Re: Primium, Books and Risky Endeavors IC Thread 22

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He nodded, "He was captured during the Schism War... by Adley, no less. His hands were broken and... never healed. That memory lingers..."

"Shit...well that is one way to keep a mage that use gestures for their effects from using magick I guess but damn, hopefully he will never fully remember that."
Freddy said and frowned.

He nodded, "I suspect the, hm, unexpected immunity to local anesthesia is the main culprit... Opiates seem to help, though."

"I have done it without local anesthetics as well and then it hurts bad so yeah hopefully it is just that then he should be fine sone enough."
Freddy said and she glanced over at Kyle.

He nodded, "I should like a quick word with Mrs. Knox first, though, if that's acceptable to you, Sir?"

"Very well, that is acceptable Mr Wainwright."
Jeffry said and he nodded in agreement.

Then he hurried as much as he could without jostling Kyle, to get him back to his cell, tuck him in, and remove the handcuffs before giving Freddy a quick kiss on the cheek on his way out, "See you in a while then, luv."

You got Kyle down into the basement and got him to bed, the young mage did not wake up wile you carried him though he muttered a bit in his sleep. Freddy smiled and patted your hand for a moment.
"See you in a while, do not get into to much trouble love."
She said and kissed your hand before letting you go.

In the hallway outside of yle's room you notice that there where a new prisoner, a skinny woman with reddish brown hair wearing a hoodie, and dark pants. The woman was tied to the radiator and covered wth a blanket and she seamed to be sleeping, for some reason you almost felt like you knew the prisoner even if you had not yet met her, but it was this strange feeling of recognition.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

'Not everyone... there's the mad ones, bloodsuckers and other critters too.' Nicole replied, discovering a couple of slices of bread and moving over to sit back down.

'Though not wanting to see any of those any time soon.'

"Really? Cause I wanna see some of the other critters. I heard that one of our guys is friends with a were-shark. A WERE-SHARK! Like...isn't that just about the coolest thing you've heard?" Serge said, clearly excited about the idea of a half-man half-shark.

"Speaking of cool powers, did the fight with the prisoner have any neat ones? Or was it just a gun fight?" Serge asked.

[Warpmind]

"Shit...well that is one way to keep a mage that use gestures for their effects from using magick I guess but damn, hopefully he will never fully remember that."
Freddy said and frowned.

Colin frowned, "It matters little if he remembers; his soul does, and the pain lingers still..."

"I have done it without local anesthetics as well and then it hurts bad so yeah hopefully it is just that then he should be fine sone enough."
Freddy said and she glanced over at Kyle.

He nodded, "He's going to be in some discomfort until then, though... Most regrettably."

"Very well, that is acceptable Mr Wainwright."
Jeffry said and he nodded in agreement.

He smiled thinly, "Won't take long, Sir."

You got Kyle down into the basement and got him to bed, the young mage did not wake up wile you carried him though he muttered a bit in his sleep. Freddy smiled and patted your hand for a moment.
"See you in a while, do not get into to much trouble love."
She said and kissed your hand before letting you go.

He grinned wryly, "Already am, luv... I'll do my best to return in one piece, without being further sullied. I'm running out of suits."

In the hallway outside of yle's room you notice that there where a new prisoner, a skinny woman with reddish brown hair wearing a hoodie, and dark pants. The woman was tied to the radiator and covered wth a blanket and she seamed to be sleeping, for some reason you almost felt like you knew the prisoner even if you had not yet met her, but it was this strange feeling of recognition.

He halted at the young woman, tilting his head slightly to the side with a frown, "Hum... sleep well, miss... Sleep well, whoever you are... were... will be?"
He shook his head and strode over to the vampires' room, knocking softly on the door, "Mrs. Knox, are you in there?"

[Nicole Bouchard]

Serge's Post:

A short silence as Nicole looked at Serge. 'And what makes you think this were-shark would want to meet you? That is, in a friendly way?' ripping off a bit of bread and dunking it into the soup. On his other question, a small wry smile could be seen from behind the bread.

'Real fights ain't like the ones in movies. Usually it's just a collection of very violent things happening at random. Looking around at what other people are doing on the off-chance one of 'em are "neat" is usually a way of making sure you don't get to see the ending.' A pause as she had some more soup.

'But... did see a couple of classic fireballs, the now-prisoner pulled off a forcefield of some form.'

[Jeremy Silverstein]

A short silence as Nicole looked at Serge. 'And what makes you think this were-shark would want to meet you? That is, in a friendly way?' ripping off a bit of bread and dunking it into the soup.

"Their's probably no reason. But I met his shark sword wielding friend and I've been told he's nice. Plus I haven't done anything to piss him off." Serge said with a shrug.

