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

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He shrugged, "I don't know that sleepers have greater safety... it's just that the nature of the dangers changes drastically, really. Sleepers still get preyed upon by vampires, Fallen, malicious spirits, and so on, and they have no defenses against that..."

"True enough however the chance that a sleeper will be seriously hurt by something magickal is very low, but yes you are right that if something or someone comes for them, they are defenseless and that is why they need our protection, also I think I would rather have the ability to defend myself but live in greater danger than have safety but be helpless."
Leon said and nodded.

He frowned and stepped back into the corridor to check on Crexia, to see if she'd frozen too hard in place...

Crexia sat kneeling on the floor holding the dead Nephanda's brains in place, her eyes was far away and dull and she muttered something to herself in a low whisper.

[Adley]

He nodded, "Good; I believe there are some most useful items inside, both in terms of short-term and long-term intel as well as possibly talismans to control the defenses in the Labyrinth, and perhaps other devices..."

"Reasonable to assume that there's something worth blowing a hole in your own room for, anyway."

He smiled, "You are fire, son. It's not a bad thing to be, so long as you can control it, but it does mean those around you need to make a few allowances in stressed situations. And I'll try to restrain you as necessarily; I know one young lady who would flense me if I didn't."

"Thank you," he said in a rueful tone, accepting his comments. "Also, if you're done with the tass...well, just let me know if you think it's time. I don't like talking here," he added.

He nodded, "Right, we've been spending enough time, I suppose - best not risk her mind getting lost entirely..."

"I'll return to my previous post, then," he said with a nod to him and followed him out of the room and back over to Leon.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Leon stood keeping watch, everything was calm though, you saw that Rosario was done healing everyone save Crexia who she probably had no idea how to heal, she looked in your and Colin's direction, her eyes not focusing completely as she was still in a trance, she did not speak but her eyes clearly asked in any of you two needed her help as well.

Crexia was still sitting with the dead Nephanda. Udella came over to you.
"What did the two of you find out from that...woman's chambers Sodalis?"
The Guernicus said and glanced in that direction.
"Did she have anything we can use?"

[Warpmind]

"Reasonable to assume that there's something worth blowing a hole in your own room for, anyway."

Colin nodded, "And if risking those items being destroyed in the process seems worth it, as well, they're probably of some distinct practical value."

"Thank you," he said in a rueful tone, accepting his comments. "Also, if you're done with the tass...well, just let me know if you think it's time. I don't like talking here," he added.

He scratched his head, "Refresh my memory; time for what - there seems to be a wide range of candidates at the moment... But yes, the tanks are dry; the owner will likely be pleased to have them back now that they're no longer loaded with highly corrupted fuel... I still have the last sachet of miss Jerkins' Tass, though."

"I'll return to my previous post, then," he said with a nod to him and followed him out of the room and back over to Leon.

He nodded, "Alright, we'll need a hand to get at the chewy center of that safe in any case."

Crexia sat kneeling on the floor holding the dead Nephanda's brains in place, her eyes was far away and dull and she muttered something to herself in a low whisper.

He shrugged; Crexia was still moving - to an extent - so by her description, she was probably not at risk just yet.

Leon stood keeping watch, everything was calm though, you saw that Rosario was done healing everyone save Crexia who she probably had no idea how to heal, she looked in your and Colin's direction, her eyes not focusing completely as she was still in a trance, she did not speak but her eyes clearly asked in any of you two needed her help as well.

He looked down at the few points where the stone scorpions had stung and bitten, and sighed, stepping over to Rosario with extended hands, "Right, this seems as good a time as any..."

((OOC: "If it's time"... I think both Colin and I might've lost a bit track of what that refers to, I'm afraid... There's been a LOT of things happening in short order. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He looked down at the few points where the stone scorpions had stung and bitten, and sighed, stepping over to Rosario with extended hands, "Right, this seems as good a time as any..."

Rosario stepped over to you as you walked closer to her, she said nothing and she seamed to be in a trance. Slowly she put her hand over your various bites and stings and slowly the pain from the small wounds went away and then the small injuries themselves healed over, your own flesh pushing out small stones and dust that had been trapped in the wounds as they closed, leaving only slightly pink, slightly tender new skin where they had been.

He shrugged; Crexia was still moving - to an extent - so by her description, she was probably not at risk just yet.

Crexia suddenly gasped as if she was short on air, then she struggled to her feet and took a few uneasy steps. The Nephandic Chief's body fell back down to the floor hard once the archmage let go of it as she got up. The old Tytalus bent over and vomited up more of that blueish fluid that sustained her then doubled over and would hit the floor if no one grabbed her.

[Adley]

He scratched his head, "Refresh my memory; time for what - there seems to be a wide range of candidates at the moment... But yes, the tanks are dry; the owner will likely be pleased to have them back now that they're no longer loaded with highly corrupted fuel... I still have the last sachet of miss Jerkins' Tass, though.

He gave Colin a pinched expression, realising he'd abridged himself to the point of meaninglessness. "I don't want to talk about it in here, but before we go to our next task," he said.

Rosario was done healing everyone save Crexia who she probably had no idea how to heal, she looked in your and Colin's direction, her eyes not focusing completely as she was still in a trance, she did not speak but her eyes clearly asked in any of you two needed her help as well

He gave a small shake of his head, then made the sign for thank you and pointed at himself with an okay sign.

Udella came over to you. "What did the two of you find out from that...woman's chambers Sodalis?"
The Guernicus said and glanced in that direction. "Did she have anything we can use?"

"My amicus found a few things and a map; however there is a safe beneath a painting on the wall. The safe door is trapped, a very large explosive type of working with Auram and Ignis. I would rate it at very difficult to undue, especially given it was made by a Nephandi and a dangerous task. It would need someone with finesse and a steady hand. There are several failsafes built into it; making one mistake could well set the whole thing off and blow up the contents of the safe, a huge chunk of the wall as well as anyone in the vicinity. Perhaps a time working might mitigate harm to an individual attempting to disarm it and we should move our...sleeping friend from the danger zone. But it seems to me that the ward only extends to tampering with the door. It may be possible to get in via the sides, top or bottom and leave the door intact and thereby avoid needing to dismantle the clever trap. It may be possible to incorporate correspondence, life and matter ars to do so, though I do not have enough skill to give a good judgement on that, so I would check before applying it."

Crexia suddenly gasped as if she was short on air, then she struggled to her feet and took a few uneasy steps. The Nephandic Chief's body fell back down to the floor hard once the archmage let go of it as she got up. The old Tytalus bent over and vomited up more of that blueish fluid that sustained her then doubled over and would hit the floor if no one grabbed her.

Adley looked over at the sudden noise and his eyes widened at what was happening to Master Crexia. He moved off quickly to try to stop her from landing in a puddle of her own oddly colored vomit.

// sorry, woke up late and was hit with some slow-as-morning paradox. You know the ones where brushing your teeth takes approximately four hours for some reason and you get five minutes for everything else xD Then I had stuff to do.

And yeah, well it's not like Adley was too specific xD There has been a god awful amount of stuff, I think he thinks at this point Colin just /knows/ things due to his timey-wimey. And....well, he's not wrong?

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He gave a small shake of his head, then made the sign for thank you and pointed at himself with an okay sign.

Rosario nodded and she slowly got out of the way to a place where she could stand in peace for a few moments to slowly get back to her regular state of mind, breathing deeply and grounding herself while having a sip of water.

"My amicus found a few things and a map; however there is a safe beneath a painting on the wall. The safe door is trapped, a very large explosive type of working with Auram and Ignis. I would rate it at very difficult to undue, especially given it was made by a Nephandi and a dangerous task. It would need someone with finesse and a steady hand. There are several failsafes built into it; making one mistake could well set the whole thing off and blow up the contents of the safe, a huge chunk of the wall as well as anyone in the vicinity. Perhaps a time working might mitigate harm to an individual attempting to disarm it and we should move our...sleeping friend from the danger zone. But it seems to me that the ward only extends to tampering with the door. It may be possible to get in via the sides, top or bottom and leave the door intact and thereby avoid needing to dismantle the clever trap. It may be possible to incorporate correspondence, life and matter ars to do so, though I do not have enough skill to give a good judgement on that, so I would check before applying it."

