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

[Warpmind]

"Oh I am sure both me and the honored Quesitor should be able to obliterate without such tactics and remembers there is a spiritual part to it as well, it to needs to be destroyed."
Crexia said with a grim determination in her voice.

He nodded, "Hum, as a matter of pragmatism, the Caul is said to rend the Avatar if a Mage is forced unwillingly into it, right? It would be a... poetic way of ending Abigail and her closest, I suppose, even if cruel..."

The old mage gave a bit of a grin at that.
"Ah yes, well having a discussion while learning silver smiting from you will be delightful, provided we survive this Labyrinth and you are not dead and I am not busy putting myself together it will be quite interesting I am sure."

He nodded, "I think it will be most encouraging to assume we will remain adequately intact. Assuming we will not will likely hamper our morale in any case..."

"Well several ancient cultures have had practices as cruel as the Americans though slavery based on race rather than culture is not the most common and are rather counterproductive if one want a meritocracy of any kind. But yes while I am not against the practice, I do not approve of cruelty towards something living that one rule over, that be animals, the enslaved or for that matter one's own apprentices."
The ancient Tytalus said.
"Needless cruelty towards those completely in your power is just a display in weakness as for a bureaucracy, well that is something I can not approve of, but then perhaps that is because I have spent to many years dealing with the ehm...esteemed Council on Horizon."

He nodded, "I believe the Vikings had some law stating that a slave was to be freed after a certain time, and the Ottomans could see a slave work their way up to Grand Vizier... so it hasn't always been a stifling station where one would expect to die in chains, excepting prison labour and the like, of course... And as for bureaucracy, dear God, have you ever seen the paperwork for starting one's own business in America? I'm just glad I deal in craftsmanship, and not food or drink."

"Ah yes...the faces..."
Leon said as he carefully picked up a scorpion that was clinging to your shoulder by the tail and then preceded to throw it towards one of the maws, who happily ate it.
"Just scorpions was not disturbing enough I guess. Imitating their mistress's Resonance, that is cleaver..."
He added.

He nodded, "I already figured out how to conceal one's magical profile from observation... and mimicing that of another Mage was not a great step from that. I imagine the trick could be much appreciated by anyone wanting to go unremarked in hostile territory, or to slip through various wards undetected... Best be very sparing in who I show that trick to. Wouldn't want to find myself responsible for a series of magical burglaries, for example..."

You aimed at the downed Nephanda's head, she was unconscious by now and it was doubtful she felt the bullet hit her but if she was feeling anything at that point you saved her a few minutes of bleeding out, there when a shiver through the woman's body and she was still. The scorpions stopped in their tracks and just like that they crumbled into pieces of the floor and the wall again, now they where just rocks and the constant chittering and plattering of their legs stopped. The spirit spiders started dragging the rocks back where they belonged and started repairing the floor, careful not to get to close to the Labyrinth creature. One of the little green spirits jumped up on you and started working on one of the rips in your suit, happily working along as it made a cheerful chittering in joy of having work to do.

Cara still stood on the table she looked at the former scorpion rocks.
"A...are they dead? Is...is it over?"
The Criamon asked nervously.

He sighed and absentmindedly stroked the gaffling's back, nodding to Cara, "So it seems... They're all crumbling, returning to that from which they came. Sort of a pity, I suppose; one might have made a nice trophy on a shelf, after some proper cleansing... Oh, well... I feel a need to cleanse myself, once this fellow's done with my suit..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He nodded, "Hum, as a matter of pragmatism, the Caul is said to rend the Avatar if a Mage is forced unwillingly into it, right? It would be a... poetic way of ending Abigail and her closest, I suppose, even if cruel..."

"No I think it just kills you, which is a good thing or we would have even more who would be forced to join."
The old archmage said and raised and eyebrow.
"Abigail will stand in the Main Sentencing Hall where all the Traditions can see her go down, at least she will if doing so is at all possible, stopping her is off course first priority, hopefully it will not me necessary to kill her when we come for her..."

He nodded, "I think it will be most encouraging to assume we will remain adequately intact. Assuming we will not will likely hamper our morale in any case..."

"Ah yes, you do have a good point in that."
Crexia said and smiled.

He nodded, "I believe the Vikings had some law stating that a slave was to be freed after a certain time, and the Ottomans could see a slave work their way up to Grand Vizier... so it hasn't always been a stifling station where one would expect to die in chains, excepting prison labour and the like, of course...

"I do not know about the Vikings but in ancient Greece there where rather strict laws for how you could treat a slave. In the Roman empire it varied allot, during the time of Spartacus right before the Republic became a dictatorship then conditions where rather poor, there where very few laws protecting a slave and the owner could do as they pleased, there where even drop in places that would punish or execute your slaves for you if you did not want to get your own hands dirty with menus out frown describing what each punishment would cost. In other periods slaves where fairly well protected and could even take their case before a magistrate if they where abused. In the Empire the trusted slave of a nobleman could stand above a freeman in rank and could attain a position of honor and glory but effectively speaking if we are talking chattel slavery, even if the slaves could buy their freedom most would die in chains, the window to escape slavery and attain something greater where very narrow, then again the same could be said about those who live in poverty today, and Roman slaves for example where generally better cared for than poor freemen."
Crexia said then she sigh.
"Well in either case this is probably not the best place for a lengthy discussion about this..."

And as for bureaucracy, dear God, have you ever seen the paperwork for starting one's own business in America? I'm just glad I deal in craftsmanship, and not food or drink."

"No I can not say that I have...but I have a feeling bureaucrats are the same wherever you go."
Crexia said and shook her head.
"I am not so sure they are worse than these scorpions and they are often just as deadly."
She grumbled.