On his other question, a small wry smile could be seen from behind the bread. 'Real fights ain't like the ones in movies. Usually it's just a collection of very violent things happening at random. Looking around at what other people are doing on the off-chance one of 'em are "neat" is usually a way of making sure you don't get to see the ending.' A pause as she had some more soup.

Serge just sighed and began counting on his fingers as Nicole explained the violent nature of the real world.

"I think your the fourth...." Serge began to say, "Who's told me something like that today. Still...doesn't make you wrong. I'd die pretty fucking fast in the real world."

'But... did see a couple of classic fireballs, the now-prisoner pulled off a forcefield of some form.'

"Fireballs and forcefields. Now that sounds like a fun scene to spectate." Serge said with a chuckle as he pulled out his sketchbook and began doodling his own interpretation of the scene.

"So, did you pull off any cool moves?" Serge asked wanting to know a bit more about the mission that he had declined to go on.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin frowned, "It matters little if he remembers; his soul does, and the pain lingers still..."

"I suppose you are right."
Freddy said and frowned.

He nodded, "He's going to be in some discomfort until then, though... Most regrettably."

"I guess all we can do is to try to keep Kyle as comfortable as possible until it passes."
The young Virtual Adept said and nodded.

He smiled thinly, "Won't take long, Sir."

Jeffry just gave a gruff nod at that.

He grinned wryly, "Already am, luv... I'll do my best to return in one piece, without being further sullied. I'm running out of suits."

"Ah yes your wardrobe is shrinking, at least you do not have to figure out if your own brains are easy to wash out of your clothes, but you stay safe love, you hear me? You stay safe."
The young Virtual Adept muttered as she glanced up at you.

He halted at the young woman, tilting his head slightly to the side with a frown, "Hum... sleep well, miss... Sleep well, whoever you are... were... will be?"

The prisoner stirred slightly she was rather pale and looked like she needed the rest and she quickly fell back to sleep.
"Do you know her Colin?"
Richard said he had left Kyle's room with you.
"Well I should go up and start to explain things for the Chief while you have a word with our Verbena guest if that is alright with you?"
The Akashic asked.

He shook his head and strode over to the vampires' room, knocking softly on the door, "Mrs. Knox, are you in there?"

Kristina came and opened the door rather quickly she looked at you and narrowed her eyes a bit.
"Yes Mr Wainwright I am here, what can I do for you?"

[Adley]

"Very well if you can watch over Bee for a few moments while I get the tea ready but remember it do not heal it only mask the discomfort allowing you to be active but sooner or later if you push yourself to hard you will collapse, just remember that, making the pain of an injury can be more dangerous than leaving it be in the first place. Also the tea will require you to prick your finger and bleed a drop in each cup just in case you are squeamish."

Adley frowned at what he read and then looked at Amadeus with a speculative expression. Somewhere in the back of his mind, one voice was begging the question of why Verbena so often bled on everything. And the other was little Bee's voice, saying it was hard to prick one's finger. He didn't believe coincidence, but he wasn't yet sure if it were important. He wrote out a reply: 'So if I decide to run, I am likely going to be injured for it, is what you are saying? That the parameters of the injury remain the same and doing more than that can hurt me? I run the risk of passing out on the battlefield and dying as it is. What would you do if you were facing my situation, knowing there was such an important battle upcoming? Also, perhaps you had better explain how this tea works and why there seem to be more than one cup of it, please.'

[Warpmind]

"Ah yes your wardrobe is shrinking, at least you do not have to figure out if your own brains are easy to wash out of your clothes, but you stay safe love, you hear me? You stay safe."
The young Virtual Adept muttered as she glanced up at you.

Colin smiled wryly, "I'll be heading into the Labyrinth soon. I will protect myself as best I can; I'd rather not you come after me like an angry god hellbent on resurrecting me just so you can murder me..."
He sighed and unlocked the handcuffs, slipping them back in his pocket.

The prisoner stirred slightly she was rather pale and looked like she needed the rest and she quickly fell back to sleep.
"Do you know her Colin?"
Richard said he had left Kyle's room with you.
"Well I should go up and start to explain things for the Chief while you have a word with our Verbena guest if that is alright with you?"
The Akashic asked.

He frowned, "Bugger if I know. I'm not sure I've even seen her before... No, wait, I think it's the one who was distracting the Spirit of Steelhaven Hall. Something about her, though... Hum, she might have an old, familiar soul... Seems there's a lot of that going around these days... Hum, quite alright; you're more knowledgeable regarding the medical aspects of things than I am."

Kristina came and opened the door rather quickly she looked at you and narrowed her eyes a bit.
"Yes Mr Wainwright I am here, what can I do for you?"

