Re: Battle, Death and a Pine Cone IC Thread 18

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

(OOC: Yes you can do a perception roll to see if you get more of what you are seeing and what it is than described. Yes the wind would seam like a magickal effect of some kind, it seams to massive than just the little weirdness as the books describe it, that happen around Adepts and Masters. So yes an perception plus Awareness roll would be in order I agree and might give them time to do something about it.)

[Tane Karyak]

Tane enters then to talk to the vampires and henrietta.
Misters, hello. Hen how are you!

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

In the small room you saw two vampires laying on makeshift beds, both where staked and you could see in their eyes they where in considerable pain. One was the man you had taken a picture of, though now he was fully awake, the other was a young man with large ology eyes and light brown, messy hair. A radio stood on the floor, set to a channel that played music from the 30's and 40's. Henrietta sat between the two men, there was a chess board in front of her, and she helped the two paralyzed vampires play by using a piece of paper with a grid on it, and then the two cold show her with eye movements for yes and now what they wanted to move and where.

The vampires clearly got scared when you entered the room, they where helpless, it was understandable they would be jumpy, their eyes widened and focused on you. Henrietta gave you a slight smile.
"Hello Tane, gentlemen do not worry this man is my friend he will not harm you."
She said then she nodded.
"I am well, our two guests though have been better...what can I do for you?"

[Warpmind]

"Cotta and Abigail yes with Miss Carlyle her Avatar will probably not care much if it's host are incapacitated in such a way."
Crexia said.
"And it is the dangerous party here and not Miss Carlyle herself."
Colin nodded, "True, but the Avatar fights to protect her, and the distress of being pressed down by an unexpected five Gees or so might distract it briefly. It's worth a shot, I think, if I can get it..."

Udella sigh.
"Banishing her might work though she will come back again sooner or later, I guess we can discuss the matter and come up with a strategy for how to deal with Mrs Tilder eventually but it is a delicate matter if you want to contain her, you do not want to end up torturing her in the process, I might be able to contain her in a less...harmful way, send her to a pocket realm perhaps, that could work."
The Enforcer said.
"It is an unfortunate situation.

He nodded, "Additional torment would... not be desirable, no. A pocket realm would be preferable then."

"No...we are not..."
Nancy said and she lifted her hands to nervously tug at her black hair.
"We can be chewed by the number that eat...."
Leon raised an eyebrow.
"Well now, that was comforting."

He sighed, "Hardly unexpected, though..."

Suddenly you and Colin both saw a manifest in the corner by the marked bits of Labyrinth flesh, the figure where appearing fast but it had not attacked...not yet. Somewhere around the corridor something was howling, it sounded like wind blowing through a long, rusted tube, and it seamed to come from all directions at once,and worse it was getting closer...

Colin's eyes widened, and he reflexively raised his ring in the approximate direction of the thing, beginning to mutter, "Malomagia repercutio..."

((OOC: Perception+Awareness roll: 1,2,5,8... So, Colin sees, but doesn't understand what he sees? Also, he starts trying to come up with a suitable magical defense, but I don't think he gets an Arete roll in the surprise stage with a perception roll like that... ))

((OOC2: You need to get a replacement doctor. Took me long enough to get a new doctor - basically, I had to wait five years for my old one to retire, to get a new one who doesn't believe obesity is a one-way trip to diabetes...))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "True, but the Avatar fights to protect her, and the distress of being pressed down by an unexpected five Gees or so might distract it briefly. It's worth a shot, I think, if I can get it..."

"Very well, while the other...plans are put into effect I guess attempting such a thing is not a problem, jsut make sure you do not kill the young woman."
Cexia said, still sounding somewhat doubtful.

He nodded, "Additional torment would... not be desirable, no. A pocket realm would be preferable then."

"I can probably make one for her which will be comfortable enough while to work on a plan for how to deal with her on a more permanent basis."
Udella suggested.
"Well for now let us focus on the task at hand and deal with poor Mrs Tilder later."

He sighed, "Hardly unexpected, though..."

"Well no, even so let us try not to become the Labyrinth's breakfast shall we...I eat way to much sugar, I would be bad for it's cholesterol."
Leon said and joked to hide his nervousness.
"Which reminds me...what do this thing eat?"
He asked.
"Something tell me you do not want to know."
Loretta said as she pulled out her gun and aimed it at the bit of now shivering Labyrinth flesh.

Colin's eyes widened, and he reflexively raised his ring in the approximate direction of the thing, beginning to mutter, "Malomagia repercutio..."

You see the human figure manifesting but it will be hard to get of a spell before it is fully here, the strange wind through a tube sound though, that you do not know what is and it seams like your focus is more on the quickly manifesting figure instead.

(OOC: No arete roll yet and the human figure manifesting that Colin sees but he do not really have any idea about the wind he hears.)

(OOC 2: Yes I do, and do not even get me started on this doctor and obesity, he told me once there exist no old fat people, and when I asked him what to do to loose weight eat less, exercise more, which is true but...it is not quite that simple now is it. )

[Adley]

// Per+aware: 4, 9, 9, 9, 7 - well, that should be enough to get an inkling/intuition

ooc2 - I thought American doctors were harsh sometimes >. < then again with the new 'health' bills the govt is proposing, we won't be able to afford to go to any doctor anyways (sad trombone sound) /rant

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

You see the figure manifesting but at the same time you hear that howling noise and you are pretty sure it is some sort of rote, and that it is spiritual in nature, higher spiritual. If you where to guess the wind was not exactly a Wind of Mundane silence but not far from it, a rote mean to attack your group's Avatars, not enough to cause any lasting harm, but enough to cause extreme pain probably, debilitating pain which would make your group easy to pick off once you where all down on the ground screaming, it was a effective but dirty tactic, and while you can not be sure that is what the building spell was, it would be your guess with the manifesting figure being an attempt to distract from the real threat.