He nodded, "I already figured out how to conceal one's magical profile from observation... and mimicing that of another Mage was not a great step from that. I imagine the trick could be much appreciated by anyone wanting to go unremarked in hostile territory, or to slip through various wards undetected... Best be very sparing in who I show that trick to. Wouldn't want to find myself responsible for a series of magical burglaries, for example..."

"Well that one at least is not a new one."
Olamide said.
"Magi have been using spells to match one another's Resonance for centuries, it might fool beings like these scorpions who have a simple consciousness, but a good ward or guardian Umbrood will not be quite as easily fooled not before you can actually shift your Resonance to match."

He sighed and absentmindedly stroked the gaffling's back, nodding to Cara, "So it seems... They're all crumbling, returning to that from which they came. Sort of a pity, I suppose; one might have made a nice trophy on a shelf, after some proper cleansing... Oh, well... I feel a need to cleanse myself, once this fellow's done with my suit..."

The gaffling mostly ignored your hand, it plucked at a ding in your ring...then decided to continue with your suit, with just the one working though repairing it would take some time as it was a small weak spirits, the scorpions had been easier since magick was artificially holding them wrong and broken, a tear in fabric was a natural thing and took allot longer to fix. Cara looked relieved.
"I would not...want to bring one with us."
She muttered.
"Ehm is it safe for me to come down now Sir?"
She asked nervously.

[Adley]

He smiled wryly, "You kids and your modern slang... What would your Mentor say?"

He grinned.

You aimed and shot at the Nephanda before you and you hit her, you hit her good and you could feel the approval from your Avatar at that though she would prefer to burn the woman to ash, a bullet would do, said bullet hit the Fallen Chief right in the chest and exploded out her back, she looked rather shocked for a moment, as if she could not understand how something so...mundane could take her down, she made no sound she just looked dumbfounded at you and then down at her chest as she slowly lifted one hand to touch the wound, she looked at the blood and then nearly comically slow she sank to her knees, and then collapsed on the floor her eyes closed, she was still alive as she where drawing labored breaths...

Leon tossed a few half dead scorpions to the floor and looked at you.
"Is she dead Sodalis?"
He asked. Olamide stopped in the motion of tossing a white hot fireball, the flame floating over her palm.
"Well the little bastards are slowing down."

(Colin) frowned and, looking at her wounds, took aim and placed a shot through her head. "Requiescat in Pace. She'd have lasted minutes, but not long enough for the ritual... This way, at least, her suffering will be ended sooner, and perhaps the scorpions will stop at once..."

(Colin) aimed at the downed Nephanda's head, she was unconscious by now and it was doubtful she felt the bullet hit her but if she was feeling anything at that point you saved her a few minutes of bleeding out, there when a shiver through the woman's body and she was still

Cara still stood on the table she looked at the former scorpion rocks.
"A...are they dead? Is...is it over?"
The Criamon asked nervously.

(Colin) sighed and absentmindedly stroked the gaffling's back, nodding to Cara, "So it seems... They're all crumbling, returning to that from which they came. Sort of a pity, I suppose; one might have made a nice trophy on a shelf, after some proper cleansing... Oh, well... I feel a need to cleanse myself, once this fellow's done with my suit..."

He slowly lowered his weapon once Colin dispatched the woman, holstering it again before he was set on by adrenaline shakes. He glanced around warily for more attackers and approached the body close enough to regard his former tormentor in Chief, though he didn't stray far. Yes...she was very dead. If he'd been under less stress from the tumultuous emotions, he too might have been surprised that gunshots had been what put an end to her. Like Colin had put out the fire with his hands, or a glass of water rather than a spell. That she was mortal in the end, just like they were. But it didn't feel over, to him. What had happened to them...and that woman's corrupted soul now went to the next life. He fought at the feeling that maybe it wasn't enough, that death had been too good for her, that whatever revenge that his avatar and Dylan's memory had been waiting for had fallen short. But she was dead. And that would have to be enough for this lifetime. Maybe that was for the best...nothing would be enough revenge what had happened to Dylan and Claire and in trying who knows what he might have done if he'd lost himself to all that he was feeling.

Abruptly, he twitched and left off his morbid contemplation of the woman, suddenly wishing not to even touch her as much as before he'd wanted to immolate her in an endless fire. He glanced at Colin, who he thought seemed mostly unharmed, and Cara and Rosario then everyone else. to see if they were injured. Then he send a mental pull towards the spiderlings to fix things around and on them and their friends. He didn't want them lost in here trying to fix something so broken they were going to have to burn it down on the way out. Through all of this he was silent, trying to find some internal balance, focusing on the earth elementals and keeping his friends safe and protected. What he was supposed to be doing. Still trying to come to terms with what had happened, he looked at Crexia for direction. He hadn't said a word aloud since casting his last rote.

// I saw this cartoon today lol: https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19274975_769044909933939_4922461084017388430_n.jpg?oh=46c52aabc739d2c0f476ff6df2443af7&oe=599DF4E9

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Other than Cara and Rosario and you everyone had stings and bites, those wounds where minuscule and could probably be ignored, everyone was sort of looking around, but other than the Labyrinth flesh and the group themselves, nothing was moving. Crexia cast a concerned glance in your direction but she said nothing an she left you alone to sort things out in your own head.The spiderlings responded and they rushed in to begin to fix thorn clothing and other equipment they had no idea of value though and might just as happily tro to repair a thorn sock than an expensive ring.