He sighed softly, "Would you join me in one of our unoccupied rooms? I need to explain my actions, and I need your help to protect your friend at Morningstar... I fear the grapevine will reach her soon enough, and I would rather she hear the truth from me before the rumour mill has its way with what I almost did..."

[Nicole Bouchard]

Serge's Post:

'Since when has "lack of actual reason" stopped anyone from attacking another?' she asked quizzically.

Serge's Post:

'Grow up in The Truman Show, did you?' giving a little smile at his comment. 'All you're seeing is a different type of real life. Which many would think was utterly weird and unreal. What do your folks think you're doing right now?'

Serge's Post:

'Not really. Just ruined some guy's day by shooting him in the head.' she said in a nonchalant manner, giving a shrug.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

'Since when has "lack of actual reason" stopped anyone from attacking another?' she asked quizzically.

"Plenty of times. Everyone's got their own reasons for their actions. Because their boss told them too, their trying to fulfill some ultimate goal, the voices in their head commanded them too, sometimes it's just as simple as wanting someone dead." Serge said after some thought.

"Everyone always has a reason for their actions. Whether it is a complex reason thought up over several weeks or a primal desire hidden in the back of your subconscious. I should know, I'm able to see those reasons....sometimes alter them." Serge said nonchalantly.

"Have you ever seen otherwise?" Serge asked in response.

'Grow up in The Truman Show, did you?' giving a little smile at his comment. 'All you're seeing is a different type of real life. Which many would think was utterly weird and unreal. '

"You'd be surprised how accurate that statement actually is." Serge said with a mysterious smile at the mention of "The Truman Show".

"Although I prefer to think of my life as more like 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'." Serge said.

What do your folks think you're doing right now?

Serge's facial expression changed slightly at the mention of his parents. It was hard to place, as if Serge wasn't sure what emotional reaction to have when talking about his parents.

"Probably didn't even realize I left...." Serge said as a joke, alhough his tone didn't really portray as such.

"In reality they think I'm going through the whole 'move out of your parents house' routine. You know...gaining my independence and all that. The nice psychiatrist I volunteered for knew about an apartment in Boston that would be just perfect for me." Serge said gesturing to the room around them.

'Not really. Just ruined some guy's day by shooting him in the head.' she said in a nonchalant manner, giving a shrug.

"Beautiful. Guns and magick....what a combination!" Serge said humorously as he gracefully slid his pencil across the page, showing clear levels of expertise and experience with the drawing utensil.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley:

He wrote out a reply: 'So if I decide to run, I am likely going to be injured for it, is what you are saying? That the parameters of the injury remain the same and doing more than that can hurt me? I run the risk of passing out on the battlefield and dying as it is.

Amadeus read what you had written then he replied on the tablet.
"Look at it this way, if you had injured your shoulder and Dr Lee gave you a strong local painkiller that meant you did not feel the injury you might be able to continue as normal for a while and not be distracted by the injury but if you kept taking hits to that shoulder you would get worse even if you could not feel it, it is like that only that we are talking about a lack of the vital energy that makes you alive other than just a dislocated shoulder, so yes with the tea you will not be in pain, but it will just mask the injury and not cure it."

What would you do if you were facing my situation, knowing there was such an important battle upcoming?

"I would fight, but I am old and tired you are young and have your life ahead of you. If the Nephandi win that is the end of it, so I would recommend anyone who can fight should. But the choice is yours."
The old Verbena wrote out on the tablet.

Also, perhaps you had better explain how this tea works

"I can do that but it will take time and be rather unpractical on a writing tablet, short answer it will soothe your Life Patterns."

and why there seem to be more than one cup of it, please.'

"The same reason why there are more than one pill in a box of aspirins, this is not a cure it only mask the symptoms and the effects do not last forever, once you drink the tea you have a few hours and then the pain will return unless you take another dose."
Amadeus wrote out before he handed you the tablet back.

Colin:

Colin smiled wryly, "I'll be heading into the Labyrinth soon. I will protect myself as best I can; I'd rather not you come after me like an angry god hellbent on resurrecting me just so you can murder me..."
He sighed and unlocked the handcuffs, slipping them back in his pocket.

"Good love...for I will not tolerate you getting yourself killed...you be careful and be as annoyingly inventive as always and come back to me."
Freddy whispered before she hugged you.

He frowned, "Bugger if I know. I'm not sure I've even seen her before... No, wait, I think it's the one who was distracting the Spirit of Steelhaven Hall. Something about her, though... Hum, she might have an old, familiar soul... Seems there's a lot of that going around these days...

"Hum...they caught her then, such a shame she is so young and have sold herself to the Nephandi...I do wonder how you or your soul or anything knows her though."
Richard said and frowned.

Hum, quite alright; you're more knowledgeable regarding the medical aspects of things than I am."

"Very well I will see you later then Colin."
Richard said before he headed upstairs to go to Chief Morgan's office.