(OOC: Well at least we do have to worry about affording to go to the doctor, so there is that, but not all doctors are good, then again my husband have the same doctor as me and he is very happy with him so perhaps it is just personalities that do not match well. The was USA handle healthcare is horrible, I can not imagine a system where only the rich can afford healthcare.)

[Warpmind]

"Very well, while the other...plans are put into effect I guess attempting such a thing is not a problem, jsut make sure you do not kill the young woman."
Cexia said, still sounding somewhat doubtful.

Colin nodded, "The bullets are lighter, almost on par with silver, and thus have far less penetration power - and the enchantment should suffice to restrain an individual for some ten minutes' time, according to the creator. I'll trust her assessment in her less-lethal munitions."

"I can probably make one for her which will be comfortable enough while to work on a plan for how to deal with her on a more permanent basis."
Udella suggested.
"Well for now let us focus on the task at hand and deal with poor Mrs Tilder later."

He nodded, "A planning session at a later time."

"Well no, even so let us try not to become the Labyrinth's breakfast shall we...I eat way to much sugar, I would be bad for it's cholesterol."
Leon said and joked to hide his nervousness.
"Which reminds me...what do this thing eat?"
He asked.
"Something tell me you do not want to know."
Loretta said as she pulled out her gun and aimed it at the bit of now shivering Labyrinth flesh.

He glanced over at Leon, "When you're a cannibal, is every fight a food fight? Best not ponder too closely."

You see the human figure manifesting but it will be hard to get of a spell before it is fully here, the strange wind through a tube sound though, that you do not know what is and it seams like your focus is more on the quickly manifesting figure instead.

He frowned, muttering his incantation and waiting for the person - 'hopefully' Cotta? - to appear fully.

((OOC: Well, that's basically the difference between US an European healthcare, on the whole: US doctors may on average be better doctors, but Europeans can afford to see their doctors...))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "The bullets are lighter, almost on par with silver, and thus have far less penetration power - and the enchantment should suffice to restrain an individual for some ten minutes' time, according to the creator. I'll trust her assessment in her less-lethal munitions."

"Hum...very well then I see no harm in trying that approach, and yes if the Avatar think Matty Carlyle are in danger it might be distracted by tying to save her, it might buy us a few seconds in a pinch though it might also enrage that abomination of a soul she play host to."
Crexia said and frowned.

He nodded, "A planning session at a later time."

"Yes agreed and I will help you with this if I can young man."
Udella promised.

He glanced over at Leon, "When you're a cannibal, is every fight a food fight? Best not ponder too closely."

"Well the Labyrinth walls are not technically speaking cannibals, I mean we are not Labyrinth walls, at least I hope not or my old Mentor might end up being most dismayed."
Leon said and grinned then he turned serious.
"But no...you are right it is probably not something it is good to dwell on no."

He frowned, muttering his incantation and waiting for the person - 'hopefully' Cotta? - to appear fully.

The figure manifested fully, it was clearly not Cotta as it seamed to be made of thorns, dead leaves and twigs.
"Oh fuck get down."
Leon suddenly called out, then two things happened at once, the twig figure exploded into a million sharp shards of thorns a twigs and Olamide shouted something and the fragments where stopped by an invisible barrier shooting out from her outstretched palm, en in another shadowy corner another figure started to manifest.
"Fuck, fuck,fuck..."
Leon muttered as he picked himself off the floor.
"Here comes another one."
Rosario warned.

(OOC: We should let Strife reply about the strange howling sound before continuing.)

[Adley]

...If you where to guess the wind was not exactly a Wind of Mundane silence but not far from it, a rote mean to attack your group's Avatars, not enough to cause any lasting harm, but enough to cause extreme pain...

It clicked, what Mr Tilder had said about Cotta sending their avatars all into pain. Here it came right at them, never minding the other things in the edge of his vision. "Spiritual wind is going to attack our avatars," he warned as fast as he could as raised up his hands to try to lessen its effect. "Fila filis auri in Spiritu..." Similarly to how Colin and he had worked on the wall of air and to how he had described it to Cara and some of the others, Adley tried to use Prime and Spirit to dissipate the wind rote before it hit them full on by working with the nature of the Tellurian against the oncoming Wind.

// ooc 1: thanks for waiting, doggo and I went on a nice walk while the weather was sunny : ) Colin wins for the thread's best one-liner again: "When you're a cannibal, is every fight a food fight?" LOL

ooc2: Arete: 1,3,2 - yikes, yeah, gonna have to use that re-roll, thanks James! 7, 9, 2 - should at least be one sux, if not two and hopefully some of the others got the idea. Also, since I'm not sure what's going on with spirit-fog from hell when Leon warns them, I assume Adley might be preoccupied with that if it was still coming - but I figured I'd see what happened before responding to that part. Thanks!

