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

[Warpmind]

Boston, Now:

"Yeah I guess if it is something you have to do or die yourself or someone else is going to die, then you sort of have to, but I hope I never have to kill anyone, though since I am being trained to be a war mage, chances are one day I will."
Kyle muttered and looked down at his hands.
"And that kind of sucks."

Colin nodded, "I'm not going to deliberately step onto your Mentor's turf here, but I'm an old soldier, myself, you know... and a great warrior knows not only when to kill, but when not to kill. There's something to be said for nonlethal weapons and techniques, and they can have as much relevance on a battlefield as a killer spell."

"Our Security Chief, she is the one who owned him, I do not know where she got him though but I am pretty sure he used to be a Hermetic artificer."
Anna explained.

He frowned, "A Traditionalist... I'm almost more disturbed by that than by him being a slave... No, strike that, I am definitely more disturbed by that."

"The little girl I was sent to capture when you shot me Mentor."
Anna said and played with her sock again.
"I am sorry about that, I would not have liked to take a kid captive but I was told we needed her to keep Tian in line...is she ok you think? The little girl?"

He smiled, "She's a precious little Mage, though her mother was... slightly shocked when she was given incontrovertible proof of magic. I think they'll both do great, though."

"But why Mentor it is a completely natural activity and why do it ick people more out to hear about Cotta and Miss Warden enjoying themselves and the walls in the hallways than hearing about pawns flogged to death, also in the hallways, why is violence easier to hear about than sex?"
The young Nephanda asked sounding very confused.
"Now I still think sex sounds icky, but when I grow up and find someone I like what would be wrong with anyone seeing it or hearing about it?"
The young mage seamed completely confused about your reaction. Kyle looked like he wanted to be anywhere else or preferably vanish into a hole in the floor.
"Because not all of us have grown up in a Labyrinth..."
He muttered.

He scratched lightly behind his ear, pondering briefly, "Strictly speaking, neither sex nor violence is considered polite topics of conversation in public... but yes, there is something decidedly screwed up with those social standards. Now, the thing is that by and large, people are idiots, and at the sight of someone committing violence will likely walk past, or at most record it, while if they encounter someone... enjoying each others' company, they might call the police, record it, or in rarer cases make an attempt to join in. The latter, of course, is very wrong unless the already active participants agree to expand the event."
He sighed, "I expect you know all the... mechanical details of it already, including protecting yourself against disease or protection, so I won't preach about that now, but... whatever you decide you want to do, I want you to do it because you want to, not because you're pressured into doing so. If you want to go out with a girl or a boy, then that's fine; if you want to go out with both at the same time, that's equally fine... but I'm not going to want any details so long as you are careful. And that includes your feelings, too, not just your body; too often a young individual has given away their heart only to have the recipient take a bite and throw it aside afterwards... I'd rather see you spared that hurt..."

Chicago, Now:

"We could take a strand of her hair and ask someone good at dowsing to find her family."
Rosario suggested.
"And I agree that probably her family would appreciate the closure, the question is what to tell them."

He nodded, "A splinter of the rack, and a lock of her hair, then... As for what to tell them, well, no more than they need to know; that she and several others were innocent bystanders killed in a turf war, and that we offer our condolances..."

"Well it is good to learn to do new things. I can not see spirits myself, but it is a very useful skill."
Rosario said and turned to where you where indicating.
"Perhaps it is the spirit they are trying to contact to figure out what to do next...bottle shard eyes? My my, that sounds like quite a sight Sir."

He nodded, "Oh, it is her, alright... I glimpsed my new friend and the water elemental earlier, too..."

"I am sure you will figure out how to control it in time Sir but I can see how it can be confusing, I guess you will need more training and study to control your new gift."
Rosario said and nodded.
"Perhaps the process of creating foci...for your foci is hand made are they not...since you are a craftsman I mean, I am sorry for making assumptions though. In either case perhaps the process of making or getting used to a focus for seeing spirits will help you learn control?"
The Cultist said and glanced at you and then back into the corner where she saw nothing again.
"Hum..."

He shrugged, "Perhaps that will work, though all my Foci have been needed to see things in the first place; this one is... different, in an odd way. Everything else has been tools to expand my senses; it seems backwards to devise a lens to close one off instead..."

"We will be regrouping out here to discuss just that young man."
Crexia said.
"For frankly I am not completely sure what the best course of action would be."
She added.

The spirit suddenly turned at looked at you cocking her head to the side.
"Yes..."
She said her voice founded like kicking a empty can across the pavement. You see Crexia over there look rather surprised though she hid it a second later.

His eyebrow never even twitched as he bowed politely to the spirit, "Ah, you speak English, then... But of course you do; you would be a veritable treasure trove of discarded information and forgotten things... I am... Remade is a good word for it. We seek to, among other things, liberate your child... would you assist us in this?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin nodded, "I'm not going to deliberately step onto your Mentor's turf here, but I'm an old soldier, myself, you know... and a great warrior knows not only when to kill, but when not to kill. There's something to be said for nonlethal weapons and techniques, and they can have as much relevance on a battlefield as a killer spell."

Kyle nodded.
"I guess you are right Sir and I am just so afraid that when I have to fight those destructive urges, that cruelty that live with me will flare up out of control and I will be a monster."
The boy said he sounded rather concerned.

He frowned, "A Traditionalist... I'm almost more disturbed by that than by him being a slave... No, strike that, I am definitely more disturbed by that."

"He was sold I think by one of your Quesitors or something, that do seam unlikely though, but it is what he told me, but that can't be legal can it?"
Anna said and scratched her head.

He smiled, "She's a precious little Mage, though her mother was... slightly shocked when she was given incontrovertible proof of magic. I think they'll both do great, though."

"That is a relief Mentor."
Anna said and smiled.

He scratched lightly behind his ear, pondering briefly, "Strictly speaking, neither sex nor violence is considered polite topics of conversation in public... but yes, there is something decidedly screwed up with those social standards. Now, the thing is that by and large, people are idiots, and at the sight of someone committing violence will likely walk past, or at most record it, while if they encounter someone... enjoying each others' company, they might call the police, record it, or in rarer cases make an attempt to join in. The latter, of course, is very wrong unless the already active participants agree to expand the event."

Anna scratched her head and sigh.
"This is all really confusing."
She muttered.
"Why would someone call the police because someone where having sex? And if the person who want to join in are stronger, physically or magickally then the two two do not want them to join in is it not their right to get their way, that is what I have always been taught, might makes right."
The girl said and she looked at you with big, blue confused eyes.

He sighed, "I expect you know all the... mechanical details of it already, including protecting yourself against disease or protection, so I won't preach about that now, but... whatever you decide you want to do, I want you to do it because you want to, not because you're pressured into doing so.

"Yeah I know all of that, and besides a healer can fix diseases, and if I am allowed to keep my magick then I am rather good at protecting myself so I am sure it will be with someone I want."
The young Nephandus said and smiled.

If you want to go out with a girl or a boy, then that's fine; if you want to go out with both at the same time, that's equally fine... but I'm not going to want any details so long as you are careful. And that includes your feelings, too, not just your body; too often a young individual has given away their heart only to have the recipient take a bite and throw it aside afterwards... I'd rather see you spared that hurt..."

"No details...got it."
Anna said and nodded.
"I guess you are right. Gabriel had a candidate in mind for me for a lover when I got older, a boy from another Labyrinth who come from a long magickal lineage, but I guess I would want to pick my own lover...I am not sure if I will like boys or girls though...the only one I have liked was a girl, but she got shot my the Technocracy and she died, it happens."
Anna muttered sadly.
"Her name was Yuriko...well anyway when I find someone I will be careful, I promise."
She muttered.

Chicago Now:

He nodded, "A splinter of the rack, and a lock of her hair, then... As for what to tell them, well, no more than they need to know; that she and several others were innocent bystanders killed in a turf war, and that we offer our condolances..."

"Very well, we will have to get get those things before you...burn the Node."
Rosario said and looked at the woman on the rack.
"Poor girl I guess that is the only thing we can tell her parents."

He nodded, "Oh, it is her, alright... I glimpsed my new friend and the water elemental earlier, too..."

"I see hum...do you think that Umbrood will be a threat to us Sir?"
Rosario asked nervously.

He shrugged, "Perhaps that will work, though all my Foci have been needed to see things in the first place; this one is... different, in an odd way. Everything else has been tools to expand my senses; it seems backwards to devise a lens to close one off instead..."

"Perhaps you have been given both a gift and a curse then Sir, but I am sure you will be able to learn to control it eventually."
The Cultist said softly.

His eyebrow never even twitched as he bowed politely to the spirit, "Ah, you speak English, then... But of course you do; you would be a veritable treasure trove of discarded information and forgotten things...

"I communicate, you hear what you can understand, but yes I do speak English I am made of made discarded books, cereal boxes and other bits and bobs with writing on them, it is a limited language though, hard to understand but I speak it."
The spirit said and she took a few steps closer and you saw Crexia looked concerned about that and she was considering whatever or not she should intervene.

I am... Remade is a good word for it. We seek to, among other things, liberate your child... would you assist us in this?"

"Yes you are one of those with that which I can't touch inside, but yours what I can't touch are like me, made up of so many things..."
The Umbrood said as she regarded you then her eyes turned hard.
"How can you save him...the one who hold him are so powerful...how can you save him I have to obey or she will destroy him, shatter him like a discarded milk bottle..."
She said and her rattling voice rose with her anger.
"Those with what I can't touch inside only want to use us..."
She hissed angrily.

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

Kyle nodded.
"I guess you are right Sir and I am just so afraid that when I have to fight those destructive urges, that cruelty that live with me will flare up out of control and I will be a monster."
The boy said he sounded rather concerned.

Colin nodded, frowning, "That fear is justified... and honestly, if more people owned their shadow like that, the world might be a less violent place. You know the temptation, that dark side of yourself. But it doesn't control you."

"He was sold I think by one of your Quesitors or something, that do seam unlikely though, but it is what he told me, but that can't be legal can it?"
Anna said and scratched her head.

He soured visibly, "I can think of one or two Quaesitors who might make themselves guilty of that... but it's not bloody legal, no."

Anna scratched her head and sigh.
"This is all really confusing."
She muttered.
"Why would someone call the police because someone where having sex? And if the person who want to join in are stronger, physically or magickally then the two two do not want them to join in is it not their right to get their way, that is what I have always been taught, might makes right."
The girl said and she looked at you with big, blue confused eyes.

He nodded, "Of course it's confusing; it's utterly backwards and unreasonable, but it is what is, I'm afraid..."
He shook his head, "No, might does not make right. With great power comes great responsibility; it is the duty of the strong to defend the weak, not their right to abuse them at a whim. Those who would enslave people weaker than themselves because they can will one day meet someone angry, willing and able to exact justice for those trampled along the way. There's no strength like true gentleness, no gentleness like true strength."
He smiled, "If you wish to be truly powerful, use your strength to empower others rather than suppressing them. Lift them up to greater strength, and be clear that they don't owe you their existence... and you will forge bonds of loyalty and friendship stronger than Primium chains."

"Yeah I know all of that, and besides a healer can fix diseases, and if I am allowed to keep my magick then I am rather good at protecting myself so I am sure it will be with someone I want."
The young Nephandus said and smiled.

He nodded, then thought for a moment, "Just make sure it will also be someone who wants to be with you. I'll be very cross if you decide to take advantage of someone weaker than yourself."

"No details...got it."
Anna said and nodded.
"I guess you are right. Gabriel had a candidate in mind for me for a lover when I got older, a boy from another Labyrinth who come from a long magickal lineage, but I guess I would want to pick my own lover...I am not sure if I will like boys or girls though...the only one I have liked was a girl, but she got shot my the Technocracy and she died, it happens."
Anna muttered sadly.
"Her name was Yuriko...well anyway when I find someone I will be careful, I promise."
She muttered.

He frowned and stroked Anna gently on the head, "I'm sorry to hear about Yuriko... and I won't play matchmaker like Gabriel would."

Chicago, Now:

"Very well, we will have to get get those things before you...burn the Node."
Rosario said and looked at the woman on the rack.
"Poor girl I guess that is the only thing we can tell her parents."

He nodded, "Well, parents or otherwise next of kin..."

"I see hum...do you think that Umbrood will be a threat to us Sir?"
Rosario asked nervously.

He grimaced, "God, I hope not..."

"Perhaps you have been given both a gift and a curse then Sir, but I am sure you will be able to learn to control it eventually."
The Cultist said softly.

He nodded, "That's the sum of it, alright... And yes, I just might."

"I communicate, you hear what you can understand, but yes I do speak English I am made of made discarded books, cereal boxes and other bits and bobs with writing on them, it is a limited language though, hard to understand but I speak it."
The spirit said and she took a few steps closer and you saw Crexia looked concerned about that and she was considering whatever or not she should intervene.

