Re: The Aswadim, Hope and Despair IC Thread 5

[Adley]

"If you check the text message Adley I will keep watch over Mr Wainwright and Mr Ackerman." Jeffry said he would be the best both to keep watch and to deal with any threat at the moment. "Also collect the prisoners things, you never know what can be useful, but before we take them to the Chantry do you remember the rote I showed you? Make sure we do not lead our enemies there as well."

'Yes pater," he said. He collected up the items and the cell phone. "Hannah, do you have any other items on you that might be traced?" Yes, he'd looked but he'd not seen the tass. And he'd have to check the locket, so he may as well double check if he had to do the other items.

"As soon as I am done with this healing work Mr Roth Hicks, I will take care of that, these men where Nephandi right but their blood and flesh will still feed our tree."

Adley made a face. "Are you sure you wish to do that with Fallen? I would not want it to contaminate the tass...well, you would know. " And the less it was talked about in front of Hannah the better. He trailed off as he read the text message on the phone. "Speaking of that..."

"You, Mr Wainwright and a few others are on that list, well if someone can tear our man healer from his apprentice's side to spend an hour to get a good night's sleep that is, I have a feeling you all but have to drag him out of her room by that blond ponytail of his and time him down with it to do so."

He frowned a little. He knew the man must be tired as well and had taken an injury and there were many others in worse condition than him bu that wasn't something he wanted to talk about in front of Hannah. His exhaustion was mental and spiritual more than physical though he'd not had much seep either - it would be a lie to say he'd never been so tired in his life. "But of course you know best. Here, look at this." It seemed he was not ready to share with Hannah what was on the phone. The less she knew the better just in case. "I wouldn't want to leave this phone on while we travel since they have Technocratic barabbi; still this gives us something."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

'Yes pater," he said. He collected up the items and the cell phone. "Hannah, do you have any other items on you that might be traced?" Yes, he'd looked but he'd not seen the tass. And he'd have to check the locket, so he may as well double check if he had to do the other items.

"Anything could be traced."
Hannah said.
"I do not think any of my items are, but anything could be."
She said then she added.
"However the only thing in my possession at the moment I am not willing to part with at the moment are the locket I gave Colin. You are free to check you there is nothing private in my purse or on my person."
The woman said in a grumble.
"The locket however and the letter inside it are private. The necklace was a gift from Felix and the note..."
Hannah sigh and looks away.
"What the last thing he said to me.

Adley made a face. "Are you sure you wish to do that with Fallen? I would not want it to contaminate the tass...well, you would know. "

"I will check them off course, but it tend to be the Quintessence stored in their Avatars that are contaminated not their flesh, and for the two dead Nephandi those Avatars have gone to the Well by now so it should not be a problem, however thank you for your concern."
Duncan said and smiled.

"But of course you know best. Here, look at this." It seemed he was not ready to share with Hannah what was on the phone. The less she knew the better just in case. "I wouldn't want to leave this phone on while we travel since they have Technocratic barabbi; still this gives us something."

"Hum..."
Jeffry Morgan said as he read the text message.
"Interesting, the question is what we do about it, sooner or later the Nephandi will know their three men are lost to them, but we might be able to extend that time until they know by replying and perhaps manage to get this person to unwittingly give us more information."
The old mage said, he got a frown on his face as he read the message though, and he fished his node book up of his pocket and wrote.
"The sender seam to be terrified of our prisoner here perhaps we can use that to our advantage."

Hannah glanced at the two of you.
"Ahh feel the trust."
She muttered, not that she blamed the Traditionalists, but she still had to make a dry comment about it.

[Adley]

"However the only thing in my possession at the moment I am not willing to part with at the moment are the locket I gave Colin. You are free to check you there is nothing private in my purse or on my person." The woman said in a grumble. "The locket however and the letter inside it are private. The necklace was a gift from Felix and the note..."

"Thank you, I will try to make sure the locket is safe to bring," he replied simply. He knew Colin had it somewhere, along with the car keys.

"I will check them off course, but it tend to be the Quintessence stored in their Avatars that are contaminated not their flesh, and for the two dead Nephandi those Avatars have gone to the Well by now so it should not be a problem, however thank you for your concern."
Duncan said and smiled.

