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

[Warpmind]

"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."

Colin grinned, "Well, if they are intelligent enough to be conversed with, that does simplify matters greatly. Oh, they're certainly more dangerous, but at least it's a danger that can be reasoned with. Unlike, say, a mundane Komodo dragon."

"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."

He nodded, "It certainly fits... Gabriel was there, too, but he did not sense me, which suggests a distinct link to the girl..."

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.

His eyes widened at the sight of the contents, "Christ, we hit the jackpot... The serum's one thing, but the blood samples... There's no one getting away from this one..."

((OOC: It's not so much complicated as requiring ridiculous amounts of precision... And yeah, Wrinkle will be royally pissed. Gonna be worth it, though. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grinned, "Well, if they are intelligent enough to be conversed with, that does simplify matters greatly. Oh, they're certainly more dangerous, but at least it's a danger that can be reasoned with. Unlike, say, a mundane Komodo dragon."

"Most of them are quite intelligent. Now like I said there are many kinds of dragons, including some that are more beastlike, but most of the ones on Horizon can be communicated with and if you approach them with respect a deal can usually be reached. Recently some magi have been capturing some of them and forcing them into servitude though and that have...soured relations. When you go to Horizon if you plan of taking a ride on a dragon I would not recommend paying anyone for such a trip unless they can prove the beat works for them of his or her own free will."
The archmage said and frowned.

He nodded, "It certainly fits... Gabriel was there, too, but he did not sense me, which suggests a distinct link to the girl..."

"Well if the child become your apprentice then you will have a very strong link to her for such magick...I am still linked to the man who taught me magick so many years ago even if he have been dead and reincarnated several times since then. Right now he is a young Cultist living in...well no names of places, let us just say I still feel that connection after all these years."
Crexia said and smiled fondly with a rate touch of warmth in her eyes.
"Then off course it was the man who taught me to be a Hermetic...a Tremere, I am connected to him as well though not as much as my first teacher."

His eyes widened at the sight of the contents, "Christ, we hit the jackpot... The serum's one thing, but the blood samples... There's no one getting away from this one..."

"Yes the serum are costly, the two talismans and the gun might have some value as well and who know what the documents can tell us but the blood...no there will be no one escaping this, every member of this Labyrinth can be hunted down."
Udella said darkly.
"I might be able to use these connections and use a spell to find out how many of them are still alive."
Leon offered.
"Damn...we can kick some Fallen ass."

(OOC: Yeah there needs to be both power and finesse to that and Colin once he have that power have to make sure he do not change to much, but saving Anna's mother might be possible. I do hope he will enjoy being spanked by Wrinkle as much as he will enjoy being spanked by Freddy though for there will be allot of that. )

[Adley]

"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."

"True."

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 took the stylus and concentrated on keeping his hand steady, writing a mark next to points he was discussing. 'I know
' next to the information about his incarnation. [i]'I suspected' next to the part about the caul and then added, [i]'Did they bother to give him a name before using them so? Were they even a girl or boy?'[i] To say he looked like a man about to start a war was understated. He handed back the stylus and shot a look at Colin. "...I...am not sure if you need to know this also. Perhaps."

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

"Yes; that is a very old style of doll though, and I mean like two thousand odd years ago. In Greece or Rome."

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..."

"You are going to have a busy future, amicus."

"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.

"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.

He looked over at Udella as she came over, to see what had been found.

His eyes widened at the sight of the contents, "Christ, we hit the jackpot... The serum's one thing, but the blood samples... There's no one getting away from this one..."

"Yes the serum are costly, the two talismans and the gun might have some value as well and who know what the documents can tell us but the blood...no there will be no one escaping this, every member of this Labyrinth can be hunted down." Udella said darkly.

"I might be able to use these connections and use a spell to find out how many of them are still alive." Leon offered. "Damn...we can kick some Fallen ass."

"It seems we have a backup plan," he said with a nod.

// ah cool, re: the saying. There we are then lol.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He took the stylus and concentrated on keeping his hand steady, writing a mark next to points he was discussing. 'I know
' next to the information about his incarnation. [i]'I suspected' next to the part about the caul and then added, [i]'Did they bother to give him a name before using them so? Were they even a girl or boy?'[i] To say he looked like a man about to start a war was understated. He handed back the stylus and shot a look at Colin. "...I...am not sure if you need to know this also. Perhaps."

Crexia nodded she waited for you to return the tablet and the styles before she wrote.
"They had to give the child a name, Abigail are a widderslainte, she have never been a Traditionalist but she was trained by a Fallen from our own Tradition, the gender of the child I could not read it, I think perhaps it did not matter to them but the baby was called Adele so that indicate that it was a little girl."
The archmage handed you back the tablet she looked sad and concerned. You can feel your Avatar's sadness and anger, that this had been done to her host and then to his child was enraging her and she desired justice, not so much vengeance that was a strange concept to her, but justice and she longed to plant her fiery blade in Abigail's heart.

"Yes; that is a very old style of doll though, and I mean like two thousand odd years ago. In Greece or Rome."

Crexia nodded.
"Indeed and it is a toy finely made enough that only a rich family would have been able to pay a merchant to have one made, I have seen an increase in the popularity of toys made of natural materials but even so there are allot of work that have gone into a toy like this, even today bought in an altertnative toystore or a crafters market it would have been costly."

He looked over at Udella as she came over, to see what had been found.

There where sixty three vials of blood, all marked with a name, some of the blood where old and had become dust and some of it was still fluid most was rather dried up but that did not make it less of an arcane connection, there where a vial here for every member of the Labyrinth and the pawns. There there three folders with documents, a gun with three clips, there where a nasty looking but very well made whip, one of the snake like cuffs that you already had one of, several bottles of the green, nasty looking thick flowing serum just had injected Kyle with, and a list of prisoners and the time of day they should have their dose of the serum.

"It seems we have a backup plan," he said with a nod.

Crexia nodded.
"For now, I will put the vials in my own personal pocket realm for safekeeping along with the other content of the safe, and let us head to the northern hub to help out our allies there but yes we have a back up plan...though I doubt Abigail have let anyone store a sample of her own blood here..."
She commented then she nodded to Leon.
"Yes if you can work fast while I open my pocket realm and move the other items over into it then that will be helpful young man."
She said as she brought out another embroidery cloth and begun to quickly sew a few symbols onto it. Leon nodded and he knelt down beside the samples and begun to softly chant, using a simple, wooden wand with silver caps and modern hand gestured with the other he gently tapped each vial as he worked.

[Warpmind]

"Most of them are quite intelligent. Now like I said there are many kinds of dragons, including some that are more beastlike, but most of the ones on Horizon can be communicated with and if you approach them with respect a deal can usually be reached. Recently some magi have been capturing some of them and forcing them into servitude though and that have...soured relations. When you go to Horizon if you plan of taking a ride on a dragon I would not recommend paying anyone for such a trip unless they can prove the beat works for them of his or her own free will."
The archmage said and frowned.

Colin nodded, "Barter with the dragon directly, then, rather than go through middle-men..."

"Well if the child become your apprentice then you will have a very strong link to her for such magick...I am still linked to the man who taught me magick so many years ago even if he have been dead and reincarnated several times since then. Right now he is a young Cultist living in...well no names of places, let us just say I still feel that connection after all these years."
Crexia said and smiled fondly with a rate touch of warmth in her eyes.
"Then off course it was the man who taught me to be a Hermetic...a Tremere, I am connected to him as well though not as much as my first teacher."

He nodded, then pondered for a moment, "Your Tremere Mentor... is he still around, as well? If that's too personal a question, you don't have to answer; I'm just curious."

He took the stylus and concentrated on keeping his hand steady, writing a mark next to points he was discussing. 'I know
' next to the information about his incarnation. 'I suspected' next to the part about the caul and then added, 'Did they bother to give him a name before using them so? Were they even a girl or boy?' To say he looked like a man about to start a war was understated. He handed back the stylus and shot a look at Colin. "...I...am not sure if you need to know this also. Perhaps."

He arched an eyebrow at Adley, "Does it pertain to... past encounters, and consequences of those?"

"Yes; that is a very old style of doll though, and I mean like two thousand odd years ago. In Greece or Rome."

Crexia nodded.
"Indeed and it is a toy finely made enough that only a rich family would have been able to pay a merchant to have one made, I have seen an increase in the popularity of toys made of natural materials but even so there are allot of work that have gone into a toy like this, even today bought in an altertnative toystore or a crafters market it would have been costly."

He nodded, "Yes, the materials feel newer, though, so unless they were retrieved from the distant past to be recruited in the modern age, which I rather doubt, it's a very well made replica."

"You are going to have a busy future, amicus."

He shrugged, "I can think of worse fates. Probably going to get exposed to a few of those, as well, at least peripherally..."

"Yes the serum are costly, the two talismans and the gun might have some value as well and who know what the documents can tell us but the blood...no there will be no one escaping this, every member of this Labyrinth can be hunted down."
Udella said darkly.
"I might be able to use these connections and use a spell to find out how many of them are still alive."
Leon offered.
"Damn...we can kick some Fallen ass."

He frowned, "Ah, yes... Not all who are presently alive are wise to pursue right away... There's one who apparently sought refuge among the vampires, plus the ones in captivity back at the Chantry... You might wish to be cautious with what sorts of links you establish from here..."

((OOC: Yeah, Colin's going to feel guilty about Tian now... At least a little; the poor kid's head start is going to be badly shortened... ))

((OOC2: Also, Pathfinder game yestereve; got home late, crashed hard and overslept today. Good game, though. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "Barter with the dragon directly, then, rather than go through middle-men..."

"Yes that is often the best course of action if you want to make sure you do not support those who exploit the beasts. Like I said I do not have a problem with slavery in an of itself, but these magical beings are rare and should be preserved, not to mention capturing them create conflicts that we just do not need on Horizon at the moment, there is enough trouble."
Crexia said and nodded.

He nodded, then pondered for a moment, "Your Tremere Mentor... is he still around, as well? If that's too personal a question, you don't have to answer; I'm just curious."

