Re: A Peculiar Child, Trouble in the Hallways and and Angry Spider IC Thread 51

[Warpmind]

[Talking with Lord Steel the Duke of Hate]

"Yes Master Adimari is as good as they come and she will be able to find every legal loophole and get you out of any backlash from this, if we can get things done before the D'Angelos hear of it."
Crexia said.
"Well the sand made Lord Steel flinch, something the four of us was unnable to do so I would say it still had an effect but it was not as efficient as we might have hoped."
The archmage flexed her slender hands and frowned.
"Well your play worked Mr Wainwright and that is what is important."

Colin nodded, then glanced at the Masters with a smirk, "Of course, considering the individuals present, one might wonder who in the world would tell the good Quaesitors about this incident. I'm sure that line of inquiry would be most enlightening."

"Mara was run through with Lord Steel's iron lance...you can immagine the effects it..."
Jeffry said and he looked down at his wounded Cabalmate with concern. Amadeus had begun carving deep lines into his arms and chanting he just nodded when you asked if you should call for Amber Rose though he looked a bit confused for a moment. Jeffry commented.
"The young lady is not a member of Master nassa's Coven, they have their own Coven out in Worchester."

He shook his head, "Of course, my mistake... Her husband is in the cell area, by the way, a rescue is being mounted now, and..."
He looked at Mara, "Iron... there'd be trace particles in the wound... Does anyone here have mastery of magnetism? Drawing any iron residue out like that might be necessary..."

"You are thinking of Wallace Jace's Fetter? Yes I still got it."
Amadeus said and he spoke a few words in Latin and made several precise gestures and reached into nothing and then produced a wooden box and handed it to you.
"It is in here...you are thinking it is about time we use it to find Jace's specter?"
The Hermetic asked more to humself than to you.
"Hum...yes it is getting to be about time to end this."

He nodded, opening the box carefully and took out the old syringe inside, "Between this and the Avatar fragment I hold... Lady Crexia, would you kindly stand ready to provide the incorporeal beating that remains way overdue?"

He took a few steps aside, and held up the syringe, intoning calmly, Jace's own voice echoing slightly in his own, "Wallace Jace, I summon you, by your own spinal fluids that I hold, by the fragment of your Avatar that I retain, by the ethical tenets of Science that you have violated, under the auspice of Mars, whose purview you sought to usurp, on behalf of all your victims, living and dead, and by my own authority as the new Lord of this Labyrinth, the residents of which unto whom you personally invited doom. I summon you before me, to face me one last time!"

((OOC: Okay, *technically* Colin only has Spirit 1 and Correspondence 2, but the invoked authorities might lend a hand to the effort... plus, it's just appropriate that Science gives the ol' ghost a dirty look for all he's done. Arete rolls: 3,5,8 - 6,7,0 - 3,4,8 - 1,9,0 - 2,6,8. For this one, Colin's not bothering with the circle to conceal his work from Reality, he's accepting any Paradox as the price of doing business with so many entities. So however many of these rolls are necessary until Jace starts dragging his ass into view. It'll take a little while, so I'll probably hold off posting a while as the others catch up.))

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Steelhaven 3 30]

"It do feel wrong, it feel very wrong but unless you have a good idea for something we can do, it seams we have done all we can to help our allies and all we can actually do is keep the Chantry safe until they return."
Helena said with a deep sigh and she sipped her coffee.
"But yes I want to be out there with them, fighting by their side but right now we have to protect Steelhaven, it is all we can do."

You continued walking around Steelhaven the Chantry felt rather empty as you saw no one in the hallways, everyone being either out, or on guard duty or sleeping.

Serge wandered through the empty halls, feeling a little empty himself after hearing Helena's words.

Still he kept patrolling through the chantry. Passing the time by daydreaming, crafting a small world and story within his head where he was the powerful hero fighting evil on the frontlines.

[Adley]

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

"I can get you to the closest eyeball."
Tali offered.
"I guess that is going to have to do."
Darrian replied with a nod.

"So..cut off the guard room. I think we'll have to deal with them in a chokepoint situation, which is not ideal for space, but...how much can you shift the walls, within relative ease?"

"How where you planning on abusing someone when we have to enter a area they are keeping, with just one way in and we have to take down their defenses as we go, that sort of feel more like they will ahve a chance to ambush us and not the toher way around."
Gray commented.
"How will we try to cut off the pawns as we rush into their heavilty guarded section?"
Amber Rose asked.
"We can keep the ones working ont he wards safe."
Darrian chimed in.

He looked at Darrian and then asked, "Anything you have that might be useful, sir?"

We have to expect that reinforcements will nto be coming to adi us, we are likely all the prisoners got."
Amber Rose said sourly.
"Stalling is just likely to get us killed."

"Hm, true. Very well."

//As for what's going on, Adley has now written Nicole off; he doesn't have time to waste on the temper she's trying to provoke in him and she's not interested in participating in the rescue.