Udella nodded as she listening to what you where saying.
"I am not skilled with manipulating time my abilities in that area extends to divination but our group leader...is quite knowledgeable..."
She said hesitantly considering that the Nephandi where looking for mages skilled with Time.
"Moving our sleeping prisoner seams wise we do not want him to come to undue harm. I could have a look at the ward and see if I can safely disenchant it, I can have a shield ready to contain the blast...just going in through the sides do seam to be a better option though, if we have to go into another room to get in through the back that could be warded but that wall right there should fit well with the side of the walls inside the Chief's room."
The old Enforcer said and pointed.
"I will go and have a look at it though. Also what was it your Cabalmate found?"

Adley looked over at the sudden noise and his eyes widened at what was happening to Master Crexia. He moved off quickly to try to stop her from landing in a puddle of her own oddly colored vomit.

You managed to grab the old maga, she felt strange to touch, she was as cold as the vampires you had touched, however briefly was and she felt very similar, but still more...lively, the woman was also very light, she was not that many inches taller than Beatrice and under her dress she was skin and bone she she felt more like a doll to support than a living woman. Crexia cough and try to get control over herself.
"Ehm...yes well...thank you Sodalis..."
She muttered.
"How embarrassing..."
She exclaimed about her own loss of control.
"It is just that being inside a dead mind can be...trying, even for one of my kind and being inside...that mind...damnation I wish we had dragged her to Horizon!"
The lich said as she tried to take a few deep breaths to steady herself, still seaming a bit out of it.

(OOC: Oh not a problem I understand mornings like that. I had a good morning through, I had planned to sleep in a bit, but I was woken up by a cat standing on my chest and purring insistently looking for cuddles. Well post done, cat petted now time for my morning exercises and then coffee. )

[Warpmind]

He gave Colin a pinched expression, realising he'd abridged himself to the point of meaninglessness. "I don't want to talk about it in here, but before we go to our next task," he said.

Colin nodded, "Very well."

Udella nodded as she listening to what you where saying.
"I am not skilled with manipulating time my abilities in that area extends to divination but our group leader...is quite knowledgeable..."
She said hesitantly considering that the Nephandi where looking for mages skilled with Time.
"Moving our sleeping prisoner seams wise we do not want him to come to undue harm. I could have a look at the ward and see if I can safely disenchant it, I can have a shield ready to contain the blast...just going in through the sides do seam to be a better option though, if we have to go into another room to get in through the back that could be warded but that wall right there should fit well with the side of the walls inside the Chief's room."
The old Enforcer said and pointed.
"I will go and have a look at it though. Also what was it your Cabalmate found?"

He looked over to Udella, "A more detailed map of the Labyrinth, excepting the center, and a flask of the bloody anti-magic serum. Plus a few syringes which appear to be still factory sealed, so if necessary, we can use it here. I'll be so bold as to claim the rest for my Apprentice-to-be, though. There seems to be some useful stuff in the safe, but I don't know precisely what."

Rosario stepped over to you as you walked closer to her, she said nothing and she seamed to be in a trance. Slowly she put her hand over your various bites and stings and slowly the pain from the small wounds went away and then the small injuries themselves healed over, your own flesh pushing out small stones and dust that had been trapped in the wounds as they closed, leaving only slightly pink, slightly tender new skin where they had been.

He sighed with a bit of relief; if this would fix the arm, leg and nose at the same time, nothing would be better... but he wouldn't complain.

Crexia suddenly gasped as if she was short on air, then she struggled to her feet and took a few uneasy steps. The Nephandic Chief's body fell back down to the floor hard once the archmage let go of it as she got up. The old Tytalus bent over and vomited up more of that blueish fluid that sustained her then doubled over and would hit the floor if no one grabbed her.

Adley looked over at the sudden noise and his eyes widened at what was happening to Master Crexia. He moved off quickly to try to stop her from landing in a puddle of her own oddly colored vomit.

You managed to grab the old maga, she felt strange to touch, she was as cold as the vampires you had touched, however briefly was and she felt very similar, but still more...lively, the woman was also very light, she was not that many inches taller than Beatrice and under her dress she was skin and bone she she felt more like a doll to support than a living woman. Crexia cough and try to get control over herself.
"Ehm...yes well...thank you Sodalis..."
She muttered.
"How embarrassing..."
She exclaimed about her own loss of control.
"It is just that being inside a dead mind can be...trying, even for one of my kind and being inside...that mind...damnation I wish we had dragged her to Horizon!"
The lich said as she tried to take a few deep breaths to steady herself, still seaming a bit out of it.

His eyes widened for an instant, and he tensed up momentarily before Adley swooped in to save the day. He nodded quietly and let Rosario finish up.

((OOC: Well, Colin does know things thanks to the timey-wimey ball. The problem is, he doesn't know all the things, just fragments... And he's not a telepath.))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He looked over to Udella, "A more detailed map of the Labyrinth, excepting the center, and a flask of the bloody anti-magic serum. Plus a few syringes which appear to be still factory sealed, so if necessary, we can use it here. I'll be so bold as to claim the rest for my Apprentice-to-be, though

"A map will be most useful, would you mind if I take a look at it?"
Udella said then she frowned and nodded.
"Ah yes that foul stuff the Sons of Ether learned to make from the Union ghastly stuff...poor child that will not be an easy thing for a kid to have to live with. I had a client once who was sentenced to imprisonment and was kept on that serum for a year, he is still suffering from rather nasty after effects and he is a grown man."
Udella said and frowned.
"Well at least now it will be easier to take prisoners."
She glanced into the Chief's room at looked at William's still form for a moment.
"We might need to deal with some who are not quite as cooperative as this young man. And it is not like I would mind giving our dear Abigail a jab in the ass cheeks, two perhaps just to make sure."
The Quesitor muttered with a slightly wry smile.

There seems to be some useful stuff in the safe, but I don't know precisely what."

The old Enforcer nodded at that.
"I am going to have to have a look at how to get into it safely then."

He sighed with a bit of relief; if this would fix the arm, leg and nose at the same time, nothing would be better... but he wouldn't complain.

The burns on your arm and leg where probably beyond the Cultist's current skill to heal but your nose she could heal if you would let her.

His eyes widened for an instant, and he tensed up momentarily before Adley swooped in to save the day. He nodded quietly and let Rosario finish up.

Crexia took a moment to collect herself, she glared around with a look that promised that she would be quite curt with anyone who ever mentioned her moment of indignity to anyone, then finally she spoke, her voice was somewhat weak still though.
"I...saw things...in there I do not want to repeat, I am not beyond using torture if I have to but that woman..."
What followed was a long muttered curse in Greek before she continued.
"Well anyway most of what I found is not that useful, numbers of defenders, and their strengths, our own forces should be able to take them, the question is...how much many losses we will take...the Labyrinth are without it's two main guardian spirits, two corrupted Umbrood Lords, they up and left when they heard Lisa Larson's plan wanting nothing to do with it, and it is likely they who went to inform the Jade Demon about what is going on. I found one useful bit of information though, this...woman have a shortcut to the Caul, in case she needed to defend it, a pocket realm tunnel hidden in a vase in her bedroom, she tied the key to the corridor into her own apprentice's Resonance..."
Crexia said then she drew another useless breath and then she looked at Adley for a moment.
"There where also...something...else, but I am not sure you would want to hear it Sodalis and I am pretty sure you would not want to hear it in public."
The old Tytalus said, she sounded concerned as she regarded the young Flambeau.

Rosario finished returning to her everyday consciousness and she blinked a few times and took a deep breath and looked around.
"Did I manage to get around to everyone who needed healing?"
She asked as if she was not fully aware of what she had been doing in her magickal trance, she went in with an intention and then her body and higher mind sort of did their own thing.

(OOC: Can I have a Perception plus Awareness roll from Colin?)

[Warpmind]

"A map will be most useful, would you mind if I take a look at it?"
Udella said then she frowned and nodded.
"Ah yes that foul stuff the Sons of Ether learned to make from the Union ghastly stuff...poor child that will not be an easy thing for a kid to have to live with. I had a client once who was sentenced to imprisonment and was kept on that serum for a year, he is still suffering from rather nasty after effects and he is a grown man."
Udella said and frowned.
"Well at least now it will be easier to take prisoners."
She glanced into the Chief's room at looked at William's still form for a moment.
"We might need to deal with some who are not quite as cooperative as this young man. And it is not like I would mind giving our dear Abigail a jab in the ass cheeks, two perhaps just to make sure."
The Quesitor muttered with a slightly wry smile.

Colin nodded and handed the map towards Udella, "Of course. Oh, er, also there was a phone call, from the security chief's apprentice; the local doctor and a few others are trying to defend the northern hub, and our people are hammering them. I... told her that the Fallen will have no reinforcements coming, and that their best bet to gain a few more days would be surrender. In their defensive position, that may have crushed their spirits."

