Re: Preparing for War, Pineal Glands and Deperate Measures IC Thread 21

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin smiled, "Actually, I was having an Epiphany, with timing most fortunate, since I realized that surprisingly simple trick just before Chief Morgan and I dealt with the trouble at the Umbral Port. I'd be glad to teach you, really, but not right now."

"That sounds like a stroke of luck indeed and I would love to learn your rote Colin but yes you are right at the moment the important thing is to make sure the Chantry is safe."
Jon agreed as he gave you a grin.

He nodded, "Oh, I agree."

Jeffry just nodded at that.

He nodded, then grimaced, "Please tell me he's actually followed orders and evacuated the house where he'd stashed those body parts, though?"

"That I do not know Mr Wainwright, I have been concerned about Steelhaven not Mr Karyak's private residence, but if I where you and for the sake of whoever are living in that house I would double check that the young shaman did as told."
Jeffry said and frowned.

He frowned, "We have repelled the intruders who tried to abduct a guest, and defeated the prisoner who took a hostage - but we do not know if there are others, and the Security Chief needs to know about the woman who held your attention. Can you describe her to him, and help facilitate her capture?"

"If it is within my power to help I will Craftsman...the female incarnate who cast her magick on me...she have that which I can not touch inside, she is most disturbing, she looks like sooth on a frozen lake. I will go to my Master and describe the female."
The angle said as he flexed his wings for a moment and gave to a crisp bow.

He turned to look at Nicole, magic-vision still up, "Very good, miss... I still didn't get your name, I'm afraid? Yes, one of our Virtual Adepts should be able to coax something out of the potential security cameras in the neighbourhood."

The large woman looked flowing and dynamic to your magickal vision, one of her arms where imbued like a talisman, other than that and she being a mage was hard to tell.

"On it; I wish I didn't have to use this..." he said, digging out his phone to call him downstairs.

"I can deliver a message student of my Master."
Willard offered as you pulled out your phone to call. Jeffry relied after a couple of rings.
"Yes hello this is Morgan."
The old Flambeau said over the phone.

"Think you can track her?" he asked Mundi.

The black dog barked at you happily and seamed to confirm that he could, and he was looking at you as if to ask you if he should.

[Nicole Bouchard]

Colin's Post:

'Doesn't this place have external cameras? Name's Nicole. A rather crap start of my first day.' ending with a 'and you?' look.

Adley's Post:

She gave a little nod to the dog; she was perfectly used to them, though clearly wasn't giving it much attention. Adley got a raised eyebrow of his own, once she'd heard him speak. Then a little shrug.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

He frowned, "Hum, perhaps more wary and distrusting the shadows around her than precisely suspicious?"

"Maybe. Although I thought those shadows were her own creations. A way to hide herself from prying eyes." Serge suggested.

He turned to look at Nicole, magic-vision still up, "Very good, miss... I still didn't get your name, I'm afraid? Yes, one of our Virtual Adepts should be able to coax something out of the potential security cameras in the neighbourhood."

Doesn't this place have external cameras? Name's Nicole. A rather crap start of my first day.' ending with a 'and you?' look.

"Hey Nicole. My names Serge. It's my first day too. It....hasn't been the best. Interrogating a prisoner, comforting a widderslainte, talking face-to-face with one my old cabalmates who had fallen, deciphering a doomsday prophecy, and fighting off those oil-monsters." Serge said listing off his incredibly busy morning.

"And the cameras sound good. I'd suspect the virtual adepts would know about any cameras in this place or around it. Unless shadow lady teleports we might be able to see where she goes."

"We need to check the rest of the floor, something else could be happening."

"Let's see if the map has changed." Serge said pulling the map app from his phone and checking it to see how the chantry had changed.

[Warpmind]

"That sounds like a stroke of luck indeed and I would love to learn your rote Colin but yes you are right at the moment the important thing is to make sure the Chantry is safe."
Jon agreed as he gave you a grin.

Colin nodded, "Sometime next week, perhaps?"

"That I do not know Mr Wainwright, I have been concerned about Steelhaven not Mr Karyak's private residence, but if I where you and for the sake of whoever are living in that house I would double check that the young shaman did as told."
Jeffry said and frowned.

He frowned, "If we lose valuable allies among the Changing Folk - including Mr. Karyak's brother - that's going to be a horrible tragedy..."

"You are the most qualified, amicus," he said, with a tilt of his head.

He inclined his head to the side, "Age and experience are relevant qualities, true."

"If it is within my power to help I will Craftsman...the female incarnate who cast her magick on me...she have that which I can not touch inside, she is most disturbing, she looks like sooth on a frozen lake. I will go to my Master and describe the female."
The angle said as he flexed his wings for a moment and gave to a crisp bow.

He nodded, "She is aligned with the ones who invaded us."

"On it; I wish I didn't have to use this..." he said, digging out his phone to call him downstairs.

He arched an eyebrow, "Something wrong with the phone?"

"We need to check the rest of the floor, something else could be happening."