He smiled, "It's a language with greatly impractical limits and many quirks taken from languages all around the world, but it's mostly functional for mortals."

"Yes you are one of those with that which I can't touch inside, but yours what I can't touch are like me, made up of so many things..."
The Umbrood said as she regarded you then her eyes turned hard.
"How can you save him...the one who hold him are so powerful...how can you save him I have to obey or she will destroy him, shatter him like a discarded milk bottle..."
She said and her rattling voice rose with her anger.
"Those with what I can't touch inside only want to use us..."
She hissed angrily.

He shook his head, "Not all of us with what you can't touch inside want to use you. I, for one, would not, and I know several others who associate with your kind as friends rather than owners or despots. There's one spirit back near the entrance through which we came - I call him friend, after I gave him a Name and Purpose anew after the people living here stole his old Name. He received a gift, with no obligation to serve in return, and he accepted. The leader of this place, though... is not so respectful of others. I understand she holds your child captive in a circle, or a ring? We have no wish to see your child harmed, and every wish to see her broken and shattered, not only for what she has done, but to ensure she will never again be able to do so. But to protect your child better, we would need to know more about where and how he is captured, that we may free him before she can try something..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin nodded, frowning, "That fear is justified... and honestly, if more people owned their shadow like that, the world might be a less violent place. You know the temptation, that dark side of yourself. But it doesn't control you."

Kyle sigh and looked down.
"I have killed pets...when those dark moments take me, I do not know if I can control it Sir I am what I am."
He muttered shamefully.
"And when I have to fight...I don't know..."
He said.

He soured visibly, "I can think of one or two Quaesitors who might make themselves guilty of that... but it's not bloody legal, no."

Anna nodded.
"I would not think it was legal no, but according to that pawn it did happen."

He nodded, "Of course it's confusing; it's utterly backwards and unreasonable, but it is what is, I'm afraid..."

"That is stupid Mentor...why would you follow something that is backwards just because it is what everyone do?"
Anna said and shook her head.

He shook his head, "No, might does not make right. With great power comes great responsibility; it is the duty of the strong to defend the weak, not their right to abuse them at a whim. Those who would enslave people weaker than themselves because they can will one day meet someone angry, willing and able to exact justice for those trampled along the way. There's no strength like true gentleness, no gentleness like true strength."

"I don't understand Mentor?"
Anna said and she seamed confused again.
"Yes there is always someone stronger than you but don't then have the right to do with you what they wish, like you have the right to do with those weaker than you what you wish?"
She asked and scratched her head.

He smiled, "If you wish to be truly powerful, use your strength to empower others rather than suppressing them. Lift them up to greater strength, and be clear that they don't owe you their existence... and you will forge bonds of loyalty and friendship stronger than Primium chains."

"Well I do like having friends, and I get doing nice things for your friends, that is good, but how do empowering others make me powerful?"
Anna asked and cocked her head to the side and looked at you.

He nodded, then thought for a moment, "Just make sure it will also be someone who wants to be with you. I'll be very cross if you decide to take advantage of someone weaker than yourself."

Anna sigh and it was clear she though you are rather unreasonable but she agreed non the less.
"Ok Mentor I will do what you say, I will ask them first."
She said and nodded.

He frowned and stroked Anna gently on the head, "I'm sorry to hear about Yuriko... and I won't play matchmaker like Gabriel would."

"Thank you...she...was a good person Mentor, but she did not have time to get to the point in her studies where she went through the Caul, so when she is reborn she will hate me."
Anna said and sigh and pulled at her socks.

Chicago Now:

He nodded, "Well, parents or otherwise next of kin..."

"True she might have other family than parents."
Rosario said and nodded in agreement.

He grimaced, "God, I hope not..."

The Cultist looked at you and grimaced.

He nodded, "That's the sum of it, alright... And yes, I just might."

"I hope it will work out for you Sir."
Rosario said in an encouraging tone of voice.

He smiled, "It's a language with greatly impractical limits and many quirks taken from languages all around the world, but it's mostly functional for mortals."

"Yes so I am led to understand Craftsman, you incerate beings do need your language to be...concrete after all."
The Umbrood Lady said as she regarded you.

He shook his head, "Not all of us with what you can't touch inside want to use you. I, for one, would not, and I know several others who associate with your kind as friends rather than owners or despots.

"Is there now..."
The spirit said she did not sound like she was buying what you where saying.

There's one spirit back near the entrance through which we came - I call him friend, after I gave him a Name and Purpose anew after the people living here stole his old Name. He received a gift, with no obligation to serve in return, and he accepted.

"I had noticed a change in him...a new name...a new purpose, that would save him."
The Umbrood noble said and she looked you in the eyes.
"And you demanded nothing from him for this gift?"

The leader of this place, though... is not so respectful of others. I understand she holds your child captive in a circle, or a ring?

"She have bound my child in a ring and threaten to destroy him if I do not obey..."
The Umbrood said angrily and glared at you.

We have no wish to see your child harmed, and every wish to see her broken and shattered, not only for what she has done, but to ensure she will never again be able to do so.

"You kind can take that which I can not touch from one of your own and destroy it? I have heard them speak about it in the hallways in fearful whispers, and then that woman will no longer be able to speak the Words that bind and change reality? She can no longer damage those of my kind?"
The Umbrood asked.

But to protect your child better, we would need to know more about where and how he is captured, that we may free him before she can try something..."

"How do I know you will not take him for yourself? How do I know I can trust you Craftsman?"
The Umbrood demand angrily.
"All your kind do is hurt and enslave us, use us as tools, how do I know you are different?"

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

Kyle sigh and looked down.
"I have killed pets...when those dark moments take me, I do not know if I can control it Sir I am what I am."
He muttered shamefully.
"And when I have to fight...I don't know..."
He said.

He nodded thoughtfully, "Perhaps we should show you the acorn soon, too..."

"That is stupid Mentor...why would you follow something that is backwards just because it is what everyone do?"
Anna said and shook her head.

He sighed, "Because changing that rather backwards norm is not going to happen by willfully breaking it. At least, not overnight. Discretion is the better part of valour, it is said - and these standards will shift, in time. But gradually."
He smiled, "We'll discuss societal changes later, alright? I'm still preparing that syllabus, to cover some of those periods of human history; if you want to change the future, you need some understanding of the past."

"I don't understand Mentor?"
Anna said and she seamed confused again.
"Yes there is always someone stronger than you but don't then have the right to do with you what they wish, like you have the right to do with those weaker than you what you wish?"
She asked and scratched her head.

He shook his head, "No, I don't have the right to do with those weaker than me what I wish. That philosophy is what has laid the groundwork for the bloodiest revolutions in history - the oppressed and weak band together and find that they can exert a greater force than the one man on the throne..."

"Well I do like having friends, and I get doing nice things for your friends, that is good, but how do empowering others make me powerful?"
Anna asked and cocked her head to the side and looked at you.

He smiled slyly, "Because - and I'll allow that doing it for this purpose is sneakier than my normal motivations for it - if you do someone a favour, and make it clear they don't owe you anything in return, they're more likely to want to return the favour rather than feeling compelled to do so by a declared debt."

Anna sigh and it was clear she though you are rather unreasonable but she agreed non the less.
"Ok Mentor I will do what you say, I will ask them first."
She said and nodded.

He smiled and nodded, "Good. You might find such affection to feel rather hollow and dissatisfying in the long run if it's not truly mutual..."

"Thank you...she...was a good person Mentor, but she did not have time to get to the point in her studies where she went through the Caul, so when she is reborn she will hate me."
Anna said and sigh and pulled at her socks.

He shrugged and ruffled Anna's hair, "Oh, I hardly think she'll hate you; she might be a bit wary to begin with, but someone as sweet and adorable as you is pretty difficult to hate, you know."

Chicago, Now:

"I had noticed a change in him...a new name...a new purpose, that would save him."
The Umbrood noble said and she looked you in the eyes.
"And you demanded nothing from him for this gift?"

He smiled, "I demanded nothing whatsoever. All I did was offer him a new lease on life, as it were. He is now happily chronicling his old friend's life and deeds on the stone walls. It is as it should be; he now acts freely according to what he now is, rather than as a purposeless puppet of a tyrannical shrew."

"She have bound my child in a ring and threaten to destroy him if I do not obey..."
The Umbrood said angrily and glared at you.

He nodded, "Then I will do my best to save the ring from her and help release your child from that prison."

"You kind can take that which I can not touch from one of your own and destroy it? I have heard them speak about it in the hallways in fearful whispers, and then that woman will no longer be able to speak the Words that bind and change reality? She can no longer damage those of my kind?"
The Umbrood asked.

He nodded, "I hate that such a thing is done; it is cruel, painful and excessive... but for the woman who has bound your child, I am willing to make an exception. Yours is not the only child she has captured; today, her reckoning has come."

"How do I know you will not take him for yourself? How do I know I can trust you Craftsman?"
The Umbrood demand angrily.
"All your kind do is hurt and enslave us, use us as tools, how do I know you are different?"

He smiled, "Because I swear upon my own life that I will do what I can to free your child. A Mage's word is their sacred bond; I have no desire to rule over others, no wish to see anyone enslaved or imprisoned for expedience..."
A moment of grief flickered in his eyes as he remembered Eloine, "...no wish to see anyone harmed because of me ever again..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

He nodded thoughtfully, "Perhaps we should show you the acorn soon, too..."

"Acorn Sir? Is that the thing you talked about showing Anna?"

He sighed, "Because changing that rather backwards norm is not going to happen by willfully breaking it. At least, not overnight. Discretion is the better part of valour, it is said - and these standards will shift, in time. But gradually."

"So one should just do stupid things because society say so?"
Anna asked and she did not seam like she agreed with that notion.

He smiled, "We'll discuss societal changes later, alright? I'm still preparing that syllabus, to cover some of those periods of human history; if you want to change the future, you need some understanding of the past."

"Ok Mentor, I guess knowing about the past would be useful to change things in the future."
The young Nephanda agreed.

He shook his head, "No, I don't have the right to do with those weaker than me what I wish. That philosophy is what has laid the groundwork for the bloodiest revolutions in history - the oppressed and weak band together and find that they can exert a greater force than the one man on the throne..."

"Yes but when someone bad together and by that are stronger then they have the right...but I guess it is not wise to piss off someone who can get stronger than you."
Anna said and nodded.

He smiled slyly, "Because - and I'll allow that doing it for this purpose is sneakier than my normal motivations for it - if you do someone a favour, and make it clear they don't owe you anything in return, they're more likely to want to return the favour rather than feeling compelled to do so by a declared debt."

The young Nephanda looked at you for a moment then she smiled.
"You are very smart Mentor...I will try that..."
She agreed.

He smiled and nodded, "Good. You might find such affection to feel rather hollow and dissatisfying in the long run if it's not truly mutual..."

"Well for a boyfriend or girlfriend sure I would want them to really like me, but just for sex, I mean Gabriel did not really look for affection from his prisoners he was just looking to empty his ba..."
Anna begun when Kyle decided to jump in and not hear more.
"So game night...yes that will be fun...I am going to have a BMW, a dark green one...ehm and I can make some caramel popcorn, do you like caramel popcorn...off course you do everyone like caramel popcorn it is delicious."
The young widderslainte spoke very fast to drone out what Anna was saying there where a few things he did not want to hear a twelve year old girl say. Anna just looked confused.

He shrugged and ruffled Anna's hair, "Oh, I hardly think she'll hate you; she might be a bit wary to begin with, but someone as sweet and adorable as you is pretty difficult to hate, you know."

Anna smiled a little at that then she turned serious again.
"You really think so Mentor? That she won't hate me when she is reborn?"
She asked and tugged at her sock looking a little surprised when the pink fabric slipped of her foot.

Chicago Now:

He smiled, "I demanded nothing whatsoever. All I did was offer him a new lease on life, as it were. He is now happily chronicling his old friend's life and deeds on the stone walls. It is as it should be; he now acts freely according to what he now is, rather than as a purposeless puppet of a tyrannical shrew."

The Umbrood glared at you for a while then her expression softened a little.
"If that is true...then that is kind of you, we are our purpose, without it we are nothing, there is no greater agony for our kind. If you have freed him from that Craftsman then you have done a kind deed."

He nodded, "Then I will do my best to save the ring from her and help release your child from that prison."

"Why would you help me man with what I can't touch inside?"

He nodded, "I hate that such a thing is done; it is cruel, painful and excessive... but for the woman who has bound your child, I am willing to make an exception. Yours is not the only child she has captured; today, her reckoning has come."