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

It clicked, what Mr Tilder had said about Cotta sending their avatars all into pain. Here it came right at them, never minding the other things in the edge of his vision. "Spiritual wind is going to attack our avatars,"

Cara froze in terror at your warning. Crexia and Udella though wasted no time and started working protections, The Cultists though where helpless they could not get into their trances fast enough to do anything but cringe. Nancy did...something, she carved symbols into her hand with her knife much like a Verbena would. Olamide nodded and begun her own working, dropping her hand from where she had been working on the kinetic shield that protected the group from the exploding thorn figure.
"What...fuck!"
Leon shouted and froze in fear while James begun to roll his dice. Mages do not like the message that something where coming for their Avatar, they do not like it one little bit.

he warned as fast as he could as raised up his hands to try to lessen its effect. "Fila filis auri in Spiritu..." Similarly to how Colin and he had worked on the wall of air and to how he had described it to Cara and some of the others, Adley tried to use Prime and Spirit to dissipate the wind rote before it hit them full on by working with the nature of the Tellurian against the oncoming Wind.

You know when you are at an office and it is just pandemonium with several people seaming to work on the same thing but by themselves at their own desks screaming messages at one another while phones are blaring? That is how this felt, several of the gathered magi those not stunned with fear of the thing worked their own magick, each with it's own flavor and each with the idea to either counter that effect or protect against it. You felt your efforts doing something, you can sense that bit of wrongness in those howls, how reality have been destroyed until only this weapon sent for your souls where left, and you can feel your magick helping reality return to what it should be, you are pretty sure the effect was lessened and by the time it hit, it was no longer a howling wind but more of a soft breeze, it was still a weapon though and it still hit, but much softer than it otherwise would.

(OOC: James is a useful man. Well then gentlemen if you would not mind rolling Stamina plus Avatar to see if the weakened wind do any damage...and then I have a whole ton of NPC's to roll for.)

(OOC 2: Aww a nice walk with a dog is always a good thing. I miss having a dog. )

[Adley]

Cara froze in terror at your warning. Crexia and Udella though wasted no time and started working protections, The Cultists though where helpless they could not get into their trances fast enough to do anything but cringe. Nancy did...something, she carved symbols into her hand with her knife much like a Verbena would.

Of those that he knew were most vulnerable, like Cara, Colin, the brothers and the healers, he hoped that some of the shield he put up might help if it hit them, if they were near him. But he wasn't sure if it would be able to stop it, but he was already doing all he could. The magic he wove was softening it but it still came at them even as he stood chanting. He tried to steel himself against the inevitable moment when it would wash over them, working right to the last to disperse its power.

// Avatar rating is 4, Sta is 2: 5, 9, 4, 6, 4, 9

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Your Avatar stood tall against the wind, you could feel it brush against her and it felt...disgusting and wrong, not only did this thing touch your Avatar without your consent, but the dark, twisted magick of the Nephandi was abhorrent to the noble warrior angle, other than disgust though you felt little as you felt she just brushed the attack aside, not the situation was scary to have someone target the core of your being like that felt very different from someone aiming a gun at your physical self, but even so you where unharmed. Your Avatar though was angry was a wild flame, she was full of righteous rage and indignation, she did not generally like to be touched or even looked at by anyone but you, and these days she had been attempted eaten, looked at and touched, impaled by an Umbrood shard and generally had her privacy disturbed and now a Nephandus cast a spell on her...no she is not happy, not happy at all.

You her Olamide gasp, but the Tytalus stood tall never the less and she did not seam harmed, the wind seamed to have absolutely no effect on Cara, it just blew past her, perhaps it was your protections or perhaps it was her Imprints that protected her. Leon seamed to be fine but James cried out in pain and hit the floor trashing around wildly. Nancy whimpered terrified but she did not seam to be harmed. Loretta as well seamed to be fine but she swore under her breath. Rosario grunted in pain and her Mentor grabbed her so she would not fall over but the wind could not have much more than graced her for she seamed to be recovering quickly so no damage could have been actually inflicted. Crexia and Udella seamed fine, which where no surprise with their power it was likely their Avatars where old and powerful. Crexia gave a grunt of disgust though as Udella moved to check on James.

(OOC: Poor James everyone pulled through but Rosario who got one success to little and our poor Fortunae who botched, rerolled due to his own effect and failed...this is not his day. Also Adley's Avatar is somewhat miffed at Cotta for that one. )

[Warpmind]

"Hum...very well then I see no harm in trying that approach, and yes if the Avatar think Matty Carlyle are in danger it might be distracted by tying to save her, it might buy us a few seconds in a pinch though it might also enrage that abomination of a soul she play host to."
Crexia said and frowned.

Colin snorted lightly, "Considering what we're... going to do to her, I think her Avatar will be abundantly enraged already by the time I might get a clear shot at her..."

The figure manifested fully, it was clearly not Cotta as it seamed to be made of thorns, dead leaves and twigs.
"Oh fuck get down."
Leon suddenly called out, then two things happened at once, the twig figure exploded into a million sharp shards of thorns a twigs and Olamide shouted something and the fragments where stopped by an invisible barrier shooting out from her outstretched palm, en in another shadowy corner another figure started to manifest.
"Fuck, fuck,fuck..."
Leon muttered as he picked himself off the floor.
"Here comes another one."
Rosario warned.

Colin's eyes widened, and he lost the focus he hadn't even begun to build yet as he ducked lower, "What the floral fuckery...?"

It clicked, what Mr Tilder had said about Cotta sending their avatars all into pain. Here it came right at them, never minding the other things in the edge of his vision. "Spiritual wind is going to attack our avatars," he warned as fast as he could as raised up his hands to try to lessen its effect. "Fila filis auri in Spiritu..." Similarly to how Colin and he had worked on the wall of air and to how he had described it to Cara and some of the others, Adley tried to use Prime and Spirit to dissipate the wind rote before it hit them full on by working with the nature of the Tellurian against the oncoming Wind.

