The Heart of the Labyrinth, Screams and Hope IC Thread 19

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

(OOC: Adley where talking with Willy and Udella he was trying to figure out if he could be kept alive and secure while the group moved on to deal with the rest of the Nephandi. Colin was burning the Node and Tane are talking with Bruce and Amadeus outside Steelhaven's Node chamber. Happy gaming everyone.)

[Adley]

"Keep your eyes open Sodalis..." Crexia urged. "Something tell me trouble is brewing."

"I would be more surprised if it weren't," he agreed.

"Hum no I suppose not the poor man is probably brainwashed. I see Brønnerud that was the little Janissary girl's mother was she not? At least from the rapports I have been presented with." Crexia said and nodded.

"That seems to be the case. Though he had not been here very long, he has been tortured and his 'owner' 'took care' of him afterward," he shook his head. His brow creased as he tried to remember. "I believe it was something in that language, that does seem likely. Forgive me, it will come to me in a moment but if it was in your report," he said with a nod. "So, their apprentice then. Hm."

"I can heal his concussion, I am no great healer but a concussion I can manage, I am more concerned that I will give him to much medicine and kill him or hurt him when injecting him, especially if I give him to little and have to do it again, I am not nurse or a doctor after all I have just taken a couple of first aid classes and bound a few of my uncle's cuts and scrapes over the year, I really are not comfortable with sticking needles into people." Rosario said.

"I might be able to mesmerize him though, put him into a plesant trance or sending him to sleep, that is not to hard to do I am a Disciple of Mind, the question is if it is secure enough, at least that though will cause him no pain or distress."

"The issue then becomes how do we keep him safe, secure and retrievable intact when he is in a prone state like that, especially if we have to leave him somewhere. I really do not know what is the best thing to do here. Carrying him along means a difficult burden." He was obviously making an internal pro-con, and considering the man's welfare as well as the safety of the group.

"I have stored the man's testimony in a partition in my mind, it can be magically examined for correctness and accuracy without infringing on my privacy." Udella said and nodded. "I will have the testimony recorded onto paper as well once we get out of here but it is still always useful to have the original witness."

He nodded to her, brows raised up as she described what she had done with his testimony. "Thank you."

"I do not know the exact address and I have not been there myself, but I know it lies to the North of Gary, but that is all I know about that but I guess google maps might be able to help you more than I there."

"That should be enough to figure it out, thank you. Do you know why they took you, in particular?" he asked.

"I can't answer your second question I am sorry, if the Labyrinth go down my Mistress would be put in danger, if the Traditions capture her...I could not bare something like that happening to her."

"William, I know you think that she is...your only protector and I know that what has happened to you beforehand does not encourage you to trust me, but if we don't stop the Nephandi, many people will suffer at their hands, more than those given to that foul node or our personal troubles. Far beyond any scope that you might understand...akin to the portal trap but on a far larger scale. Please consider."

I know you might try to force it out of me...it is ok I am used to it, you do not need to feel bad but can I ask for one favor first please? I ehm...it is embarrassing to say but I really...really have to go...you know relieving myself...it is not some ploy to escape I promise but if I can't go to the bathroom soon I just can't hold it any longer I think, can I please be allowed to go to the bathroom?"

"I am not going to torture you, William," he said with a sigh. "But I would like you to consider what I said. The Nephandi's plan must be stopped, I think you know what is at stake here." He paused as he asked to go to the bathroom, brows raised. The guy had to have a bladder of steel not to have emptied it already out of fear or need. Shit. He sounded apologetic, he didn't want to be cruel. "It is not safe to split our group. Much as I am impressed by your control and I don't want to humiliate you or cause you undue distress..." He glanced at the others, maybe they had an idea what to do until they are able to deal with him.

// whups, lol almost posted after the summary.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"I would be more surprised if it weren't," he agreed.

Crexia gave you a dark look and nodded.
"Well we are in a bloody Labyrinth."

"That seems to be the case. Though he had not been here very long, he has been tortured and his 'owner' 'took care' of him afterward," he shook his head. His brow creased as he tried to remember. "

"It is a cruel but effective way to break someone to your will, if you hurt someone badly enough they are likely to accept comfort from just about anyone, anything just to feel some peace and will tend to become quite loyal to those who...nurse them back to health. It was used at times during the war on some of the more stubborn Diedne prisoners, I an vouch for it's efficiency it do leave us with a prisoner that will be extremely loyal to him...ehm mistress and that is not good."
Crexia said and frowned.

"I believe it was something in that language, that does seem likely. Forgive me, it will come to me in a moment but if it was in your report," he said with a nod. "So, their apprentice then. Hm."

"Hum...it was in my rapport yes...so I would think it is likely then that the Hagalaz at this Labyrinth are the student of the one who serve Lisa Larson...hum...I guess we are going to have to track downt both master and student and send them to their next life."

"The issue then becomes how do we keep him safe, secure and retrievable intact when he is in a prone state like that, especially if we have to leave him somewhere. I really do not know what is the best thing to do here. Carrying him along means a difficult burden." He was obviously making an internal pro-con, and considering the man's welfare as well as the safety of the group.

"Leaving him anywhere could put him in danger yes but most of the fighting seam to be further in..."
Rosario said then she sigh.
"Our option is to bring him along or leave him, we could take him the the child who's marble we collected's room, it have a powerful ward on it perhaps he would be safe there, or we could drug him just enough to make him to sluggish for magick but not so much as to make him sleep and we can take him with us bound and drugged he should not be to much to danger to us, but again there is then an issue of dosage."
The Cultist said nervously she tried to hide how upset and shook up she was.

He nodded to her, brows raised up as she described what she had done with his testimony. "Thank you."

Udella nodded at you at that.

"That should be enough to figure it out, thank you. Do you know why they took you, in particular?" he asked.

William shrugged.
"A slave able to use magic, even if he is just a hedge wizard is valuable property. A winnderslainte child to give as an apprentice to a valued ally is also very valuable, the widderslainte wanted intended to be the mistress's new apprentice, she did not want to give her up however the Lady wanted a new Node more than she wanted a mage child that would need years of training to be useful, however when she learned that the Quesitor owned a indentured linear mage she requested me as part of the payment so she could give me to my mistress to ease her displeasure of not getting a new student...or so I was told, it do not concern me I am just an thing to be bartered."
He said bitterly and shook his head.

"William, I know you think that she is...your only protector and I know that what has happened to you beforehand does not encourage you to trust me, but if we don't stop the Nephandi, many people will suffer at their hands, more than those given to that foul node or our personal troubles. Far beyond any scope that you might understand...akin to the portal trap but on a far larger scale. Please consider."

"I do not want more to suffer to power the Node and I do not want others to die or be made not to exist I would like to help you but...if you catch my mistress you will hurt her...or worse...you might capture her. I have lived on Horizon I know what happens to captured Fallen. I can not imagine how it would be like to loose my Gift and I am just a hedge wizard for Awakened magi it is worse I can not risk that happening to her...she have taken care of me, cleaned my wounds and held me as I recovered from the torture, I could never betray her..."
He muttered softly though he did seam to be thorn between his loyalty to his captor and the horror the Nephandi where trying to unleash.

"I am not going to torture you, William," he said with a sigh. "But I would like you to consider what I said. The Nephandi's plan must be stopped, I think you know what is at stake here."

"I know I have heard the Lady and my mistress speak, I know what the one named Lisa Larson is trying to do and it scared me, it is horrible so many will die...but what if the Traditions capture my mistress, what if they Gilgul her, I can not bare that happening to her..."
He muttered fearfully and looked up at you with teary eyes.

He paused as he asked to go to the bathroom, brows raised. The guy had to have a bladder of steel not to have emptied it already out of fear or need. Shit. He sounded apologetic, he didn't want to be cruel. "It is not safe to split our group. Much as I am impressed by your control and I don't want to humiliate you or cause you undue distress..." He glanced at the others, maybe they had an idea what to do until they are able to deal with him.

"Please...if I loose control of my bladder here and wet the mistress's carpet she will send me to the Prelate, perhaps let him hurt my brain this time...she healed my eyes last time I was punished but it hurt so much...please...."
Willie begged his voice was getting hysterical.
"Shhh...I will help you, just relax do not fight..."
Udella said as she knelt down beside the captive hedge wizard and put her hand on his lover stomach, under his shirt muttering softly in Latin, William looked terrified but then he relaxed as he figured out the Quesitor was not trying to hurt him, Udella pushed the man's clothes aside and slowly lifted her other hand, drawing a sphere of fluid slowly out of the pawn's bladder, it was an impressive enough amount that where lifted out of William's scarred belly and the spell did not seam to hurt him as the sphere shifted though his flesh until it was free and Udella stood with the sphere of well...urine floating over her hand, she looked around and looked around until she found a vase and deposited the liquid ball there with a grunt of disgust. At least the spell had showed that she had remarkable finesse and control with her magick. William looked very relieved though.
"Thank you Madame..."
He muttered though he eyed the vase fearfully.
"I am going to be punished."
He whimpered. Udella sigh and shook her head.
"No child you are not we are taking you out of here."
She said and looked at the vase.
"Gah that is not what I thought I would be doing today."

(OOC: That happens. Thank you for the fine with the last thread you sent me.)

[Adley]

"Hum...it was in my rapport yes...so I would think it is likely then that the Hagalaz at this Labyrinth are the student of the one who serve Lisa Larson...hum...I guess we are going to have to track downt both master and student and send them to their next life."

"It seems so." Well, some things were starting to fit together, and every bit was more disturbing than the last.

"Leaving him anywhere could put him in danger yes but most of the fighting seam to be further in..."Rosario said then she sigh. "Our option is to bring him along or leave him, we could take him the the child who's marble we collected's room, it have a powerful ward on it perhaps he would be safe there, or we could drug him just enough to make him to sluggish for magick but not so much as to make him sleep and we can take him with us bound and drugged he should not be to much to danger to us, but again there is then an issue of dosage."

"And having to drag him around with us, while in the middle of a battle." He scratched at his beard, irritated. "Also his Mistress will know where he is, so if he's with us..."

