Re: Little Moments Between Steptember and November, Meetings and Endings Part 2 IC Thread 31

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Nicole and Cava]

A short silence, then flexed out her hands. 'And this is why I don't try to work you lot out; ends up giving me a fu... migraine.' sounding rather exasperated.

"Magick give you a migraine Miss Nicole? And that is okey you can swear if you want, the Security Chief at my former Chantry swear allot."
Cava said.
"Sorry about giving you a migraine Miss Nicole."

'Fine... but no ducking out of it.' she replied, giving him a look before turning to Cava. 'As for Darrian... he's only worried about it because he feels you might worry. Bet if you asked him if he thought it was a good idea, he'd say "yes".'

"That is what they said about examining my Avatar as well, that it was a good idea, but they where also very worried about me and it really, really hurt."
The little girl said and looked down.
"And if he was not worried that it would be horrible why is he so concerned about it?"
She asked.

'Quiet, you, or I...' a little frown '-will make you play tinny elevator musak for the rest of your life.' glaring at the speaker.

This made Cava giggle.
"That would be mean Miss Nicole."

'Wouldn't work. You'd collide with all the previous versions of you sharing the same time and space. As for making one... it's really hard. And dangerous. Get one tiny thing wrong, and-' motioning a slit throat with a finger.

"Oh that would be bad, I did not know it was so dangerous."
Cava said with a serious look on her face.
"Is it bad to run into earlier versions of yourself?"

That's because colours were invented by hippies in 1966. Before that, the whole world was black-and-white.' Nicole replied, the grin making it rather clear she was joking.

That made the little girl giggle again.
"Imagine all the people running around in black and white."
She said sounding amused.

I'd like to see Dad again, if only once...' Nicole said wistfully for a moment. Then she blinked rapidly for a moment, as though she'd forgotten the presence of the other two. 'Um... I think you might find out that "why" one day, without a time machine.'

"I would like to know why, you really think I will find out one day Miss Nicole?"
The little girl asked.
"Do you miss your dad? Where he nice?"

"Well your in a building full of us. So hopefully your comfortable around us even if you don't understand us. Just remember aesthetic is more important than anything else. It's gotta look cool or else what's the point?" Serge said grinning.

"If Miss Nicole is allergic to mages I think there is pills for that, my friend Alice get all red and wobbly if she have milk and she takes pills from that."
The young mage said.
"The cartoon I am watching says what is inside is more important than how one look Sir."
She said sternly and wagged her tiny finger at you.

"Death is a easy way out if you mess up time shenanigans. If you have even worse luck you'll get a visit from old man wrinkle." Serge said with a chuckle. "Which isn't as pleasant as it sounds."

"I have heard about Old Man Wrinkle he is a Paradox spirit, they are mean and scary. I have eard that Paradox is poop, very bad, stinky poop!"
Cava said and pouted.
"I have not had any yet though."

"My dad wouldn't care either way. He'd probably be too busy with work to get a visit from me. Wouldn't be able to fit me into his schedule." Serge said bitterly. Then with a sigh he said, "Like Nicole said, you'll likely find out in due time Cava."

You should kick your dad in the leg then until he listen to you, it is not good to ignore one's kid, being busy at times is fine everyone are at times but ignoring you is not good, kick him!"
The little Solificato declared then she looked down.
"Was my dad as bad as everyone says?"

[A Request for Help- Narim and Serge]

"Hey Narim!" Serge said enthusiastically as he entered the room. His careful eyes only needed a quick glance of his facial expression to know that something was worrying him.

"Some water will be fine. You all right man? You seem a bit...distracted." Serge asked curiously.

"Some water I can do, would you like some ice in yours?"
Narim said as he headed over to the sink to fill two glasses with water, then he sigh.
"You are perceptive are you not Serge?"
He said before giving another sigh.
"Yeah I...I...am okey I am just concerned about someone but you are not here for me to burden you with my troubles, you have enough with your Mentor wounded and settling into the Chantry."
He said as he placed a glass of water on the table in front of you.

[Abandoned Junkyard]

He nodded, "So they can, which is why I would rather avoid stressing her Beast... I know a little of their nature, and..."
He frowned, lowering his voice, "Hum, I wonder if the Beast could be gilguled? Might be worth looking into at a later date..."

"Yes her kind can be unpredictable. Not stressing her would be good."
Fran said then she lowered her voice as well.
"I would assume that if the Beast is any way is a spirit then it can be destroyed in some way, what effect that would have on a vampire though I would not know."

He grinned, "But perhaps we should not advertise it too widely. Might lead to some different inconveniences."

The old mage chuckle again.
"Indeed so, indeed so."
He replied.

He smiled sadly as he opened up the van door, "I'm sorry for any discomfort the vehicle's interior may cause us, but... strapping you down is as much for your safety as for mine. I don't think you would attack me out of desperation, but I know enough of the Beast not to chance it.

"Any vampire might attack you out of desperation Sir, if we get hurt or hungry or scared enough, I would not want to, but I am not always in control."
The young vampiress said as she looked into the car and gasped.
"I hear crying...adults and children and the walls stink of fear."
She muttered and hesitated at going in.
"So much fear."

It may comfort you that when we get to my shop, I will clear a corner for you to rest in, where nobody will bother you. All I ask is that you not try to leave; the alarm system in my shop will cause a spot of bother. And I will try to get you some blood - I was advised that you will need substantial amounts to heal, I'm afraid."

"Veronica...said so, Veronica said so."
The girl said and she started crying again.
"That burns take a long time and allot of blood to heal, I am in so much pain, all I want is to curl up somewhere dark until it stops hurting I will not try to escape, please don't stake me I could hear you guys discussing that later."
She sobbed, clearly terrified.
"I will not try to leave I promise."

[Ghost Day]

He nodded, "Thank you - and I appreciate that. I merely ask that since I was indeed the one who wronged her, she will be given a chance to move on unharmed. But I would indeed prefer not to be harmed myself."

"If at all possible we will help her, but banishing her or destroying her might be needed, but if it come to that what would you prefer to be rid of her or for her simply to be banished?"
Adjan asked and he sigh.
"Trauma like what she have experienced are not easy to deal with for a ghost, chances are she will not want to move on."

He raised a hand, palm toward the ghost in a halting gesture, "Ma'am, what I did cannot be undone, and had I let him live, he might have survived... but all the parts that made him your precious boy would not; his soul would have been torn to pieces in the most painful experience anyone could have, and... if he survived, he would likely have withered into a husk of a man, lacking the will to even feed himself. He had no chance in this life, but he has another chance now. It was the only mercy I could offer him on the battlefield, and I pray it will be enough."

"And who would hurt my son so? Souls do not just up and die, so who would destroy his soul?"
The ghost hissed.
"Who would harm my sweet little boy in such a way? And he have no chance now for he is dead...he is dead!"
She screamed.

He gestured behind her, "Now, I have little power to harm you, and no wish to do so... but my associates behind you here are more than capable of ending you forever... or help you on the way to find your son and protect him from the darkness that has its claws in him. It is your choice. And either way, I will keep his shrine, and remember the bravest son a mother could ask for..."

"The others have told me about your kind...that you are dangerous it seams I can not end you now then mage so I will leave but I will be back and one day I will have my revenge, my son where defenseless and you killed him, you just shot him and I will never forgive you, one day I will get you but I will leave for now."
The ghost said and hissed as she turned around.
"But I will have my revenge!"

[Narim and Adley, late morning]

All the shit that had just happened, and the wound up feelings were forgotten a moment and he looked at him, probably an odd expression on his face, surprised and curious and unsure how he was able to perceive any of what he seemed to be perceiving. "Sometimes it's hard to explain some things very well." Which was as much an understatement as an accurate description of how he felt at the moment. For a few seconds, he felt better, that some of what he was feeling had been a fearful distraction that he did not know how to get rid of, illusions that stemmed from something real but were not present currently. Part of him knew that, the rest of him tried to react anyway, to be ahead of any threat, all he had to do was find them first...

"I do not know how to express the beauty I saw without drawing it and for that I will need to learn draw well enough to be able to do so, at least to some degree."
Narim said softly.
"Somehow I feel I should, that vision protected me from what I...I saw when I got injured."
He added and looked down.

He smiled a little. "That's how it goes..."

"So many things to learn eh, well I guess that is what makes life interesting."
The Virtual Adept said with a slight smile.

"I'm sure he'd love that. I don't know if I want to lose him to House Thig though...did I tell you how I learned ars conjunctionionis or did I tell you that I would tell you later?" he asked, fighting at his anxiety and not really winning. But as soon as Narim started talking about the trials, he lost what grasp he had on the conversation and his composure.

"No...you have not told me the story yet Adley. As for your brother I doubt he will be snatched up by the Ruby Children over a portal. Mr Yager to might be able to figure out how to use my instruction though the art of computer games, as after all computer games are drawn as well just in a different way."
The young Master of the Art said.

[The Grand Dame from the Cult of Ecstasy]

Serge chuckled at that. glad to see that, despite her stern appearance, Master Babu had a sense of humor in her. "Don't worry. I definitely plan on putting in the work. Regardless of if you get me a game console or not. I plan on learning a bunch of things and their doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to learn them all."

"Good kid, remember our magick is an outer manifestation of the enlightenment within, and you have potential Serge you can reach far."
Serge said and Babu frowned.
"If he start eating and plump up a bit."
She added as she regarded you.

"Plus being able to blink to random places is motivation enough on it's own. Imagine how cool I'd be! I could suddenly appear right behind someone! Or disappear without a trace. And with mind magick I could make them ignore my presence so they don't even notice me appearing behind them or disappearing entirely!" he said excitedly, finding it easier to talk about more extravagant things with his mentor around.

"So you could do Serge, if you put the work in you can do anything you can imagine."
Ange said and she gave you a warm smile.
"All you need do is find out how and learn."

"Well, it wasn't begging, but Master Morgan did advise the Cabal to let me join. That's why they invited me to the meeting. He thought I would be a good fit with them." Serge said nervously hoping to save face.

"So you need a Chantry's Deacons to help you find a Cabal child?"
Master Babu said her eyes seaming to look straight into your soul.
"That is just not..."
She begun but Ange put her hand on her Mentor's arm.
"Mother please leave him alone, Serge is doing well, I trust he will turn out perfectly, in his own way and in his own time."
Ange said stopping the older Cultist's tirade and Master Babu sigh and nodded.
"As you will daughter, if you have faith in the scrawny boy I guess I will have to as well."
She said and she gave you a softer look.
"It seams my apprentice is quite fond of you child."
She commented.

Looking to change the topic to a more pleasent one, Serge decided to ask about something that had been on his mind, as well as many other young cultists mind, for a while. "Speaking of Magickal Lineages. You were the apprentice for Master Marianna, right Master Babu? What was that like? What was she like?"

"Ah yes my own Mentor the fair Maianna...when she took me to Horizon I was just a girl, a prostitute abandoned by her family. For a while I served as one of the Prima's handmaidens and then I became her apprentice. She is kind and loving...and demanding, unlike many other magi at the time she never hit me, not once and yet I yearned to earn her approval and worked harder than the apprentices that did get beaten, if I cried she always has a lap ready, if I needed her she was always there but she expected me to work day and night to better myself. It was a good apprenticeship, one day I will introduce you to her."
The old Cultist said with a slight smile.
"I am sure you will like her.