The old archmage shook her head and smiled a little sadly.
"No the gods where kind he never lived to see our House go down, he disappeared into final Twilight some seventy years after my Gauntlet, I am not sure about his fate after that, he could have Ascended or joined the Oracles or died, but if the latter then I have never been able to find his reincarnation."
She said and looked at you.
"He was a good man, stern but fair, I hope that wherever his soul is now, he have found happiness."

He nodded, "Yes, the materials feel newer, though, so unless they were retrieved from the distant past to be recruited in the modern age, which I rather doubt, it's a very well made replica."

"Agreed, most wood items that old would be in a rather poor state unless magick or some other method of preservation was used to keep the item intact, however whoever created this toy where very familiar with a woodcarver's craft from late antiquity."
The old Tytalus said and nodded.

He frowned, "Ah, yes... Not all who are presently alive are wise to pursue right away... There's one who apparently sought refuge among the vampires, plus the ones in captivity back at the Chantry... You might wish to be cautious with what sorts of links you establish from here..."

"I agree, for now what we need to know is who is alive and present in the Labyrinth."
Crexia said and Leon nodded.
"Yes ma'am...and I am careful, I am not establishing links as such though off course there is always a danger."
The Jerbiton said as he glanced down at his phone and brought up Anna's map before he tapped it with his wand as well and little red dots started appearing on the map, moving little red dots.
"There are nineteen of them in the Labyrinth at the moment, twenty seven alive all in all."
He said, you saw two of the dots suddenly blinking out.
"Make that seventeen."
Leon muttered darkly. You can also see that most of the dots where centered around the northern hub, one was in one of the bedrooms you had passed, probably Carlyle, one was in the Chief's room, that would be William and six was in the large space just marked as the moving inner circle. Leon got to his feet and showed you the map so you could get a better look at it.
"A little trick a House Thig friend of mine taught me a while back."
He explained.

Crexia gave Leon an approving nod then she glanced over at you.
"Would you help me get things into my pocket realm if you would be so kind young man? Also also you should probably retrieve your apprentice to be's vial as well, you would not want someone else to have a sample of your own student's blood and as long as the arcane connection is viable having it means a new sample do not need to be taken from her if your Chantry should desire such a thing to keep her under control, after all she is a child and children tend to find having their blood taken to be traumatic, no need to cause the girl more distress than necessary."
She said as she finished her spell and threw her embroidery cloth on the floor, the air around it shimmered a bit and she started taking things from the safe and placing them inside the small pocket dimension.

(OOC: Yeah Tian are in trouble, unless he finds allies the question really is not if he will be captured but when he will be captured, off course he might be able to sever that arcane connection though, your group is not the only mages who can do that trick.)

(OOC 2: Glad to hear your game was fun. Sorry about my late reply I was out playing MtG. No one likes my blue heavy control deck. )

[Adley]

"They had to give the child a name, Abigail are a widderslainte, she have never been a Traditionalist but she was trained by a Fallen from our own Tradition, the gender of the child I could not read it, I think perhaps it did not matter to them but the baby was called Adele so that indicate that it was a little girl."

He read the reply and nodded at what was there, then wrote back, 'They gave her one only to take it away during their ritual of unmaking her. There are different meanings for Adele, from the Greek root adelos, that which does not manifest itself, invisible, or uncertain. It might matter now that we know it.' he wrote back.

He arched an eyebrow at Adley, "Does it pertain to... past encounters, and consequences of those?"

"Yes. And current...circumstances." He frowned, then added quickly, "It may provide you context." Colin was after all his cabal leader, and friend. It was awful and perhaps would not help for him to know but it could be critical, it was hard to know what Colin might find useful. It looked like he'd rather pull out his own teeth with no Novocaine though than share it aloud.

"For now, I will put the vials in my own personal pocket realm for safekeeping along with the other content of the safe, and let us head to the northern hub to help out our allies there but yes we have a back up plan...though I doubt Abigail have let anyone store a sample of her own blood here..."

"Doubtful," he agreed, in reply to the comment about Abigail. As Leon worked, he kept lookout over the group so that he could finish his working.

"There are nineteen of them in the Labyrinth at the moment, twenty seven alive all in all." He said, you saw two of the dots suddenly blinking out. "Make that seventeen." Leon muttered darkly...Leon got to his feet and showed you the map so you could get a better look at it.

"This only counts the Fallen, I would assume and not their allies unless they have blood?" he asked. "In which case, seventeen plus any spirits and others they've managed to recruit."

// glad your games were fun! : )

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He read the reply and nodded at what was there, then wrote back, 'They gave her one only to take it away during their ritual of unmaking her. There are different meanings for Adele, from the Greek root adelos, that which does not manifest itself, invisible, or uncertain. It might matter now that we know it.' he wrote back.

Crexia accepted the tablet and stylus back and begun to write.
"They did give her a name just to take it away and unmake her...it is terrible, and while we can not save her, we can give her a semblance of peace in destroying the Caul she have become and we can get justice for her and the others this Labyrinth have harmed. Yes knowing her name might be useful it might make a difference."
She wrote then she handed the tablet and the stylus back to you.

"Yes. And current...circumstances." He frowned, then added quickly, "It may provide you context." Colin was after all his cabal leader, and friend. It was awful and perhaps would not help for him to know but it could be critical, it was hard to know what Colin might find useful. It looked like he'd rather pull out his own teeth with no Novocaine though than share it aloud.

Your team leader pointed at her tablet but said nothing to remind you that you could just show Colin the conversation written in wax there instead of talking about it out loud, if you choose to share the information.

"Doubtful," he agreed, in reply to the comment about Abigail. As Leon worked, he kept lookout over the group so that he could finish his working.

There where fairly quiet for now. Olamide and Udella spent the time reinforcing personal shields. Cara helped you keep watch. Nancy was studying the roof and giggling. Rosario was checking over her crossbow while Leon worked.

"This only counts the Fallen, I would assume and not their allies unless they have blood?" he asked. "In which case, seventeen plus any spirits and others they've managed to recruit."

"I doubt any of their spirit allies have blood so no my rote would not be able to find them, I do think this is both the Awakened Labyrinth members and their pawns though since what I was told, they did not have sixty Awakened here originally."
Leon said and Crexia nodded.
"It is likely to be both their magi and their servants and other physical allies yes, though off course potential members of other Labyrinth might not be represented here at all so we should not get to cocky."
She advised.

[Warpmind]

The old archmage shook her head and smiled a little sadly.
"No the gods where kind he never lived to see our House go down, he disappeared into final Twilight some seventy years after my Gauntlet, I am not sure about his fate after that, he could have Ascended or joined the Oracles or died, but if the latter then I have never been able to find his reincarnation."
She said and looked at you.
"He was a good man, stern but fair, I hope that wherever his soul is now, he have found happiness."

Colin nodded, "Lets hope his fate has been kind. Who knows, he might be out there somewhere still, though that would imply a... less than ideal mental state."

"Agreed, most wood items that old would be in a rather poor state unless magick or some other method of preservation was used to keep the item intact, however whoever created this toy where very familiar with a woodcarver's craft from late antiquity."
The old Tytalus said and nodded.

He nodded, "There's a reason few axe handles and spear shafts remain from the era where the metal components remain... However, numerous ancient crafting techniques have been revived in the past few decades, or even preserved from one mentor to apprentice over the millennia. The latter, though, is admittedly rarer, but not unheard of."

"Yes. And current...circumstances." He frowned, then added quickly, "It may provide you context." Colin was after all his cabal leader, and friend. It was awful and perhaps would not help for him to know but it could be critical, it was hard to know what Colin might find useful. It looked like he'd rather pull out his own teeth with no Novocaine though than share it aloud.

He looked Adley in the eyes, just for a moment, then nodded, "If you think I need to see it, then go ahead. But from your look, I can guess... All too well."

"I agree, for now what we need to know is who is alive and present in the Labyrinth."
Crexia said and Leon nodded.
"Yes ma'am...and I am careful, I am not establishing links as such though off course there is always a danger."
The Jerbiton said as he glanced down at his phone and brought up Anna's map before he tapped it with his wand as well and little red dots started appearing on the map, moving little red dots.
"There are nineteen of them in the Labyrinth at the moment, twenty seven alive all in all."
He said, you saw two of the dots suddenly blinking out.
"Make that seventeen."
Leon muttered darkly. You can also see that most of the dots where centered around the northern hub, one was in one of the bedrooms you had passed, probably Carlyle, one was in the Chief's room, that would be William and six was in the large space just marked as the moving inner circle. Leon got to his feet and showed you the map so you could get a better look at it.
"A little trick a House Thig friend of mine taught me a while back."
He explained.

He nodded to Leon's work, "Clever and informative. If there's time later, I'd like to learn that one. Well, perhaps sometime after the dust has settled, at least."

"This only counts the Fallen, I would assume and not their allies unless they have blood?" he asked. "In which case, seventeen plus any spirits and others they've managed to recruit."

"I doubt any of their spirit allies have blood so no my rote would not be able to find them, I do think this is both the Awakened Labyrinth members and their pawns though since what I was told, they did not have sixty Awakened here originally."
Leon said and Crexia nodded.
"It is likely to be both their magi and their servants and other physical allies yes, though off course potential members of other Labyrinth might not be represented here at all so we should not get to cocky."
She advised.

He pointed to the sleeping hedge wizard in the security chief's room, "Going by this marker, the blood samples include at least Linear pawns; most likely, all the human pawns residing here."

Crexia gave Leon an approving nod then she glanced over at you.
"Would you help me get things into my pocket realm if you would be so kind young man? Also also you should probably retrieve your apprentice to be's vial as well, you would not want someone else to have a sample of your own student's blood and as long as the arcane connection is viable having it means a new sample do not need to be taken from her if your Chantry should desire such a thing to keep her under control, after all she is a child and children tend to find having their blood taken to be traumatic, no need to cause the girl more distress than necessary."
She said as she finished her spell and threw her embroidery cloth on the floor, the air around it shimmered a bit and she started taking things from the safe and placing them inside the small pocket dimension.