William shrugged.
"A slave able to use magic, even if he is just a hedge wizard is valuable property. A winnderslainte child to give as an apprentice to a valued ally is also very valuable, the widderslainte wanted intended to be the mistress's new apprentice, she did not want to give her up however the Lady wanted a new Node more than she wanted a mage child that would need years of training to be useful, however when she learned that the Quesitor owned a indentured linear mage she requested me as part of the payment so she could give me to my mistress to ease her displeasure of not getting a new student...or so I was told, it do not concern me I am just an thing to be bartered."

"You are not a thing, you are a person," he said, frowning.

"I do not want more to suffer to power the Node and I do not want others to die or be made not to exist I would like to help you but...if you catch my mistress you will hurt her...or worse...you might capture her. I have lived on Horizon I know what happens to captured Fallen. I can not imagine how it would be like to loose my Gift and I am just a hedge wizard for Awakened magi it is worse I can not risk that happening to her...she have taken care of me, cleaned my wounds and held me as I recovered from the torture, I could never betray her..."

He sighed. "Isn't there something you can tell us? Something else, that might be useful? About Larson, or the Hagalaz?" he asked. "Something you may have overheard, since they did not think to mind you there?"

"I know I have heard the Lady and my mistress speak, I know what the one named Lisa Larson is trying to do and it scared me, it is horrible so many will die...but what if the Traditions capture my mistress, what if they Gilgul her, I can not bare that happening to her..."

Adley hunkered down a little so that he could look at the man's eyes. "Many will die, those might be the luckier ones if they get their way. Many will suffer untellable torments and corruptions. Spirits from the not-a-place just for the start...and then...if you know Larson's plan you know what it really means. We can't let that happen, please William. There are so many in this world that do not deserve such a fate to unfold."

"Please...if I loose control of my bladder here and wet the mistress's carpet she will send me to the Prelate, perhaps let him hurt my brain this time...she healed my eyes last time I was punished but it hurt so much...please...." Willie begged his voice was getting hysterical.

"Shhh...I will help you, just relax do not fight..." Udella said as she knelt down beside the captive hedge wizard and put her hand on his lover stomach, under his shirt muttering softly in Latin...until it was free and Udella stood with the sphere of well...urine floating over her hand, she looked around and looked around until she found a vase and deposited the liquid ball there with a grunt of disgust. At least the spell had showed that she had remarkable finesse and control with her magick. William looked very relieved though. "Thank you Madame..." He muttered though he eyed the vase fearfully. "I am going to be punished."
He whimpered.

Udella sigh and shook her head. "No child you are not we are taking you out of here."She said and looked at the vase. "Gah that is not what I thought I would be doing today."

He didn't like taxing the elder maga any more than she had to be, they still had a lot of work to do but that was an impressive feat. He wasnt' sure what she did until he saw the globe of liquid and then at her last words said, "Do you have any ideas about that, I'm trying to help figure that out before my amicus is finished his work and we need to move on," he said, eyeing the vase then around the area for trouble. To William he said, "You will not be punished, the Prelate is no longer alive. He is dead." He didn't think the poor traumatized hedge wizard was likely to hear him but he hoped so, this would be the third time he said that Gabriel was not going to torture him in this life.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"It seems so." Well, some things were starting to fit together, and every bit was more disturbing than the last.

Crexia nodded and she looked rather grim.
"It seams these two Labyrinths are far to connected for my taste."

"And having to drag him around with us, while in the middle of a battle." He scratched at his beard, irritated. "Also his Mistress will know where he is, so if he's with us..."

"Having a prisoner with us will be a burden yes but we really only have those two choices, leave him behind or take him with us. I guess we could ask one of our teleporters to take him to the Chantry but that would tax them more and we might need them later."
Rosario said and frowned.
"There are no ideal solution here."

"You are not a thing, you are a person," he said, frowning.

"If you say so Sir."
William said but he did not seam to actually believe it.

He sighed. "Isn't there something you can tell us? Something else, that might be useful? About Larson, or the Hagalaz?" he asked. "Something you may have overheard, since they did not think to mind you there?"

"There are many things I have heard while they did not care that I was there, but I do not know what is relevant. Lady Larson came here to see Doc two days ago, that probably mean she is Paradox ridden since he know mundane medicine and magick do not work on Paradox injuries. One of the healers that are like me a linear mage was called as well, sometimes we can do things about hardened injuries since we work differently. The Hagalaz is scared, she is afraid the Traditions will come here so during the attack she might hide instead of taking part. Ehm there are many small things like that but I do not know which one will be useful to you Sir."
The hedge wizard said and looked up at you fearfully.

Adley hunkered down a little so that he could look at the man's eyes. "Many will die, those might be the luckier ones if they get their way. Many will suffer untellable torments and corruptions. Spirits from the not-a-place just for the start...and then...if you know Larson's plan you know what it really means. We can't let that happen, please William. There are so many in this world that do not deserve such a fate to unfold."

The broken hedge wizard started sobbing gently.
"I know...and I want to help but...my Mistress what if your side captures her what if...I can not stand causing something like that to happen to her, I love her...she have hold me every time when the Prelate was done, she sat up the whole night once since he had tortured me so badly I almost died and she made sure I survived...Mistress cares about me."
He protested though the thought of what the Nephandi would do made him cry.
"I am sorry but I can't betray her, she told the Prelate he could not put the pins in my brain, she cares."

"Do you have any ideas about that, I'm trying to help figure that out before my amicus is finished his work and we need to move on," he said, eyeing the vase then around the area for trouble.

"Hum you are thinking about what to do with him...I am thinking either we take that cuff off him and take him with us, the problem is that the poor man is loyal, a forced loyalty but problematic non the less, perhaps time and care will help him recover and help him see that his so called Mistress is the cause of his torment...but for now that makes him dangerous so if we are taking him with us he will be a liability. We could leave him here place wards around him to protect him...or we could send him to the Chantry I do not want to kill him he knows to much useful information."
Udella said and sigh.
"I have a pocket realm but I use it for storage, it will take some time to modify it so a person could live in it safely for a while."
For now everything seamed rather calm.
"Could we offer to you know, kill his Mistress rather than take her in, it is most likely what will happen anyway I mean we can not take that many prisoners with us."
Leon asked he stood close enough to the door to the Nephandi Security Chief's room to overhear the conversation.
"That would be...difficult legally, chances are I can get a person making such a promise of the hook with a warning since yes we would probably kill her anyway and William here might be argued to be a prisoner rather than a fully fledged Nephandus but there is a risk the person making such a promise would face judgment."
Udella said and frowned. Leon nodded.
"I see I just thought that might make him easier to deal with and more likely to talk if we could offer this woman death rather than capture and well, you know what...if we found her."

To William he said, "You will not be punished, the Prelate is no longer alive. He is dead." He didn't think the poor traumatized hedge wizard was likely to hear him but he hoped so, this would be the third time he said that Gabriel was not going to torture him in this life.

"That can't be...he is the Prelate he is so powerful...he always comes back and now Mistress will let him punish me again."
William wept fearfully he sobbed and looked at the vase clearly absolutely terrified.
"Please just kill me. I do not want to be punished by the Prelate again...you do not know how it is Sir...please..."
He begged as he glanced up at you.

[Adley]

Crexia nodded and she looked rather grim. "It seams these two Labyrinths are far to connected for my taste."

He returned the look. One didn't have to be a Master of Mind to figure out that's what he'd been thinking as well. Coordinated enemy plans...stretching a long while back. Not good.

"Having a prisoner with us will be a burden yes but we really only have those two choices, leave him behind or take him with us. I guess we could ask one of our teleporters to take him to the Chantry but that would tax them more and we might need them later." Rosario said and frowned. "There are no ideal solution here."

"No, there isn't. Maybe we can somehow keep an eye on him..." he mused.

"If you say so Sir." William said but he did not seam to actually believe it.

He sighed; really he knew that he could not be so easily convinced after all that had happened but it was awful to hear nonetheless.

"There are many things I have heard while they did not care that I was there, but I do not know what is relevant. Lady Larson came here to see Doc two days ago, that probably mean she is Paradox ridden since he know mundane medicine and magick do not work on Paradox injuries. One of the healers that are like me a linear mage was called as well, sometimes we can do things about hardened injuries since we work differently. The Hagalaz is scared, she is afraid the Traditions will come here so during the attack she might hide instead of taking part. Ehm there are many small things like that but I do not know which one will be useful to you Sir."

"Larson was here? Is she still here? Did she leave anyone here besides the Hagalaz? Or...hum, do you know where the prisoners are being kept?"

The broken hedge wizard started sobbing gently. "I know...and I want to help but... she cares."

"Hum you are thinking about what to do with him...I am thinking either we take that cuff off him and take him with us, the problem is that the poor man is loyal, a forced loyalty but problematic non the less, perhaps time and care will help him recover and help him see that his so called Mistress is the cause of his torment...but for now that makes him dangerous so if we are taking him with us he will be a liability. We could leave him here place wards around him to protect him...or we could send him to the Chantry I do not want to kill him he knows to much useful information." Udella said and sigh. "I have a pocket realm but I use it for storage, it will take some time to modify it so a person could live in it safely for a while."

"I do not wish to put undue strain on anyone, this is a hard decision. Which do you think is the best options?" he asked her and Crexia.

"Could we offer to you know, kill his Mistress rather than take her in, it is most likely what will happen anyway I mean we can not take that many prisoners with us."
Leon asked he stood close enough to the door to the Nephandi Security Chief's room to overhear the conversation.
"That would be...difficult legally, chances are I can get a person making such a promise of the hook with a warning since yes we would probably kill her anyway and William here might be argued to be a prisoner rather than a fully fledged Nephandus but there is a risk the person making such a promise would face judgment."

"He is not a Nephandus truly, he is a brainwashed man who was ill-used and sold illegally into slavery by them." He scowled. "But from...what I know, this person we speak, she is not one to be trifled with..." Honestly he did not know how he felt about it, he knew the woman was devious and powerful and she may be as much trouble as Abigail, Cotta, or Gabriel. Plus, the memories he had of here were far from pleasant.

"That can't be...he is the Prelate he is so powerful...he always comes back and now Mistress will let him punish me again." William wept fearfully he sobbed and looked at the vase clearly absolutely terrified. "Please just kill me. I do not want to be punished by the Prelate again...you do not know how it is Sir...please..."

