessity."

"She is a masterwork that really show Master Telar's skill and I am glad the poor, wounded host of the ship was saved. Creating the same kind of ship to no, I do hope it will be quite some time before that happens again for from what I have heard everyone else had given up on what was left of the poor man's Avatar after a terrible accident in the Umbra...that is not something we will want to replicate soon."
The old Tytalus said and frowned.

He grinned wryly, "I would rather not we delve too deep into the timeline that was nullified in 1470... I wouldn't even begin to guess at how we might reach a timeline that could never have existed...

"No that might be beyond even my abilities, but I suspect the Cult of Ecstasy have Masters who can acoplish such a feat but I am not sure what good it would do."
Crexia said doubtfully.

Future me is playing a dangerous game by giving me forewarnings of things that happened and suddenly won't happen after all... I've already changed a few minor details, such as who suggested my apprentice and I visit Mrs. Knox and her husband in France in December..."

Crexia nodded at that.

He pondered, "Eternal vigilance... We do know a few... indicators. There's little we can do outright regarding the Union's possible efforts until they make an overt move - at which point we will have to descend on them like the angry fist of God.

"True enough though if we where to find out for sure the Computer had such a plan I would have to qualms about attacking first, the question though is if we could stand our ground in an all out war with the Technocracy and the danger then is that the sleepers of the world would get caught in the crossfire."
The lich said darkly.

The... serpents in our own gardens, though, we can more easily find and decapitate. Well, figuratively, at least, if not necessarily literally."

"Agree and we might want to focus on effort on that for the moment, and if we can prove what we suspect or even the things we know the D'Angelo twins have done in court then a decapitation is going to be the least of their worries."
She added and frowned.

He smiled thinly, "Not entirely dissimilar to Chief Joakim's plans for when he's... finished his last piece of business. And yes, reaching the natural conclusion of your life, surrounded by your loved ones... is a good way to pass on. While I would perhaps like to see that young firebrand who defended us in that grand trial once more, I suppose doing so would deny the kindly, grandmotherly woman she grew up to be."

"Oh she is still here inside me, but she have gotten more experience, seen things good and bad, even if I where to look like I did when just a newly initiated girl I would not longer be her, not fully for I have lived my life to the fullest since then, I have had good times and bad, joys and despair...and yes right now I am happy to be a grandmotherly woman even if I need glasses to read and my joins ache when bad weather is coming."
Udella said and smiled warmly.
"I am not aware what Master Joakim wish to do once his business here is concluded but I am not surprised, we have had exiting lives perhaps ending them in peace then becoming an understandable longing."
She said softly.

He nodded, "Perhaps not so much stricken as redefined... Labour to make reparations might be a suitable sentence of ordeal - for example..." He coughed lightly, "setting a brazen Orphan to help construct a new Chantry for a group of Mercere after he had the Union blow up their old one..."

"Labor for reparations are already on the books as a potential punishment of it's own, if sentenced to help said Mercere that would be the sentence reparations, not Ordeal."
Crexia explained.

"It's...it has certain properties, all of which we have not yet figured out. I don't know how safe it would be to discuss current speculations..."

"We should be as safe here from anyone overhearing us as possible at least Sodalis."
Crexia said and indicated the window that looked rather strange now with the time bubble inside.

'Oh, damn I had forgotten about that..." He grimaced.

"The blade will be stored very carefully."
Crexia promised.

"I don't think he is going to wish to be examined in such a way. He...tries to be helpful of course and he is, but what happened to him..." he shook his head.

"Yes what the boy went though was...horrible and Chief Joakim have done a fantastic job with him, when he came here he did not speak and had to be fed like an infant, now at least he walks around and talks, I would not want to traumatize him further Sodalis still seeing what damage was done to his brain might give us some clues about what the Computer wants, in light of what we have already discussed."
Crexia said and frowned.

"Hang on...pardon. Being a lich does, as you say, create a static sort of existence from what you are saying, ma'am, at least compared to other magii. And this poison...do you think the serum could be one of the things that is involved in this Moloch business? What would happen if someone got high doses of this stuff for a period of time?" He frowned. "What would happen if you mixed it up into a longevity potion?"