Your Avatar was seething in your soul, she was still so angry, so emotionally hurt as she looked at the now very dead Nephanda.
"We will find her widderslainte and bring her light."
You do not know if it was your own thought or that of your Avatar, she wanted revenge and there would be few things that would hurt this incarnation of the tormentor's soul more than knowing her next would be brought back to the light. If she was Gilgulled there was some...dignity in that, it would martyr her soul, turning it back to a living, Dynamic path though that would be reversing everything she stood for...if it could be done.

Rosario begun to was around the group to see who needed healing. She glanced over you to see that you where fine then moved on to the others, stopping by Leon and then raising her crossbow and aiming it at the wall before firing of a shot, the concentration and aim sending her into a trance and she begun to work on his wounds in silence.

You saw Cara slowly climbing down from the table she had been on she was still shaking she looked fearfully at the rocks that had been scorpions.
"Take one minute to collect yourself, then we move back towards Carlyle's chamber...stay alert."
Crexia announced to everyone as she glanced at the dead Chief.
"Dammit I wanted to interrogate her...well dead is far better than alive and casting spells at us, what a bothersome woman."

Olamide walked over to you and gently asked.
"Are you alright Sodalis?"
Then she fumbled in her bag and held a bottle of water out to you.
"Here, drink this it might help settle you down after the fight."

[Warpmind]

"No I think it just kills you, which is a good thing or we would have even more who would be forced to join."
The old archmage said and raised and eyebrow.
"Abigail will stand in the Main Sentencing Hall where all the Traditions can see her go down, at least she will if doing so is at all possible, stopping her is off course first priority, hopefully it will not me necessary to kill her when we come for her..."

Colin frowned, "Hum, I must've been misinformed earlier, then. I could've sworn I was told that the Mentor of an honoured pair of Quaesitors had had his Avatar destroyed by being forced into a Caul, and that they found him dead afterwards..."

"I do not know about the Vikings but in ancient Greece there where rather strict laws for how you could treat a slave. In the Roman empire it varied allot, during the time of Spartacus right before the Republic became a dictatorship then conditions where rather poor, there where very few laws protecting a slave and the owner could do as they pleased, there where even drop in places that would punish or execute your slaves for you if you did not want to get your own hands dirty with menus out frown describing what each punishment would cost. In other periods slaves where fairly well protected and could even take their case before a magistrate if they where abused. In the Empire the trusted slave of a nobleman could stand above a freeman in rank and could attain a position of honor and glory but effectively speaking if we are talking chattel slavery, even if the slaves could buy their freedom most would die in chains, the window to escape slavery and attain something greater where very narrow, then again the same could be said about those who live in poverty today, and Roman slaves for example where generally better cared for than poor freemen."
Crexia said then she sigh.
"Well in either case this is probably not the best place for a lengthy discussion about this..."

He nodded, "It's a complicated business; too complex for today."

"No I can not say that I have...but I have a feeling bureaucrats are the same wherever you go."
Crexia said and shook her head.
"I am not so sure they are worse than these scorpions and they are often just as deadly."
She grumbled.

He snorted, "Bureaucracy is a necessary evil for civilization. I just wish the average bureaucrat would emphasize the former more than the latter part of the term..."

"Well that one at least is not a new one."
Olamide said.
"Magi have been using spells to match one another's Resonance for centuries, it might fool beings like these scorpions who have a simple consciousness, but a good ward or guardian Umbrood will not be quite as easily fooled not before you can actually shift your Resonance to match."

He nodded, "Still, it's the sort of thing one might want to be a bit careful in regards to who one shares it with..."

The gaffling mostly ignored your hand, it plucked at a ding in your ring...then decided to continue with your suit, with just the one working though repairing it would take some time as it was a small weak spirits, the scorpions had been easier since magick was artificially holding them wrong and broken, a tear in fabric was a natural thing and took allot longer to fix. Cara looked relieved.
"I would not...want to bring one with us."
She muttered.
"Ehm is it safe for me to come down now Sir?"
She asked nervously.

He nodded, "No, I suppose it would be a bit too disturbing to bring along, even in an inanimate state... And yes, I think it's safe to come down now."

He slowly lowered his weapon once Colin dispatched the woman, holstering it again before he was set on by adrenaline shakes. He glanced around warily for more attackers and approached the body close enough to regard his former tormentor in Chief, though he didn't stray far. Yes...she was very dead. If he'd been under less stress from the tumultuous emotions, he too might have been surprised that gunshots had been what put an end to her. Like Colin had put out the fire with his hands, or a glass of water rather than a spell. That she was mortal in the end, just like they were. But it didn't feel over, to him. What had happened to them...and that woman's corrupted soul now went to the next life. He fought at the feeling that maybe it wasn't enough, that death had been too good for her, that whatever revenge that his avatar and Dylan's memory had been waiting for had fallen short. But she was dead. And that would have to be enough for this lifetime. Maybe that was for the best...nothing would be enough revenge what had happened to Dylan and Claire and in trying who knows what he might have done if he'd lost himself to all that he was feeling.

Abruptly, he twitched and left off his morbid contemplation of the woman, suddenly wishing not to even touch her as much as before he'd wanted to immolate her in an endless fire. He glanced at Colin, who he thought seemed mostly unharmed, and Cara and Rosario then everyone else. to see if they were injured. Then he send a mental pull towards the spiderlings to fix things around and on them and their friends. He didn't want them lost in here trying to fix something so broken they were going to have to burn it down on the way out. Through all of this he was silent, trying to find some internal balance, focusing on the earth elementals and keeping his friends safe and protected. What he was supposed to be doing. Still trying to come to terms with what had happened, he looked at Crexia for direction. He hadn't said a word aloud since casting his last rote.

