Re: The Node, the Trial and a Cybernetics Convention IC thread 60

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[TimeStop Labs]

'Course I don't; con artists do it all the time. Or really do the deed to build trust so the big fuck-over comes later.' she replied. 'But that don't happen that often either 'cos the deeds often cost too much to go through with. In one way or another'

"Well some our enemies have pretty large pockets. Thankfully we already know they're our enemies." Serge said with a chuckle.

'Hmm... wonder if you could even hook these up to your life-signs or something. So like if you take damage in combat, a healing... spell-' a tiny flinch on using the s-word '-kicks in. Or putting up a shield. Think these are one of them things where the question ain't "what does it do?" but "what can you do with it?"

"I prefer the term program myself...I mean it is a program in reality...but yeah you could do what you say with a bit of tweaking that would work."
The House Thig member said with a nod.

"That's what drew me to these as well. Programmable magick has a lot of fun applications. And nearly infinite creative potential if your imaginative enough." Serge said, "You can have it redirect attacks that come at you with fancy portals. Or automatically cast buff spells on you when it detects people with malicious intent. Skies the limit assuming it's not particularly hard to use or modify."

"Yes they function using the minute electrical impulses and Quintessence flow of your body, so they have to be implanted yes."
The thecnomage replied.

'So they're don't rely on the Seebeck effect [ie heat from a human body] for power, then?'

"Nah, bio electricity and the Quintessence in your blood stream."
The Technomage said.
"I mean we could design someone that use Seedbeck but it would take a few extra days of delivery."

"Can you reprogram the chips after they've been implanted under your skin? Or would you need to take them out before you could reprogram them?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin chuckled, keeping an alert eye on the surroundings as he followed close behind, "I suppose I rather am in a bit of a rush, yes - but really, there's no reason to fear the Old Man; respect him like a shark, stay wary of him and don't provoke him, certainly, but... I find him a sympathetic fellow. Hum... let's stay clear of the protesters, though, I'm not overly fond of such tight, angry crowds."

"Yeah if you say so man but I tend to prefer to avoid all Paradox spirits and especially that one."
Tragedy said as Morrigan headed out into the street to find a cab. Tragedy glanced at the protesters.
"Yeah what is all that about?"
She asked. You saw the same woman you had seen refusing to vaccinate her kitten due to fear the animal would get autism stand there with a sign that said.
"Don't be a whore for the Union, say no to pouting your body with tech!"
The woman was weaving the signs and screaming at the top of her lungs towards the conference.

[TimeStop Labs]

"That's what drew me to these as well. Programmable magick has a lot of fun applications. And nearly infinite creative potential if your imaginative enough." Serge said, "You can have it redirect attacks that come at you with fancy portals. Or automatically cast buff spells on you when it detects people with malicious intent. Skies the limit assuming it's not particularly hard to use or modify."

"You can certainly use this in the way you mention here kid."
The House Thig member replied.
"But do remember that generally you store one rote per chip so it can not continue to re direct fire aimed at you unless you can get one rote to do it several times."

"Can you reprogram the chips after they've been implanted under your skin? Or would you need to take them out before you could reprogram them?"

"You can reprogram them, each chip will store one program and you can exchange what is stored in it at your leisure."
The stall owner confirmed.

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"Yeah if you say so man but I tend to prefer to avoid all Paradox spirits and especially that one."
Tragedy said as Morrigan headed out into the street to find a cab.

Colin smiled thinly, "An excellent policy - all I am saying is that he is the least hostile or malicious, even if he is the most outright dangerous. But he and his kind should not be sought out or provoked without very good reason."

Tragedy glanced at the protesters.
"Yeah what is all that about?"
She asked. You saw the same woman you had seen refusing to vaccinate her kitten due to fear the animal would get autism stand there with a sign that said.
"Don't be a whore for the Union, say no to pouting your body with tech!"
The woman was weaving the signs and screaming at the top of her lungs towards the conference.

He shrugged, "Human nature... most of them don't have an interest in the issue, beyond fearing what they don't understand. Hum, that lady with the sign there... I will be visiting her later, to save a life. She's not a bad person, but she's been misled, badly so - most of them will happily sign over their personal information to Facebook, but refuse modern medical care... Well, perhaps I will be able to teach her a small lesson in judging information sources. I promised her, in the future, after all..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin smiled thinly, "An excellent policy - all I am saying is that he is the least hostile or malicious, even if he is the most outright dangerous. But he and his kind should not be sought out or provoked without very good reason."

The younger mage just gave you a skeptical look.

He shrugged, "Human nature... most of them don't have an interest in the issue, beyond fearing what they don't understand. Hum, that lady with the sign there... I will be visiting her later, to save a life. She's not a bad person, but she's been misled, badly so - most of them will happily sign over their personal information to Facebook, but refuse modern medical care... Well, perhaps I will be able to teach her a small lesson in judging information sources. I promised her, in the future, after all..."

"I see, it seams you have your work cut out for you then Mr Wainwright."
Tragedy said as Morrigan returned with a cab, a horse drawn carriage.
"I got us a cab."
She declared. The driver the same woman, Susan who had driven your group before gave a small wave of her hand.
"Hello again Mr Wainwright, where to this time."
She said as Tragedy was petting the patient looking horse who did not much care for the screaming of the protestors but even so he just stood there waiting, though he gave a few irritated snorts at the noise.