"Calm, William. Please, listen. Gabriel is dead. I saw him die. Fewer people have I encountered that had a Name so mismatched and misrepresented...nickname or no..." Adley stood back up, holding back a swear of frustration. He knew it wasn't William's fault but cast a look to the others before scanning again for trouble. He was on high alert.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He returned the look. One didn't have to be a Master of Mind to figure out that's what he'd been thinking as well. Coordinated enemy plans...stretching a long while back. Not good.

Crexia looked at you but said nothing more about the matter.

"No, there isn't. Maybe we can somehow keep an eye on him..." he mused.

"Perhaps we can get a spirit to play baby sitter for the man while we move on? I do not know that much about spirits though Sir so I am not really sure if that would work."
Rosario suggested then she looked concerned and whispered.
"We are not going to kill him are we? If we do not find a solution I mean?"

"Larson was here? Is she still here? Did she leave anyone here besides the Hagalaz?

"She was here...she saw Doc and then she left. She left a man here I do not know his name, he have eye mutations and he got into an argument with my mistress, he scare me he have already killed two other pawns he felt had done him some slight."
The hedge wizard said and shuddered.

Or...hum, do you know where the prisoners are being kept?"

"There is a Technocrat, the only survivor form a group that tried to raid us a few days ago. I think he Prelate is working on him...so assuming he is not dead, he might be in the honored Prelate's...in his...that room."
William said and he whimpered.
"The rest are in the cells, if you go North around the main Node you will get to a fork in the corridor, take the Eastern corridor and you get into the dungeon...it is not a good place."
He warned softly.

"I do not wish to put undue strain on anyone, this is a hard decision. Which do you think is the best options?" he asked her and Crexia.

"Probably drugging him and leaving him in one of the bedchambers are the safest option, he will be out of our hair and while he could be found, most of the Nephandi are busy defending their home and the fighting are mostly happening further in, it is not that likely a stray fight will get into one of the bedchambers."
Crexia said and frowned.
"That will avoid straining our teleporters to much and make it fairly likely we can pick him back up when we leave, while at the same time he will not hold us back...unless you have a better idea Sodalis..."
She said and looked at you.

"He is not a Nephandus truly, he is a brainwashed man who was ill-used and sold illegally into slavery by them." He scowled. "But from...what I know, this person we speak, she is not one to be trifled with..." Honestly he did not know how he felt about it, he knew the woman was devious and powerful and she may be as much trouble as Abigail, Cotta, or Gabriel. Plus, the memories he had of here were far from pleasant.

"Abigail's own apprentices are some of those I would have liked to take alive if possible, I do not want to face them twenty years down the line or a hundred when they are reborn and come looking for revenge, their minions are to much trouble to capture at the moment but the Labyrinth officers, in effect their Deacons those I want."
Crexia said then she sigh.
"Though if our new friend here can give useful enough information that might make it worth it to kill the woman instead of capturing her, like we have been saying a captive is a bother and doing that ritual with just the honored Quesitor and myself...is an enormous strain...I could agree to such a deal, if the information is good enough a bullet to the damned woman's head will have to do."
She said but it was clear she wanted this Security Chief, she wanted to haul her corrupted ass to Horizon.

"Calm, William. Please, listen. Gabriel is dead. I saw him die. Fewer people have I encountered that had a Name so mismatched and misrepresented...nickname or no..." Adley stood back up, holding back a swear of frustration. He knew it wasn't William's fault but cast a look to the others before scanning again for trouble. He was on high alert.

William cringed when he saw your irritation and he squeezed his eyes shut expecting in the very least to be hit, when that did not happen he hesitantly opened his eyes again.
"Y...you saw the Prelate die? Are you sure Sir there are healing magick you know...he could come back..."
The Verditius muttered terrified.
"And he only call himself Gabriel...the Prelate do, I do not know his name before all I know is that they say he was a Ksirafai once and that he stood with the Order of Reason at the White Tower during their founding, that is name are on the murals showing the first Technocrats but that he Fell before the Ksirafai defected and became House Janissary I do not know that this is true though but his magick are Hermetic that much is sure or at least derived from Hermetic theory. Like I said I do not know his original name, the Prelate kept that to himself however his name in the Nephandi's own language, though translated off course I can not speak the Dragon's Tongue, are Festering Wound in the Gut."
William explained.
"But how can you be sure he is dead Sir...the Prelate is powerful regardless of what his name is..."

You suddenly got that feeling that your Mentor always urged you to listen to, something was up, the next moment you heard Cara cry out a bit of alarm in her voice from outside the Security Chief's bedchamber.
"Sodales...trouble!"

[Adley]

"Perhaps we can get a hedge wizard to play baby sitter for the man while we move on? I do not know that much about spirits though Sir so I am not really sure if that would work." Rosario suggested then she looked concerned and whispered. "We are not going to kill him are we? If we do not find a solution I mean?"

"I don't like to split the group but no, I don't believe so, unless we have no choice...or if something should happen."

"She was here...she saw Doc and then she left. She left a man here I do not know his name, he have eye mutations and he got into an argument with my mistress, he scare me he have already killed two other pawns he felt had done him some slight."

"And he is still here?"

"There is a Technocrat, the only survivor form a group that tried to raid us a few days ago. I think he Prelate is working on him...so assuming he is not dead, he might be in the honored Prelate's...in his...that room." William said and he whimpered. "The rest are in the cells, if you go North around the main Node you will get to a fork in the corridor, take the Eastern corridor and you get into the dungeon...it is not a good place."

Adley concentrated on trying to remember the path well enough and then gave him a nod. "Very well."

"Probably drugging him and leaving him in one of the bedchambers are the safest option, he will be out of our hair and while he could be found, most of the Nephandi are busy defending their home and the fighting are mostly happening further in, it is not that likely a stray fight will get into one of the bedchambers."Crexia said and frowned. "That will avoid straining our teleporters to much and make it fairly likely we can pick him back up when we leave, while at the same time he will not hold us back...unless you have a better idea Sodalis..."

"Very well then. No, I don't have any other ideas," he said with a sigh. It struck him that he was finding it harder to come up with things on the fly, how making decisions like this was challenging and draining in a way that fighting wasn't. How out of depth he was...yet they had to keep trying. But some decision had to be made. "However, our healer is concerned that drugging him she may give him the wrong dose. At any rate, if that is our best bet then let us see to it?"

"Abigail's own apprentices are some of those I would have liked to take alive if possible, I do not want to face them twenty years down the line or a hundred when they are reborn and come looking for revenge, their minions are to much trouble to capture at the moment but the Labyrinth officers, in effect their Deacons those I want." Crexia said then she sigh. "Though if our new friend here can give useful enough information that might make it worth it to kill the woman instead of capturing her, like we have been saying a captive is a bother and doing that ritual with just the honored Quesitor and myself...is an enormous strain...I could agree to such a deal, if the information is good enough a bullet to the damned woman's head will have to do."

"He does not seem to be able to get around the Stockholm Syndrome and we're unlikely to be able to break the conditioning here in this place."

William cringed when he saw your irritation and he squeezed his eyes shut expecting in the very least to be hit, when that did not happen he hesitantly opened his eyes again. "Y...you saw the Prelate die? Are you sure Sir there are healing magick you know...he could come back..." The Verditius muttered terrified.

Adley's irritation dispersed like a puff of smoke, seeing William cringe. "He is dead."

"And he only call himself Gabriel...the Prelate do, I do not know his name before all I know is that they say he was a Ksirafai once and that he stood with the Order of Reason at the White Tower during their founding, that is name are on the murals showing the first Technocrats but that he Fell before the Ksirafai defected and became House Janissary I do not know that this is true though but his magick are Hermetic that much is sure or at least derived from Hermetic theory. Like I said I do not know his original name, the Prelate kept that to himself however his name in the Nephandi's own language, though translated off course I can not speak the Dragon's Tongue, are Festering Wound in the Gut." William explained. "But how can you be sure he is dead Sir...the Prelate is powerful regardless of what his name is..."

Adley frowned again, drinking in the information that he had about Gabriel. He had been old indeed. "Let us just say he 'lived' up to his name. I saw him shot to death."

// seems a good place to pause till Warp returns and we resolve what came before, where Cara cries out so I will wait to answer that part, if that's ok.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"And he is still here?"

"Doc? Probably he is fighting up ahead, either that or he is in the infirmary, or are you thinking about the man that Lady Larsen left behind here Sir? Yes he is still here and many are not happy about it."
William said and frowned.

Adley concentrated on trying to remember the path well enough and then gave him a nod. "Very well."

William gave you a bit of a smile when you seamed satisfied with the information he had given.

"Very well then. No, I don't have any other ideas," he said with a sigh. It struck him that he was finding it harder to come up with things on the fly, how making decisions like this was challenging and draining in a way that fighting wasn't. How out of depth he was...yet they had to keep trying. But some decision had to be made. "However, our healer is concerned that drugging him she may give him the wrong dose. At any rate, if that is our best bet then let us see to it?"

"What do we have we can use as a sedative...I have a photographic memory and remember our well veterinarian actually, that act as our mundane physician give medicine to magi with Paradox issues that are hard to heal with magick, I might remember the doses he used."
Crexia said and nodded.
"If we do not have a brand I remember the use of then we should use magick to sedate him instead I do not want to risk harming him."

"He does not seem to be able to get around the Stockholm Syndrome and we're unlikely to be able to break the conditioning here in this place."

"No...you are right Sodales, the man will need time and care to recover...allot of time. I know all to well how the methods used on him work, and it will not be an easy conditioning to break I am afraid."
The old Tytalus said she gave Willie a concerned, compassionate look and sigh.
"There is little we can do about that for the moment. We can make sure he gets help once we get back to the Chantry though given all the...issues a mage can run into and painful memories from past incarnations to booth we have far to few therapists...I could rummage around in his mind and draw out the information we need but...I am hesitant to abuse the man further."
She said and the hedge wizard gave her a terrified look and whimpered.

Adley's irritation dispersed like a puff of smoke, seeing William cringe. "He is dead."

William did not seam like he completely bought the idea that his tormentor was dead but he did seam to calm down a little, perhaps one day he would believe you.