"I have only...limited understanding of time Craftsman, I am in several states and so are what is not me, but a state where that woman either do not exist or what make her able to commend reality to her will do not exist would be a good now to move into...no she take what she can use against others, a child, an apprentice, a loved one, she take and she destroy."
The spirit wept angrily.

He smiled, "Because I swear upon my own life that I will do what I can to free your child. A Mage's word is their sacred bond; I have no desire to rule over others, no wish to see anyone enslaved or imprisoned for expedience..."
A moment of grief flickered in his eyes as he remembered Eloine, "...no wish to see anyone harmed because of me ever again..."

The Umbrood regarded you and stepped all the way over to you, behind her you see Crexia begin the hand gestures to attack the spirit if she should make a hostile move. The trash heap Umbrood put her hand against your cheek, it felt oily like used food wrappings.
"I do not know if I can believe you man with what I can't touch inside...I will need collateral to consider helping you, if I go against that woman, she will harm my child, I have to know you will keep your word, that you will save him...without him I will become a Bane he is the last hope I have to stay in my now to be what I am...will you make a deal with me mage?"
She said and there was a undertone of threat in her tin can voice as she spoke.

[Adley]

Crexia's eyes widened a bit. "We need to keep him alive as witness Sodalis but careful, many would want him dead rather than hear this story." She whispered to you. William just looked at you for a moment then he looked away again.

Crap. He wasn't sure how they were going to manage that, but either way the poor hedge wizard was a broken man that had been through so much he'd rather perish than be subjected to anything more. He probably figured they were going to torture him, no matter how many times he said they weren't going to, he couldn't seem to believe it. He gave Crexia a short nod but his face showed his concern. First thing, first though they had to get the trap off the node.

"Yes indeed, she ins a frustrating spirit, that is for sure, I doubt she is under orders not to speak to us, she just refuse to do so anyway, we are going to have to see."

"I can't blame her, given the circumstances. But I hope we can get her to believe us..."

"I know where her room is, but most likely she is out defending the Labyrinth with the others."

"Which room is hers? And what is her name?"

"Hum...no good call, I will go and speak with the honored Quesitor and see if she is ready to speak with him."Crexia said and nodded she inclined her head to you and went to do just that, coming back with Udella a few moments later, the old Quesitor approached William carefully and stopped when he started looking afraid.

"Hello..." She said softly. "I am not here to hurt you, I only want to hear your story while my Sodales here see if they can stop that trap, is that ok?" she asked before she looked at Crexia and shook her head. "That stubborn Umbrood just want nothing to do with me."

"William is scared, he thinks we are going to torture him, as he has been poorly treated." He frowned at Udella and then sighed as she explained the Umbrood's reluctance. "Well, one can hardly blame her for being reticent, given what happened to her.  Once you are done speaking with him, I can try. Perhaps we can get through though, I do hope so." He didn't seem inclined to leave Udella alone with William in the security chief's room.

// Adley will want to stay and protect the part of the group that has no defenders in case something happens, and wait until Crexia gets everyone together as she said - so he'll wait till they come back or someone asks him something, etc. So I'll wait to post till then, I'll keep an eye out : )

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Crap. He wasn't sure how they were going to manage that, but either way the poor hedge wizard was a broken man that had been through so much he'd rather perish than be subjected to anything more. He probably figured they were going to torture him, no matter how many times he said they weren't going to, he couldn't seem to believe it. He gave Crexia a short nod but his face showed his concern. First thing, first though they had to get the trap off the node.

"Hum...we will deal with how to transport him once we have dealt with the Node, perhaps the Cultist got something that will sedate him to much to work magic, but keep him able to walk."
Crexia said as she noticed your look then she sigh.
"Well first things first."

"I can't blame her, given the circumstances. But I hope we can get her to believe us..."

"Yes...so far though the only one the Umbrood seam even remotely interested in are your Cabalmate, she have been glancing at him but that do worry me a bit."

"Which room is hers? And what is her name?"

"Three doors down away from the Node, her name is Sølvi Gjende, we got her from a Labyrinth in Boston she is the apprentice of a woman there named Brønnerud...Synøve I think, Synøve Brønnerud but I am not sure I can pronounce those names."
William said apologetically.

"William is scared, he thinks we are going to torture him, as he has been poorly treated."

Udella nodded she neared the terrified hedge wizard very carefully.
"I see. I will do my best not to frighten him further then."
The old Guernicus said then she gave William a smile.
"I am going to cast a spell to detect lies William, not that I think you are lying, I assure you that you will feel nothing save perhaps a touch of cold."
She explained and held out her hands to show him the gestures before she cast the rote.
"Is that ok?"
She asked and William looked terrified but he nodded. Udella smiled and went through the rote very slowly, you had seen her cast massive Ignem effects faster than that, but she moved slow not to scare the captive hedge wizard it seamed she was used to handling terrified prisoners and try to calm them down.

He frowned at Udella and then sighed as she explained the Umbrood's reluctance. "Well, one can hardly blame her for being reticent, given what happened to her. Once you are done speaking with him, I can try. Perhaps we can get through though, I do hope so." He didn't seem inclined to leave Udella alone with William in the security chief's room.

"See what you can do Sodalis, I will take care of the prisoner and do not worry about me, I can take care of myself you know, it is more dangerous out there than in here."
Udella said softly.
"Hum...the only thing the Umbrood seamed interested in was your Cabalmate, perhaps because of his scars, that kind of damage can attract Entropic spirits like her...and that do worry me, the Umbrood is not evil, but she is hurt and she is a tricky one, if she gets fascinated by your Cabalmate she could become dangerous to him."
The old Quesitor warned.
"So see if you can talk with her and I will see what I can get out of our friend William here, but we might have to wait, interrogating a torture victim can take time they are often very fragile, you have to build up trust, so it might have to wait until we get out of here."
Udella said when Crexia came back into the room.
"I am co locating do not be alarmed if you see two of me...the Umbrood have approached our young Orphan friend and I do not like how that conversation is going, if she get hostile I will have to attack her and I rather not do that."
Crexia said quickly and Udella swore under her breath.

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

"Acorn Sir? Is that the thing you talked about showing Anna?"

Colin nodded, "It's a... no, I'm mixing things up; not good. It's a pine cone, not an acorn. It's a humble-looking thing, put potent - it hides many seeds that may offer a better future... You are one of the ones Freddy said might benefit from seeing it; one of the specifically named ones who may take a leap of faith toward the light. Whether or not you do... well, that part is up to you, obviously. I can open a door, but you're the one who has to decide whether or not to step through..."

"So one should just do stupid things because society say so?"
Anna asked and she did not seam like she agreed with that notion.

He shrugged, "More that we should try to keep certain... activities somewhat private. Oh, there are certainly clubs and the like for people who enjoy sharing their... personal lives with others, shall we say, and therein lies the important distinction: people who attend those clubs know what they'll expect to see, much in the same way people going to attend a boxing match know what they'll be seeing. It's all a matter of consent."

"Well for a boyfriend or girlfriend sure I would want them to really like me, but just for sex, I mean Gabriel did not really look for affection from his prisoners he was just looking to empty his ba..."
Anna begun when Kyle decided to jump in and not hear more.
"So game night...yes that will be fun...I am going to have a BMW, a dark green one...ehm and I can make some caramel popcorn, do you like caramel popcorn...off course you do everyone like caramel popcorn it is delicious."
The young widderslainte spoke very fast to drone out what Anna was saying there where a few things he did not want to hear a twelve year old girl say. Anna just looked confused.

Colin chuckled, "Aaaand there you broke the poor lad's comfort zone, sweetie. We'll talk about that in greater depth later, too..."

Anna smiled a little at that then she turned serious again.
"You really think so Mentor? That she won't hate me when she is reborn?"
She asked and tugged at her sock looking a little surprised when the pink fabric slipped of her foot.

He nodded, "Kids, by and large, have to be taught hate. She might fear you, or rather what you represent at first, but there's still a bit of a leap to hate you right off the bat."

Chicago, Now:

The Umbrood glared at you for a while then her expression softened a little.
"If that is true...then that is kind of you, we are our purpose, without it we are nothing, there is no greater agony for our kind. If you have freed him from that Craftsman then you have done a kind deed."

He nodded, "He's a good fellow; even when he attacked us first he seemed reluctant more than anything... Giving him his own purpose was admittedly to my benefit, but he made the choice to accept it freely. I was pleased we did not have to fight him further."

"Why would you help me man with what I can't touch inside?"

He smiled thinly, "Because it is the right thing to do, and to spite the mistress of this Labyrinth. She has hurt people of whom I care a great deal, and that demands retribution. Helping people - incarnate or not - that she has hurt or enslaved along the way is a bonus; a quite welcome one."

"I have only...limited understanding of time Craftsman, I am in several states and so are what is not me, but a state where that woman either do not exist or what make her able to commend reality to her will do not exist would be a good now to move into...no she take what she can use against others, a child, an apprentice, a loved one, she take and she destroy."
The spirit wept angrily.

He nodded, "A state where she and that which you cannot touch inside her don't exist is the very purpose we seek."

The Umbrood regarded you and stepped all the way over to you, behind her you see Crexia begin the hand gestures to attack the spirit if she should make a hostile move. The trash heap Umbrood put her hand against your cheek, it felt oily like used food wrappings.
"I do not know if I can believe you man with what I can't touch inside...I will need collateral to consider helping you, if I go against that woman, she will harm my child, I have to know you will keep your word, that you will save him...without him I will become a Bane he is the last hope I have to stay in my now to be what I am...will you make a deal with me mage?"
She said and there was a undertone of threat in her tin can voice as she spoke.

He arched an eyebrow to the touch - was she manifested or not? He couldn't even begin to tell... He gently laid his hand over hers, barely enough touching, "I do not know what sort of collateral would suffice... but I would certainly not wish for you to become a Bane. For a deal... What are your terms?"

((OOC: Eeeeep, gonna want tetanus shots after this, aren't we? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin nodded, "It's a... no, I'm mixing things up; not good. It's a pine cone, not an acorn. It's a humble-looking thing, put potent - it hides many seeds that may offer a better future... You are one of the ones Freddy said might benefit from seeing it; one of the specifically named ones who may take a leap of faith toward the light. Whether or not you do... well, that part is up to you, obviously. I can open a door, but you're the one who has to decide whether or not to step through..."

Kyle nodded he sigh and looked up at the roof.
"If I could...redeem my Avatar I would, I will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal, I accept her wish for Oblivion that is fine, but if we are going that path we will do so in a constructive way and seek out Nirvana or some such state, you know being one with Divinity and not actual destruction."
The boy said.
"I would like to see this pine cone, when you are ready to show me Sir."

He shrugged, "More that we should try to keep certain... activities somewhat private. Oh, there are certainly clubs and the like for people who enjoy sharing their... personal lives with others, shall we say, and therein lies the important distinction: people who attend those clubs know what they'll expect to see, much in the same way people going to attend a boxing match know what they'll be seeing. It's all a matter of consent."

"I see but why to people need to consent to see some things and not other? I mean I hate it when someone dress up dogs other than putting on rain coats and the like, dogs in tutus and the like it just look so stupid and I am sure the dogs think so to, if I where a dog I would bite whoever tried to put me in a tutu that is for sure, so why do someone have to consent to seeing someone else have sex but I do not have to consent to seeing their poodle in a pink dress?"
Anna protested.

Colin chuckled, "Aaaand there you broke the poor lad's comfort zone, sweetie. We'll talk about that in greater depth later, too..."

Anna looked confused and looked at Kyle who where still blushing and praising the glory of caramel popcorn.
"I see, I did not mean to, talking about these things where completely normal in the Labyrinth."
She muttered.

He nodded, "Kids, by and large, have to be taught hate. She might fear you, or rather what you represent at first, but there's still a bit of a leap to hate you right off the bat."

Anna seamed to be relieved to hear that.
"I would...not want her to hate me Mentor, it would have been easier if she had been through the Caul as well, but she was scared and asked her Mentor to be allowed to wait...and then it was to late..."
She muttered sadly.
"I understand that she was scared though...it was bad..."
She said softly.

Chicago Now:

He nodded, "He's a good fellow; even when he attacked us first he seemed reluctant more than anything... Giving him his own purpose was admittedly to my benefit, but he made the choice to accept it freely. I was pleased we did not have to fight him further."

The Umbrood looked at you and considered what you where saying.
"I see, you showed kindness to one of my kind then, and while it was to your benefit you did not try to extort the situation at his expense, that is noble Craftsman if it is true..."

He smiled thinly, "Because it is the right thing to do, and to spite the mistress of this Labyrinth. She has hurt people of whom I care a great deal, and that demands retribution. Helping people - incarnate or not - that she has hurt or enslaved along the way is a bonus; a quite welcome one."