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"I see, it seams you have your work cut out for you then Mr Wainwright."
Tragedy said as Morrigan returned with a cab, a horse drawn carriage.
"I got us a cab."
She declared. The driver the same woman, Susan who had driven your group before gave a small wave of her hand.
"Hello again Mr Wainwright, where to this time."
She said as Tragedy was petting the patient looking horse who did not much care for the screaming of the protestors but even so he just stood there waiting, though he gave a few irritated snorts at the noise.

Colin gave Susan a smile, "Hello again, Susan. Back to Master Morgan's house, with mild urgency."
Glancing at the horse as he climbed in, he added, "You're right, my friend, they are being obnoxious and noisy."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin gave Susan a smile, "Hello again, Susan. Back to Master Morgan's house, with mild urgency."
Glancing at the horse as he climbed in, he added, "You're right, my friend, they are being obnoxious and noisy."

The horse stomped his foot and bobbed his head and seamed to agree with you. Susan nodded.
"Very well jump in."
She said and she got the horse moving as soon as everyone was in the carriage.

The journey back to Master Morgan's house did not take more than seven minutes. The girl chatted about things such as the weather and other polite but not to interesting things then Susan pulled up in front of the villa.
"It is here right?"
She asked.
"If so we are here, Sir...madams..."

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

The horse stomped his foot and bobbed his head and seamed to agree with you. Susan nodded.
"Very well jump in."
She said and she got the horse moving as soon as everyone was in the carriage.

The journey back to Master Morgan's house did not take more than seven minutes. The girl chatted about things such as the weather and other polite but not to interesting things then Susan pulled up in front of the villa.
"It is here right?"
She asked.
"If so we are here, Sir...madams..."

Colin nodded and hopped out, helping the girls down as well, "Yes, very good. How much is the fare?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin nodded and hopped out, helping the girls down as well, "Yes, very good. How much is the fare?"

"Your friend took care of it already Sir."
Susan said pointing at Tragedy.
"So you are good, unless there was something else you needed?"
The driver asked.

As you where talking with Susan you saw Bee come out of the front door.
"Ah there you all are, the letter is in the kitchen Colin."
Your Cabalmate informed you.

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"Your friend took care of it already Sir."
Susan said pointing at Tragedy.
"So you are good, unless there was something else you needed?"
The driver asked.

Colin shook his head, "No, have a nice day, then. And stay clear of blue cars."

As you where talking with Susan you saw Bee come out of the front door.
"Ah there you all are, the letter is in the kitchen Colin."
Your Cabalmate informed you.

He smiled, handing over the convention goodie bag on the way to the kitchen, "Yes, we made it back, safe and sound. Here, I received a bag of giveaways at the conference. Want to take a look, see if there's something you would like?"

Reaching the kitchen, he took a slow breath to steel himself, and opened the letter to see what Wrinkle wanted...

[Nicole Bouchard]

[TimeStop Labs]

Serge's Post:

'Only the ones who have shown themselves to be, kid. And they ain't even the biggest threat... ever hear the line "banal evil"?'

Anja's Post:

'Or anything you can realistically think of, really.' Nicole replied, giving a glance to the Hermetic still looking at the stall, vaguely hoping that it might persuade them to make a purchase. 'Does it come with like, a free leaflet or pdf or something giving a load of ideas of what it could be used for?'

Anja's Post:

'Can it function on bio-electric alone?' she replied, giving a frown; wondering whether non-Awakened could use it.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin shook his head, "No, have a nice day, then. And stay clear of blue cars."

"Yeah I will do my best."
Susan said with a chuckle.
"Have a good day everyone."
She said before she signaled the horse and headed of.

He smiled, handing over the convention goodie bag on the way to the kitchen, "Yes, we made it back, safe and sound. Here, I received a bag of giveaways at the conference. Want to take a look, see if there's something you would like?"

"Sure thank you...oh and there is a plate of cookies in the kitchen do feel free to have some, like I said they ended up perfectly."
Bea said as she opened the bag and looked inside.

Reaching the kitchen, he took a slow breath to steel himself, and opened the letter to see what Wrinkle wanted...

There are three things in the envelope, there was a card that looked ancient, yellowed and darkened but make of high quality paper, it said.
"My dearest Mr Wainwright.
I can not give you all the facts all I can say is that he is here, you know to whom I am referring and now that he is made of blood the want the blood of the twins. Also he have shattered part of time, a sacrifice will be needed or reality will shatter with it. I wish I had better news.
You are me...always yours.
An Old Friend."
The two other things was a tiny golden key with a small hour glass set in the handle, it was exquisitely made. The last item was a old Tarot card showing the Hanged Man. Beatrice took a cookie and put the goodie bag on the desk and asked.
"What did the ehm...gentleman send you Colin? If I may ask that is."

[TimeStop Labs]

'Or anything you can realistically think of, really.' Nicole replied, giving a glance to the Hermetic still looking at the stall, vaguely hoping that it might persuade them to make a purchase. 'Does it come with like, a free leaflet or pdf or something giving a load of ideas of what it could be used for?'

"It do indeed."
The House Thig member said tapping at some booklets on the table. The Hermetic looked a bit doubtful for a moment then she asked.
"Do it have to be implanted in my hand?"
"No madam it could be implanted anywhere, the meaty part of the hand are the most common for it is safe but if you are uncomfortable with that we can find another location, however I am only trained to insert it there but I can arrange an appointment at the Etherite clinic to have it implanted some other location."
He said and the Hermetic nodded.
"Very well I will take it."
She said and he smiled and gave Nicole a little thankful nod.
"Ah excellent madam, I will have all made ready for you at the clinic then."