He nodded and skimmed through the vials, looking for Devourer of Fetuses' vial - hopefully it was noted down in English, rather than anything the Nephandic language had to pass for a written language... "I don't think she'd be too traumatized by a blood sample, depending on the extrication method... Needles, though, had best be avoided."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "Lets hope his fate has been kind. Who knows, he might be out there somewhere still, though that would imply a... less than ideal mental state."

Crexia nodded.
"It would, then again the old Hermetic idea of Twilight are not exactly the same as Quiet, it is that but it also means an transcendent state, once we drew little difference between madness and wisdom."
She said with a small smile.

He nodded, "There's a reason few axe handles and spear shafts remain from the era where the metal components remain... However, numerous ancient crafting techniques have been revived in the past few decades, or even preserved from one mentor to apprentice over the millennia. The latter, though, is admittedly rarer, but not unheard of."

"True and there is something to be said for preserving ancient arts and knowledge."
The old Tytalus said and nodded.

He nodded to Leon's work, "Clever and informative. If there's time later, I'd like to learn that one. Well, perhaps sometime after the dust has settled, at least."

"I would not mind teaching you, for the right price off course but I am sure we can come to some arrangement concerning that when everything have settled down."
Leon said and smiled.
"If you can understand my Paradigm that is..."

He pointed to the sleeping hedge wizard in the security chief's room, "Going by this marker, the blood samples include at least Linear pawns; most likely, all the human pawns residing here."

"That is my assumption as well."
Crexia said she smiled a bit darkly as another red dot vanished from Leon's phone map near the northern hub.
"This is not a good day for this Labyrinth now is it, well good riddance."
She commented.

He nodded and skimmed through the vials, looking for Devourer of Fetuses' vial - hopefully it was noted down in English, rather than anything the Nephandic language had to pass for a written language...

You do indeed find a vial marked Devourer of Fetuses written in Latin containing 11 year old, dried up bits of blood.

"I don't think she'd be too traumatized by a blood sample, depending on the extrication method... Needles, though, had best be avoided."

"Hum...she have a problem with needles then? They tend to be quicker and easier than other means to draw blood, other than perhaps a leech. The last time I took an apprentice needles where ghastly things, reusable, thick and far less sharp than the ones we have today, but even so it caused less pain and injury to take a small sample from the boy with that than using a knife, he did cry a little though, poor child, it amaze me that the little boy today is an Master of the Art himself...hum...well in either case if blood is needed from your apprentice for a arcane connection then any method will do, just numbing her thumb and pricking it with a scalpel should do the work and cause her little distress if she do not fear the sight of her own blood. For analysis by mundane medicine though I would believe there to be some point in the blood not having to much contact with air before it ends up in a vial for testing...not that medicine is the topic here...for for a arcane connection you can just wait until a knee or scraped, that always happens with children, sooner rather than later and then just kep a cotton swab when cleaning her up, that is perhaps the easiest way to get a bit of her blood."
Crexia said as she moved things from the safe into her pocket realm.
"Anything else from the safe any of you want to look at before I stove it away?"
She asked.

[Adley]

"They did give her a name just to take it away and unmake her...it is terrible, and while we can not save her, we can give her a semblance of peace in destroying the Caul she have become and we can get justice for her and the others this Labyrinth have harmed. Yes knowing her name might be useful it might make a difference."

'At least that. Perhaps more; there are signs I was told to watch for so I will watch for the fire.'

Your team leader pointed at her tablet but said nothing to remind you that you could just show Colin the conversation written in wax there instead of talking about it out loud, if you choose to share the information.

He looked Adley in the eyes, just for a moment, then nodded, "If you think I need to see it, then go ahead. But from your look, I can guess... All too well."

He gave her a nod and then looked again at Colin. "Would you rather guess or know? For it may be important to our success. And I had a thought to add I would ask you to see, if you wish to skip that,'[/i] he added suddenly, writing something else down.

"I doubt any of their spirit allies have blood so no my rote would not be able to find them, I do think this is both the Awakened Labyrinth members and their pawns though since what I was told, they did not have sixty Awakened here originally." Leon said and Crexia nodded. "It is likely to be both their magi and their servants and other physical allies yes, though off course potential members of other Labyrinth might not be represented here at all so we should not get to cocky.

He pointed to the sleeping hedge wizard in the security chief's room, "Going by this marker, the blood samples include at least Linear pawns; most likely, all the human pawns residing here."

Crexia said as she moved things from the safe into her pocket realm. "Anything else from the safe any of you want to look at before I stove it away?"
She asked.

He nodded at their assessments and then replied, "I don't think we have time to look over the things I want to see...not right now, at least. We still have our promise to keep and our allies..." He hoped they didn't need their help, their advantage held for the moment it seemed from the map, but it would be good to join up with them.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Crexia nodded at that.
"Very well I will make sure you get a chance to look them over when there is time then."
She said as she continued to put items into her pocket realm, placing them on her embroidery cloth and they just sort of vanished.
"I agree we need to press on with some urgency."
She said and unless Colin said there was anything he needed to have a look at she finished placing the items from the safe then she said.
"Let us move out, once we are out of the corridor, I and the honored Quesitor will make sure any...trace of us are burned."
She declared as she brushed of her shirt and prepared to move.
"Same formation as before and please keep your eyes open, everyone."

(OOC: I assume the top part about watching for fire is something Adley is thinking to himself and not saying or writing to Crexia? If he did write it to her then let me know and I will reply to it.)

[Adley]

Crexia nodded at that. "Very well I will make sure you get a chance to look them over when there is time then." She said as she continued to put items into her pocket realm, placing them on her embroidery cloth and they just sort of vanished.

"Thank you."

"Let us move out, once we are out of the corridor, I and the honored Quesitor will make sure any...trace of us are burned." She declared as she brushed of her shirt and prepared to move. "Same formation as before and please keep your eyes open, everyone."

"Shall I take this back or will it go up with everything else," he asked, regarding the teacup. Then, "What is our next target, pardon?"

// whups, it was writ down in the tablet I just forgot to say so. Sorry!

[Warpmind]

Crexia nodded.
"It would, then again the old Hermetic idea of Twilight are not exactly the same as Quiet, it is that but it also means an transcendent state, once we drew little difference between madness and wisdom."
She said with a small smile.

Colin pondered for a moment, "Hum, I was not aware of that... Still, the line between madness and wisdom is a fine one, and if he's hiding somewhere out there, well... isolation is not healthy in the long run... But then, he might not be alone, even if he's not around fellow Magi."

"I would not mind teaching you, for the right price off course but I am sure we can come to some arrangement concerning that when everything have settled down."
Leon said and smiled.
"If you can understand my Paradigm that is..."

He smiled, "Well, you seemed to figure out my little Rote; I think I should be able to at least be able to glean something from yours with a little explanation."

"That is my assumption as well."
Crexia said she smiled a bit darkly as another red dot vanished from Leon's phone map near the northern hub.
"This is not a good day for this Labyrinth now is it, well good riddance."
She commented.

He nodded, "Well, then, let's hope we can catch the security chief's apprentice alive... I believe you said the shortcut to the Caul was keyed to her? Hm, if she's not Fallen, she might even make it out intact... if not alive..."

He gave her a nod and then looked again at Colin. "Would you rather guess or know? For it may be important to our success. And I had a thought to add I would ask you to see, if you wish to skip that,'[/i] he added suddenly, writing something else down.

He nodded, "Knowledge is always preferable to guesswork; I'll look if you'll let me."

You do indeed find a vial marked Devourer of Fetuses written in Latin containing 11 year old, dried up bits of blood.

He smoothly separated out the vial from the others and nodded to Crexia, "This one is hers... can you set this aside with the books and marbles when you put things into your pocket realm, or would it be easier if I just hold on to it myself?"

"Hum...she have a problem with needles then? They tend to be quicker and easier than other means to draw blood, other than perhaps a leech. The last time I took an apprentice needles where ghastly things, reusable, thick and far less sharp than the ones we have today, but even so it caused less pain and injury to take a small sample from the boy with that than using a knife, he did cry a little though, poor child, it amaze me that the little boy today is an Master of the Art himself...hum...well in either case if blood is needed from your apprentice for a arcane connection then any method will do, just numbing her thumb and pricking it with a scalpel should do the work and cause her little distress if she do not fear the sight of her own blood. For analysis by mundane medicine though I would believe there to be some point in the blood not having to much contact with air before it ends up in a vial for testing...not that medicine is the topic here...for for a arcane connection you can just wait until a knee or scraped, that always happens with children, sooner rather than later and then just kep a cotton swab when cleaning her up, that is perhaps the easiest way to get a bit of her blood."
Crexia said as she moved things from the safe into her pocket realm.
"Anything else from the safe any of you want to look at before I stove it away?"
She asked.

He nodded and lowered his voice, "She was forced to watch her Mentor work... I believe you know his sort of needlework. He hoped to get her to appreciate it, but gave her a phobia instead. Well, in context, it's hardly an irrational fear..."
He glanced at the contents and swiped the restraints, "A spare set of, er, cuffs might come in handy... I'm academically curious about the whip, since it's locked away, but I don't think it would be wise to employ as a weapon without careful analysis... Hum, the gun, though..."
He fished up the pistol and ammunition, giving it a closer look, "If this is purely mundane weaponry, we don't need it, but you never know..."
Placing the doll with the other things, "And of course, best keep this safe, as well..."
He glanced back over his shoulder and added, "Oh, and can you fit the tanks, now that they are empty? Or would that be a bit more cumbersome?"

Crexia nodded at that.
"Very well I will make sure you get a chance to look them over when there is time then."
She said as she continued to put items into her pocket realm, placing them on her embroidery cloth and they just sort of vanished.
"I agree we need to press on with some urgency."
She said and unless Colin said there was anything he needed to have a look at she finished placing the items from the safe then she said.
"Let us move out, once we are out of the corridor, I and the honored Quesitor will make sure any...trace of us are burned."
She declared as she brushed of her shirt and prepared to move.
"Same formation as before and please keep your eyes open, everyone."

He nodded and got up on his feet properly, "Right, I think that should be about it... Northern hub for reinforcements, then?"