"I have seen....well, you will see it too, if that is the case," he said, reminded of the Nephandus that had been at the Villa node. His body had been horridly malformed. "Check carefully for signs of taint on their bodies."

The old mage said, he got a frown on his face as he read the message though, and he fished his node book up of his pocket and wrote.
"The sender seam to be terrified of our prisoner here perhaps we can use that to our advantage."
Hannah glanced at the two of you. "Ahh feel the trust."

Ignoring Hannah's snide remark, he wrote back in a hasty hand, Prob his appren. He's abusive. Hannah protective of her - H. is still sympathetic in some ways to them, all she knew in her life. V. conflicted but cooperating - does not want her avatar corrupted. Be careful of info and what she sees for now. Then with a frown, he started to think of what he might reply to the kid.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Thank you, I will try to make sure the locket is safe to bring," he replied simply. He knew Colin had it somewhere, along with the car keys.

"You do that for safe or not, I am bringing it."
Hannah said simply making it very clear that if someone took that locket from her that would be the end of her cooperation.

"I have seen....well, you will see it too, if that is the case," he said, reminded of the Nephandus that had been at the Villa node. His body had been horridly malformed. "Check carefully for signs of taint on their bodies."

Duncan nodded he slowly stood, Colin's shoulder was now covering in new, fresh skin.
"Your Cabalmate should be well now but like I said he needs sleep and a hot meal."
The Verbena said then he nodded.
"I know what you are referring to, sometimes it is corruption that cause the deformities, they are the marks and gifts of the dark things they serve, other times they are just Paradox flaws. It appear that the Fallen are more sensitive to paradox that the rest of us."
The shapeshifter said as he went over to the first of the dead Nephandi to check his body for corruption.

Ignoring Hannah's snide remark, he wrote back in a hasty hand, Prob his appren. He's abusive. Hannah protective of her

"Do we know the extent of the man's abuse? Anything we reply run the risk of someone as close to him as an apprentice knowing the message is not from him, another option is to tell her that he is captured and hope for information for her gratitude, also very risky though, as she might be loyal to him no matter what he have done to her."
Jeffry wrote and he got a dark look in his eyes, he did not like the thought of a teacher abusing his apprentices, being strict yes abuse now and he could not imagine what a Nephandus might do to his student.

H. is still sympathetic in some ways to them, all she knew in her life. V. conflicted but cooperating - does not want her avatar corrupted. Be careful of info and what she sees for now. Then with a frown, he started to think of what he might reply to the kid.

"That is understandable and to be expected."
Your mentor quickly wrote in his well used leather notebook.

[Tane Karyak]

If you wanna take a break, just give me a call. WHich reminds me, my good teacher. Tane wrote his number in his cellphone. Here, whenever you do something with your patients, call me. I'm going to stay here for a time. He said I don't want to be too separated from Beatrice. She needs us now and i've already fail her

[Adley]

"You do that for safe or not, I am bringing it." Hannah said simply making it very clear that if someone took that locket from her that would be the end of her cooperation.

Adley sighed irritably, his patience fraying a little more. The look and sound he made weren't so different than in class, yet was of a greater magnitude.

"Your Cabalmate should be well now but like I said he needs sleep and a hot meal." The Verbena said then he nodded. "I know what you are referring to, sometimes it is corruption that cause the deformities, they are the marks and gifts of the dark things they serve, other times they are just Paradox flaws. It appear that the Fallen are more sensitive to paradox that the rest of us."

He nodded to him. "Thank you. Did you also check the others for items?" Now that Colin was not being seen to he went to fetch the car keys and the locket from him, muttering an apology in Latin as he checked his pockets.

"Do we know the extent of the man's abuse? Anything we reply run the risk of someone as close to him as an apprentice knowing the message is not from him, another option is to tell her that he is captured and hope for information for her gratitude, also very risky though, as she might be loyal to him no matter what he have done to her."

He shook his head with a shrug at the first bit in a way that said he did not know, and shook his head 'no' to the second. He did not like that idea at all. He rubbed a hand across his face and then wrote, 'Given there are 2 others missing it might tip our hand, then they get checked on. Rather get ready to go before trying anything. Tell her she is annoying him while he's busy? Maybe not worth the risk.'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

If you wanna take a break, just give me a call.