"You seek to help others along with destroying your enemies? Why do you have this desire?"
The Umbrood Lady demanded.

He nodded, "A state where she and that which you cannot touch inside her don't exist is the very purpose we seek."

"In that we have the same wish and goal, such a now when that woman that that which I can not touch do not exist would be welcome. Usually that which I cannot touch are beautiful, it is not perfect like we are, so it can learn, it have chosen to to be perfect, and it shine with a thousand suns, but hers are dark and foul."
The spirit said in disgust.

He arched an eyebrow to the touch - was she manifested or not? He couldn't even begin to tell... He gently laid his hand over hers, barely enough touching, "I do not know what sort of collateral would suffice... but I would certainly not wish for you to become a Bane.

The Umbrood felt like she was there, and yet not there, it was strange to feel her presence like that though it did give you the feeling of diving into a trash heap an swimming around in half rotted leftovers.
"Your face...I like your face, it look like something that should be discarded into my domain."
The spirit did not speak out of any desire to be mean, she did not understand such human concepts as vanity she merely made her observation.
"Your face would work as collateral man with what I cannot touch inside...if you betray me or do not manage to save my child, I will come for you and carve it from your bones and take it to my trash heap to rot."
She said in a matter of factly tone of voice as if she was talking about buying your used bike.

For a deal... What are your terms?"

"I will offer what help I can to help you defeat the woman who have my child, and you will free him, but you will swear to me that if you fail, or if anything happen to my child, or if you betray me, I will have your face for my domain."
The Umbrood said then she smiled pleasantly.
"It so look like it belong there, it is damaged after all."

(OOC: Oh Colin will get quite used to tetanus shots. Then again he already got one a few hours ago, but I do not think you can easily OD on then so better safe than sorry. )

[Adley]

"Hum...we will deal with how to transport him once we have dealt with the Node, perhaps the Cultist got something that will sedate him to much to work magic, but keep him able to walk."

Adley frowned a little. "Let's first figure out this trap. He has an armlet on that allows his...'mistress' the Chief of Security to know where he is and to call him. He is also branded with something I thinks is her personal sigil."

"Yes...so far though the only one the Umbrood seam even remotely interested in are your Cabalmate, she have been glancing at him but that do worry me a bit."

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking worried. Colin didn't really need any more spirits after him, he already had a pissed off ghost.

"Three doors down away from the Node, her name is Sølvi Gjende, we got her from a Labyrinth in Boston she is the apprentice of a woman there named Brønnerud...Synøve I think, Synøve Brønnerud but I am not sure I can pronounce those names." William said apologetically.

"Thank you. Is the room on the right or left, from our current position?"

"I see. I will do my best not to frighten him further then." The old Guernicus said then she gave William a smile. "I am going to cast a spell to detect lies William, not that I think you are lying, I assure you that you will feel nothing save perhaps a touch of cold." She explained and held out her hands to show him the gestures before she cast the rote. "Is that ok?"She asked and William looked terrified but he nodded. Udella smiled and went through the rote very slowly, you had seen her cast massive Ignem effects faster than that, but she moved slow not to scare the captive hedge wizard it seamed she was used to handling terrified prisoners and try to calm them down.

He nodded, watching her as she made the gestures, slowly enough for him to see them discreetly. It suddenly hit him then that one of the reasons for making things so flashy might have been to confused other people watching someone cast a rote against them. But now so much time had passed, the newer gestures had become commonplace and the older ones more obscure.

"See what you can do Sodalis, I will take care of the prisoner and do not worry about me, I can take care of myself you know, it is more dangerous out there than in here." Udella said softly. "Hum...the only thing the Umbrood seamed interested in was your Cabalmate, perhaps because of his scars, that kind of damage can attract Entropic spirits like her...and that do worry me, the Umbrood is not evil, but she is hurt and she is a tricky one, if he gets fascinated by your Cabalmate she could become dangerous to him." The old Quesitor warned.

"This is the Chief of Security's room, I'm pretty sure, his...owner. He said she used a kind of Hermetic like style," he warned her. Then he looked more worried. "We don't need my amicus drawing more attention..."

"So see if you can talk with her and I will see what I can get out of our friend William here, but we might have to wait, interrogating a torture victim can take time they are often very fragile, you have to build up trust, so it might have to wait until we get out of here."
Udella said when Crexia came back into the room. "I am co locating do not be alarmed if you see two of me...the Umbrood have approached our young Orphan friend and I do not like how that conversation is going, if she get hostile I will have to attack her and I rather not do that."

He looked a bit reluctant to leave her and William but Colin needed his help, so he gave her a nod. "I will be back soon." Then Crexia arrived. He raised an eyebrow at her and then nodded to her. "I see...well, let's go see what's going on." He felt better that there was someone with Udella and he hurried around the corner towards Colin and Rosario near the node.

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

Kyle nodded he sigh and looked up at the roof.
"If I could...redeem my Avatar I would, I will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal, I accept her wish for Oblivion that is fine, but if we are going that path we will do so in a constructive way and seek out Nirvana or some such state, you know being one with Divinity and not actual destruction."
The boy said.
"I would like to see this pine cone, when you are ready to show me Sir."

Colin nodded, "So be it... Once your Mentor agrees, I will show you."

"I see but why to people need to consent to see some things and not other? I mean I hate it when someone dress up dogs other than putting on rain coats and the like, dogs in tutus and the like it just look so stupid and I am sure the dogs think so to, if I where a dog I would bite whoever tried to put me in a tutu that is for sure, so why do someone have to consent to seeing someone else have sex but I do not have to consent to seeing their poodle in a pink dress?"
Anna protested.

He smiled wryly, "For a great many things, consent is implicit - though I do agree, people who wish to parade their pets in human clothes really ought seek permits and consent in advance... The laws have just not caught up with the rather horrid pet fashions, though I suppose there may be some animal cruelty legislation coming some time soon..."

Anna looked confused and looked at Kyle who where still blushing and praising the glory of caramel popcorn.
"I see, I did not mean to, talking about these things where completely normal in the Labyrinth."
She muttered.

He smiled wryly, "Quite alright... For most parents, I hear, having The Talk with their children is an awkward situation. You, however, have managed to turn it into a completely different kind of awkward. I am frankly impressed."

Anna seamed to be relieved to hear that.
"I would...not want her to hate me Mentor, it would have been easier if she had been through the Caul as well, but she was scared and asked her Mentor to be allowed to wait...and then it was to late..."
She muttered sadly.
"I understand that she was scared though...it was bad..."
She said softly.

He nodded, "In many ways, she was fortunate, I suppose... She escaped the purging, and may be reborn in a... healthier place already."

Chicago, Now:

"You seek to help others along with destroying your enemies? Why do you have this desire?"
The Umbrood Lady demanded.

He smiled sadly, "For the first part of my existence, when that which you cannot touch inside me still slept, I destroyed. I was quite good at it. Then I was... gravely injured, and my life of bringing large-scale destruction came to an end. I found new purpose, then, to create anew and restore and preserve that which is broken... I am still adept at destruction, but I do not enjoy it. What drives me is the desire to build things that will outlast this fleshy form; once I am gone from this world, all that will remain is the sum of my actions. I hope that will make the world a better place for everyone who lives in it, whether mortal or spirit..."

"In that we have the same wish and goal, such a now when that woman that that which I can not touch do not exist would be welcome. Usually that which I cannot touch are beautiful, it is not perfect like we are, so it can learn, it have chosen to to be perfect, and it shine with a thousand suns, but hers are dark and foul."
The spirit said in disgust.

He nodded, "She has fallen far, and cannot be permitted to spread her rot any further."

The Umbrood felt like she was there, and yet not there, it was strange to feel her presence like that though it did give you the feeling of diving into a trash heap an swimming around in half rotted leftovers.
"Your face...I like your face, it look like something that should be discarded into my domain."
The spirit did not speak out of any desire to be mean, she did not understand such human concepts as vanity she merely made her observation.
"Your face would work as collateral man with what I cannot touch inside...if you betray me or do not manage to save my child, I will come for you and carve it from your bones and take it to my trash heap to rot."
She said in a matter of factly tone of voice as if she was talking about buying your used bike.

"I will offer what help I can to help you defeat the woman who have my child, and you will free him, but you will swear to me that if you fail, or if anything happen to my child, or if you betray me, I will have your face for my domain."
The Umbrood said then she smiled pleasantly.
"It so look like it belong there, it is damaged after all."

He frowned, "I am quite fond of my face, myself... In fact, I do not think I could survive without it... Will you permit me to confer with a friend more learned in the ways of spirits than myself before I answer?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Chicago Now:

Adley frowned a little. "Let's first figure out this trap. He has an armlet on that allows his...'mistress' the Chief of Security to know where he is and to call him. He is also branded with something I thinks is her personal sigil."

"We will have to examine that armlet and the brand when we are ready to transport him, the armlet at least can probably be removed, and we are going to have to see if we can do something about any enchantments on him, I would not want this woman to know where he and by extension we are."
Crexia said and frowned.

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking worried. Colin didn't really need any more spirits after him, he already had a pissed off ghost.

"I mean the Umbrood seams interested in Colin...I suspect she sees in him something that resonates with what she is, and that can help him get her to talk to him yes but it can also be very dangerous."

"Thank you. Is the room on the right or left, from our current position?"

"On the left Sir..."
William said and glanced at you nervously.

He nodded, watching her as she made the gestures, slowly enough for him to see them discreetly. It suddenly hit him then that one of the reasons for making things so flashy might have been to confused other people watching someone cast a rote against them. But now so much time had passed, the newer gestures had become commonplace and the older ones more obscure.

"There done..."
Udella said and smiled to William.
"Try saying something that is a direct lie."
She suggested and the hedge wizard cringed, he was still afraid it would hurt but he muttered.
"I am sitting on top of a tree."
As he spoke the words his breath came of frosty as if he was outside during a cold winter. He gave a nervous smile and Udella nodded, she kept her hands in clear view of the poor man as she begun to ask him questions.
"Now can you tell me how you got here?"
She asked and she listened as William repeated what he ad said to you, there was no frost out of his mouth, he just told the tale again sadly.

"This is the Chief of Security's room, I'm pretty sure, his...owner. He said she used a kind of Hermetic like style," he warned her. Then he looked more worried. "We don't need my amicus drawing more attention..."

"I am not underestimating the woman Sodalis, but I do think I will be fine while you go and help your Cabalmate, he have just started seeing spirits the way he says it, something happened when we...dealt with Cotta, and when someone are just starting to experience them but do not know how to deal with them, there is always danger, I am sure your Pater warned you about it."
The old Enforcer said, and indeed Jeffry had been most concerned that you would be careful when you first had your breakthrough and where able to see those that where not incerate, they will know you can see them, and know you are inexperienced and some of them will exploit that, the old Flambeau had warned. It was always a delicate period when a mage first begun to deal with the worlds beyond the physical.

He looked a bit reluctant to leave her and William but Colin needed his help, so he gave her a nod. "I will be back soon." Then Crexia arrived. He raised an eyebrow at her and then nodded to her. "I see...well, let's go see what's going on."

Udella nodded at that but she focused on William and asking him about how he had been sold to the Nephandi, how had had gotten here and about who his...owner was. Crexia nodded.
"I will keep an eye on things Sosdalis, both here an in the corridor."
She assured you.

He felt better that there was someone with Udella and he hurried around the corner towards Colin and Rosario near the node.

You see Crexia stand there to by her hand gestures, one hand looking like it was crusting something, the other forming an elaborate eye she was ready to attack the Umbrood Lord if she had to, you arrive just in time to see the spirit caress Colin's face and offer to trade it for her cooperation.

He smiled sadly, "For the first part of my existence, when that which you cannot touch inside me still slept, I destroyed. I was quite good at it. Then I was... gravely injured, and my life of bringing large-scale destruction came to an end. I found new purpose, then, to create anew and restore and preserve that which is broken... I am still adept at destruction, but I do not enjoy it. What drives me is the desire to build things that will outlast this fleshy form; once I am gone from this world, all that will remain is the sum of my actions. I hope that will make the world a better place for everyone who lives in it, whether mortal or spirit..."

The spirit looked at you for a while then she nodded.
"I do not understand past, nor your concept of being gone, the now is the now. But I am decay and destruction and to balance that I made a child who is creation, he is fresh and new and creation while I am still what I am, I am understand your tale and your reason I think."

He nodded, "She has fallen far, and cannot be permitted to spread her rot any further."

"Agreed."
Was all the Umbrood Lord had to say to that.

He frowned, "I am quite fond of my face, myself... In fact, I do not think I could survive without it... Will you permit me to confer with a friend more learned in the ways of spirits than myself before I answer?"