And with that you learned that Crexia could swear in Latin as well as she let out a few choice words over the whole affair.
"I did not consider that...I would have to study the serum to be sure but...at least that is what a lichdom potion do, create a static creature that will never change, evolve or reach Asencion if the serum is made from that it is possible that...it can do the same in high enough doses...damn..."
She said and shook her head.
"Damn it seams we need to try to learn more about it."

"That sounds very problematic," he said, frowning. "Systemic damages to the body from primium..."

"Indeed I am really concerned about my old client who was on this stuff for a year...very concerned indeed."
Udella said and frowned deeply.

"The ship is...an avatar? That seems...very strange...I'm not sure what to think of that..."

"Well we did just learn that the soul of this city is one so why not a ship?"
Crexia asked.
"And there are some clear benefits, like for example being able to draw Quintessence directly from the pool instead of relaying on batteries."

"Not manipulate so much as see, though I suppose that could be a manipulation of its own, could it? This sort of thing is why I leave it to the experts..."

"Observation is interaction but yes such a thing should be possible but I am not sure if scrying into that dead timeline is wise...or what exactly you think it will gain us Sodalis."
The archmage asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Admittedly, I haven't thought out exactly /how/, I just have some ideas," he said, "other than using the ars of con--er, correspondence, time spirit and probably entropy, in some combination. But I honestly don't know if that's a wise thing to do."

"It can be done and I can arrange for such a magickal operation to be performed but what do you wish to accomplish with it Sodalis what would seeing Moloch's timeline get us?"
The archmage asked she did not sound condescending she was just curious what your idea was.

Nicole:

"There is always a chance that everything experienced have been part of some ploy off course but we have taken prisoners and it seams likely that the Fallen is planning something big, something that needs to be stopped."
Renee said and sigh.
"And it have cost us quite a bit but so far it have cost them more. It seams Steelhaven have gotten into contact with cryptids though if rumor is to be believed..."
The Etherite's frown deepened.
"So knowing all that are you still interested in a place at that Chantry?"

(OOC: Sorry for the late rely I went to bed early yesterday.)

[Adley]

"We should be as safe here from anyone overhearing us as possible at least Sodalis." Crexia said and indicated the window that looked rather strange now with the time bubble inside.

He glanced at Colin, questioning.

"Little Meg you are thinking about...yes she is certainly a peculiar child." Crexia said

Adley shook his head a bit. "Her child...was rather...affectionate to our sodalis while she held that knife."

"If the polyp leaves for the Deep Umbra and you are still on it unless that shuttle is made for Deep Umbral travel I doubt you can survive in it, the Deep is not like the closer layers it literary is the space between space, the void...nothing the place with things that should not be and it is completely impossible to understand without proper training."
The old Tytalus warned.

"Also noted," he said with a frown.

And with that you learned that Crexia could swear in Latin as well as she let out a few choice words over the whole affair.
"I did not consider that...I would have to study the serum to be sure but...at least that is what a lichdom potion do, create a static creature that will never change, evolve or reach Asencion if the serum is made from that it is possible that...it can do the same in high enough doses...damn..." She said and shook her head. "Damn it seams we need to try to learn more about it."

"Well, if it is true you don't need to sleep, perhaps you can have a look at it."

"Well we did just learn that the soul of this city is one so why not a ship?" Crexia asked. "And there are some clear benefits, like for example being able to draw Quintessence directly from the pool instead of relaying on batteries."

"It can be done and I can arrange for such a magickal operation to be performed but what do you wish to accomplish with it Sodalis what would seeing Moloch's timeline get us?" The archmage asked she did not sound condescending she was just curious what your idea was.

As she asked for him to clarify it, the whole thing slipped right away from him. He gave a frustrated look and shook his head. "Perhaps nothing...I had a thought but it got away from me; I'm tired...it might arise again if left to cook on the backburner, as they say."

"You got me there. It just seems a bit odd that it isn't within a person."

[Nicole Bouchard]

Anja's Post:

'Not until I know the general situation with the city itself. Not making the same mistake I did with Detroit.' ending with a rather wry smile.

[No worries!]