"Want to yes, I am dead tired, especially after I lost control of a advanced teleportation rote yesterday and I have been working almost constantly since yesterday, but I dare not rest yet, both Beatrice and Tobias here need me right now."
Cita said. Tobias looked down.
"Sorry for being a bother."
He muttered but the Virtual Adept shook her head.
"You are not kid."
She reassured him.

WHich reminds me, my good teacher. Tane wrote his number in his cellphone. Here, whenever you do something with your patients, call me. I'm going to stay here for a time.

Cita took the paper and fished up her cell phone out of her pocked and added it to her contact list.
"I will keep that in mind and keep you updated."
The Spirit Healer said.

I don't want to be too separated from Beatrice. She needs us now and i've already fail her

"The Traditions failed her Tane, this was done to her by someone twisting the law to get their own agenda and that no one stepped up and stopped them make us all guilty, and me more than you due to me being a Master. However yes she will need all the support she can get...poor kid."
Cita muttered and sigh.

Adley:

Adley sighed irritably, his patience fraying a little more. The look and sound he made weren't so different than in class, yet was of a greater magnitude.

Hannah looked at Adley but she did not back down, not on this, she said nothing but her eyes said it all she would create quite a stir if her locket was not returned to her. Jeffry glanced at the Orphan and sigh.
"Worst case Miss Larson I will rent a bank deposit box and put the pendant in there until the situation is resolved, is that acceptable to you in the event we can not prevent it from being traceable with magick?"
The old mage offered and Hannah sigh again.
"I guess so..."
Jeffry nodded.
"Good one problem less."
He muttered in a bit of a snappy tone of voice though he still remained perfectly polite.

He nodded to him. "Thank you. Did you also check the others for items?" Now that Colin was not being seen to he went to fetch the car keys and the locket from him, muttering an apology in Latin as he checked his pockets.

"No not yet, tending to the wounded had to take precedence but I am checking them now, including their pockets."
Duncan said as he bent over the Nephandus who had half his head missing.
"I will put what I find in a pile over here."
The Verbena informed you.

You find the simple gold plated locket, it was a cheap piece and the cold was starting to wear away, it was the kind of gift a teenager might give to his girlfriend, it was fairly simple, with a few flowers in relief on the front.

He shook his head with a shrug at the first bit in a way that said he did not know, and shook his head 'no' to the second. He did not like that idea at all. He rubbed a hand across his face and then wrote, 'Given there are 2 others missing it might tip our hand, then they get checked on. Rather get ready to go before trying anything. Tell her she is annoying him while he's busy? Maybe not worth the risk.'

Jeffry nodded and wrote in his notebook.
"I agree, let us just leave it be for now until we are ready to leave this place and I have worked a ritual to try to prevent anything to be traceable to this place, one thing is finding us but I do not want the Nephandi to damage the Verbena''s tree either, the Coven are linked to it, very much like if it where their familiar, loosing it would be a hard blow to them. Once we are in the clear then we can decide what to do, for now let us keep watch while Mr Ackerman do his thing."

(OOC: Warp can probably list what else Colin have in his pockets if that is of interested. But in either case finding Hannah's locket is not hard.)

[Adley]

"Worst case Miss Larson I will rent a bank deposit box and put the pendant in there until the situation is resolved, is that acceptable to you in the event we can not prevent it from being traceable with magick?" The old mage offered and Hannah sigh again.
"I guess so..."
Jeffry nodded. "Good one problem less."

One problem less, which was good considering they had too many as it was. Not that he wouldn't try to check the thing out of course, nor did he fail to understand that it had sentimental value.

"No not yet, tending to the wounded had to take precedence but I am checking them now, including their pockets."
Duncan said as he bent over the Nephandus who had half his head missing. "I will put what I find in a pile over here." The Verbena informed you.

"Of course, thank you."

You find the simple gold plated locket, it was a cheap piece and the cold was starting to wear away, it was the kind of gift a teenager might give to his girlfriend, it was fairly simple, with a few flowers in relief on the front.

He took that and the keys, trying his best not to rifle through the man's personal belongings.

effry nodded and wrote in his notebook. "I agree, let us just leave it be for now until we are ready to leave this place and I have worked a ritual to try to prevent anything to be traceable to this place, one thing is finding us but I do not want the Nephandi to damage the Verbena''s tree either, the Coven are linked to it, very much like if it where their familiar, loosing it would be a hard blow to them. Once we are in the clear then we can decide what to do, for now let us keep watch while Mr Ackerman do his thing."