He nodded, "We need to check each floor in order, but someone downstairs need to try to deal with that woman."

'Doesn't this place have external cameras? Name's Nicole. A rather crap start of my first day.' ending with a 'and you?' look.

He smoothly took out the monocle and snapped to a quick salute, "Wainwright. Colin Wainwright, formerly with the RAF, now I run the silver shop around the corner. I suspect most of our external cameras are in potentia; makes them more difficult to tamper with. And yes, this would count as something of a rough start... though if I may be so blunt, you look like you can handle it."
He nodded toward her arm, "I couldn't help noticing, with the monocle in place... bionic arm, or something like powered armour?"

"Hey Nicole. My names Serge. It's my first day too. It....hasn't been the best, interrogating a prisoner, comforting a widderslainte, talking face-to-face with one my old cabalmates who had fallen, deciphering a doomsday prophecy, and fight off those oil-monsters." Serge said listing off his incredibly busy morning.

He smiled wryly as Serge summed up the morning, and replied in a deadpan tone of voice "Yes, I suppose we're easing you into things. We're saving the raid on a Nephandi Labyrinth and going head to head with power-mad Fallen for later today..."

((OOC: Beast Boy from Teen Titans Go? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Hannah's Room:

Colin nodded, "Sometime next week, perhaps?"

"Sounds good I am sure I can find something to trade for the instruction."
Jon said and gave you a friendly smile.

He frowned, "If we lose valuable allies among the Changing Folk - including Mr. Karyak's brother - that's going to be a horrible tragedy..."

"It would indeed be a tragedy Mr Wainwright however as things stands I have not had the time to deal with every issue that might pop up and Mr Karyak's Custos is his own responsibility to see safe, I do not have the time to babysit him at the moment."
Jeffry grumbled then he gave you a bit of a wry look.
"That is your job my good man."

Attic:

She gave a little nod to the dog; she was perfectly used to them, though clearly wasn't giving it much attention. Adley got a raised eyebrow of his own, once she'd heard him speak. Then a little shrug.

Mundi turned and looked at you with surprisingly intelligent eyes before he turned his attention back to Adley.

"Let's see if the map has changed." Serge said pulling the map app from his phone and checking it to see how the chantry had changed.

Now there where teams of people on all floors going in groups searching, a large group was still located in the cafeteria and kitchen until everything was safe, Hannah had probably been taken down there now as there where no one in Narim's office anymore. There where the right number of spirits that you had seen before. There where a flickering green dot in one of the rooms though. If Colin looks at the screen he might guess the dot is Jerard, as the dot is in his room, the map do not seam to pick up pets well but Jerard might be a little special. Hannah's snails show up the same way as three vague, flickering green dots in her bedroom.

He nodded, "She is aligned with the ones who invaded us."

"Very well Craftsman I will tell my Master this."
The Umbrood agreed. For you Nicole it will perobably appear as if Colin and Adley are speaking to themselves or to the air.

He smoothly took out the monocle and snapped to a quick salute, "Wainwright. Colin Wainwright, formerly with the RAF, now I run the silver shop around the corner. I suspect most of our external cameras are in potentia; makes them more difficult to tamper with. And yes, this would count as something of a rough start... though if I may be so blunt, you look like you can handle it."

You and Adley probably know that Steelhaven do not have any surveillance cameras f Narim might have something set up that is possible but you don't know. There are a convenience store right down the street the one Colin visited a few days ago and it probably have cameras though, and for a less high tech surveillance there are always Duncan's owls.

(OOC: Sorry for the late reply I was out playing MtG I loaned out one of my best decks and got my ass handed to me with it.)

[Adley]

"If it is within my power to help I will Craftsman...the female incarnate who cast her magick on me...she have that which I can not touch inside, she is most disturbing, she looks like sooth on a frozen lake. I will go to my Master and describe the female."
The angle said as he flexed his wings for a moment and gave to a crisp bow.

"I can deliver a message student of my Master." Willard offered as you pulled out your phone to call.

"Thank you, yes do as you suggested to my friend and tell him what she looked and seemed like, what she did to you and the direction she was headed. Also request that he check on you to make sure you are well, after that spell, please," he said to the spirit in Enochian, "and ask if there are instructions for us to follow up on that."

Willard offered as you pulled out your phone to call. Jeffry relied after a couple of rings. "Yes hello this is Morgan."

"Sending you a check with a note," he said to him, figuring Willard would arrive momentarily and explain, listening for more static. "Please verify everything is well with it." Then he hung up.

He arched an eyebrow, "Something wrong with the phone?"

"Jon said there was some weird code he noticed and I heard static on the line, I'm not sure if there is something going on with them but it is best to treat them as potentially compromised until it's checked."

The black dog barked at you happily and seamed to confirm that he could, and he was looking at you as if to ask you if he should.

"Hm...not yet," he said to him.

Doesn't this place have external cameras? Name's Nicole. A rather crap start of my first day.' ending with a 'and you?' look.