[Jeremy Silverstein]

The little girl looked up and smiled at you then she found a new piece of paper and quickly drew a simple dragon on it and handed you and smiled.

"Thanks! I needed to draw a dragon on this castle. My mentor's brother actually told me that it needed a dragon on the roof." Serge said looking at the picture of the simple dragon.

The girl cocked her head to the side and looked at you for a moment then she stood, when to the shelf and found the drawing she had sent and handed it to you, she still said nothing though, just handing you the drawing.

Serge politely took the drawing and looked it over carefully, trying to look for any further details he might have missed on his first look.

"Why are the women dancing around the key? Do you remember?" Serge asked politely as he pulled out a pencil and flipped to an open page in his sketchbook.

(((OOC: Can Serge try and use a Mind 1/Correspondence 1 Effect to create a copy of the picture (by knowing how exactly the pieces of the picture are placed on the page) and then try to meditate on his own drawing for more information?))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley:

Adley shook his head a bit. "Her child...was rather...affectionate to our sodalis while she held that knife."

"Ohh Miss Jerkins's little hellspawn, ah yes that was quite a disturbing reaction indeed."
Crexia said and frowned.

"Also noted," he said with a frown.

The old archmage frowned a bit.

"Well, if it is true you don't need to sleep, perhaps you can have a look at it."

"Hum...that is not a bad idea, and no I do not need to sleep, I need rest and my mind can get tired but I do not need actual sleep."
She said then she turned to Colin.
"Mr Wainwright if you would not mind lending me a vial of that foul serum so I can have a closer look at it while the rest of you sleep?"

As she asked for him to clarify it, the whole thing slipped right away from him. He gave a frustrated look and shook his head. "Perhaps nothing...I had a thought but it got away from me; I'm tired...it might arise again if left to cook on the backburner, as they say."

"That is perfectly fine Sodalis if your idea resurface then just tell me then, now get some rest you need it."
Crexia said and gave you an understanding smile.

"You got me there. It just seems a bit odd that it isn't within a person."

"The good captain's soul is within him it is a part of his soul and it is seen without."
Crexia said and she tapped a vase on the table, a old, ugly yellow thing that looked like it had been bought sometimes during the 1970's.
"Do you think our souls are like this vase Sodalis, that something is either inside it or outside of it? Our souls do not confer to the physical's idea of space. When a mage see their Avatar walk beside them do you think that soul is then not inside of them? Look at it like a mirror, it reflect your image outside of you, but it is still you, and the image in the mirror a mere reflection of your true form, it is the same with this ship or for that matter the young Orphan and the soul of Chicago, their souls are within and also reflected without."
The old Hermetic explained.

Nicole:

"What would you like to know about Boston and Traditionalist society here?"
Renee asked.
"Or is it our current conflict with the Nephandi you are wondering about?"

Serge:

"Thanks! I needed to draw a dragon on this castle. My mentor's brother actually told me that it needed a dragon on the roof." Serge said looking at the picture of the simple dragon.

The little girl smile and drew a very quick image of something that looked very much like Steelhaven the way it looked in the real world with a dragon on the roof and handed you the quick sketch and giggled.

Serge politely took the drawing and looked it over carefully, trying to look for any further details he might have missed on his first look.

"Why are the women dancing around the key? Do you remember?" Serge asked politely as he pulled out a pencil and flipped to an open page in his sketchbook.

The little girl drew a chest bit it was old and decrepit and rotted and snakes and foul liquid poured out of it, a proud kind sat on the chest and three women held out a key to him but behind their backs they held shackles and a chain. This was more quickly drawn though and not so detailed but she handed you the drawing and looked concerned.

(OOC: Yes sure that seams like an effect Serge can do.)

(OOC 2: Finally back after running errands all morning.)