((OOC: Blah, browser problems last night. For some reason, the Forumotion bar at the top was gone, and the editing tools in the posting box weren't available... :/ Back now, though. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

At least that. Perhaps more; there are signs I was told to watch for so I will watch for the fire.'

"Signs Sodalis?"
Crexia wrote down and she gave you a somewhat confused look but then she just nodded, watching for the fire would do just fine.

"Shall I take this back or will it go up with everything else," he asked, regarding the teacup. Then, "What is our next target, pardon?"

"If you wish to carry it, or for that matter just place it into my pocket realm before I close it then that is fine, if not then we should completely destroy it, a beloved toy are a fine arcane connection to a child."
The archmage said then she added.
"The northern hub to reinforce our allies there and take at least some of them with us when we go after Carlyle and hopefully we can find the Chief's apprentice alive and capture her in case we need her."

Colin pondered for a moment, "Hum, I was not aware of that... Still, the line between madness and wisdom is a fine one, and if he's hiding somewhere out there, well... isolation is not healthy in the long run... But then, he might not be alone, even if he's not around fellow Magi."

"If my Mentor is now a Marauder and have stayed alive all these years it is likely he is with other Mad Ones, they do tend to clump together into little families in the Umbra, of insane magi and spirits that can someone understand one another, if he is not mad but attained enlightenment it is likely he either Ascended or joined with the Oracles, I hope for one of the latter options off course, but yes sometimes I do worry what happened to him..."
The archmage said and frowned.

He smiled, "Well, you seemed to figure out my little Rote; I think I should be able to at least be able to glean something from yours with a little explanation."

"Hum...true enough and it is not like I really share the Paradigm of my House Thig friend and we managed to cobble it together."
Leon said and nodded.
"I am willing to give it a shot and I do need training in teaching for when I reach the Adept degree and get ready to take an apprentice of my own."

He nodded, "Well, then, let's hope we can catch the security chief's apprentice alive... I believe you said the shortcut to the Caul was keyed to her? Hm, if she's not Fallen, she might even make it out intact... if not alive..."

"The shortcut is indeed keyed to the girl so I want her alive, she is not Fallen if captured she might be punished to the full extent of the law for conspiring with enemies of Asencion, more likely though is that she will be given a permanent Brand and a most unpleasant execution...we are free to offer her a quick, painless death of her choosing in exchange for cooperation though, so that might make things easier."
Crexia confirmed.
"Do you remember her description, or would you want me to manifest her image onto a scrap of paper to make it easier to identify her?"

He smoothly separated out the vial from the others and nodded to Crexia, "This one is hers... can you set this aside with the books and marbles when you put things into your pocket realm, or would it be easier if I just hold on to it myself?"

"I do have an index system in my pocket realm you know, it is not just a heap of things thrown in there."
Crexia said and smiled.
"I can put it with her books that is not a problem."
She said and held out a thin hand for the vial.

He nodded and lowered his voice, "She was forced to watch her Mentor work... I believe you know his sort of needlework. He hoped to get her to appreciate it, but gave her a phobia instead. Well, in context, it's hardly an irrational fear..."

"I see, well rather a phobia than an appreciation of that sort of thing, poor child...and you will be using that serum on her that...will not go well."
Crexia said and shook her head and glanced in the door at the sleeping William.
"I do not know the full extent of this Gabriel's work but from the fearful babbling of our young prisoner, it was bad...needles put through eyes and spines and hobby lobotomy...it is a good thing that man is...no more."
She said and sigh.

He glanced at the contents and swiped the restraints, "A spare set of, er, cuffs might come in handy... I'm academically curious about the whip, since it's locked away, but I don't think it would be wise to employ as a weapon without careful analysis... Hum, the gun, though..."

"Just remember that those restraints, who are enchanted are likely to cause considerable pain, so do not use them on a prisoner unless there is no other choice."
Crexia said and looked at the rope meant to bind someone's hands and then the snake heads would bite into their flesh.
"I have not examined the whip but I have heard that Nephandi artificers are fond of making such weapons meant to hit the soul as well as the flesh, you can imagine that having your Avatar whipped would be quite gruesome if not very effective torture, the victim would be a blabbering mess long before they would be able to give you any useful information...it is unpleasant in either case."

He fished up the pistol and ammunition, giving it a closer look, "If this is purely mundane weaponry, we don't need it, but you never know..."

The gun seamed to be fairly mundane, it was an older, well maintained weapon that looked like it had seen some use.
"Well it is up to you I am not a good shot and will not be claiming the weapon and I would not want to use anything owned by that woman."
Crexia said and frowned.

Placing the doll with the other things, "And of course, best keep this safe, as well..."
He glanced back over his shoulder and added, "Oh, and can you fit the tanks, now that they are empty? Or would that be a bit more cumbersome?"

"Well I do define the concept of space in my pocket realm so it should be fine."
Crexia said and carefully placed the doll with the rest of Anna's things.
"If you had me the tanks I will take care of them."

He nodded and got up on his feet properly, "Right, I think that should be about it... Northern hub for reinforcements, then?"

"Yes be careful we will be going into a fight with a very desperate enemy."
Crexia said as she begun to lead the way back out of the corridor, waiting for everyone to fall into line, then one everyone was out Udelle cast two spells, first putting up a protection around the openings to the Chief's room so William would not be hurt and then she covered the corridor with a fire that was so hot it made the stones on the walls into glass and destroyed every bit of blood or trace of the fight, including the Labyrinth flesh.
"Remind me not to piss that lady off."
Leon muttered as he watched the corridor be turned into glass, he had to avert his eyes from the flames that shot out of Udella's hands like a beam filling the corridor though the light was to bright to look at.. A third spell by the old Quesitor cooled the floor so it could be stepped on.
"Well then now we can advance."
Crexia said and she motioned for Rosario to support Udella as the old woman was getting tired, powerful she was but she was no spring chicken anymore. Crexia turned to you.
"I did tell you getting past the Labyrinth flesh would not be a problem did I not?"
She said before she walked into the corridor again, past the intersection with the Node and deeper into the Labyrinth.

[Warpmind]

"If my Mentor is now a Marauder and have stayed alive all these years it is likely he is with other Mad Ones, they do tend to clump together into little families in the Umbra, of insane magi and spirits that can someone understand one another, if he is not mad but attained enlightenment it is likely he either Ascended or joined with the Oracles, I hope for one of the latter options off course, but yes sometimes I do worry what happened to him..."
The archmage said and frowned.

Colin shrugged with a small smile, "Well, if you are meant to find him again, you will."

"Hum...true enough and it is not like I really share the Paradigm of my House Thig friend and we managed to cobble it together."
Leon said and nodded.
"I am willing to give it a shot and I do need training in teaching for when I reach the Adept degree and get ready to take an apprentice of my own."

He nodded, "Sounds good to me. I'm sure we can figure out an equitable exchange - perhaps I'll have another novel rote in my own repertoire by then to interest you?"

"The shortcut is indeed keyed to the girl so I want her alive, she is not Fallen if captured she might be punished to the full extent of the law for conspiring with enemies of Asencion, more likely though is that she will be given a permanent Brand and a most unpleasant execution...we are free to offer her a quick, painless death of her choosing in exchange for cooperation though, so that might make things easier."
Crexia confirmed.
"Do you remember her description, or would you want me to manifest her image onto a scrap of paper to make it easier to identify her?"

He frowned, "Fairly pretty girl, long dark hair? I think I'll be able to recognize her voice in any case... and I suspect she'll have more unpleasant words for me on sight in any case, when she recognizes mine."

"I do have an index system in my pocket realm you know, it is not just a heap of things thrown in there."
Crexia said and smiled.
"I can put it with her books that is not a problem."
She said and held out a thin hand for the vial.

He smiled and handed it over, "But of course - I was more concerned that you were limited to, shall we say, separate compartments for each time to place something new in there; sort of like a series of single-use lockers, as it were."

"I see, well rather a phobia than an appreciation of that sort of thing, poor child...and you will be using that serum on her that...will not go well."
Crexia said and shook her head and glanced in the door at the sleeping William.
"I do not know the full extent of this Gabriel's work but from the fearful babbling of our young prisoner, it was bad...needles put through eyes and spines and hobby lobotomy...it is a good thing that man is...no more."
She said and sigh.

He nodded, "No, it will be... quite painful for her. I'll be trying to get her some therapy from day one, but that's going to be badly hampered, what with the necessity for the injections... Teleporting the serum into her will cause some bad tissue damage, so that's unfortunately not viable, either... Hum, I suppose a semi-implanted injector, like the ones some diabetics use, could work..."

"Just remember that those restraints, who are enchanted are likely to cause considerable pain, so do not use them on a prisoner unless there is no other choice."
Crexia said and looked at the rope meant to bind someone's hands and then the snake heads would bite into their flesh.
"I have not examined the whip but I have heard that Nephandi artificers are fond of making such weapons meant to hit the soul as well as the flesh, you can imagine that having your Avatar whipped would be quite gruesome if not very effective torture, the victim would be a blabbering mess long before they would be able to give you any useful information...it is unpleasant in either case."

He nodded, "The restraints would be useful for offering an alternative to the serum, I suppose... Good for only one captive, true, but it'd be a viable offer... As for the whip, like I said, my interest is academic, but I suspect I'd be less poorly off than most if subjected to it... I'd like to research its properties later, but aside from that, best lock it up..."

The gun seamed to be fairly mundane, it was an older, well maintained weapon that looked like it had seen some use.
"Well it is up to you I am not a good shot and will not be claiming the weapon and I would not want to use anything owned by that woman."
Crexia said and frowned.

He retrieved a bullet from the magazine with a frown and examined it, "Indeed, unless these bullets are of special quality - Primium or the like - it should be tucked away and cleansed of any resonances before being used again..."

"Well I do define the concept of space in my pocket realm so it should be fine."
Crexia said and carefully placed the doll with the rest of Anna's things.
"If you had me the tanks I will take care of them."