"Not in the sense you probably mean," he said. "Unless they set up something while we were away. However, we have other means. Unfortunately, that's what they were tampering with...the spirit on guard here was being held in a trance by a Nephandus, who just took off down the street," he summarized for her. "The store down the block might catch her though."

"And the cameras sound good. I'd suspect the virtual adepts would know about any cameras in this place or around it. Unless shadow lady teleports we might be able to see where she goes."

"Or takes off into the Umbra..." he frowned.

He nodded, "We need to check each floor in order, but someone downstairs need to try to deal with that woman."

"Let's see if the map has changed." Serge said pulling the map app from his phone and checking it to see how the chantry had changed.

"Good idea," he said, taking a moment to glance at Serge's map.

There where a flickering green dot in one of the rooms though. If Colin looks at the screen he might guess the dot is Jerard, as the dot is in his room, the map do not seam to pick up pets well but Jerard might be a little special. Hannah's snails show up the same way as three vague, flickering green dots in her bedroom.

"Amicus, there is something flickering in your room, it's green...perhaps a spirit...did you instruct your friend to wait for you?" he asked, thinking Engrave was supposed to still be in the basement.

Hey Nicole. My names Serge. It's my first day too. It....hasn't been the best, interrogating a prisoner, comforting a widderslainte, talking face-to-face with one my old cabalmates who had fallen, deciphering a doomsday prophecy, and fight off those oil-monsters." Serge said listing off his incredibly busy morning.

He smiled wryly as Serge summed up the morning, and replied in a deadpan tone of voice "Yes, I suppose we're easing you into things. We're saving the raid on a Nephandi Labyrinth and going head to head with power-mad Fallen for later today..."

"Can't have dinner before appetizers," he said, then began examining the wards and the rest of the hall.

// Well, if Willard is going downstairs no use making a complicated call xD

[Jeremy Silverstein]

He smiled wryly as Serge summed up the morning, and replied in a deadpan tone of voice "Yes, I suppose we're easing you into things. We're saving the raid on a Nephandi Labyrinth and going head to head with power-mad Fallen for later today..."

"Awesome! The fun just never ends does it." Serge said with a friendly joking smile.

Now there where teams of people on all floors going in groups searching, a large group was still located in the cafeteria and kitchen until everything was safe, Hannah had probably been taken down there now as there where no one in Narim's office anymore. There where the right number of spirits that you had seen before. There where a flickering green dot in one of the rooms though. If Colin looks at the screen he might guess the dot is Jerard, as the dot is in his room, the map do not seam to pick up pets well but Jerard might be a little special. Hannah's snails show up the same way as three vague, flickering green dots in her bedroom.

"Everything looks fine on the map." Serge said looking at the map. "I think they might've moved Hannah to a safer location though. She's not in Master Sharaya's office anymore."

"Amicus, there is something flickering in your room, it's green...perhaps a spirit...did you instruct your friend to wait for you?" he asked, thinking Engrave was supposed to still be in the basement.

"I think green dots represent humans. Although I don't know why it's flickering..." Serge said a bit concerned.

For you Nicole it will perobably appear as if Colin and Adley are speaking to themselves or to the air.

"Hey Nicole. Can you see the spirit over there? Because I can't and it looks like they're just talking to themselves. It's kinda hilarious." Serge said amused by Colin and Adley talking so formerly with the air around him.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Thank you, yes do as you suggested to my friend and tell him what she looked and seemed like, what she did to you and the direction she was headed. Also request that he check on you to make sure you are well, after that spell, please," he said to the spirit in Enochian, "and ask if there are instructions for us to follow up on that."

"I will do so student of my Master."
Willard agreed.
"I will tell my Master about the female incarnate being and what she did to me and request that he examine me."
He confirmed, then the Umbrood walked out of the hallway and simply vanished.

"Sending you a check with a note," he said to him, figuring Willard would arrive momentarily and explain, listening for more static. "Please verify everything is well with it." Then he hung up.

"I see, I will do so."
Your Mentor said simply. There was a bit of static on the line, not much but a bit.

"Hm...not yet," he said to him.

Mundi wagged his tail at you and waited.

"Good idea," he said, taking a moment to glance at Serge's map.

Things looked as it should be though there where those flickering green dots showing something alive perhaps.

"Can't have dinner before appetizers," he said, then began examining the wards and the rest of the hall.

The wards seamed to be fine, whatever the Nephanda outside had done it had been more showing the spirit something, the spell had not penetrated the wards themselves. As you looked around you got a message from Jeffry that said:

"To ARH
From JM
Mea filius I have examined the one you sent me, he is confused but not tampered with, I suspect the one you saw is long gone by now but if you could ask NS if his equipment could have discovered anything and otherwise just complete your task, but stay safe.
Be Well
JM"

The rest of the hallway seamed fine, there was nothing out of the ordinary here some of the doors to the guest rooms where open as they had been evacuated in a hurry when the troubles begun.