[Warpmind]

[Adley's return from Chicago]

"Remind me to ask you what a rutabaga is, later." He gave him a wave and headed out.

Colin looked at Adley, a bit puzzled, "That is the American name for the vegetable... I will have to get one and show you, then..."

[Abandoned Junkyard]

"Yes her kind can be unpredictable. Not stressing her would be good."
Fran said then she lowered her voice as well.
"I would assume that if the Beast is any way is a spirit then it can be destroyed in some way, what effect that would have on a vampire though I would not know."

He frowned, "I am not entirely sure what it is, but from how I've heard it described, it seems to have some... consciousness, comparable to some spirits."

"Any vampire might attack you out of desperation Sir, if we get hurt or hungry or scared enough, I would not want to, but I am not always in control."
The young vampiress said as she looked into the car and gasped.
"I hear crying...adults and children and the walls stink of fear."
She muttered and hesitated at going in.
"So much fear."

He nodded, "I do not think you have the strength right now to be much of a threat in any case, but strapping you in for safety should provide just that little extra layer of protection for us both."
He grimaced at the van's interior, "And yes, I can sense the utter nastiness of this thing, too - I merely cannot..."
He frowned for a moment, then cast his scrambling rote on the van's interior, including the chair, "Let's see if this at least helps a little... Is it as unsettling still?"

((OOC: Scrambling Rote, to mask the Resonance of the van, Arete rolls: 3,6,9 - 4,5,9. Should hold for a while, though I don't know for certain if it will suffice to hide the "stink" of fear...))

"Veronica...said so, Veronica said so."
The girl said and she started crying again.
"That burns take a long time and allot of blood to heal, I am in so much pain, all I want is to curl up somewhere dark until it stops hurting I will not try to escape, please don't stake me I could hear you guys discussing that later."
She sobbed, clearly terrified.
"I will not try to leave I promise."

He nodded and handed her his handkerchief, "I know... I have sheets of silver in my workshop; those should suffice to stack up as a makeshift shelter against the working lights during the day, too - though i suppose I'll take a few days off, just to be on the safe side. I will not stake you - that discussion was about finding alternatives to that. And we found a preferable option."

[Ghost Day]

"If at all possible we will help her, but banishing her or destroying her might be needed, but if it come to that what would you prefer to be rid of her or for her simply to be banished?"
Adjan asked and he sigh.
"Trauma like what she have experienced are not easy to deal with for a ghost, chances are she will not want to move on."

He sighed, "If I understand correctly, banishment would merely mean she can't return to Earth, but she would still be drifting out somewhere in he Umbra, increasingly angry and insane... if that's the case, her destruction would be the most merciful, I think."

"And who would hurt my son so? Souls do not just up and die, so who would destroy his soul?"
The ghost hissed.
"Who would harm my sweet little boy in such a way? And he have no chance now for he is dead...he is dead!"
She screamed.

He frowned, "As I said, he got drafted by the wrong side in a war he never asked for... The punishment for what he did to his magical soul in doing so is the destruction of that soul; it's the only currently available way to end the corruption. In ending this life, there might be another path available in the next - but that will take work and guidance, things which you may be able to provide, if you go on to find him now. People are surprisingly often reborn together; sometimes as friends, sometimes as enemies, sometimes as family... and sometimes, just sometimes, they remember one another."

"The others have told me about your kind...that you are dangerous it seams I can not end you now then mage so I will leave but I will be back and one day I will have my revenge, my son where defenseless and you killed him, you just shot him and I will never forgive you, one day I will get you but I will leave for now."
The ghost said and hissed as she turned around.
"But I will have my revenge!"

His voice took on a steely, stern tone, "Halt, I cannot let you leave like this. It is true that your son was defenseless when I executed him - and I have no right to ask your forgiveness - but what I did spared him torture and an even worse death. There's a saying, that no-one is gone until the last person who remembers them is dead; I remember a brave young man whose last action was to ask for mercy for a friend."
He laid a hand on the little shrine, "And by my power, I swear that for as long as I live, I will honour and remember that brave young man; he may have been an enemy by allegiance, but I never harboured any ill will against him personally. What you need is not revenge... what you need is satisfaction, to know that a part of your son will live on, after you and he have left this world... and that I can give you."

((OOC: Manipulation+...Leadership seems appropriate? 2,5,7,9. he question is, will she listen? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Abandoned Junkyard]

He frowned, "I am not entirely sure what it is, but from how I've heard it described, it seems to have some... consciousness, comparable to some spirits."

"In that case probably it can be destroyed but I would not know, you should probably discuss that with Master Telar."
Fran whispered and frown.

He nodded, "I do not think you have the strength right now to be much of a threat in any case, but strapping you in for safety should provide just that little extra layer of protection for us both."

"No I...am struggling not to sink into Torpor...or at least I think I am, I doubt I will be much of a threat but strapping me down is fine, you do not need to explain."
The woman said and winced as she with difficulty got into the van though she clearly did not like it there.

He grimaced at the van's interior, "And yes, I can sense the utter nastiness of this thing, too - I merely cannot..."
He frowned for a moment, then cast his scrambling rote on the van's interior, including the chair, "Let's see if this at least helps a little... Is it as unsettling still?"

The vampiress watched you as you worked with interest. Then she shook her head.
"Not as unpleasant no but it still stink of fear and old blood and urine."
She muttered and looked around.
"People where taken here against their will where they not."
She asked then she lost her footing and had to catch herself on her burned hands and she cried out in pain and sank down on her knees on the floor.
"It hurts..."
She whimpered.
"It really really hurts..."

He nodded and handed her his handkerchief, "I know... I have sheets of silver in my workshop; those should suffice to stack up as a makeshift shelter against the working lights during the day, too - though i suppose I'll take a few days off, just to be on the safe side.

The woman took the offered handkerchief and pressed it to her eyes but this seamed to cause her more pain and she softly sobbed though she managed to reply to you.
"D...during the day, I will sleep light will not bother me unless it is fire or sunlight, I might wake up if you shout my name repeatedly or shake me awake but I will be pretty groggy."
She muttered but she was clearly in more pain than she could candle easily and even talking was hard.

I will not stake you - that discussion was about finding alternatives to that. And we found a preferable option."

"T...thank you I...don't want to experience that again...never again...never."
She managed before she started sobbing again.

[Ghost Day]

He sighed, "If I understand correctly, banishment would merely mean she can't return to Earth, but she would still be drifting out somewhere in he Umbra, increasingly angry and insane... if that's the case, her destruction would be the most merciful, I think."

"I can possibly lock her away from Earth but banishment simply mean she will be sent back to the underworld for now, she can return if she wish though off course she will no longer be welcomed through the wards."
Jeffry said
"It is likely that she will get increasingly angry though, insane I don't know but angry certainly and she will be a danger to you."
Adjan said.
"And with her rage she might become a Specter, the most dangerous and destructive form of ghosts."

He frowned, "As I said, he got drafted by the wrong side in a war he never asked for... The punishment for what he did to his magical soul in doing so is the destruction of that soul; it's the only currently available way to end the corruption. In ending this life, there might be another path available in the next - but that will take work and guidance, things which you may be able to provide, if you go on to find him now. People are surprisingly often reborn together; sometimes as friends, sometimes as enemies, sometimes as family... and sometimes, just sometimes, they remember one another."

"So your side of this war would have hurt my Edmund?"
The woman hissed.
"You could have let him go, let him escape."
She said.
"Then he would have lived and all that was me which can be reborn have been reborn I am just a shadow of the woman I was and I can not find Edmund, my little boy have moved on."

His voice took on a steely, stern tone, "Halt, I cannot let you leave like this. It is true that your son was defenseless when I executed him - and I have no right to ask your forgiveness - but what I did spared him torture and an even worse death. There's a saying, that no-one is gone until the last person who remembers them is dead; I remember a brave young man whose last action was to ask for mercy for a friend."
He laid a hand on the little shrine, "And by my power, I swear that for as long as I live, I will honour and remember that brave young man; he may have been an enemy by allegiance, but I never harboured any ill will against him personally. What you need is not revenge... what you need is satisfaction, to know that a part of your son will live on, after you and he have left this world... and that I can give you."

"So you will kill me to? What is left to kill that is, destroy me and send me to Oblivion?"
The ghost hissed.
"You might nothave done the worst you could to Edmund but you could have let him leave, moved out of the way and told him to run, then he would be alive, there is nothing left but a wish for vengence you hurt my son, you killed him that you remember him matters little he is dead!"
The ghost hissed and started weeping.
"You could just have let him go!"
At least she was not advancing further towards you intent on driving you insane on the spot though she did not seam very open to your words either.

[Warpmind]

[Abandoned Junkyard]

"In that case probably it can be destroyed but I would not know, you should probably discuss that with Master Telar."
Fran whispered and frown.

Colin shrugged, "In any case, a hypothetical for another day."

"No I...am struggling not to sink into Torpor...or at least I think I am, I doubt I will be much of a threat but strapping me down is fine, you do not need to explain."
The woman said and winced as she with difficulty got into the van though she clearly did not like it there.

He smiled thinly, "Honestly, it's about as much to provide you with a seatbelt, really. But I find that explaining my actions does help calm people down in stressed situations."

The vampiress watched you as you worked with interest. Then she shook her head.
"Not as unpleasant no but it still stink of fear and old blood and urine."
She muttered and looked around.
"People where taken here against their will where they not."
She asked then she lost her footing and had to catch herself on her burned hands and she cried out in pain and sank down on her knees on the floor.
"It hurts..."
She whimpered.
"It really really hurts..."

He grimaced as she stumbled, "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. Here, let me... there."
He helped her up again and gently eased her into the seat, beginning to fasten the straps only as much as necessary; not so much as to be uncomfortably tight, "Yes, people were brought in here unwilling, and I suspect, had their immediate memories of it blotted out afterwards. A horrid practice."

The woman took the offered handkerchief and pressed it to her eyes but this seamed to cause her more pain and she softly sobbed though she managed to reply to you.
"D...during the day, I will sleep light will not bother me unless it is fire or sunlight, I might wake up if you shout my name repeatedly or shake me awake but I will be pretty groggy."
She muttered but she was clearly in more pain than she could candle easily and even talking was hard.

He nodded, "You will not be disturbed. And I'll avoid using the furnace while you're there."

"T...thank you I...don't want to experience that again...never again...never."
She managed before she started sobbing again.

He smiled wryly, "To tell you the truth, neither do I - though I suspect I might be a little worse for the wear than you would after that. But no, I've managed to avoid using such restraining methods when it seemed inevitable before, even recently; I've seen how painful it is, and I would far prefer to avoid inflicting more than necessary."

[Ghost Day]

"I can possibly lock her away from Earth but banishment simply mean she will be sent back to the underworld for now, she can return if she wish though off course she will no longer be welcomed through the wards."
Jeffry said
"It is likely that she will get increasingly angry though, insane I don't know but angry certainly and she will be a danger to you."
Adjan said.
"And with her rage she might become a Specter, the most dangerous and destructive form of ghosts."

He nodded, "So then destruction it is... if I can't send her onward peacefully."

"So your side of this war would have hurt my Edmund?"
The woman hissed.
"You could have let him go, let him escape."
She said.
"Then he would have lived and all that was me which can be reborn have been reborn I am just a shadow of the woman I was and I can not find Edmund, my little boy have moved on."