He flinched only for a moment, then raised his ring again, willing a shield around himself, weak though it may be, "Malomagia repercutio!"

((OOC: Colin tries to squeeze out a quick reflecting shield, obviously - essentially the same thing that his Avatar did when Warden tried to flense Mia, though he might not be consciously aware of that. Arete roll: 3,5,5. Well, might do some good... As for the Stamina+Avatar roll... 4,9,9,0. Damn, Mia IS stubborn. Though she be little, she is fierce... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin snorted lightly, "Considering what we're... going to do to her, I think her Avatar will be abundantly enraged already by the time I might get a clear shot at her..."

"Well yes but I would prefer it got enraged after we where busy dealing with it and not when it have a chance to do something with it's annoyance."
Crexia said and raised and eyebrow.

Colin's eyes widened, and he lost the focus he hadn't even begun to build yet as he ducked lower, "What the floral fuckery...?"

"It seams the woman you royally pissed of have some...unique tricks up her sleeves."
Leon muttered as he got to his feet and aimed his gun at the new forming shadowy figure.
"Not that unique, I have seen Verbena pull stunts like this."
Loretta commented, which was about the time when Adley's warning shout came and everyone either froze in terror or tried to come up with some quick spell to defend themselves.

He flinched only for a moment, then raised his ring again, willing a shield around himself, weak though it may be, "Malomagia repercutio!"

You felt the wind brush against your Avatar, it felt disgusting, violating and wrong, but there where no pain, Mia would have none of that bullshit and she brushed of the attack seemingly effortlessly leaving her unharmed, but oh was she angry, she did not enjoy being touched by anyone but her host anymore than Adley's fiery angle did and she actually grabbed at the threads of the incoming spell as it passed her and got within her reach...well that was a simplification of matters but it was what it felt like to you. Mia was holding onto that slip of Prime and tugging at it like someone who catch an opponent's whip and tugged on the weapon to try to drag their foe of balance, you saw the new briar doll forming in the corner shivered a bit, as if it's caster got so distracted by Mia biting back that she almost lost control of her other spell and now was focusing on trying to get free of Mia's grip, you did not think that grip would hold for long, but you little Avatar was tugging for dear life and was not planning on letting go willingly.

You do not know if your shield do much, but you seam to have escaped the wind unharmed, you do hear James scream though and Rosario grunt in pain and there was still the thorn doll to deal with before it exploded as it's twin had, though Mia's grip on...something...seamed to have considerably slowed the incoming spell.

(OOC: Do not piss off Mia. )

(OOC 2: Well then I am off to a meeting to see if the doctors office can arrange things for me in a way so I can be comfortable enough to even try to get the needed tests done Friday...oh joy. )

[Warpmind]

"Well yes but I would prefer it got enraged after we where busy dealing with it and not when it have a chance to do something with it's annoyance."
Crexia said and raised and eyebrow.

Colin nodded, "Precisely. I'd gamble on the enchanted bullets as a distraction after you engage it, not as the opening maneuver. I'm willing to wager good money we'll encounter the poor thing first while miss Carlyle is hiding, in any case..."

"It seams the woman you royally pissed of have some...unique tricks up her sleeves."
Leon muttered as he got to his feet and aimed his gun at the new forming shadowy figure.
"Not that unique, I have seen Verbena pull stunts like this."
Loretta commented, which was about the time when Adley's warning shout came and everyone either froze in terror or tried to come up with some quick spell to defend themselves.

"An unexpected response, but a good reminder to treat my rosebush well."

You felt the wind brush against your Avatar, it felt disgusting, violating and wrong, but there where no pain, Mia would have none of that bullshit and she brushed of the attack seemingly effortlessly leaving her unharmed, but oh was she angry, she did not enjoy being touched by anyone but her host anymore than Adley's fiery angle did and she actually grabbed at the threads of the incoming spell as it passed her and got within her reach...well that was a simplification of matters but it was what it felt like to you. Mia was holding onto that slip of Prime and tugging at it like someone who catch an opponent's whip and tugged on the weapon to try to drag their foe of balance, you saw the new briar doll forming in the corner shivered a bit, as if it's caster got so distracted by Mia biting back that she almost lost control of her other spell and now was focusing on trying to get free of Mia's grip, you did not think that grip would hold for long, but you little Avatar was tugging for dear life and was not planning on letting go willingly.

You do not know if your shield do much, but you seam to have escaped the wind unharmed, you do hear James scream though and Rosario grunt in pain and there was still the thorn doll to deal with before it exploded as it's twin had, though Mia's grip on...something...seamed to have considerably slowed the incoming spell.

He narrowed his eyes and opened one of the valves, feeling for that faint link, "Multigladia ex malomagia per adnexus magia!"
This... would probably hurt Cotta, over and over... and Colin had the Quintessence to spare for it.

((OOC: So, yeah, Prime Bolts tracing the correspondence link, cycling through for as long as the tank, link or spell holds up... Arete roll: 5,7,0... Yeah, that just might hold long enough to sting a LOT. ))

((OOC2: Yeah, I just got my summons to surgery today. "Get in quick" apparently translates to "October" these days. Need to try to get that accelerated a bit. :/ ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "Precisely. I'd gamble on the enchanted bullets as a distraction after you engage it, not as the opening maneuver. I'm willing to wager good money we'll encounter the poor thing first while miss Carlyle is hiding, in any case..."

"Hum...that might be a good idea...and there is like you said a chance that the Avatar would try to help the host rather than fight us, perhaps for the few moments we need."
Crexia said and nodded, she seamed more accepting of you plan now.

"An unexpected response, but a good reminder to treat my rosebush well."