Adley frowned again, drinking in the information that he had about Gabriel. He had been old indeed. "Let us just say he 'lived' up to his name. I saw him shot to death."

"Are you sure Sir, many can survive a bullet?"
The hedge wizard asked then he shook his head.
"You don't know the Prelate Sir he...is so old and powerful, he said he would always find me...that he would one day torture me to death and then enjoy my corpse as it rotted."
He said and tears welled up in his eyes.
"Only my Mistress protect me from that...for as long as I am useful."

(OOC: Agreed, I think he is going to be back today or tomorrow.)
(OOC 2: Ooops Rosario was meant to suggjest that a spirit be set to watch over William but somehow spirit became hedge wizard somewhere between my head and the keyboard, sorry about that. I have corrected the mistake. I do wonder how that happened.)

[Warpmind]

Crexia nodded at that.
"Well whatever it is your talent for talking others into doing what you want have often come in handy young man."
She said and smiled.

Colin sighed, "At some point, it'll probably come back to haunt me, like the poor ghost... Well, a problem for a later time - which gives me a measure of time to prepare, if nothing else."

"Very well then, just make sure you are careful."
The old archmage warned.

He nodded, voice low, "Very carefully selected people know the... full extent. A few, I think, have pieced things together correctly, like you and Master Adimari, but most... only know that my Avatar is stubborn, and that she and I are unusually durable... But it is on a need to know basis - or as a gesture of genuine trust."

"I already are doing so young man, space really are no hindrance to doing two things at once."
Crexia said with a slight smile.
"But if you have things in hand then there are always tasks to be done, not that I have not seen disgusting things before."
The Archmage said before she just vanished as she stopped co locating.

He smiled, "Ah, I hadn't noticed you were colocating. Well, then..."

You create a massive primal shard getting it big enough to cover the whole room in flame is hard but you manage if just barely however it burns well and over time it will drain the Node unless it is stopped, it will take some time though and you doubt Abigail will be happy about you washing her stored up Quintessence down the drain.

He watched the blazing energy for a few moments with a grim expression. The feelings that rushed through him weren't anything like a thrill, or even satisfaction with a well shaped spell... More than anything, it was righteous anger on behalf of all the victims in the Node chamber... may their souls rest in peace, and the Node lose its physical attachment... The burning of the Node would go on, contained by its own predetermined limits; it would be safe to leave blasting away unattended.

He let out a soft sigh, gave a small nod to the Node chamber, and turned back, walking briskly - or at least, as briskly as he could with the injured leg - back to the corner where the others were waiting.

You suddenly got that feeling that your Mentor always urged you to listen to, something was up, the next moment you heard Cara cry out a bit of alarm in her voice from outside the Security Chief's bedchamber.
"Sodales...trouble!"

He frowned and drew James' pistol, limping and shuffling a little faster forward with a half choked, "Oh, bugger, what now?"

((OOC: Back now. Con was good; got to play some new games and old classics. Fun was had, though the crowd was a bit smaller than usual. Not everyone was drinking this year - we had a minor with us, and a very pregnant woman, so I wasn't the token sober person, at least. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin sighed, "At some point, it'll probably come back to haunt me, like the poor ghost... Well, a problem for a later time - which gives me a measure of time to prepare, if nothing else."

"It probably will at that, however until that day when it comes back to bite you on the behind, your skill is quite a useful one."
Crexia said and smiled a little though there was concern in her eyes as well.

He nodded, voice low, "Very carefully selected people know the... full extent. A few, I think, have pieced things together correctly, like you and Master Adimari, but most... only know that my Avatar is stubborn, and that she and I are unusually durable... But it is on a need to know basis - or as a gesture of genuine trust."

"Names young man...be mindful of names please."
The archmage said sternly then she nodded.
"But yes it is likely the honored Quesitor have figured it out and it is also likely she will keep your secret, this however is not a discussion we should have here where the walls literary have ears."
She said and pointed to a human looking ear growing out of a nearby wall right beside two festering eyes and a penis.

He smiled, "Ah, I hadn't noticed you were colocating. Well, then..."

Crexia just smiled a little at that before this placement of her vanished.

He frowned and drew James' pistol, limping and shuffling a little faster forward with a half choked, "Oh, bugger, what now?"

You came out of the corridor with the Node chamber and see Nancy standing there with her knife drawn, Cara stood beside her with an primal bolt ready in her slender hands, it's pale blue glow casting a eerie light over her slightly raised imprints. Rosario was placing a arrow on her crossbow and Olamide hand her elegant hands ready for a spell. Adley, Crexia and Udella was still in the Chief's room with the prisoner.

The cause of the mages' agitation where a group of four, presumably Nephandi who had come from further into the Labyrinth by the opposite corridor to the Node, you see the man who had been with Anna, his odd, cobbled together ray gun in one hand and some sort of calculator in the other. A pretty Hispanic woman with long, dark curls wearing a white top and a blue skirt stood there, she was bleeding but the wounds where self inflicted for in one hand was a ritual dagger and up her arms where carefully carved runes, a second man stood next to the Verbena Barrabi, he might be a Hermetic for you recognized the gestures he was trying to make, the man had been shot in his right shoulder and the damage was bad and painful and his arm and hand where not quite cooperating with the complicated gestures. The last member of the group where a tall, robust woman with long, dark blond hair in a ponytail, grayish blue eyes and wearing Jeans and a knitted gray sweater, she held a rune carved staff in her hands...the group of Nephandi where not attacking, not yet but they stood at the ready.
"We just want to get out of here, this place is going down, we do not want to go down with it."
The man with the wounded shoulder said as he suppressed a groan.
"If you let us pass in peace we will cause you no trouble but if you try to take us down then win or loose you can be damned that we are not going to go down without a fight...and you have bigger fish to fry the Security Chief know you are here and she is sending her little friends, as we are running we do not want to be here when they arrive but you can be pretty sure as hell you do not want to be worn out from a fight when they do either."
He continued and scowled at you and then at Olamide and the other magi.
"Leave us alone and we will leave you alone..."

(OOC: Good to hear you had a good time at the con. Welcome back.)

[Warpmind]

"It probably will at that, however until that day when it comes back to bite you on the behind, your skill is quite a useful one."
Crexia said and smiled a little though there was concern in her eyes as well.

He nodded, "Quite so. Still, I do make bargains to uphold, so it's not as though my persuasive skill is precisely a 'get out of jail free' card."

"Names young man...be mindful of names please."
The archmage said sternly then she nodded.
"But yes it is likely the honored Quesitor have figured it out and it is also likely she will keep your secret, this however is not a discussion we should have here where the walls literary have ears."
She said and pointed to a human looking ear growing out of a nearby wall right beside two festering eyes and a penis.

He frowned, "Bugger, sorry, slip of the mind... Hum, I need to study the manipulation of vibrations, such as sound waves, in any case..."

You came out of the corridor with the Node chamber and see Nancy standing there with her knife drawn, Cara stood beside her with an primal bolt ready in her slender hands, it's pale blue glow casting a eerie light over her slightly raised imprints. Rosario was placing a arrow on her crossbow and Olamide hand her elegant hands ready for a spell. Adley, Crexia and Udella was still in the Chief's room with the prisoner.

The cause of the mages' agitation where a group of four, presumably Nephandi who had come from further into the Labyrinth by the opposite corridor to the Node, you see the man who had been with Anna, his odd, cobbled together ray gun in one hand and some sort of calculator in the other. A pretty Hispanic woman with long, dark curls wearing a white top and a blue skirt stood there, she was bleeding but the wounds where self inflicted for in one hand was a ritual dagger and up her arms where carefully carved runes, a second man stood next to the Verbena Barrabi, he might be a Hermetic for you recognized the gestures he was trying to make, the man had been shot in his right shoulder and the damage was bad and painful and his arm and hand where not quite cooperating with the complicated gestures. The last member of the group where a tall, robust woman with long, dark blond hair in a ponytail, grayish blue eyes and wearing Jeans and a knitted gray sweater, she held a rune carved staff in her hands...the group of Nephandi where not attacking, not yet but they stood at the ready.
"We just want to get out of here, this place is going down, we do not want to go down with it."
The man with the wounded shoulder said as he suppressed a groan.
"If you let us pass in peace we will cause you no trouble but if you try to take us down then win or loose you can be damned that we are not going to go down without a fight...and you have bigger fish to fry the Security Chief know you are here and she is sending her little friends, as we are running we do not want to be here when they arrive but you can be pretty sure as hell you do not want to be worn out from a fight when they do either."
He continued and scowled at you and then at Olamide and the other magi.
"Leave us alone and we will leave you alone..."

He frowned at the group, then gave the Etherite Barabbus a simple nod, his pistol not exactly pointed at anyone, but still visibly ready to aim, "We meet again... I suppose I owe you some thanks for getting rid of my bullet for me, and for saving Devourer of Fetuses. She's... safe."
He sighed, glancing through the doorway where Adley and the senior Magi would be, and raised his voice slightly, "Can we accept this parlay, under the circumstances, since these people are fairly minor nuisances compared to the primary targets? I fear they may well put up a little more fight than the group with the werebears... Less than Cotta, perhaps, but a fight nonetheless..."

((OOC: It's good to be back. And thanks for the thread files.))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He nodded, "Quite so. Still, I do make bargains to uphold, so it's not as though my persuasive skill is precisely a 'get out of jail free' card."

"You will pay for the deals you make off course but being able to talk your way out of situations or getting others to agree to your point of view are still a gift young man."
The Tytalus said and smiled.

He frowned, "Bugger, sorry, slip of the mind... Hum, I need to study the manipulation of vibrations, such as sound waves, in any case..."

"It is alright, but try to be mindful of it, names have power and we do not want our enemies to have power over us now do we."
She said and her expression mellowed a little.
"Ah yes the manipulation of vibrations...Auram then, that is a useful bit of magick to have under one's command."

He frowned at the group, then gave the Etherite Barabbus a simple nod, his pistol not exactly pointed at anyone, but still visibly ready to aim, "We meet again... I suppose I owe you some thanks for getting rid of my bullet for me, and for saving Devourer of Fetuses. She's... safe."