He glanced over at Adley, "Excellent shot, by the way - your Mentor would be proud of your improving marksmanship."

You saw Cara slowly climbing down from the table she had been on she was still shaking she looked fearfully at the rocks that had been scorpions.
"Take one minute to collect yourself, then we move back towards Carlyle's chamber...stay alert."
Crexia announced to everyone as she glanced at the dead Chief.
"Dammit I wanted to interrogate her...well dead is far better than alive and casting spells at us, what a bothersome woman."

He lowered his head slightly, "I'm sorry if I acted a little too rashly... Do you think you could have extricated any useful information in her condition, though? In the few minutes, tops, before her heart stopped, I mean?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin frowned, "Hum, I must've been misinformed earlier, then. I could've sworn I was told that the Mentor of an honoured pair of Quaesitors had had his Avatar destroyed by being forced into a Caul, and that they found him dead afterwards..."

"I have heard about a case where two young Italian magi, both Guernicus came just to late to save their Mentor, the man had been Gilgulled by his Nephandi captors, if I do not remember the case notes wrong, and I never remember notes wrong...the honored Quesitor had been given the choice between Gilgul and entering the Caul and the chose the former, which takes...guts allot of guts, but I do not think the Caul itself did it...then again they are literary portals to hell so I would be likely to believe just about anything about them."
Crexia said and raised and eyebrow.

He nodded, "It's a complicated business; too complex for today."

Crexia nodded at that. Olamide you noticed at cast a somewhat scowling look in the two of you's direction over the current topic of conversation, who knew just how old the Tytalus Adept was.

He snorted, "Bureaucracy is a necessary evil for civilization. I just wish the average bureaucrat would emphasize the former more than the latter part of the term..."

"Hum bureaucrats tend to be far to fond of their job."
Crexia grumbled.

He nodded, "Still, it's the sort of thing one might want to be a bit careful in regards to who one shares it with..."

Olamide nodded at that.
"That is very true."
She said and she gave you a kind smile despite still scowling a little over the earlier topic she had overheard.

He nodded, "No, I suppose it would be a bit too disturbing to bring along, even in an inanimate state... And yes, I think it's safe to come down now."

Cara gave you a wide eyed nod.
"Quite I would not want one of those things around me."
She muttered as she carefully climbed down from the table she walked over to you and gingerly handed Adjan's gun back to you hilt first.
"Ehm...I am glad to be able to return this to you."
She muttered, still a bit uneasy.

He lowered his head slightly, "I'm sorry if I acted a little too rashly... Do you think you could have extricated any useful information in her condition, though? In the few minutes, tops, before her heart stopped, I mean?"

"It is understandable and now at least the scorpions are no longer a concern."
Crexia said then she looked at the dead Nephanda and nodded.
"I am a Grand Archmage of Mind young man there is nothing I can't read out of a mind, dying or not...hum...there still might be something left..."
She said as she knelt by the dead woman and down as the brains that was oozing out of her head, before she reached down and collected that red and pink ad gray bits and showed it unceremoniously back into the Nephanda's head just to have every bit of the correspondence to the dead woman's min in one place.
"This is necromancy done in a Nephandi Labyrinth, if I am in to long and seam unresponsive, use a knife if you have one, if not there is one in my belt and stab me where it hurts, the pain should bring me out."
The former Tremere instructed as she closed her eyes.

[Warpmind]

"I have heard about a case where two young Italian magi, both Guernicus came just to late to save their Mentor, the man had been Gilgulled by his Nephandi captors, if I do not remember the case notes wrong, and I never remember notes wrong...the honored Quesitor had been given the choice between Gilgul and entering the Caul and the chose the former, which takes...guts allot of guts, but I do not think the Caul itself did it...then again they are literary portals to hell so I would be likely to believe just about anything about them."
Crexia said and raised and eyebrow.

Colin nodded thoughtfully, "I may have misheard... or the story's gotten muddied over the years, from mouth to mouth."

Crexia nodded at that. Olamide you noticed at cast a somewhat scowling look in the two of you's direction over the current topic of conversation, who knew just how old the Tytalus Adept was.

He gave Olamide an apologetic smile, "I'm not advocating the reinstatement of the practice - just noting that it hasn't always been an irredeemably horrid practice without hope for improvement."

"Hum bureaucrats tend to be far to fond of their job."
Crexia grumbled.

He nodded, "Mmm, one could have hoped they'd be as enthusiastic about actually doing it, too..."

Cara gave you a wide eyed nod.
"Quite I would not want one of those things around me."
She muttered as she carefully climbed down from the table she walked over to you and gingerly handed Adjan's gun back to you hilt first.
"Ehm...I am glad to be able to return this to you."
She muttered, still a bit uneasy.

He smiled as he checked the safety and pocketed the pistol again, "I'm glad it wasn't needed. The owner would not have liked it... He would have understood, of course, but he wouldn't have liked it. The Chakravanti, you know..."

"It is understandable and now at least the scorpions are no longer a concern."
Crexia said then she looked at the dead Nephanda and nodded.
"I am a Grand Archmage of Mind young man there is nothing I can't read out of a mind, dying or not...hum...there still might be something left..."
She said as she knelt by the dead woman and down as the brains that was oozing out of her head, before she reached down and collected that red and pink ad gray bits and showed it unceremoniously back into the Nephanda's head just to have every bit of the correspondence to the dead woman's min in one place.
"This is necromancy done in a Nephandi Labyrinth, if I am in to long and seam unresponsive, use a knife if you have one, if not there is one in my belt and stab me where it hurts, the pain should bring me out."
The former Tremere instructed as she closed her eyes.