If she's trying to compare  the situation with Flavian, of him saying she handled Flavian poorly and gave her other ways to deal with the likes of him (and he didn't get mad or even blame her as he knows guys like Flavian are windbag dicks until she started spouting at-the-time baseless accusations in public, like now, to leaving her to die in a Nephandi labyrinth then 1 ) - they're not comparable and 2 )  - bringing it up this way, in front of the cabal leader, guest allies, and their own chantry members, and Labyrinth members, in the middle of danger, wastes time, makes others that are under his command possibly doubt him or lost focus by way of distraction - this is not the time for personal shade and 3 ) - if this is the way you want to play it, there's nothing to repair of their relationship as they have none after that, even Amadeus trust that Adley would not let him die in a dungeon and Amadeus hates his guts. Adley would not do that to her even if he hated her, as they're allies. It seems you've written us into a corner that I was trying to avoid ICly and OOCly for a while now.

ooc2 - I am not worried about the pace of the game and how fast I post compared to you. I generally post pretty regularly unless there's something going on. Nicole has her orders and declined going with them to rescue, so what you do with your turns is up to you.

[Adley]

ooc - I missed this part of Anja's and Warp's posts

Nicole and Adley you where standing there planning but then suddenly Tali fell on her kees, blood was seeping from her mouth ahd ears and she had started a feverent prayer in the Nephandi language. Anna cried out in extasy and terror and fainted and Ryan fell to his kees cluthing his head and screaming in agony.
"Well shit...."
Coawa commented.
"That is probably not good."

"What the fuck is going on now!" he said in alarm, rushing to see if Anna was okay and gesturing for someone to help Ryan...

He frowned at Mara's appearance, "Bugger, that doesn't look good... I'm calling in some extra help, Master Nassa. Your Covenmate."
He quickly messaged Adley, 'Lady Mara's worse hurt than I thought, send Amber Rose at once.'

He checked for his phone and then relayed the message to Amber Rose, a look of concern growing on his face by the second.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

Anja's Post:

Nicole stood there, continuing to watch for hostiles, when the screaming began. Immediately looked towards Tilly; 'Anything on the radar?' then going back to watching for enemies - keeping one eye on the eye-woman - thought clearly at a loss on what to do next.

[It was a tiny, momentary look. She said *nothing*. Most of the people present would (or should) have missed it. The nearest she said was 'what I expect and what I'd like are two different things' which is rather ambiguous.  And she merely questioned the merits of rescuing merely to make sure they'd thought about the odds etc before doing it. I'm not being *that* ornery; I'm merely playing someone who has a different psychological makeup - one who expects loyalty to be absolute and 100% partisan in their favour, regardless. Adley did an excellent middle-class 'I'm trying to be fair/reasonable' which made her feel she being thrown under the bus.]

[Do? Well, from the looks of it, nothing, nothing and then some more nothing. *When* was she ordered to remain and do f all?]

[Adley]

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

'An Aswadim's attention was briefly here, and the Incarna left. Tali and Anna might have been hit by the peripheral power, please check they're alright. Resuming the hunt here, Masters seem alright.'"

He plucked out his phone and frowned at the message, after he was done checking on Anna and everyone, and seeing about Amber Rose getting an escort over.

// Most people would not have missed Nic's /voiced/ insinuation, the one that Adley responded to, and Darrian responded to as well. Nicole is not subtle and Adley is loud. In game Anja said pretty much everyone was staring at them. The rest is her being deflective. Again, if you want to constantly paint Adley as a class enemy with no resolution in sight for them to work together in even the barest of ways against a common enemy then here we are; I personally have been Nicole and dealt with real life Adleys, minus the magick. This is not an entirely alien psychology for me on either side, but things need to improve to a very basic level oocly for game reasons. Questioning if the prisoners should be saved in one breath and then leveling an accusation that Adley would ditch her in the next is not wise in a battle situation, is likely to be seen as demoralizing at the very least. Would you want to go into battle with a leader whose own cabalmate just insinuated they'd leave them to die in a dungeon and not rescue them? Dealing with Flavian was about how she could succeed better next time, to Adley who has first hand knowledge of Flavians and how not put the cabal in danger dealing with them (including herself) but she will not take any advice from him or change how she does things. Having a gut feeling is not a bad thing or something to ignore, but they need proof before action or there's going to be problems. And that requires subtlety sometimes and nuance and social skills, which she doesn't seem to value and thinks are just a mark of being an upper/middle class twit and fake. But even in regular society just can't tell people off and expect them not to respond, so knowing this is the outcome, choosing to do it anyway a choice. She feels it's about classicism, that he middle class'd her, he's saying if you keep doing this the boot is going to come down on their necks before she has time to yell class war. This is not the first time she's been told that, so ignorance of it is not the issue but stubbornness and disagreement with the Protocols. For most of the time and most ironically, Adley treats her like an equal even while she thinks he's arrogant, unless he absolutely has to pull rank which he doesn't like to do (not just because he knows that she gives no shit for rank).

Adley's ride or die are his family and Narim, but he is solidly duty bound to his cabalmates and also the chantry, and allies as well as other friends. He is trained with a mindset that includes dying for them and he would do that if it came down to it. Re: Colin pulling insane shit and Adley backing him? He's earned it, and also he /still/ criticizes him and occasionally questions his sanity. Adley had a shit-fit when Colin was using vampire blood for something wretched and still considers it a bad move. Yet, Colin doesn't think that Adley wouldn't come rescue him. I think the first conversation they had was an argument! Colin and Adley have had arguments before and come out stronger. He and Beatrice had a throw down too when he first found out about her. Why would Adley feel that way toward Nicole if she constantly and purposefully provokes him and gives him shit?