"If it was not precious to you, it would not make good collateral, but yes conferring with your companion is acceptable to me."
The spirit allowed gracefully and she lowered her hand and took two steps away to let you pass her. You notice Adley hurrying around the corner past Crexia who still stood ready to act if the Umbrood got violent.

Boston November:

Colin nodded, "So be it... Once your Mentor agrees, I will show you."

"Thank you Sir:"
Kyle said and nodded he gave you a grateful smile and ran a hand through his messy red hair.

He smiled wryly, "For a great many things, consent is implicit - though I do agree, people who wish to parade their pets in human clothes really ought seek permits and consent in advance... The laws have just not caught up with the rather horrid pet fashions, though I suppose there may be some animal cruelty legislation coming some time soon..."

"Yeah...animals are not little humans...rain coats and the like are ok but the other stuff that is just stupid."
Anna said and nodded.
"Not that I have had a chance to be around allot of animals, but I do like cats, and dogs to but Gabriel thought they are a waste of time if they are not big enough to eat people...or at least do serious bodily harm. But yes I do not want to see dogs wearing tutus and hot dog suits, and I doubt the dogs like it either."

He smiled wryly, "Quite alright... For most parents, I hear, having The Talk with their children is an awkward situation. You, however, have managed to turn it into a completely different kind of awkward. I am frankly impressed."

"Why is it awkward we are just discussing sex my old Mentor said that..."
Anna begun and Kyle cut in.
"And those little mini muffins...you know the ones you put in the microwave, those would be good would they not, I wonder if there is any in the kitchen...mini muffins, they are all bite size and nice."
He said quickly and Anna looked at you confused.
"I think Kyle is hungry Mentor he keeps talking about food."

He nodded, "In many ways, she was fortunate, I suppose... She escaped the purging, and may be reborn in a... healthier place already."

"I hope so Mentor...then again when she is reborn she will no longer be Yuriko."
She muttered sadly.
"I hate the Technocrats..."

[Adley]

"We will have to examine that armlet and the brand when we are ready to transport him, the armlet at least can probably be removed, and we are going to have to see if we can do something about any enchantments on him, I would not want this woman to know where he and by extension we are."

"Yes. I've seen something where a bracelet was enchanted with a rather nasty spell, too," he said with a frown.

"I mean the Umbrood seams interested in Colin...I suspect she sees in him something that resonates with what she is, and that can help him get her to talk to him yes but it can also be very dangerous."

"Hmmm...he seems to have gotten a lot of spiritual attentions, not all of it good." He sounded a little worried.

"I am not underestimating the woman Sodalis, but I do think I will be fine while you go and help your Cabalmate, he have just started seeing spirits the way he says it, something happened when we...dealt with Cotta, and when someone are just starting to experience them but do not know how to deal with them, there is always danger, I am sure your Pater warned you about it."

"Yes ma'am. Wait, he really can see them now?" he asked and then frowned as she continued to explain. "Oh dear...well, yes he did. But...I had better go see if he needs help." Well, it wasn't just him, he really had been waving at that other spirit. Crap.

Crexia nodded. "I will keep an eye on things Sosdalis, both here an in the corridor." She assured you.

"Thank you," he said.

You see Crexia stand there to by her hand gestures, one hand looking like it was crusting something, the other forming an elaborate eye she was ready to attack the Umbrood Lord if she had to, you arrive just in time to see the spirit caress Colin's face and offer to trade it for her cooperation.

"If it was not precious to you, it would not make good collateral, but yes conferring with your companion is acceptable to me." The spirit allowed gracefully and she lowered her hand and took two steps away to let you pass her. You notice Adley hurrying around the corner past Crexia who still stood ready to act if the Umbrood got violent.

Adley came to an abrupt halt, wary of just barging in, after all it might anger the spirit. But he was not overly pleased with what he was hearing. He was glad that Colin didn't agree to the terms right away and then waited for him to come over to where he was standing, not too far off.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Yes. I've seen something where a bracelet was enchanted with a rather nasty spell, too," he said with a frown.

"Hum...yes very powerful and as you say nasty spells can be put on personal items."
Crexia agreed.
"We are going to have to examine that and see what we can do."

"Hmmm...he seems to have gotten a lot of spiritual attentions, not all of it good." He sounded a little worried.

"No it is not good, not for someone who do not know how to deal with these beings, most spirits are not aggressive but some are and even those who are not, they are so alien it is easy to step wrong and that can be dangerous."

"Yes ma'am. Wait, he really can see them now?" he asked and then frowned as she continued to explain. "Oh dear...well, yes he did. But...I had better go see if he needs help." Well, it wasn't just him, he really had been waving at that other spirit. Crap.

"I do think he can see them and he have a theory why, though I am less inclined to talk about that theory here inside of a Labyrinth than he himself are Sosdalis."
Udella said and sigh.
"Yes you better see if he needs help, just to be safe."

"Thank you," he said.

Crexia just nodded at that.

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

"Yeah...animals are not little humans...rain coats and the like are ok but the other stuff that is just stupid."
Anna said and nodded.
"Not that I have had a chance to be around allot of animals, but I do like cats, and dogs to but Gabriel thought they are a waste of time if they are not big enough to eat people...or at least do serious bodily harm. But yes I do not want to see dogs wearing tutus and hot dog suits, and I doubt the dogs like it either."

Colin smiled, "Well, we'll just have to arrange a... meet-and-greet with various animals. As for dogs liking clothes - no, I don't suppose they do. Well, perhaps some dogs like getting winter jackets and the like; not all dogs can handle freezing temperatures well, after all."

"Why is it awkward we are just discussing sex my old Mentor said that..."
Anna begun and Kyle cut in.
"And those little mini muffins...you know the ones you put in the microwave, those would be good would they not, I wonder if there is any in the kitchen...mini muffins, they are all bite size and nice."
He said quickly and Anna looked at you confused.
"I think Kyle is hungry Mentor he keeps talking about food."

He chuckled, "No, he's finding it awkward to discuss sex, I think. Perhaps we should change the subject, lest he accidentally develop an unfortunate association between the two..."

Chicago, Now:

The spirit looked at you for a while then she nodded.
"I do not understand past, nor your concept of being gone, the now is the now. But I am decay and destruction and to balance that I made a child who is creation, he is fresh and new and creation while I am still what I am, I am understand your tale and your reason I think."

He nodded, "Where you made a child for your balance, I was able to create that balance within myself. And I am better this way, I think."

"If it was not precious to you, it would not make good collateral, but yes conferring with your companion is acceptable to me."
The spirit allowed gracefully and she lowered her hand and took two steps away to let you pass her. You notice Adley hurrying around the corner past Crexia who still stood ready to act if the Umbrood got violent.

He nodded, "Thank you. This shouldn't take long."

Adley came to an abrupt halt, wary of just barging in, after all it might anger the spirit. But he was not overly pleased with what he was hearing. He was glad that Colin didn't agree to the terms right away and then waited for him to come over to where he was standing, not too far off.

He looked toward Adley and Crexia, took a deep breath, and stepped over to his Cabalmate, "Now there's a fine pickle... I take it you didn't find any certain ways to take out the portal safely without dealing with the spirit? She... wants to claim my face for her domain if..." He furrowed his eyebrows, "Her exact words were 'if I betray her or do not manage to save her child'. While I can certainly sympathize with her position, I am slightly concerned about the quite realistic risk of Abigail killing the poor hostage out of spite before we get there. Do you think it's safe to add a caveat to the terms, that if the poor spirit is killed before we can reach Abigail, the claim to my face is null and void?"
He looked over at Crexia, "Also, agreeing would mean that after taking out the portal, this would change priorities to dealing with Abigail first, and miss Carlyle second... but miss Carlyle is badly hurt and hiding in her room, is she not?"
He frowned, "Out of curiosity, how common is it that spirits offer bargains like this of their own accord? I've read plenty of stories where people seek out spirits to make deals with them, but not so many where it's the other way around..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin smiled, "Well, we'll just have to arrange a... meet-and-greet with various animals. As for dogs liking clothes - no, I don't suppose they do. Well, perhaps some dogs like getting winter jackets and the like; not all dogs can handle freezing temperatures well, after all."

"Well when it is practical that is one thing, winter clothes or rain clothes but when it is just to make them look silly I do not like that."
Anna said then she smiled.
"I would like to meet different animals, like that fat, gray cat they had at Morningstar, or that guy Wolfgang's chickens."
She said but her eyes darkened a little as she thought about Wolfgang.

He chuckled, "No, he's finding it awkward to discuss sex, I think. Perhaps we should change the subject, lest he accidentally develop an unfortunate association between the two..."

"Yeah that would be bad Mentor."
Anna said then she nodded.
"Ok we can change the subject, but he is hot on that ghost girls he talk about all the time."
She said teasingly and Kyle turned beat red.
"Ehm...well ehm..."
He stuttered and Anna giggled.

Chicago Now:

He nodded, "Where you made a child for your balance, I was able to create that balance within myself. And I am better this way, I think."

"I can not do that...I am what I am and can be nothing else, but I can create a child, a part of me and yet not a part of me to be that balance that keeps me sane."
The Umbrood said and nodded.

He nodded, "Thank you. This shouldn't take long."

The Umbrood looked at you but she said nothing, she had no idea what should not take long meant, she just waited, to her everything happened in one never ending now.

He looked toward Adley and Crexia, took a deep breath, and stepped over to his Cabalmate, "Now there's a fine pickle... I take it you didn't find any certain ways to take out the portal safely without dealing with the spirit?

"No we did not, we think it might be safe to take out the portal but I am not sure, having the Umbrood's help would certainly help."
Crexia said and she looked towards the Umbrood Lord, keeping an careful eye on her.

She... wants to claim my face for her domain if..." He furrowed his eyebrows, "Her exact words were 'if I betray her or do not manage to save her child'. While I can certainly sympathize with her position, I am slightly concerned about the quite realistic risk of Abigail killing the poor hostage out of spite before we get there. Do you think it's safe to add a caveat to the terms, that if the poor spirit is killed before we can reach Abigail, the claim to my face is null and void?"

"You can try, the problem with spirits are that they are very alien...think about dealing with the fay, they see the world so differently that something innocent you say might end up being an invitation for them to murder you. Most Umbroods will not lie directly but they might speak half truths and most are extremely literal so if you make a deal with her, and I am not so sure I would recommend that you do, the exact wording and every way that can be interpreted are extremely important."

He looked over at Crexia, "Also, agreeing would mean that after taking out the portal, this would change priorities to dealing with Abigail first, and miss Carlyle second... but miss Carlyle is badly hurt and hiding in her room, is she not?"

He looked over at Crexia, "Also, agreeing would mean that after taking out the portal, this would change priorities to dealing with Abigail first, and miss Carlyle second... but miss Carlyle is badly hurt and hiding in her room, is she not?"

"Agreed Abigail then become the first priority. I am worried about Miss Carlyle but I felt her abomination of an Avatar look at us while we passed her room so she know we are here and yet she have not acted so it is a fair assessment to assume she and her soul are badly wounded, we did get it pretty badly before she got us."
Crexia said and frowned.
"And you have seen the...condition someone might be in after an aborted Gilgul...if we are lucky the woman is helpless and we can focus on Abigail but I am still concerned about Matty Carlyle."

He frowned, "Out of curiosity, how common is it that spirits offer bargains like this of their own accord? I've read plenty of stories where people seek out spirits to make deals with them, but not so many where it's the other way around..."

"It is very rare, spirits usually prefer to be left alone. Now this entity is a Umbrood Lord, that is on the level of a lesser angel they have been known to act on their own and seek out humans but not often, usually someone have to take contact first..."
The achmage said and frowned.
"Well I will let you and your Cabalmate discuss this but know such a deal is far from safe young man, far from safe."

[Adley]

"I do think he can see them and he have a theory why, though I am less inclined to talk about that theory here inside of a Labyrinth than he himself are Sosdalis." Udella said and sigh. "Yes you better see if he needs help, just to be safe."

"Very well." Adley frowned but didn't say anything else. Best not to talk about that sort of thing there, or really not much at all.

He looked toward Adley and Crexia, took a deep breath, and stepped over to his Cabalmate, "Now there's a fine pickle... I take it you didn't find any certain ways to take out the portal safely without dealing with the spirit? "

"No we did not, we think it might be safe to take out the portal but I am not sure, having the Umbrood's help would certainly help."