"It would serve none of us if sleeper authorities started looking into Awakened affairs due to a bullet found in a little girl's body."
The Fallen Etherite said grumpily.
"I see your faction have her then...I assume she will not be reborn then...poor kid."

He sighed, glancing through the doorway where Adley and the senior Magi would be, and raised his voice slightly, "Can we accept this parlay, under the circumstances, since these people are fairly minor nuisances compared to the primary targets? I fear they may well put up a little more fight than the group with the werebears... Less than Cotta, perhaps, but a fight nonetheless..."

"You got the Labyrinth Keeper?"
The wounded man said and he looked quite shocked...and scared. Crexia and Udella begun to make their way out of the Nephandic Security Chief's office.
"Hum...we do not need more trouble...not that I like to let Fallen go but right now our goal is not these four...though there might be some answers owed to the Enforcers if we just let them leave but while they might frown it should be legal enough."
She said as she scowled at the four Nephandi.
"I do not like the notion that their Security Chief are sending someone after us though, that might be more worry than these folk."

[Warpmind]

"You will pay for the deals you make off course but being able to talk your way out of situations or getting others to agree to your point of view are still a gift young man."
The Tytalus said and smiled.

He smiled, "Better to pay the price I offer, than one exacted for my failures, I suppose."

"It is alright, but try to be mindful of it, names have power and we do not want our enemies to have power over us now do we."
She said and her expression mellowed a little.
"Ah yes the manipulation of vibrations...Auram then, that is a useful bit of magick to have under one's command."

He nodded, "Quite so. A bit of sound, not necessarily even within the range of human hearing, and a little mathematics, and you have a perfectly workable radar without all the cumbersome machinery. And a little bit of trickery could let me mimic anyone's voice... though I'll allow the accent would require a greater Thespian than myself."

"It would serve none of us if sleeper authorities started looking into Awakened affairs due to a bullet found in a little girl's body."
The Fallen Etherite said grumpily.
"I see your faction have her then...I assume she will not be reborn then...poor kid."

He shrugged, "Yes and no... We have her, this is true... but you're rather a sloppy healer, I'm afraid. You saved her life, but gave her a heart condition. Unless that heals properly, her glass dragon lives. Of course, that assumes the survival of someone willing to apprentice her..."

"You got the Labyrinth Keeper?"
The wounded man said and he looked quite shocked...and scared.

He nodded, not a hint of a smile on his face, "We did. She... was rather tougher than Warden and Gabriel were, raw power is not everything."

Crexia and Udella begun to make their way out of the Nephandic Security Chief's office.
"Hum...we do not need more trouble...not that I like to let Fallen go but right now our goal is not these four...though there might be some answers owed to the Enforcers if we just let them leave but while they might frown it should be legal enough."
She said as she scowled at the four Nephandi.
"I do not like the notion that their Security Chief are sending someone after us though, that might be more worry than these folk."

He nodded to Crexia, "So, ladies and gentlemen... it seems your Security Chief is our greater concern, as I suppose is just the way it should be. But I think we might appreciate a little more clarity in who her 'little friends' are - I'm guessing they might be miss Jerkins' little darlings?"
He took a smooth step aside, making sure there were no disturbing orifices on the wall he came closer to, his voice as even and sincere as he could make it, "Oh, and of course, when you leave, I would recommend you keep going. If we meet again... well, Warden tried to take my Avatar and Cotta tried to take my life. I'm still standing, they are not."

((OOC: And just to make sure, Manipulation+Intimidate: 4,6,8,8,0... Yeah, I think Colin might have unnerved them a little. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He smiled, "Better to pay the price I offer, than one exacted for my failures, I suppose."

Crexia just nodded in response to that.

He nodded, "Quite so. A bit of sound, not necessarily even within the range of human hearing, and a little mathematics, and you have a perfectly workable radar without all the cumbersome machinery. And a little bit of trickery could let me mimic anyone's voice... though I'll allow the accent would require a greater Thespian than myself."

"Indeed such uses of Auram is quite basic but useful."
The archmage said and smiled.
"Often it is not the most impressive and powerful spells that have the most practical applications in everyday life."

He shrugged, "Yes and no... We have her, this is true... but you're rather a sloppy healer, I'm afraid. You saved her life, but gave her a heart condition. Unless that heals properly, her glass dragon lives. Of course, that assumes the survival of someone willing to apprentice her..."

"I am not a great healer no, I can fix minor conditions but you left the girl very close to death so I had to try or she would die and I did not have enough time to do so properly."
The Fallen Etherite said then he glanced at you.
"I see so with her in a frail state your damned Traditions will not dare to touch her Avatar...good...I hope you do survive then I would not want that child to have to go through...that."

He nodded, not a hint of a smile on his face, "We did. She... was rather tougher than Warden and Gabriel were, raw power is not everything."

"No raw power is indeed not everything even so, this news is...disturbing."
The wounded Nephandus muttered fearfully.

He nodded to Crexia, "So, ladies and gentlemen... it seems your Security Chief is our greater concern, as I suppose is just the way it should be. But I think we might appreciate a little more clarity in who her 'little friends' are - I'm guessing they might be miss Jerkins' little darlings?"

"No...they are not Jerkins children they are...the Security Chief's own creations, but really now there is a limit to what we will be willing to divulge to an enemy."
The woman with the long curls said and shook her head.

He took a smooth step aside, making sure there were no disturbing orifices on the wall he came closer to, his voice as even and sincere as he could make it, "Oh, and of course, when you leave, I would recommend you keep going. If we meet again... well, Warden tried to take my Avatar and Cotta tried to take my life. I'm still standing, they are not."

The group of Fallen looked at one another, clearly nervous.
"We will keep going...we just want to survive this...intact."
The Etherite muttered and the others nodded as they slowly, carefully, still ready with their magick if they needed to defend themselves, begun to draw away from the Traditionalists. You see a small, wet puddle on the floor where the wounded Hermetic had stood a few moments earlier.

(OOC: Yeah they are nervous alright and Colin get a success to keep for later. I will wait with letting the group of Nephandi completely leave to see if Strife want to do something.)

[Adley]

"Doc? Probably he is fighting up ahead, either that or he is in the infirmary, or are you thinking about the man that Lady Larsen left behind here Sir? Yes he is still here and many are not happy about it."

"Do you know anything else about the prisoners, aside from the Technocrat?"

"What do we have we can use as a sedative...I have a photographic memory and remember our well veterinarian actually, that act as our mundane physician give medicine to magi with Paradox issues that are hard to heal with magick, I might remember the doses he used."

"I think she said it was morphine, but I would have to double check."

"If we do not have a brand I remember the use of then we should use magick to sedate him instead I do not want to risk harming him."

"Alright, that sounds like a plan then."

"There is little we can do about that for the moment. We can make sure he gets help once we get back to the Chantry though given all the...issues a mage can run into and painful memories from past incarnations to booth we have far to few therapists...I could rummage around in his mind and draw out the information we need but...I am hesitant to abuse the man further."

"I think it would harm him," he said. "He is used to abuse and expects torture." He frowned. "But yes it seems we need to get him out of here alive."

"Are you sure Sir, many can survive a bullet?" The hedge wizard asked then he shook his head. "You don't know the Prelate Sir he...is so old and powerful, he said he would always find me...that he would one day torture me to death and then enjoy my corpse as it rotted."He said and tears welled up in his eyes. "Only my Mistress protect me from that...for as long as I am useful."

The force of his disbelief was so strong that Adley found himself mentally reviewing what had happened so he could give him details. It seemed so long ago that Colin had killed Gabriel at the post office. "I saw him die," he repeated.

You suddenly got that feeling that your Mentor always urged you to listen to, something was up, the next moment you heard Cara cry out a bit of alarm in her voice from outside the Security Chief's bedchamber.
"Sodales...trouble!"

He sighed, glancing through the doorway where Adley and the senior Magi would be, and raised his voice slightly, "Can we accept this parlay, under the circumstances, since these people are fairly minor nuisances compared to the primary targets? I fear they may well put up a little more fight than the group with the werebears... Less than Cotta, perhaps, but a fight nonetheless..."

He glanced at Udella and Crexia, then moved towards the doorway to back up Colin and the others. He glanced at the group of enemies to see if anyone stood out. Then in particular he noted the one that was crafting a spell, ready to counter it. Or shoot them. Whichever seemed most useful, at this point he was unclear why there was parlay. After all, they'd had to kill everyone in the Infirmary, and the other they caught, he was not understanding the grey area.

// @Anja, that's ok Adley might consider a spirit to be a watcher but does also consider them part of their group so he might still say that. Thanks for waiting for me to catch up. Sorry to make you wait, I had something happen. I'm ok but I needed some time.
@Warp, welcome back, glad to see you had a good time. And no problem re: the logs, glad to help.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"I don't like to split the group but no, I don't believe so, unless we have no choice...or if something should happen."

Rosario looked at you for a moment confused, then she realized you probably saw the spirits as part of the group and nodded.
"I see, well staying together is probably wise."
She commented.
"And they kick ass, we might need their aid."

"Do you know anything else about the prisoners, aside from the Technocrat?"

"One is a Massassa, he is staked I assume he is still alive like in the original myths then, his eyes are moving but nothing else, I think he is a peace hostage with the vampire the Lady have been negotiating with. The other prisoners are Awakened magi, I do not know who they are, they are two women I have not interacted with them."
William explained.

"I think she said it was morphine, but I would have to double check."

Crexia made a grimace and shook her head.
"Morphine is a painkiller not a sedative, while it might make someone sleep that is a side effect and giving them enough to be sure they are out will slow the heart rate and breath to much..."

"Alright, that sounds like a plan then."

"Making him sleep with a spell is probably gentler on him anyway than forcing him to take pills or sticking him with a needle, the man is terrified and if we want to gain his trust he have to be handled...kindly."
Udella chimed in and Crexia nodded.

"I think it would harm him," he said. "He is used to abuse and expects torture." He frowned. "But yes it seems we need to get him out of here alive."