He nodded in agreement. "Good. I will work on the items gathered so we are ready to leave as soon as we can." He was glad to know they were going to try to protect the tree, it was hard enough with some of their resources down but that would be another loss they could ill afford. Never mind how it would affect the Verbena's morale and their sense of community, harm them physically and spiritually. Then he jotted down one more thing, turning over the notebook to his pater to see it. 'H. twin brother was used to create the caul. What remains of him is not much any longer but she wants his suffering to end.'

//He's not trying to grab/search for anything beyond what he is looking for - car keys, the locket.

[Warpmind]

As Adley rummaged through Colin's breast pocket for the locket, Colin stirred slightly, mumbling "Now, now, Freddie, that's a bit fresh before dinner..."
A few seconds later, a bleary eye creaked open a little, and Colin squinted a little, "Wait, you're not... ah... er, be a good lad and help me to my feet, Adley? Careful with my left shoulder, though, I'm afraid I've suffered a bit of an injury..."
He hissed a bit, as he weakly tried to pull himself up, "The car keys are in my right-hand jacket pocket; I'm afraid you'll have to drive us back..."

[Adley]

As Adley rummaged through Colin's breast pocket for the locket, Colin stirred slightly, mumbling "Now, now, Freddie, that's a bit fresh before dinner..." A few seconds later, a bleary eye creaked open a little, and Colin squinted a little, "Wait, you're not... ah... er, be a good lad and help me to my feet, Adley? Careful with my left shoulder, though, I'm afraid I've suffered a bit of an injury..."

Adley felt a flush of embarrassment hit his face as Colin began to mutter to himself, then he was staring Colin in the eye. He was glad the man was conscious, but a bit embarrassed as well. "No, ah...sorry I was just...the keys. Here, let me help you up. Duncan healed your shoulder. The spirit is gone, the Chief is here, everyone else accounted for and uninjured."

He hissed a bit, as he weakly tried to pull himself up, "The car keys are in my right-hand jacket pocket; I'm afraid you'll have to drive us back..."

"Right, thank you." He quickly got the keys and then helped him off the cold ground. "I figured. I'm glad that you are alright," he said, keeping a hand on his arm until he was able to steady himself in case he toppled back over.

[Tane Karyak]

Has nothing to do with "Traditions". It is a group of people, and people has done nothing to protect her. But, they had no need to do so, i told her i'd protect her. But i thought they were not comming yet, so i relaxed. I won't do it again.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley and Colin:

Chief Morgan smiles a little when he sees Colin conscious though he said nothing, as of yet, but he had been worried about the Orphan.

He nodded in agreement. "Good. I will work on the items gathered so we are ready to leave as soon as we can." He was glad to know they were going to try to protect the tree, it was hard enough with some of their resources down but that would be another loss they could ill afford. Never mind how it would affect the Verbena's morale and their sense of community, harm them physically and spiritually.

"Good do that I do not want to be here any longer than we need be, and at least not before we know the Nephandi can not trace us here,"
The old war mage said, he did not know exactly what loosing their Life Tree would do to the Coven of Verbena, but if it was like a familiar it would be a enormous blow and they could ill afford anything happening to their best healers at the moment, and besides it was unlikely Beatrice Alexander could take another trauma, not before she healed.

Then he jotted down one more thing, turning over the notebook to his pater to see it. 'H. twin brother was used to create the caul. What remains of him is not much any longer but she wants his suffering to end.'

Jeffry's eyes narrowed and he wrote down on the page.
"I have suspected that Cauls where made from a living mage, so an Awakened child then. This Nephandus woman is a horror, we will see her dealt with but yes, if possible we will grant H. wish and see to it that her brother's suffering ends."
The old mage looked at his apprentice then if it did not seam like Adley had more to say then he closed the book and focused on keeping watch around the glade.