He swiftly took off the harness and set it gently next to the cloth, "Very good - these do after all belong to a certain Etherite in your Chantry here, so I'm sure she would appreciate getting them back undamaged. Now that they are empty anyway, that part of the bargain is in any case done."

"Yes be careful we will be going into a fight with a very desperate enemy."
Crexia said as she begun to lead the way back out of the corridor, waiting for everyone to fall into line, then one everyone was out Udelle cast two spells, first putting up a protection around the openings to the Chief's room so William would not be hurt and then she covered the corridor with a fire that was so hot it made the stones on the walls into glass and destroyed every bit of blood or trace of the fight, including the Labyrinth flesh.
"Remind me not to piss that lady off."
Leon muttered as he watched the corridor be turned into glass, he had to avert his eyes from the flames that shot out of Udella's hands like a beam filling the corridor though the light was to bright to look at.. A third spell by the old Quesitor cooled the floor so it could be stepped on.
"Well then now we can advance."
Crexia said and she motioned for Rosario to support Udella as the old woman was getting tired, powerful she was but she was no spring chicken anymore. Crexia turned to you.
"I did tell you getting past the Labyrinth flesh would not be a problem did I not?"
She said before she walked into the corridor again, past the intersection with the Node and deeper into the Labyrinth.

He grimaced and fanned his nose lightly, looking slightly pale, "Efficient, but the smell of burnt flesh is... ehhh, unpleasant memories of yesteryear..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin shrugged with a small smile, "Well, if you are meant to find him again, you will."

Crexia scoffed.
"I do not bow to destiny, it bows to me!"
She declared.
"However yes I have no idea where to even start looking and if he is still out there, do you think he would want to know...how it all turned out, what happened to our House?"
She asked sadly.

He nodded, "Sounds good to me. I'm sure we can figure out an equitable exchange - perhaps I'll have another novel rote in my own repertoire by then to interest you?"

"Trading a rote for a rote works well for me, it do not even have to be a novel one, the one I have to trade is fairly well known in House Thig so knowledge for knowledge seams fair."
The Jerbiton said and nodded.

He frowned, "Fairly pretty girl, long dark hair? I think I'll be able to recognize her voice in any case... and I suspect she'll have more unpleasant words for me on sight in any case, when she recognizes mine."

"Indeed, dark of hair and skin, big dark green eyes, long curly hair, she is rather striking actually."
Crexia said then she nodded.
"Well you finished her Mentor off a horror as the woman was she was probably important to her apprentice so the girl will be allowed a few unpleasant words, after we have taken her captive, that much of a mercy I will grant her."

He smiled and handed it over, "But of course - I was more concerned that you were limited to, shall we say, separate compartments for each time to place something new in there; sort of like a series of single-use lockers, as it were."

"It is more like an infinite filing cabinet with no walls or boundaries."
The old archmage explained.

He nodded, "No, it will be... quite painful for her. I'll be trying to get her some therapy from day one, but that's going to be badly hampered, what with the necessity for the injections... Teleporting the serum into her will cause some bad tissue damage, so that's unfortunately not viable, either... Hum, I suppose a semi-implanted injector, like the ones some diabetics use, could work..."

"No it would not work not if it is going into muscle tissue."
Rosario said from where she stood checking her bow.
"The machines diabetics use just transfer a very small amount of fluid at the time, that is the point, it constantly measures and regulate insulin one of my sisters where a diabetic before she finally managed to break that out of her mental idea of her true form and she was healed from the condition so I know a little bit about it."
The Cultist said.
"Kris...ehm I mean one of my Cabalmates...Hermetics and their bloody rules on names...ehm sorry Masters...anyway she had to be dosed with that stuff once a couple of years ago when she was entering into a dangerous Quiet, and that is allot of fluid that have to go into the musculature at once, such a pump could never do that also you would not want to inject that stuff into the same spot again and again, not unless you want to destroy that muscle, you will end up with the same issue that many who do muscle enhancing drugs get, many of them use rather large injections and then are tempted to inject the same place again and again, as that gets numb over time and it hurts less and then the muscle fibers just breaks down from being repeatedly pierced and expanded with fluid, and there is allot greater danger of developing chronic pain, boils and splits in the musculature. Trust me even if vaccinations that Americans are crazy enough to often do five or six of at the time on their kids have to be placed at least two inches apart to avoid this and the bigger and thicker the fluid injected the more you need to rotate the injection spot to reduce the damage done, there will always be some damage if you do it regularly, but doing it all in one spot that is begging for a extended stay in a hospital."
The Cultist said then she sigh.
"Sorry for butting into the conversation...my Uncle's colleagues often did steroids and such shit, just to try to keep up a little bit better with the beings they hunt so I have lanced and cleaned out of allot of boils caused by just to many injections into the same muscle and for those who do not hate mages healed many others...I just ehm...did not mean to be rude but you do not want your apprentice to have that problem Sir."
Rosario said and scratched her head.
"That is probably the problem with teleporting, to much fluid into the musculature to quickly, but the same will happen if you use the same spot, and generally they will happen eventually anyway if you do not let the muscle recover before putting something into it again, with an injection of over 2ml I recommend waiting at least a week between each dose...and since you can't since the serum only last for 24 hours, you either need a good healer to help your apprentice regularly or well the body builder forums on how to deal with the results of to many injections and the damage that do might be useful...I do not think that serum is a good solution to restrain someone over a long period of time."
She added and shook her head.

He nodded, "The restraints would be useful for offering an alternative to the serum, I suppose... Good for only one captive, true, but it'd be a viable offer... As for the whip, like I said, my interest is academic, but I suspect I'd be less poorly off than most if subjected to it... I'd like to research its properties later, but aside from that, best lock it up..."

"Well if it was me I would rather be restrained by something external even if painful, than something put into my body which would not be removable before it have run it's course."
Crexia said and frowned.
"So it is a fair enough offer. Now as for the whip you are free to research it at a more opportune time."
She said before she put the whip as well into her pocket realm.
"And let us try not to find out how you would react to being stuck by such a weapon."

He retrieved a bullet from the magazine with a frown and examined it, "Indeed, unless these bullets are of special quality - Primium or the like - it should be tucked away and cleansed of any resonances before being used again..."

The bullets looked completely normal, they where probably just bought at a local weapon's shop.
"Agreed, we can clean them later and see if they will be of use then."
Crexia said and held her hand out for the weapon and ammo so she could lock it away in her pocket realm.

He swiftly took off the harness and set it gently next to the cloth, "Very good - these do after all belong to a certain Etherite in your Chantry here, so I'm sure she would appreciate getting them back undamaged. Now that they are empty anyway, that part of the bargain is in any case done."

Crexia moved the tanks, with a bit of difficulty over into the cloth and then into her pocket realm.
"Very well, I will get them back to her."
She agreed.

He grimaced and fanned his nose lightly, looking slightly pale, "Efficient, but the smell of burnt flesh is... ehhh, unpleasant memories of yesteryear..."

Udella gave you and apologetic look and put her wrinkly frail hand on your arm.
"Please forgive me young man. I did not think, are you alright?"
She asked softly she looked quite concerned.

[Warpmind]

Crexia scoffed.
"I do not bow to destiny, it bows to me!"
She declared.
"However yes I have no idea where to even start looking and if he is still out there, do you think he would want to know...how it all turned out, what happened to our House?"
She asked sadly.

He grinned briefly, then gave her a serious nod, "Destiny, perhaps. You old Mentor's will is another thing, I should expect... and I think letting him know gently would be the best thing. Have him discover it in the most direct way would be... probably far too traumatic for everyone involved."

"Indeed, dark of hair and skin, big dark green eyes, long curly hair, she is rather striking actually."
Crexia said then she nodded.
"Well you finished her Mentor off a horror as the woman was she was probably important to her apprentice so the girl will be allowed a few unpleasant words, after we have taken her captive, that much of a mercy I will grant her."

He grimaced, "And I effectively told her to assume the fetal position and kiss her tush goodbye... She'll have no pleasant words for me for that, I fear..."

"It is more like an infinite filing cabinet with no walls or boundaries."
The old archmage explained.

He grinned, "I've got to get me one of those."

"No it would not work not if it is going into muscle tissue."
Rosario said from where she stood checking her bow.
"The machines diabetics use just transfer a very small amount of fluid at the time, that is the point, it constantly measures and regulate insulin one of my sisters where a diabetic before she finally managed to break that out of her mental idea of her true form and she was healed from the condition so I know a little bit about it."
The Cultist said.
"Kris...ehm I mean one of my Cabalmates...Hermetics and their bloody rules on names...ehm sorry Masters...anyway she had to be dosed with that stuff once a couple of years ago when she was entering into a dangerous Quiet, and that is allot of fluid that have to go into the musculature at once, such a pump could never do that also you would not want to inject that stuff into the same spot again and again, not unless you want to destroy that muscle, you will end up with the same issue that many who do muscle enhancing drugs get, many of them use rather large injections and then are tempted to inject the same place again and again, as that gets numb over time and it hurts less and then the muscle fibers just breaks down from being repeatedly pierced and expanded with fluid, and there is allot greater danger of developing chronic pain, boils and splits in the musculature. Trust me even if vaccinations that Americans are crazy enough to often do five or six of at the time on their kids have to be placed at least two inches apart to avoid this and the bigger and thicker the fluid injected the more you need to rotate the injection spot to reduce the damage done, there will always be some damage if you do it regularly, but doing it all in one spot that is begging for a extended stay in a hospital."
The Cultist said then she sigh.
"Sorry for butting into the conversation...my Uncle's colleagues often did steroids and such shit, just to try to keep up a little bit better with the beings they hunt so I have lanced and cleaned out of allot of boils caused by just to many injections into the same muscle and for those who do not hate mages healed many others...I just ehm...did not mean to be rude but you do not want your apprentice to have that problem Sir."
Rosario said and scratched her head.
"That is probably the problem with teleporting, to much fluid into the musculature to quickly, but the same will happen if you use the same spot, and generally they will happen eventually anyway if you do not let the muscle recover before putting something into it again, with an injection of over 2ml I recommend waiting at least a week between each dose...and since you can't since the serum only last for 24 hours, you either need a good healer to help your apprentice regularly or well the body builder forums on how to deal with the results of to many injections and the damage that do might be useful...I do not think that serum is a good solution to restrain someone over a long period of time."
She added and shook her head.