He looked like he wanted to ask if he was alright, but then again, as Udella said, better not to ask a question he might get an answer to that he didn't want to hear right now. "Certain ways? No, the only certain way would be to banish her, destroy her, or override the command. Given she is an Umbral lord under a Master's command, that would be very hard, especially as the Nephandi have her child. However, we did get the wording of the order that she gave the spirit and it is not well-worded. It is open to interpretation and perhaps we might be able to come to an agreement on interpretation that is in both our favor." He glanced past him towards the node and then stopped speaking a second if he could see the person on the rack. Grimacing, he turned back to Colin and continued, "The exact order was this, though in Enochian: 'If the last man of the guards die or the Node is damaged, or the spell of my trap itself are tampered with, activate the spell with my authority.' Now, this leaves three conditions at hand before any action on the part of the spirit is required to fulfill it. The first is not true, the second...is it possible that we can undo the trap without damaging the node? The third, that woman who gave the order did not -make the trap herself- she had someone else make it, so using the possessive could be seen as inappropriate, it depends on how the spirit would interpret it."

She... wants to claim my face for her domain if..." He furrowed his eyebrows, "Her exact words were 'if I betray her or do not manage to save her child'. While I can certainly sympathize with her position, I am slightly concerned about the quite realistic risk of Abigail killing the poor hostage out of spite before we get there. Do you think it's safe to add a caveat to the terms, that if the poor spirit is killed before we can reach Abigail, the claim to my face is null and void?

"You can try, the problem with spirits are that they are very alien...think about dealing with the fay, they see the world so differently that something innocent you say might end up being an invitation for them to murder you. Most Umbroods will not lie directly but they might speak half truths and most are extremely literal so if you make a deal with her, and I am not so sure I would recommend that you do, the exact wording and every way that can be interpreted are extremely important."

"Your face?" he frowned at his friend. "It seems she has picked up some tricks from being poorly treated." Adley shook his head. "I believe that it will be necessary for you to add such caveats so you both get what you want out of the deal. Also, you should try to eliminate places were the order is deliberately flexible and up to her personal interpretation. For example, this agreement already uses the word 'or', meaning she can take action even if you get her child, but she thinks you have betrayed her somehow. Indeed, we do not know what betrayal means to her. Also, you should offer a more reasonable counteroffer to your face," he said with another concerned look. "Something that the spirit would truly appreciate. Never give a spirit any part of your name, often enough that is a thing they ask for so they can take power from you and disobey. And beware, as she is not friendly, she will drive a hard bargain...be careful what you promise. We are not sure what state that woman is in, even if our intentions are true."

He looked over at Crexia, "Also, agreeing would mean that after taking out the portal, this would change priorities to dealing with Abigail first, and miss Carlyle second... but miss Carlyle is badly hurt and hiding in her room, is she not?"

"Agreed Abigail then become the first priority. I am worried about Miss Carlyle but I felt her abomination of an Avatar look at us while we passed her room so she know we are here and yet she have not acted so it is a fair assessment to assume she and her soul are badly wounded, we did get it pretty badly before she got us."
Crexia said and frowned. "And you have seen the...condition someone might be in after an aborted Gilgul...if we are lucky the woman is helpless and we can focus on Abigail but I am still concerned about Matty Carlyle."

"Not necessarily. Though spirits do not easily understand time or embodiment, some do understand order of sequence. You might explain it as a necessary condition in order to proceed safely so that we can achieve our common goal. If that is what you want."

He frowned, "Out of curiosity, how common is it that spirits offer bargains like this of their own accord? I've read plenty of stories where people seek out spirits to make deals with them, but not so many where it's the other way around..."

"It is very rare, spirits usually prefer to be left alone. Now this entity is a Umbrood Lord, that is on the level of a lesser angel they have been known to act on their own and seek out humans but not often, usually someone have to take contact first..." The achmage said and frowned. "Well I will let you and your Cabalmate discuss this but know such a deal is far from safe young man, far from safe."

Adley shook his head. "I have heard stories about spiteful djinni...true or not, the main theme is to be very careful and make sure you are protected against misinterpretation," he said, and gave a shake of his head. "I agree that this deal is not safe, try to see if she will bargain with you over the particulars that will make a difference to our safety and success."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Very well." Adley frowned but didn't say anything else. Best not to talk about that sort of thing there, or really not much at all.

The old maga nodded and gave a slight nod, it was better to talk about such things when not literary in the middle of a Nephandi lair.

"Certain ways? No, the only certain way would be to banish her, destroy her, or override the command. Given she is an Umbral lord under a Master's command, that would be very hard, especially as the Nephandi have her child.

"Destroying an Umbral Lord is almost as difficult as destroying...and Avatar, it will be hard for me to do so alone and I worry that the Quesitor have only so much left in her given her age and health, and we will need her to deal with Miss Carlyle."
Crexia said and sigh.
"Which leaves banishing the spirit...which I should be able to do, but now before she get quite a bit of time to act and it will take allot out of me to do something like that, so that solution is far from ideal."
The old Tytalus said and frowned.

However, we did get the wording of the order that she gave the spirit and it is not well-worded. It is open to interpretation and perhaps we might be able to come to an agreement on interpretation that is in both our favor."

Crexia nodded at that.
"The problem is the only one the spirit have so far been willing to talk to is you."
She told Colin.
"But this worry me for this entity is powerful and far from friendly, dealing with her is stepping onto thin ice."

He glanced past him towards the node and then stopped speaking a second if he could see the person on the rack. Grimacing, he turned back to Colin and continued,

You could see the woman there, barely kept alive, stretched into a mockery of the human form with tubes in her arms, and you saw some of the rotting bodies and bone on the floor, the stench was reaching you here in the hallway and it was not plesant, not plesant at all.

"It seems she has picked up some tricks from being poorly treated." Adley shook his head.

"Maybe, but then again that is the problem with spirits, they are alien, it is not certain she understand that taking his face will harm your Cabalmate, she might just see it as a trinket she want, or she might not care, it is hard to know, the way they think is often so different from us."

meaning she can take action even if you get her child, but she thinks you have betrayed her somehow. Indeed, we do not know what betrayal means to her.

Crexia nodded and added.
"Remember all the fairytales where the hero sit on the blue pillow instead of the red one or eat from the wrong table and end up forfeiting his life or promising to marry, the way you say good morning to her might in her world view be a betrayal, you will have to make a very careful list of what you promise not to do, if you leave what betrayal is up to the Umbrood to decide that is asking for trouble."
She said other than that she let Adley explain for his Cabalmate how to best deal with the spirit, though she did look concerned, she did not like the situation.

"Not necessarily. Though spirits do not easily understand time or embodiment, some do understand order of sequence. You might explain it as a necessary condition in order to proceed safely so that we can achieve our common goal. If that is what you want."

"That is very true, then again if a member of the group are putting his life on the line I prefer not to take any chances, then again if we attack Abigail and Carlyle decide to ambush us, most likely we are done and we will all die or end up the captives of the Nephandi, moving on and not dealing with the girl will be dangerous."
Crexia said as she considered her options.
"But yes we might be able to explain to the Umbrood that taking Miss Carlyle down is needed to get to Abigail and free her child safely."

Adley shook his head. "I have heard stories about spiteful djinni...true or not, the main theme is to be very careful and make sure you are protected against misinterpretation," he said, and gave a shake of his head. "I agree that this deal is not safe, try to see if she will bargain with you over the particulars that will make a difference to our safety and success."

"Oh the stories of the djinni are quite true young man, and they are not spirits I would deal with if I where you, they are cunning and sly."
The Tytalus warned.
"But yes do not leave any wriggle room in the interpretation of a deal, remember spirits will not break their word, but that do not mean they will have the same idea of what those words are that you do, making a deal with a spirit never to grow old for example, you might think it means they will keep you young forever, however they might as well kill you on the spot, it still fulfills their end of the bargain...there is a reason Hermetic apprenticeships are long, a good deal of time is spent learning how to make these deals to stay safe."
Crexia said and she gave Colin a worried look.

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

"Well when it is practical that is one thing, winter clothes or rain clothes but when it is just to make them look silly I do not like that."
Anna said then she smiled.
"I would like to meet different animals, like that fat, gray cat they had at Morningstar, or that guy Wolfgang's chickens."
She said but her eyes darkened a little as she thought about Wolfgang.

Colin frowned, "Yes, Granite is a friendly enough sort, though the good folk of Morningstar might protest if we come visiting before your trial is dealt with. But I do believe there is a petting zoo not too far from here... Franklin Park Zoo, I think?"

"Yeah that would be bad Mentor."
Anna said then she nodded.
"Ok we can change the subject, but he is hot on that ghost girls he talk about all the time."
She said teasingly and Kyle turned beat red.
"Ehm...well ehm..."
He stuttered and Anna giggled.

He chuckled, "And now you're deliberately messing with him. At least your spirits are up."

Chicago, Now:

"No we did not, we think it might be safe to take out the portal but I am not sure, having the Umbrood's help would certainly help."
Crexia said and she looked towards the Umbrood Lord, keeping an careful eye on her.

He looked like he wanted to ask if he was alright, but then again, as Udella said, better not to ask a question he might get an answer to that he didn't want to hear right now. "Certain ways? No, the only certain way would be to banish her, destroy her, or override the command. Given she is an Umbral lord under a Master's command, that would be very hard, especially as the Nephandi have her child. However, we did get the wording of the order that she gave the spirit and it is not well-worded. It is open to interpretation and perhaps we might be able to come to an agreement on interpretation that is in both our favor." He glanced past him towards the node and then stopped speaking a second if he could see the person on the rack. Grimacing, he turned back to Colin and continued, "The exact order was this, though in Enochian: 'If the last man of the guards die or the Node is damaged, or the spell of my trap itself are tampered with, activate the spell with my authority.' Now, this leaves three conditions at hand before any action on the part of the spirit is required to fulfill it. The first is not true, the second...is it possible that we can undo the trap without damaging the node? The third, that woman who gave the order did not -make the trap herself- she had someone else make it, so using the possessive could be seen as inappropriate, it depends on how the spirit would interpret it."

"Destroying an Umbral Lord is almost as difficult as destroying...and Avatar, it will be hard for me to do so alone and I worry that the Quesitor have only so much left in her given her age and health, and we will need her to deal with Miss Carlyle."
Crexia said and sigh.
"Which leaves banishing the spirit...which I should be able to do, but now before she get quite a bit of time to act and it will take allot out of me to do something like that, so that solution is far from ideal."
The old Tytalus said and frowned.

Crexia nodded at that.
"The problem is the only one the spirit have so far been willing to talk to is you."
She told Colin.
"But this worry me for this entity is powerful and far from friendly, dealing with her is stepping onto thin ice."

He frowned, "So we have a few loopholes she may be exploiting; that's good... An important question, then - since the marble is a built-in override for the Portal, will using it be considered tampering, or will it be considered authorized use? That might be critical as to whether we can use it without her reacting to it... though it seems plausible that she would be effectively powerless to act on those orders when the portal is shutting down in any case. I do not think aggression will serve against this noble spirit, though."

"You can try, the problem with spirits are that they are very alien...think about dealing with the fay, they see the world so differently that something innocent you say might end up being an invitation for them to murder you. Most Umbroods will not lie directly but they might speak half truths and most are extremely literal so if you make a deal with her, and I am not so sure I would recommend that you do, the exact wording and every way that can be interpreted are extremely important."

"Your face?" he frowned at his friend. "It seems she has picked up some tricks from being poorly treated." Adley shook his head. "I believe that it will be necessary for you to add such caveats so you both get what you want out of the deal. Also, you should try to eliminate places were the order is deliberately flexible and up to her personal interpretation. For example, this agreement already uses the word 'or', meaning she can take action even if you get her child, but she thinks you have betrayed her somehow. Indeed, we do not know what betrayal means to her. Also, you should offer a more reasonable counteroffer to your face," he said with another concerned look. "Something that the spirit would truly appreciate. Never give a spirit any part of your name, often enough that is a thing they ask for so they can take power from you and disobey. And beware, as she is not friendly, she will drive a hard bargain...be careful what you promise. We are not sure what state that woman is in, even if our intentions are true."

"Maybe, but then again that is the problem with spirits, they are alien, it is not certain she understand that taking his face will harm your Cabalmate, she might just see it as a trinket she want, or she might not care, it is hard to know, the way they think is often so different from us."

Crexia nodded and added.
"Remember all the fairytales where the hero sit on the blue pillow instead of the red one or eat from the wrong table and end up forfeiting his life or promising to marry, the way you say good morning to her might in her world view be a betrayal, you will have to make a very careful list of what you promise not to do, if you leave what betrayal is up to the Umbrood to decide that is asking for trouble."
She said other than that she let Adley explain for his Cabalmate how to best deal with the spirit, though she did look concerned, she did not like the situation.

He frowned, "She wants my face because it is clearly damaged goods; something that falls under her purview. I don't necessarily think that's something she picked up over being mistreated. But yes, I think I'll need to think of something better, and to try to reach better terms..."
He pondered for a moment, then fished out his Entropy-aligned monocle, "Hum, this one might be acceptable... it is precious, handcrafted by myself... Yes, I think this might serve, at least as a collateral while we fight."
He fished out a pistol and carefully tapped it against the lense, cracking it, "Worth a shot, and it's not one I believe I'll need for some time, in any case... As for an adjustment of terms - how about 'if I stop trying to save her child while he is still captive' instead? That, at least, gives me an escape clause if Abigail kills it out of spite before I can reach her..."