He sighed softly, "Would you join me in one of our unoccupied rooms? I need to explain my actions, and I need your help to protect your friend at Morningstar... I fear the grapevine will reach her soon enough, and I would rather she hear the truth from me before the rumour mill has its way with what I almost did..."

Kristina looked at you for a moment then she sigh and nodded.
"It is better that she hear it from you yes but this...is going to hit her hard, very hard, very well lead the way to somewhere we can talk."
The Verbena said she was still frowning at you.
"I fear that no matter how she finds out though this is going to hurt her badly"
She said before she turned to check that the vampires where sleeping before she got ready to follow you.
"Perhaps we can talk out in the hub between this part of the basement and the other corridor Mr Wainwright."
She suggested.

[Adley]

"Look at it this way, if you had injured your shoulder and Dr Lee gave you a strong local painkiller that meant you did not feel the injury you might be able to continue as normal for a while and not be distracted by the injury but if you kept taking hits to that shoulder you would get worse even if you could not feel it, it is like that only that we are talking about a lack of the vital energy that makes you alive other than just a dislocated shoulder, so yes with the tea you will not be in pain, but it will just mask the injury and not cure it."

Adley pointed at that with a finger and nodded; he understood. He would just have to try his best to not aggravate it more than he had to - the issue was that they were already being pushed to their limits. Well, he would let his pater know what was going on, it was in part his decision to as to where he would be ultimately stationed.

"I would fight, but I am old and tired you are young and have your life ahead of you. If the Nephandi win that is the end of it, so I would recommend anyone who can fight should. But the choice is yours." The old Verbena wrote out on the tablet.

'There won't be much to live for if the Nephandi get their way. So, I fight for us.'

"I can do that but it will take time and be rather unpractical on a writing tablet, short answer it will soothe your Life Patterns."

'That is sufficient.'

"The same reason why there are more than one pill in a box of aspirins, this is not a cure it only mask the symptoms and the effects do not last forever, once you drink the tea you have a few hours and then the pain will return unless you take another dose."

'That makes sense.' He was still frowning, though as if he were trying to understand something that was just outside his reach. 'I would appreciate that any arcane connections outside the medicine are dealt with sir, not that I did not think you would. But a cautious approach is necessary for all of us to take. Thank you, sir. I can stay here with her for now, if this is not a long task?'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley pointed at that with a finger and nodded; he understood. He would just have to try his best to not aggravate it more than he had to - the issue was that they were already being pushed to their limits. Well, he would let his pater know what was going on, it was in part his decision to as to where he would be ultimately stationed.

Amadeus gave you a concerned look for a moment then he nodded.

'There won't be much to live for if the Nephandi get their way. So, I fight for us.'

The old Verbena nodded there was little more he could say about it, everyone had to do what they could to stop Larson's ambitions no matter the personal cost but it was not comfortable to say it.

'That is sufficient.'

"Very well."
Amadeus said and nodded.

That makes sense.' He was still frowning, though as if he were trying to understand something that was just outside his reach. 'I would appreciate that any arcane connections outside the medicine are dealt with sir, not that I did not think you would.

"The only arcane connection to you involved are the drop of blood you will be adding to the tea and that you will be drinking right up, the rest are enchanted herbs."
Amadeus wrote then he showed the tablet to you.

But a cautious approach is necessary for all of us to take. Thank you, sir. I can stay here with her for now, if this is not a long task?'

"It will take me about five minutes plus the time it takes to walk to my room, so I should be back in less than ten minutes."
The old Verbena said and stood.
"Thank you, I will trust Beatrice to your care for now then, just try to keep her calm and comfortable, she needs her rest."
He instructed as he gave Beatrice a pained look, not liking leaving her even for a short while.

[Nicole Bouchard]

Serge's Post:

'Fine... lack of a good reason, then.' Nicole replied, giving a sigh.

Serge's Post:

The look on Nicole's face made it clear the analogy had gone right over her head.

Serge's Post:

'That's a thing?' she said, clearly a bit confused. 'Thought you'd have used the old "studying at college" trick. Ain't you worried they might just "be in the area" one day and try to drop in?'

[Jeremy Silverstein]

'Fine... lack of a good reason, then.' Nicole replied, giving a sigh.

"Define good." Serge said absentmindedly. "A good reason for them might not be a good reason for you."

The look on Nicole's face made it clear the analogy had gone right over her head.

"Oh really. You haven't heard of that story?" Serge said.

"It's about the guy who pays more attention to his daydreams than what's actually going on around him. the young cultist explained.

'That's a thing?' she said, clearly a bit confused . 'Thought you'd have used the old "studying at college" trick. Ain't you worried they might just "be in the area" one day and try to drop in?'