He gave Rosario a level look, then nodded with a grimace, "Thank you. I'm setting myself up for rather a bundle of medical concerns; knowing as much as possible in advance about what will or will not work is only useful... The poor dear's going to have some unpleasant times ahead until I can make a suitable poison dagger for the serum... Which will be a less traumatic approach than the needles, but still quite painful, I expect."

"Well if it was me I would rather be restrained by something external even if painful, than something put into my body which would not be removable before it have run it's course."
Crexia said and frowned.
"So it is a fair enough offer. Now as for the whip you are free to research it at a more opportune time."
She said before she put the whip as well into her pocket realm.
"And let us try not to find out how you would react to being stuck by such a weapon."

He nodded and carefully looped the restraints around his belt, making sure not to let the fangs bite him.

Crexia moved the tanks, with a bit of difficulty over into the cloth and then into her pocket realm.
"Very well, I will get them back to her."
She agreed.

He smiled, "Thank you; I'd prefer to return them in person, but the important thing is that she gets them back."

Udella gave you and apologetic look and put her wrinkly frail hand on your arm.
"Please forgive me young man. I did not think, are you alright?"
She asked softly she looked quite concerned.

He grimaced, "I'll be fine. It was worse when I had an accident in the workshop - molten silver on the arm, a few years ago. Left a bit of a mark, ruined a perfectly good shirt, and put me off bacon for a few weeks, but the particular aroma is... not pleasant. Nothing I can't handle, given a moment to sort my head out."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He grinned briefly, then gave her a serious nod, "Destiny, perhaps. You old Mentor's will is another thing, I should expect... and I think letting him know gently would be the best thing. Have him discover it in the most direct way would be... probably far too traumatic for everyone involved."

"Hum...yes if he do not want to be found then I will not find him either, not that I am actively looking, but yes my old teacher should be told very gently about the fate of House Tremere, unless he is an Oracle, they are all knowing they say."
She said with a little smile.

He grimaced, "And I effectively told her to assume the fetal position and kiss her tush goodbye... She'll have no pleasant words for me for that, I fear..."

"Well worse things have happen than being told by a Nephandus what she thinks about you, as long as she do not follow up her words of displeasure with fireballs then all is well and let us try to make sure she don't do that."
The archmage muttered wryly.

He grinned, "I've got to get me one of those."

"Ah yes they are most useful."
Crexia said with a smile as she put a few more things into the pocket realm.

He gave Rosario a level look, then nodded with a grimace, "Thank you. I'm setting myself up for rather a bundle of medical concerns; knowing as much as possible in advance about what will or will not work is only useful... The poor dear's going to have some unpleasant times ahead until I can make a suitable poison dagger for the serum... Which will be a less traumatic approach than the needles, but still quite painful, I expect."

"Knowing as much as possible will be useful yes...I guess like I said forums for those who use steroids can be useful, the substance is different but many of the available steroid and other muscle enhancing drugs are rather viscous and taken in somewhat large doses, so some of their problems will be similar and some of the solutions shared to those problems could be useful to you as well. Nurses at free clinics and veterans hospitals might also be able to help. Newer penicillin injections are no different than a vaccine, but the old stuff was vicious, a thick burning fluid that you just did not take if there where any other option and some clinics that have to do things on the cheap still use the older stuff as it costs less to produce."
Rosario said then she nodded.
"I can understand what a phobia will do, and that a dagger might be less traumatic if it is needles she fears but it will hurt, getting such a volume injected at once do hurt and if you are going to use a dagger then you have to have a healer help you one, one who do not mind attracting Paradox to help the girl for the damage to the muscle will we worse and the risk of infection far greater with a dagger, I would not recommend it without someone to heal her every time."
She added and frowned.
"Poor child. I guess then given her fears she would not tolerate a local anesthetic being injected first to make it easier for her?"

He smiled, "Thank you; I'd prefer to return them in person, but the important thing is that she gets them back."

"Very well I will hand the tanks back when we have returned to the Chantry then."
Crexia agreed.

He grimaced, "I'll be fine. It was worse when I had an accident in the workshop - molten silver on the arm, a few years ago. Left a bit of a mark, ruined a perfectly good shirt, and put me off bacon for a few weeks, but the particular aroma is... not pleasant. Nothing I can't handle, given a moment to sort my head out."

"That sounds quite unpleasant young man."
Udella said and grimaced then she nodded.
"Off course take the time you need and no the aroma is not nice, but we had to clean the corridor out. Again I am sorry it caused you discomfort."
She said politely.

[Adley]

Signs Sodalis?" Crexia wrote down

"Sorry...thinking..." he said with a shake of his head as he wrote more out in small letters as he sifted through his memories in a stream of consciousness with the new information he'd learned, sorting it. He held the tablet close to him, protectively. Likely, he nearly filled the tablet with things he thought of as he wrote them. Not everything fit together but it didn't have to. He felt he felt it was coming together but the paths were still to be walked:

'The girl said to me that she would fine the one to plant and it would be a mighty pine tree, so her mentor said. Her first rote of blood magic was to find the right cone and plant the tree which is now beautiful. I said to her I heard of a red woman watering acorns in a new green field. With her blood she watered them so they could grow strong and right. The red warrior plants the old god's children and waters them with his and her blood so he can be reborn anew. But now he is broken and cries.  

'Those that need to see it will. The right person will know the form the blood needs to take when we are in the fire of the crucible. Look for the fire and we will know it. I was told it was for us... 'her'..him, it is for us and another will be helped but only in grieving for that which is lost (the girl of the caul or the one with the avatar that moves without host). Sacrifice will plant the pine cone. There will be a sacrifice that grows the acorns into trees. But the overwhelmed one will not be able to bear the light of hope. I was told a a beacon live inside; a flame and can shine hope to those in need but to some hope can be to much of a pain to bare. Repeated: It is so hard to learn to poke yourself to draw blood (this was said again by another) but sometimes blood is needed (She who is afraid of needles...or is it the blood that waters the field, or both) but learning the method and when it is necessary is the hard part.  The crucible is fire that transforms as you said but first it must have something put inside of it to change. And there has to be fire for the crucible to burn away impurity. Would not the god of blacksmiths agree? ~ you are done with the task of the dirty tass, if you should take it back now may be the time? I trust you to know when the time is right.'

He nodded, "Knowledge is always preferable to guesswork; I'll look if you'll let me."

"That is my belief," he agreed, and once he was done adding his note started when he'd confused Crexia, he said, walking over to show him it.

"If you wish to carry it, or for that matter just place it into my pocket realm before I close it then that is fine, if not then we should completely destroy it, a beloved toy are a fine arcane connection to a child."

"I have removed the links but it would be best to put it in your inventory, I think," he said and offered it to her to stow away.

"The northern hub to reinforce our allies there and take at least some of them with us when we go after Carlyle and hopefully we can find the Chief's apprentice alive and capture her in case we need her."

He nodded and got up on his feet properly, "Right, I think that should be about it... Northern hub for reinforcements, then?"

"Yes be careful we will be going into a fight with a very desperate enemy." Crexia said as she begun to lead the way back out of the corridor

"Yes, ma'am," he said and put himself into place to protect the healer and two wayfinders.

"Remind me not to piss that lady off." Leon muttered as he watched the corridor be turned into glass, he had to avert his eyes from the flames that shot out of Udella's hands like a beam filling the corridor though the light was to bright to look at.. A third spell by the old Quesitor cooled the floor so it could be stepped on. "Well then now we can advance."

Crexia said and she motioned for Rosario to support Udella as the old woman was getting tired, powerful she was but she was no spring chicken anymore. Crexia turned to you. "I did tell you getting past the Labyrinth flesh would not be a problem did I not?"

He grimaced and fanned his nose lightly, looking slightly pale, "Efficient, but the smell of burnt flesh is... ehhh, unpleasant memories of yesteryear..."

"Off course take the time you need and no the aroma is not nice, but we had to clean the corridor out. Again I am sorry it caused you discomfort.

As the others spoke, he attempted to strengthen his shield again and likewise see how his control was faring. The flare of heat and the smell...again burning flesh, fire that was so intense that it could be seen behind his closed eyelids...and then the way was clear and glasslike as the crystal spiders. By view it was an improvement but he was careful of his footing.

// oh man. LOL! I'm sure this was thought of before, but VA rote for carrying all their shit could totally be a RPG-stype inventory xD I can see it now, you open up your minecraft game, load it and pull out a square chicken XDD

There's some time here where people talk and organize all the stuff later down the thread. Adley is going to try to prepare for the next fight if he can so let me know if that works and how much time and I'll put up the roll/s.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Sorry...thinking..." he said with a shake of his head as he wrote more out in small letters as he sifted through his memories in a stream of consciousness with the new information he'd learned, sorting it. He held the tablet close to him, protectively. Likely, he nearly filled the tablet with things he thought of as he wrote them. Not everything fit together but it didn't have to. He felt he felt it was coming together but the paths were still to be walked:

Crexia nodded she looked at you for a moment as you wrote on the tablet, filling the wax with neat letters, she handed you the scraping tool to remove your words when you where done, and smooth the wax for new words later, she did not ask when you headed over to Colin to show him what you had written in the conversation with her and about the signs, she just nodded and regarded you for a moment, if you wanted her to read about those signs you would show her, but she did remember at least some of them that you had spoken of before.

"I have removed the links but it would be best to put it in your inventory, I think," he said and offered it to her to stow away.

Crexia nodded she took the small cup and put it gently into her pocket realm.
"I will return this to you once we are out of this foul place Sodalis."
She said.

"Yes, ma'am," he said and put himself into place to protect the healer and two wayfinders.

Crexia gave you a smile.
"Thank you Sodalis."
She said. Cara moved behind you and your shield and she pulled Nancy with her. Rosario though put an arrow on her crossbow, the Cultist at least had some combat ability.