[Nicole Bouchard]

Anja's Post:

A short silence and a little frown, as Nicole fiddled with the fork on the empty plate before replying. 'Fallen, Union, other Crypids... is this a full war zone, or is the current conflict a more "deviation from the norm"?'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Like I said the current situation is not the norm, normally Boston is peaceful and while there are some political maneuverings between the five Chantries of the city it is generally a good place to live but off course we do live in a war and every so often there is trouble with the Union, or a Nephandus is discovered. Generally there are no conflicts with cryptids, we know there are werewolves in the marshes and the local Verbena Coven have some deal with them, and I assume there are other Awakened but there are seldom any issues with them unless you go looking for said problems. What I have heard and mind you this is rumors a vampire have accidentally hurt a young Orphan and somehow found Steelhaven to seek help for the kid and now they are more or less keeping the creature under protective custody to have it under control and to keep any of our own kind from seeking revenge on it."
Renee said then she sigh.
"The only real issue I would have with mage society here in Boston is that a widderslainte was found at Steelhaven and appernatly the Enforcers tried to deal with her the way...her kind are dealt with, but it was stopped mid way...the Chantry have been somewhat tight lipped with the details though, however as far as I know this Verbena girl have never really caused any trouble the three years she have lived here in Boston."

[Nicole Bouchard]

Anja's Post:

Nicole listened in silence to this, though gave the look that she was aching to interrupt. 'Wait... they're keeping one of the fanged ones as a prisoner? Isn't that a risky as hell; their masters might be looking for 'em. Then there's all those tricks they can pull.' sounding slightly alarmed on this. 'Five chantries? Anything in particular I should know about 'em?'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"As far as I have heard yes they are keeping a vampire as a prisoner yes though with his consent, how risky it is I don't know generally not having contact with them is best but it is what it is."
Renee said and shrugged.
"And we have tricks of our own my dear, it is far more dangerous to meet one of these creatures in the street than at a Chantry where we have time to prepare and set up our defenses, where we have the upper hand. As for the Chantries well I could give you a 101 on them if you wish but there is nothing extreme that stands out really."

[Nicole Bouchard]

Anja's Post:

'Last damned thing we need right now is another entry on the list of things gunning for us.' clearly suspicious. 'It might become one of those...' a furrowed brow for a moment. '-casus belli things.'

'Sure, we can ruin their night... a few rounds in the head is a cramp even for them - but can't they simply sort of "make" more? Which we obviously can't.'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Is it better if Steelhaven refused to help the young Orphan that had been hurt and then let his vampire friend wander loose to be killed by some over existed mystic looking for revenge?"
Renee asked and raised an eyebrow.
"You will have to ask them more about the case though for that is about what I know and no I do not want more enemies but at times we get into contact with the other Awakened beings and we have little choice but to deal with the situation."
She commented then she sigh.
"Yes that is the problem now is it not, unless you are a rank apprentice we tend to be able to pack a punch when we want to, a bit depending on our individual Paradigm off course but we can not just grab someone of the street and create a new mage...well to some degree we can try to lead just about anyone to Awakening but it takes time and after their Awakening we are talking years of training before that new willworker becomes useful to us, the damned cryptids at least the vampires have it allot easier on that front so no we do not want a war, then again I doubt they will attack us, if they are going to do that they already would have with some of the stunts the Choristers have pulled on their kind."

[Jeremy Silverstein]

The little girl smile and drew a very quick image of something that looked very much like Steelhaven the way it looked in the real world with a dragon on the roof and handed you the quick sketch and giggled.

"Wow your really fast! You got to teach me how you do that!" Serge said praising the girls abilities.

The little girl drew a chest bit it was old and decrepit and rotted and snakes and foul liquid poured out of it, a proud kind sat on the chest and three women held out a key to him but behind their backs they held shackles and a chain. This was more quickly drawn though and not so detailed but she handed you the drawing and looked concerned.

Serge looked over the new picture with an emotionless look on his face as he tried to analyze its meaning.

"A king? Sitting a top an old chest full of horrid things. Did he wish to hide them? The women are offering him a key. Is it a key to the chest? Or a chance to unlock something greater. But behind their back they hold chains.They plan on double-crossing him don't they. Offering him something sweet but they will lock him up soon after."

Looking up at the girl Serge asked, "But...who is the king?"

Serge had an idea of who they king could represent but he sincerely hoped what he was thinking wasn't true.

As he thought he began to draw the original picture that was sent to Steelhaven. It only took him a single glance of the original picture before he had burned it into his mind and now he was slowly recreating it in his own hands hoping to gain more insight into what Meg had seen.