The old Enforcer nodded at that.
"I am going to have to have a look at how to get into it safely then."

He nodded, "I concur with my Cabalmate's assessment, that circumventing the safe door should have a good chance of success."

The burns on your arm and leg where probably beyond the Cultist's current skill to heal but your nose she could heal if you would let her.

He gestured to his nose as Rosario worked, smiling thinly.

Crexia took a moment to collect herself, she glared around with a look that promised that she would be quite curt with anyone who ever mentioned her moment of indignity to anyone, then finally she spoke, her voice was somewhat weak still though.
"I...saw things...in there I do not want to repeat, I am not beyond using torture if I have to but that woman..."
What followed was a long muttered curse in Greek before she continued.
"Well anyway most of what I found is not that useful, numbers of defenders, and their strengths, our own forces should be able to take them, the question is...how much many losses we will take...the Labyrinth are without it's two main guardian spirits, two corrupted Umbrood Lords, they up and left when they heard Lisa Larson's plan wanting nothing to do with it, and it is likely they who went to inform the Jade Demon about what is going on. I found one useful bit of information though, this...woman have a shortcut to the Caul, in case she needed to defend it, a pocket realm tunnel hidden in a vase in her bedroom, she tied the key to the corridor into her own apprentice's Resonance..."
Crexia said then she drew another useless breath and then she looked at Adley for a moment.
"There where also...something...else, but I am not sure you would want to hear it Sodalis and I am pretty sure you would not want to hear it in public."
The old Tytalus said, she sounded concerned as she regarded the young Flambeau.

He frowned, and glanced from Crexia to Adley, and back again, "Her apprentice is defending the northern hub, along with their doctor... and they're in the process of losing badly, judging by her voice... She called on the telephone, and I, ah, told her no reinforcements were coming, and that surrender was the best chance for extending her life expectancy by any amount... I subsequently unplugged the phone in the room."

Rosario finished returning to her everyday consciousness and she blinked a few times and took a deep breath and looked around.
"Did I manage to get around to everyone who needed healing?"
She asked as if she was not fully aware of what she had been doing in her magickal trance, she went in with an intention and then her body and higher mind sort of did their own thing.

He took a far less strained breath through his nose, "I think so... at least, I don't see anyone else showing any complaints."

((OOC: So, two Bashing levels gone... Going to assume those are treated before the Awareness roll. 4,5,9 (Still a -1 penalty, after all...) So, one success, then? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded and handed the map towards Udella, "Of course. Oh, er, also there was a phone call, from the security chief's apprentice; the local doctor and a few others are trying to defend the northern hub, and our people are hammering them. I... told her that the Fallen will have no reinforcements coming, and that their best bet to gain a few more days would be surrender. In their defensive position, that may have crushed their spirits."

Udella took the map and looked at it, she did several quick hand gestures then handed it back to you."
"Good, I have memorized it, this will serve us well...hum...I doubt anyone who are Fallen will surrender but pawns might."
She said then she nodded again.
"The northern hub by the map that is not that far from here, going in to help our people there might be wise and might give us a considerably larger force with which to accomplish...other tasks."
She said, considering then she cast a concerned look at Crexia as the elder Tytalus nearly collapsed and was grabbed by Adley.

He nodded, "I concur with my Cabalmate's assessment, that circumventing the safe door should have a good chance of success."

The Enforcer nodded.
"I will go and see if I find a good way to get to the safe from the side."
She said then she glanced at Crexia again, clearly concerned for her friend.

He gestured to his nose as Rosario worked, smiling thinly.

Rosario lifted one hand to your face and touched you gently, there was a warm, comfortable feeling spreading in your face and down to your shoulders and the pain from Edmund striking you vanished slowly as if soothed away by the Cultist's warm hand, and in a way that is exactly what had happened.

He frowned, and glanced from Crexia to Adley, and back again, "Her apprentice is defending the northern hub, along with their doctor... and they're in the process of losing badly, judging by her voice... She called on the telephone, and I, ah, told her no reinforcements were coming, and that surrender was the best chance for extending her life expectancy by any amount... I subsequently unplugged the phone in the room."

"Hum...where is this northern hub compared to our own location? If it is not going to much out of our way, going to assist our own people might be wise, both for them and also since we will then have more people when we go against Carlyle and Abigail...and besides this apprentice, it might be of interest taking her alive just so we have the option of using the Chief's shortcut into the Caul chamber if we want to...but I would not want to go to far out of our way for our tasks needs doing with some urgency."
The old Tytalus said then she nodded.
"Unplugging the phone might have been wise."

He took a far less strained breath through his nose, "I think so... at least, I don't see anyone else showing any complaints."

"Good...ehm...sorry to sound a bit out of it...but what is currently going on? I am a bit out of it in a trance...what should I do right now to be helpful?"
Rosario said and scratched her head.

You suddenly hear something, and no one else seam to be reacting to it as all as if they did not notice it. There was a slight sound of a silver bell jingling, a very small bell the kind one would put on a piece of jewelry, and yet none of your current companions was wearing such a adornment.

(OOC: Yes the bashing levels are gone before the roll. That 9 do look like a success to me.)

[Warpmind]

Udella took the map and looked at it, she did several quick hand gestures then handed it back to you."
"Good, I have memorized it, this will serve us well...hum...I doubt anyone who are Fallen will surrender but pawns might."
She said then she nodded again.
"The northern hub by the map that is not that far from here, going in to help our people there might be wise and might give us a considerably larger force with which to accomplish...other tasks."
She said, considering then she cast a concerned look at Crexia as the elder Tytalus nearly collapsed and was grabbed by Adley.

Colin nodded, "She did call me a bastard for suggesting it, yes..."
He glanced over at Crexia, "She's fine - she'll permit nothing short of that, nor speculation to the contrary, I think."

The Enforcer nodded.
"I will go and see if I find a good way to get to the safe from the side."
She said then she glanced at Crexia again, clearly concerned for her friend.

He pondered, "It might be possible to get the wall to, ah, spit out the safe, as well."

Rosario lifted one hand to your face and touched you gently, there was a warm, comfortable feeling spreading in your face and down to your shoulders and the pain from Edmund striking you vanished slowly as if soothed away by the Cultist's warm hand, and in a way that is exactly what had happened.

He indulged in a brief, blissful smile as she worked. Edmund's punch was well deserved, perhaps, but right now it was beginning to impede him, so it just had to go...

"Hum...where is this northern hub compared to our own location? If it is not going to much out of our way, going to assist our own people might be wise, both for them and also since we will then have more people when we go against Carlyle and Abigail...and besides this apprentice, it might be of interest taking her alive just so we have the option of using the Chief's shortcut into the Caul chamber if we want to...but I would not want to go to far out of our way for our tasks needs doing with some urgency."
The old Tytalus said then she nodded.
"Unplugging the phone might have been wise."

He handed Crexia the recovered map and pointed to the northern hub and the corner where the security chief's room was, "Here to here... The Quaesitor suggested reinforcing our people there, and subsequently getting reinforcements from them to aid... what must be done afterwards. Also, I recovered a bottle of the suppressive serum and some sealed syringes - if necessary, that'll help with controlling any live captures."

"Good...ehm...sorry to sound a bit out of it...but what is currently going on? I am a bit out of it in a trance...what should I do right now to be helpful?"
Rosario said and scratched her head.

You suddenly hear something, and no one else seam to be reacting to it as all as if they did not notice it. There was a slight sound of a silver bell jingling, a very small bell the kind one would put on a piece of jewelry, and yet none of your current companions was wearing such a adornment.

He was about to answer Rosario, but spun around instead, looking for the source of the sound, "Hush, everyone... I heard a small bell; like jewelry, or perhaps the sort you put on a cat's collar... Something's nearby."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "She did call me a bastard for suggesting it, yes..."
He glanced over at Crexia, "She's fine - she'll permit nothing short of that, nor speculation to the contrary, I think."

"Yes well if someone suggested you surrender for Gilgul you might have a few choice words to tell the person as well young man."
Udella said and raised an eyebrow then she glanced in Crexia's direction.
"Yes she...will not permit speculation to the contrary but I am allowed to worry, she is one of my oldest friends..."

He pondered, "It might be possible to get the wall to, ah, spit out the safe, as well."