"Yes...we should not harm him further and we should get him out of here..."
Crexia said and nodded in agreement to William she said softly.
"I am going to send you into a deep sleep, it will not hurt you will just feel drowsy and go to sleep normally then you will wake up at my Chantry where you will be cared for, you will be a prisoner for now but you will be well treated and no one will hurt you...I am not going to affect your mind against your will other than this simple spell to get you to sleep but that will not change anything about you."
She told the man to calm him, William looked just as scared though he whimpered and looked at you as if to ask if he could trust the old maga he was clearly worried about what would happen to him.

The force of his disbelief was so strong that Adley found himself mentally reviewing what had happened so he could give him details. It seemed so long ago that Colin had killed Gabriel at the post office. "I saw him die," he repeated.

When you entered the Post Office's back door you saw Gabriel's body twitch it's last after Colin's shot gun blast had all but cut him in two at the waist, later Hayden had burned his body to ash and scattered it, the man was as dead as dead could be. William still gave you a doubtful look but he dared not protest anymore, he looked to be just as scared though.

He glanced at Udella and Crexia, then moved towards the doorway to back up Colin and the others. He glanced at the group of enemies to see if anyone stood out. Then in particular he noted the one that was crafting a spell, ready to counter it. Or shoot them. Whichever seemed most useful, at this point he was unclear why there was parlay. After all, they'd had to kill everyone in the Infirmary, and the other they caught, he was not understanding the grey area.

Well shooting a spellcaster was often the quickest solution but they might have kinetic shields up. Crexia looked at you, she seamed to see the doubt in your eyes for she said coldly.
"The men in the in the infirmary was helpless, killing them cost us nothing and we gained two dead Nephandi, these four will put up a fight and while I would like them dead, four prepared magi ready to fight can easily lead to several of our group dead and injured and then we still have the Security Chief's little fiends to deal with and perhaps the woman herself in addition to our other goals. We have to pick our fights and this is a fight that would not be tactical, Mr Tilder and his friend cost us...emotional distress and six bullets and we gained their ends...we can wipe these four out but it will cost us far less and then we might not have the manpower to do our job."
She explained then she regarded the four and spoke in a whisper in Enochian.
"However if you have a good idea for how to take them while minimizing our own losses I would prefer their deaths rather than letting them go, I do not like to leave anyone alive that can fall us in the back later."
She said, calmly, calculating on the battlefield she had been trained and formed by experience to see numbers and math.
"I can stop one of them from using magick quickly I assume the Quesitor can do the same, can you keep the others busy and keep them from reaching for mundane weapons while I cast another spell to get control over the other two Sodales?"

(OOC: No problem take the time you need.)

[Warpmind]

"Indeed such uses of Auram is quite basic but useful."
The archmage said and smiled.
"Often it is not the most impressive and powerful spells that have the most practical applications in everyday life."

Colin grinned, "Ah, yes, like the simple ability to see precisely how and where a piece of metal will be deformed when tapped with the hammer. That alone has helped advance my craft rapidly past the Sleepers' limits, in terms of precision work."

"I am not a great healer no, I can fix minor conditions but you left the girl very close to death so I had to try or she would die and I did not have enough time to do so properly."
The Fallen Etherite said then he glanced at you.
"I see so with her in a frail state your damned Traditions will not dare to touch her Avatar...good...I hope you do survive then I would not want that child to have to go through...that."

He nodded, "I'll take your well wishes at face value... It's almost funny, though; aside from her fear of needles, you'd never guess Gabriel was her Mentor..."

"No raw power is indeed not everything even so, this news is...disturbing."
The wounded Nephandus muttered fearfully.

He nodded, "I thought you might think so... It seems this weekend has been costly beyond imagining for your Labyrinth. The alliance between Abigail and Larson was a bad idea. Also, you might be interested in knowing that Abigail had commissioned a portal to Oblivion in the main Node chamber, against Cotta's protests. It was rigged as a trap - we're all lucky we managed to shut it down, I suppose... but Abigail was not a good leader, I think."

"No...they are not Jerkins children they are...the Security Chief's own creations, but really now there is a limit to what we will be willing to divulge to an enemy."
The woman with the long curls said and shook her head.

He smiled to the long-curled woman, "But of course, I'd expect little more from a formal enemy. Still, knowing they are not Jodelle's offspring does mean our preparations must be different."

The group of Fallen looked at one another, clearly nervous.
"We will keep going...we just want to survive this...intact."
The Etherite muttered and the others nodded as they slowly, carefully, still ready with their magick if they needed to defend themselves, begun to draw away from the Traditionalists. You see a small, wet puddle on the floor where the wounded Hermetic had stood a few moments earlier.

He carefully didn't notice the puddle and nodded slowly, "Also, a small request, if you please... If you go by way of the main entrance, I would appreciate it if you didn't bother the spirit with the silver claws. He's quite happy where he is, and I should not appreciate returning to find him in a distraught state again."

((OOC: So, unless a counter-order shows up pretty quickly, Colin's going to go with Crexia's suggestion of letting the Nephandi run away with their tails (where applicable) between their legs and instead prepare for the Security Chief's approach... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grinned, "Ah, yes, like the simple ability to see precisely how and where a piece of metal will be deformed when tapped with the hammer. That alone has helped advance my craft rapidly past the Sleepers' limits, in terms of precision work."

"Hum...yes but would not that be more in the line of Ars Fortuna, it is similar at least to knowing the exact place where one can use to do the most harm to someone or something off course that would be more how others set reality into boxes what it is related in your own magickal world view that is something you have to determine for yourself if you see something like that within the purview of Auram then a study of that element might indeed help you."
Crexia said.

He nodded, "I'll take your well wishes at face value... It's almost funny, though; aside from her fear of needles, you'd never guess Gabriel was her Mentor..."

"Ah yes, she would have a fear of that...given what she have seen..."
He said and shuddered.
"Our medic once complained that those who visited the Prelate's ehm...playroom was uneasy in his infirmary afterwards...so Gabriel stabbed him and the liked to have his apprentice...watch...ehm yeah...not the Nephandi at it's finest that. At least the Prelate did care about his student and he protected her, when Doc again hurt the girl...I do not know how, apparently Gabriel gave him a beating so our poor medic almost died and it apparently involved ripping off some of Doc's mutations and trying to strange him to death with them."
He muttered and looked uneasy.
"But listen she is a good kid and you can take those well wishes at face value...I do not give a rat's ass about you, but if you are giving the kid a chance...well not many would."
The Fallen Etherite muttered.
"Well we should go...you know unless we are going to fight one another to the death that is..."

He nodded, "I thought you might think so... It seems this weekend has been costly beyond imagining for your Labyrinth. The alliance between Abigail and Larson was a bad idea. Also, you might be interested in knowing that Abigail had commissioned a portal to Oblivion in the main Node chamber, against Cotta's protests. It was rigged as a trap - we're all lucky we managed to shut it down, I suppose... but Abigail was not a good leader, I think."

The Fallen Hermetic nodded.
"Yes I am coming to the same conclusion...wait what...portal to Oblivion? Fuck..."
He muttered.
"Yes that Larson woman is fucking crazy...and I am planning to stay well away from all of this shit."
He said. You saw the women frown and the Etherite asked the Hermetic something in the Dragons Tongue and the latter shook his head but he looked a bit concerned at whatever had been said.

He smiled to the long-curled woman, "But of course, I'd expect little more from a formal enemy. Still, knowing they are not Jodelle's offspring does mean our preparations must be different."

The woman glanced at you and frowned, her grip tightened on her ritual dagger but she did nothing.
"Well your preparations are none of my concern Traditionalist."

He carefully didn't notice the puddle and nodded slowly, "Also, a small request, if you please... If you go by way of the main entrance, I would appreciate it if you didn't bother the spirit with the silver claws. He's quite happy where he is, and I should not appreciate returning to find him in a distraught state again."

"We have little time to worry about spirits on our way out."
The Fallen blood witch hissed.
"Abandoning our post, believe it or not but your Traditionalists are not our biggest fear at the moment and that is saying something, we just want to get far away from here and disappear."
She said as the group slowly moved further down the corridor.

(OOC: Fashionable Nephandi know how to hide such mutations but yes I am thinking we will let Strife reply and see if she have anything to add, Adley might not be to happy with letting the group of Nephandi leave though Crexia's reasoning is straight up, Edmund and his friend meant two dead Nephandi as little cost, these for are also a risk but the group are down three members with Udella very tired taking a fight that can be avoided is not advantageous at the moment the situation is different.)

(OOC 2: Jay finally the result of my blood work is in and I have a doctors appointment to discuss them on Monday perhaps I will learn why my eyes poke out of my head making me look like a fish, then again the explanation might just be to much Spice. )

[Adley]

"I see, well staying together is probably wise." She commented. "And they kick ass, we might need their aid."

"Quite true, I feel as if we will need all the aid we can muster," he agreed.

"One is a Massassa, he is staked I assume he is still alive like in the original myths then, his eyes are moving but nothing else, I think he is a peace hostage with the vampire the Lady have been negotiating with. The other prisoners are Awakened magi, I do not know who they are, they are two women I have not interacted with them."

The Prince's peace hostage. He'd forgotten. There was so much to remember. Well, William had reminded him and that was for the good. Although what to do with him was another story. "Thank you," he told William and nodded to Crexia. "I think he is right regarding the massasa."

Crexia made a grimace and shook her head. "Morphine is a painkiller not a sedative, while it might make someone sleep that is a side effect and giving them enough to be sure they are out will slow the heart rate and breath to much..."

"I could be mistaken or she might have other items she took."

"Making him sleep with a spell is probably gentler on him anyway than forcing him to take pills or sticking him with a needle, the man is terrified and if we want to gain his trust he have to be handled...kindly." Udella chimed in and Crexia nodded.

He nodded to them both.

"Yes...we should not harm him further and we should get him out of here..." Crexia said and nodded in agreement to William she said softly. "I am going to send you into a deep sleep, it will not hurt you will just feel drowsy and go to sleep normally then you will wake up at my Chantry where you will be cared for, you will be a prisoner for now but you will be well treated and no one will hurt you...I am not going to affect your mind against your will other than this simple spell to get you to sleep but that will not change anything about you." She told the man to calm him, William looked just as scared though he whimpered and looked at you as if to ask if he could trust the old maga he was clearly worried about what would happen to him.

"She is going to send you to sleep," he assured him.