Nic seems intent to be under a bus that she thinks Adley threw her under, either directly or by represents her class enemy. He personally didn't do that of course, and is aware of privileged in a basic way at least; he's probably not so well off as she thinks in the mundane world, but has social and mage clout that she does not. He rarely flexes it unless he needs to use it to succeed at a goal. She really doesn't know him, and is projecting a lot of her shit onto him and thereby not letting him know her except that she's rude and now insulting which in turn makes him more standoffish and retreat into politeness since they can't be friendly. Now after this he won't feel trust in her, if she doubts his word at that basic level then he is going to assume she'd do him one by turn. While that could be used to explore class issues, within mage and the mundanes, could be an interesting angle given time and a bit of mutuality but you can only go so far before things don't work OOCly and that's where this is now.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Talking with Lord Steel the Duke of Hate]

Colin nodded, then glanced at the Masters with a smirk, "Of course, considering the individuals present, one might wonder who in the world would tell the good Quaesitors about this incident. I'm sure that line of inquiry would be most enlightening."

"Even if none of us five standing here tell the Senior Quesitor of the Boston Tribunal enough knew I would persume that you went to try to deal with Lord Steel and then felt the pressence of the Aswadim Mr Wainwright and rumor will quickly spread."
Crexia said simply raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head, "Of course, my mistake... Her husband is in the cell area, by the way, a rescue is being mounted now, and..."
He looked at Mara, "Iron... there'd be trace particles in the wound... Does anyone here have mastery of magnetism? Drawing any iron residue out like that might be necessary..."

"The captured Verbena is alive? Good hopefully the rescue mission can get him and other prisoners out."
Jeffry said then he nodded.
"Hum...I should be able to do such a thing, I would require a good deal of finesse, that so happens I am extremely good at if I do say so myself...though I am not sure how much reside is left after a spirit's iron weapon."

Mara whimpered softly on the floor as Amadeus worked on her, the fae mage did not look good and despite the old Verbena's aid she was getting weaker.

He nodded, opening the box carefully and took out the old syringe inside, "Between this and the Avatar fragment I hold... Lady Crexia, would you kindly stand ready to provide the incorporeal beating that remains way overdue?"

"I will, but keep in mind Mr Wainwright there might be defenses in place, even if we have the man's Fetter that do not mean he can nto put up a fight."
Crexia warned but she picked up her embroidery set and started stitching out a symbol.

He took a few steps aside, and held up the syringe, intoning calmly, Jace's own voice echoing slightly in his own, "Wallace Jace, I summon you, by your own spinal fluids that I hold, by the fragment of your Avatar that I retain, by the ethical tenets of Science that you have violated, under the auspice of Mars, whose purview you sought to usurp, on behalf of all your victims, living and dead, and by my own authority as the new Lord of this Labyrinth, the residents of which unto whom you personally invited doom. I summon you before me, to face me one last time!"

There was a moment of silence, then Jace stepped out of the deeper, darker parts of the Umbra before you. The man was tall and thin, bony really and death had nto made him look more healthy, with a balding head and sharp blue eyes, he was wearing a black turtle neck sweather, black pants and a lab coat.
"What do you want...you are the man from my execution? i saw you int he crowd."
Jace said sourly.
"Ah forgive my manners but I was quite busy with an experiment, if you could kindly state your bussiness and then be on your way."
The ghost gave you a angry, malicious glare through his small, round glasses.

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

"So..cut off the guard room. I think we'll have to deal with them in a chokepoint situation, which is not ideal for space, but...how much can you shift the walls, within relative ease?"

"I can lock off the guard room on your order Traditionalist."
Tali said then she considered.
"Not allot, like I said it takes time, perhaps a foot or so in a few minutes."

He looked at Darrian and then asked, "Anything you have that might be useful, sir?"

"Hum...we want something that takes out our enemies but do not harm the prisoners."
Darrian said and he considered as he want through his pockets, eventually coming up with a little green bottle, you remembered it each year the Chantry pair off two menbers to give Christmas gifts to one antoher so that each member will not ahve to get over 30 gifts in addition to family, most still gave gifts to their closest friends at the Chantry and to mentor's students and their Cabal but for the general propulation the secret santa system worked and Darrian had been the one you gave a gift to last year. He had given you a beautiful, leather bound notebook and you had given him a set of pretty, green glass bottles.
"This contains a sleeping potion, it can produce a gas, setting everyone who breath it into a deep but harmless sleep, and just so happen I also have an antitode that can be taken in advance."
The alchemist said and he pulled a second bottle, this one clear glass and filled with tiny, pinkish white pellets out of antoher pocket.

"Hm, true. Very well."

"We have to do what we can with what we have."
Gray chimed in.

"What the fuck is going on now!" he said in alarm, rushing to see if Anna was okay and gesturing for someone to help Ryan...

Anna was unconcious, but she was breathing well enough and seamed to have just fainted. Darrian hurried over to Ryan to check on his Cabalmate.
"A...Oracle...such...power...time...shit...fuck...!"
Ryan managed, at least he had stopped screaming but he was shaking as if he was colt and he looked into the air with unfocused eyes and more explenatives crossed his paling lips.

He checked for his phone and then relayed the message to Amber Rose, a look of concern growing on his face by the second.