"You are saying something there...I might just be able to pull that off."
Udella said as she regarded the wall.
"I will have to examine it a bit but yes...hum...I do think that might be a good idea to try, thank you young man."

He handed Crexia the recovered map and pointed to the northern hub and the corner where the security chief's room was, "Here to here...

"We should be able to get there in a couple of minutes."
Crexia said as she studied the map she was beginning to regain her usual composure now.
"Well unless we meet resistance off course."

The Quaesitor suggested reinforcing our people there, and subsequently getting reinforcements from them to aid... what must be done afterwards. Also, I recovered a bottle of the suppressive serum and some sealed syringes - if necessary, that'll help with controlling any live captures."

"Hum...her advice is sound...and reinforcement for our later...tasks would be welcome...very well once we finish thing up here we will move towards the northern hub and we should move quickly...and yes ready a shot of that serum just in case it is needed...but keep the cap on...you do not want to give yourself a dose by accident."
Crexia ordered.

He was about to answer Rosario, but spun around instead, looking for the source of the sound, "Hush, everyone... I heard a small bell; like jewelry, or perhaps the sort you put on a cat's collar... Something's nearby."

Everyone did quiet down and suddenly you saw a small girl come running towards you, she was golden haired and cubby, she could be no more than three at most, she was wearing a white dress, her clothes of good quality but hand woven and sewn, around one wrist was a silver bangle with a small bell on it and her hair where tied with ribbons, the girl was barefoot and she was holding a small wooden doll in her arms, once she reached you she clutched your leg and wailed.
"Sóste ti mitéra mou, thélo móno na páo spíti"
The girl said then she held the doll out towards you, it was carved by a decent craftsman and had a dress made out of a scrap of blue linen, blue glass bead made up it's eyes.
"Ἥφαιστος díno aftí tin prosforá se sas óti eínai to móno pou katécho, parakaló mas sósei."
The girl begged and looked at you with bright blue eyes, Anna's eyes. None of the other magi seamed to see the little girl and yet you could feel the toddler's hand grasping your pants, it rather hurt actually due to your burns not that she knew that she just looked scared and was pleading for help.

(OOC: And yes please excuse me the Greek is from google translate and is probably wrong in so many ways but since I do not speak Greek I included it just as flavor.)

[Warpmind]

"Yes well if someone suggested you surrender for Gilgul you might have a few choice words to tell the person as well young man."
Udella said and raised an eyebrow then she glanced in Crexia's direction.
"Yes she...will not permit speculation to the contrary but I am allowed to worry, she is one of my oldest friends..."

Colin shrugged, "I can't say I blame her for calling me that... nor can I sincerely claim to condone what their... likely fate would be upon surrender. But, it is what it is, and we can't change that practice overnight... However counterproductive I believe it to be."
He nodded, "And of course you should worry; it appears she did tax herself. But no more, I think, than she can handle."

"You are saying something there...I might just be able to pull that off."
Udella said as she regarded the wall.
"I will have to examine it a bit but yes...hum...I do think that might be a good idea to try, thank you young man."

He smiled thinly, "Going in through the back of the safe would be a lot easier without a wall around it, in any case."

"We should be able to get there in a couple of minutes."
Crexia said as she studied the map she was beginning to regain her usual composure now.
"Well unless we meet resistance off course."

He nodded, "Under the circumstances, I suspect anything we encounter would be headed the same way as us..."

"Hum...her advice is sound...and reinforcement for our later...tasks would be welcome...very well once we finish thing up here we will move towards the northern hub and we should move quickly...and yes ready a shot of that serum just in case it is needed...but keep the cap on...you do not want to give yourself a dose by accident."
Crexia ordered.

He grimaced, "Indeed... I intend to dose myself at a safe time, just to make sure I know what I'll be subjecting my Apprentice to, but in the middle of combat would be exceptionally inconvenient timing..."

Everyone did quiet down and suddenly you saw a small girl come running towards you, she was golden haired and cubby, she could be no more than three at most, she was wearing a white dress, her clothes of good quality but hand woven and sewn, around one wrist was a silver bangle with a small bell on it and her hair where tied with ribbons, the girl was barefoot and she was holding a small wooden doll in her arms, once she reached you she clutched your leg and wailed.
"Sóste ti mitéra mou, thélo móno na páo spíti"
The girl said then she held the doll out towards you, it was carved by a decent craftsman and had a dress made out of a scrap of blue linen, blue glass bead made up it's eyes.
"Ἥφαιστος díno aftí tin prosforá se sas óti eínai to móno pou katécho, parakaló mas sósei."
The girl begged and looked at you with bright blue eyes, Anna's eyes. None of the other magi seamed to see the little girl and yet you could feel the toddler's hand grasping your pants, it rather hurt actually due to your burns not that she knew that she just looked scared and was pleading for help.

He went down on one knee - the good one - and laid a soft hand on past Anna's(?) shoulder, "Oh, sweet child, I don't speak Greek..."
He glanced up at Adley, "Er, I don't know if you can see her - not sure whether she's a spiritual or temporal manifestation of some sort, but... could you try to translate for me? She says, and my apologies for the pronunciation, 'Soste ti mitéra moo, thelo mono na pao spiti,' and 'Hephaistos dino afti tin prosfora se sas oaty einai to mono pou katecho, parakalo mas sosei.' What does it mean?"

((OOC: Google Translate seems to have some trouble with reversing the phrase, but that's okay; we'll make it Strife's problem instead, since Colin doesn't speak Greek, either. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin shrugged, "I can't say I blame her for calling me that... nor can I sincerely claim to condone what their... likely fate would be upon surrender. But, it is what it is, and we can't change that practice overnight... However counterproductive I believe it to be."

"It is counterproductive...and I do think we should...investigate the shards our ships have encountered in the Umbra, and we have heard of from the Void Engineers before we do that ritual in cases that are not...exceptional. In addition we have all but guaranteed no Nephandus will ever surrender, but for now it is what it is."
The old Quesitor said sadly.

He nodded, "And of course you should worry; it appears she did tax herself. But no more, I think, than she can handle."

Udella nodded and looked at Crexia with a small smile creasing her lips.
"Well she is a tough lady and not just because of what she is but at times I still do worry...she have never been one to back down from a challenge, she is after all of House Tytalus."

He smiled thinly, "Going in through the back of the safe would be a lot easier without a wall around it, in any case."

"That is true...I will see what I can do, if you will excuse me then young man."
Udella said and she walked over to the wall in question and started muttering on some spell.

He nodded, "Under the circumstances, I suspect anything we encounter would be headed the same way as us..."

"Well either that or running away from the fight, which is also a possibility you know."
Crexia said and raised and eyebrow.

He grimaced, "Indeed... I intend to dose myself at a safe time, just to make sure I know what I'll be subjecting my Apprentice to, but in the middle of combat would be exceptionally inconvenient timing..."

"Well you are a good shot."
The archmage said with a wry grin.
"Hum...I see well it is a noble enough thing to do, I would never put one of my underlings, apprentices or no, through something I was not willing to do myself...tell you what once we are back at Morningstar, if five minutes can be stolen away, I will make a time bubble for you so you can test out that serum and sleep the effects of afterwards without it delaying your return to your own Chantry."
She offered softly and nodded approvingly.

He went down on one knee - the good one - and laid a soft hand on past Anna's(?) shoulder, "Oh, sweet child, I don't speak Greek..."

The little girl continued to sob and she leaned against you, her tears left wet marks on your shirt and yet no one else seamed to see her. The girl was repeating her begging in Greek while she was continuing to try to offer you her doll.

(OOC: Now I feel bad for Strife we are dumping google translate Greek on her. At least in this case there is an IC excuse, this is a three year old her speech is rather lispy and not quite clear yet.)

[Adley]

Colin nodded, "Very well."

He dug out a note to write him, if there was time as he searched the room.

"I am not skilled with manipulating time my abilities in that area extends to divination but our group leader...is quite knowledgeable..." She said hesitantly considering that the Nephandi where looking for mages skilled with Time.
"Moving our sleeping prisoner seams wise we do not want him to come to undue harm. I could have a look at the ward and see if I can safely disenchant it, I can have a shield ready to contain the blast...just going in through the sides do seam to be a better option though, if we have to go into another room to get in through the back that could be warded but that wall right there should fit well with the side of the walls inside the Chief's room." The old Enforcer said and pointed."I will go and have a look at it though. Also what was it your Cabalmate found?"