He frowned, "How long is too long, and how sensitive are you to pain? I noticed you didn't react to pricking your fingertip earlier, so... a rough scale of how much it would have to hurt would be useful."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded thoughtfully, "I may have misheard... or the story's gotten muddied over the years, from mouth to mouth."

Crexia nodded.
"I am not an expert on Cauls either, just to be sure let us all make sure we stay out of them shall we."

He gave Olamide an apologetic smile, "I'm not advocating the reinstatement of the practice - just noting that it hasn't always been an irredeemably horrid practice without hope for improvement."

Olamide looked at you and nodded she said nothing though and there was a faraway look in her large, abound shaped eyes as she simply returned to watching the scorpions without commenting.

He nodded, "Mmm, one could have hoped they'd be as enthusiastic about actually doing it, too..."

That made Crexia laugh, a delighted, sharp sound and she grinned to you.
"Ah yes one could have hoped but alas it is more likely that unicorns will start laying eggs than a bureaucrat doing their job."

He smiled as he checked the safety and pocketed the pistol again, "I'm glad it wasn't needed. The owner would not have liked it... He would have understood, of course, but he wouldn't have liked it. The Chakravanti, you know..."

Cara looked at you her eyes growing wider by the second.
"You gave me a Euthanatos' gun in case I had to...shoot myself...in the head..."
She said in a shaking voice and she glanced down at the dead Nephanda on the floor who was laying in her own blood and bits of brain the Criamon could not help but whimper she touched the back of her own head tentatively and looked like both fear and relief that she would not have to shoot herself and looking at what might have happened to her made her just about ready to faint.
"Ehm...I guess...a gun...is a gun I ehm...fuck..."
She said as her eyes rolled up in in their sockets and she collapsed, emotion overwhelming her, the threat of the scorpions harming her imprints, the overhanging danger of death...the fear she would have to kill herself by shooting herself in the head and then seeing exposed brains as well as all she had seen, especially Cotta being Gilgulled, was just a little to much for the young Criamon and she fainted before your eyes. Rosario was to deep in trance to notice but Nancy came sprinting over.
"Seven runs but six is upside down."
She said and looked at Care with a concerned look in her eyes not really knowing what to do but she did find a bottle of water from her pack and then looked at you as if to ask if it would help.
"Two added to four makes six again?"
She asked.

He frowned, "How long is too long, and how sensitive are you to pain? I noticed you didn't react to pricking your fingertip earlier, so... a rough scale of how much it would have to hurt would be useful."

Crexia glaceed down at her finger that was still smeared with some sort of blue liquid that served as her blood.
"Ah yes...well I feel pain but...I am not that sensitive to it. Try jamming the knife into my hip, right where the main muscle of the thigh meet the bone, there is a massive nerve cluster there, and while my nerves are dead my body still react to places other humans would be sensitive, jab the knife in and give it a good twist, do not worry I will heal."
The archmage said as calmly as if she was discussing what type of pastry she preferred with her tea.
"As for time we need to make the most of what we have, if you would have a look in this blasted woman's room...carefully mind you I would not want you to risk triggering a trap, and see if there are any maps or anything that might be useful to us, information about Labyrinth defenses anything of the sort, she was this Labyrinth's Security Chief a quick check of her room might be useful, when you come back if I am non responsive bring me out of it."
The Tytalus instructed.

(OOC: My cat Maude is looking at me while tying and mauing she is not happy we took her to the vet for her regular claw trimming today and her majesty was not amused, she do not think I should spend time typing when I could be petting her and sucking up to her for forgiveness for this grave offense. )

[Adley]

Your Avatar was seething in your soul, she was still so angry, so emotionally hurt as she looked at the now very dead Nephanda."We will find her widderslainte and bring her light."

'Yes. First we must deal with Abigail. And get us all out of here. But that one's host is dead, for now there is a reprieve from her atrocities.' Maybe he was talking to himself. Maybe not. All these emotions that they shared...even if they were not his own, he could not help but have a reaction to them in turn.

"Take one minute to collect yourself, then we move back towards Carlyle's chamber...stay alert." Crexia announced to everyone as she glanced at the dead Chief. "Dammit I wanted to interrogate her...well dead is far better than alive and casting spells at us, what a bothersome woman."

He dug out his notebook and wrote something to pass to Crexia: We also should clean after ourselves, we may have been bloodied by these things and I want the teacup that came with my friends destroyed. Collect the sample from that Nephandus, if we can. Check the Cheif's body and room. And I am not sure if it is safe to send my friends home to their tasks there, I do not want them followed back.' He handed the note to her.

He glanced over at Adley, "Excellent shot, by the way - your Mentor would be proud of your improving marksmanship."

He gave a short nod, focusing on Colin and the current situation, though he still seemed agitated and out of sorts. "Of firearms," he said, throat dry. "Less pleased with the spellwork that preceded it." He glanced at the gaping bit of wall. "Yet it is done." In truth, he'd been glad for even the memory of his pater, that sense of his approval or disapproval that had wound itself into his psyche where his lessons had trod well worn networks to measure himself against. It had helped him keep himself, this person he was now, even when everything else had threatened to drag him out like an undertow.

"Dammit I wanted to interrogate her...well dead is far better than alive and casting spells at us, what a bothersome woman."

He lowered his head slightly, "I'm sorry if I acted a little too rashly... Do you think you could have extricated any useful information in her condition, though? In the few minutes, tops, before her heart stopped, I mean?"

"'Bothersome' is not amongst the words I have for this woman."