"I would've except I already finished college. You see I lived with them during my college years. Used to tell them I was doing extra-curricular after my classes when in reality I was going to my Mentor to study magick. After College my Mentor suggested to my parents that I was old enough to learn to live on my own." Serge explained.

"And I seriously doubt that they would suddenly appear in Boston. If they wanted to leave New York and come visit me, they'd probably let me know in advanced."

[Adley]

"The only arcane connection to you involved are the drop of blood you will be adding to the tea and that you will be drinking right up, the rest are enchanted herbs."
Amadeus wrote then he showed the tablet to you.

He nodded. 'There are other odd things that have happened to me - it may be prudent to have C.T. look me over before imbibing such a brew, if you see her and she can spare a moment to do so would you let her know?

It will take me about five minutes plus the time it takes to walk to my room, so I should be back in less than ten minutes." The old Verbena said and stood. "Thank you, I will trust Beatrice to your care for now then, just try to keep her calm and comfortable, she needs her rest."

'This I will do.' As he got up, Adley cleared the board and put it away, moving to sit closer to Bee but not disturb her rest.

[Warpmind]

"Good love...for I will not tolerate you getting yourself killed...you be careful and be as annoyingly inventive as always and come back to me."
Freddy whispered before she hugged you.

He grinned and whispered back, "I promise - I will do everything I can to render Larson's inevitable rage impotent..."

"Hum...they caught her then, such a shame she is so young and have sold herself to the Nephandi...I do wonder how you or your soul or anything knows her though."
Richard said and frowned.

He arched an eyebrow, "That obviously remains to be seen... Hmmm, I'm going to have to talk with her. After I've meditated, and she is rested."

Kristina looked at you for a moment then she sigh and nodded.
"It is better that she hear it from you yes but this...is going to hit her hard, very hard, very well lead the way to somewhere we can talk."
The Verbena said she was still frowning at you.
"I fear that no matter how she finds out though this is going to hurt her badly"
She said before she turned to check that the vampires where sleeping before she got ready to follow you.
"Perhaps we can talk out in the hub between this part of the basement and the other corridor Mr Wainwright."
She suggested.

He nodded and glanced around in the little hub, lowering his voice, "As good a place as any, I suppose... And yes, I expect she will be badly hurt by this, but the circumstances that necessitated the whole dreadful plan were... unique and extreme. I trust you know of the island beast incident on Horizon a few years back, when some Magi were convicted of feeding Orphans to the Avatar Eaters?"
He sighed, "One of the ones sentenced had an apprentice named Mattea Carlyle. She... was a child, and made to watch the sentencing. Why, I don't know, perhaps someone decided to put the fear of the Law in her, to prevent her from making her Mentor's mistake... but that sight terrified her and, in short, drove her into the hands of the Nephandi, where she made a terrible, terrible deal with... something."
He frowned, "She feared the Traditions catching and sentencing her, so she let some Outsider thing or something hack together her Avatar with a malicious, violent spirit, capable of separating from her and attack independently. It was... a sad, fearful berserker, and... bloody deadly. The first attempt to capture and Gilgul her was an utter failure when the thing not only wouldn't be restrained, but attacked and killed several Masters of the Art before they could teleport out."
He lowered his gaze, the shame visible, "We have a young boy here, who has been unwittingly imbibing vampire blood; it has been slowly poisoning his Avatar, though he's receiving expert care to try to save it. I also learned the other day that some Tremere are... deeply depressed as vampirism apparently kills the Avatar in a manner similar to Gilgul. Putting two and two together, I came up with a horrible, absolutely last resort, just referred to as Plan V. If no other means of restraining and/or destroying Mattea Carlyle's Fallen Avatar worked, merely killing her would not be sufficient - the Avatar would reincarnate, and probably still be the horror that could murder indiscriminately and independently. With Chief Joakim's... 'approval' is hardly the right term, but acknowledgment that it might be a necessary last resort, I visited Miss Jarden and asked her for a thermos of her blood, ostensibly as a key to circumvent the possible Tremere wards that might be at the entrance - not an entirely implausible prospect, since Abigail was making a puppet of Nicolai in exchange for a child bride..."
He smiled thinly, "As luck would have it, we found another way... We managed to reach Miss Carlyle's Avatar and reason with it - and it stood still long enough to be separated from the lower spirit with which it had been merged. The lower spirit was livid, but ultimately impotent against the Spirit Masters who managed to separate the two. As such, after the battle against Abigail came to an end, I was happily able to do as promised, and destroyed the thermos and its contents, removing its danger to us, and to Miss Jarden as a sympathetic link."
He looked up again at Kristina, "I am prepared to make whatever amends necessary, and I truly hope no Mage ever does the same to their Avatar as Miss Carlyle did to hers. Next time... we might not have the means to negotiate with such an aberration. But that's not important right now - what matters now is what I can do to apologize. I have a rose in mind - I have a rare, possibly unique bush in my apartment; I should like to give one to Miss Jarden, as well as being willing to pay a literal blood price to her for my deeds. Do you think... that would be a good start? I don't expect her to necessarily ever trust me again, but... the circumstances were, as I said, unique and terrible..."