He put a hand up to his face as she began speaking about Crexia, a gesture of quiet but /trying/ not to be rude, so she would hopefully stave off her finishing the rest of her statement about Crexia's skill with temporal ars. "That sounds good," he said with a nod. "Assuming there are no strange spacial ars, that would make sense," he agreed as she pointed towards a wall. Then as she asked about Colin, he tipped his head towards him.

He looked over to Udella, "A more detailed map of the Labyrinth, excepting the center, and a flask of the bloody anti-magic serum. Plus a few syringes which appear to be still factory sealed, so if necessary, we can use it here. I'll be so bold as to claim the rest for my Apprentice-to-be, though. There seems to be some useful stuff in the safe, but I don't know precisely what."

"A map will be most useful, would you mind if I take a look at it?"
Udella said then she frowned and nodded.
"Ah yes that foul stuff the Sons of Ether learned to make from the Union ghastly stuff...poor child that will not be an easy thing for a kid to have to live with. I had a client once who was sentenced to imprisonment and was kept on that serum for a year, he is still suffering from rather nasty after effects and he is a grown man."
Udella said and frowned.
"Well at least now it will be easier to take prisoners."
She glanced into the Chief's room at looked at William's still form for a moment.
"We might need to deal with some who are not quite as cooperative as this young man. And it is not like I would mind giving our dear Abigail a jab in the ass cheeks, two perhaps just to make sure."

"Ehm...yes well...thank you Sodalis..." She muttered. "How embarrassing..." She exclaimed about her own loss of control. "It is just that being inside a dead mind can be...trying, even for one of my kind and being inside...that mind...damnation I wish we had dragged her to Horizon!"

"I do not envy what you must have seen," he said, holding her until she was steady while attempting to seem as if nothing at all was odd and she was not showing any sort of weakness near him, much as he had with his pater after the fight with the paradox spirit. He carefully did not draw attention to her embarrassment; as she was willing to overlook his anger earlier.

"Well anyway most of what I found is not that useful, numbers of defenders, and their strengths, our own forces should be able to take them, the question is...how much many losses we will take...the Labyrinth are without it's two main guardian spirits, two corrupted Umbrood Lords, they up and left when they heard Lisa Larson's plan wanting nothing to do with it, and it is likely they who went to inform the Jade Demon about what is going on. I found one useful bit of information though, this...woman have a shortcut to the Caul, in case she needed to defend it, a pocket realm tunnel hidden in a vase in her bedroom, she tied the key to the corridor into her own apprentice's Resonance..."

"Do you know which apprentice, ma'am? Though I suppose we might find it at any rate," he said with a nod as she spoke.

Crexia said then she drew another useless breath and then she looked at Adley for a moment. "There where also...something...else, but I am not sure you would want to hear it Sodalis and I am pretty sure you would not want to hear it in public." The old Tytalus said, she sounded concerned as she regarded the young Flambeau.

His lips compressed into a thin line. "Do I need to hear it now? Is it something that, if I find out later in a fight..." He scratched at his beard, looking wary and also not really wanting to admit he was still feeling provocative. "If so, perhaps we should find a discreet way to tell me ma'am," he said, steeling himself for something else that would make him want to break out in a fit of wrath.

He was about to answer Rosario, but spun around instead, looking for the source of the sound, "Hush, everyone... I heard a small bell; like jewelry, or perhaps the sort you put on a cat's collar... Something's nearby."

He nodded and also strained to hear something, perhaps a familiar or pet cat, scanning around.

He went down on one knee - the good one - and laid a soft hand on past Anna's(?) shoulder, "Oh, sweet child, I don't speak Greek..."
He glanced up at Adley, "Er, I don't know if you can see her - not sure whether she's a spiritual or temporal manifestation of some sort, but... could you try to translate for me? She says, and my apologies for the pronunciation, 'Soste ti mitéra moo, thelo mono na pao spiti,' and 'Hephaistos dino afti tin prosfora se sas oaty einai to mono pou katecho, parakalo mas sosei.' What does it mean?"

He gave Colin an odd look, watching him and then said, "Hephastos is the greek god of blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy..." he began as it popped out at him, and then began unravelling the rest.

// lol thanks guys...should I make that a language, as I can't speak Greek either, IRL (surprise surprise). Though I can pick out some words ; )

[Warpmind]

"It is counterproductive...and I do think we should...investigate the shards our ships have encountered in the Umbra, and we have heard of from the Void Engineers before we do that ritual in cases that are not...exceptional. In addition we have all but guaranteed no Nephandus will ever surrender, but for now it is what it is."
The old Quesitor said sadly.

Colin nodded and lowered his voice, "It's a sad state of affairs when playing public opinion is safer than presenting evidence, though..."

Udella nodded and looked at Crexia with a small smile creasing her lips.
"Well she is a tough lady and not just because of what she is but at times I still do worry...she have never been one to back down from a challenge, she is after all of House Tytalus."

He smiled thinly, "And a stalwart Tremere when that was a noble House of good standing, too..."

"Well either that or running away from the fight, which is also a possibility you know."
Crexia said and raised and eyebrow.

He shrugged, "Possible, but by now, the ones at the northern hub will know that this path is lost to them; anyone fleeing would be more likely to seek another route. Of course, someone fleeing from another hotspot might yet come in this direction..."

"Well you are a good shot."
The archmage said with a wry grin.
"Hum...I see well it is a noble enough thing to do, I would never put one of my underlings, apprentices or no, through something I was not willing to do myself...tell you what once we are back at Morningstar, if five minutes can be stolen away, I will make a time bubble for you so you can test out that serum and sleep the effects of afterwards without it delaying your return to your own Chantry."
She offered softly and nodded approvingly.

He grinned, "You should see me pilot a helicopter. In the military, my marksmanship was merely acceptable, but get me in a cockpit..."
His grin faded to a simpler smile, and he nodded, "Thank you, ma'am... I expect you'd like to use the opportunity to get a full report of what it feels like to be willingly muted like that, as well."

He gave Colin an odd look, watching him and then said, "Hephastos is the greek god of blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy..." he began as it popped out at him, and then began unravelling the rest.

He frowned, then snorted in amusement, "Hopefully, the similarities only extend to skill and good looks, and not marriage, then..."

The little girl continued to sob and she leaned against you, her tears left wet marks on your shirt and yet no one else seamed to see her. The girl was repeating her begging in Greek while she was continuing to try to offer you her doll.

He arched an eyebrow and wrapped a hand around little Anna's doll and hand, "Are you trying to give me this for safekeeping?"

((OOC: Well, Google Translate does help a little, I think... Colin's pronunciation is probably no greater impediment than that. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He put a hand up to his face as she began speaking about Crexia, a gesture of quiet but /trying/ not to be rude, so she would hopefully stave off her finishing the rest of her statement about Crexia's skill with temporal ars. "That sounds good," he said with a nod. "Assuming there are no strange spacial ars, that would make sense," he agreed as she pointed towards a wall. Then as she asked about Colin, he tipped his head towards him.

Udella looked at your gesturing and sigh then she gave an apologetic look.
"I will have to examine the ward for any spacial Ars to make sure but assuming that is not an issue I should be able to extract the safe and get to the contents."
The Guernicus said.

"I do not envy what you must have seen," he said, holding her until she was steady while attempting to seem as if nothing at all was odd and she was not showing any sort of weakness near him, much as he had with his pater after the fight with the paradox spirit. He carefully did not draw attention to her embarrassment; as she was willing to overlook his anger earlier.

Crexia gave you a grateful look for allowing her pride and dignity as she slowly regained her strength enough to stand on her own.
"Thank you Sodalis."
She said simply then she gave the dead Security Chief a look of disgust.
"Gah! The woman was an abomination!"
She grumbled more to herself than to you.

"Do you know which apprentice, ma'am? Though I suppose we might find it at any rate," he said with a nod as she spoke.

"Her name is Theresa...she is tall but thin, pretty with dark skin and black hair and eyes so dark green they are all but black, the girl is not yet Fallen, her Mentor was terribly afraid of confined spaces and as her phobia spread it started composing the safety of her student as well, so she would not let her apprentice get into the small, dark space that the physical part of the Caul compose of, it was a point of strife in the Labyrinth that she had not yet sent her student to the Caul."
Crexia said and she shook her head slightly as she remembered the dead woman's thoughts.

His lips compressed into a thin line. "Do I need to hear it now? Is it something that, if I find out later in a fight..." He scratched at his beard, looking wary and also not really wanting to admit he was still feeling provocative. "If so, perhaps we should find a discreet way to tell me ma'am," he said, steeling himself for something else that would make him want to break out in a fit of wrath.