Can it function on bio-electric alone?' she replied, giving a frown; wondering whether non-Awakened could use it.

"Yes it should be able to, you might not be able to store Qint that way but to store a rote in it yes that should work."
The salesman replied.

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"Sure thank you...oh and there is a plate of cookies in the kitchen do feel free to have some, like I said they ended up perfectly."
Bea said as she opened the bag and looked inside.

Colin smiled, "I'm sure they are delicious."

There are three things in the envelope, there was a card that looked ancient, yellowed and darkened but make of high quality paper, it said.
"My dearest Mr Wainwright.
I can not give you all the facts all I can say is that he is here, you know to whom I am referring and now that he is made of blood the want the blood of the twins. Also he have shattered part of time, a sacrifice will be needed or reality will shatter with it. I wish I had better news.
You are me...always yours.
An Old Friend."
The two other things was a tiny golden key with a small hour glass set in the handle, it was exquisitely made. The last item was a old Tarot card showing the Hanged Man. Beatrice took a cookie and put the goodie bag on the desk and asked.
"What did the ehm...gentleman send you Colin? If I may ask that is."

He leaned back on the chair, absentmindedly chewing on a cookie as he put the letter down, "Well, bugger... hum, a tarot card, the Hanged Man... I need to read up on the tarot meanings. There's also a key I need to find out where goes, and a warning... Jace has become a vampire, and wants 'the blood of the twins' - and I doubt that means the Italians. Also, a part of time has been shattered, and... well..."
He turned the letter so Beatrice could see it, "I am guessing that shattering is about twenty years from now, or at least, that's when the event horizon of it is... It seems I know my fate, now, when the time comes..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin smiled, "I'm sure they are delicious."

"The best cookies I have ever made. I am packing some of them up and having them sent to Kyle as a pick me up."
Beatrice said with a proud grin.

He leaned back on the chair, absentmindedly chewing on a cookie as he put the letter down,

The cookie was absolutely perfect, crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside, The cookies had been taken out of the oven at exactly the perfect time.

"Well, bugger... hum, a tarot card, the Hanged Man... I need to read up on the tarot meanings. There's also a key I need to find out where goes, and a warning... Jace has become a vampire, and wants 'the blood of the twins' - and I doubt that means the Italians. Also, a part of time has been shattered, and... well..."
He turned the letter so Beatrice could see it, "I am guessing that shattering is about twenty years from now, or at least, that's when the event horizon of it is... It seems I know my fate, now, when the time comes..."

Beatrice read the letter and she paled.
"I...ehm...but...oh Colin but we can fight this surely."
She said her eyes wide.
"How would this even...ehm...how."
Taking a deep breath to steady herself the young Verbena looked up at her Cabalmate.
"What do you want to do about this Colin...and about Jace? I mean for the Tarot card there are books on the Tarot in the library. But for the rest what do you want to do?"

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"The best cookies I have ever made. I am packing some of them up and having them sent to Kyle as a pick me up."
Beatrice said with a proud grin.

Colin smiled warmly, "I believe he'd like that, yes."

Beatrice read the letter and she paled.
"I...ehm...but...oh Colin but we can fight this surely."
She said her eyes wide.
"How would this even...ehm...how."
Taking a deep breath to steady herself the young Verbena looked up at her Cabalmate.
"What do you want to do about this Colin...and about Jace? I mean for the Tarot card there are books on the Tarot in the library. But for the rest what do you want to do?"

He leaned back, "A common theory about Old Man Wrinkle is that he was a Mage who, instead of Ascending or dying, opted to protect Time from Mages, and Mages from themselves... I already knew my fate will be different, owing to how my Avatar keeps growing, but I will admit, this did come a little out of left field. Hum... I'm going to need the Grimoire extracted, I will have to ask the Psychopomp to help with that, once we've rescued it from Jace's grasp... not sure what the necessary sacrifice will be, but I'm sure that will be clear soon enough. Hm... would you be a dear and see if there's one of those books on the Chief's shelves here, while I ponder this a little?"

Looking closer at the key, he slowly turned it over in his hand, tilting the hourglass...

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin smiled warmly, "I believe he'd like that, yes."

"Yeah poor kid he must be terrified he can need all the encouragement he can get."
Beatrice said softly.

He leaned back, "A common theory about Old Man Wrinkle is that he was a Mage who, instead of Ascending or dying, opted to protect Time from Mages, and Mages from themselves... I already knew my fate will be different, owing to how my Avatar keeps growing, but I will admit, this did come a little out of left field. Hum... I'm going to need the Grimoire extracted, I will have to ask the Psychopomp to help with that, once we've rescued it from Jace's grasp... not sure what the necessary sacrifice will be, but I'm sure that will be clear soon enough. Hm... would you be a dear and see if there's one of those books on the Chief's shelves here, while I ponder this a little?"

"I have heard that theory, many think Wrinkle was a human mage once since he feel more human but...listen Colin you do not have to go down this way we will find a way to save you."
Beatrice said firmly then she sigh.
"I will put on the tea, you look like you could need a cup my friend and I will got an see what Master Morgan have in his collection here."
She said, her hands shaking a bit as she went to fill the kettle and put it on the stove.

Looking closer at the key, he slowly turned it over in his hand, tilting the hourglass...

Sand tinkle through the hourglass smoothly, the key felt powerful in your hands though what it actually did was hard to say.