As the others spoke, he attempted to strengthen his shield again and likewise see how his control was faring. The flare of heat and the smell...again burning flesh, fire that was so intense that it could be seen behind his closed eyelids...and then the way was clear and glasslike as the crystal spiders. By view it was an improvement but he was careful of his footing.

Your Avatar was still upset, it was a strange feeling, anger that was not yours and yet it was, with her strong emotion the line between you became even more unclear, and yet in seeing the Security Chief's body be burned, be cleansed from the physical world, that pleased her. You had control but the anger was still there in the background, bubbling just below the surface as you begun your simple workings to strengthen your shield.

the group moved on, the crystalline, glass like floor was slippery but no one fell as you move across the hallway and through several similar corridors after it had been left behind. Once your group saw a cat who was sitting on the floor beside one of the doors washing itself and looking indignant at your group walking by an disturbing him, other than that the place was empty...until you got close to the northern hub and here there was the sound of combat, you where one turn in the serpentine hallways from the hub itself and you heard a man screaming, two different mages chanting, several people moaning in pain and a body being thrown again something hard. There was a body on the floor here out in the hallway, it was a man, one hand badly mutated, he had taken three bullets to the back and was badly burned by some spell and he had tried to flee, but out here his injuries had overcome him and he was no longer breathing.
"You three, stay back..."
Crexia ordered Cara, Rosario and Nancy...then she begun to move towards the hub itself a spell on her lips as she hurried towards the fight.
"We protect our own, and take down the enemy but I want the Chief's apprentice alive!"
She ordered as she grabbed her whip and headed into the fray.

(OOC: I think you should be able to get two rolls in after Udella cast her rote and two more if he worked on that while Rosario, Crexia and Colin talked earlier while putting things in the archmage's pocket realms, so if he used that time as well you get four rolls for his shield.)

(OOC 2: Yeah a bag of holding can be done with Corr and a little Prime or with Spirit.)

(OOC 3: Can any of you remember if Crexia have ever spoken in a magick resisted room or under a spell that would not allow for magickal sound? She is my husband's character originally and he was reminding me while looking over my shoulder that Crexia use her magick to speak as she is mute, by now she is powerful enough with enough finesse that no one should have noticed, she move her lips as she provide the sound so she looks like she talks but in Ars where such things are harder to do a mute Hermetic was a major flaw so it was always a big part of her character he says so unless it contradict anything we have done before in the game I would like to include it I had just forgotten earlier.)

[Warpmind]

"Hum...yes if he do not want to be found then I will not find him either, not that I am actively looking, but yes my old teacher should be told very gently about the fate of House Tremere, unless he is an Oracle, they are all knowing they say."
She said with a little smile.

Colin nodded, "All the same, even as an Oracle he might appreciate being told, as a matter of courtesy, and as a matter of personal perspective on the matter."

"Well worse things have happen than being told by a Nephandus what she thinks about you, as long as she do not follow up her words of displeasure with fireballs then all is well and let us try to make sure she don't do that."
The archmage muttered wryly.

He frowned, "Quite; I've been close enough for too many sorts of fireballs to last me several lifetimes."

"Ah yes they are most useful."
Crexia said with a smile as she put a few more things into the pocket realm.

He grinned, "Well, I'll be building a TARDIS, so I'll have plenty of extra space eventually. It'll likely be costly, of course, but by then, I should have quite deep pockets... more or less literally."

"Sorry...thinking..." he said with a shake of his head as he wrote more out in small letters as he sifted through his memories in a stream of consciousness with the new information he'd learned, sorting it. He held the tablet close to him, protectively. Likely, he nearly filled the tablet with things he thought of as he wrote them. Not everything fit together but it didn't have to. He felt he felt it was coming together but the paths were still to be walked:

'The girl said to me that she would fine the one to plant and it would be a mighty pine tree, so her mentor said. Her first rote of blood magic was to find the right cone and plant the tree which is now beautiful. I said to her I heard of a red woman watering acorns in a new green field. With her blood she watered them so they could grow strong and right. The red warrior plants the old god's children and waters them with his and her blood so he can be reborn anew. But now he is broken and cries.

'Those that need to see it will. The right person will know the form the blood needs to take when we are in the fire of the crucible. Look for the fire and we will know it. I was told it was for us... 'her'..him, it is for us and another will be helped but only in grieving for that which is lost (the girl of the caul or the one with the avatar that moves without host). Sacrifice will plant the pine cone. There will be a sacrifice that grows the acorns into trees. But the overwhelmed one will not be able to bear the light of hope. I was told a a beacon live inside; a flame and can shine hope to those in need but to some hope can be to much of a pain to bare. Repeated: It is so hard to learn to poke yourself to draw blood (this was said again by another) but sometimes blood is needed (She who is afraid of needles...or is it the blood that waters the field, or both) but learning the method and when it is necessary is the hard part. The crucible is fire that transforms as you said but first it must have something put inside of it to change. And there has to be fire for the crucible to burn away impurity. Would not the god of blacksmiths agree? ~ you are done with the task of the dirty tass, if you should take it back now may be the time? I trust you to know when the time is right.'

"That is my belief," he agreed, and once he was done adding his note started when he'd confused Crexia, he said, walking over to show him it.

He quickly read the whole thing with a deepening frown, "I thought something like that was the case... I may be the god of smiths, but you are the fire, I think... When we get to miss Carlyle, you may be the one of us with free hands. I'd like you to hold on to it until she's dealt with. After that... hum, the stylus, if you please..."
He carefully smoothed over the last part, with the Hephaestus quip, and wrote, Future Freddy told me the pinecone will help lead to the leap of faith needed to cleanse the Avatars of Beatrice, your brother, my apprentice... and one of my own children in time. I've been thinking about the drawing blood thing; isn't there a trick to draw a little extra Quintessence out of your own flesh and blood? I seem to recall seeing a note of that in one of the books in the library.

"Knowing as much as possible will be useful yes...I guess like I said forums for those who use steroids can be useful, the substance is different but many of the available steroid and other muscle enhancing drugs are rather viscous and taken in somewhat large doses, so some of their problems will be similar and some of the solutions shared to those problems could be useful to you as well. Nurses at free clinics and veterans hospitals might also be able to help. Newer penicillin injections are no different than a vaccine, but the old stuff was vicious, a thick burning fluid that you just did not take if there where any other option and some clinics that have to do things on the cheap still use the older stuff as it costs less to produce."
Rosario said then she nodded.
"I can understand what a phobia will do, and that a dagger might be less traumatic if it is needles she fears but it will hurt, getting such a volume injected at once do hurt and if you are going to use a dagger then you have to have a healer help you one, one who do not mind attracting Paradox to help the girl for the damage to the muscle will we worse and the risk of infection far greater with a dagger, I would not recommend it without someone to heal her every time."
She added and frowned.
"Poor child. I guess then given her fears she would not tolerate a local anesthetic being injected first to make it easier for her?"

He frowned, "Hum, I was under the impression antibiotics today were pretty much only in pill form or administered by intravenous drip, rather than shots... And the dagger will... decidedly need some form of immediate healing, yes. Hm, I might consult our resident alchemist at home about a suitable salve or similar product for such a wound... and I think a novocaine salve or similar superficial anaesthetic will help, but a shot of it would be counterproductive, alas..."

"That sounds quite unpleasant young man."
Udella said and grimaced then she nodded.
"Off course take the time you need and no the aroma is not nice, but we had to clean the corridor out. Again I am sorry it caused you discomfort."
She said politely.

He nodded, his color returning to approximately normal, "Yes, unpleasant indeed... but only about three-quarters as bad as the bureaucratic mess with the OSHA afterwards. Oh, they're quite good for making sure employees are treated properly and protected from accidents, but the entire bloody system is a gargantuan clusterfuck when suddenly the owner of the business goes and injures himself in the workshop."

the group moved on, the crystalline, glass like floor was slippery but no one fell as you move across the hallway and through several similar corridors after it had been left behind. Once your group saw a cat who was sitting on the floor beside one of the doors washing itself and looking indignant at your group walking by an disturbing him, other than that the place was empty...until you got close to the northern hub and here there was the sound of combat, you where one turn in the serpentine hallways from the hub itself and you heard a man screaming, two different mages chanting, several people moaning in pain and a body being thrown again something hard. There was a body on the floor here out in the hallway, it was a man, one hand badly mutated, he had taken three bullets to the back and was badly burned by some spell and he had tried to flee, but out here his injuries had overcome him and he was no longer breathing.
"You three, stay back..."
Crexia ordered Cara, Rosario and Nancy...then she begun to move towards the hub itself a spell on her lips as she hurried towards the fight.
"We protect our own, and take down the enemy but I want the Chief's apprentice alive!"
She ordered as she grabbed her whip and headed into the fray.

He gave the cat a quick nod in passing, "Hello, kitty... this is not a good place for you to be."
He grimaced at the sight of the poor man, and reloaded Adjan's pistol with the remaining gravity round instead of the Primium - the best shot, literally speaking, at taking the apprentice alive quickly...

((OOC: RPG-style inventory? Nah, if one can, one should always go for Lucasarts Pockets. It's not vulgar until you shove the bloodhound in there. Or the ten-foot cotton swab. ...Monkey Island fans get the reference. ))

((OOC2: I don't think Crexia has spoken anywhere silenced or magic-suppressed. I DO think she's spoken inside bubbles from which sound's not supposed to escape, but that's an entirely different thing.))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "All the same, even as an Oracle he might appreciate being told, as a matter of courtesy, and as a matter of personal perspective on the matter."

"Perhaps then again the perspective of the Oracles are so far removed from ours that it is impossible to know what they would or would not like we do not even fully know they exist that while there are suspected encounters, no one have proof of having seen one of them."
Crexia said and raised an eyebrow.

He frowned, "Quite; I've been close enough for too many sorts of fireballs to last me several lifetimes."

The archmage raised an eyebrow at you then she nodded.
"Yes well, we will try to avoid that."

He grinned, "Well, I'll be building a TARDIS, so I'll have plenty of extra space eventually. It'll likely be costly, of course, but by then, I should have quite deep pockets... more or less literally."