(((OOC: Mind 1/ Correspondence 1 to copy the image. Arete: 4, 8, 7. If Serge can meditate on his new drawing or meditate while he is drawing then here is the Int+Meditation Roll: 7, 6, 1, 2, 2, 10)))

[Adley]

"Hum...that is not a bad idea, and no I do not need to sleep, I need rest and my mind can get tired but I do not need actual sleep." She said then she turned to Colin. "Mr Wainwright if you would not mind lending me a vial of that foul serum so I can have a closer look at it while the rest of you sleep?"

"Then if you don't need more mental rest..."

"The good captain's soul is within him it is a part of his soul and it is seen without." Crexia said and she tapped a vase on the table, a old, ugly yellow thing that looked like it had been bought sometimes during the 1970's. "Do you think our souls are like this vase Sodalis, that something is either inside it or outside of it? Our souls do not confer to the physical's idea of space. When a mage see their Avatar walk beside them do you think that soul is then not inside of them? Look at it like a mirror, it reflect your image outside of you, but it is still you, and the image in the mirror a mere reflection of your true form, it is the same with this ship or for that matter the young Orphan and the soul of Chicago, their souls are within and also reflected without."

"More like our bodies are the vase, perhaps. But yes, that...makes sense of a sort when you put it like that, now that I understand correspondence more than I did, at least, and Spirit. The ephemera of an avatar being less discrete than other spirits. They call it that which they cannot touch, on another vibrational plane to them. It is still a bit strange to me to think of an avatar with a person and a city or a ship...but hardly the strangest thing I've heard this week," he added wryly.

// I'm travelling later on in the afternoon - it's my anniversary tomorrow so I will be around a little bit less, possibly, than usual.

[Nicole Bouchard]

Anja's Post:

'That question is beyond my pay grade. Simply thinking aloud.' Nicole replied, clearly dodging offering a judgement on that topic.

'So, give me a quick run-down on the chantries in the city... if you don't mind.'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Serge:

"Wow your really fast! You got to teach me how you do that!" Serge said praising the girls abilities.

The little girl looks at you and smiles but she says nothing.

Serge looked over the new picture with an emotionless look on his face as he tried to analyze its meaning.

"A king? Sitting a top an old chest full of horrid things. Did he wish to hide them? The women are offering him a key. Is it a key to the chest? Or a chance to unlock something greater. But behind their back they hold chains.They plan on double-crossing him don't they. Offering him something sweet but they will lock him up soon after."

Meg just nodded, it was one short gesture and then she was back to just looking at you with her big, wise eyes saying nothing.

Looking up at the girl Serge asked, "But...who is the king?"

Serge had an idea of who they king could represent but he sincerely hoped what he was thinking wasn't true.

The little girl begun drawing again, this time a very simple, stylized stick drawing of a man, then she grabbed a piece of coal from her drawing supplies and colored him in all in black leaving only his eyes white, then she handed you this simple drawing as well and frowned.

As he thought he began to draw the original picture that was sent to Steelhaven. It only took him a single glance of the original picture before he had burned it into his mind and now he was slowly recreating it in his own hands hoping to gain more insight into what Meg had seen.

As you draw it become clear the women was unlocking something, their nakedness might not be a reference to Pagan ritual but to something basic, something primordial, the key where both a goal and a trap. You think the knight being wounded in his battle against time indicate again that time was in short supply, you are pretty sure now that this refer to the Nephandi either having or being ready to try to get what they needed for their trap, their ritual and the conflict in the drawing did indicate a fight and yet only one person where actually fighting and not the wolves so it would probably be someone sneaking in, or in other ways trying to do things with stealth rather than an outright siege on Steelhaven.

Adley:

"Then if you don't need more mental rest..."

"I will need more eventually but I can keep going for quite some time and besides I need to maintain the time bubble and should soon get back to my embroidery, just separating out a co located copy of myself to examine the serum should not be much more of a strain."
Crexia assured you as if doing just that was the most natural thing in the world and for her it probably was.