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"I have heard that theory, many think Wrinkle was a human mage once since he feel more human but...listen Colin you do not have to go down this way we will find a way to save you."
Beatrice said firmly then she sigh.
"I will put on the tea, you look like you could need a cup my friend and I will got an see what Master Morgan have in his collection here."
She said, her hands shaking a bit as she went to fill the kettle and put it on the stove.

Colin thought for a moment, then looked at Bee with a kinder, older look than usual, "I suppose I don't have to go down that road, but consider this... my Avatar grows with no known limitation, and Wallace Jace has already broken time in the future... At some point, assuming live long enough, I will go beyond the point where I can be considered 'human' any longer, and when that time comes, well... would it truly be so bad for me to become a kindly old man who is willing to negotiate away Paradox over a cup of tea?"

Sand tinkle through the hourglass smoothly, the key felt powerful in your hands though what it actually did was hard to say.

He sighed, thinking to Mia, 'This might send my mind somewhere strange, or trigger a Seeking, but it might just give me a few answers I might not enjoy. Best hold on to everyone, just in case.'
Then he put on his glasses and looked at the key, looking at the key's connections and trying to chase them down through space and time to see what it might unlock...

((OOC: Arete rolls for the scrying, or does it just work? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin thought for a moment, then looked at Bee with a kinder, older look than usual, "I suppose I don't have to go down that road, but consider this... my Avatar grows with no known limitation, and Wallace Jace has already broken time in the future... At some point, assuming live long enough, I will go beyond the point where I can be considered 'human' any longer, and when that time comes, well... would it truly be so bad for me to become a kindly old man who is willing to negotiate away Paradox over a cup of tea?"

"I understand all that Colin but...but it would still be loosing you."
Beatrice said.
"Even if it is a transformation and not death, and also forget fate is this what you would want to do?"
She said then she sigh again.
"But I guess like you say Mia will continue to grow...who know how powerful you both will become."

He sighed, thinking to Mia, 'This might send my mind somewhere strange, or trigger a Seeking, but it might just give me a few answers I might not enjoy. Best hold on to everyone, just in case.'
Then he put on his glasses and looked at the key, looking at the key's connections and trying to chase them down through space and time to see what it might unlock...

"I got you my host."
Mia said simply as you looked at the hourglass and the hourglass and the world shattered like glass.

You where at the bridge of the Heart of Horizon, the attack on Horizon was a few weeks ago and you had headed out to seek answers, my a miracle you had survived but in the process Mia had gotten even more shards and you felt your mind expanding...you had a problem seeing time as linear now, you exited in all points of time, you was a boy in England playing in your parent's garden, and you where on the floor on Ritual Room C holding Beatrice's hand after the attempted Gilgul, you where in the hospital room cheering Freddie on as she gave birth to your children...both births at once, and you remembered your past lives...but there was nothing beyond this point.
"I don't think we can go around."
The Captain said as he looked at the storm on the viewfinder.
"If we are following the vampire who seam to lead these Nephandi we have to go though but since the Heart is a phylactery, I am not sure she can take it..."
He said with a worried frown.
"But if we let the trail go cold he will jump timelines again."
Around you on the bridge there was a flurry of activity as the war ship was moving towards the storm but there was fear on everyone's faces, going in there would risk their souls, but not following Jace would risk reality itself, and everyone who crewed the Heart of Horizon was willing to make the sacrifice, but that do not mean they where not afraid.
"We can protect them my host but it will cost...us our humanity."
You hear Mia whisper from your soul.
"We can give a home to the shards but we will become...more..."

(OOC: It is automatic.)

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"I understand all that Colin but...but it would still be loosing you."
Beatrice said.
"Even if it is a transformation and not death, and also forget fate is this what you would want to do?"
She said then she sigh again.
"But I guess like you say Mia will continue to grow...who know how powerful you both will become."

Colin shook his head, "So many people thing Fate is a story written in stone, from before we were born. I don't think it is anything like that at all, it is merely the consequences of our choices, for good or ill - everything we do will bear fruit in the future, and some times, that means paying the piper for mistakes we've made. Some times, we don't get to choose the ideal outcome, we have to settle for finding an acceptable price to pay for what we want. Becoming a, heh, Wrinkle in Time in exchange for ending Jace, and ensuring my loved ones have a future to live and thrive in, seems a small price. Well... we'll see what paths lead to that probability, and what the options are."

"I got you my host."
Mia said simply as you looked at the hourglass and the hourglass and the world shattered like glass.

You where at the bridge of the Heart of Horizon, the attack on Horizon was a few weeks ago and you had headed out to seek answers, my a miracle you had survived but in the process Mia had gotten even more shards and you felt your mind expanding...you had a problem seeing time as linear now, you exited in all points of time, you was a boy in England playing in your parent's garden, and you where on the floor on Ritual Room C holding Beatrice's hand after the attempted Gilgul, you where in the hospital room cheering Freddie on as she gave birth to your children...both births at once, and you remembered your past lives...but there was nothing beyond this point.
"I don't think we can go around."
The Captain said as he looked at the storm on the viewfinder.
"If we are following the vampire who seam to lead these Nephandi we have to go though but since the Heart is a phylactery, I am not sure she can take it..."
He said with a worried frown.
"But if we let the trail go cold he will jump timelines again."
Around you on the bridge there was a flurry of activity as the war ship was moving towards the storm but there was fear on everyone's faces, going in there would risk their souls, but not following Jace would risk reality itself, and everyone who crewed the Heart of Horizon was willing to make the sacrifice, but that do not mean they where not afraid.
"We can protect them my host but it will cost...us our humanity."
You hear Mia whisper from your soul.
"We can give a home to the shards but we will become...more..."