He shook his head, "When we found him, there was a darkness in his soul; a corruption which will only grow unless he can combat it. The only punishment for that darkness right now is soulrending. I could not have let him go, not legally; if i had, chances are he would have been captured by some other team, and I would have been put on trial for letting him go free anyway. That was... not an option available. The only escape I could give him was through death."

"So you will kill me to? What is left to kill that is, destroy me and send me to Oblivion?"
The ghost hissed.
"You might nothave done the worst you could to Edmund but you could have let him leave, moved out of the way and told him to run, then he would be alive, there is nothing left but a wish for vengence you hurt my son, you killed him that you remember him matters little he is dead!"
The ghost hissed and started weeping.
"You could just have let him go!"
At least she was not advancing further towards you intent on driving you insane on the spot though she did not seam very open to your words either.

He shook his head, "I do not wish to do so... but if necessary, I will. If you recall, I had several people with me, and I was not in command of the team; I could not have stepped aside and let him flee, however much I might want to. But we were in a hurry, taking prisoners was not a priority, as we were fighting against the clock to prevent the world from becoming unmade. We succeeded in that, and we even saved the soul of Chicago itself... but your son was one of those who paid for that victory with his life. We all paid in some way; I paid in honour... I did things i can never undo, all in the name of saving the world, and the people I fought alongside. And despite saving so many, I don't think I'll ever be able to say with conviction that it was all worth it..."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Nicole and Cava]

Anja's Post:

'He's worried that you'd be worried about the stories being spread by a few in the Chantry. By people who don't know what they're talking about and have forgotten how bad being sick can be.' Nicole replied evenly, having decided not to like to the kid. 'That is why the docs here want to check everyone here for vaccinations, and to do the ones which you've not had yet.'

Serge's Post:

Anja's Post:

'Perhaps it better behave, then and stop shoving itself into cake.'

Serge's Post:

Anja's Posts:

Nicole considered this for a moment before replying. 'Yes, I think you will find out one day. And normally, if everyone says the same thing about something, there's a good chance it may be true.'

'As for my Dad... yes, I do miss him. He wasn't anybody special or important... except to me. Always tried to do the right thing. But wasn't perfect or nothing.'

Anja's Post:

'I don't know. But would you risk it?'

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Nicole and Cava]

"The cartoon I am watching says what is inside is more important than how one look Sir."
She said sternly and wagged her tiny finger at you.

"Both are very important Cava." Serge advised. "A good personality and looking like a super cool hero with a flashy costume."

"I have heard about Old Man Wrinkle he is a Paradox spirit, they are mean and scary. I have eard that Paradox is poop, very bad, stinky poop!"
Cava said and pouted.
"I have not had any yet though."

"It's a little worse than that Cava." he said with a chuckle, enjoying Cava's description of paradox greatly. "I hate it because it stops us from doing all of our cool things all the time. But it's inevitable and I can't deny that it teaches you to be careful with your magick." Serge said sagely.

You should kick your dad in the leg then until he listen to you, it is not good to ignore one's kid, being busy at times is fine everyone are at times but ignoring you is not good, kick him!"
The little Solificato declared then she looked down.
"Was my dad as bad as everyone says?"

Nicole considered this for a moment before replying. 'Yes, I think you will find out one day. And normally, if everyone says the same thing about something, there's a good chance it may be true.'

"In due time Cava." Serge said with a sad nod. "If you really want to know, you should ask your Mentor. He knows more about this than us and he probably wouldn't want us talking about that too much without his say."

[A Request for Help - Narim and Serge]

"Some water I can do, would you like some ice in yours?"
Narim said as he headed over to the sink to fill two glasses with water, then he sigh.
"You are perceptive are you not Serge?"
He said before giving another sigh.
"Yeah I...I...am okey I am just concerned about someone but you are not here for me to burden you with my troubles, you have enough with your Mentor wounded and settling into the Chantry."
He said as he placed a glass of water on the table in front of you.

"I don't need any ice." Serge replied. "And I wouldn't say perceptive. But being taught by a psychologist for 5 years certainly teaches you how to notice these things."

He took a sip of the glass of water and said, "My mentor's recovering fine and I've settled down well at the chantry. So It's not burden to me if you need some help. Helping a friend should never be considered a burden. If your concerned about someone you can tell me. Sometimes talking about it helps. But if you really don't want to talk about it that's fine."

[The Grand Dame from the Cult of Ecstasy]

"So you need a Chantry's Deacons to help you find a Cabal child?"
Master Babu said her eyes seaming to look straight into your soul.
"That is just not..."
She begun but Ange put her hand on her Mentor's arm.
"Mother please leave him alone, Serge is doing well, I trust he will turn out perfectly, in his own way and in his own time."
Ange said stopping the older Cultist's tirade and Master Babu sigh and nodded.
"As you will daughter, if you have faith in the scrawny boy I guess I will have to as well."
She said and she gave you a softer look.
"It seams my apprentice is quite fond of you child."
She commented.

Serge gave his mentor a grateful look and he gained newfound understanding into Ryan's dilemma. "And I'm grateful for that fondness every single day of my life."

"Ah yes my own Mentor the fair Maianna...when she took me to Horizon I was just a girl, a prostitute abandoned by her family. For a while I served as one of the Prima's handmaidens and then I became her apprentice. She is kind and loving...and demanding, unlike many other magi at the time she never hit me, not once and yet I yearned to earn her approval and worked harder than the apprentices that did get beaten, if I cried she always has a lap ready, if I needed her she was always there but she expected me to work day and night to better myself. It was a good apprenticeship, one day I will introduce you to her."
The old Cultist said with a slight smile.
"I am sure you will like her.

"She sounds like an amazing person. The books and stories I've heard always seem to describe her as beautiful and bubbly, even if they can't agree on her appearance. I look forward to meeting her." Serge said with a smile. "She took you to Horizon? Did she take you to Balador? I've always wondered what that place was like."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Junkyard]

Anja's Post:

'Half of me cries on hearing of your ignorance... but the other half points out it's that which keeps me in work.' ending with a little grin.

Anja's Post:

'I could... though aren't the pictures of dead presidents better? Even if they don't taste that great?' tying to make it subtly clear that while she had nothing against getting them lunch, it was not going to be a free one.

Anja's Post:

Colin's Post:

'Seems sturdy enough. We can always duct-tape the cargo into the chair.'

As Colin helps-leads the vampire into the van, Nicole will watch alertly... just in case. Once that was done, she'll ask to the world in general; 'Are we going back by convoy, or all taking different routes?'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Nicole and Cava]

He's worried that you'd be worried about the stories being spread by a few in the Chantry. By people who don't know what they're talking about and have forgotten how bad being sick can be.' Nicole replied evenly, having decided not to like to the kid. 'That is why the docs here want to check everyone here for vaccinations, and to do the ones which you've not had yet.'

"I have never been sick, I don't know what that is like."
Cava said and scratched her head.
"If ever I felt bad I was healed, I hurt my arm once climbing a tree but I have never been sick."
She muttered.
"Miss Rozzo say allot of things, she says the vaccines are dangerous and she made Jane angry...I...don't know what to believe."
Cava said then she looked up at you.
"Have you had vaccines Miss Nicole? What are they no one have told me what they are just that everyone is talking about it and arguing."

'Perhaps it better behave, then and stop shoving itself into cake.'

"But he is so cute Miss Nicole."
The little girl protested.

Nicole considered this for a moment before replying. 'Yes, I think you will find out one day. And normally, if everyone says the same thing about something, there's a good chance it may be true.'

"I guess you are right Miss but I get curious you know, about what he did and who he was, my mother can not even look at me due to my dad."
She said and sigh.

'As for my Dad... yes, I do miss him. He wasn't anybody special or important... except to me. Always tried to do the right thing. But wasn't perfect or nothing.'

"He sounds like a nice guy."
Cava said and smiled.

'I don't know. But would you risk it?'

"I guess not, but it would be so cool, with two of me I could eat twice as much candy."
The little girl said and sigh.
"Which would be neat."

"Both are very important Cava." Serge advised. "A good personality and looking like a super cool hero with a flashy costume."

"What if you don't look cool or don't want to be a hero Sir?"
Cava asked sounding confused.

"It's a little worse than that Cava." he said with a chuckle, enjoying Cava's description of paradox greatly. "I hate it because it stops us from doing all of our cool things all the time. But it's inevitable and I can't deny that it teaches you to be careful with your magick." Serge said sagely.

"So it is very big, stinking poop, the regular kind not even a little bit of rainbows and sparkles in it at all."
The little girl said and pouted.

[quote"In due time Cava." Serge said with a sad nod. "If you really want to know, you should ask your Mentor. He knows more about this than us and he probably wouldn't want us talking about that too much without his say."][/quote]

"I will ask my Mentor Sir."
Cava said and sigh.
"No one tells me anything."
She muttered sounding frustrated.

[A Request for Help - Narim and Serge]

"I don't need any ice." Serge replied. "And I wouldn't say perceptive. But being taught by a psychologist for 5 years certainly teaches you how to notice these things."

"I see that makes sense."
The Virtual Adept said and he sigh as he sat down.
"I am sorry for bringing the mood down."

He took a sip of the glass of water and said, "My mentor's recovering fine and I've settled down well at the chantry. So It's not burden to me if you need some help. Helping a friend should never be considered a burden. If your concerned about someone you can tell me. Sometimes talking about it helps. But if you really don't want to talk about it that's fine."

Narim hesitated at that.
"It is not that I don't want to talk Serge it is that this concerns a third person and it is not right of me to talk about their personal business however if you have the time, perhaps you would not mind dropping by Adley and have a talk with him, I think he could do well with...a conversation."
The technomancer said sounding concerned.
"I would really appreciate it."
He added clearly concerned about the Hermetic's well being.

[The Grand Dame from the Cult of Ecstasy]

Serge gave his mentor a grateful look and he gained newfound understanding into Ryan's dilemma. "And I'm grateful for that fondness every single day of my life."

"As well you should be, I have been nagging Ange to take a student for years and yet she never showed an interest in it before she met you."
Master Babu said and frowned, she sounded like a grandmother who had been nagging her children for grandchildren.

[quote]["She sounds like an amazing person. The books and stories I've heard always seem to describe her as beautiful and bubbly, even if they can't agree on her appearance. I look forward to meeting her." Serge said with a smile. "She took you to Horizon? Did she take you to Balador? I've always wondered what that place was like."/quote]

"Ah her appearance, Marianna change it very week always into the image of beauty from one culture or era another, she might be a soft and curvy Greek goddess one week, and a sleek, skinny 1970's American girl the next and the week after that she is a round African beauty with big hips and breasts and then again she could be the pale, doll like aristocrat from pre revolution France the week after that. I do not know if she cast spells to make these changes or if it simply happens but it have always been the case."
Master Babu said and smiled.
"Yes she took me to Horizon and most of my studies was done there but we also went to Balador, Marianna is the Deacon Primus of the Pleasure Dome after all and it is the high seat of our Tradition, it is a wonderful place Serge, beautiful gardens surround little lakes and in the center a Middle Eastern palace of marble and gold, every delight you can imagine can be found within it's halls."
The old Cultist said.
"One day I am sure your Mentor will take you there."

[Junkyard]

'Half of me cries on hearing of your ignorance... but the other half points out it's that which keeps me in work.' ending with a little grin.

"I guess we are going to have to settle on you keeping my car from breaking down and fixing it when it stops working and I will do the same for your corpus."
Richard said and grinned.