By now Duncan had produced two small piles of personal items from the twp dead Nephandi. One pile held a smart phone, some sort of device made of a calculator and who know what other parts, a comb, a wallet and a bag of mint candies and the man's gun. The other pile had a older type phone, a small note book, three pens, a switchblade and car keys.
"This is what was on them."
Duncan said he had stripped each body naked and was studying them without a trace of embarrassment and yes one of the men you see, the one you shot in the head, have a large mouth in his belly with a tongue now hanging out and his privates appeared to have retractable spikes coming out of it. The other body though seamed normal enough though Duncan rolled it over and checked the back of it as well then he took an fist full of dirt and pured it on each body, carefully considering the way it fell.
"Hum...yes they should be fine to use for nutrients for our tree."
The shapeshifter said.
"The changes to the man's body are caused by corruption but there is not any considerable amount of tainted Quintessence in his blood or flesh, he will feed our tree nicely."

Your mentor glanced at you with a slightly wry smile and whispered.
"Sometimes I forget just how disturbing Verbena can be mea filius."
The old mage said and glanced at Duncan before he said.
"If you are sure Mr Ackerman then not having to deal with the bodies would be a help, we can easily enough take care of their things."
Duncan nodded.
"I am sure Mater Morgan."

"Right, thank you." He quickly got the keys and then helped him off the cold ground. "I figured. I'm glad that you are alright," he said, keeping a hand on his arm until he was able to steady himself in case he toppled back over.

"It is good to see you up and about Mr Wainwright, if you can make it back to Steelhaven then I will arrange for the needed rest for you."
Jeffry Morgan told Colin as he kept watch.

Tane:

Has nothing to do with "Traditions". It is a group of people, and people has done nothing to protect her. But, they had no need to do so, i told her i'd protect her. But i thought they were not comming yet, so i relaxed. I won't do it again.

"You could have done nothing to protect her from this Tane."
Cita said before she rose and patted the Dreamspeaker on the shoulder.
"If anyone could have used force to protect Miss Alexander do you think her mentor would have stood by and let them hurt her. They where six Masters of Spirit Tane, plus who know what other magick they knew and while it is possible you could sneak up on one of them, the others would take you down. If it will put your self doubt to rest then I will face you in a fight, let us see what you can do against one Master of the Art before you blame yourself for not going against six of them. If you had been here last night and tried to protect Beatrice, you would be either dead, or in a cell depending on how harshly the judges decided to deal with you."
The Virtual Adept's words might be harsh but they where the truth and it was best to nip this idea that Tane should have protected the young Verbena in the bud.
"If anyone failed it was the Masters of this Chantry, including me, we could have defeated them, however even if we had acted in such a way all that would have happened was that the Traditions would have either excommunicated this entire Chantry, putting all of the members here in danger, or more likely they would just send a greater force to take Beatrice and then what happened last night would have happened on Horizon where she also would be stripped and paraded into the Main Sentencing hall like an animal and it would have been done and completed while she was alone instead of surrounded by her friends and then everyone involved with protecting her in the first placed would be executed, perhaps branded and then executed for good measure. There was nothing anyone could have done last night, a solution was found eventually but I am not sure it could have been found earlier. You are not to blame for this, the only one to blame is Vittoria D'Angelo and your miss placed self blame do not help anyone."
Cita said sternly.

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled and, with Adley's help, wobbled to his feet, his knees looking a little more gelatinous than usual. "Everyone unscathed? That's good..."
He felt his shoulder, the freshly healed skin soft against his fingertip, and glanced at Duncan's funereal rite, "Oh, that's useful. A bit morbid and very pragmatic."
Looking up at Morgan, he added with a small wink, "I think I shall be able to come along, yes... Probably fall asleep in the car again, but I do have a dinner I should get back to. I'm afraid Miss Adelbloom will kill me and have me artificially reanimated if I don't."

((OOC: Oh, yeah, that means the health levels are restored? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Your shoulder is a bit tender and the freshly healed skin where a little sensitive, it felt to the touch the way a sunburn might, but other than that your shoulder did seam to be completely fine again. Duncan glanced over at Colin when he spoke.
"Life should not be wasted, when one is taken then all of it should be used."
The Verbena said before he turned his attention back to his work.
"I hope that when I one day die, something in nature will eat me, or my remains will otherwise be put to good use, that would be to honor life."
The healer said.
"Now do anyone have anything else they want to examine about these bodies before I work my magick and Duncan asked have the ground consume them?"