"I am not completely sure that a Thardis is other than a phone booth but I am sure that when you are done with it then it will be more useful."
The old Tytalus said looking slightly confused.

He frowned, "Hum, I was under the impression antibiotics today were pretty much only in pill form or administered by intravenous drip, rather than shots...

"Usually yes, my impression is they are at times used when one want a quick start to an antibiotic cure, or at times to target specific locations of infections rather than using it generally."
Rosario said.
"I only know some of the men who work with my uncle have complained about the older drugs beings used at low cost clinics and when they go in it is often with a wound somewhere where it is a specific location that needs treatment I am not a trained professional though so I do not know for sure."

And the dagger will... decidedly need some form of immediate healing, yes. Hm, I might consult our resident alchemist at home about a suitable salve or similar product for such a wound... and I think a novocaine salve or similar superficial anaesthetic will help, but a shot of it would be counterproductive, alas..."

"Hum...perhaps a slave would work, it would still attract Paradox but you might then be able to enchant it once and have several uses rather than enchant the thing several times. Novocaine could help but I am not sure if it would be enough, you also will then be extra vigilant about cleaning that dagger and make sure the girl gets healing as such a salve reduce the effect of antibiotics if I am not completely mistaken, I have not used it allot having preferred combination products when I have to stich someone up who do not sit still."
The Cultist said and nodded.

He nodded, his color returning to approximately normal, "Yes, unpleasant indeed... but only about three-quarters as bad as the bureaucratic mess with the OSHA afterwards. Oh, they're quite good for making sure employees are treated properly and protected from accidents, but the entire bloody system is a gargantuan clusterfuck when suddenly the owner of the business goes and injures himself in the workshop."

"Ah yes...well it do sound like with your love of bureaucrats and red tape you will love dealing with Horizon then."
Udella said with a bit of a tired grin.
"I am glad you seam to have come out of the incident ok through."
She added.

He gave the cat a quick nod in passing, "Hello, kitty... this is not a good place for you to be."

The cat, a small, brown animal with white paws looked at you and purred before he continued to wash himself, he clearly had no intentions to move right now and ignored the sounds of battle that sounded in the distance, living in a Labyrinth the cat would be rather used to hearing screams.

He grimaced at the sight of the poor man, and reloaded Adjan's pistol with the remaining gravity round instead of the Primium - the best shot, literally speaking, at taking the apprentice alive quickly...

At the northern hub, a large chamber with five doors leading to other corridors there where full chaos. A large group of Traditionalists, including Adjan and Francesca was fighting a diminishing number of Nephandi. Most of the Fallen where in one corner of the room now, desperately fighting for their lives. Several dead littered the floors. You could see several of the magi from Morningstar and their allied Chantries taking part in the fight, some of them where injured others where bloody but appeared healthy enough. Adjan himself was covered in blood and his face was full of pink, freshly healed flesh and there was still a large gash from this temple to the middle of his cheek, he quickly dispatched another Nephandus though, a pale looking woman before he noticed your group and smiled to you.

You see the Chief's apprentice she stood with her allies, an energy bolt in her hands that she tossed and she hit one of the Traditionalists a young woman with short, black hair and Arabic features you had seen at Morningstar, the Traditionalist girl sank to her knees moaning while the Nephandi woman begun to work on another spell. The Nephandi where doing all they could but there just where to many Traditionalists, this was about half of the main force, twenty five magi strong and you could see Heyden up front holding a Kinetic Shield to protect the rest. Madeline Rose where there a small ray gun in her hand and she turned to shoot at a Fallen man, her ray going through his personal shield and hitting him in the shoulder, his scream joined the others. There where full chaos and so much noise in the room, at least your side was winning.

(OOC: Thank you, no bubbles should be fine. I will use this flaw with her though no one have probably noticed yet since she do use magick to speak.)

[Adley]

"I will return this to you once we are out of this foul place Sodalis." She said

"Thank you."

"I thought something like that was the case... I may be the god of smiths, but you are the fire, I think... When we get to miss Carlyle, you may be the one of us with free hands. I'd like you to hold on to it until she's dealt with. After that... hum, the stylus, if you please..."

He nodded at him and turned over the stylus. "As you wish," he said.

He carefully smoothed over the last part, with the Hephaestus quip, and wrote, Future Freddy told me the pinecone will help lead to the leap of faith needed to cleanse the Avatars of Beatrice, your brother, my apprentice... and one of my own children in time. I've been thinking about the drawing blood thing; isn't there a trick to draw a little extra Quintessence out of your own flesh and blood? I seem to recall seeing a note of that in one of the books in the library.

He read the new comment and scratched at his beard, then reached out for the stylus to reply: 'There is a way to draw the physic, lower energies out of your own body as q. It is not extra; it is what your body itself uses to be manifested as an incarnate being. Using it injures it and drawing much can kill you.'

Once your group saw a cat who was sitting on the floor beside one of the doors washing itself and looking indignant at your group walking by an disturbing him, other than that the place was empty...until you got close to the northern hub and here there was the sound of combat, you where one turn in the serpentine hallways from the hub itself and you heard a man screaming, two different mages chanting, several people moaning in pain and a body being thrown again something hard.

He gave the cat a quick nod in passing, "Hello, kitty... this is not a good place for you to be." He grimaced at the sight of the poor man, and reloaded Adjan's pistol with the remaining gravity round instead of the Primium - the best shot, literally speaking, at taking the apprentice alive quickly...

Adley examined the cat to see if he could tell if it were a familiar keeping an eye out on things. It seemed to be acting much like any cat, save for the fact it were not sitting in a windowsill but in some puss-pocked labyrinth in the middle of a battle. Apparently, not only humans could get used to just about anything. As they came upon the fight he scanned it over trying to see where their allies were, what spells were being chanted by whom, the overall characteristic of the fight so they could insert themselves into it to turn the tide.

"You three, stay back..." Crexia ordered Cara, Rosario and Nancy...then she begun to move towards the hub itself a spell on her lips as she hurried towards the fight. "We protect our own, and take down the enemy but I want the Chief's apprentice alive!"

"Yes ma'am," he said, weapon drawn and already looking for a likely target in the chaotic fight.

// I do not think that Crexia's been in the spell-dampening cells when Adley was there, either. Just rotes for keeping the sound from being overheard/spied on iirc. I wonder if they'll notice she's mute!

ooc 2: I'm assuming it's not just the Chorus or Verbena famous for knowing a variation of Heart's Blood rote, as its seen as a example level one prime rote in previous eds. I mis-remembered it, I thought it also used Life but pg 50 How Do You do That reminds me it's just Prime 1 still. Let me know if he would not know it (or Burnt Offerings) but I figure a martial person might reasonably be taught/know something like that as back up for an emergency.

ooc 3: lol I love Monkey Island

ooc 4: 3, 0, 5; 8, 5, 1; 6, 9, 8; 6, 2, 4

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley examined the cat to see if he could tell if it were a familiar keeping an eye out on things. It seemed to be acting much like any cat, save for the fact it were not sitting in a windowsill but in some puss-pocked labyrinth in the middle of a battle. Apparently, not only humans could get used to just about anything.

The cat seamed to be fairly normal, it was probably someone's pet who was just to used to screams to care and it knew exactly what parts of the wall to avoid. The cat looked at you for a moment as well then he continued with his important task of washing himself. The animal did not seam to be magickal at least.

As they came upon the fight he scanned it over trying to see where their allies were, what spells were being chanted by whom, the overall characteristic of the fight so they could insert themselves into it to turn the tide.

Most of the Traditionalists wherein the south facing corner of the hub, being protected by Hayden's shields and ducking beyond it to attack when opportunity presented itself. Two of the Hermetics, you had seen them at Morningstar, where chanting and you think they where working on a rote that would make a pit just open up under the feet of their enemies. The rest kept the Nephandi busy while the Hermetics worked. The young rebis from Flamingo was clearly on countermagick duty and they managed to avoid several of the rotes the enemies cast from manifesting. A tall woman with short light brown hair that you had seen with the delegation from Lavender but had not spoke to dragged the wounded woman with the darker hair out of the way and knelt down beside her and started carving more runes into her own arms, a Verbena then, she and two others where responsible for healing the group and getting wounded mages back on their feet to keep the assault going. Another of the young women you think are in Cara and Rosario's Cabal was kneeling on the floor, praying, creating Tass in the form of tears that she passed to Hayden, her role was literary being the battery pack for the group's shield generator. Everyone else was on attack.

The Nephandi where in the opposite corner. Two women, both tall but there the similarities between them ended, one was black with beautiful brown eyes and markings down her arms, the other had golden hair and would be beautiful if it had not been that tentacles where growing out of her eyes. There two protected the others, countering spells and providing a shield of some sort. The one who matched the description of the Chief's apprentice attacked when she could, one more mage was with the group he was a massive man, two tentacles on each side of his body made him look like he had six arms, his face was scarred and his eyes small, light blue and piercing, he was wearing formerly white, now blood splattered robes and he seamed to both be healing his allies and lopping some rather impressive spells at the Traditionalists while barking orders. The rest of the Nephandi where holding firearms of some short and where firing at the Traditionalistes every chance they got, without getting to far from the protection of the two women.

(OOC: My husband loves Money Island as well.)

(OOC 2: Thank you, well it is not noticeable unless one look for it, or she slips up but they might notice eventually.)

(OOC 3: It vary a little from book to book. Originally it was just the Verbena they knew how to draw Quint out of their own life patterns since they in the middle ages where hunted by the Order and the Order took all the most Gifted apprentices so the Old Faith was left with scraps and developed Blood Magick to get more out of mages with small Avatars, it was Avatar size compensation literary. However later it became something many mages know how to do. I think Verbena and Choristers use it the most and all Verbena with Prime knows how to do it. I however thinks others know how to as well and Hermetics knows how to extract Corpus Vis from themselves and other living humans so I would think Adley knows about it and it would be something Jeffry would teach him how to do to use in a pinch.)

(OOC 4: Well then Adley have been a busy mage and have a much more durable kinetic shield.)

[Sponsored content]