[Adley]

"I think green dots represent humans. Although I don't know why it's flickering..." Serge said a bit concerned.

"Ah, hrm....well there is something there."

To ARH
From JM
Mea filius I have examined the one you sent me, he is confused but not tampered with, I suspect the one you saw is long gone by now but if you could ask NS if his equipment could have discovered anything and otherwise just complete your task, but stay safe.
Be Well
JM"

He glanced at the message and shook his head. "The Chief says to check with our resident expert to make sure our equipment hasn't been messed with, otherwise finish up here." He was frowning at his phone then put it away. "I don't see anything odd out here in the hall."

[Nicole Bouchard]

Colin's Post:

A small smile, running her free hand through her hair. 'Heard that, I did. Think... Morgan, isn't it? was pleased to see me.'

Adley's Post:

A small, slightly irate roll of the eyes at this - in her mind - an utterly elementary fuck-up. 'Which is why you always have backup systems.'

Serge's Post:

She looked towards the empty space with a slightly quizzical air. 'Hmm? Oh, one of those Cryptids, yes? Not a thing.'

Adley's Post:

A nod to this, rolling her head around as though dealing with a crick in the neck. 'Best to search floor manually though.'

[Adley]

A small, slightly irate roll of the eyes at this. 'Which is why you always have backup systems.'

"Do you have any suggestions that we can use right now or just criticisms based on assumptions?" he said in a tetchy tone. "Yes, we need to send a message to have our Adept expert see if they spotted something but I believe our phones, or at least mine, may be tampered with," he continued. 

A nod to this, rolling her head around as though dealing with a crick in the neck. 'Best to search floor manually though.'

"Obviously."

[Warpmind]

Hannah's Room:

"Sounds good I am sure I can find something to trade for the instruction."
Jon said and gave you a friendly smile.

Colin shrugged, "So far, I've mostly asked for keeping it to oneself until formal registration and publication - it's too valuable for me to charge for it, really... It's such a simple trick, but it can save so many from Jhor and other unpleasant extreme Resonances..."

"It would indeed be a tragedy Mr Wainwright however as things stands I have not had the time to deal with every issue that might pop up and Mr Karyak's Custos is his own responsibility to see safe, I do not have the time to babysit him at the moment."
Jeffry grumbled then he gave you a bit of a wry look.
"That is your job my good man."

He sighed, "Yes, but if I cannot handle him quietly, I will not have any other options than kicking him back to you. I should prefer not to have my hand forced, but between Master Haagen and miss Alexander... We can't afford any internal legal trouble."

Attic:

"Jon said there was some weird code he noticed and I heard static on the line, I'm not sure if there is something going on with them but it is best to treat them as potentially compromised until it's checked."

He frowned, "Bugger... Wait, did you hear the static before or after I passed on Freddy's work?"

"Amicus, there is something flickering in your room, it's green...perhaps a spirit...did you instruct your friend to wait for you?" he asked, thinking Engrave was supposed to still be in the basement.

He frowned, "I told my new friend to wait in the basement until I could introduce him to... wait, could it be Jareth, perhaps? Hm, what does Mundus show up as? And are there any other animals in the building you can think of?"

"Awesome! The fun just never ends does it." Serge said with a friendly joking smile.

He smiled wryly, "Ah, rookies... I hope you get to keep your innocence a little longer."

He glanced at the message and shook his head. "The Chief says to check with our resident expert to make sure our equipment hasn't been messed with, otherwise finish up here." He was frowning at his phone then put it away. "I don't see anything odd out here in the hall."

He put his monocle back into place and scanned the area quickly, "No, it seems quiet here. Aside from the, hum, butler, it seems the attic was neatly evacuated. Let's see if we find the good programmer on our way down... but commence the floor search all the same."

A small smile, running her free hand through her hair. 'Heard that, I did. Think... Morgan, isn't it? was pleased to see me.'

He nodded, "He always appreciates a solid tactical asset to the household; if you don't mind my asking - military or paramilitary training?"

A small, slightly irate roll of the eyes at this - in her mind - an utterly elementary fuck-up. 'Which is why you always have backup systems.'

He smiled thinly, "We might have some physical surveillance systems in place - but physical systems can be cracked. Our Virtual Adepts have a pretty good method for observing the area with only potential survellance cameras installed - much harder for outside interference to destroy."

"Do you have any suggestions that we can use right now or just criticisms based on assumptions?" he said in a tetchy tone. "Yes, we need to send a message to have our Adept expert see if they spotted something but I believe our phones, or at least mine, may be tampered with," he continued.

He frowned, "And if there's something going on with the phones, it's not unreasonable to suspect it's the bloody cell tower that's being interfered with. There's a Union attack coming in a few months, this could feasibly be them scouting out the area in advance..."

((OOC: You know, I just realized how much I like the concept of surveillance cameras in potentia - there's just a good enough chance there are some there for the Virtual Adepts to connect to them and observe the area. ))

[Jeremy Silverstein]

He smiled wryly, "Ah, rookies... I hope you get to keep your innocence a little longer."