Jeffry Morgan looked at Colin and shook his head.
"Dinner will have to wait Mr Wainwright, however I will arrange for those that need it most to get a good night's sleep in a time bubble and you are on the list."
The old mage said.
"You do need to take care of your health though, and I am sure Miss Adelbloom will understand and postpone any desire to learn Necromancy."
The old mage said with a slight grin.

(OOC: Yes all the health levels are returned he is returned to perfect health.)

[Warpmind]

Colin nodded sagely to Duncan, "Waste not, want not... Sound policy."
Looking over to Morgan, he added, "So a night's sleep will take how long, then?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded sagely to Duncan, "Waste not, want not... Sound policy."

Duncan nodded.
"Exactly, and besides we need to do something with the bodies so sleeper authorities do not find them and then we might as well put them to good use as I have a feeling we will need that Quintessence before this whole ugly situation with the Fallen are resolved."
The shapeshifter said.

Looking over to Morgan, he added, "So a night's sleep will take how long, then?"

"I do not know Mr Wainwright, I will have to ask our Cultist about it."
Jeffry said he still did not mention Ryan's name.
"I hope he can arrange it so a night's sleep can be had in a hour or two, he can probably slow time even more but the more he slow time down the more he risk Paradox, even in the magick friendly environment of our Chantry and I do not want him to endanger himself."

[Warpmind]

"An hour or two... I can live with that. It will probably throw off my sleep cycle for a bit, but I'll be able to manage."
He wobbled a bit toward the tree, "Now, before we leave, I think I dropped a torch here..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"An hour or two... I can live with that. It will probably throw off my sleep cycle for a bit, but I'll be able to manage."

"Better to have your routines thrown of than to be barely able to stand Mr Wainwright, however I will not force you, the most important Chantry members to get to rest are Master Nassa, if we can pry him away from his apprentice's side and Cita, however I will fit as many others as we can in the time bubble, we do not know when we will have a chance to rest next, not before this whole situation is over."
Jeffry said and Duncan glanced over at the Hermetic.
"Well should you not you sleep as well Master Morgan?"
The Verbena asked but Jeffry just sigh.
"I should yes, however I need to hold a meeting at our chantry and make sure your Coven sister do not get tossed out of Steelhaven and hopefully be able to save another."
The old mage said he looked rather tired himself.
"I will be fine though."

He wobbled a bit toward the tree, "Now, before we leave, I think I dropped a torch here..."

You find your flashlight under the tree, it is pretty dark but it is still on so it is not hard to find.

[Warpmind]

Colin picked up the flashlight and flicked it off. "Right... Do we start making our way back to the car, or is there more we need to do first? I trust Chief Morgan and Duncan between them can take care of the gear and the prisoner... wait, we did get a prisoner, right?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Jeffry nodded when Colin asked about a prisoner he pointed to the unconscious, bound man on the ground.
"Yes though holding another prisoner will be hard, we might have to interrogate him and then turn him over to Lux Itineris or Westchapel to deal with."
The old Hermetic said.
"The alternative is to kill the Marauder in our custody but as Master Nassa have some history with her I will have to talk with him about it first."
The war mage said.

Duncan nodded.
"I am ready here, as soon as you guys deal with the Nephandi's possessions and move the prisoner then I will take care of the dead and then I am ready to go."
The healer said with a slight smile which was hard to see in the darkened glade.

[Tane Karyak]

I could at least suffer by her side, and didn't. Maybe take her out from here, maybe talk in her behalf, maybe hide her... Gain time for her before the solution could be found, that was possible and i didn't, even though i said i would. Leave it be, i know what i did, and i'm now staying in the chantry. That's enough. he said not very happy with the outcome of his actions and the other mage's actions.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

I could at least suffer by her side, and didn't. Maybe take her out from here, maybe talk in her behalf, maybe hide her...

Cita shook her head and gave Tane a sad look.
"If you had tried to escape with her you would be found and quickly, Master Nassa considered that but knew he could never have kept her hidden. Now as for talking on her behalf, I am sorry to say it Tane but none of them would have listened to you, the Traditions are a very Hierarchical structure and the voices of the young are usually ignored. Now as for being there with her, yes you could have but she was not alone. Now however you can help her, for a while she will need constant care and supervision, and those who care for her need to work in shifts to provide this...and afterwards, once she is physically and spiritually well again...no one know how traumatized she will be, she will need friends around her and she will need help for a long time."
Cita said calmly.
"Do not beat yourself for not being here last night, there is little you could have done, focus on making her better now when you can make a difference."
The Spirit Healer said and sigh.
"And be thankful that there is something there to save...if they had...completed it, she would have been just a husk, now at least she will hopefully recover."