((OOC: Hoy, that was a long speech... ))

[Nicole Bouchard]

As Serge explained things, Nicole made short work on the remains of the soup; managing to stretch it out with several slices of bread too. 'Wait... why did she have to suggest that perhaps you should move out? Couldn't you simply say you were going or something?' clearly finding this confusing, using a fingernail to apparently dislodge a bit of food from between her teeth.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

As Serge explained things, Nicole made short work on the remains of the soup; managing to stretch it out with several slices of bread too. 'Wait... why did she have to suggest that perhaps you should move out? Couldn't you simply say you were going or something?' clearly finding this confusing, using a fingernail to apparently dislodge a bit of food from between her teeth.

Serge just shrugged at the question. "It was her idea so she suggested it to them. I just sort of followed along. My Mentor is a lot more persuasive than I am."

Serge looked up at the ceiling as he remembered his parents. "Actually I doubt it would've actually mattered who asked them anyways. My parents were always busy and never really around so they basically let me do what I want as long as I didn't die or end up in jail."

Serge watched Nicole finishing her meal and when she was done he looked over to the kitchen. "Well that's both of us done. You wanna bring the rest of the soup down to the basement? Might as well get started fattening up those prisoners."

[Nicole Bouchard]

'Again... "persuade"?' Nicole said, apparently wiping said fingernail on her trousers and standing up. 'Ah... being stupid, I.' ending with a knowing nod.

'S'pose we should feed the cons.' taking this chance to re-adjust her shoulder-holster with an annoyed frown, checked the pistol itself then gave Serge a nod.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

'S'pose we should feed the cons.' taking this chance to re-adjust her shoulder-holster with an annoyed frown, checked the pistol itself then gave Serge a nod.

"Not just for the cons. I think it's for the guards as well." Serge said as he stood up himself. He gave Nicole's pistol an interesting look as if it wasn't something he saw often.

He walked towards the kitchen and looked around. "So we need to bring the pot of soup down and a couple of bowls and spoons." Serge said as he rummaged around the kitchen for the bowls and spoons and a tray to put them on.

(OOC: Ok so funny thing. I misread what you wrote and originally thought that Nicole was calling Serge's parents stupid. That was an interesting thing to think of a response for .)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley:

He nodded. 'There are other odd things that have happened to me - it may be prudent to have C.T. look me over before imbibing such a brew, if you see her and she can spare a moment to do so would you let her know?

Amadeus read what you had written then he nodded.
"Chances are she will be back before I am. Someone at the Chantry, I am not sure who actually got a back Paradox backlash and she is checking this person out before returning."
He commented.

'This I will do.' As he got up, Adley cleared the board and put it away, moving to sit closer to Bee but not disturb her rest.

Amadeus nodded and with a final worried look at his apprentice he hurried out the door to make the tea that would let you function for the coming fight. Bee looked at you she made a soft, pained sound then she muttered.
"You have...a wax tablet now? How fitting...for an Hermetic."
She muttered and she tried to smile but she was in pain and tired and already looking like she was about to fall asleep again.

Colin:

He grinned and whispered back, "I promise - I will do everything I can to render Larson's inevitable rage impotent..."

Freddy nodded and gave you a soft smile.
"I have every confidence that you will love, you are very good at what you do."

He arched an eyebrow, "That obviously remains to be seen... Hmmm, I'm going to have to talk with her. After I've meditated, and she is rested."

"That might be a good idea yes...hum she do not look to good, I should probably check her out just to be sure but for now rest is the great healer."
Richard commented and Helga chimed in.
"She have diabetes and went a long time without eating and then worked herself into a panic."
The Cultist said and Richard raised an eyebrow.
"Have her blood sugar been checked?"
He asked and Helga shook her head.
"No I think the Chief have her kit."

He nodded and glanced around in the little hub, lowering his voice, "As good a place as any, I suppose... And yes, I expect she will be badly hurt by this, but the circumstances that necessitated the whole dreadful plan were... unique and extreme. I trust you know of the island beast incident on Horizon a few years back, when some Magi were convicted of feeding Orphans to the Avatar Eaters?"

"Yes I have heard about the incident."
Kristina said as she folded her arms across her chest and regarded you skeptically.