"Man I hope so too. I've seen my fair share of craziness but this is a new level." Serge said hoping to keep his innocence a little longer as well.

He glanced at the message and shook his head. "The Chief says to check with our resident expert to make sure our equipment hasn't been messed with, otherwise finish up here." He was frowning at his phone then put it away. "I don't see anything odd out here in the hall."

"What else would the Nephandi want to mess with?" Serge asked wondering what else to look for.

"They purposely sent us a prisoner to destroy our wards so that they could open a portal and they tranced our patrol angel so he couldn't warn us. What other defenses are there that they could have messed with?"

She looked towards the empty space with a slightly quizzical air. 'Hmm? Oh, one of those Cryptids, yes? Not a thing.'

"It's good to know that I'm not the only one." Serge said with a friendly smile.

He put his monocle back into place and scanned the area quickly, "No, it seems quiet here. Aside from the, hum, butler, it seems the attic was neatly evacuated. Let's see if we find the good programmer on our way down... but commence the floor search all the same."

"Most of the other teams have commences their floor searches as well." Serge said looking back down at the map.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Hannah's apartment:

Colin shrugged, "So far, I've mostly asked for keeping it to oneself until formal registration and publication - it's too valuable for me to charge for it, really... It's such a simple trick, but it can save so many from Jhor and other unpleasant extreme Resonances..."

"I can off course wait with spreading the information, I do not believe in keeping information suppressed for long but everything withing reason and I can wait until you have the rote registered to you also I am sure I can do something to repay you."
Jon said and scratched his head again.
"Well yeah such a rote would be really useful if it works as you say, it could really save some big headaches."

He sighed, "Yes, but if I cannot handle him quietly, I will not have any other options than kicking him back to you. I should prefer not to have my hand forced, but between Master Haagen and miss Alexander... We can't afford any internal legal trouble."

"So what exactly is it that you wish me to do Mr Wainwright, I simply do not have the time to run around and take care of the safety of this man's personal Custos."
Jeffry said sounding a bit irritated.
"Nor can I keep track of where these Custos are located, you gave your Cabalmate an order for their safety Mr Wainwright and you are going to have the responsibility to make sure the order is followed."

He frowned, "I told my new friend to wait in the basement until I could introduce him to... wait, could it be Jareth, perhaps? Hm, what does Mundus show up as? And are there any other animals in the building you can think of?"

Mundi appeared with a blue dot as a spirit. Jane had an aquarium with fish and Dion had canary birds, none of these where showing up.

"Most of the other teams have commences their floor searches as well." Serge said looking back down at the map.

The groups of dots indicating the search teams was still going through the other floors, room for room.

[Nicole Bouchard]

To Colin's question, the large woman gave a short little laugh. 'Para... suppose. Picked up a few things.'

'We're checking a floor for hostiles, not doing the Trench Run.' Nicole replied to Adley, eyes narrowing slightly. Then she sighed and held out her palms in surrender, which was a partial fail as she was still holding the Eagle with one. 'Look... bad day and promises lots more for all. Let's just do this shit then have the Q&A, yeah?' drawing her body up, ready to go.

[Warpmind]

"I can off course wait with spreading the information, I do not believe in keeping information suppressed for long but everything withing reason and I can wait until you have the rote registered to you also I am sure I can do something to repay you."
Jon said and scratched his head again.
"Well yeah such a rote would be really useful if it works as you say, it could really save some big headaches."

Colin nodded, "Oh, I don't want it suppressed, I just don't want some random unscrupulous Mage to steal my academic credit for the work. More so, I don't want someone to try to patent it and restrain it for personal profit; it's too important for that. For the whole of the Traditions, but perhaps most importantly for Node cleansers and those tasked with disposing of confiscated corrupt Tass."

"So what exactly is it that you wish me to do Mr Wainwright, I simply do not have the time to run around and take care of the safety of this man's personal Custos."
Jeffry said sounding a bit irritated.
"Nor can I keep track of where these Custos are located, you gave your Cabalmate an order for their safety Mr Wainwright and you are going to have the responsibility to make sure the order is followed."

He shook his head, frowning, "I don't want you to do anything - but if Mr. Karyak won't listen to orders or reason, and won't get around to apologize to Master Haagen, well... I don't believe I have the authority to mete out the necessary punishment. Hopefully, it won't come to that, though. The Custos matter is one thing, but the... other matters, that's what really worries me in the bigger picture."

"Man I hope so too. I've seen my fair share of craziness but this is a new level." Serge said hoping to keep his innocence a little longer as well.

He frowned, gaze suddenly distant, "Tears in the rain... Hum, no matter; that's decades away yet..."

"What else would the Nephandi want to mess with?" Serge asked wondering what else to look for.

"They purposely sent us a prisoner to destroy our wards so that they could open a portal and they tranced our patrol angel so he couldn't warn us. What other defenses are there that they could have messed with?"