"More like our bodies are the vase, perhaps. But yes, that...makes sense of a sort when you put it like that, now that I understand correspondence more than I did, at least, and Spirit. The ephemera of an avatar being less discrete than other spirits. They call it that which they cannot touch, on another vibrational plane to them. It is still a bit strange to me to think of an avatar with a person and a city or a ship...but hardly the strangest thing I've heard this week," he added wryly.

"A young man I know have a manifested Avatar now mind you that is not the same as an phylactery where the Avatar is an physical object or is bound into one, however this man's Avatar appear like a young woman, you can talk with her, even touch her and yet she is an Avatar who have taken that form since she knows it is what will make for the best way to guide her host. This girl, unlike Miss Carlyle's troubled soul do not really act outside of her host though, she imitate a physical person but she is always inside of his soul, only projecting outwards to guide her host...as for what Umbrood see...yes the Ephemera of an Avatar is so much...finer, have a much higher vibration than that of an Umbrood I am not so sure we should call Avatars spirits though to some degree they have some similarities...they are for now truly beyond our ken."

(OOC: Happy anniversary Strife I hope you have a good time.)

Nicole:

Renee shrugged.
"Well if you have an option on it then completing your thoughts on the matter might be wise instead of complaining another Chantry's decision and dodging the question about what you think they should have done instead."
She said slightly sharply.
"As for the Chantries of Boston, well we have this Chantry here Westchapel, we are a mixed Chantry though we are primary a research Chantry so our members tend to fall towards technomagick and Hermetisism though we have some others, quite a few here also work at the nearby Umbral dock a place we operate together with the Union as natural ground. Then there is Steelhaven it is also a mixed Chantry, like I said there are quite a few Hermetics there but every Tradition is represented, including ours. The place is more about being a place for magi to have a safe haven to live and work together though than it being some sort of research, war, collage or any other kind of Chantry. Five Sisters is a Celestial Chorus Ancestral Chantry I guess it is not directly a convent but it is not far from it, all the members are Choristers and they keep mostly to themselves. Then we have Riverside, they are a small mixed Chantry, a majority of the members are naturalists, Dreamspeaers, Verbena and the like and they tend to remain neutral in Awakened politics in the city and then lastly we come to Lux Itineris the most powerful Chantry in the Tribunal, it have the senior Enforcer living there and tend to be the most political. This is a Hermetic Ancestral Chantry and they are mainly concerned with research and training hedge wizards for their Order...and when talking about hedge wizards where are a Covenant of them in the city as well though they are mostly unaffiliated with the Traditions they are not hostile and act as allies at times."
The pregnant willworker said and leaned back in her chair.

[Nicole Bouchard]

Anja's Post:

A short silence, then Nicole gave a little sigh. 'My thoughts are this: don't have enough information to make a call on the decision. Didn't complain either; was throwing out questions to learn more... y'know, that devil's advocate thing.'

'Wait a sec... operate the dock with Mirrorshades?' eyes widening at the very thought.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

The little girl begun drawing again, this time a very simple, stylized stick drawing of a man, then she grabbed a piece of coal from her drawing supplies and colored him in all in black leaving only his eyes white, then she handed you this simple drawing as well and frowned.

"I need to figure this one out..." Serge said to himself as he pondered the meaning behind the new picture.

"Is he black? Actually that's kinda racist...but his eyes are white. What does that mean? Is he invisible? Do I know who this person is?"

As you draw it become clear the women was unlocking something, their nakedness might not be a reference to Pagan ritual but to something basic, something primordial, the key where both a goal and a trap. You think the knight being wounded in his battle against time indicate again that time was in short supply, you are pretty sure now that this refer to the Nephandi either having or being ready to try to get what they needed for their trap, their ritual and the conflict in the drawing did indicate a fight and yet only one person where actually fighting and not the wolves so it would probably be someone sneaking in, or in other ways trying to do things with stealth rather than an outright siege on Steelhaven.

"The Nephandi are definitely ready to strike. A surprise attack against Steelhaven? Subtle, stealthy, under the radar? But only one person is doing anything. A traitor? But who?" Serge said to himself as he continued to draw the picture.

"Is it the man in the other picture?" Serge asked as he glanced over to the picture of the stick man colored in coal.

(((OOC: Happy Anniversary Strife!)))

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