Crexia looked at you, she seamed to see the doubt in your eyes for she said coldly. "The men in the in the infirmary was helpless, killing them cost us nothing and we gained two dead Nephandi, these four will put up a fight and while I would like them dead, four prepared magi ready to fight can easily lead to several of our group dead and injured and then we still have the Security Chief's little fiends to deal with and perhaps the woman herself in addition to our other goals. We have to pick our fights and this is a fight that would not be tactical, Mr Tilder and his friend cost us...emotional distress and six bullets and we gained their ends...we can wipe these four out but it will cost us far less and then we might not have the manpower to do our job."

She explained then she regarded the four and spoke in a whisper in Enochian. "However if you have a good idea for how to take them while minimizing our own losses I would prefer their deaths rather than letting them go, I do not like to leave anyone alive that can fall us in the back later." She said, calmly, calculating on the battlefield she had been trained and formed by experience to see numbers and math. "I can stop one of them from using magick quickly I assume the Quesitor can do the same, can you keep the others busy and keep them from reaching for mundane weapons while I cast another spell to get control over the other two Sodales?"

"Abandoning our post, believe it or not but your Traditionalists are not our biggest fear at the moment and that is saying something, we just want to get far away from here and disappear."
She said as the group slowly moved further down the corridor.

He frowned. Now that they had lost any advantage from surprise, he did not like the odds and had no sudden insights to claim a potential victory. Everyone else was on the wrong side of what was left of his tattered shield. "One perhaps, two risks more, perhaps too much for this now," he said in the same tongue. "They might be able to understand us, if they're hearing us speak in this tongue," he warned. He didn't like letting them go either, but everyone was in front of him and it would be a matter of odds. "What in the lower realms is their Chief sending after us?" he added in Enochian, after hearing their haste to leave before it got to them. "Whatever comes to this now, we must prepare for it and set up position."

// thanks for waiting - oh, Adley's not happy about it but it's a logical assessment.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Quite true, I feel as if we will need all the aid we can muster," he agreed.

Rosario nodded at that and she did look worried.
"I do fear you are right about that."

The Prince's peace hostage. He'd forgotten. There was so much to remember. Well, William had reminded him and that was for the good. Although what to do with him was another story. "Thank you," he told William and nodded to Crexia. "I think he is right regarding the massasa."

Crexia nodded.
"Hum...this would be the offspring of that little shit Nicolai then, I am tempted to take his head when we find him."
She said then she shrugged.
"Well we will deal with that when we get there."
William just looked at you then he nodded slightly when you thanked him though he still looked terrified.

"I could be mistaken or she might have other items she took."

"Let us take stock of our medical supplies when we get the chance but I do tend to agree with the honored Quesitor...using a spell to send the man to sleep is probably the kinder option."

"She is going to send you to sleep," he assured him.

Crexia hunched down and smiled to the terrified hedge wizard like Udella had done she held her hands in clear view and started doing the spell, going through each hand gesture slowly so William could keep up with what she was doing, the old archmage hardly needed a focus for such a simple spell and most certainly not such a slow moving one this was for the captive hedge wizard's benefit so he would not get scared.
"Old...form hand gestures."
William muttered and Crexia nodded. The hedge wizard still looked very scared but understanding the spell used on him and seeing what it was did seam to calm him a little, first his bound hands relaxed then the musculature in his body went limp then he slowly closed his eyes and went into a deep sleep. Crexia slowly stood up again.
"We are going to have to find a blanket or something before we leave him, in that deep sleep he can quickly get to cold."
She muttered.
"And some support for his head, being tied like that when he relaxed his neck is at a pretty bad angle and will lead to allot of discomfort when he wakes up."

He frowned. Now that they had lost any advantage from surprise, he did not like the odds and had no sudden insights to claim a potential victory. Everyone else was on the wrong side of what was left of his tattered shield. "One perhaps, two risks more, perhaps too much for this now," he said in the same tongue. "They might be able to understand us, if they're hearing us speak in this tongue," he warned.

"They might but it is less chance than with English."
Crexia said and looked at the one who had obviously used Hermetic gestures.
"Taking them will be risky, we have the upper hand and will be able to take them down, but it might cost us dearly."
Crexia said then she glanced at the puddle under the Fallen former member of your own Tradition for a moment and frowned.
"Well we can find them later and hun them down..."

He didn't like letting them go either, but everyone was in front of him and it would be a matter of odds. "What in the lower realms is their Chief sending after us?" he added in Enochian, after hearing their haste to leave before it got to them. "Whatever comes to this now, we must prepare for it and set up position."

Crexia looked concerned.
"I do not know Sodeles, trouble I will assume but yes we need to get into position."
A little louder in English she said.
"Everyone work on whatever quick protective magick you can set up...I need our healer and guides protected...I will take point due to my durability I need someone else with either a mundane weapon or a quick Paradigm to join me so we can keep what is coming from the rest as long as possible...once done with your protections prepare something...destructive I have a feeling we will need it."
The old achmage said as the found Nephandi scurried away, never turning the back to your group, not before they where around the corner then you heard them run.

(OOC: Well one of them left an arcane connection that can be used for Nephandi hunting later. A Nephandus without a Labyrinth is a vulnerable thing.)

[Warpmind]

"Hum...yes but would not that be more in the line of Ars Fortuna, it is similar at least to knowing the exact place where one can use to do the most harm to someone or something off course that would be more how others set reality into boxes what it is related in your own magickal world view that is something you have to determine for yourself if you see something like that within the purview of Auram then a study of that element might indeed help you."
Crexia said.

Colin nodded, "True, a little of Ars Fortuna, and... metals would be under Ars Terra, I think? Though I was thinking more of the application of simpler tricks than any specific field of study. Really, it's mostly boiling down to Physics in any case - the interactions of matter and energy. I still have to keep half an eye on the Sphere system, so I can reliably try to explain and adapt the explanations of others."

"Ah yes, she would have a fear of that...given what she have seen..."
He said and shuddered.
"Our medic once complained that those who visited the Prelate's ehm...playroom was uneasy in his infirmary afterwards...so Gabriel stabbed him and the liked to have his apprentice...watch...ehm yeah...not the Nephandi at it's finest that. At least the Prelate did care about his student and he protected her, when Doc again hurt the girl...I do not know how, apparently Gabriel gave him a beating so our poor medic almost died and it apparently involved ripping off some of Doc's mutations and trying to strange him to death with them."
He muttered and looked uneasy.
"But listen she is a good kid and you can take those well wishes at face value...I do not give a rat's ass about you, but if you are giving the kid a chance...well not many would."
The Fallen Etherite muttered.
"Well we should go...you know unless we are going to fight one another to the death that is..."

He nodded, "That might be Gabriel's saving grace, actually - one person in the world he genuinely cared for... I know she's a sweetie, and for what it's worth, I will give her your regards. And pray you and I never meet again..."

The Fallen Hermetic nodded.
"Yes I am coming to the same conclusion...wait what...portal to Oblivion? Fuck..."
He muttered.
"Yes that Larson woman is fucking crazy...and I am planning to stay well away from all of this shit."
He said. You saw the women frown and the Etherite asked the Hermetic something in the Dragons Tongue and the latter shook his head but he looked a bit concerned at whatever had been said.

He nodded, "You heard correctly. It was rigged to take the whole place with it - a nuclear option, and I rightly don't know how much beyond the Labyrinth might be affected. But, the portal is dismantled and the Node is busy burning itself out, so at least that is no longer a threat."

The woman glanced at you and frowned, her grip tightened on her ritual dagger but she did nothing.
"Well your preparations are none of my concern Traditionalist."

He smiled thinly, "Of course. After all, if we should fail against her, it's not as though your Security Chief would be in any way vindictive and hunt you down through blood samples or the like for deserting your posts, is it? Whatever sort of concern might you have for whether or not we'd be able to take out anything that might later pursue you with a vengeance?"

"We have little time to worry about spirits on our way out."
The Fallen blood witch hissed.
"Abandoning our post, believe it or not but your Traditionalists are not our biggest fear at the moment and that is saying something, we just want to get far away from here and disappear."
She said as the group slowly moved further down the corridor.

He arched an eyebrow, "Oh, now? So is it Abigail or the Jade Demon you are more worried about?"

((OOC: So, fishing for a little more detail about the Security Chief's supports - seems like Manipulation/Expression would be the best roll for that... so pure Manipulation it is: 7,8,9... and because I had that extra success from spooking the Fallen, what the hell, it's just too fitting to use it, so four successes total. ))

((OOC: Yay bloodwork results. So, you can finally get an answer for your eyes?))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "True, a little of Ars Fortuna, and... metals would be under Ars Terra, I think?

Crexia nodded.
"That is indeed so young man and for most Terram falls under the purview of the Sphere of Matter."

Though I was thinking more of the application of simpler tricks than any specific field of study. Really, it's mostly boiling down to Physics in any case - the interactions of matter and energy. I still have to keep half an eye on the Sphere system, so I can reliably try to explain and adapt the explanations of others."

"Physics you say...have you considered seeking out some text written by technomancers? Perhaps they can be useful to you. Hum...the Sphere system yes it is useful as a way to explain what we are doing to someone who practice a different Paradigm indeed and and then doing what you talked about would be Matter and Entropy more than Forces."
The old Tystalus said and smiled.

He nodded, "That might be Gabriel's saving grace, actually - one person in the world he genuinely cared for... I know she's a sweetie, and for what it's worth, I will give her your regards. And pray you and I never meet again..."

The Fallen Etherite's face split into a grin and he nodded.
"Yeah that would be for the best, but tell her hello for me, oh and Traditionalist...do me the favor eh that if you hear about me being captured by your kind...I mean I am not stupid I know our chances without a Labyrinth, don't tell her she do not need to worry about it."
He said and shrugged and suddenly he looked very tired.

He nodded, "You heard correctly. It was rigged to take the whole place with it - a nuclear option, and I rightly don't know how much beyond the Labyrinth might be affected. But, the portal is dismantled and the Node is busy burning itself out, so at least that is no longer a threat."