"And a reminder never to piss of a Verbena, or worse a Coven of them."
Leon muttered.

He narrowed his eyes and opened one of the valves, feeling for that faint link, "Multigladia ex malomagia per adnexus magia!"
This... would probably hurt Cotta, over and over... and Colin had the Quintessence to spare for it.

Mia held onto that string of Prime and will, the connection to that other spellcaster who had been attacking you and your group, that bit of will which had touched her, and over that link you sent your Prime bolts, just setting the corrupted Tass to burn, and you heard a scream, faintly as if it was here and not here at the same time but it most certainly was a woman's desperate howl of pain, the briar doll in the corner collapsed into half formed twigs, and the flesh on the wall begun to bleed, a drop of putrid blood also dripped from the roof and hit your hand. Finally Mia could not hold onto that link anymore, but you had done some damage, some serious damage to the Nephandus wherever she was at the moment. Crexia look in your direction and raise an eyebrow.
"Whatever it was you did...well done."
She commented then she added.
"Are you injured?"

Crexia looked at Udella who where taking care of James who where still screaming and she looked more than a little bit concerned.
"Sodalis keep the rest safe..."
She said to her fellow Tytalus then she glanced at Rosario who was bent over, her hands on her knees grunting but from what you had seen of the reaction mages had to Avatar injuries Cotta's spell could hardly have more than graced her for she was still standing, probably it had rustled the Cultist's soul, scared it which the young archer now felt, but it was unlikely her soul was damaged, James though...it was hard to know the man was convulsing on the floor, screaming, but if his soul was bruised or anything more...serious would be hard to tell until Udella was done tending to him. Leon looked at his brother and looked more and more panicled.
"Please Sodalis, keep guard of the unblocked entrance..."
Crexia told the Jerbiton to give him something else to do than worry about his brother when he right now could do nothing for him. Everyone else looked scared and a bit helpless as if they did not really know exactly what to do now, the attack had given them quite a shock.

(OOC: Yeah that did some damage, I just did a bit of a roll since we have no real system for Colin's draining rote yet and determined that he sent of five Prime bolts across the link his Avatar was holding, that are some health levels of agg. Poor Nephandus.)

(OOC 2: Yeah that is quite a bit of time to wait, I hope you can get the surgery faster. For me the meeting went well and I feel allot better, yes I am still scared as shit, however first of all we have a sound plan with a nurse that understand the issues involved. Also both my social worker and the nurse understand that a phobia this strong is not fixed in a day, so none of them will expect me to go all the way, just showing up and trying is a victory so we made a three part goal thing, where the first goal is just to show up and let the nurse look at my arms, doing the preparations that do not involve ever seeing a needle which is scary as hell but doable, the next step being letting her get the needle ready and well sitting down and well all of that, and the third step actually letting her do the test, and just managing one step is a victory, and then we get a new appointment to try to get to the next one and so on...which make me allot more at ease. I am sorry for the long OOC but in case you where worried about me, I just wanted to say that things are a bit easier after that meeting.)

[Adley]

The foul wind passed them and he felt a fresh frission of anger from his avatar. Scowling, he glanced quickly around to see who had been harmed and then focused his attention back on the remaining figure of the thorn golem. There was a faint scream and it seemed whatever Colin had done, it suddenly turned it to matchsticks before their eyes. He scanned for anything else headed their way and saw the walls dripping with blood. With brows raised in surprise he looked at Colin for a moment and gave him a nod. Then he looked back at his sodalis, concerned for the man for James as he still seemed to be in pure agony. Rosario looked a bit shaken as well, but everyone else seemed to be okay at least. While Udella tried to assess how he was, Adley took up guarding everyone and keeping an eye on the doors, feeling a roiling anger, as if it were right below the surface of his physical being. Cotta had just added herself to a growing list of beings that had pissed them off badly, and avatars had long memories. "Instructions, ma'am?" he asked, all but glaring down into the deeper parts of the Labyrinth.

// Mia reminds me of a terrier. Tougher than she looks, stubborn and though small and has no sense of her own size/proportion, when it comes to an enemy and will fight to the end xD Poor James though, that is shit luck for someone who deals in luck : /

Good luck getting a better time, Warp that's 6 months too long to deal with that issue. And glad that the meeting smoothed things, Anja.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Crexia looked at you.
"Stay alert, if our attacker do not show herself eventually we have to go after her but I would rather she come to us, if she do come made sure she do not harm our guides and healer...and our wounded while I try to deal with her, though if you see the chance to fire a round into her or a spell, take it, we need that woman disabled or dead and soon..."

You suddenly hear a new howling win, the same sound, wind though old pipes, but it died down again almost as soon as it was made as if the caster of said rote just could not keep her concentration. Your Avatar's anger flashed up again, she wanted to fight, she wanted to take this woman down and burn her to ashes, it was not blind rage though, it was a calculated, indignant, righteous wrath, and it would be hard to know exactly where her emotions stopped and yours begun.

Suddenly there was a roar of rage not that far from you as a woman stepped out from nothing, she was tall, well toned and athletic, she would have been beautiful, but now she was badly burned, over half her face was just...gone, one shoulder was black and angry red and and favored her left side, you would think such injuries would normally have a person on the floor in to much pain to move but oh no, not this woman, she had a dagger in one hand and had been carving ancient symbols into her left arm, her dark brown skin dripping with blood, there was a look of determination in her eyes and then she gave a single shout in the Dragon's Tongue and you could feel the pressence of powerful Umbroods descending upon you to do their dark mistress' bidding.