"I am a Grand Archmage of Mind young man there is nothing I can't read out of a mind, dying or not...hum...there still might be something left..." She said as she knelt by the dead woman and down as the brains that was oozing out of her head, before she reached down and collected that red and pink ad gray bits and showed it unceremoniously back into the Nephanda's head just to have every bit of the correspondence to the dead woman's min in one place.
"This is necromancy done in a Nephandi Labyrinth, if I am in to long and seam unresponsive, use a knife if you have one, if not there is one in my belt and stab me where it hurts, the pain should bring me out."

Adley felt his lip curl in disgust as she touched her head. He'd seen so many disgusting things, but for his own reasons, like Carmon's vampire blood, he wanted nothing to do with her body save watching it burn up.

Olamide walked over to you and gently asked. "Are you alright Sodalis?" Then she fumbled in her bag and held a bottle of water out to you. "Here, drink this it might help settle you down after the fight."

He took the water gratefully and took a few sips of it, he was far thirstier than he thought he had been after all the fight. He was glad that they had thought to bring some, generous enough to share. "Thank you," he said. "It would not be good to explain," he said apologetically. "Not here."

Ehm...I am glad to be able to return this to you." She muttered, still a bit uneasy.

He smiled as he checked the safety and pocketed the pistol again, "I'm glad it wasn't needed. The owner would not have liked it... He would have understood, of course, but he wouldn't have liked it. The Chakravanti, you know..."

"You gave me a Euthanatos' gun in case I had to...shoot myself...in the head..." She said in a shaking voice and she glanced down at the dead Nephanda on the floor... "Ehm...I guess...a gun...is a gun I ehm...fuck..." She said as her eyes rolled up in in their sockets and she collapsed...Nancy came sprinting over. "Seven runs but six is upside down. She said and looked at Care with a concerned look in her eyes not really knowing what to do but she did find a bottle of water from her pack and then looked at you as if to ask if it would help. "Two added to four makes six again?""

He hadn't been paying close attention to the conversation between Cara and Colin, he was returning the water bottle to Olamide when he saw the girl slide down to the floor. With a start of concern, he hurried over to her to see if she had hit her head or if the scorpion stings were poisonous.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

'Yes. First we must deal with Abigail. And get us all out of here. But that one's host is dead, for now there is a reprieve from her atrocities.' Maybe he was talking to himself. Maybe not. All these emotions that they shared...even if they were not his own, he could not help but have a reaction to them in turn.

There where no reply from your Avatar but you felt a little more settled, just a little, but still more in control though there where still swirling emotions and memories to...make your peace with at least you could think now.

He dug out his notebook and wrote something to pass to Crexia: We also should clean after ourselves, we may have been bloodied by these things and I want the teacup that came with my friends destroyed. Collect the sample from that Nephandus, if we can. Check the Cheif's body and room. And I am not sure if it is safe to send my friends home to their tasks there, I do not want them followed back.' He handed the note to her.

Crexia read the note and nodded.
"Agreed, it seams the...sample from our fleeing friend is still there..."
She commented and glanced at the mostly undisturbed little puddle on the floor.
"I also agree with checking the Chief's room and her body. I can take care of that if you take care of the ehm...puddle."
She said and handed you a small plastic beg from her belt purse.
"And yes I am planning on burning this corridor when we are done to make sure we are not leaving any arcane connections behind."
She said then she nodded.
"As for the spiderlings...you are thinking we should take them with us then?"

"'Bothersome' is not amongst the words I have for this woman."

"True enough."
Crexia agreed and looked down at the dead Nephanda.
"Well whatever word for her, now she is dead and we are still alive."

He took the water gratefully and took a few sips of it, he was far thirstier than he thought he had been after all the fight. He was glad that they had thought to bring some, generous enough to share. "Thank you," he said. "It would not be good to explain," he said apologetically. "Not here."

"You do not need to explain Sodalis, just get yourself sorted out and center yourself."
Olamide said kindly. Yes she spoke as an elder to a much younger mage, her manner was a bit motherly, then again she was a powerful Adept she might have apprentices your age.
"If you want to explain when we are out of this hellish place I have ears to listen, but do not feel that you have to, your reasons for being a bit...affected...are your own."
She added kindly.

He hadn't been paying close attention to the conversation between Cara and Colin, he was returning the water bottle to Olamide when he saw the girl slide down to the floor. With a start of concern, he hurried over to her to see if she had hit her head or if the scorpion stings were poisonous.

Olamide was putting the water bottle back in her bag when she to saw Cara and got a concerned look but she hung back and stayed on guard, it was important some watched over the others as they recovered.
"Is she alright, what happened?"
The Tytalus asked. Cara looked pale, she was breathing well though and other than the wound in her shoulder from the werebear's claw that had hit her there was not a mark on her, if you had to guess she had fainted from fear and the raw emotion, there had been allot to take in during this trek though Abigail's Labyrinth, allot to handle for someone who was never trained in combat so it was likely the young mystic had just fainted.

[Warpmind]

Olamide looked at you and nodded she said nothing though and there was a faraway look in her large, abound shaped eyes as she simply returned to watching the scorpions without commenting.

Colin watched Olamide's gaze for a moment, then nodded. If she had a story to tell, she would tell it, in her own time.

That made Crexia laugh, a delighted, sharp sound and she grinned to you.
"Ah yes one could have hoped but alas it is more likely that unicorns will start laying eggs than a bureaucrat doing their job."

He chuckled, "Well, I suppose a unicorn is easier to manipulate than a bureaucrat. Unicorns have fewer rules, I suppose..."