"I will hurry over there and see if I can help."
Amber Rose said.
"Ehm...how do I find them?"
"Just head to the eyeball in the hallway and my Labyrinth will send you where you are needed."
Tali said and the Verbena looked less than thrilled but she still headed in that direction.
"Oh wonderful, even so thanks."

Everyone gave one another concerned looks, whatever was going on was not good and the Traditionalists was worried.
"We have no choice, we have to continue to plan for the rescue mission...right now it seams to be little we can do with whatever else is going on."
Darrian said.
"Hopefully...we will live to seen dawn."

Nicole stood there, continuing to watch for hostiles, when the screaming began. Immediately looked towards Tilly; 'Anything on the radar?' then going back to watching for enemies - keeping one eye on the eye-woman - thought clearly at a loss on what to do next.

"No nothing, whatever it is going on it is outside the radious of Mr ehm...ehm...Sherman's program."
Tilly said as he looked down on his phone.
"I do not know what is happening."
He siad looking at the screaming pepole.
"But keeping watch is probably a good idea."
Coawa nodded at that.
"I will help keeping watch."
The Rodea offered.
"But I feel...ueana...powerful spirits play their game this night."
Gabby nodded somberly at that.
"Powerful and dark."
The Bastet chimed in.

He plucked out his phone and frowned at the message, after he was done checking on Anna and everyone, and seeing about Amber Rose getting an escort over.

Amber Rose seamed to be heading over alone, but hopefully it was not a long walk once the eyeball in the wall transported her.

[Steelhaven 3 30]

Serge wandered through the empty halls, feeling a little empty himself after hearing Helena's words.

There was not much going on, moonlight fell in through the windows and the Chantry was fairly quiet.

Still he kept patrolling through the chantry. Passing the time by daydreaming, crafting a small world and story within his head where he was the powerful hero fighting evil on the frontlines.

You got up to the Infirmary again. Kira was still crying after her dream. Richard was tending to the girl. Miss White was checking on Bee but she came over to the young Cultist when she saw him.
"Mr Yager."
The hedge wizard said.
"Did you find Miss Mar and told her what Kira dreamed?"

(OOC: Yes that takes a little while but you will get Jace over there eventually he have ltitle choice with you having two strong Fetters to his person. Now when that is said Science as the Incarna Science give absoltuely zero fuck, he is the Incarna of Science nto ethics, he do not care if science is done by a Nazi doctor or a ethical research institute, he is Incarna of the concept of Science itself, ethics put on science is a completley difference matter.)

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

Anja's Post:

'Time?' she muttered, wondering for a moment what - if anything - that meant.

A nja's Post:

'Erm...' she said doubtfully, clearly not trusting that method.

Anja's Post:

'Perhaps those not vital now should pull out?' giving a look to Darrian.

[Key points to unpack: #1: Her 'want' and 'expect' line is ambiguous. It could be interpreted several ways. #2: If Anja said 'everyone was watching them' well I missed that. #3: Yes, she is being deflective. She's also trying to avoid a obvious, direct breach - 'personal is not the same as important' - and try to maintain a modicum of professionalism (and he's too pissed to notice? Hmm, sounds familiar). #4: Both parties have crap social ratings - and Flavian pressed her button and this pressed his. #5: The fact Adley now thinks she'd actively try to do him in is, well 'on his end' - she's never threatened him (and wouldn't - she's not stupid). #6: 'Not trusting' and 'being an evil bitch' are two, quite different things (and shows he does not get her *at all* and is in fact an even bigger button as it calls into question her professionalism) #7: Nick doesn't trust *much*, period ; she's said similar to the Chief at one point, I believe.]

[As for the 'not fitting in' stuff, yes that's a critical issue. Nick was made for a chronicle which features a lot less politicking and more street action (me bad!). Great One and I are seeing if we can find a way to deal with that without ripping the concept apart.]

[...pure, passionless pursuit of knowledge, unfettered by such primitive and self-defeating ideas like 'morality' - something which is nothing more than a load of subjective, arbitrary rules applied haphazardly...]

[Warpmind]

[Talking with Lord Steel the Duke of Hate]

"Even if none of us five standing here tell the Senior Quesitor of the Boston Tribunal enough knew I would persume that you went to try to deal with Lord Steel and then felt the pressence of the Aswadim Mr Wainwright and rumor will quickly spread."
Crexia said simply raising an eyebrow.

Colin nodded, "True, there's bound to be speculation. The question is how much detailed information she'll have ot go on - and who gave it to her."

"The captured Verbena is alive? Good hopefully the rescue mission can get him and other prisoners out."
Jeffry said then he nodded.
"Hum...I should be able to do such a thing, I would require a good deal of finesse, that so happens I am extremely good at if I do say so myself...though I am not sure how much reside is left after a spirit's iron weapon."

Mara whimpered softly on the floor as Amadeus worked on her, the fae mage did not look good and despite the old Verbena's aid she was getting weaker.

He frowned, "Not much... likely nothing you could see with the naked eye. But something so toxic doesn't have to be visible... bugger..."
He paused, "Call Mr. Yager, ask him to tell her a story. His creative mind might give her something to hold on to while the healers work."

"I will, but keep in mind Mr Wainwright there might be defenses in place, even if we have the man's Fetter that do not mean he can nto put up a fight."
Crexia warned but she picked up her embroidery set and started stitching out a symbol.

He grimaced, "I know, we fought Jodelle at the entrance earlier, she was... tough. As would be expected. I do not believe she'll come back again once more..."