(OOC: Yeah Mia is a bit like that and yes poor James...his Entropy magick work so well for others, not so well for himself though.)

(OOC 2: Thank you. )

[Warpmind]

"And a reminder never to piss of a Verbena, or worse a Coven of them."
Leon muttered.

Colin arched an eyebrow at Leon, eyes glinting with a moment's dark humor "You mean to say you needed a reminder of that?"

Mia held onto that string of Prime and will, the connection to that other spellcaster who had been attacking you and your group, that bit of will which had touched her, and over that link you sent your Prime bolts, just setting the corrupted Tass to burn, and you heard a scream, faintly as if it was here and not here at the same time but it most certainly was a woman's desperate howl of pain, the briar doll in the corner collapsed into half formed twigs, and the flesh on the wall begun to bleed, a drop of putrid blood also dripped from the roof and hit your hand. Finally Mia could not hold onto that link anymore, but you had done some damage, some serious damage to the Nephandus wherever she was at the moment. Crexia look in your direction and raise an eyebrow.
"Whatever it was you did...well done."
She commented then she added.
"Are you injured?"

He smiled darkly as he closed the valve again and wiped the Labyrinth blood off his hand, "I'm unharmed... She tried to hit my Avatar; that gave us a link to grab onto... A simple thing, really, to return the salutations... like urinating on an electric fence."

The foul wind passed them and he felt a fresh frission of anger from his avatar. Scowling, he glanced quickly around to see who had been harmed and then focused his attention back on the remaining figure of the thorn golem. There was a faint scream and it seemed whatever Colin had done, it suddenly turned it to matchsticks before their eyes. He scanned for anything else headed their way and saw the walls dripping with blood. With brows raised in surprise he looked at Colin for a moment and gave him a nod.

He nodded back with a dark, wry grin, "I'd really like to not hear any further complaints about the tanks, if that's alright with you."

Crexia looked at Udella who where taking care of James who where still screaming and she looked more than a little bit concerned.
"Sodalis keep the rest safe..."
She said to her fellow Tytalus then she glanced at Rosario who was bent over, her hands on her knees grunting but from what you had seen of the reaction mages had to Avatar injuries Cotta's spell could hardly have more than graced her for she was still standing, probably it had rustled the Cultist's soul, scared it which the young archer now felt, but it was unlikely her soul was damaged, James though...it was hard to know the man was convulsing on the floor, screaming, but if his soul was bruised or anything more...serious would be hard to tell until Udella was done tending to him. Leon looked at his brother and looked more and more panicled.
"Please Sodalis, keep guard of the unblocked entrance..."
Crexia told the Jerbiton to give him something else to do than worry about his brother when he right now could do nothing for him. Everyone else looked scared and a bit helpless as if they did not really know exactly what to do now, the attack had given them quite a shock.

He frowned and stepped over to James, grabbing the Fortunae's hand as he flailed, "Focus, friend! God, that hurts, I know, but you're still conscious..."
He took a deep breath and mentally asked Mia, "Is his Avatar unharmed, can you tell?"

Suddenly there was a roar of rage not that far from you as a woman stepped out from nothing, she was tall, well toned and athletic, she would have been beautiful, but now she was badly burned, over half her face was just...gone, one shoulder was black and angry red and and favored her left side, you would think such injuries would normally have a person on the floor in to much pain to move but oh no, not this woman, she had a dagger in one hand and had been carving ancient symbols into her left arm, her dark brown skin dripping with blood, there was a look of determination in her eyes and then she gave a single shout in the Dragon's Tongue and you could feel the pressence of powerful Umbroods descending upon you to do their dark mistress' bidding.

He jerked up and away from James at Cotta's appearance, and whipped up the gun to squeeze off a shot in response, "Osculantur area, antiqua pythonissam!"
He then looked at her a bit puzzled, as though he hadn't expected to say that...

((OOC: So, Colin fires off a shot with the lighter gravity bullets - Dex+Firearms: 1,2,6,7... Er, shooting people was diff 6, right? On that assumption, damage roll comes to 6,6,6,6... dayum... 4 bashing, plus the enchantment. Hell of a damage roll. Also, that was not Colin casting a spell, obviously, but perhaps there was a hint of Mia's voice echoing in his? ))

((OOC2: Yeah, it's a bit much of a wait, so I'm trying to find the info I need to get my insurance on it for expedience. Got an insurance through work for precisely that sort of thing. Glad to see you're getting the nurse and social worker to work with you on the phobia now. If you can breathe easier until the doctor's appointment, much is gained already. ))

((OOC3: Nah, Mia's not a terrier... More like a Dachshund; loving, snuggly, fearless, and she'll tear ANYthing to shreds when she feels like it. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin arched an eyebrow at Leon, eyes glinting with a moment's dark humor "You mean to say you needed a reminder of that?"

"Well no I guess...I am a Hermetic after all, pissing of the Verbena is something my Tradition have a long history of doing...with varying results."
Leon said and grimaced.

He smiled darkly as he closed the valve again and wiped the Labyrinth blood off his hand, "I'm unharmed... She tried to hit my Avatar; that gave us a link to grab onto... A simple thing, really, to return the salutations... like urinating on an electric fence."

"You are full of surprises young man...also remind me never to try to harm or grab your Avatar, it seam to have a bit of a temper about it, not that I mind at the moment."
Crexia said and raised an eyebrow.
"Good to hear you are alright."

He nodded back with a dark, wry grin, "I'd really like to not hear any further complaints about the tanks, if that's alright with you."