He gazed at the storm, then nodded, "We... sorry, you all will be fine, Captain. Permission to address the crew?"
Waiting just long enough for the nod, he pressed the intercom button to address the entire ship, "Crew of the Heart of Horizon, we've reached the event horizon of the temporal storm our prey created. What I am about to tell you is going to shock you all, but it is important that you know who I am, and why I am doing this. My name is Colin Wainwright, but in the past, I was Heylel Teomim, and our betrayal of our Cabal was a desperate act to stop Moloch growing from the dissonance of our Avatars. It worked, though what happened to our found family was... not what we planned for; our punishment was spending centuries of regret for the First Cabal. My Avatar has been rebuilding, growing stronger with the absorption of other broken Avatars, and I am strong enough to protect you from the storm... I will absorb it, but in doing so, I will take my last step toward my final form, to protect us all... In a few minutes, or perhaps hours, or days, you will sense the presence of someone you have all heard of, a name feared among Mages everywhere. I will cease being Colin Wainwright, and become Old Man Wrinkle. And I will likely be very angry and focused. But I swear on my soul, I will not harm any among you, and I will do what I can to protect every last one of you, from the Fallen, and from backlashes. It has been an honour and a pleasure serving with you all, but things have come full circle. The monster who has made everything personal to me is going to face the Oncoming Storm... We can hold nothing back, in order to send him straight to the hell vampires are doomed to end up in, without any parole. Thank you for your attention."
Stepping back, he sighed, and held out his hand to the captain, "Thank you... I'll be stepping right outside to take care of the storm, push through when you see a clear opening. We... might not speak again like this."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin shook his head, "So many people thing Fate is a story written in stone, from before we were born. I don't think it is anything like that at all, it is merely the consequences of our choices, for good or ill - everything we do will bear fruit in the future, and some times, that means paying the piper for mistakes we've made. Some times, we don't get to choose the ideal outcome, we have to settle for finding an acceptable price to pay for what we want. Becoming a, heh, Wrinkle in Time in exchange for ending Jace, and ensuring my loved ones have a future to live and thrive in, seems a small price. Well... we'll see what paths lead to that probability, and what the options are."

"I know what you are saying Colin it is just that...I am selfish I don't want to loose you, I mean you are like my favorite uncle."
Beatrice said softly.
"And I know Freddy don't want to loose you either, there have to be some other way to end Jace for good, there just have to."

[Umbra December 2035]

He gazed at the storm, then nodded, "We... sorry, you all will be fine, Captain. Permission to address the crew?"

The captain gave a slight nod at that to show his approval.

Waiting just long enough for the nod, he pressed the intercom button to address the entire ship, "Crew of the Heart of Horizon, we've reached the event horizon of the temporal storm our prey created. What I am about to tell you is going to shock you all, but it is important that you know who I am, and why I am doing this. My name is Colin Wainwright, but in the past, I was Heylel Teomim, and our betrayal of our Cabal was a desperate act to stop Moloch growing from the dissonance of our Avatars. It worked, though what happened to our found family was... not what we planned for; our punishment was spending centuries of regret for the First Cabal. My Avatar has been rebuilding, growing stronger with the absorption of other broken Avatars, and I am strong enough to protect you from the storm... I will absorb it, but in doing so, I will take my last step toward my final form, to protect us all... In a few minutes, or perhaps hours, or days, you will sense the presence of someone you have all heard of, a name feared among Mages everywhere. I will cease being Colin Wainwright, and become Old Man Wrinkle. And I will likely be very angry and focused. But I swear on my soul, I will not harm any among you, and I will do what I can to protect every last one of you, from the Fallen, and from backlashes. It has been an honour and a pleasure serving with you all, but things have come full circle. The monster who has made everything personal to me is going to face the Oncoming Storm... We can hold nothing back, in order to send him straight to the hell vampires are doomed to end up in, without any parole. Thank you for your attention."

Through the ship there was complete silence as shocked faced looked at you, as mages was trying to process what was being said. No one said anything, you would have been able to hear a pin drop, and the silence carried with it a feeling of finality to it.

Stepping back, he sighed, and held out his hand to the captain, "Thank you... I'll be stepping right outside to take care of the storm, push through when you see a clear opening. We... might not speak again like this."

"I ehm...yes...ehm...are you Sure Mr Wainwright, we can still go around, we might loose Jace this time but we can try to find him again or we can risk going though, you do not have to do this."
The captain said, he looked rather pale. From your soul you heard Mia whisper.
"The choice is yours my host but this sacrifice is our redemption if we take it, instead of being a monster created by folly and arrogance we become a guardian, one that will keep this reality and those we love safe, we can keep our children safe, the twins and your flesh and blook and adopted children, we can keep them safe, but the choice is and always was ultimately yours. I have led and guided but such instruction have been to lead you to this point where you can make up your own mind and live with the consequences of whatever choice taken. We can avoid further shards and live as a moral mage, we can have centuries...unless Jace destroy the world, or we can make this sacrifice and become something...different."

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"I know what you are saying Colin it is just that...I am selfish I don't want to loose you, I mean you are like my favorite uncle."
Beatrice said softly.
"And I know Freddy don't want to loose you either, there have to be some other way to end Jace for good, there just have to."