There was a moment of silence, then Jace stepped out of the deeper, darker parts of the Umbra before you. The man was tall and thin, bony really and death had nto made him look more healthy, with a balding head and sharp blue eyes, he was wearing a black turtle neck sweather, black pants and a lab coat.
"What do you want...you are the man from my execution? i saw you int he crowd."
Jace said sourly.
"Ah forgive my manners but I was quite busy with an experiment, if you could kindly state your bussiness and then be on your way."
The ghost gave you a angry, malicious glare through his small, round glasses.

He smiled thinly, "Hello again, Wallace. We met at the hospital, too, if you recall - you were pilfering supplies at the time. And now I found you're still up to your old, bad habits with the samples you had in the refrigerator. Past tense, of course. The fragment of your Avatar that resides with me was not too happy with the results of trying to intimidate me, either, but our conversation was... enlightening. Regardless, my business with you is simple. I mean to stop you, and either see you destroyed, or contained for the remainder of your... existence, for lack of a better word. I've removed your pet chronomancer, Rust, from the equation, and I believe Spartacus' old army is on its way to the Fields of Elysium even now, and I know about your precious Forest... I have made it one of my life's purposes to unravel and destroy every last villainous plot of yours, and cut you off from your resources, allies, and your freedom. So far, so good."

((OOC: Okay, fair point about Science, though I would point out that ethics and morality are not the same, and I suspect that while Science might have no problem with researchers methodically hurting others in pursuit of research, objections might be raised to a sadistic scientist hurting people for their own jollies like Jace has been doing for a very long time. Ethics, in the grand scheme of things, could be considered merely another research protocol in place to diminish problems with pitchforks and torches; those can be such a nuisance to a project. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

'Time?' she muttered, wondering for a moment what - if anything - that meant.

"He might be referring to magick, as in the Sphere Miss Bouchard."
Gray said with a frown.

'Erm...' she said doubtfully, clearly not trusting that method.

"Or off course the healer could go through all the labyrinthine allways of my ehm...Labyrinth."
Tali said wryly.
"That is sure to be allot safer."

'Perhaps those not vital now should pull out?' giving a look to Darrian.

"We still have quite a few members of this Labyritnh to clear out Miss Bouchard, I am afraid we cna not leave yet."
Darrian replied.

[Talking with Lord Steel the Duke of Hate]

Colin nodded, "True, there's bound to be speculation. The question is how much detailed information she'll have ot go on - and who gave it to her."

"We have a large group of mages from several Chantries Mr Wainwright, pepole talk you can not expect that what have happened her to stay under wraps for long Mr Wainwright."
Crexia replied.
"And Senior Quesitor D'Angelo is not a dumb woman she will put it together."

He frowned, "Not much... likely nothing you could see with the naked eye. But something so toxic doesn't have to be visible... bugger..."
He paused, "Call Mr. Yager, ask him to tell her a story. His creative mind might give her something to hold on to while the healers work."

"If you think it will help mr Wainwright. I will see what residue I can get out of Mara's wound once I have telephoned Mr Yager."
Jeffry said and he pulled out his phone with a look of disgust on his face and called the young Cultist.

Serge your phone rang and you notice the number was Jeffry's.

He grimaced, "I know, we fought Jodelle at the entrance earlier, she was... tough. As would be expected. I do not believe she'll come back again once more..."

"I take it Jodelle jerkins are off the playing board then Mr Wainwright?"
Crexia said.
"But yes then you know what you will be facing and Wallace Jace is likely to be though nut."

He smiled thinly, "Hello again, Wallace. We met at the hospital, too, if you recall - you were pilfering supplies at the time. And now I found you're still up to your old, bad habits with the samples you had in the refrigerator. Past tense, of course. The fragment of your Avatar that resides with me was not too happy with the results of trying to intimidate me, either, but our conversation was... enlightening. Regardless, my business with you is simple. I mean to stop you, and either see you destroyed, or contained for the remainder of your... existence, for lack of a better word. I've removed your pet chronomancer, Rust, from the equation, and I believe Spartacus' old army is on its way to the Fields of Elysium even now, and I know about your precious Forest... I have made it one of my life's purposes to unravel and destroy every last villainous plot of yours, and cut you off from your resources, allies, and your freedom. So far, so good."

Wallace Jace regarded you for a moment then he nodded.
"Ah yes off course i remember now, in the hospital supply room, do forgive my manners allot have happened lately it completley slipped my mind."
The ghost said then he gave a shrug.
"Ah you have been busy...how...irritating, well I guess you can nto win them all. I guess you better get going with destroying me then."
The Spectre said with a bit of a bow of his head.
"After all there is no reason to dally when there is Science to be done."

(OOC: No morals and ethics are not a sceientific principle it is nto like information gathering and progress have bee slowed down by Scientists who do not have such morals, Nazi doctors advanced the field of medical science quite a bit for example it is just that sane induviduals think that the suffering caused is not right and the information gathered is not worth loosing one's soul over, but for a spirit that is jsut Science nothing else it just do nto matter. Also Jace enjoying torturing pepole is not different from a researcher studying the affect coffee have on the heart enjoying drinking coffee herself.)

(OOC 2: I will get to it I am sorry I have been a bit busy since I returned home so I have focused on the IC but I will get to it and well in time before the Labyrinth run is over.)