"Agreed Abigail then become the first priority. I am worried about Miss Carlyle but I felt her abomination of an Avatar look at us while we passed her room so she know we are here and yet she have not acted so it is a fair assessment to assume she and her soul are badly wounded, we did get it pretty badly before she got us."
Crexia said and frowned.
"And you have seen the...condition someone might be in after an aborted Gilgul...if we are lucky the woman is helpless and we can focus on Abigail but I am still concerned about Matty Carlyle."

"Not necessarily. Though spirits do not easily understand time or embodiment, some do understand order of sequence. You might explain it as a necessary condition in order to proceed safely so that we can achieve our common goal. If that is what you want."

"That is very true, then again if a member of the group are putting his life on the line I prefer not to take any chances, then again if we attack Abigail and Carlyle decide to ambush us, most likely we are done and we will all die or end up the captives of the Nephandi, moving on and not dealing with the girl will be dangerous."
Crexia said as she considered her options.
"But yes we might be able to explain to the Umbrood that taking Miss Carlyle down is needed to get to Abigail and free her child safely."

He nodded to Crexia, "I am sufficiently sure miss Carlyle is not going to go out of her way to attack us... at most, she might try to flee instead; that would also be more in tune with the deal she made - she did that to protect her Avatar from... gilgul, not to go on the offensive."
He shook his head at Adley, "Whether the spirit understands sequences is irrelevant. If I commit to such a deal, I am not giving Abigail any more time than absolutely necessary in which she might decide to murder the spirit child for any reason she might find to do so. If the bargain is made, we're suddenly on a significantly harsher timeline. Whether miss Carlyle is a credible risk or not, Abigail is more likely to kill or destroy what she can, simply because she can if things turn too obviously against her... so if the deal is made, we take down the portal, I get a couple of things from the Node and burn it out, then we make a run for Abigail herself... and hope we can deal with miss Carlyle afterwards."

"It is very rare, spirits usually prefer to be left alone. Now this entity is a Umbrood Lord, that is on the level of a lesser angel they have been known to act on their own and seek out humans but not often, usually someone have to take contact first..."
The achmage said and frowned.
"Well I will let you and your Cabalmate discuss this but know such a deal is far from safe young man, far from safe."

Adley shook his head. "I have heard stories about spiteful djinni...true or not, the main theme is to be very careful and make sure you are protected against misinterpretation," he said, and gave a shake of his head. "I agree that this deal is not safe, try to see if she will bargain with you over the particulars that will make a difference to our safety and success."

"Oh the stories of the djinni are quite true young man, and they are not spirits I would deal with if I where you, they are cunning and sly."
The Tytalus warned.
"But yes do not leave any wriggle room in the interpretation of a deal, remember spirits will not break their word, but that do not mean they will have the same idea of what those words are that you do, making a deal with a spirit never to grow old for example, you might think it means they will keep you young forever, however they might as well kill you on the spot, it still fulfills their end of the bargain...there is a reason Hermetic apprenticeships are long, a good deal of time is spent learning how to make these deals to stay safe."
Crexia said and she gave Colin a worried look.

He nodded thoughtfully, "Beware the wishmasters, indeed... They're hardly the friendly Robin Williams-type, hmm? So, what I am thinking is to offer my broken luck-aligned monocle as a token of good faith - if needs be, she can use that to find me without trouble, I'll wager - and the terms that 'if I stop trying to free her child from captivity, and it dies as a consequence of that, then she is free to hunt me down'... That, I think, should provide me the necessary wiggle room to fail through no fault of my own... Does that sound like an advisable counter-offer to you?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin frowned, "Yes, Granite is a friendly enough sort, though the good folk of Morningstar might protest if we come visiting before your trial is dealt with. But I do believe there is a petting zoo not too far from here... Franklin Park Zoo, I think?"

"Yeah they probably would not be happy about a Nephandus wandering around, or a Nephanda I am a girl you know even if that sound like something cute and fluffy. I would love to go to a zoo though Mentor, that would be fun."
Anna said and smiled.

He chuckled, "And now you're deliberately messing with him. At least your spirits are up."

Anna grinned a little then she turned serious.
"Yeah I guess I am...I am still scared, about the trial, it will happen sooner or later after all, and I am scared about tomorrow and being held down for another of those injections."
She muttered and curled up a bit.
"They frighten me so and they always hurt so much I do not get it, everyone says it should just be a small pinch and then the serum will burn a bit but it really hurts."
The girl muttered fearfully and Kyle sigh.
"Yeah that...is fear doing, there are some who are extra sensitive to pain, and some are that in one specific range of sensations but it is common that if you are really scared it hurt more and not just because you tense up but because your mind think it will hurt more. I know that very well myself Mini Jace but I am sure some solution will be found."
He said and took the young mage's hand and gently squeezed it. Anna gave a half smile.
"I...don't know Kyle...but at least to day I have something to look forward to and I am more hopeful the trial will go well at least."
She said and smiled a little.
"Perhaps if I stay up late enough playing tomorrow will never come..."

Chicago Now:

He frowned, "So we have a few loopholes she may be exploiting; that's good... An important question, then - since the marble is a built-in override for the Portal, will using it be considered tampering, or will it be considered authorized use?

"My guess is that it would be considered authorized use, and it is likely Abigail do not know about the marble or she would have put up some guard against it, and that was Cotta's idea when she gave the marble to the girl, that there would be a fail safe, however the question is if we dare bet not only our own lives on it but who knows how much of the city as well."
Crexia said and frowned.

That might be critical as to whether we can use it without her reacting to it... though it seems plausible that she would be effectively powerless to act on those orders when the portal is shutting down in any case. I do not think aggression will serve against this noble spirit, though."

"Aggression is a last resort I agree. I believe most likely the Umbrood will not act i we use the marble, but that is an educated guess based also on the fact that if the portal swallow the Labyrinth her child is destroyed as well so doing so would not be in her best interest...however I can not be sure."
The archmage agreed.

He frowned, "She wants my face because it is clearly damaged goods; something that falls under her purview. I don't necessarily think that's something she picked up over being mistreated. But yes, I think I'll need to think of something better, and to try to reach better terms..."
He pondered for a moment, then fished out his Entropy-aligned monocle, "Hum, this one might be acceptable... it is precious, handcrafted by myself... Yes, I think this might serve, at least as a collateral while we fight."

"Hum...that might be so, if what she is looking for are ehm...damaged goods, would she be interested in your monocle, the workmanship is fine and the material precious to human eyes, but she might not value silver and fine glass, some spirits will take a handful of dirt over a bolt of fine silk any day for that is what is precious to them, it might be she would only accept something that is both precious to you that you would not want to loose and which are also broken...not that I mean any offense by that off course Mr Wainwright."
Crexia said as she regarded your foci.
"But it is worth a shot she might like it."

He fished out a pistol and carefully tapped it against the lense, cracking it, "Worth a shot, and it's not one I believe I'll need for some time, in any case...

"Ahh you have been thinking along the same lines good good."
Crexia said and smiled.

As for an adjustment of terms - how about 'if I stop trying to save her child while he is still captive' instead? That, at least, gives me an escape clause if Abigail kills it out of spite before I can reach her..."

"That would give the spirit leave to take her price from you if ever you should stop for a second to do anything else but the task at hand, scratching your back or looking at something for a moment, then for that moment you stop trying to save her child."

He nodded to Crexia, "I am sufficiently sure miss Carlyle is not going to go out of her way to attack us... at most, she might try to flee instead; that would also be more in tune with the deal she made - she did that to protect her Avatar from... gilgul, not to go on the offensive."

"True that might by why we have not seen or heard her, she might be trying to make it out of the Labyrinth once we had passed her chambers, you are right she did make that deal to protect her Avatar and she is a coward in many ways though her actions are understandable, she might be trying to flee, which would be impractical but would save us some in the hassle here and now."
Crexia said and nodded.

He shook his head at Adley, "Whether the spirit understands sequences is irrelevant. If I commit to such a deal, I am not giving Abigail any more time than absolutely necessary in which she might decide to murder the spirit child for any reason she might find to do so. If the bargain is made, we're suddenly on a significantly harsher timeline. Whether miss Carlyle is a credible risk or not, Abigail is more likely to kill or destroy what she can, simply because she can if things turn too obviously against her... so if the deal is made, we take down the portal, I get a couple of things from the Node and burn it out, then we make a run for Abigail herself... and hope we can deal with miss Carlyle afterwards."

"If we do this we will be heading right into the midst of the fighting, our job was among other thing to take out Miss Carlyle and other reinforcements who could fall our main troops in the back and be an issue, we have done quite a bit of that, and we have gotten Cotta and two of the enslaved spirits so I might agree to this course of action but it would be dangerous and I am still worried about Matty Carlyle and her Avatar."
Crexia said sternly.

He nodded thoughtfully, "Beware the wishmasters, indeed... They're hardly the friendly Robin Williams-type, hmm?

"No they usually are not."

So, what I am thinking is to offer my broken luck-aligned monocle as a token of good faith - if needs be, she can use that to find me without trouble, I'll wager - and the terms that 'if I stop trying to free her child from captivity, and it dies as a consequence of that, then she is free to hunt me down'... That, I think, should provide me the necessary wiggle room to fail through no fault of my own... Does that sound like an advisable counter-offer to you?"

"I would not offer her to be allowed to hunt you down if you fail, even if she can only do that if you fail willingly for she might be able to twist that, the trade of your focus if you fail should be enough, you might want to throw in offering her tribute, but make it something that will not harm you if you can, however like your Cabalmate says, this entity might drive a hard bargain."
Crexia said and frowned again.

[Adley]

You could see the woman there, barely kept alive, stretched into a mockery of the human form with tubes in her arms, and you saw some of the rotting bodies and bone on the floor, the stench was reaching you here in the hallway and it was not plesant, not plesant at all.

He turned away from the sight of the poor woman. And all the rest of them...the didn't even know who they were to dig a grave for them. Goddamned Nephandi...

"Maybe, but then again that is the problem with spirits, they are alien, it is not certain she understand that taking his face will harm your Cabalmate, she might just see it as a trinket she want, or she might not care, it is hard to know, the way they think is often so different from us."

"Well, we will need to find something else that she might want."

"That is very true, then again if a member of the group are putting his life on the line I prefer not to take any chances, then again if we attack Abigail and Carlyle decide to ambush us, most likely we are done and we will all die or end up the captives of the Nephandi, moving on and not dealing with the girl will be dangerous."
Crexia said as she considered her options. "But yes we might be able to explain to the Umbrood that taking Miss Carlyle down is needed to get to Abigail and free her child safely."

He frowned. "I would imagine the security chief and what is left of the guards are there and the other spirits."

He frowned, "So we have a few loopholes she may be exploiting; that's good... An important question, then - since the marble is a built-in override for the Portal, will using it be considered tampering, or will it be considered authorized use? That might be critical as to whether we can use it without her reacting to it... though it seems plausible that she would be effectively powerless to act on those orders when the portal is shutting down in any case. I do not think aggression will serve against this noble spirit, though."

"My guess is that it would be considered authorized use, and it is likely Abigail do not know about the marble or she would have put up some guard against it, and that was Cotta's idea when she gave the marble to the girl, that there would be a fail safe, however the question is if we dare bet not only our own lives on it but who knows how much of the city as well."

"The portal-trap and the node are two things and there were two conditions associate with them. So the question is, would using the marble to undo the trap damage the node? Using the marble would constitute tampering with the trap, but since it is not 'her' trap, that leaves us room to negotiate there. Also, the order says to activate 'the spell' with her authority, but does not indicate exactly which spell. If it is the only spell there then it would be that one..."

He frowned, "She wants my face because it is clearly damaged goods; something that falls under her purview. I don't necessarily think that's something she picked up over being mistreated. But yes, I think I'll need to think of something better, and to try to reach better terms..."
He pondered for a moment, then fished out his Entropy-aligned monocle, "Hum, this one might be acceptable... it is precious, handcrafted by myself... Yes, I think this might serve, at least as a collateral while we fight."
He fished out a pistol and carefully tapped it against the lense, cracking it, "Worth a shot, and it's not one I believe I'll need for some time, in any case... As for an adjustment of terms - how about 'if I stop trying to save her child while he is still captive' instead? That, at least, gives me an escape clause if Abigail kills it out of spite before I can reach her..."