He frowned, "The Node... our ritual rooms... essentially, any place where it's likely a lot of us would be doing work is a viable target for corruption - done carefully, it might not be noticed until it was too late."

Mundi appeared with a blue dot as a spirit. Jane had an aquarium with fish and Dion had canary birds, none of these where showing up.

He frowned, "I note there are three flickers in miss Larson's room - that would be her snails, I suspect... which means it seems more likely the flicker in my room is Jareth. But I must make sure all the same."

To Colin's question, the large woman gave a short little laugh. 'Para... suppose. Picked up a few things.'

He nodded, "Less disciplined structure, perhaps, but better flexibility for smaller-scale groups."

"Most of the other teams have commences their floor searches as well." Serge said looking back down at the map.

He nodded, "Point; let us quickly check the rooms here; Adley, you go with Nicole on the left side of the stairs, I go with Mr. Yager on the right, and we make our way systematically toward the middle. That way, both teams have someone who can see spirits, and a bit of steady firepower as well."

[Jeremy Silverstein]

He frowned, "The Node... our ritual rooms... essentially, any place where it's likely a lot of us would be doing work is a viable target for corruption - done carefully, it might not be noticed until it was too late."

"Attacking our node seems to be the classic bad guy thing to do." Serge said agreeing with Colin's assessment.

Mundi appeared with a blue dot as a spirit. Jane had an aquarium with fish and Dion had canary birds, none of these where showing up.

He frowned, "I note there are three flickers in miss Larson's room - that would be her snails, I suspect... which means it seems more likely the flicker in my room is Jareth. But I must make sure all the same."

"Those flickers actually kinda worry me. I mean we're in a mage chantry. There are bound to be plenty of animals here, yet their are only 4 flickering green dots. Is their anything special about those snails or Jareth that would mess with the maps sense? " Serge said with a worried tone of voice.

He nodded, "Point; let us quickly check the rooms here; Adley, you go with Nicole on the left side of the stairs, I go with Mr. Yager on the right, and we make our way systematically toward the middle. That way, both teams have someone who can see spirits, and a bit of steady firepower as well."

"Sounds like a plan." Serge said nodding in agreement with Colin's plan.

[Adley]

He frowned, "Bugger... Wait, did you hear the static before or after I passed on Freddy's work?"

"When I called my pater the first time...hrm, I think it was before?" he said with a frown.

'We're checking a floor for hostiles, not doing the Trench Run.' Nicole replied to Adley, eyes narrowing slightly. Then she sighed and held out her palms in surrender, which was a partial fail as she was still holding the Eagle with one. 'Look... bad day and promises lots more for all. Let's just do this shit then have the Q&A, yeah?' drawing her body up, ready to go.

He looked as if he were rapidly becoming annoyed, eyes narrowed back and a scowl starting on his face. It was like watching a cat pin its ears back and its tail start to swish. Then it shut off, like someone had flipped a switch and his attention shifted off of her and over to Colin as he spoke about the map.

He frowned, "I told my new friend to wait in the basement until I could introduce him to... wait, could it be Jareth, perhaps? Hm, what does Mundus show up as? And are there any other animals in the building you can think of?"

"Jareth?" he asked, then a little lightbulb went on. "Ah...could be, I am not sure how that works. He is imbued with spirit," he said of Mundi. "Others have pets..."

He frowned, "I note there are three flickers in miss Larson's room - that would be her snails, I suspect... which means it seems more likely the flicker in my room is Jareth. But I must make sure all the same."

"Perhaps he saw something as well," he said.

"What else would the Nephandi want to mess with?" Serge asked wondering what else to look for.

"They purposely sent us a prisoner to destroy our wards so that they could open a portal and they tranced our patrol angel so he couldn't warn us. What other defenses are there that they could have messed with?"

"They also likely destroyed one of the room guards from downstairs, but that's likely related to that attack. I'm not sure what the trance was about but I feel as if our attention is deliberately being moved about and I don't like it."

He put his monocle back into place and scanned the area quickly, "No, it seems quiet here. Aside from the, hum, butler, it seems the attic was neatly evacuated. Let's see if we find the good programmer on our way down... but commence the floor search all the same."

"Good, let's do so," he agreed.

He frowned, "And if there's something going on with the phones, it's not unreasonable to suspect it's the bloody cell tower that's being interfered with. There's a Union attack coming in a few months, this could feasibly be them scouting out the area in advance..."

He frowned. "For now, let's just continue with the assumption there might be something amiss."

He nodded, "Point; let us quickly check the rooms here; Adley, you go with Nicole on the left side of the stairs, I go with Mr. Yager on the right, and we make our way systematically toward the middle. That way, both teams have someone who can see spirits, and a bit of steady firepower as well."

"Very well; let's go," he said to Mundi and gave a nod to Nicole as he headed left on point.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Hannah's Room:

Colin nodded, "Oh, I don't want it suppressed, I just don't want some random unscrupulous Mage to steal my academic credit for the work. More so, I don't want someone to try to patent it and restrain it for personal profit; it's too important for that. For the whole of the Traditions, but perhaps most importantly for Node cleansers and those tasked with disposing of confiscated corrupt Tass."