'I could... though aren't the pictures of dead presidents better? Even if they don't taste that great?' tying to make it subtly clear that while she had nothing against getting them lunch, it was not going to be a free one.

"Yeah you are right...money buys food."
Karin said.
"Chocolate is pretty good though."
She added and grinned.
"But yeah we need money more."

As Colin helps-leads the vampire into the van, Nicole will watch alertly... just in case. Once that was done, she'll ask to the world in general; 'Are we going back by convoy, or all taking different routes?'

"Let me see we will be going in four cars, two and two then, that way backup is available if it is needed but it is not quite as obvious as if we have all four cars together."
Hildegard said.
"Or what do you think Miss Bouchard?"

Colin shrugged, "In any case, a hypothetical for another day."

"Indeed so."
Fran said and she looked a little uneasy about the idea.

He smiled thinly, "Honestly, it's about as much to provide you with a seatbelt, really. But I find that explaining my actions does help calm people down in stressed situations."

"Yeah...that helps actually, when I was alive and I had to have operations and such it helped when the doctors would tell me what they where doing and why."
The woman said and she gave a weak smile.

He grimaced as she stumbled, "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. Here, let me... there."
He helped her up again and gently eased her into the seat, beginning to fasten the straps only as much as necessary; not so much as to be uncomfortably tight, "Yes, people were brought in here unwilling, and I suspect, had their immediate memories of it blotted out afterwards. A horrid practice."

The vampiress was very light as you helped her and got her into the seat, she was very skinny and weighted no more than a child. Her burns was extensive though so the straps probably caused some discomfort, she did not resist though she just whispered softly and twitched now and again.
"I wish we had not...gotten involved with these dreadful people but we where so hungry."
She muttered.

He nodded, "You will not be disturbed. And I'll avoid using the furnace while you're there."

"Thank you I appreciate it...fire...is not good."
The young creature muttered as she groaned in pain again.
"Very, very not good."

He smiled wryly, "To tell you the truth, neither do I - though I suspect I might be a little worse for the wear than you would after that. But no, I've managed to avoid using such restraining methods when it seemed inevitable before, even recently; I've seen how painful it is, and I would far prefer to avoid inflicting more than necessary."

The young woman managed a smile at that.
"Yeah it might be rather...fatal for you Sir."
She said softly.
"But it is not much fun for us either...not much fun at all."
She added bitterly.
"And being helpless like that is...terrifying and yeah it hurts...it hurts allot."

[Ghost Day]

He nodded, "So then destruction it is... if I can't send her onward peacefully."

"Very well..."
Jeffry said darkly and he nodded.
"If she can not be done it will be done."

He shook his head, "When we found him, there was a darkness in his soul; a corruption which will only grow unless he can combat it. The only punishment for that darkness right now is soulrending. I could not have let him go, not legally; if i had, chances are he would have been captured by some other team, and I would have been put on trial for letting him go free anyway. That was... not an option available. The only escape I could give him was through death."

"You guys are the dark ones when you destroy someone's soul!"
The woman spat then she sigh.
"But I guess if there was no escape for Edmund...death might have been better than the alternative but I still can not forgive you...you killed my little boy!"

He shook his head, "I do not wish to do so... but if necessary,

"And by your idea o necessary that is if I do not comply with your wishes?"
The woman hissed.

I will. If you recall, I had several people with me, and I was not in command of the team; I could not have stepped aside and let him flee, however much I might want to. But we were in a hurry, taking prisoners was not a priority, as we were fighting against the clock to prevent the world from becoming unmade. We succeeded in that, and we even saved the soul of Chicago itself... but your son was one of those who paid for that victory with his life. We all paid in some way; I paid in honour... I did things i can never undo, all in the name of saving the world, and the people I fought alongside. And despite saving so many, I don't think I'll ever be able to say with conviction that it was all worth it..."

"But was there no way where you could have let Edmund just leave, if he had been allowed to flee he would not have attacked, he should have been allowed to flee."
The ghost wept.
"But very well perhaps the situation was more complex that I first...expected. I can not forgive you mage, you are a murderer and this was not a murder done in battle it was the murder of someone helpless and one day you will play for that, but it will not be by my hands, however now I wish to leave, I can not stand to be around you any longer, let me go back to the shadowlands."
She whispered sadly.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Café Latvia]

Anja's Post:

'Like they'd believe me.' Nicole replied. 'Is one of those "Stink of the Technocracy" things, it is. And too many willing to leap to magicking up flames instead of just using a lighter. But if I can help organise some other options, means their attack plans will be all screwed up. I'm on the lookout for an elementary school level "what is vaccines?" clip that can be shown at the start. Thought it best as all but one of our brass [leadership] are mystics and in the wrong century... or three.'

Anja's Post:

'Think he'll be willing, me; once he learns the good reason I'm asking.' giving a little smile.

[Junkyard]

Anja's Post:

A little smile to this. 'Well, time for me to go bag another vamp.' ending with a nod.

Anja's Post:

The large woman considered this for a moment. 'Problem is, not only is that van the slowest vehicle in the group, but sticks out like a Texan rancher at a vegan festival. Is there some way it can be camouflaged? Make it a boring delivery truck or something.'

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Nicole and Cava]

"What if you don't look cool or don't want to be a hero Sir?"
Cava asked sounding confused.

"That's perfectly fine as well. At the end of the day, you can act and look however you want too." Serge said. "And anyone can look cool. All you need is the right attitude, a leather jacket, and some black sunglasses."

"So it is very big, stinking poop, the regular kind not even a little bit of rainbows and sparkles in it at all."
The little girl said and pouted.

"More like poop that's been tailor made specifically for you to be as unpleasant as possible." Serge said with a smile. "All around just a bad experience. So make sure your careful when your using your magick."

"I will ask my Mentor Sir."
Cava said and sigh.
"No one tells me anything."
She muttered sounding frustrated.

"I wish I could tell you more." Serge said sadly. "But I'm still fairly new here. I want to tell you a little more but your mentor might get angry at me."

[A Request for Help - Narim and Serge]

"I see that makes sense."
The Virtual Adept said and he sigh as he sat down.
"I am sorry for bringing the mood down."

"Relax. It's fine. It takes a lot more than that to bring my mood down." Serge said with a friendly smile, trying to ease Narim's own worries.

Narim hesitated at that.
"It is not that I don't want to talk Serge it is that this concerns a third person and it is not right of me to talk about their personal business however if you have the time, perhaps you would not mind dropping by Adley and have a talk with him, I think he could do well with...a conversation."
The technomancer said sounding concerned.
"I would really appreciate it."
He added clearly concerned about the Hermetic's well being.

"Adley's my cabalmate. If he needs someone to talk I'll of course do it. Especially if you think it'll be good for him." Serge said empathetically.

"He's a teacher after all. I'm sure he'd love to teach me a thing or two about spirit etiquette. Or talk about the etymology of every word in the very large hermetic lexicon. Something that he'll enjoy to distract him from whatever trouble him." he added with a smile.

"Ah her appearance, Marianna change it very week always into the image of beauty from one culture or era another, she might be a soft and curvy Greek goddess one week, and a sleek, skinny 1970's American girl the next and the week after that she is a round African beauty with big hips and breasts and then again she could be the pale, doll like aristocrat from pre revolution France the week after that. I do not know if she cast spells to make these changes or if it simply happens but it have always been the case."
Master Babu said and smiled.

"Ok that is really cool! I didn't know about that." he said with a wide smile, enjoying imagining the shape shifting Primus of the Cult of Ecstasy. "I wouldn't be surprised if it was just random thing that happened to her. Powerful mages always tend to have cool magick stuff like that happening around them."

"What kinds of things did you learn from Master Marianna? Learning from Primus....I can't even imagine. You probably learned all sorts of cool things."

"Yes she took me to Horizon and most of my studies was done there but we also went to Balador, Marianna is the Deacon Primus of the Pleasure Dome after all and it is the high seat of our Tradition, it is a wonderful place Serge, beautiful gardens surround little lakes and in the center a Middle Eastern palace of marble and gold, every delight you can imagine can be found within it's halls."
The old Cultist said.
"One day I am sure your Mentor will take you there."

"One day. Hopefully soon. It sounds amazing." Serge said looking awe-strucked at the description of the Horizon Realm. " I'd love to draw a place like that. Hell I'd just love to see it at all. Have you ever been there Ange?" he asked turning towards his mentor.

[Warpmind]

[Abandoned Junkyard]

"Indeed so."
Fran said and she looked a little uneasy about the idea.

Colin looked at Fran's expression, "Please understand me correctly, I am not thinking of finding a weapon against vampires - I am thinking of finding a way to separate them from the fires that await them; if such a method could sever the curse of vampirism, and allow them a different afterlife, it would be a boon. If."

"Yeah...that helps actually, when I was alive and I had to have operations and such it helped when the doctors would tell me what they where doing and why."
The woman said and she gave a weak smile.

He smiled back, "I understand completely. I had a bit of a rough time of it when they patched my face back together."

The vampiress was very light as you helped her and got her into the seat, she was very skinny and weighted no more than a child. Her burns was extensive though so the straps probably caused some discomfort, she did not resist though she just whispered softly and twitched now and again.
"I wish we had not...gotten involved with these dreadful people but we where so hungry."
She muttered.

He nodded, "I can sympathize. Nobody asks to be hungry and desperate... Livington simply takes advantage of people in such a situation."

"Thank you I appreciate it...fire...is not good."
The young creature muttered as she groaned in pain again.
"Very, very not good."

He grimaced, "So I have... observed."

The young woman managed a smile at that.
"Yeah it might be rather...fatal for you Sir."
She said softly.
"But it is not much fun for us either...not much fun at all."
She added bitterly.
"And being helpless like that is...terrifying and yeah it hurts...it hurts allot."

He frowned, "I know, I've had... conversations with a few individuals so restrained. It was... difficult to face. Especially seeing as they were otherwise decent people who owing to circumstances needed to be kept... immobilized."

[Ghost Day]

"Very well..."
Jeffry said darkly and he nodded.
"If she can not be done it will be done."

He nodded, "So be it. Let us try to give her peace first."

"You guys are the dark ones when you destroy someone's soul!"
The woman spat then she sigh.
"But I guess if there was no escape for Edmund...death might have been better than the alternative but I still can not forgive you...you killed my little boy!"

He nodded, "I cannot disagree with that assessment; I do not agree with the use of that magic... but I am not in a position to change its application. For now, at least; the future holds greater potential... and that is where your son may have a chance. And I do not ask your forgiveness; I have no right to that, I only ask that you accept that I lacked good alternatives."

"And by your idea o necessary that is if I do not comply with your wishes?"
The woman hissed.

He inclined his head, "I will take measures to protect myself as necessary. I wish to see you move on in peace, and not linger and suffer any longer. If that can be accomplished without violence, all the better."

"But was there no way where you could have let Edmund just leave, if he had been allowed to flee he would not have attacked, he should have been allowed to flee."
The ghost wept.
"But very well perhaps the situation was more complex that I first...expected. I can not forgive you mage, you are a murderer and this was not a murder done in battle it was the murder of someone helpless and one day you will play for that, but it will not be by my hands, however now I wish to leave, I can not stand to be around you any longer, let me go back to the shadowlands."
She whispered sadly.