He sighed, "One of the ones sentenced had an apprentice named Mattea Carlyle. She... was a child, and made to watch the sentencing. Why, I don't know, perhaps someone decided to put the fear of the Law in her, to prevent her from making her Mentor's mistake... but that sight terrified her and, in short, drove her into the hands of the Nephandi, where she made a terrible, terrible deal with... something."
He frowned, "She feared the Traditions catching and sentencing her, so she let some Outsider thing or something hack together her Avatar with a malicious, violent spirit, capable of separating from her and attack independently. It was... a sad, fearful berserker, and... bloody deadly. The first attempt to capture and Gilgul her was an utter failure when the thing not only wouldn't be restrained, but attacked and killed several Masters of the Art before they could teleport out."

"That is horrible, a child should never be made to watch something like that!"
Kristina exclaimed.
"Hum...and Avatar free to act outside of a host that would be truly terrifying I am not sure there are any limits to their powers, I mean with a host their only limits are the understanding of the host...so what you describe would have been a terrifying thing. I did hear that several Masters of the Art got injured and killed though and that the Lady Crexia herself only just barely escaped a mission they went to, the mission was this Carlyle person then?"

He lowered his gaze, the shame visible, "We have a young boy here, who has been unwittingly imbibing vampire blood; it has been slowly poisoning his Avatar, though he's receiving expert care to try to save it. I also learned the other day that some Tremere are... deeply depressed as vampirism apparently kills the Avatar in a manner similar to Gilgul.

The Verbena healer looked away for a moment fear flickering in her eyes.
"Yes vampire blood weakens and eventually kills an Avatar and becoming one of them do Gilgul you, that is the danger for any mage who...associate with their kind."
She whispered.

Putting two and two together, I came up with a horrible, absolutely last resort, just referred to as Plan V. If no other means of restraining and/or destroying Mattea Carlyle's Fallen Avatar worked, merely killing her would not be sufficient - the Avatar would reincarnate, and probably still be the horror that could murder indiscriminately and independently. With Chief Joakim's... 'approval' is hardly the right term, but acknowledgment that it might be a necessary last resort, I visited Miss Jarden and asked her for a thermos of her blood, ostensibly as a key to circumvent the possible Tremere wards that might be at the entrance - not an entirely implausible prospect, since Abigail was making a puppet of Nicolai in exchange for a child bride..."

Kristina looked at you angrily for a moment, she looked like she wanted to hit you and her hands balled into fists, but she restrained herself and after some time she said.
"If you had used her blood, that would have destroyed Isabella, she would not have been able to live with herself after something like that, how could you use her so? Is it because she is what she is and therefore do not deserve any regard for her person hood?"
The Druidess hissed.
"Isabella have been used by everyone her entire life and abandoned when she was no longer useful. Her own Sire, the one who created her made a deal with a local Prince to have her staked and kept awake to suffer for five years, just so that when she was released she would be broken down and helpless and she would get more dependent on her Sire so he could control her better, and when she made a mistake he tossed her aside and joined in the blood hunt for her like everyone else. Isabella Jarden are fragile Mr Wainwright, no matter that her body is near indestructible she is fragile an this you have done...is just one more person using her!"

He smiled thinly, "As luck would have it, we found another way... We managed to reach Miss Carlyle's Avatar and reason with it - and it stood still long enough to be separated from the lower spirit with which it had been merged. The lower spirit was livid, but ultimately impotent against the Spirit Masters who managed to separate the two. As such, after the battle against Abigail came to an end, I was happily able to do as promised, and destroyed the thermos and its contents, removing its danger to us, and to Miss Jarden as a sympathetic link."

"Well at least that thermos is gone then and you did not have to use it."
Kristina said then she sigh.
"What happened to Miss Carlyle after all this?"

He looked up again at Kristina, "I am prepared to make whatever amends necessary, and I truly hope no Mage ever does the same to their Avatar as Miss Carlyle did to hers. Next time... we might not have the means to negotiate with such an aberration. But that's not important right now - what matters now is what I can do to apologize. I have a rose in mind - I have a rare, possibly unique bush in my apartment; I should like to give one to Miss Jarden, as well as being willing to pay a literal blood price to her for my deeds. Do you think... that would be a good start? I don't expect her to necessarily ever trust me again, but... the circumstances were, as I said, unique and terrible..."

"You are going to have to speak with Isabella, preferably over the phone or at least with some barrier between you and her, she is kindhearted and docile but any vampire can fly into a dangerous rage if provoked enough and unfortunately if she where to injure you even if she would fully be in her right to do so after this you have done, she is the one who would be punished for it."
Kristina begun and she frowned.
"Tell her what you did and why and be honest with her, that is the most important part, she have been lied to by so many. It might be she will like the rose, it is a nice gesture but the difficult part will be to make her trust again and every time she is betrayed a little bit of what trust she have left dies."
The Verbena said and she shook her head.
"She did not deserve this!"