[Adley]

Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

"I can lock off the guard room on your order Traditionalist."
Tali said then she considered.
"Not allot, like I said it takes time, perhaps a foot or so in a few minutes."

Would a gas penetrate through the doors or set off the wards?"

"This contains a sleeping potion, it can produce a gas, setting everyone who breath it into a deep but harmless sleep, and just so happen I also have an antitode that can be taken in advance."
The alchemist said and he pulled a second bottle, this one clear glass and filled with tiny, pinkish white pellets out of antoher pocket.

"Excellent. How long do you think it might take to work...?"

Anna was unconcious, but she was breathing well enough and seamed to have just fainted. Darrian hurried over to Ryan to check on his Cabalmate.
"A...Oracle...such...power...time...shit...fuck...!"
Ryan managed

He made sure that Anna hadn't hit her head, or hurt herself or overtaxed her heart. At least to the admittedly basic skill he had. He glanced over at Ryan and Darrian, brows furrowing. "Oracle?"

// ooc 1- Her 'want' and 'expect' line is ambiguous. It could be interpreted several ways. The situation is clear enough, if she wants to become a beloved cabalmate, in the same vein as a Tytalus...

#2: If Anja said 'everyone was watching them' well I missed that. Everyone in the hall stopped talking when Adley replied.

#3: Yes, she is being deflective. She's also trying to avoid a obvious, direct breach - 'personal is not the same as important' - and try to maintain a modicum of professionalism (and he's too pissed to notice? Hmm, sounds familiar). Bringing it up at the time she did and in the manner she is acting is unprofessional.

#4: Both parties have crap social ratings - and Flavian pressed her button and this pressed his. Adley has average flat score for social, but has etiquette and leadership. He knows how to be polite, how to teach, and lead groups in things like magick and also fights if need be, via training. What pushed this button is her insinuating that she'd leave him to die. It's an extra hot button since his previous incarnation and Bea's were stuck in a Labyrinth, tortured and eventually died after being imprisoned. But even besides that, he wouldn't.

#5: The fact Adley now thinks she'd actively try to do him in is, well 'on his end' - she's never threatened him (and wouldn't - she's not stupid). She doesn't trust him and just said she thinks he'd leave her to die, while they're in a fight, which is an insult to his professionalism, training, personal ego, his code of conduct, and pretty much the most insulting thing she's ever said to him (yet). He's never before entertained that she might think that and to suggest it makes him wonder if she would do that to him, via projection. And her comments are vaguely threatening and coupled with her body language meant to make the point she made, and her actions and words are creating problems.

#6: 'Not trusting' and 'being an evil bitch' are two, quite different things (and shows he does not get her *at all* and is in fact an even bigger button as it calls into question her professionalism) Adley nor anyone OOC has said she's evil. Her professionalism is definitely in question in Adley's mind by now.

#7: Nick doesn't trust *much*, period ; she's said similar to the Chief at one point, I believe Adley is not easy with trust either, but he has his duties and is reliable, he is private and some things are very close to his chest because he wants to protect others. At any rate this is all I'm feeling like saying right now oocly, that isn't a rehash.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

Would a gas penetrate through the doors or set off the wards?"

"It might set of the wards if the gas is magical, but it will nto penetrate the walls, that is why the Labyrinth have air vents the rooms are completely air tights unless the air wents are open."
Tali informed you.

"Excellent. How long do you think it might take to work...?"

"Not long, a few seconds perhaps, if they draw breath deeply it will work faster, if they try to hold their breath it will take longer, but it is fairly potent stiff."
The alchemist said and he tapped his finger against the little green bottle in his hand.

He made sure that Anna hadn't hit her head, or hurt herself or overtaxed her heart. At least to the admittedly basic skill he had. He glanced over at Ryan and Darrian, brows furrowing. "Oracle?"

From what you in your limited medical knowledge could tell Anna was fine, but once Darrian had checked on Ryan, put the man's headphones back on and turned on something on Ryan's phones, probably the sensitive Cultist was just overwealmed by the pressence of something...something so powerful. Once he was done caring for his Cabalmate Darrian hurried over to Anna he took a small, pale brown potion out of one of his many pockets.
"Here give her this Sodalis it will strengthen her heart and lungs and help her get over the shock of what just happened, just a few drops under her tounge is enough."
The alchemist instructed then he went to check on Tali, after all the group still needed the Keeper to handle the Labyrinth and the eye teleportation system. Darrian was pale and drawn, but helping out keeping everyone healthy and administering his potions, that was something he could do, so to manage his own fear as much as his growing concern for his Chantrymates and other members of the strike team. Just keep busy, keep going, keep working, stay alive.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

Anja's Post:

'No... I mean do we still need everyone in this room to remain?' she muttered, continuing to try to watch everywhere at once.

[We have clearly reached an impasse and if you're going to stick with your points 100%, there is nothing more to say. Or for Nick to continue as a PC, for there's no way for it to work if Adley will eternally hellban her.]

[I personally think that 'Science' would object to harm/pain caused by sadism or incompetence. It wouldn't object if it was the 'most efficient/only manner to do it'.]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[ Labyrinth 3 30]

"Yes Miss Bouchard until our enemies are defeated we are all needed."
Darrian said he was clearly confused over the question.
"Our objective have not changed why is it you think we are ready to pull out of the Labyrinth."
The Alchemist scratched his head.