He nodded, "I believe you are correct that your son would not have attacked if permitted to flee, but he would not have been allowed to escape. By my hand, his death was swift and relatively painless; no-one else could have offered better... and I have killed many people in my years; more than anyone should... they all come to see me in my sleep, your son among them. That... is not something that will fade away. Nor should it."
He bowed lightly, then glanced at Adjan and Fran, an eyebrow slightly raised, "So, your son's memorial... is there anywhere in particular you would like it placed, or shall I retain it on my own shelf, as a reminder?"

[Adley]

[Narim and Adley, late morning]

"I do not know how to express the beauty I saw without drawing it and for that I will need to learn draw well enough to be able to do so, at least to some degree."
Narim said softly.  "Somehow I feel I should, that vision protected me from what I...I saw when I got injured." He added and looked down.

He tilted his head again. "Oh? It...that was a frightening experience," he said, not wanting to draw /too/ much attention to some of what had happened for obvious reasons. "I am glad you saw something good that helped you. So did I, but like you, I would have a hard time making an imago of it, especially as it had a sound." He smiled a little. "Do be careful who you show what you create to though, I would doubt that it was for everyone. Just you, more or less."

"No...you have not told me the story yet Adley. As for your brother I doubt he will be snatched up by the Ruby Children over a portal. Mr Yager to might be able to figure out how to use my instruction though the art of computer games, as after all computer games are drawn as well just in a different way."
The young Master of the Art said.

"So...I had to go to Horizon, remember? I kind of got lost on the way back, by accident, when Master Telar tried to bring me back. Something went wrong, and I ended up eventually in Worcester, after what seemed like an eternity. I'm sure you remember that part. Anyway, on the way back I sort of went everywhere...and I nearly went insane. Then I was embedded a smidge into a roof and spent a few moments feeling completely out of sorts...oh yeah and all my electronic stuff was fried. I mean, I think my brain was nearly fried, but I was...lucky. So, somehow I experienced the understanding of correspondence. I would not say learned, for I did not really learn it as much as accidentally and painfully aware of the nature of reality. Briefly, for an eternity." He paused a minute, nervously then said, "You didn't see the way my brother looked when I told him about that portal...at least he's inspired."

[Adley's return from Chicago]

Colin looked at Adley, a bit puzzled, "That is the American name for the vegetable... I will have to get one and show you, then..."

"I didn't say you were using a British term for it, though I admit I assumed you were; I still don't know that it is though, but I can find out." And with that he was gone.

// fin I think. Lol don't ask Adley what a parsnip is either, he probably knows what a turnip is and likely has a poor opinion of it.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Café Latvia]

Like they'd believe me.' Nicole replied. 'Is one of those "Stink of the Technocracy" things, it is. And too many willing to leap to magicking up flames instead of just using a lighter. But if I can help organise some other options, means their attack plans will be all screwed up. I'm on the lookout for an elementary school level "what is vaccines?" clip that can be shown at the start. Thought it best as all but one of our brass [leadership] are mystics and in the wrong century... or three.'

"Ah yes off course the well the Union do this so it must be bad. I also agree far to many mystics are slaves to their abilities using them when simple mundane methods would be just as simple. You might be able to find a vaccines 101 clip on youtube if you search for it, there might be some there intended to educate children. Getting some other options than needles might increase your chances of people agreeing to be vaccinated though."
Jade said.
"These Deacons you speak of what are their opinions to the matter?"
She asked.

'Think he'll be willing, me; once he learns the good reason I'm asking.' giving a little smile.

"There is no harm in asking and seeing our college are willing to help, he is a kind man so I suspect he might as well."
The other scientist agreed with a nod of her head.

[Junkyard]

A little smile to this. 'Well, time for me to go bag another vamp.' ending with a nod.

"Ok...good luck and don't die Nicole."
Trina said and the others nodded.
"Yeah good luck."

The large woman considered this for a moment. 'Problem is, not only is that van the slowest vehicle in the group, but sticks out like a Texan rancher at a vegan festival. Is there some way it can be camouflaged? Make it a boring delivery truck or something.'

"I could give Serge Yager a call, illusion's are the kid's bread and butter and if he makes one I can try to project it onto the blood van, that should work."
Jon suggested.

Colin looked at Fran's expression, "Please understand me correctly, I am not thinking of finding a weapon against vampires - I am thinking of finding a way to separate them from the fires that await them; if such a method could sever the curse of vampirism, and allow them a different afterlife, it would be a boon. If."

"Are you sure that it is the Beast that is the part that lead them to a horrible afterlife Colin? It might just be a part of their curse and not the heart of it?"
Fran said.
"We do not even know what import it play for these creatures."

He smiled back, "I understand completely. I had a bit of a rough time of it when they patched my face back together."

"Yeah I can see...that where you in an accident Sir?"
She asked, there where no judgment in the young woman's voice she was simply curious.

He nodded, "I can sympathize. Nobody asks to be hungry and desperate... Livington simply takes advantage of people in such a situation."

"Yes that he do."
The vampiress said darkly.
"Still I wish we had stayed clear of him, and that Veronica had still been alive."
She muttered softly.
"Are you going to kill him? Livington I mean?"

He grimaced, "So I have... observed."

The young woman nodded.
"Very bad."
She repeated.

He frowned, "I know, I've had... conversations with a few individuals so restrained. It was... difficult to face. Especially seeing as they were otherwise decent people who owing to circumstances needed to be kept... immobilized."

The young vampire shuddered.
"The Prince of Chicago...Lodin he kept me and Veronica...like that for a...while and some of his ghouls they...put us into warm water to get us feeling more alive and then they...and we could do nothing, and as they did it the stakes where move around as we where moved around and tossed around and...I fell unconscious from the pain eventually I guess there where some mercy in that."
She said and more blood rolled from her eyes as she looked away.

[Ghost Day]

He nodded, "So be it. Let us try to give her peace first."

The others nodded at that.

He nodded, "I cannot disagree with that assessment; I do not agree with the use of that magic... but I am not in a position to change its application. For now, at least; the future holds greater potential... and that is where your son may have a chance. And I do not ask your forgiveness; I have no right to that, I only ask that you accept that I lacked good alternatives."

"But he will not be my son anymore when he is reborn he will be someone else."
The ghost wept.
"Your kind are all evil...how can you do such things to one another?"
She demanded angrily.

He inclined his head, "I will take measures to protect myself as necessary. I wish to see you move on in peace, and not linger and suffer any longer. If that can be accomplished without violence, all the better."

"I have no desire to move on mage, I do not want to go into Oblivion."
The ghost hissed.

He nodded, "I believe you are correct that your son would not have attacked if permitted to flee, but he would not have been allowed to escape. By my hand, his death was swift and relatively painless; no-one else could have offered better... and I have killed many people in my years; more than anyone should... they all come to see me in my sleep, your son among them. That... is not something that will fade away. Nor should it."

"He could have run...he could have run."
The ghost wept.
"I just want my little boy back my little boy was taken from me I want my little boy back!"
She cried desperately.

He bowed lightly, then glanced at Adjan and Fran, an eyebrow slightly raised,

"Well if she is not hellbent on destroying you I see no reason to do anything to her against her will."
Adjan said.
"Let her go back to the Necropolis."
Jeffry sigh he did not like to leave a security risk.
"It is up to you Mr Wainwright."
He said finally.

"So, your son's memorial... is there anywhere in particular you would like it placed, or shall I retain it on my own shelf, as a reminder?"

"Place it where it will not be disturbed or stolen."
The ghost said.
"Where it will remain a memory of my little Edmund."

[Nicole and Cava]

"That's perfectly fine as well. At the end of the day, you can act and look however you want too." Serge said. "And anyone can look cool. All you need is the right attitude, a leather jacket, and some black sunglasses."

"But you said one had to look cool Sir."
Cava asked confused.
"I don't really want a leather jacket and sunglasses though."

"More like poop that's been tailor made specifically for you to be as unpleasant as possible." Serge said with a smile. "All around just a bad experience. So make sure your careful when your using your magick."

"That is really bad poop!"
The little girl agreed and she nodded.
"I will be careful Sir, I promise."

"I wish I could tell you more." Serge said sadly. "But I'm still fairly new here. I want to tell you a little more but your mentor might get angry at me."

"I understand Sir."
The little girl said and sigh.
"I do not want you to get into trouble."

[A Request for Help - Narim and Serge]

"Relax. It's fine. It takes a lot more than that to bring my mood down." Serge said with a friendly smile, trying to ease Narim's own worries.

Narim gave a slight smile to that.
"Still i do not mean to burden you with my worries kid."

"Adley's my cabalmate. If he needs someone to talk I'll of course do it. Especially if you think it'll be good for him." Serge said empathetically.

"He's a teacher after all. I'm sure he'd love to teach me a thing or two about spirit etiquette. Or talk about the etymology of every word in the very large hermetic lexicon. Something that he'll enjoy to distract him from whatever trouble him." he added with a smile.

"I do think it would be good for him Serge, Adley is a very private person he would not easily ask for help but perhaps if you reach out to him he will accept it."
The Virtual Adept said and nodded.
"If you make an attempt at least to ease his troubles I would owe you one kid."

[The Grand Dame from the Cult of Ecstasy]

"Ok that is really cool! I didn't know about that." he said with a wide smile, enjoying imagining the shape shifting Primus of the Cult of Ecstasy. "I wouldn't be surprised if it was just random thing that happened to her. Powerful mages always tend to have cool magick stuff like that happening around them."

"It would not surprise me either child and yes such little oddities comes with experience and years working with magick, remember there is always a balance, so we change the world with our magick, but in turn that magick also changes us."
Master Babu said firmly.

"What kinds of things did you learn from Master Marianna? Learning from Primus....I can't even imagine. You probably learned all sorts of cool things."

"I learned far more things than can or should be listed here child, I learned among other things what I taught my apprentices and what Ange taught you and in time you will learn more of the path I was taught."
The old Cultist said and her dark eyes fixed you again clearly not approving of your question.
"It was a honor to train under the Lady Marianna though, a great honor and you should be honored to be in her linage, her descendant."

"One day. Hopefully soon. It sounds amazing." Serge said looking awe-strucked at the description of the Horizon Realm. " I'd love to draw a place like that. Hell I'd just love to see it at all. Have you ever been there Ange?" he asked turning towards his mentor.

"Well a drawing of the Pleasure Dome would not be amiss it might make a good gift for the Lady Marianna."
Master Babu said approvingly.
"Yes I have, several times, it is a beautiful place Serge and one day I will take you there."
Ange said with a soft smile.

[Narim and Adley, late morning]

He tilted his head again. "Oh? It...that was a frightening experience," he said, not wanting to draw /too/ much attention to some of what had happened for obvious reasons. "I am glad you saw something good that helped you. So did I, but like you, I would have a hard time making an imago of it, especially as it had a sound." He smiled a little. "Do be careful who you show what you create to though, I would doubt that it was for everyone. Just you, more or less."

"I have heard that sound you speak of, at time it will flow out of my computer speakers and yet no one but me hears it."
Narim said and he looked into your eyes again.
"What I saw was very private, once I am good enough to draw it, there is only one person I will show the drawing to, only one."
He said warmly.

"So...I had to go to Horizon, remember? I kind of got lost on the way back, by accident, when Master Telar tried to bring me back. Something went wrong, and I ended up eventually in Worcester, after what seemed like an eternity. I'm sure you remember that part.

"Yes this part I do remember."
Narim said and frowned not wanting you to be reminded to Bee's plight and the rush to get the other widderslainte's documents in time to save her.