Leon glanced at you but he was to concerned about his brother to make a retort and he returned to guarding the door, minding the task Crexia had given him, anything not to...dwell on his brother's scream that he was powerless to stop.

He frowned and stepped over to James, grabbing the Fortunae's hand as he flailed, "Focus, friend! God, that hurts, I know, but you're still conscious..."
He took a deep breath and mentally asked Mia, "Is his Avatar unharmed, can you tell?"

James managed to look at you, he was screaming so much that he was gasping for breath and his eyes looked unbelieving as if he could not comprehend that anything could hurt quite this much, he managed a ragged breath and squeezed your hand, he did not know you but frankly at this state he would probably have accepted comfort from Abigail herself if she had offered, the screams lessened but just a bit as he tried to focus on the here and now, he had wet himself in his agony, but he did not seam to notice, breathing was enough to manage in addition to the pain without worrying about anything else.

Mia was hesitant for a moment then she replied.
"He is still like us, flesh and soul, she is scratched and bruised but not harmed, the pure golden light of creation still flow in him, he still wears the crown."
It was rare to hear Mia speak, she communicated in emotions, sometimes in memories and images, in flashes of inspiration, but her voice was youthful and soft and still wise, and it was a whisper in your mine, like a silvery spiderweb of thought which made it hard to tell if her voice was your own or hers.

He jerked up and away from James at Cotta's appearance, and whipped up the gun to squeeze off a shot in response, "Osculantur area, antiqua pythonissam!"
He then looked at her a bit puzzled, as though he hadn't expected to say that...

You fire a round at Cotta but the bullet stay in the air then fall to the ground, it seams she to have a kinetic shield, unfortunately for her while the bullet is stopped something happens, there is a sound like a crystal hitting a stone floor and the Nephandus looks nervous for a moment as she stab her own arm again quickly desperate to recreate her shield.

(OOC: Yes 6 are the diff as far as I remember. Cotta have a pretty good kinetic shield but I had to have that damage roll do something so that shield sort of shattered. Yes Mia might be shining thought, just a little bit, and she is not a happy little Avatar at the moment.)

(OOC 2: I hope you get it sorted out, waiting times can be absurd at times. Thank you yes, hopefully things will work, we will see Friday, I will be there and let her take a look, beyond that I do not know but I will take that step at least.)

(OOC 3: Well yes that would sort of describe her yes, well not when she feel like it but when Colin or herself or his loved ones are in danger yes, she can and will take at least some action on her own, which is rare for Avatars.)

[Warpmind]

"Well no I guess...I am a Hermetic after all, pissing of the Verbena is something my Tradition have a long history of doing...with varying results."
Leon said and grimaced.

Colin grinned, "Perhaps it's time to break with precedent and build some bridges?"

"You are full of surprises young man...also remind me never to try to harm or grab your Avatar, it seam to have a bit of a temper about it, not that I mind at the moment."
Crexia said and raised an eyebrow.
"Good to hear you are alright."

He nodded, "She's got... a history she'd rather not repeat; she doesn't like being touched without permission, and I can rather understand that..."

James managed to look at you, he was screaming so much that he was gasping for breath and his eyes looked unbelieving as if he could not comprehend that anything could hurt quite this much, he managed a ragged breath and squeezed your hand, he did not know you but frankly at this state he would probably have accepted comfort from Abigail herself if she had offered, the screams lessened but just a bit as he tried to focus on the here and now, he had wet himself in his agony, but he did not seam to notice, breathing was enough to manage in addition to the pain without worrying about anything else.

Mia was hesitant for a moment then she replied.
"He is still like us, flesh and soul, she is scratched and bruised but not harmed, the pure golden light of creation still flow in him, he still wears the crown."
It was rare to hear Mia speak, she communicated in emotions, sometimes in memories and images, in flashes of inspiration, but her voice was youthful and soft and still wise, and it was a whisper in your mine, like a silvery spiderweb of thought which made it hard to tell if her voice was your own or hers.

He looked up at Leon, "Your brother is unharmed; superficial scratches and bruises only... The pure golden light of Creation still flows, and he still wears the Crown. Hum... she used words rather than memories or images, that's rare..."

You fire a round at Cotta but the bullet stay in the air then fall to the ground, it seams she to have a kinetic shield, unfortunately for her while the bullet is stopped something happens, there is a sound like a crystal hitting a stone floor and the Nephandus looks nervous for a moment as she stab her own arm again quickly desperate to recreate her shield.

He arched an eyebrow and shot again.

((OOC: If at first you don't succeed... Dex+Firearms: 4,4,5,0 - Damage 2,4,5,7 - so 1 Bashing, plus gravity? Also, considering the enchantment on the bullet, that probably didn't do much good for the shield, either. ))

((OOC2: Well, it's not like she feels like it unless Colin & friends/family ARE in extreme peril that Colin can't handle on his own, is it? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grinned, "Perhaps it's time to break with precedent and build some bridges?"

"To build bridges you have to cut down trees and the witches do not much like that."
Leon said with a grin then he sigh.
"But yes, I am not great fan of strife between Traditions and I have nothing against the Verbena personally, I am just saying do not piss them off and do not mess with their plants."

He nodded, "She's got... a history she'd rather not repeat; she doesn't like being touched without permission, and I can rather understand that..."

"I can certainly understand that, and most Avatars do not like to have to deal with others than the host, perhaps since they can only act on the world though their hosts...but some are more sensitive than others."
Crexia said and nodded.
"Good job the both of you anyway."

He looked up at Leon, "Your brother is unharmed; superficial scratches and bruises only... The pure golden light of Creation still flows, and he still wears the Crown. Hum... she used words rather than memories or images, that's rare..."