"Yeah absolutely I get that and that is always the anger with being open with information some douche might decide to steal it and patent it."
Jon said then he nodded.
"I can keep my mouth shut and my fingers of the keyboard so to speak, I can see why such an rote would be important indeed."

He shook his head, frowning, "I don't want you to do anything - but if Mr. Karyak won't listen to orders or reason, and won't get around to apologize to Master Haagen, well... I don't believe I have the authority to mete out the necessary punishment. Hopefully, it won't come to that, though. The Custos matter is one thing, but the... other matters, that's what really worries me in the bigger picture."

"I understand your frustration Mr Wainwright and you have some authority in the matter you can enact disciplinary reactions but Mr Karyak can then demand to have the matter heard before the Deacon Council as well, that is how it works in the Traditions, you can always demand to have your case heard before a higher authority up to the Council itself but off course if you waste a Tribunal's time with protesting two weeks of kitchen service for breaking Chantry rules there are likely to be reactions. You can give out any punishment below Branding, and you can cast him out of your Cabal, but other than being removed from your Cabal he can contest any other punishment before the Deacon Council and then before a local Tribunal and so on."
Jeffry explained.
"Yes I can see that I have by accident given you quite a problem on your hands, Mr Karyak is talented but far to stubborn."

Attic:

"Jareth?" he asked, then a little lightbulb went on. "Ah...could be, I am not sure how that works. He is imbued with spirit," he said of Mundi. "Others have pets..."

Mundi looked at you and wagged his tail again in agreement.

"Very well; let's go," he said to Mundi and gave a nod to Nicole as he headed left on point.

That would mean the small bedrooms along the corridor there where nothing much there, one still had straps attached to the bed where Lori had been kept before she was sent back to her Chantry. The room her Mentor had been in had a few extra blankets on the bed and there where a IV stand there that Richard had not gotten around to packing away, probably the technomancer ha been given some painkillers for his Avatar injury that sometimes worked with them. The biggest room the one that Kyle's parents had been in showed signs that it had been evacuated in a hurry, a newspaper lay on the floor where it had been quickly discarded, and one among the couple had been knitting something, a sweater perhaps in dark gray with some orange patterns to it, now cold coffee stood in porcelain cups, and half a cookie was on a plate. There was nothing strange about the room though other than the haste with which it had been abandoned. In the forth room there was also indications that a prisoner had been kept as there where attached fastenings for straps to the bed though the restraints themselves where not there. Someone had been sitting by the small, blue desk drawing with crayons, the drawing showed almost completely black with six figured in a circle with leering, scary faces one of them having long, flowing blond hair. There was a glass of milk and a toast with jam on the desk untouched and one blue sock on the floor.

These rooms where simple, they had one bed, the biggest one had a double bed. There where a colorful rug on the floor bought at a local artist's fair a few years ago, matching color curtains on the windows and natural wood colored walls, there where a small table with a sofa and chairs, a wardrobe, desk, book shelf an a wash stand, in one end of the corridor there where also a bathroom, with a bath tub, a toilet an a sink the walls where bright green, there was a tiny window with green curtains and a green bath mat on the floor here to everything seamed calm and normal. Outside the small rooms there was a chair where someone had been sitting and keeping watch, there where a book on the floor abandoned when the owner had to run to help out it was named "Food Sacrifices for House Spirits in European Folklore."

[Nicole Bouchard]

Nicole cleared the rooms; only really paying attention to the existence or not of hostiles, which a demeanour which suggested she was the type who'd have preferred to kick the doors in for entry. Unless Adley indicates they've got invisible intruders or there are other places to search on this floor, she'll then return to the stairs, to wait for the other team.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

There did not seam to be any hostiles up here, there where one more door, a large open area in a sort of an l shape and a few door at the end of that L as well, everything seamed fairly calm up here though. You hear other teams searching on the floor below but there where no sounds of violence or distress.

[Adley]

Adley was not trying to intrude but simply see if there had been intruders, spiritual or physical, malicious spells or if the wards showed signs of tampering, though the picture with the figures did catch his attention a moment. He frowned at it and then scanned the room thoroughly before deciding whether or not it was clear and moving to the next. The last area was the L-shaped section and this too got checked for anything amiss before he went to the middle of the hall, where they'd agreed to meet back up.

[Warpmind]

Hannah's Room:

"Yeah absolutely I get that and that is always the anger with being open with information some douche might decide to steal it and patent it."
Jon said then he nodded.
"I can keep my mouth shut and my fingers of the keyboard so to speak, I can see why such an rote would be important indeed."

Colin nodded, "I trust the ones I've personally taught the Rote to so far - and I've got the paperwork just about written up, all that needs to be done is to get it filed with the proper people."