Anyway, on the way back I sort of went everywhere...and I nearly went insane. Then I was embedded a smidge into a roof and spent a few moments feeling completely out of sorts...oh yeah and all my electronic stuff was fried. I mean, I think my brain was nearly fried, but I was...lucky. So, somehow I experienced the understanding of correspondence. I would not say learned, for I did not really learn it as much as accidentally and painfully aware of the nature of reality. Briefly, for an eternity." He paused a minute, nervously then said,

"Ouch that sounds like a painful...lesson. We can gain understanding from...strange events at times but it is gentler to study, train and learn the old fashioned way, perhaps it will open new doors to you eventually though."
Narim said and nodded.
"I am glad you made it though, it would have been a tragedy to loose you."

"You didn't see the way my brother looked when I told him about that portal...at least he's inspired."

"Well remember using a computer as a tool is not what makes a technomancer it is the Paradigm, there are even Verbena who use computers in their art that do not make them Virtual Adepts, your brother will be a good Flambeau but perhaps he will also have some Diablo 2 portals to lop fireballs through."
Narim said wryly.

[Adley]

"I have heard that sound you speak of, at time it will flow out of my computer speakers and yet no one but me hears it." Narim said and he looked into your eyes again.
"What I saw was very private, once I am good enough to draw it, there is only one person I will show the drawing to, only one." He said warmly.

"I heard it but not from any sort of speaker, from you. I see things, also...it's been odd, I should not be able to perceive things like that but at times, I do anyway. Perhaps that is true for all of the awakened, we just don't always know what we're experiencing." The turn of the conversation seemed to calm him down temporarily, at least. "When your drawing is done, I can tell you about what I saw. Unless you want me to tell you now, though it may be better if I had some time to compose it properly. On the other hand, things have been so hectic...that I do not trust I will always have time to do things 'later.'" This seemed to bring him back to his previous state of watchfulness.

"Ouch that sounds like a painful...lesson. We can gain understanding from...strange events at times but it is gentler to study, train and learn the old fashioned way, perhaps it will open new doors to you eventually though."
Narim said and nodded.
"I am glad you made it though, it would have been a tragedy to loose you."

"It opened /all/ the doors," he said with a grimace. "And like you said, sort of in different ways, I found that there is only /one door/ and I was shoved headlong through it, thankfully with help. It hurts to wrap my head around it, even so...I sort of have to go back and reconstruct a formal way of doing what I know, if that makes sense. I already have figured out how to use my voice as a sort of projection to target and a few other things I have seen my pater use for the art, which now make sense to me. Mostly I'm glad I didn't get lost in that forever, though I probably should not go to Worcester for a while."

"Well remember using a computer as a tool is not what makes a technomancer it is the Paradigm, there are even Verbena who use computers in their art that do not make them Virtual Adepts, your brother will be a good Flambeau but perhaps he will also have some Diablo 2 portals to lop fireballs through."
Narim said wryly.

"I know, House Thig uses them but they're still Hermetics."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Narim and Adley, late morning]

"I heard it but not from any sort of speaker, from you. I see things, also...it's been odd, I should not be able to perceive things like that but at times, I do anyway. Perhaps that is true for all of the awakened, we just don't always know what we're experiencing." The turn of the conversation seemed to calm him down temporarily, at least. "When your drawing is done, I can tell you about what I saw. Unless you want me to tell you now, though it may be better if I had some time to compose it properly. On the other hand, things have been so hectic...that I do not trust I will always have time to do things 'later.'" This seemed to bring him back to his previous state of watchfulness.

"Perhaps what you see choose to show themselves to you, perhaps there are some way you are connected to them or you are meant to help?"
Narim said and he looked at you.
"It...was a very special moment when I saw...what I saw and you heard what was coming from my soul I do not really know how to put what I experienced into words."
He said and he was silent for a moment.
"I think we should wait, let me show you that drawing when I can create it and you can tell me what you saw and heard, we will make sure there are a later Adley, we will make sure of that."
He said firmly.

"It opened /all/ the doors," he said with a grimace. "And like you said, sort of in different ways, I found that there is only /one door/ and I was shoved headlong through it, thankfully with help. It hurts to wrap my head around it, even so...I sort of have to go back and reconstruct a formal way of doing what I know, if that makes sense. I already have figured out how to use my voice as a sort of projection to target and a few other things I have seen my pater use for the art, which now make sense to me. Mostly I'm glad I didn't get lost in that forever, though I probably should not go to Worcester for a while."

"I guess that would be the same way for everyone, we get insights but then we need to put those into a system, into something useful that we can work with."
Narim agreed.
"What the Traditions call Correspondence can take a bit to wrap one's head around I agree it is one of those headache creating learning procuresses, however once learned it can be most useful."
He added with a coy grin.
"Well no Worceste might not be the best place for you for a while."
He agreed.
"I will endeavor not to teleport you there by accident then."

"I know, House Thig uses them but they're still Hermetics."

"Yes very much so and their art is based on Hermetic theory, they are not information mages like te Adepts, they are Hermetics who just use computers instead of wands."
The Virtual Adept agreed with a nod.

[Warpmind]

[Adley's return from Chicago]

"I didn't say you were using a British term for it, though I admit I assumed you were; I still don't know that it is though, but I can find out." And with that he was gone.

Colin stared at Adley for a moment, then shook his head with a grin as he closed the door behind him, "You really need cooking lessons, son... Ah, perhaps some day..."

[Abandoned Junkyard]

"Are you sure that it is the Beast that is the part that lead them to a horrible afterlife Colin? It might just be a part of their curse and not the heart of it?"
Fran said.
"We do not even know what import it play for these creatures."

He shrugged, "I don't know, hence the need for research... Of course, experimenting will be unethical, by and large..."

"Yeah I can see...that where you in an accident Sir?"
She asked, there where no judgment in the young woman's voice she was simply curious.

He shook his head, "I was in a war, in a place with a lot of sand... Took a bit of modern rocketry to the face, crash landed the helicopter. Her Majesty's Government gave me a few bits of metal and a decent pension after that."

"Yes that he do."
The vampiress said darkly.
"Still I wish we had stayed clear of him, and that Veronica had still been alive."
She muttered softly.
"Are you going to kill him? Livington I mean?"

He hesitated for the briefest of moments, then nodded, "The man's a monster. Vampirism notwithstanding. He's not going to take this sitting down, so we don't really have a choice in the matter."

The young vampire shuddered.
"The Prince of Chicago...Lodin he kept me and Veronica...like that for a...while and some of his ghouls they...put us into warm water to get us feeling more alive and then they...and we could do nothing, and as they did it the stakes where move around as we where moved around and tossed around and...I fell unconscious from the pain eventually I guess there where some mercy in that."
She said and more blood rolled from her eyes as she looked away.

He grimaced, "Yes, I've heard little good of Lodin; he's something of a right bastard, by all accounts. With luck, he's now focusing his displeasure on a certain little Tremere boy, though, after the troubles in Chicago and Boston recently... you might not have heard much about that situation, though."

[Ghost Day]

"But he will not be my son anymore when he is reborn he will be someone else."
The ghost wept.
"Your kind are all evil...how can you do such things to one another?"
She demanded angrily.

He lowered his shoulders a little, "Because the side he was caught up in, the Nephandi, is trying to unmake the world - not just destroy it, but make it so that it never existed in the first place. And we currently don't have a better way to cut out that corruption. Yet. It is a lesser evil, but that's still an evil, I suppose..."

"I have no desire to move on mage, I do not want to go into Oblivion."
The ghost hissed.

He inclined his head to the side, "Ah, pardon, I am not so well versed in the natures of ghosts, or the various afterlives. Is Oblivion truly the only place where you could end up?"

"He could have run...he could have run."
The ghost wept.
"I just want my little boy back my little boy was taken from me I want my little boy back!"
She cried desperately.

He shook his head, "Your little boy was taken from you years ago... He was a man grown now, but a better man than most around him."

"Well if she is not hellbent on destroying you I see no reason to do anything to her against her will."
Adjan said.
"Let her go back to the Necropolis."
Jeffry sigh he did not like to leave a security risk.
"It is up to you Mr Wainwright."
He said finally.

He nodded, "Then go in peace, Milady. I will light a candle for your peace of mind, if that does not offend you."

"Place it where it will not be disturbed or stolen."
The ghost said.
"Where it will remain a memory of my little Edmund."

He nodded, "Then it shall find a place on sanctified ground, in a place of rest and remembrance."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Nicole and Cava]

Anja's Post:

Serge's Post:

I agree with cartoon. What's inside is the most important. Like your liver and spleen.'

Anja's Post:

'That I have. More than most, actually. Almost all children have them now, and have for quite some time. Which includes - I think - Miss Rozzo herself.' Nicole replied. 'In the old days, there were lots of diseases about. Ones which killed people. Lots of people. Then one day scientists learned that it was possible to make vaccines to stop people getting the diseases. They did this, and those diseases vanished. Like magic.' giving a little laugh. 'The problem is, that it's now been so long without those horrible diseases about people have forgotten what they are like. They say "oh the diseases are not here, why use vaccine?". Which is wrong, as the vaccine stops it from coming back.'

Anja's Posts:

'Being curious is okay. But you have to trust, yeah? That the people who do know will tell you when it's the right time. No, don't know when that is, so don't ask. There may be a good reason they're not saying.'

Anja's Post:

'That he was.' the large woman replied, giving a rather wistful smile, then a sigh. 'Do you want to see a picture of him?'

Serge's Post:

'Leathers? What, is it 2001 all over again?' Nicole replied, with a raised eyebrow.

[The introduction has gone - I think - pretty well; shall we wind down this scene?]

[Adley]

[Narim and Adley, late morning]

"Perhaps what you see choose to show themselves to you, perhaps there are some way you are connected to them or you are meant to help?" Narim said and he looked at you.

"Maybe all of those."

"It...was a very special moment when I saw...what I saw and you heard what was coming from my soul I do not really know how to put what I experienced into words." He said and he was silent for a moment. "I think we should wait, let me show you that drawing when I can create it and you can tell me what you saw and heard, we will make sure there are a later Adley, we will make sure of that."

"Alright, then. If that is what you wish."

"I guess that would be the same way for everyone, we get insights but then we need to put those into a system, into something useful that we can work with." Narim agreed. "What the Traditions call Correspondence can take a bit to wrap one's head around I agree it is one of those headache creating learning procuresses, however once learned it can be most useful."

"Bit more than a headache, for me. But yeah."

"Well no Worceste might not be the best place for you for a while."
He agreed.
"I will endeavor not to teleport you there by accident then."

"Appreciated."

// I think that about wraps up that scene?

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Abandoned Junkyard]

He shrugged, "I don't know, hence the need for research... Of course, experimenting will be unethical, by and large..."

"Indeed, it is not something one would want to experiment with, perhaps someone very knowledgeable about vampires will know though."
Fran suggested.

He shook his head, "I was in a war, in a place with a lot of sand... Took a bit of modern rocketry to the face, crash landed the helicopter. Her Majesty's Government gave me a few bits of metal and a decent pension after that."

"Ouch that is rough."
The vampiress said.
"I am glad you survived Sir that must have been horrible."

He hesitated for the briefest of moments, then nodded, "The man's a monster. Vampirism notwithstanding. He's not going to take this sitting down, so we don't really have a choice in the matter."

"I understand that, and if he have dragged humans in here and taken their blood without leave and done the things you say then he deserve it."
The young woman said darkly.