Colin smiled and reached out to pat Beatrice on her hand, "I know... but here's the thing, even if I ultimately end up taking that route - which given Mia's growth I suspect is inevitable, there's still no saying when I have to take that last step. It'll be decades away, at the very least, but even so, it could be centuries, as well - if we can put an to Jace before he can do too much damage, it will buy me more time. Heavens know how much more time, but that doesn't matter. The important thing is how we spend the time we have; we can worry about something that's largely inevitable at some point in the future, or we can spend the time with our loved ones, focusing on building a better present and future together, for everyone. By rights, I should have died in the helicopter, 25 years ago. Every day after that, every connection I've made, every friend and all my found family since, is a priceless gift. And I'll never give that up, whether I lose my life, or my humanity."

[Umbra December 2035]

"I ehm...yes...ehm...are you Sure Mr Wainwright, we can still go around, we might loose Jace this time but we can try to find him again or we can risk going though, you do not have to do this."
The captain said, he looked rather pale. From your soul you heard Mia whisper.
"The choice is yours my host but this sacrifice is our redemption if we take it, instead of being a monster created by folly and arrogance we become a guardian, one that will keep this reality and those we love safe, we can keep our children safe, the twins and your flesh and blook and adopted children, we can keep them safe, but the choice is and always was ultimately yours. I have led and guided but such instruction have been to lead you to this point where you can make up your own mind and live with the consequences of whatever choice taken. We can avoid further shards and live as a moral mage, we can have centuries...unless Jace destroy the world, or we can make this sacrifice and become something...different."

He leaned a little on his brass cane, then straightened up, his back cracking softly as he did, "Captain, I see every day of my lives, almost as though it is happening right now. Too many of them with terrible experiences culminating in an Avatar torn apart... I am already teetering on the precipice, no longer entirely human, not yet entirely something else, I have had tried to stop Jace for twenty years, and the bastard has eluded me every damned time. We can't risk him getting away, and I won't let the crew be endangered by that storm, not when I know I can keep them safe."
He grinned, "Besides, now I can finally release that spell I've kept hanging in Concordia for months. I've been dying to cause a last stir there..."
Tapping the cane against the deck, he let go the reins of his last joke, and took a single step forward onto the bow of the ship, "Alright, Mia, I don't want to go, but I can't stay either... Let us eat, and let demons run. They'll only die tired."

Meanwhile, on Concordia, Heylel Teomim's gravestone was swiftly rewritten:

HEYLEL TEOMIM
THOABATH NO MORE
REBORN COLIN WAINWRIGHT
MOST ANNOYING ORPHAN
IN THE TELLURIAN
NOW OLD MAN WRINKLE
SEMPER VIGIL

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[TimeStop Labs]

'Only the ones who have shown themselves to be, kid. And they ain't even the biggest threat... ever hear the line "banal evil"?'

"Of course. That's the Technocracy's whole schtick. Suck the fun and color out of the world and control the sullen masses." Serge said with a frown. "Hostile Architecture, DMVs, Unpaid Internships. All chipping away at the soul. From what I can gather, banality is what'll kill my spider buddy."

"You can reprogram them, each chip will store one program and you can exchange what is stored in it at your leisure."
The stall owner confirmed.

'Or anything you can realistically think of, really.' Nicole replied, giving a glance to the Hermetic still looking at the stall, vaguely hoping that it might persuade them to make a purchase. 'Does it come with like, a free leaflet or pdf or something giving a load of ideas of what it could be used for?'

"It do indeed."
The House Thig member said tapping at some booklets on the table. The Hermetic looked a bit doubtful for a moment then she asked.
"Do it have to be implanted in my hand?"
"No madam it could be implanted anywhere, the meaty part of the hand are the most common for it is safe but if you are uncomfortable with that we can find another location, however I am only trained to insert it there but I can arrange an appointment at the Etherite clinic to have it implanted some other location."
He said and the Hermetic nodded.
"Very well I will take it."
She said and he smiled and gave Nicole a little thankful nod.
"Ah excellent madam, I will have all made ready for you at the clinic then."

Serge took a moment while Nicole, the Hermetic, and the salesmen were discussing business to take a booklet from the table. He leafed through it, bypassing the explanation on what the chips did and instead looked for information regarding the cost of implanting such the chips into the body.

Information that Serge noticed the Salesman had not once divulged in his pitch.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin smiled and reached out to pat Beatrice on her hand, "I know... but here's the thing, even if I ultimately end up taking that route - which given Mia's growth I suspect is inevitable, there's still no saying when I have to take that last step. It'll be decades away, at the very least, but even so, it could be centuries, as well - if we can put an to Jace before he can do too much damage, it will buy me more time. Heavens know how much more time, but that doesn't matter. The important thing is how we spend the time we have; we can worry about something that's largely inevitable at some point in the future, or we can spend the time with our loved ones, focusing on building a better present and future together, for everyone. By rights, I should have died in the helicopter, 25 years ago. Every day after that, every connection I've made, every friend and all my found family since, is a priceless gift. And I'll never give that up, whether I lose my life, or my humanity."

Beatrice nodded and looked down, she wiped at her eyes.
"I guess as fates go, having a chance to protect everyone is a better fate than most get but if I am alive when this...transformation take place I know I will miss you terribly."
The small woman said and she gave you a warm hug.
"I will support you whatever you decide to do Colin, like I said you are to me like a favorite uncle. But I just wish there was another way."