"I do not know how badly it will affect you but it is something I think it is better that you know."
Crexia said with compassion in her voice. She regarded you for a moment then she pulled out her tablet and wrote in the wax.
"I know you are likely the reincarnation of MR's apprentice Dylan...Abigail needed a father for a sacrificial child, and this woman who I will not dignify with a name helped her to...let us just say inhumane things happened to Dylan and Abigail bore his son...a child that was then sacrificed to make the new Labyrinth's Caul...this Caul, making it out of the infant's own soul and Avatar."
The old Tytalus handed you the tablet and sigh, she said nothing but she gave you a worried, compassionate look.
"I am sorry I wish I did not have to tell you this Sodalis."
She said softly.

He nodded and also strained to hear something, perhaps a familiar or pet cat, scanning around.

You heard nothing but the movements and footsteps of your group and Udella's soft chanting in the background.

He gave Colin an odd look, watching him and then said, "Hephastos is the greek god of blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy..." he began as it popped out at him, and then began unravelling the rest.

You think that the person Colin was seeing was first begging him to save her mother and herself, telling him she just wanted to go home. The second utterance by whatever your Cabalmate was communicating with was addressing him as Hephastos, begging him to take her doll as a sacrifice to save her mother as it was the only thing she owned.

Colin nodded and lowered his voice, "It's a sad state of affairs when playing public opinion is safer than presenting evidence, though..."

"Indeed, it is a sad state of affairs but as long as there are no way to help widderslaintes and stop them from spreading their corruption it is hard to argue against the practice with any degree of success."
Udella said sadly.

He smiled thinly, "And a stalwart Tremere when that was a noble House of good standing, too..."

"So I hear, House Tremere was long since fallen from grace by the time I was apprenticed but I imagine she was a pride to her House."

He shrugged, "Possible, but by now, the ones at the northern hub will know that this path is lost to them; anyone fleeing would be more likely to seek another route. Of course, someone fleeing from another hotspot might yet come in this direction..."

Crexia nodded.
"That is very true young man, however someone fleeing in a complete panic might not think to much about what path they are taking."
She commented.
"So keep your eyes open."

He grinned, "You should see me pilot a helicopter. In the military, my marksmanship was merely acceptable, but get me in a cockpit..."

"I would love to see that young man. Perhaps I should hire you at some time to take me and the woman I have asked you to make a necklace for, on a flight one day, it might be a nice excursion."
Crexia said with a smile.
"Perhaps I should even take her to see some of the mountains on Horizon if you think you are skilled enough to avoid the dragons flying around in those areas."

His grin faded to a simpler smile, and he nodded, "Thank you, ma'am... I expect you'd like to use the opportunity to get a full report of what it feels like to be willingly muted like that, as well."

"I would very much like such a rapport yes...hum if there is anyone you trust to be around you in such a vulnerable state bringing some of your companions along in the time bubble so they can catch up on some sleep while you do your little...ehm experiment might also be wise."
The archmage said and nodded.

He arched an eyebrow and wrapped a hand around little Anna's doll and hand, "Are you trying to give me this for safekeeping?"

The girl repeated her pleas looking at you with big fearful eyes pushing the doll towards you. Then you saw another figure, Gabriel himself, you see that one of the scars that had been on his cheek at the Post Office fight where not there, the Nephandus sigh and gently lifted the little girl up, using only what force he had to in order to get her to loosen her grip on you.
"Come child, you will watch your mother die, and then you will be mine, everything that tether you to the past will be gone."
He said softly. The little girl gave a long, scared line of Greek words that where just to mangled by her sobbing combined with her childlike unclear speech that it was hard to make out individual words. Gabriel shook his head.
"I do not understand Anthea...hum you will need a new name..."
He said and spoke something in the Nephandi Language.
"Stranger of Fetuses...yes that will do..."
He said then he ripped the simple, wooden doll out of the little girl's hands and tossed it to the floor.
"And get rid of this thing, I will buy you a new doll a better one, come along now..."
He said as he carried the screaming, crying child away, cradling her gently even as he took her to watch him torture to death her mother.

Slowly the figures vanished, you shirt was still wet with the little girl's tears though, and there where the fight with the scorpions had thorn up the floor a little you see a bit of blue fabric and a tiny, carved wood hand that poked out from where it had been buried.

(OOC: Yeah sorry about that, you mentioned in an earlier post where Adley where translating words Anna had said in her sleep that you knew a little Greek so I misunderstood. Also sorry for being late to post. I was out at a BBQ party. )

[Warpmind]

"Indeed, it is a sad state of affairs but as long as there are no way to help widderslaintes and stop them from spreading their corruption it is hard to argue against the practice with any degree of success."
Udella said sadly.

Colin frowned, "Catch-22... How will we find any way to help widderslaintes home, if they are torn apart by the court before anyone can try to help them?"

Crexia nodded.
"That is very true young man, however someone fleeing in a complete panic might not think to much about what path they are taking."
She commented.
"So keep your eyes open."

He nodded, "Of course. And there's also the chance, albeit a small one, of an ambush."

"I would love to see that young man. Perhaps I should hire you at some time to take me and the woman I have asked you to make a necklace for, on a flight one day, it might be a nice excursion."
Crexia said with a smile.
"Perhaps I should even take her to see some of the mountains on Horizon if you think you are skilled enough to avoid the dragons flying around in those areas."

He shrugged, "I'd be glad to give you a tour. As for the dragons, I don't know - I'd have to see them in flight before I could make an assessment. I would hazard, though, that I would be able to steer sufficiently clear of them in a modern craft - it mostly depends on their speed; maneuverability, I think, I should be able to match them at..."

"I would very much like such a rapport yes...hum if there is anyone you trust to be around you in such a vulnerable state bringing some of your companions along in the time bubble so they can catch up on some sleep while you do your little...ehm experiment might also be wise."
The archmage said and nodded.

He nodded, "My Cabalmate here, and the Quaesitor in our midst would be welcome... There are a few matters I would find it convenient to share with them under such seclusion."

The girl repeated her pleas looking at you with big fearful eyes pushing the doll towards you. Then you saw another figure, Gabriel himself, you see that one of the scars that had been on his cheek at the Post Office fight where not there, the Nephandus sigh and gently lifted the little girl up, using only what force he had to in order to get her to loosen her grip on you.
"Come child, you will watch your mother die, and then you will be mine, everything that tether you to the past will be gone."
He said softly. The little girl gave a long, scared line of Greek words that where just to mangled by her sobbing combined with her childlike unclear speech that it was hard to make out individual words. Gabriel shook his head.
"I do not understand Anthea...hum you will need a new name..."
He said and spoke something in the Nephandi Language.
"Stranger of Fetuses...yes that will do..."
He said then he ripped the simple, wooden doll out of the little girl's hands and tossed it to the floor.
"And get rid of this thing, I will buy you a new doll a better one, come along now..."
He said as he carried the screaming, crying child away, cradling her gently even as he took her to watch him torture to death her mother.

Slowly the figures vanished, you shirt was still wet with the little girl's tears though, and there where the fight with the scorpions had thorn up the floor a little you see a bit of blue fabric and a tiny, carved wood hand that poked out from where it had been buried.

He frowned as little Anna... no, Strangler of Fetuses... no, Anthea was pulled away by Gabriel of a decade past... and reached down to pry away the stones burying the old doll, trying to loosen the stones holding the little wooden toy down...

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin frowned, "Catch-22... How will we find any way to help widderslaintes home, if they are torn apart by the court before anyone can try to help them?"

The old Quesitor sigh and nodded.
"I have argued that a few times...for clients no one else would take, I am seldom heard...and I fled to the docks and work where I no longer have to see clients be...well anyway I agree with you young man, but the system is hard to change."
She muttered sadly.

He nodded, "Of course. And there's also the chance, albeit a small one, of an ambush."

Crexia nodded at that.
"There is always a risk of that, so we have to be vigilant even if the risk is not great."
She agreed.

He shrugged, "I'd be glad to give you a tour. As for the dragons, I don't know - I'd have to see them in flight before I could make an assessment. I would hazard, though, that I would be able to steer sufficiently clear of them in a modern craft - it mostly depends on their speed; maneuverability, I think, I should be able to match them at..."

"Some of the dragons can be quite fast most of the ones found on Horizon though are rather docile and generally will stay clear of aircraft and Umbral ships though some like to follow them, their speed are generally not that great but they can be somewhat curious. Sometimes we get beasts from the Umbra though and they can be far more aggressive."