He grimaced, "Yes, I've heard little good of Lodin; he's something of a right bastard, by all accounts. With luck, he's now focusing his displeasure on a certain little Tremere boy, though, after the troubles in Chicago and Boston recently... you might not have heard much about that situation, though."

"Prince Lodin is...cruel."
The vampiress said then she shook her head.
"No I have not heard anything about a Tremere boy."
She said sounding confused.
"Or wait, at our so called trial there was a child vampire among the Primogen, a boy, could it be him?"

[Ghost Day]

He lowered his shoulders a little, "Because the side he was caught up in, the Nephandi, is trying to unmake the world - not just destroy it, but make it so that it never existed in the first place. And we currently don't have a better way to cut out that corruption. Yet. It is a lesser evil, but that's still an evil, I suppose..."

"Why not just imprison these Nephandi or execute them why destroy their souls? And where these Nephandi the ones who shot me in the head and took my boy from me?"
The ghost whispered.
"Poor Edmund he is only a child he needs me I am his mother, he is only a child!"

He inclined his head to the side, "Ah, pardon, I am not so well versed in the natures of ghosts, or the various afterlives. Is Oblivion truly the only place where you could end up?"

"That depends on what we are...some say we are the soul of a dead person, trapped by regret an unfinished affairs, if so yes we can probably move on to somewhere...else, others think we are just a shade, a memory, that the person have already been reborn or moved on to an afterlife and we are the feelings of regret and need left behind, if so when that need is gone so are we...just gone."
The woman said fearfully.

He shook his head, "Your little boy was taken from you years ago... He was a man grown now, but a better man than most around him."

"But I was just taking him home, I had groceries and had bought him a toy car...he loves toy cars it...was just now...he can not be a grown man..."
The ghost protested clearly confused.

He nodded, "Then go in peace, Milady. I will light a candle for your peace of mind, if that does not offend you."

"It do not offend me...I can not forgive you mage, whatever reasons you had for what you did, you still murdered my son, but I will leave you and yours in peace."
The ghost said, she seamed sad and drained and she wept as she started to leave the room.

He nodded, "Then it shall find a place on sanctified ground, in a place of rest and remembrance."

The ghost woman stopped and looked at you then she nodded.
"Yes...that would be best...a place to remember him...that is good."
She whispered before she turned and walked out into the Umbra and vanished.

[Nicole and Cava]

I agree with cartoon. What's inside is the most important. Like your liver and spleen.'

"Yeah they are really important...ehm...what do the liver and spleen do Miss Nicole?"
The little girl asked sounding rather confused.

That I have. More than most, actually. Almost all children have them now, and have for quite some time. Which includes - I think - Miss Rozzo herself.' Nicole replied. 'In the old days, there were lots of diseases about. Ones which killed people. Lots of people. Then one day scientists learned that it was possible to make vaccines to stop people getting the diseases. They did this, and those diseases vanished. Like magic.' giving a little laugh. 'The problem is, that it's now been so long without those horrible diseases about people have forgotten what they are like. They say "oh the diseases are not here, why use vaccine?". Which is wrong, as the vaccine stops it from coming back.'

Cava considered for a moment then she looked up at you.
"Vaccines do not sound bad then but why do Miss Rozzo hate them then? And also if someone get sick why do not just the healers heal them?"
The little mage asked.
"Also do they hurt? Why are my Mentor so stressed about me getting them?"

'Being curious is okay. But you have to trust, yeah? That the people who do know will tell you when it's the right time. No, don't know when that is, so don't ask. There may be a good reason they're not saying.'

The little girl looked down and nodded.
"I know...I know Miss Nicole I will trust and stop asking, I would just really like to know who my father is that's all."

'That he was.' the large woman replied, giving a rather wistful smile, then a sigh. 'Do you want to see a picture of him?'

"Yeah that would be neat!"
Cava said and smiled happily.
"What was his name Miss Nicole?"

(OOC: Seams good and yes the scene went well.)

[Narim and Adley, late morning]

"Maybe all of those."

"Indeed perhaps so."
Narim said,
"Perhaps this is something you would was to discuss with Master Telar though she know the matters of the soul far better than I."

"Alright, then. If that is what you wish."

"It is what I wish."
The Virtual Adept said, and again it seamed like he wanted to touch your hand but he stopped himself and he just looked at you and gave you a soft smile.

"Bit more than a headache, for me. But yeah."

"Indeed, well at least something good came of that headache, you did learn something about space and it's nature."
The Virtual Adept said with a grin.

"Appreciated."

Narim gave another coy smile.
"Hey I only promised to try."
He joked.

(OOC: Yeah it would seam so, soon Adley will get a scene with Serge though I am setting that up with Serge's player. Also don't forget the free exp point I gave Adley when I posted the link to the list of terms that you gave me in the general Mage the Asencion thread in case you had not seen that. I hope it was okey that I posted the link I thought it might be useful.)

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Café Latvia]

Anja's Post:

'Sure I'll find a decent clip soon enough; was just wondering if you knew of one.' Nicole replied, nibbling more of her muffin. 'As for the Deacons... not sure. Not really do the politics thing, I don't. But the place is fairly Hermetic-heavy, and you know what them can be like. Best to assume they know nothing past the steam engine.' shaking her head.

'But it doesn't really matter. They're not going to ban it or order it to be done by everybody 'cos it'll make the "losing" side real pissed. My guess, they're gonna make it a "personal choice" thing. Plus, the ones who are digging in are the ones who don't have the lockstep chain-o-command thing Pointy Hats do.'

Anja's Post:

'I know I've got no clout... but how could he refuse a request to further the cause of Science amongst our fellows? Plus, hate of needles is widespread. He might already have something on the shelf.'

[Junkyard]

Colin's Post:

The look on Nicole's face made it clear; she'd prefer the weapon to use against vampires.

Anja's Post:

Nicole gave a nod to this, then walked off back towards the entrance; the creak of leather, rattle of webbing and weapons, crunch of boots and the plume of cigarette smoke.

Anja's Post:

'Your call, it is.' Nicole replied, looking to Hildegard. 'Just pointing out the van is the weakest link - slow, bulky and a sore thumb. Don't think we'll have any physical tails, but there might be an effort in the future to track us all through traffic cameras. Get rid of them and I'll feel more safe.'

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Nicole and Cava]

"But you said one had to look cool Sir."
Cava asked confused.
"I don't really want a leather jacket and sunglasses though."

"What do you want Cava? Any cool get-up or costume that you've set your sights on wearing? Halloween almost here you know." Serge asked curiously.

'Leathers? What, is it 2004 all over again?' Nicole replied, with a raised eyebrow.

"Who cares? I think struttin down the street in slick black leather jacket is cool. And that's all that matters for me." Serge said with a shrug.

'That he was.' the large woman replied, giving a rather wistful smile, then a sigh. 'Do you want to see a picture of him?'

"Yeah that would be neat!"
Cava said and smiled happily.
"What was his name Miss Nicole?"

Serge looked over to see the picture as well, quite curious as to what the man who created Nicole looked like.

(OOC: I'm ok with winding down the scene as well)

[A Request for Help - Narim and Serge]

"I do think it would be good for him Serge, Adley is a very private person he would not easily ask for help but perhaps if you reach out to him he will accept it."
The Virtual Adept said and nodded.
"If you make an attempt at least to ease his troubles I would owe you one kid."

"I'll see what I can do. You don't have to worry about owing me one. Your already helping me fulfill my dreams of being a 'teleports-behind-you' anime protagonist." Serge said a soft smile and a nod. " It would help if I had some information beforehand. Do you know the nature of his troubles? Or would you prefer to keep that a secret?"

[The Grand Dame from the Cult of Ecstasy]

"It would not surprise me either child and yes such little oddities comes with experience and years working with magick, remember there is always a balance, so we change the world with our magick, but in turn that magick also changes us."
Master Babu said firmly.

"I learned far more things than can or should be listed here child, I learned among other things what I taught my apprentices and what Ange taught you and in time you will learn more of the path I was taught."
The old Cultist said and her dark eyes fixed you again clearly not approving of your question.
"It was a honor to train under the Lady Marianna though, a great honor and you should be honored to be in her linage, her descendant."

Serge nodded polity at the advice showing that he understood the wise words of the elder magus. " It certainly makes me unique doesn't it. Being descended from a Primus is definitely not something just anyone can say they are. I will be sure to always remember where I came from."

"Well a drawing of the Pleasure Dome would not be amiss it might make a good gift for the Lady Marianna."
Master Babu said approvingly.
"Yes I have, several times, it is a beautiful place Serge and one day I will take you there."
Ange said with a soft smile.

"I've heard there's a bunch of different places in Balador. Places that each cater to a different type of pleasure? Is that true?" Serge asked curiously, wanting to know more about Balador and knowing that talking about the place was something both women seemed to enjoy.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Café Latvia]

'Sure I'll find a decent clip soon enough; was just wondering if you knew of one.' Nicole replied, nibbling more of her muffin. 'As for the Deacons... not sure. Not really do the politics thing, I don't. But the place is fairly Hermetic-heavy, and you know what them can be like. Best to assume they know nothing past the steam engine.' shaking her head.

"I have never had the need of such a clip, there are Hermetics at my Chantry as well but there are more Etherites and Adepts so it is fairly modern, the issue have never come up. I assume the biggest trouble you will run into is the question, yeah but if I get sick I can just be healed, and true in most cases you can, a Verbena at my Chantry healed a headwound from a bullet once, you could see brains and blood all over the place, the poor sod got some memory loss after the healing but otherwise he recovered completely, quite amazing, however there are really four instances where magickal healing might not work."
Jade said and she counted them of on her fingers.
"One if you are healed wrong and the Ether in your lifepatterns set the wrong way then the injury or illness will stay and a illness affecting the same area of the body might be an issue to heal as well, so if you get shot in the lung and it get healed wrong then if you get phemunia you are fucked, two if something is very traumatic for some reason the body resist healing I have seen this in my own research, three Paradox can cause illnesses, mundane means can heal or prevent these though, four some entities and creatures can cause illnesses which are much harder to heal than mundane ones. Now these might not be so likely to happen but getting vaccinated takes two minutes and it is better to be safe than sorry. That is an argument which can work."

'But it doesn't really matter. They're not going to ban it or order it to be done by everybody 'cos it'll make the "losing" side real pissed. My guess, they're gonna make it a "personal choice" thing. Plus, the ones who are digging in are the ones who don't have the lockstep chain-o-command thing Pointy Hats do.'

"I would just recommend making it mandatory that solves the problem."
Jade replied with a grunt.

'I know I've got no clout... but how could he refuse a request to further the cause of Science amongst our fellows? Plus, hate of needles is widespread. He might already have something on the shelf.'

"I doubt he will care much about your clout Miss Bouchard, like I said he is a kind man, a little shy and prefer his experiments to interacting with people but still kind."
Jade replied.

[Junkyard]

The look on Nicole's face made it clear; she'd prefer the weapon to use against vampires.

Fran gave you a bit of a look but she said nothing.

Your call, it is.' Nicole replied, looking to Hildegard. 'Just pointing out the van is the weakest link - slow, bulky and a sore thumb. Don't think we'll have any physical tails, but there might be an effort in the future to track us all through traffic cameras. Get rid of them and I'll feel more safe.'

"I agree, I will call the kid."
Jon said and he proceeded to do so as Hildegard nodded her consent to this. Serge you get a phone call from Jon.