He gave a short nod, focusing on Colin and the current situation, though he still seemed agitated and out of sorts. "Of firearms," he said, throat dry. "Less pleased with the spellwork that preceded it." He glanced at the gaping bit of wall. "Yet it is done." In truth, he'd been glad for even the memory of his pater, that sense of his approval or disapproval that had wound itself into his psyche where his lessons had trod well worn networks to measure himself against. It had helped him keep himself, this person he was now, even when everything else had threatened to drag him out like an undertow.

He glanced at Adley's look, just for an instant, "Yes, well, the spellwork seemed quite adequate, under the circumstances; I doubt your Mentor will find much to disapprove of. A few points to hone, perhaps, but probably not much more than that."

Cara looked at you her eyes growing wider by the second.
"You gave me a Euthanatos' gun in case I had to...shoot myself...in the head..."
She said in a shaking voice and she glanced down at the dead Nephanda on the floor who was laying in her own blood and bits of brain the Criamon could not help but whimper she touched the back of her own head tentatively and looked like both fear and relief that she would not have to shoot herself and looking at what might have happened to her made her just about ready to faint.

He frowned, "Er, yes, one of his spares, with no troublesome record... is that a problem?"

"Ehm...I guess...a gun...is a gun I ehm...fuck..."
She said as her eyes rolled up in in their sockets and she collapsed, emotion overwhelming her, the threat of the scorpions harming her imprints, the overhanging danger of death...the fear she would have to kill herself by shooting herself in the head and then seeing exposed brains as well as all she had seen, especially Cotta being Gilgulled, was just a little to much for the young Criamon and she fainted before your eyes. Rosario was to deep in trance to notice but Nancy came sprinting over.
"Seven runs but six is upside down."
She said and looked at Care with a concerned look in her eyes not really knowing what to do but she did find a bottle of water from her pack and then looked at you as if to ask if it would help.
"Two added to four makes six again?"
She asked.

His left side was just a little too stiff to catch her going down, and he facepalmed loudly as he knelt down to help her and Nancy came to help, "Ah, thank you, dear... Yes, I think that should do nicely. And... I think I should take a step aside. She'll be fine, just a bit of a mental shock, I think. My fault."

He hadn't been paying close attention to the conversation between Cara and Colin, he was returning the water bottle to Olamide when he saw the girl slide down to the floor. With a start of concern, he hurried over to her to see if she had hit her head or if the scorpion stings were poisonous.

Olamide was putting the water bottle back in her bag when she to saw Cara and got a concerned look but she hung back and stayed on guard, it was important some watched over the others as they recovered.
"Is she alright, what happened?"
The Tytalus asked. Cara looked pale, she was breathing well though and other than the wound in her shoulder from the werebear's claw that had hit her there was not a mark on her, if you had to guess she had fainted from fear and the raw emotion, there had been allot to take in during this trek though Abigail's Labyrinth, allot to handle for someone who was never trained in combat so it was likely the young mystic had just fainted.

He looked up at Adley and Olamide with a somewhat embarassed frown, "She's physically unharmed, but I'm something of a dunce... Best my face is not the first she sees when she comes to; I shouldn't have told her whose gun I lent her, I think - it didn't occur to me in time that she might take such issue with that..."

Crexia glaceed down at her finger that was still smeared with some sort of blue liquid that served as her blood.
"Ah yes...well I feel pain but...I am not that sensitive to it. Try jamming the knife into my hip, right where the main muscle of the thigh meet the bone, there is a massive nerve cluster there, and while my nerves are dead my body still react to places other humans would be sensitive, jab the knife in and give it a good twist, do not worry I will heal."
The archmage said as calmly as if she was discussing what type of pastry she preferred with her tea.
"As for time we need to make the most of what we have, if you would have a look in this blasted woman's room...carefully mind you I would not want you to risk triggering a trap, and see if there are any maps or anything that might be useful to us, information about Labyrinth defenses anything of the sort, she was this Labyrinth's Security Chief a quick check of her room might be useful, when you come back if I am non responsive bring me out of it."
The Tytalus instructed.

He nodded, "Very good; I'm on it. Magical examination and a quick search and analysis, then check back to see if you've drifted a bit... Er, is it that room?" He pointed toward the room Willie was taking a nap in.

((OOC: Poor Cara, Colin's going to have to do some seriously creative apologising for that one. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He chuckled, "Well, I suppose a unicorn is easier to manipulate than a bureaucrat. Unicorns have fewer rules, I suppose..."

"Well it depend on the unicorn, some magickal creatures have quite a few rules, the ones we have on Horizon are just mean, aggressive and carry a big pointy thing on their head so it is best to just stay clear of them, then again the same might apply for bureaucrats."
Crexia said and grinned.

He frowned, "Er, yes, one of his spares, with no troublesome record... is that a problem?"

"Ehm well no I guess...but he is an Euthanathos and...if we lost I would have had to..."
Cara muttered weakly and paled she even more as she looked at the brains on the floor.

His left side was just a little too stiff to catch her going down, and he facepalmed loudly as he knelt down to help her and Nancy came to help, "Ah, thank you, dear... Yes, I think that should do nicely. And... I think I should take a step aside. She'll be fine, just a bit of a mental shock, I think. My fault."

Nancy looked at you she gently put Cara's head in her own lap so she could wet a handkerchief with the water and put it on the Criamon's head, the fabric bulged out a little where Adley's shields where still protecting one of her imprints. The Hollower then helped Cara to drink a little and the mystic's eyes fluttered she was coming to even if she was not completely conscious yet, she drank a little water and couch.
"Sixes are running after eights and become threes."
Nancy said and looked up at you.