The Fallen Hermetic looked a little unwell off course that could be the gunshot wound in his shoulder.
"Shit..."
He muttered.
"I can't believe the Chief accepted such a trap she have an apprentice to worry about."
He said and the blood witch by his side kicked him in the leg hard.
"They do not need to know that Ned!"
She said and the blond woman who spoke with a heavy accent chimed in.
"The Node is doing what? Helvete!"

He smiled thinly, "Of course. After all, if we should fail against her, it's not as though your Security Chief would be in any way vindictive and hunt you down through blood samples or the like for deserting your posts, is it? Whatever sort of concern might you have for whether or not we'd be able to take out anything that might later pursue you with a vengeance?"

The four Nephandi suddenly looked very pale and the Fallen...Verbena perhaps, swallowed hard.
"Fuck...damn she will..."
She said and shivered.
"If we tell you what we know can you take her down?"
She said and the Etherite sigh and shook his head.
"It do not matter Leticia, we will be hunted down by one side or another anyway."
He said in a tired sound of voice.
"The best we can hope for is to hole up somewhere and go out fighting when they come, whoever find us first."
He muttered grimly.
"Yeah well I would rather someone else than the Chief be the one who hunts us down when that time comes."
The blood witch muttered then she turned to you.
"What do you need to know Traditionalist?"

He arched an eyebrow, "Oh, now? So is it Abigail or the Jade Demon you are more worried about?"

"You mean I have to pick one, but assuming we get out of the Labyrinth Lady Abigail most definitively, as long as you do not threaten his Household or mess with his wraiths the Jade Demon are not going to give a shit."
The blood witch said.
"Abigail though...now she is vindictive..."

(OOC: Yeah hopefully, there is one disorder that cause extreme overweight and the kind of eyes I have, if it is that one I can get medicine for it, it will not fix the deformity of the eyes but will fix other matters, if it is not that then it is probably just not enough room in the eyeholes which is common when one have to shallow joints, then every orifice and opening in the bones tend to be to small.)

(OOC 2: Yeah well those are some spooked Fallen you can basically ask them what you wish. Have you not heard you should not scare the evil mages who want to destroy reality? )

[Warpmind]

"Physics you say...have you considered seeking out some text written by technomancers? Perhaps they can be useful to you. Hum...the Sphere system yes it is useful as a way to explain what we are doing to someone who practice a different Paradigm indeed and and then doing what you talked about would be Matter and Entropy more than Forces."
The old Tystalus said and smiled.

Colin nodded, "The thought has crossed my mind - though I suspect the most immediately applicable texts would have to be confiscated Union materials as such. Basic science textbooks go a long way, though, since they generally cover everything about the predictable behaviours of essentially everything known to man. And what those don't cover, I can generally extrapolate. The Void Engineers' works on Dimensional Science, though, I would certainly like a closer look at."

The Fallen Etherite's face split into a grin and he nodded.
"Yeah that would be for the best, but tell her hello for me, oh and Traditionalist...do me the favor eh that if you hear about me being captured by your kind...I mean I am not stupid I know our chances without a Labyrinth, don't tell her she do not need to worry about it."
He said and shrugged and suddenly he looked very tired.

He nodded, "I don't know your name, and I'll likely not be informed of the event, should you be captured... but if I do hear of it, I'll light a candle for you, and speak nothing of it."

The Fallen Hermetic looked a little unwell off course that could be the gunshot wound in his shoulder.
"Shit..."
He muttered.
"I can't believe the Chief accepted such a trap she have an apprentice to worry about."
He said and the blood witch by his side kicked him in the leg hard.
"They do not need to know that Ned!"
She said and the blond woman who spoke with a heavy accent chimed in.
"The Node is doing what? Helvete!"

He nodded, "It seems quite likely she intended the trap as taking all her enemies with her... and quite possibly save herself and her Labyrinth from the consequences of capture by the Traditions. Also, I suspect your Chief might not have known..."
He arched an eyebrow at the blonde, then narrowed his eyes a little, "The Node is burning itself out, fueling its own demise. I thought it best to do so, since it was rather a bit more Quintessence than I am comfortable bringing along and using... safely. That word, though... you are Hagalaz, are you not? You would be... the Mentor of miss Bergen's mother?"

The four Nephandi suddenly looked very pale and the Fallen...Verbena perhaps, swallowed hard.
"Fuck...damn she will..."
She said and shivered.
"If we tell you what we know can you take her down?"
She said and the Etherite sigh and shook his head.
"It do not matter Leticia, we will be hunted down by one side or another anyway."
He said in a tired sound of voice.
"The best we can hope for is to hole up somewhere and go out fighting when they come, whoever find us first."
He muttered grimly.
"Yeah well I would rather someone else than the Chief be the one who hunts us down when that time comes."
The blood witch muttered then she turned to you.
"What do you need to know Traditionalist?"

He nodded, smile all but gone again, "Combat style, explicit weaknesses, strengths, numbers... We can take her down without help - but there's no guarantee of it, just a possibility. Knowing as much as possible about the form of the attack will protect us... and by coincidence help cover your escape."

"You mean I have to pick one, but assuming we get out of the Labyrinth Lady Abigail most definitively, as long as you do not threaten his Household or mess with his wraiths the Jade Demon are not going to give a shit."
The blood witch said.
"Abigail though...now she is vindictive..."

He smiled darkly, "Indeed, the Jade Demon does have a reputation for noninterference... As for Abigail, she has made her proverbial bed."

((OOC: Thyroid disorder followed by Graves' Ophtalmopathy comes to mind - like Marty Feldman, for example.))

((OOC2: I might have heard something about that, but if I can scare'em into being productive instead of destructive, much is gained. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "The thought has crossed my mind - though I suspect the most immediately applicable texts would have to be confiscated Union materials as such. Basic science textbooks go a long way, though, since they generally cover everything about the predictable behaviours of essentially everything known to man. And what those don't cover, I can generally extrapolate. The Void Engineers' works on Dimensional Science, though, I would certainly like a closer look at."

"I know a Void Engineer turncoat to put it bluntly, and as far as I know the young Master of Spirit we discussed earlier as well was with the Void Engineers and then left with the Adepts when they abandoned the Union, perhaps they can get you some of that material, I can certinly ask my acquaintance but off course such texts are usually not traded cheaply."
Crexia offered.

He nodded, "I don't know your name, and I'll likely not be informed of the event, should you be captured... but if I do hear of it, I'll light a candle for you, and speak nothing of it."

The man nodded grimly.
"Thank you I did not...expect...such from a Traditionalist."
He muttered.
"Edgar...that is my name...or was before I joined the Nephandi, more than that you do not need to know."

He nodded, "It seems quite likely she intended the trap as taking all her enemies with her... and quite possibly save herself and her Labyrinth from the consequences of capture by the Traditions. Also, I suspect your Chief might not have known..."

"Yeah those consequences..."
The blood witch said and grimaced.
"I can understand that I will do anything in my power to die intact as well, but a portal to Oblivion, damn, I mean if it was the real thing then I could understand it Asencion and all but...that place is just close enough to be terrifying but...it still do exist."
She muttered and shook her head.
"If she did not know...oh the Chief is going to be pissed."

He arched an eyebrow at the blonde, then narrowed his eyes a little, "The Node is burning itself out, fueling its own demise. I thought it best to do so, since it was rather a bit more Quintessence than I am comfortable bringing along and using... safely.

"Fuck...and it was such a nice Node...damned Traditionalists."
The woman grunted in disgust.

That word, though... you are Hagalaz, are you not? You would be... the Mentor of miss Bergen's mother?"

"My Mentor was Hagalaz...she took me and joined the Nephandi before my initiation so I doubt the Cultists would see me as such but yes you seam to know of my teacher, though you have it backwards, she is my teacher no me hers."
The woman said and she narrowed her eyes at you. One look at Rosario would tell you that no the local Cultist did not consider this woman a member of a Cult of Ecstasy...well in effect House though the Cultists did not call their factions so. The curly haired woman hissed.
"Don't engage him...we have no time for this we have to get out..."

He nodded, smile all but gone again, "Combat style, explicit weaknesses, strengths, numbers... We can take her down without help - but there's no guarantee of it, just a possibility. Knowing as much as possible about the form of the attack will protect us... and by coincidence help cover your escape."

The four Nephandi looked at one another then Edgar swore.
"Fuck it, what matters now is survival and trying to get away, this Labyrinth is toast anyway...ok listen the Chief makes these what would you call them, mine golems, they are like little scorpions no more than a hand big but there is a bloody swarm of them, and she protect them from magick as well they are tough little buggers but heat them enough and they will melt like any stone, anyway they strip the flesh of the bones of the Chief's enemies like little stone piranas, the Hollywood version not the real fish."
He said and glanced at Cara.
"So ehm...not that it matters to me, we are enemies but that girl with all the marks is a Criamon is she not? I would get her away now or shoot her before the golems get here to save her Avatar you know."
He grumbled.
"The Chief usually stand at some distance controlling the swarm, they have rudimentary minds of their own but need directions from the Chief or probably they will just scatter."
He said then he sigh.
"The Chief have a semi Hermetic Paradigm, she is an elementalist with some skill, especially with stone, she cast quickly and if she see you be prepared for a blast of magma from her hands or something equally...unpleasant, she is usually protected behind magickal shields as well...she will not follow you into some of the more narrow corridors and chambers though, the Chief is terribly claustrophobic, but while she will not follow her critters will."
Edgar said then he glanced back the way he came fearfully.
"Now if you excuse me I do not plan to be here when the swarm strikes...oh and think about what I said about the Criamon, sometimes death is the better option."

He smiled darkly, "Indeed, the Jade Demon does have a reputation for noninterference... As for Abigail, she has made her proverbial bed."

"I guess she will be enjoying Horizon's twin suns soon then...unless she manage to kill you all, she is an idiot and so is Larson."
The blood witch hissed as she made her way towards the end of the corridor, walking backwards to keep her eye on the Traditionalists as she went. You heard soft scraping of many tiny legs in the distance.

(OOC: Yeah that are likely my psychiatrist that gave me the Aspergers diagnosis wanted to check for it when I was 13 but my mother never let anyone force any tests on me so that was never done. Well my eyes will always look like this but there might be something to do about other issues.)

(OOC: Be nice to the Nephandi, pet them. )

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