(OOC: Agreed Science only care about effective garhering of knowledge not the morals of it, but he also do not care if a Scientist is a sadist on their spare time that is not part of his domain.)

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Labyrinth 3.30]

Anja's Post:

'No... sometimes in battle people or things are brought for only one purpose. That once that purpose is done, they can be sent back to the rear. I don't mean for us to all leave.'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Labyrinth 3 30]

Our objective have not changed, we are still here to clean this place up and as the Nephandi is not just going to lay down a be let us exterminate them so we still need all hands on deck."
The Alchemist replied still a bit confused.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Labyrinth 3.30]

Anja's Post:

Nicole looked like she was going to reply, but once again simply let it go. Looked to Anna with some concern...

[What's so confusing about for example, removing non-combatants from the zone or so on? If nothing else, is Anna's presence still vital to new rescue mission?]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

'Well we should continue planning."
Darrian said. Anna gave the Etherite a smile.
"Dont worry about me Miss Bouchard I can handle myself."
The young apprenctice said politely to r
Reassure the Etherite.

(OOC: no one in the strike team are nom combatants even Anna can fight. Yes it is vital with her ability to undo wards.)

[Adley]

[Labyrinth Entry, 3.30]

"It might set of the wards if the gas is magical, but it will nto penetrate the walls, that is why the Labyrinth have air vents the rooms are completely air tights unless the air wents are open."
Tali informed you.

"What about opening an air vent then?"

"Not long, a few seconds perhaps, if they draw breath deeply it will work faster, if they try to hold their breath it will take longer, but it is fairly potent stiff."
The alchemist said

"Promising."

Once he was done caring for his Cabalmate Darrian hurried over to Anna he took a small, pale brown potion out of one of his many pockets.
"Here give her this Sodalis it will strengthen her heart and lungs and help her get over the shock of what just happened, just a few drops under her tounge is enough."

"How do I give this to someone passed out?" he asked.

// occ: they need Anna to break the wards that are in the prison area to get the prisoners. She is really good at that and that's her primary role.

// ooc2: I've been OOCly trying to stop us from getting here for months now. Even tried to rp with you a whole thread to give them something to work with but you wanted nothing to do with that. I am saying things can't go this way if we want the characters to remain in the cabal. Why wouldn't Adley not want anything to do with her at this point, honestly? Give us reasons for things happening that we can hold onto and use to make a story that works, to change things to they can work together. You haven't given a reason why she treats him so extremely, because she did even before Flavian. And that's an rp choice, and it's your rp choice - it went from 'didn't really like either other' on basis of their views and methods on things to hate one another and not trust one another. Even trying to keep them away from one another or hasn't worked, since the second she stepped into the scene she started in on Adley. And I'm supposed to work with that in what manner? Setting us up to fail is not helpful so don't try to make it seem like I haven't tried to work this out with you.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Labyrinth 3 30]

"I can both open and close air vents if you so desire."
Tali replied.

"Hopefully the gas can be helpful."
Darrian said with a nod.

"Just open her mouth and put a few drops under her tounge that should do it."
The Alchemist replied.
"She do not have to be awake for that."

(OOC: Adley have tried to reach out to Nicole on several occasions but she have slapped his hand away off course he will eventually give up with how she treats him.)

(OOC 2: Anna reolying to Nicole happens before she fainted.)

[Adley]

[Labyrinth 3 30]

"I can both open and close air vents if you so desire."
Tali replied.

"Hopefully the gas can be helpful."
Darrian said with a nod.

"We can use the vents to get the gas into the room and seal the door, and the vent. We can also exploit the margin of the walls to introduce shadows for our vampire friend to use to his advantage."

"Just open her mouth and put a few drops under her tounge that should do it."
The Alchemist replied.
"She do not have to be awake for that."

"Yes, sir." He gave a perfunctory nod as he worked the stopper off the bottle to administer it as he directed.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Labyrinth 3 30]

"We can use the vents to get the gas into the room and seal the door, and the vent. We can also exploit the margin of the walls to introduce shadows for our vampire friend to use to his advantage."

"Yes we can do that but again if the gas is magickal, it will be detected by the wards and likely the vampire's shadow magic as well unless we can find a breanch int he wards themselves."
Tali informed you.

"Yes, sir." He gave a perfunctory nod as he worked the stopper off the bottle to administer it as he directed.

There took a few moments longer then Anna started stirring. She opened her eyes and gave a slight groan.
"Well...shit..."
She muttered then on seeing Adley she grabbed her head and grunted.
"Oh hi...Mr Roth Hicks...ehm...I felt the pressence of a Aswadim...the power it...well shit...just wow but also shit...are we about to all die or did the Oracle leave again?"
She muttered still a bit confused.

[Warpmind]

[Talking with Lord Steel the Duke of Hate]

"We have a large group of mages from several Chantries Mr Wainwright, pepole talk you can not expect that what have happened her to stay under wraps for long Mr Wainwright."
Crexia replied.
"And Senior Quesitor D'Angelo is not a dumb woman she will put it together."

Colin nodded, "The question being how much speculation she presents, and how much she presents as incontrovertible proof. Regardless, I'll be having a chat with Master Adimari on my upcoming trip to Horizon in any case; this'll just be one added topic. Though I'll let her know as soon as possible, too, in case departure is delayed further."