Gain time for her before the solution could be found, that was possible and i didn't, even though i said i would. Leave it be, i know what i did, and i'm now staying in the chantry. That's enough. he said not very happy with the outcome of his actions and the other mage's actions.

"I can not stop you from blaming yourself, but I know from experience what such guilt can do to a person, and in your case it is not warranted."
Cita said and she looked sad when she went to sit down again.
"If you are staying at the Chantry you should probably speak with someone about a room then."
The Virtual Adept said changing the subject.

[Adley]

Looking up at Morgan, he added with a small wink, "I think I shall be able to come along, yes... Probably fall asleep in the car again, but I do have a dinner I should get back to. I'm afraid Miss Adelbloom will kill me and have me artificially reanimated if I don't."

His embarrassment turned to some amusement and then right back to tired and wary again. "That's one way to secure a date from you...let's make sure that doesn't happen. The fact that you sleep like the dead is bad enough," he said, trying to tease him somewhat. When he was relatively sure he could lean on the tree on his own he released him.

"You do need to take care of your health though, and I am sure Miss Adelbloom will understand and postpone any desire to learn Necromancy." The old mage said with a slight grin.

"Everyone needs a hobby I guess..."

"Now do anyone have anything else they want to examine about these bodies before I work my magick and Duncan asked have the ground consume them?"

Adley had no desire to look at the bodies, he'd see enough and anyway beyond their...corruptions he was not sure he could find anything useful at any rate. "I've got enough work to do if someone else thinks they can find something useful from that."

"Good do that I do not want to be here any longer than we need be, and at least not before we know the Nephandi can not trace us here,"
The old war mage said

He nodded. "Agreed. I will check Diego as well."

"I have suspected that Cauls where made from a living mage, so an Awakened child then. This Nephandus woman is a horror, we will see her dealt with but yes, if possible we will grant H. wish and see to it that her brother's suffering ends."

A trace of deep disgust passed over his face uninhibited at that, but he had nothing more to say and much to do. He turned back to the piles that Duncan had made and nodded. "Good."

"Hum...yes they should be fine to use for nutrients for our tree. The shapeshifter said. "The changes to the man's body are caused by corruption but there is not any considerable amount of tainted Quintessence in his blood or flesh, he will feed our tree nicely."

Your mentor glanced at you with a slightly wry smile and whispered. "Sometimes I forget just how disturbing Verbena can be mea filius."

Adley's look of disgust compounded exponentially but more at the state of the man's body than what Duncan was about to do to them. He looked ready to spit on the ground. Between that awful spirit and this, what they'd found at the node, all the foulness was much more disturbing by comparison. "At least it solves a problem," he said to his pater, then moved over to start working, casting a look at Hannah. "If you'd allow me to check your purse."

"Well should you not you sleep as well Master Morgan?" The Verbena asked but Jeffry just sigh. "I should yes, however I need to hold a meeting at our chantry and make sure your Coven sister do not get tossed out of Steelhaven and hopefully be able to save another." The old mage said he looked rather tired himself. "I will be fine though."

Adley looked over his shoulder at his mentor with brows raised. No, he didn't like that at all, not at all and his face showed it. "You need to rest. If we can split the difference somehow then let me know where I can be of use." He was under no illusion that he had the clout of his pater but maybe he could cut down on the logistical nightmare that was a time-sink. With a sigh, he went to another of the piles and lay out the phone in Diego's pile and then the necklace and from there to Diego himself, since he was coming with them, in the event he had anything embedded in his body. "Colin, there's two phones here, one with a recent message...let me check them first but it might be of use before we leave, stored numbers, messages. We should not keep them on however while we travel for obvious reasons."

// I'm not sure how many rolls for examining everything but I assumed one for each pile (one for the two dead Nephandi, one for Hannah's stuff esp the locket plus Diego himself) and rolled till he got at least one success for each: 4,4 - 7,5, - 3,2 - 8,3 - 8,7 - 0,2

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley had no desire to look at the bodies, he'd see enough and anyway beyond their...corruptions he was not sure he could find anything useful at any rate. "I've got enough work to do if someone else thinks they can find something useful from that."