Nicole and Serge:

He walked towards the kitchen and looked around. "So we need to bring the pot of soup down and a couple of bowls and spoons." Serge said as he rummaged around the kitchen for the bowls and spoons and a tray to put them on.

The Deaconess had laid out a neat stack of porcelain bowls next to the stove ready to be used. You found spoons in one of the drawers that contained various eating utensils and a note that said:
"To whoever used one of the forks as a make shift wand, if you are going to do that again clear the bloody Resonance of it and wash it before you put it back in the drawer!"

[Adley]

"Chances are she will be back before I am. Someone at the Chantry, I am not sure who actually got a back Paradox backlash and she is checking this person out before returning."

'Good. One thing - I prefer a cleansed knife, or at least one that hasn't been used for...what I've needed to use mine since I've had a chance to clean it. I would not like to have to use it for your type of magick. And that will need to have any arcane traces removed after.' If it had been used simply enough as a weapon or tool, he would not feel so strongly, but it had been used around people with all manners of things wrong with them, resonance and vampire blood and who knew what else in that Labyrinth and sewers. He glanced to see how Tobias looked again, buoyed a little that he'd had some recovery at least.

"You have...a wax tablet now? How fitting...for an Hermetic." She muttered

He made sure she didn't have to strain to see him, if she wanted and sat in an alert position to guard. "I know it is a little old fashioned but I like it, the feeling of carving the letters into the surface is evocative. I used to wonder what would it have been like if I had gone to the House Shaea but then I learned how to use swords an the artillery of words," he mused. He reached out and put a hand to move some of her hair away from her face. "Would you like me to sing that song again to you? You should rest," he said

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Good. One thing - I prefer a cleansed knife, or at least one that hasn't been used for...what I've needed to use mine since I've had a chance to clean it. I would not like to have to use it for your type of magick. And that will need to have any arcane traces removed after.' If it had been used simply enough as a weapon or tool, he would not feel so strongly, but it had been used around people with all manners of things wrong with them, resonance and vampire blood and who knew what else in that Labyrinth and sewers.

"A knife to draw a drop of blood, especially for one who have no training in...our type of magick as you put it are needlessly risky and will just lead to deep cuts, pains and infections. Talk with Dr Lee and get simple sterile needles those will do the job."
Amadeus said and raised an eyebrow.
"When Bee was a little girl she used a sterile needle as well before she was skilled enough to graduate to a ritual blade."

He glanced to see how Tobias looked again, buoyed a little that he'd had some recovery at least.

The boy where breathing deeply, he looked rather pale and where clearly in pain and he was dead tired but he did from what you could see seam to be slowly recovering.

He made sure she didn't have to strain to see him, if she wanted and sat in an alert position to guard. "I know it is a little old fashioned but I like it, the feeling of carving the letters into the surface is evocative. I used to wonder what would it have been like if I had gone to the House Shaea but then I learned how to use swords an the artillery of words," he mused.

"I met a member of House Shaea once, she had a sword."
Beatrice muttered then she managed to smile slightly.
"The...tablet suits you..."
She managed before she closed her eyes for a moment needing rest.

He reached out and put a hand to move some of her hair away from her face. "Would you like me to sing that song again to you? You should rest," he said

"Y...yes thank you brother...I would like that...it seams I can not stay awake...more than a few minutes at the time..."
Bee whispered, she felt slightly cold and clammy to the touch but she seamed to settle down when you touched her.

(OOC: Ironically enough Book of Secrets have a drawing of a member of House Shaea with a sword in hand on it. )

[Adley]

"A knife to draw a drop of blood, especially for one who have no training in...our type of magick as you put it are needlessly risky and will just lead to deep cuts, pains and infections. Talk with Dr Lee and get simple sterile needles those will do the job." Amadeus said and raised an eyebrow. "When Bee was a little girl she used a sterile needle as well before she was skilled enough to graduate to a ritual blade."

'No offense sir, but this is not the type of tool I plan to use regularly. However, I take note of your safety precautions. I certainly want none of that. Do you have a sterile one that can be used for this?'

"I met a member of House Shaea once, she had a sword." Beatrice muttered then she managed to smile slightly. "The...tablet suits you..."

"Ah, well it is not only Flambeau that use them...their pen may have been even mightier than their sword though," he said with a small smile.

"Y...yes thank you brother...I would like that...it seams I can not stay awake...more than a few minutes at the time..."

"It is better if you rest for now...so do not stay up on my account. Very well, I will sing it for you as I promised." It was a strange and sometimes terrible week indeed. Poems for vampires and rhymes and folksongs for his hurt friend. But the week continued and that was important and it seemed to make her feel better. He dug up the words from the memories and started to sing the folksong 'All through the night,' again for her.

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