"If you think it will help mr Wainwright. I will see what residue I can get out of Mara's wound once I have telephoned Mr Yager."
Jeffry said and he pulled out his phone with a look of disgust on his face and called the young Cultist.

He nodded, "I don't know if it will help... but that lance was vicious, I would not rule out it deliberately leaving fragments in the wound for added pain."

"I take it Jodelle jerkins are off the playing board then Mr Wainwright?"
Crexia said.
"But yes then you know what you will be facing and Wallace Jace is likely to be though nut."

He nodded, "She fought... cleverly; tried to seize control of one of my companions who helped with that summoning. He's... a bit traumatized by it, I've called on a friend to attend him for his plans to drink himself into oblivion tonight."

Wallace Jace regarded you for a moment then he nodded.
"Ah yes off course i remember now, in the hospital supply room, do forgive my manners allot have happened lately it completley slipped my mind."
The ghost said then he gave a shrug.
"Ah you have been busy...how...irritating, well I guess you can nto win them all. I guess you better get going with destroying me then."
The Spectre said with a bit of a bow of his head.
"After all there is no reason to dally when there is Science to be done."

He took a slight bow, willing a bit of disruptive and primal energy into the syringe he held, to wield as a weapon against the troublesome specter, "As my girlfriend - from whom your foul plague that we destroyed earlier was made - occasionally sings, 'Look at me still talking when there's science to do, when I look out there it makes me glad I'm not you...' and unlike you, I am still alive. And I mean to stay so for some time, you Victorian abomination."

((OOC: P2,E2, and 1 dram of Quintessence to charge up the syringe as a stabbing weapon specially designed to harm Wallace Jace, using his own spinal fluids as a sympathetic Focus in the process. Arete roll: 2,5,0. I think that's 2 successes, assuming Jace's spinal fluid makes that a -3 difficulty adjustment? And then whatever Crexia decides to do to the monster, too...))

((OOC2: Oooogh, long day, low energy, D&D game where the Demogorgon-worshiping warlock started an Equal Rights movement for Artificial Life, as well as a soup kitchen for the homeless... But I finally get around to posting today. ))

((OOC3: Fair, Science might not consider Ethics a particularly relevant aspect of science in and of itself, though might object to direct indulgences that causes the Consensus to object to Science. Such as the infliction of pain for the purpose of inflicting pain, rather than for, say, the purpose of developing better pain management drugs, or actually charting the mechanics of pain for later reference. But, it's a moot point, the ruling is clear.))

((OOC4: Anna's not a nom combatant. She's not fighting with her food. That's an adorkable typo. ))

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Labyrinth Entry 3.30]

Anja's Post:

'I know...' she replied, half disbelieving, half because she did believe it and it saddened her somewhat.

[I'm aware of that. I'm also very aware that it's only been a few *hours* IC since the 'trigger event'. The chances are she'd feel differently about the whole affair once she's not constantly under stress and is able to think more calmly/rationally. I rejected the rp thread on the premise a) it wasn't an issue of 'not liking', b) if they could patch it up with a little bit of social then her beef was utterly pathetic and c) I got the impression you weren't really up for a 'pulling the pin' scene. Now, having Adley (in my opinion) jumping off the deep end in a similar manner Nick did *does* make sense/believable. But the question is; will he stubbornly cling to this opinion evermore? Extra question; does this mean that Adley trusts completely all the others in their party, such as the vampire?]

[There *are* ways out of this. But it won't be a sticking-plaster 'shake and make up' bollocks you see being done by, say lazy teachers - but genuine character development. Both of the PCs needs to learn *why* they crossed the other's red line, which requires a decent level of empathy (which according to my records, neither Nick or Adley possess). But if he thinks she's completely irredeemable and won't budge from that regardless, well there's nothing which can be done...]

[Science may object to Ethics when they stop science. For example, the 'ethics' which forbid human dissection in Christianity for some c1,200 years, which meant doctors didn't have much of a clue regarding internal anatomy.]

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Labyrinth Entry 3.30]

Anja's Post:

'I know...' she replied, half disbelieving, half because she did believe it and it saddened her somewhat.

[I'm aware of that. I'm also very aware that it's only been a few *hours* IC since the 'trigger event'. The chances are she'd feel differently about the whole affair once she's not constantly under stress and is able to think more calmly/rationally. I rejected the rp thread on the premise a) it wasn't an issue of 'not liking', b) if they could patch it up with a little bit of social then her beef was utterly pathetic and c) I got the impression you weren't really up for a 'pulling the pin' scene. Now, having Adley (in my opinion) jumping off the deep end in a similar manner Nick did *does* make sense/believable. But the question is; will he stubbornly cling to this opinion evermore? Extra question; does this mean that Adley trusts completely all the others in their party, such as the vampire?]

[There *are* ways out of this. But it won't be a sticking-plaster 'shake and make up' bollocks you see being done by, say lazy teachers - but genuine character development. Both of the PCs needs to learn *why* they crossed the other's red line, which requires a decent level of empathy (which according to my records, neither Nick or Adley possess). But if he thinks she's completely irredeemable and won't budge from that regardless, well there's nothing which can be done...]

[Science may object to Ethics when they stop science. For example, the 'ethics' which forbid human dissection in Christianity for some c1,200 years, which meant doctors didn't have much of a clue regarding internal anatomy.]

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