He nodded, "My Cabalmate here, and the Quaesitor in our midst would be welcome... There are a few matters I would find it convenient to share with them under such seclusion."

Crexia nodded at that.
"Very well I will arrange it once we get back."

He frowned as little Anna... no, Strangler of Fetuses... no, Anthea was pulled away by Gabriel of a decade past... and reached down to pry away the stones burying the old doll, trying to loosen the stones holding the little wooden toy down...

You manage to dig the old toy out from under the stones, it was dirty and a bit worse for wear for having been buried under the floor for a decade but you could see the doll had been hand made with great love and care by someone, it had been carved from oak and was quite details with fingers and the carved face of a young woman, the eyes where blue glass beads embedded into the wood, pieces of twine held the arms and legs in place so the doll had some posability and the face and hair was painted on, the toy wore a simple, blue linen tunic dress tied at the waist, it looked old, though of course it could have been made by a hobbyist or have been bought at one of those alternative toys shops that dealt in toys made from natural materials rather than mass produced plastic. It was clear the small doll had been well loved though by the little girl who had owned it before Gabriel had taken it from her.

[Warpmind]

The old Quesitor sigh and nodded.
"I have argued that a few times...for clients no one else would take, I am seldom heard...and I fled to the docks and work where I no longer have to see clients be...well anyway I agree with you young man, but the system is hard to change."
She muttered sadly.

Colin frowned, "Then you are not afforded the respect you are due, even only for your extensive term of service... It's a shame."

Crexia nodded at that.
"There is always a risk of that, so we have to be vigilant even if the risk is not great."
She agreed.

He nodded, "Murphy's Law - at least as reliable as the law of Gravity... More so where there is magic present."

"Some of the dragons can be quite fast most of the ones found on Horizon though are rather docile and generally will stay clear of aircraft and Umbral ships though some like to follow them, their speed are generally not that great but they can be somewhat curious. Sometimes we get beasts from the Umbra though and they can be far more aggressive."

He nodded, "Best make sure it's an armed craft, then... just in case. I'd prefer not to need that, obviously, but I'd truly hate needing it and not having it..."

Crexia nodded at that.
"Very well I will arrange it once we get back."

He smiled, "Thank you."

You manage to dig the old toy out from under the stones, it was dirty and a bit worse for wear for having been buried under the floor for a decade but you could see the doll had been hand made with great love and care by someone, it had been carved from oak and was quite details with fingers and the carved face of a young woman, the eyes where blue glass beads embedded into the wood, pieces of twine held the arms and legs in place so the doll had some posability and the face and hair was painted on, the toy wore a simple, blue linen tunic dress tied at the waist, it looked old, though of course it could have been made by a hobbyist or have been bought at one of those alternative toys shops that dealt in toys made from natural materials rather than mass produced plastic. It was clear the small doll had been well loved though by the little girl who had owned it before Gabriel had taken it from her.

He frowned at the doll, then wiped away a tear that rolled unbidden down his face, "Her name was Anthea... a greek little girl, taken with her mother some eleven years ago... She tried to... give me this doll then, she thought I was Hephaestus? Gabriel thought throwing this away and torturing Anthea's mother to death would sever all ties to her past, but... not all who are lost wander..."
He looked up at the others, holding out the doll, "Just to make sure, you all see this doll, right?"

[Adley]

"I will have to examine the ward for any spacial Ars to make sure but assuming that is not an issue I should be able to extract the safe and get to the contents."

"Good, thank you, ma'am."

"Her name is Theresa...she is tall but thin, pretty with dark skin and black hair and eyes so dark green they are all but black, the girl is not yet Fallen, her Mentor was terribly afraid of confined spaces and as her phobia spread it started composing the safety of her student as well, so she would not let her apprentice get into the small, dark space that the physical part of the Caul compose of, it was a point of strife in the Labyrinth that she had not yet sent her student to the Caul."

"Hmm...though not yet Fallen, I wouldn't assume she would be any less loyal to her mentor." He tried to recall if he'd seen her yet. "Maybe that was who was on the phone...yes, it could have been," he mused.

"I do not know how badly it will affect you but it is something I think it is better that you know."
Crexia said with compassion in her voice. She regarded you for a moment then she pulled out her tablet and wrote in the wax. "I know you are likely the reincarnation of MR's apprentice Dylan...Abigail needed a father for a sacrificial child, and this woman who I will not dignify with a name helped her to...let us just say inhumane things happened to Dylan and Abigail bore his son...a child that was then sacrificed to make the new Labyrinth's Caul...this Caul, making it out of the infant's own soul and Avatar." The old Tytalus handed you the tablet and sigh, she said nothing but she gave you a worried, compassionate look. "I am sorry I wish I did not have to tell you this Sodalis."

He took the tablet and read it, then read it again. He didn't know if he should wish he was surprised. He had known it was possible, though he had not allowed himself to speculate if it were true or not without evidence, ever since Ellen had spoken to him regarding Dylan's treatment and what he'd just felt of his own memories not so long ago. He felt that fear, pain and anger as if it were all one expression of himself, but separated enough for him to also feel his own reaction to what had happened to Dylan. His fingers tightened on the sides of the tablet, staring at the words. Even this, he couldn't let them stop him...especially not now, he couldn't afford to lose control, either. Or run off for revenge, instead of avenge. But...so much anger, as if a red curtain had dropped in front of his eyes. He thought of Hannah and her brother. Standing there with the tablet, he suddenly put out a hand for the stylus, jaw tight and locked down, as if opening his mouth would release a torrent of fury.

He frowned, then snorted in amusement, "Hopefully, the similarities only extend to skill and good looks, and not marriage, then..."

He gave a distracted nod to him as he ran over the sentences, still confused what was going on and none too happy about what he'd learned. "The person is begging for you to save their mother and themselves, they just wanted to go home...then in addressing you as Hephastos, they beg you to take a doll as a sacrifice to save their mother, as it is the only thing they own." Then he watched as Colin started digging up the floor stones.

// ah, I didn't mean to give the impression of literacy, sorry for that. Sadly, I'm not even literate in the language I -was- fully fluent in anymore. I will write up a reply to Colin's last statement when I get feedback over if the others see the doll (though I assume they do, since the age of it was described?) On a scale of calm, even temperament to flying off the fucking handle (is this an expression for you guys? It means losing your temper violently and unexpectedly, the way a poorly made ax head can if if comes loose from the handle) how close is Adley/'s avatar to the latter >. <

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin frowned, "Then you are not afforded the respect you are due, even only for your extensive term of service... It's a shame."

"That is generally what happens when one go against the stream and question the status quo, I have never been good at just accepting that this is how things should be, that be the idea of society at the time I was born that a woman should only focus on getting a husband and making babies or many of the rules of the Traditions today, some part of our laws needs to be changed but questioning popular opinion never makes one a very popular person."
Udella said with a wry smile.

He nodded, "Murphy's Law - at least as reliable as the law of Gravity... More so where there is magic present."

Crexia just gave a wry smile at that.

He nodded, "Best make sure it's an armed craft, then... just in case. I'd prefer not to need that, obviously, but I'd truly hate needing it and not having it..."

"Yes that might be wise, off course harming the beasts are undesirable, they are rare these days due to Paradox but one have to stay safe."
Crexia agreed.

He smiled, "Thank you."

Crexia nodded at that.

He frowned at the doll, then wiped away a tear that rolled unbidden down his face, "Her name was Anthea... a greek little girl, taken with her mother some eleven years ago... She tried to... give me this doll then, she thought I was Hephaestus? Gabriel thought throwing this away and torturing Anthea's mother to death would sever all ties to her past, but... not all who are lost wander..."

The gathered mages looked rather confused as you spoke as they had not seen the child and they looked at one another trying to figure out what you meant.

He looked up at the others, holding out the doll, "Just to make sure, you all see this doll, right?"

Crexia looked at the doll and nodded.
"Yes I can see it...I had a similar doll myself when I was a child, many, many years ago, I did not think it was common to make them like that anymore, what happened? How did you find it young man?"

"Good, thank you, ma'am."

Udella nodded at that and went to work.

"Hmm...though not yet Fallen, I wouldn't assume she would be any less loyal to her mentor." He tried to recall if he'd seen her yet. "Maybe that was who was on the phone...yes, it could have been," he mused.