"I will examine them as good as I can under the circumstances."
Duncan said as he studied the patterns the dirt he had poured on the bodies made across their chests.
"There is nothing here though, this one was a Technocrat once, he had a DEI in his head once, but it have long since been removed but the scar where the date port once where are still there."
The shapeshifter said and his voice was filled with disgust at the thought of putting machines in one's body.
"Other than that there is little I can say about them, I can tell you their physical age and health condition but as for anything useful no."

He nodded. "Agreed. I will check Diego as well."

"Very well, and make sure he is secured when you are at it."
Jeffry said and nodded.

Between that awful spirit and this, what they'd found at the node, all the foulness was much more disturbing by comparison. "At least it solves a problem," he said to his pater, then moved over to start working, casting a look at Hannah. "If you'd allow me to check your purse."

"That it do mea filius that it do."
The old mage said and nodded.
"Never let it be said that the Verbena are not practical."

Hannah did not seam to like letting you check her private possessions but she nodded and handed you a well used, beige leather purse. Inside of it where her Nokia phone, her little ladies gun, apartment and car keys, some make up, a nail file, a bag of nut mix, tickets to a rock concert for Friday next week and her wallet, a wand she apparently did not need for her magick and a pen.

Adley looked over his shoulder at his mentor with brows raised. No, he didn't like that at all, not at all and his face showed it. "You need to rest. If we can split the difference somehow then let me know where I can be of use." He was under no illusion that he had the clout of his pater but maybe he could cut down on the logistical nightmare that was a time-sink.

"Yes I do need to sleep but right now the Chantry needs unity and I think I need to be there to explain myself as to why Miss Alexander's nature was not revealed to them, it is the only way to rebuilt trust."
The old mage said then he sigh.
"I will try to get some rest Adley do not worry about me, and you are being of use, you are pulling more than your share of the weight, but this meeting I have to handle, both for the Chantry's sake and for Miss Alexander and..."
Jeffry stopped himself, he did not want Hannah to know they had two widderslainte at Steelhaven at the moment.
"That kid showed remarkable courage when he came with you willingly, he deserves better than what will happen as soon as our favorite Quaesitor figure out that we have him, but I can do nothing for him before I have dealt with the situation around Beatrice and possibly gained enough trust for the Chantry to let me help him."

With a sigh, he went to another of the piles and lay out the phone in Diego's pile and then the necklace and from there to Diego himself, since he was coming with them, in the event he had anything embedded in his body.

You find very little on the two dead Nephandi, nor anything that feel magickal in Hannah's stuff other than her wand which would have picked up her own Resonance as she used it, a foci for Forces you think as you can feel those swirling, dynamic energies in the carved length of wood. The locket have nothing magickal about it, but it is clearly a strong arcane connection to Hannah since she value it so much, so if someone have the locket and their Paradigm works with such tools they can probably reach her. Inside the locket is a folded up piece of paper. If you begin to unfold it to read it though Hannah will give you a pretty cold look that speaks volumes of what she thinks about your invasion of her privacy.

Of the piles of stuff from the Nephandi two of them you find nothing, the third pile though, the one belonging to the man that you shot in the head, there you feel something both from his phone and from the strange device he had on him, they might just be his foci, but there where clearly magick in them and they could probably be traced as well. Diego have nothing on him and you feel nothing else from him than that he is a mage.

As you begin to examine him Diego begin to stir, he groan then he open his eyes. The Nephandus is of slightly below average weight, he have short, dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, his face is rounded with thin lips and a sharp nose, he looks to be of Spanish or Mexican decent.
"What the fuck happened."
Diego begin then he sees you.
"Ah yes, fucking Traditionalists, that happened."
He muttered then begun to struggle against his bonds and seamed to get quite scared when he found he could neither move his fingers, or feel them.

(OOC: That sounds about right.)

[Tane Karyak]

Yeah, i'm... I have to do some things, other than the usual ones. I... might have a new mage to bring, i have to take care of the safety of the node, i need to go to talk the other chantry about hunting the nephandi, and i need to bring Coawa... There's a lot to do.

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