"I understand your frustration Mr Wainwright and you have some authority in the matter you can enact disciplinary reactions but Mr Karyak can then demand to have the matter heard before the Deacon Council as well, that is how it works in the Traditions, you can always demand to have your case heard before a higher authority up to the Council itself but off course if you waste a Tribunal's time with protesting two weeks of kitchen service for breaking Chantry rules there are likely to be reactions. You can give out any punishment below Branding, and you can cast him out of your Cabal, but other than being removed from your Cabal he can contest any other punishment before the Deacon Council and then before a local Tribunal and so on."
Jeffry explained.
"Yes I can see that I have by accident given you quite a problem on your hands, Mr Karyak is talented but far to stubborn."

He nodded, "Ah, you had no way of knowing in advance, though... Hum... actually, I think I have an idea... Well, one thing at a time; a formal apology which Master Haagen can accept is a good start. He'd best get on to that quickly."

Attic:

"When I called my pater the first time...hrm, I think it was before?" he said with a frown.

He frowned, "Then her work would not have been the source... but if that interference represents a wiretap, that could be... bad..."

"Attacking our node seems to be the classic bad guy thing to do." Serge said agreeing with Colin's assessment.

He smiled wryly, "Eh, the Fallen have corrupted one of our Nodes, but I burned out one of theirs. And I took a piece of it to make a memorial for those nameless sacrifices used to power it... Striking at the enemy's supply lines is a pragmatic way of waging war, not really a classic bad guy thing..."

"They also likely destroyed one of the room guards from downstairs, but that's likely related to that attack. I'm not sure what the trance was about but I feel as if our attention is deliberately being moved about and I don't like it."

He pondered briefly, "I don't think that was about our attention, really - likely, that was as simple and direct as it seemed; a way to keep the spirit of the house away from defending his turf. It's every bit as bad as it sounds, of course, but it doesn't taste like something subtler. Though there's a chance they tried to slip him something tainted in the process; the Chief or Master Steelhaven would notice, though."

"Those flickers actually kinda worry me. I mean we're in a mage chantry. There are bound to be plenty of animals here, yet their are only 4 flickering green dots. Is their anything special about those snails or Jareth that would mess with the maps sense? " Serge said with a worried tone of voice.

He pondered, "I'm not sure about the snails, but I think miss Larson would have used magic on them to strengthen them, to give them greater lifespans and the like. As for Jareth, he's a remarkably clever owl; his father's a Verbena..."

"Jareth?" he asked, then a little lightbulb went on. "Ah...could be, I am not sure how that works. He is imbued with spirit," he said of Mundi. "Others have pets..."

He nodded, "Hum, quite likely the flickers are beings a little closer to human than most animals, then..."

He frowned. "For now, let's just continue with the assumption there might be something amiss."

He nodded, "That much seems certain."

"Sounds like a plan." Serge said nodding in agreement with Colin's plan.

He nodded, "Good. With me, then."
He smoothly strode onward to check each room quickly, going just far enough inside to clear all corners before moving on to the next.

((OOC: Long day at work... Crashed hard when I got home, never had the time to hammer down a reply. :/ But now it's the weekend, and tomorrow morning, I go to a Magic tournament...

[Nicole Bouchard]

Nicole followed Adley, silent save quite literally a hunger growl from her stomach. Checking the remains of the floor.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Hannah's Room:

Colin nodded, "I trust the ones I've personally taught the Rote to so far - and I've got the paperwork just about written up, all that needs to be done is to get it filed with the proper people."

"Sounds good then, hopefully that will be in order soon."
Jon said and nodded.

He nodded, "Ah, you had no way of knowing in advance, though... Hum... actually, I think I have an idea... Well, one thing at a time; a formal apology which Master Haagen can accept is a good start. He'd best get on to that quickly."

"Agree Mr Karyak insulted a Master of the Art and one placed as his superior in a combat situation at that, and proper apology have to be made."
Jeffry said and nodded.
"No I did not know how much of a trouble the man would be, for now though I will let you deal with the situation as you see best."

Attic:

Adley was not trying to intrude but simply see if there had been intruders, spiritual or physical, malicious spells or if the wards showed signs of tampering, though the picture with the figures did catch his attention a moment. He frowned at it and then scanned the room thoroughly before deciding whether or not it was clear and moving to the next. The last area was the L-shaped section and this too got checked for anything amiss before he went to the middle of the hall, where they'd agreed to meet back up.

There did not seam to be any breaches of the wards, all looked to be in order the L shaped section,the meditation room called the chapel beyond and the storage rooms all well, all seamed to be in order.

Your group finished with the attic finding nothing more amiss, the other groups as well according to the map where finishing of their search though they took a little longer time as there where more rooms on the lower floors, but the various teams where slowly gravitating towards the cafeteria with a few left behind on each floor as guards.

(OOC: Both Adley and Colin where there when Hannah explained that in addition to being loved pets the snail's slime contained Tass, they are like little, living mini Nodes.)

(OOC: Nothing wrong with a slow day on the forum now and again I have been rather busy today myself.)

[Sponsored content]