You can not remember having seen a woman matching that description yet. Crexia sigh.
"I find it likely that she is very much loyal to her Mentor yes, the only positive is that when she dies her soul will get a new chance, and also we are a little freer with what intensives can be offered to make her cooperate with us."

He took the tablet and read it, then read it again. He didn't know if he should wish he was surprised. He had known it was possible, though he had not allowed himself to speculate if it were true or not without evidence, ever since Ellen had spoken to him regarding Dylan's treatment and what he'd just felt of his own memories not so long ago. He felt that fear, pain and anger as if it were all one expression of himself, but separated enough for him to also feel his own reaction to what had happened to Dylan. His fingers tightened on the sides of the tablet, staring at the words. Even this, he couldn't let them stop him...especially not now, he couldn't afford to lose control, either. Or run off for revenge, instead of avenge. But...so much anger, as if a red curtain had dropped in front of his eyes. He thought of Hannah and her brother. Standing there with the tablet, he suddenly put out a hand for the stylus, jaw tight and locked down, as if opening his mouth would release a torrent of fury.

Crexia stood there with a pained expression on her face as you read and she looked concerned for you. She just handed you the finely carved wooden stylus when you reached for it though and said nothing, it was not time to speak, not yet, not before you had been allowed to digest the information a little, or at least so the old Tytalus seamed to think.

He gave a distracted nod to him as he ran over the sentences, still confused what was going on and none too happy about what he'd learned. "The person is begging for you to save their mother and themselves, they just wanted to go home...then in addressing you as Hephastos, they beg you to take a doll as a sacrifice to save their mother, as it is the only thing they own." Then he watched as Colin started digging up the floor stones.

Colin dug up a little doll from the floor, it was perhaps 20 or 25 cm long and it looked ancient though not aged as long, yes ten year under the floor tiles had done some damage, but this was the kind of doll you had seen pictures of in history books about ancient Greek and Roman society, it was carved from wood and twine had been used to give the limbs some posability, it looked like something that would have been a wealthy child's favorite toy 2500 years ago rather than something a little girl 11 years ago would have had, then again there where shops that sold hand made toys of more natural materials so someone could have copied a older design of course. The doll's eyes where handmade beads of blue glass, these to where not the kind of glass beads you would buy at hobby, lobby, they where rough and would have been made by had using ancient techniques.

(OOC: No need to apologize a simple misunderstanding. Yes everyone can see the doll even if they could not see the little girl. We do not have exactly flying of the handle in Norway but we have similar expressions. Adley's Avatar is not a happy little link to the Quintessence pool, she have taken the form of an protecting angle that fight for justice and there is no justice here, she want to burn down the Labyrinth and every Nephandus inn it and she want to do so NOW, but exactly how her rage affects Adley is up to you but he feel that his soul is angry. The thing with Avatars, at least the way I understand it, they are perfect but they set aside that perfection when incarnating so her ability to be angry comes from Adley and from her other hosts, it is their anger expressed through her, as a host reflect on and affect the Avatar just as the other way around. But yes he have a very upset, very angry god in his head essentially so it is a dignified but still raging flame.)

[Warpmind]

"That is generally what happens when one go against the stream and question the status quo, I have never been good at just accepting that this is how things should be, that be the idea of society at the time I was born that a woman should only focus on getting a husband and making babies or many of the rules of the Traditions today, some part of our laws needs to be changed but questioning popular opinion never makes one a very popular person."
Udella said with a wry smile.

Colin nodded sagely, "There's that saying about becoming a prophet in one's own land... or artists getting recognized in their lifetime."

"Yes that might be wise, off course harming the beasts are undesirable, they are rare these days due to Paradox but one have to stay safe."
Crexia agreed.

He snorted softly, "If you ever hear of me deciding to go big game hunting, assume I've either gone insane in an unanticipated manner, or I'm not acting of my own volition. I'd be more likely to try to sneak up on a dragon to offer belly rubs, I think, than to want to kill one. Not, of course, that I think trying to belly rub a dragon is safe."

"Hmm...though not yet Fallen, I wouldn't assume she would be any less loyal to her mentor." He tried to recall if he'd seen her yet. "Maybe that was who was on the phone...yes, it could have been," he mused.

He nodded to Adley, "I would think that to be the most likely case, yes."

The gathered mages looked rather confused as you spoke as they had not seen the child and they looked at one another trying to figure out what you meant.

He gave a distracted nod to him as he ran over the sentences, still confused what was going on and none too happy about what he'd learned. "The person is begging for you to save their mother and themselves, they just wanted to go home...then in addressing you as Hephastos, they beg you to take a doll as a sacrifice to save their mother, as it is the only thing they own." Then he watched as Colin started digging up the floor stones.

Crexia looked at the doll and nodded.
"Yes I can see it...I had a similar doll myself when I was a child, many, many years ago, I did not think it was common to make them like that anymore, what happened? How did you find it young man?"

He frowned, "The timey-wimey ball..."
He looked around, "I think future me, perhaps with my apprentice's assistance, projected me eleven years into the past, for my apprentice's eyes only... so I could recover her doll for her in the present, now that the floor stones had been disrupted by their temporary transformation into little scorpions... The poor girl mistook me for a Greek god, and thought I could save her mother... Hum, perhaps... Yes, future me just might be able to pull such a rescue off, in several years... it'd be tricky to time correctly, though..."

((OOC: So, new plan: In some ten years' time, give or take, Colin's going to jump back to when Anthea was forced to watch her mother get tortured to death, clobber Gabriel with something liable to give the guy a scar, and take away Anthea's mother before she dies... Piece of cake, right? ))

((OOC2: Actually, going off the handle, "gå av skaftet" IS an old Norwegian idiom; it's not just a similar turn of phrase, it's the exact same thing. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded sagely, "There's that saying about becoming a prophet in one's own land... or artists getting recognized in their lifetime."

Udella gave a tired smile.
"Perhaps that is so but always fighting an uphill battle gets tiring after a while, but someone have to do it."
She grumbeled.

He snorted softly, "If you ever hear of me deciding to go big game hunting, assume I've either gone insane in an unanticipated manner, or I'm not acting of my own volition. I'd be more likely to try to sneak up on a dragon to offer belly rubs, I think, than to want to kill one. Not, of course, that I think trying to belly rub a dragon is safe."

"Yes I have never seen the desire to go hunting just to gather a trophy, even when that was socially acceptable I never engaged in it, hunting for food yes but not for sport."
Crexia said and nodded.
"Well some of the dragons on Horizon are quite friendly and have become tourist attractions some of them will consent to give rides in exchange for Tass, so one of them might enjoy belly rubs, but just be aware that they are big, powerful with allot of teeth."

He frowned, "The timey-wimey ball..."
He looked around, "I think future me, perhaps with my apprentice's assistance, projected me eleven years into the past, for my apprentice's eyes only... so I could recover her doll for her in the present, now that the floor stones had been disrupted by their temporary transformation into little scorpions... The poor girl mistook me for a Greek god, and thought I could save her mother... Hum, perhaps... Yes, future me just might be able to pull such a rescue off, in several years... it'd be tricky to time correctly, though..."

"Well that is as sound a plan as any and might be an explanation, but for the moment all we have are speculation. I guess the young girl might like having her doll returned though, but keep your eyes open in case there are some other meaning here."
Crexia said then Udella gave a small cough.
"Ehm...forgive me for disturbing I have gotten the safe out of the wall, I will try to open it from the back."
The old maga said and she had indeed pulled the large safe out of the wall leaving a large hole where stone, living flesh and and other building materials had been moved to the side, the large safe levitated onto the floor and Udella cast another spell to contain the blast if she made a mistake then she begun to use a controlled beam of fire to cut the metal cabinet open from the backside.

Soon the powerful old maga had the safe opened and carefully put the back of it to the side, she worked quickly and a bit nervously but nothing exploded, then she peaked inside.
"Ehm...yes indeed this will be useful..."
She said and stepped to the side so others could see as well. There where several folders of papers in the safe, five ore bottles of the serum as well as a list of prisoners and when each one should have their dose, there where another one of the snake headed rope restraints Adley had confiscated from the Nephandi at the Post Office, there where a nasty looking whip in the safe, a gun with some ammo and boxes with small bottles of blood, each one marked with a name, arcane connection to every member of the Labyrinth and probably the reason why the safe was set to explode in case the door was forced open.

(OOC: I have heard worse plans...though few more complicated. Also Wrinkle will not enjoy it.)

(OOC: True enough I forgot about that one, then again the meaning is not exactly the same for while it can mean anger it can also mean going nuts over something. )

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