Leon drew a breath of relief, finally tears flowed down his cheeks as if he had not been able to even cry for his brother before knowing his state.
"S...so he is going to be okey?"
He asked.
"Are you sure? He will be okey?"
Then he looked a bit puzzled.
"She? I do not understand? And a Crown...now you sound like a Solificato, that is their terminology, they call themselves the Crowned Ones, see the Avatar as a Crown...ehm...I am babbling...guarding door...yes...guarding door now ehm...you are sure my brother will be ok?"
He asked. Udella finally looked up.
"As Mr W here said, your brother have superficial bruises and cuts to his Avatar, that is not exactly how it works we are talking a higher being it do not have skin to bruise but it works to put it into terms we can grasp, the injury is painful, but harmless, he feel about the same now as if he had gotten a massive amount of Paradox slamming into his soul at once. I will try to alleviate some of his discomfort to get him well enough to walk, but once we get back he will need rest, perhaps some nice, nourishing Tass, and then he should be fine, this spell was designed to hurt not to damage, Avatars are quite allot more hardy than than I assure you Sodalis, they are not easy...to kill."
She said in a kind tone of voice to the worried Jerbiton but the last bit was said in a way that said that she knew exactly how hard Avatars where to kill. Udella also looked up at you for a moment as you spoke her eyes knowing but she said nothing.

He arched an eyebrow and shot again.

Cotta took one step forward, then your bullet hit her upper thigh, she grunted but the light bit of metal just slightly embedded itself, the wound was negligible and she was about to take another step, then she cried out and hit the floor, the Nephanda fought against some unseen force pinning her to the floor, as if she was suddenly to heavy to even lift her own head, or pretty much move at all, it was clear the crushing force hurt but she was not about to hand in the towel, she muttered two words in the Nephandi Language and Colin you notice something happening around you, it is unclear exactly what but you do not think it will be good.

(OOC: Well seeing if Colin can Countermagick will be interesting, or if he have some other idea to get out of this. Also we should probably wait for Strife to post before moving on and have the Umbroods attack, and then I will write up what everyone else decide to do as well.)

[Warpmind]

"To build bridges you have to cut down trees and the witches do not much like that."
Leon said with a grin then he sigh.
"But yes, I am not great fan of strife between Traditions and I have nothing against the Verbena personally, I am just saying do not piss them off and do not mess with their plants."

Colin smiled, "Steel and stone work, as well. And we are Magi; if we want to build a bridge of wind, we could do so, and it seems to me a great number of Magi - not pointing fingers at any one Tradition, of course - have that in ample supply."

"I can certainly understand that, and most Avatars do not like to have to deal with others than the host, perhaps since they can only act on the world though their hosts...but some are more sensitive than others."
Crexia said and nodded.
"Good job the both of you anyway."

He nodded, "I expect anyone could've done the same if they caught the link in time, though."

Leon drew a breath of relief, finally tears flowed down his cheeks as if he had not been able to even cry for his brother before knowing his state.
"S...so he is going to be okey?"
He asked.
"Are you sure? He will be okey?"
Then he looked a bit puzzled.
"She? I do not understand? And a Crown...now you sound like a Solificato, that is their terminology, they call themselves the Crowned Ones, see the Avatar as a Crown...ehm...I am babbling...guarding door...yes...guarding door now ehm...you are sure my brother will be ok?"
He asked. Udella finally looked up.
"As Mr W here said, your brother have superficial bruises and cuts to his Avatar, that is not exactly how it works we are talking a higher being it do not have skin to bruise but it works to put it into terms we can grasp, the injury is painful, but harmless, he feel about the same now as if he had gotten a massive amount of Paradox slamming into his soul at once. I will try to alleviate some of his discomfort to get him well enough to walk, but once we get back he will need rest, perhaps some nice, nourishing Tass, and then he should be fine, this spell was designed to hurt not to damage, Avatars are quite allot more hardy than than I assure you Sodalis, they are not easy...to kill."
She said in a kind tone of voice to the worried Jerbiton but the last bit was said in a way that said that she knew exactly how hard Avatars where to kill. Udella also looked up at you for a moment as you spoke her eyes knowing but she said nothing.

He shrugged, mentally sending a moment of frustration at Mia's choice of words, "I trust her assessment. As for the terminology, I suppose she must've picked it up in a previous incarnation. She might have been Solificati, or very close to one, for all i know. With a bit of gentle care, perhaps a bit of rest in a good Node, he should be up in almost no time... though my understanding of the sort of injury stems from being on the receiving end of such rather than treating others."
He gave Udella a small smile, "Hopefully, the pain won't leave lasting trauma - in any case, we need to shelter him for a bit right now."

((OOC: I've got an idea or two, but I'm waiting for S7trif3 to post before responding to the last bit. ))

[Tane Karyak]

AH, i come to deliver a message to this fine sir. And well, i thought it would be nice to come say hello. he replied gently, signiing to Tobias' friend. Now, facing the vampire, he spoke again. I come bearing good news. Tobias' fine. He's weak, though, having gone through a surgical procedure in his soul, but after this, he's fine and will live. He'll always be addicted to vampire blood, even if he reincarnates,
but his soul will no longer be consumed. I suspect that, when he's recovered, you will be able to see him again. After that, he'll be taken to a mentor of our kind on a location where no vampire can come near him, and i belive there he'll be able to rehabilitate succesfully.
Once in this safe location i don't see a problem with you and him rebuilding a relationship, so i belive everything will be fine.

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