[Umbra December 2035]

He leaned a little on his brass cane, then straightened up, his back cracking softly as he did, "Captain, I see every day of my lives, almost as though it is happening right now. Too many of them with terrible experiences culminating in an Avatar torn apart... I am already teetering on the precipice, no longer entirely human, not yet entirely something else, I have had tried to stop Jace for twenty years, and the bastard has eluded me every damned time. We can't risk him getting away, and I won't let the crew be endangered by that storm, not when I know I can keep them safe."
He grinned, "Besides, now I can finally release that spell I've kept hanging in Concordia for months. I've been dying to cause a last stir there..."
Tapping the cane against the deck, he let go the reins of his last joke, and took a single step forward onto the bow of the ship, "Alright, Mia, I don't want to go, but I can't stay either... Let us eat, and let demons run. They'll only die tired."

Meanwhile, on Concordia, Heylel Teomim's gravestone was swiftly rewritten:

HEYLEL TEOMIM
THOABATH NO MORE
REBORN COLIN WAINWRIGHT
MOST ANNOYING ORPHAN
IN THE TELLURIAN
NOW OLD MAN WRINKLE
SEMPER VIGIL

You stepped off the ship and into the storm, and Mia ate. You could feel Quintessence flowing through you as she ate more and more shards, you could see Asencion...you could see godhood there for the taking and you could see Jace, now more than a vampire, in the heart of the storm, at his feet lay the slain body of a handosme Arabic man...Al Aswand, the Black Man, Nyarlathotep, Lord of the Aswadim, now just food for the being about to become Moloch. You saw in Jace's hands the grimoire. You knew you could still become a god, a Asended being, but only Old Man Wrinkle could spin time back to give his former self and the rest of the Cabal a chance to stop this.

More and more shards joined Mia and it was to much for your body to take. You was in your 60's but magick had kept you fit, looking like a 20 year old man but now your body rapidly aged and yet it did not die, there was no pain you was beyond such concepts, and as you stood there you saw a massive spider, silvery and ancient. The Weaver and she started weaving you into the Pattern, you became a part of Time itself, forever changed, forever a guardian and still Mia ate and the storm was consumed.

You was aware of the Heart of Horizon fierring at the Jace thing, you was aware of reality shattering and Moloch was blown apart as it was forming, but shards of the crystalized evil rained down across time, and two such shards hit Horizon in 2015. Jace was stopped in the future but his plot still needed to be ended in the past.

And then the world was bright, you saw all time, it's flow. You and Mia was one now, perfect. You was no longer human and yet you was you and then there was darkness.

You woke up on the floor of Jeffry's kitchen with Beatrice shaking you calling your name. The key was gone from your hand and you had a pretty bad headache. The flash of insight that flooded you made you feel drunk. The sensation of being all of time vanished, though you knew the shards of Moloch had landed and you could see enlightenment spreading towards your friends as well. More Seekings was coming. For now, you understood a bit more and for now you was Colin Wainwright, for at least a little while longer and you knew that if Jace's plot in the present could be stopped you might get more than 20 years. You would become Old Man Wrinkle, that had happened, it would happen but the time you had as a moral being might be prolonged. For now though your head span and you felt elated and terrible at the same time.

(OOC: Which give Colin his next dot of Arete and a mother of a headache at the same time.)

[TimeStop Labs]

"Of course. That's the Technocracy's whole schtick. Suck the fun and color out of the world and control the sullen masses." Serge said with a frown. "Hostile Architecture, DMVs, Unpaid Internships. All chipping away at the soul. From what I can gather, banality is what'll kill my spider buddy."

Rodrigo who heard he was being talked about appeared standing on a table and he tap tap tapped his feet excitedly.

Serge took a moment while Nicole, the Hermetic, and the salesmen were discussing business to take a booklet from the table. He leafed through it, bypassing the explanation on what the chips did and instead looked for information regarding the cost of implanting such the chips into the body.

Information that Serge noticed the Salesman had not once divulged in his pitch.

The booklet had a page about that, apparently you could have the chip implanted in your hand at the stand for 30 bucks. You can go to a clinic and have it done as well and the paragraph about that said the following:

If you live in USA where the medical community are controlled by the Syndicate and take it up the ass by the almighty dollar expect to pay through your nose. Anywhere else the estimate is between 50 an 100 dollars to have the chip installed depending on whatever or not you want a local anesthetic used.

There was also a rather suggestive cartoon about what the House Thig member felt the Syndicate did to the American health care system...there was some anger there apparently for ouch a cactus should not be used in such a way.

The rest of the page was about safety concerns, how the chip could be removed and possible side effects.

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

Beatrice nodded and looked down, she wiped at her eyes.
"I guess as fates go, having a chance to protect everyone is a better fate than most get but if I am alive when this...transformation take place I know I will miss you terribly."
The small woman said and she gave you a warm hug.
"I will support you whatever you decide to do Colin, like I said you are to me like a favorite uncle. But I just wish there was another way."

Colin chuckled, "Well, now, the important thing is stopping Jace, and Moloch. If that battle ends with me becoming Wrinkle, or if I stick around for another couple of centuries, that's neither here nor now, but trying to stop Jace sooner rather than later will only help."

[Umbra December 2035]

You stepped off the ship and into the storm, and Mia ate. You could feel Quintessence flowing through you as she ate more and more shards, you could see Asencion...you could see godhood there for the taking and you could see Jace, now more than a vampire, in the heart of the storm, at his feet lay the slain body of a handosme Arabic man...Al Aswand, the Black Man, Nyarlathotep, Lord of the Aswadim, now just food for the being about to become Moloch. You saw in Jace's hands the grimoire. You knew you could still become a god, a Asended being, but only Old Man Wrinkle could spin time back to give his former self and the rest of the Cabal a chance to stop this.