[Nicole and Cava]

"What do you want Cava? Any cool get-up or costume that you've set your sights on wearing? Halloween almost here you know." Serge asked curiously.

Cava smiled and looked at Nicole for a moment.
"I want to be a mechanic, I want an overall and all and a tool box, and I want a unicorn horn!"
The little girl declared.

[A Request for Help - Narim and Serge]

"I'll see what I can do. You don't have to worry about owing me one. Your already helping me fulfill my dreams of being a 'teleports-behind-you' anime protagonist." Serge said a soft smile and a nod. " It would help if I had some information beforehand. Do you know the nature of his troubles? Or would you prefer to keep that a secret?"

"I would still owe you one Serge you are doing me a favor after all."
The Virtual Adept said then he sigh.
"I know that sharing with you what I think is wrong would help but I can't I do not want to betray Adley's trust in opening up to me so all I can say is that I am worried about him."
He said.
"I a sorry you know your Cabalmate is rather private."

[The Grand Dame from the Cult of Ecstasy]

Serge nodded polity at the advice showing that he understood the wise words of the elder magus. " It certainly makes me unique doesn't it. Being descended from a Primus is definitely not something just anyone can say they are. I will be sure to always remember where I came from."

Master Babu gave a satisfied nod to that and sipped her tea.

"I've heard there's a bunch of different places in Balador. Places that each cater to a different type of pleasure? Is that true?" Serge asked curiously, wanting to know more about Balador and knowing that talking about the place was something both women seemed to enjoy.

"Indeed so, while the Chantry itself is a building it's room open into regios, small realms all dedicated to one type of pleasure or another and not all of them sexual, we have added an arcade and a internet cafe with gaming machines lately."
Master Babu said.
"Balador is a temple erected to the glory of our physical lives and the pleasure which can be had with it."

[Warpmind]

[Abandoned Junkyard]

"Indeed, it is not something one would want to experiment with, perhaps someone very knowledgeable about vampires will know though."
Fran suggested.

Colin nodded, "Well, I know a few individuals who would be likely to know something of it..."

"Ouch that is rough."
The vampiress said.
"I am glad you survived Sir that must have been horrible."

He smiled wryly, "Hell of a way to discover magic, that's for certain... but yes, it was the third most painful experience in my life. You... really don't want to know about the other two."

"I understand that, and if he have dragged humans in here and taken their blood without leave and done the things you say then he deserve it."
The young woman said darkly.

He simply nodded.

"Prince Lodin is...cruel."
The vampiress said then she shook her head.
"No I have not heard anything about a Tremere boy."
She said sounding confused.
"Or wait, at our so called trial there was a child vampire among the Primogen, a boy, could it be him?"

He nodded, "It would likely be him, yes. A little snot named Nicolai. He decided it would be a good idea to bolster his power by working with the Nephandi - Mages dedicated to unmaking the world - and we had to send him a friendly warning. He decided to double down and turn one of ours in response... so we made Lodin aware of how Nicolai had been consorting with infernalists, including infernalist vampires. Apparently, that lot is not popular among vampires, either."

[Ghost Day]

"Why not just imprison these Nephandi or execute them why destroy their souls? And where these Nephandi the ones who shot me in the head and took my boy from me?"
The ghost whispered.
"Poor Edmund he is only a child he needs me I am his mother, he is only a child!"

He shook his head, "Because their souls carry the corruption in their next incarnation - and if they spent their life in pain and fear, that's going to make them even more outright malicious and depraved in the next life. And yes, it was a Nephandus who murdered you and abducted your son. I believe that person did not survive the assault on the Labyrinth, either. If they did... their fate is bleaker than your son's, I expect."

"That depends on what we are...some say we are the soul of a dead person, trapped by regret an unfinished affairs, if so yes we can probably move on to somewhere...else, others think we are just a shade, a memory, that the person have already been reborn or moved on to an afterlife and we are the feelings of regret and need left behind, if so when that need is gone so are we...just gone."
The woman said fearfully.

He nodded, "Difficult to know for certain, I suppose... but there's always some lingering remnant; something that will be remembered by others."

"But I was just taking him home, I had groceries and had bought him a toy car...he loves toy cars it...was just now...he can not be a grown man..."
The ghost protested clearly confused.

He shook his head, "Time is a tricky beast; I should know, I've spent a bit more time than I am comfortable with looking at the past and the future while sitting in the present... but time has passed that you have not noticed."

"It do not offend me...I can not forgive you mage, whatever reasons you had for what you did, you still murdered my son, but I will leave you and yours in peace."
The ghost said, she seamed sad and drained and she wept as she started to leave the room.

He inclined his head, "Then I wish you, too, peace. May you come to accept what has happened to you, and find rest, wherever you may go."

The ghost woman stopped and looked at you then she nodded.
"Yes...that would be best...a place to remember him...that is good."
She whispered before she turned and walked out into the Umbra and vanished.

He bowed slightly, "Farewell."

After she was gone, he leaned heavily on the little table, "Well, that worked out... as well as could be hoped for, I suppose. If you will excuse me, I will head to the chapel to light a candle for her... and then I think i shall research the cathedrals in Boston for one that can shelter the little memorial..."

((OOC: Hee, hee, the old Cultist said "erected"... I should get my brain out of the gutter. More seriously, though - what time of day is Master Babu's visit? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Abandoned Junkyard]

Colin nodded, "Well, I know a few individuals who would be likely to know something of it..."

Fran nodded at that.
"Then if this is something you want to pursue Colin that would be the place to start."

He smiled wryly, "Hell of a way to discover magic, that's for certain... but yes, it was the third most painful experience in my life. You... really don't want to know about the other two."

"No I suspect I would not want to know that indeed, though I haveto admit to some morbid curiosity."
The vampire woman said.
"That is how you became a mage? Is that common to become a mage during traumatic experiences like in fantasy book where the wizard always discover his powers just as someone is about to kill him or someone in his party?"
She asked wide eyed.

He nodded, "It would likely be him, yes. A little snot named Nicolai. He decided it would be a good idea to bolster his power by working with the Nephandi - Mages dedicated to unmaking the world - and we had to send him a friendly warning. He decided to double down and turn one of ours in response... so we made Lodin aware of how Nicolai had been consorting with infernalists, including infernalist vampires. Apparently, that lot is not popular among vampires, either."

"Yeah he did seam like a little snot...he turned one o your kind into a vampire? Is that bad? Don't get me wrong there are some issues with being what we are and I would prefer to be human, though I would rather be a vampire than be dead."
She said as she regarded you.
"But is it worse to turn a mage?"

[Ghost Day]

He shook his head, "Because their souls carry the corruption in their next incarnation - and if they spent their life in pain and fear, that's going to make them even more outright malicious and depraved in the next life. And yes, it was a Nephandus who murdered you and abducted your son. I believe that person did not survive the assault on the Labyrinth, either. If they did... their fate is bleaker than your son's, I expect."

"My son was a kind boy he did not have a dark heart, he was a sweet child."
The ghost cried then her eyes darkened.
"If the ones who took him and killed me are dead then good, that is good."

He nodded, "Difficult to know for certain, I suppose... but there's always some lingering remnant; something that will be remembered by others."

"Yes I guess you are right mage, but the one we are will be gone if we finish our business."
The ghost woman said fearfully.

He shook his head, "Time is a tricky beast; I should know, I've spent a bit more time than I am comfortable with looking at the past and the future while sitting in the present... but time has passed that you have not noticed."

"I do not understand, I do not understand what you are talking about."
The woman said sounding frustrated.

He inclined his head, "Then I wish you, too, peace. May you come to accept what has happened to you, and find rest, wherever you may go."

The ghost just looked at you angrily as she walked out and vanished.

He bowed slightly, "Farewell."

After she was gone, he leaned heavily on the little table, "Well, that worked out... as well as could be hoped for, I suppose. If you will excuse me, I will head to the chapel to light a candle for her... and then I think i shall research the cathedrals in Boston for one that can shelter the little memorial..."

"Yes it could not have gone much better I tink."
Adjan said and Jeffry nodded.
"As you will Mr Wainwright I will see you later then, would you mind if I borrow your apprentice this afternoon for some training for my students, they need to learn how to overcome countermagick."
He asked on his way out.
"Do you need any help with finding a suitable cathedral Mr Wainwright, I might be able to aid you."
Hildegard offered.

(OOC: Oh I bet Master Babu is pretty good at erecting things. She is visiting around lunchtime.)

[Warpmind]

[Abandoned Junkyard]

"No I suspect I would not want to know that indeed, though I haveto admit to some morbid curiosity."
The vampire woman said.
"That is how you became a mage? Is that common to become a mage during traumatic experiences like in fantasy book where the wizard always discover his powers just as someone is about to kill him or someone in his party?"
She asked wide eyed.

Colin smiled wryly, "It's more common than one might expect, but most Awaken, as we call it, gradually. And the vast majority of those who do find magic ability at a time of great stress, very, very few do so in quite as dire a situation as mine. As I understand it, most grow into an awareness over time, at a mostly comfortable pace, and then they see a greater world than the one they saw only a second earlier... But yes, the Fantasy trope came from somewhere. Art mimicking life mimicking art, and so on."

"Yeah he did seam like a little snot...he turned one o your kind into a vampire? Is that bad? Don't get me wrong there are some issues with being what we are and I would prefer to be human, though I would rather be a vampire than be dead."
She said as she regarded you.
"But is it worse to turn a mage?"

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "I can't go into too much detail, but part of the issue is that Nicolai turned an unwilling victim. A very large part is that Tremere - the original man who went by that name - was a Mage who sought greater power, and decided to go the vampiric route to secure that. That... could have been forgiven, but he then went on to turn almost his entire House, nearly every Mage who had been trained by him, or by his apprentices, or their apprentices again, and so on. And virtually all his magical lineage were so turned without understanding or consent. It was a gross violation which Mage society in general has never forgiven, and to turn one of ours into a vampire out of spite like that... we could not let Nicolai get away with his crimes after that."

[Ghost Day]

"My son was a kind boy he did not have a dark heart, he was a sweet child."
The ghost cried then her eyes darkened.
"If the ones who took him and killed me are dead then good, that is good."

He frowned, "He did not, before the ones who murdered you darkened it... But he still held on to kindness."

"I do not understand, I do not understand what you are talking about."
The woman said sounding frustrated.

He smiled wryly, "Quite alright, it gets confusing for everyone at times..."

"Yes it could not have gone much better I tink."
Adjan said and Jeffry nodded.
"As you will Mr Wainwright I will see you later then, would you mind if I borrow your apprentice this afternoon for some training for my students, they need to learn how to overcome countermagick."
He asked on his way out.
"Do you need any help with finding a suitable cathedral Mr Wainwright, I might be able to aid you."
Hildegard offered.

He nodded, "Certainly, Sir, I will let her know; please make sure to bring her back in the same condition you found her."
He shook his head, "Ah, seriously, though, if you would kindly let her see it as a game, more than a combat situation, that might be easier on her stress levels. I'll make sure her powers are unsealed to the correct extent at... when precisely did you have in mind?"

He smiled and nodded to Hildegard, "Thank you, Ma'am. I'd appreciate that."

He looked to Adjan, "So, my friend, need a hand getting up the stairs again? And thank you for your presence. All of you."

((OOC: In that case, Colin might wander up to the infirmary on his lunchbreak, to check on the good Dr. Boudavich, and a few others.))

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