His eyes widened as he broke his monocle then gave him a dismayed glance. Then shook his head at the rewording. "It might follow you and anyone between becomes collateral damage, if she decides that you have betrayed her. Hm, how about you offer something else? She is tied to her area and it is becoming corrupted, and therefore so is she. That's why she made the child. I was told it was a recycling plant. Perhaps we can instead offer to try to cleanse some of the area? I'm not sure we can, but it's an alternative idea. Of course, we'd have to live through this ordeal and deal with the Nephandi first. Another traditional offering is Quintessence of the proper resonance...as for the wording itself, ...'if betrayed you or cannot save her child'," he mulled...'betrayal is too subjective and we may not get a chance to save the child, though we are agreed that we wish to try, we did before we were even in this room, in fact..."

[Warpmind]

"Well, we will need to find something else that she might want."

Colin nodded with a wry smile, "Quite so; I'm rather attached to my face, and vice versa."

He frowned. "I would imagine the security chief and what is left of the guards are there and the other spirits."

He nodded, "This is so. Still, and I would not want to sound flippant about it, we'd be likely to have allies there as well, would we not? Well, allies and the... third-party group in the kerfuffle."

"My guess is that it would be considered authorized use, and it is likely Abigail do not know about the marble or she would have put up some guard against it, and that was Cotta's idea when she gave the marble to the girl, that there would be a fail safe, however the question is if we dare bet not only our own lives on it but who knows how much of the city as well."
Crexia said and frowned.

"The portal-trap and the node are two things and there were two conditions associate with them. So the question is, would using the marble to undo the trap damage the node? Using the marble would constitute tampering with the trap, but since it is not 'her' trap, that leaves us room to negotiate there. Also, the order says to activate 'the spell' with her authority, but does not indicate exactly which spell. If it is the only spell there then it would be that one..."

He shook his head, "The little ball would shatter on impact, I should expect - but it doesn't have the mass to damage the Node... I think it's safe to use the marble in relation to the Node itself, and I also agree with our team leader here's belief that it would qualify as authorized interaction with the portal. As for whether or not we dare... I think doing it is our best bet, actually. The good spirit has stalled, but there's still the risk she could act on those orders, and that would be the end of it. Or it's possible Abigail could even trigger it from a distance, if she became aware of the loss of her guard team. Or, of course, someone else authorized to detonate could make their way here in our absence... I think there are too many ways it could blow up in our faces if we don't do it, and, well, only one if we do."

"Hum...that might be so, if what she is looking for are ehm...damaged goods, would she be interested in your monocle, the workmanship is fine and the material precious to human eyes, but she might not value silver and fine glass, some spirits will take a handful of dirt over a bolt of fine silk any day for that is what is precious to them, it might be she would only accept something that is both precious to you that you would not want to loose and which are also broken...not that I mean any offense by that off course Mr Wainwright."
Crexia said as she regarded your foci.
"But it is worth a shot she might like it."

"Ahh you have been thinking along the same lines good good."
Crexia said and smiled.

"That would give the spirit leave to take her price from you if ever you should stop for a second to do anything else but the task at hand, scratching your back or looking at something for a moment, then for that moment you stop trying to save her child."

His eyes widened as he broke his monocle then gave him a dismayed glance. Then shook his head at the rewording. "It might follow you and anyone between becomes collateral damage, if she decides that you have betrayed her. Hm, how about you offer something else? She is tied to her area and it is becoming corrupted, and therefore so is she. That's why she made the child. I was told it was a recycling plant. Perhaps we can instead offer to try to cleanse some of the area? I'm not sure we can, but it's an alternative idea. Of course, we'd have to live through this ordeal and deal with the Nephandi first. Another traditional offering is Quintessence of the proper resonance...as for the wording itself, ...'if betrayed you or cannot save her child'," he mulled...'betrayal is too subjective and we may not get a chance to save the child, though we are agreed that we wish to try, we did before we were even in this room, in fact..."

He nodded, giving Adley a wry smile at his reaction, "An offering of a gift, as a sign of good will, then, and a refusal of terms which are dependent on the actions of an enemy third party... but a continued emphasis on our intent to liberate her child."

"True that might by why we have not seen or heard her, she might be trying to make it out of the Labyrinth once we had passed her chambers, you are right she did make that deal to protect her Avatar and she is a coward in many ways though her actions are understandable, she might be trying to flee, which would be impractical but would save us some in the hassle here and now."
Crexia said and nodded.

He nodded, "I won't pretend I don't have some pity for her, and would not necessarily grieve if she made her escape, but our initial mission was to hunt her down before going to deal with Abigail, and the trap at the Node here was an unexpected crisis necessitating a higher priority."

"If we do this we will be heading right into the midst of the fighting, our job was among other thing to take out Miss Carlyle and other reinforcements who could fall our main troops in the back and be an issue, we have done quite a bit of that, and we have gotten Cotta and two of the enslaved spirits so I might agree to this course of action but it would be dangerous and I am still worried about Matty Carlyle and her Avatar."
Crexia said sternly.

He nodded, "And this is why I phrased myself as I did. Saving a spirit child and preventing that good lady from becoming a Bane is important, but I neither can nor will hijack the mission like that - not without permission. Which is part of why I came to confer with you, alongside my desire to, er, save face."

"I would not offer her to be allowed to hunt you down if you fail, even if she can only do that if you fail willingly for she might be able to twist that, the trade of your focus if you fail should be enough, you might want to throw in offering her tribute, but make it something that will not harm you if you can, however like your Cabalmate says, this entity might drive a hard bargain."
Crexia said and frowned again.

He nodded, "So, let me think... A small token of faith, and a promise to have the recycling plant looked into to find the cause of the corruption that afflicts her, in addition to our promise to try to save her child, but no contract under such terms? Would she be liable to react violently to such a refusal, you think, or will she understand that the terms are unacceptable?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Well, we will need to find something else that she might want."

Crexia nodded at that.

He frowned. "I would imagine the security chief and what is left of the guards are there and the other spirits."

"Yes there is those and probably more pawns and who knows what is keeping the rest of our groups busy."
Crexia commented.

"The portal-trap and the node are two things and there were two conditions associate with them. So the question is, would using the marble to undo the trap damage the node?

"I do not know how Cotta's magick is set up, but I would think that to be unlikely."
The old Tytalus said.

Using the marble would constitute tampering with the trap, but since it is not 'her' trap, that leaves us room to negotiate there. Also, the order says to activate 'the spell' with her authority, but does not indicate exactly which spell. If it is the only spell there then it would be that one..."

"That we can examine, there have to be some magick on the Node, something to connect it to a place in the physical world among other things but yes we can see what spells there are on the Node itself, but then again that to can be seen as tampering."

He nodded, "This is so. Still, and I would not want to sound flippant about it, we'd be likely to have allies there as well, would we not? Well, allies and the... third-party group in the kerfuffle."

"We do, but the question is how much resistance are they facing.
Crexia said and frowned.

He shook his head, "The little ball would shatter on impact, I should expect - but it doesn't have the mass to damage the Node...

"I think more your Cabalmate was wondering if it had the magickal impact to damage the Node not the physical one but no I do not think that is likely either."

I think it's safe to use the marble in relation to the Node itself, and I also agree with our team leader here's belief that it would qualify as authorized interaction with the portal. As for whether or not we dare... I think doing it is our best bet, actually. The good spirit has stalled, but there's still the risk she could act on those orders, and that would be the end of it. Or it's possible Abigail could even trigger it from a distance, if she became aware of the loss of her guard team. Or, of course, someone else authorized to detonate could make their way here in our absence... I think there are too many ways it could blow up in our faces if we don't do it, and, well, only one if we do."

"You do make a good point young man, Abigail might indeed be waiting for regular rapports from her guards or have some other way of knowing they are down and might decide to activate the portal from a distance, we might have to take a chance to take the portal out before that happens for at the moment her attemnt to use the portal to take us down with her Labyrinth seam more likely than the spirit acting, the woman's house is on fire after all, she have to know she is about to loose."
Crexia said and frowned.

He nodded, giving Adley a wry smile at his reaction, "An offering of a gift, as a sign of good will, then, and a refusal of terms which are dependent on the actions of an enemy third party... but a continued emphasis on our intent to liberate her child."

The old archmage nodded.
"That would indeed be better just be very careful with your wording young man."

He nodded, "I won't pretend I don't have some pity for her, and would not necessarily grieve if she made her escape, but our initial mission was to hunt her down before going to deal with Abigail, and the trap at the Node here was an unexpected crisis necessitating a higher priority."

"If she make her escape we are going to at some point have to hunt her down but that can wait until we literary have saved the world, but yes I would feel better if Miss Carlyle was dealt with, however dealing with this portal is of greater importance, I do think we are going to have to check her room though, if she is gone and we can assume she have fled, then I see little point in hunting her down at this point and we can perched to go after Abigail but if she is still there we need to make sure the girl can not ambush us with that Avatar of hers."
Crexia said sternly.

He nodded, "And this is why I phrased myself as I did. Saving a spirit child and preventing that good lady from becoming a Bane is important, but I neither can nor will hijack the mission like that - not without permission. Which is part of why I came to confer with you, alongside my desire to, er, save face."

Crexia considered then she nodded.
"Very well, we need to check on the Matty Carlyle situation first but if the girl have fled, we do not need to take the time to hunt her down at this moment and our priority become taking out Abigail, we certinly do not want a powerful Bane on our hands and I would want that woman gone...and no I would not want to see you loose your face to a spirit either."
She said with a small smile.

He nodded, "So, let me think... A small token of faith, and a promise to have the recycling plant looked into to find the cause of the corruption that afflicts her, in addition to our promise to try to save her child, but no contract under such terms?

"If you can get her to agree to those terms then that would be best yes, and I can pull some strings to have the plant looked into."

Would she be liable to react violently to such a refusal, you think, or will she understand that the terms are unacceptable?"

"I doubt she will understand that the terms are unacceptable that is not how most Umbrood think, she will understand you refuse her offer and make a counter offer, she is not likely to be violent I think, she might refuse to deal with you further but their anger seldom work like that."

[Adley]

"That we can examine, there have to be some magick on the Node, something to connect it to a place in the physical world among other things but yes we can see what spells there are on the Node itself, but then again that to can be seen as tampering."

"True."

Colin nodded with a wry smile, "Quite so; I'm rather attached to my face, and vice versa."

"A play on words in such trying times?" he said, looking at him exasperated.

He shook his head, "The little ball would shatter on impact, I should expect - but it doesn't have the mass to damage the Node... I think it's safe to use the marble in relation to the Node itself, and I also agree with our team leader here's belief that it would qualify as authorized interaction with the portal. As for whether or not we dare... I think doing it is our best bet, actually. The good spirit has stalled, but there's still the risk she could act on those orders, and that would be the end of it. Or it's possible Abigail could even trigger it from a distance, if she became aware of the loss of her guard team. Or, of course, someone else authorized to detonate could make their way here in our absence... I think there are too many ways it could blow up in our faces if we don't do it, and, well, only one if we do."

"I think more your Cabalmate was wondering if it had the magickal impact to damage the Node not the physical one but no I do not think that is likely either."

"Yes, we can't delay too long. If we can discuss the terms of her obligation to favor all of us, then we should try to stop this trap to oblivion. It's the only shot we have to stop it. Technically, the trap puts the node in danger, conflicting orders right there. But...the woman on the rack, we really will have to do something about her," he said with a shake of his head.

He nodded, giving Adley a wry smile at his reaction, "An offering of a gift, as a sign of good will, then, and a refusal of terms which are dependent on the actions of an enemy third party... but a continued emphasis on our intent to liberate her child."

"At least start there, yes," he agreed.

He nodded, "And this is why I phrased myself as I did. Saving a spirit child and preventing that good lady from becoming a Bane is important, but I neither can nor will hijack the mission like that - not without permission. Which is part of why I came to confer with you, alongside my desire to, er, save face."

He just raised his brows at his cabalmate's pun. Then he said, "Just be careful, don't offer what you aren't prepared to pay. Or the rest of us, either..." Flambeau or not, he didn't want to fight off a pissed off Umbral Lord over dibs on his friends face.

He nodded, "So, let me think... A small token of faith, and a promise to have the recycling plant looked into to find the cause of the corruption that afflicts her, in addition to our promise to try to save her child, but no contract under such terms? Would she be liable to react violently to such a refusal, you think, or will she understand that the terms are unacceptable?"

"I doubt she will understand that the terms are unacceptable that is not how most Umbrood think, she will understand you refuse her offer and make a counter offer, she is not likely to be violent I think, she might refuse to deal with you further but their anger seldom work like that."

"I don't /think/ she would become violent, though she may try to intimidate you. She might make a counter-counter offer, raise or lower the stakes, ignore you; adhere to her previous orders as she deems fit."

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