More and more shards joined Mia and it was to much for your body to take. You was in your 60's but magick had kept you fit, looking like a 20 year old man but now your body rapidly aged and yet it did not die, there was no pain you was beyond such concepts, and as you stood there you saw a massive spider, silvery and ancient. The Weaver and she started weaving you into the Pattern, you became a part of Time itself, forever changed, forever a guardian and still Mia ate and the storm was consumed.

You was aware of the Heart of Horizon fierring at the Jace thing, you was aware of reality shattering and Moloch was blown apart as it was forming, but shards of the crystalized evil rained down across time, and two such shards hit Horizon in 2015. Jace was stopped in the future but his plot still needed to be ended in the past.

And then the world was bright, you saw all time, it's flow. You and Mia was one now, perfect. You was no longer human and yet you was you and then there was darkness.

He squinted, stretching his focus to the two shards of 2015, to try to pinpoint the exact time and place they hit, checking if those were the interrupted visions, or some other malignancies...

[Horizon]

You woke up on the floor of Jeffry's kitchen with Beatrice shaking you calling your name. The key was gone from your hand and you had a pretty bad headache. The flash of insight that flooded you made you feel drunk. The sensation of being all of time vanished, though you knew the shards of Moloch had landed and you could see enlightenment spreading towards your friends as well. More Seekings was coming. For now, you understood a bit more and for now you was Colin Wainwright, for at least a little while longer and you knew that if Jace's plot in the present could be stopped you might get more than 20 years. You would become Old Man Wrinkle, that had happened, it would happen but the time you had as a moral being might be prolonged. For now though your head span and you felt elated and terrible at the same time.

He groaned softly, getting back on his feet, "Motherless son of a fatherless goat, that hurts... oh, bugger... that was a rush. We ended Jace-Moloch in the future, but two shards of him were flung back to here and now, I need to find them... I'm still Colin, and we can still stop Jace's plans in the present... and prevent him from getting Heylel's Grimoire. As horrible as it sounds, I may have to destroy it..."
Wobbling a little, he shook his head, "I'm going to have to spend a fair bit of money on hair tonic for the Chief, I fear, he's not going to like this revelation..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Horizon]

Colin chuckled, "Well, now, the important thing is stopping Jace, and Moloch. If that battle ends with me becoming Wrinkle, or if I stick around for another couple of centuries, that's neither here nor now, but trying to stop Jace sooner rather than later will only help.

"I understand that Colin and I agree it is just...well I hope you will stick around."
Beatrice muttered softly wiping tears from her big, brown eyes.

[Umbra December 2035]

He squinted, stretching his focus to the two shards of 2015, to try to pinpoint the exact time and place they hit, checking if those were the interrupted visions, or some other malignancies...

"They seamed to be other disturbances, you found them touching down though one at Horizon Chantry and one near the Electronics convention where you had just been...and yet it was 20 years ago and far into the future all at once.

[Horizon]

He groaned softly, getting back on his feet, "Motherless son of a fatherless goat, that hurts... oh, bugger... that was a rush. We ended Jace-Moloch in the future, but two shards of him were flung back to here and now, I need to find them... I'm still Colin, and we can still stop Jace's plans in the present... and prevent him from getting Heylel's Grimoire. As horrible as it sounds, I may have to destroy it..."
Wobbling a little, he shook his head, "I'm going to have to spend a fair bit of money on hair tonic for the Chief, I fear, he's not going to like this revelation..."

"Wow, you need to slow down Colin I can not understand you."
Beatrice said and she handed you a steaming hot cup of tea.
"Here take this and let me help you into a chair, then you can start by telling me if you are okey, and then we have to take all of this a bit slower."
The young Verbena said with concern in the voice as she tried to help you into one of the kitchen chairs.

[Warpmind]

[Horizon]

"I understand that Colin and I agree it is just...well I hope you will stick around."
Beatrice muttered softly wiping tears from her big, brown eyes.

Colin grinned, "Well, being an entity able to be everywhere and everywhen at once, I suppose I could stick around and socialize, even as a Paradox Spirit. Wouldn't that be fun to explain to the neighbours?"

"Wow, you need to slow down Colin I can not understand you."
Beatrice said and she handed you a steaming hot cup of tea.
"Here take this and let me help you into a chair, then you can start by telling me if you are okey, and then we have to take all of this a bit slower."
The young Verbena said with concern in the voice as she tried to help you into one of the kitchen chairs.

He nodded, sniffing the tea for a moment, "Ah, sorry, the key unlocked a vision of the future, the last strike on Wallace Jace, twenty years in the future... he was chewing on Al Aswad, with Heylel's tome in his hand, past a time storm he'd torn out of the Tellurian. I... consumed the storm, protecting the Heart of Horizon, and I became the Old Man. Moloch was destroyed, but... bugger, two shards came down here and now, near the cybernetics conference and at the Chantry proper... I've got to go get those before someone gets hurt!"
Accelerating the tea cooling a little, he gulped it down and put down the cup, and grabbed another pair of cookies, "I have got to run, I don't have the time to wait for others to accompany me... I'm stronger, I can feel it, good thing I keep in shape. Let your Mentor and the Chief know there's trouble at the Horizon Chantry, I'll check the conference area first."

Drawing up a quick circle, a faint golden ring in the air, he stepped through and accelerated out the door and back toward the convention center.

((OOC: Straight up Time 3 effect, time dilation/contraction. Arete rolls: 2,7,8,0 - 2,4,5,9 - 2,6,8,0. That'll have to do. for a REALLY fast sprint back to Timestop Labs - how appropriate...))

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