He looked up at Adley and Olamide with a somewhat embarassed frown, "She's physically unharmed, but I'm something of a dunce... Best my face is not the first she sees when she comes to; I shouldn't have told her whose gun I lent her, I think - it didn't occur to me in time that she might take such issue with that..."

"Was not one of your weapons on loan from that tall, blond Euthanathos from your Chantry?"
Olamide asked then it dawned on her.
"Ohh and she loaned it in case...the scorpions got to close and she would have to...ohh yes that might be a bit of a...unpleasant connection there."
She said and scratched her head.
"Well unless she hurt herself going down she should be fine soon then."

He nodded, "Very good; I'm on it. Magical examination and a quick search and analysis, then check back to see if you've drifted a bit... Er, is it that room?" He pointed toward the room Willie was taking a nap in.

"Good, our main priority are a better map, and defense plans for the Labyrinth, do not spend to much time, be careful and do not mind the sleeping man in there he is a hedge wizard we will be...rescuing, though he is a prisoner for now, a victim of the Chief her and that man I hear you shot, Gabriel..."
Crexia said.
"Yes it is that room."

(OOC: You scared the Criamon. )

[Adley]

He glanced at Adley's look, just for an instant, "Yes, well, the spellwork seemed quite adequate, under the circumstances; I doubt your Mentor will find much to disapprove of. A few points to hone, perhaps, but probably not much more than that."

He tried for a smile but it didn't reach his eyes. "I do hope you put that in your report to him when we get home," he said, teasing. "Did you say you that was that?" he asked, with a chin shrug at the tanks.

"Agreed, it seams the...sample from our fleeing friend is still there..." She commented and glanced at the mostly undisturbed little puddle on the floor. "I also agree with checking the Chief's room and her body. I can take care of that if you take care of the ehm...puddle."

She said and handed you a small plastic beg from her belt purse.

"Very well," he said with a raised eyebrow as he took the bag and gave it a baleful look. This was not what he'd been expecting to do, even in a Labyrinth.

She said and handed you a small plastic beg from her belt purse.

He wrote out, I'm asking advice. I'd like to send them back home, for it is dangerous here for them and they might help there, but I don't want them followed back. Without a task they will fix whatever they can. Not the best environment for them to be lost in, though we might find some use for them. After their conversation, he went to the unpleasant task of capturing said samples with the bag, and then to Olamide.

"You do not need to explain Sodalis, just get yourself sorted out and center yourself." Olamide said kindly. Yes she spoke as an elder to a much younger mage, her manner was a bit motherly, then again she was a powerful Adept she might have apprentices your age. "If you want to explain when we are out of this hellish place I have ears to listen, but do not feel that you have to, your reasons for being a bit...affected...are your own."

"Thank you," he said, continuing to try to do just that. He knew that Abigail was ahead...his avatar was already enraged by what had happened to Dylan as it was, he needed to try to keep a clear head.

Olamide was putting the water bottle back in her bag when she to saw Cara and got a concerned look but she hung back and stayed on guard, it was important some watched over the others as they recovered. "Is she alright, what happened?"

Cara to drink a little and the mystic's eyes fluttered she was coming to even if she was not completely conscious yet, she drank a little water and couch. "Sixes are running after eights and become threes." Nancy said and looked up at you.

He looked up at Adley and Olamide with a somewhat embarassed frown, "She's physically unharmed, but I'm something of a dunce... Best my face is not the first she sees when she comes to; I shouldn't have told her whose gun I lent her, I think - it didn't occur to me in time that she might take such issue with that..."

"Was not one of your weapons on loan from that tall, blond Euthanathos from your Chantry?" Olamide asked then it dawned on her. "Ohh and she loaned it in case...the scorpions got to close and she would have to...ohh yes that might be a bit of a...unpleasant connection there."

"Fainted, I believe," he said to Olamide as he gave her a look-over, a grateful nod to Nancy for getting to her and making her comfortable. He glanced up at Colin and frowned at him briefly, though he didn't say anything. He looked back to Cara, not crowding her but just being a presence that was familiar, like Nancy until she got her bearings. "You are alright," he said to assure her. Once he saw she was in good care, he went back to keeping an eye out. Crexia was...involved in her working as was Rosario, and they also needed their backs watched.

// ugh, allergies are so bad right now and it's HOT. 32C and above, tomorrow's forecast warmer and I live near the coastal breeze. It's been upwards of 38C inland. Hello Summer xD

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Very well," he said with a raised eyebrow as he took the bag and gave it a baleful look. This was not what he'd been expecting to do, even in a Labyrinth.

"Just put some paper or cloth into it and put that in the bag, we do not need very much."
Crexia instructed as if this was one of the most natural thing in the world to be doing.

He wrote out, I'm asking advice. I'd like to send them back home, for it is dangerous here for them and they might help there, but I don't want them followed back. Without a task they will fix whatever they can. Not the best environment for them to be lost in, though we might find some use for them. After their conversation, he went to the unpleasant task of capturing said samples with the bag, and then to Olamide.

"Hum...I could set up a protection around the spirits to prevent anyone piggybacking them when you send them home."
Crexia said.
"I agree that this is not the best environment for them. If you could send them somewhere specific you could send them to the cars to wait there where they will be safe and we can send them home from there and not from in the middle of a Labyrinth."
She suggested.

Well you got the sample from Dan who said being a member of the Order of Hermes was not glorious you even got to harvest arcane connections of dubious character.

"Fainted, I believe," he said to Olamide as he gave her a look-over, a grateful nod to Nancy for getting to her and making her comfortable. He glanced up at Colin and frowned at him briefly, though he didn't say anything. He looked back to Cara, not crowding her but just being a presence that was familiar, like Nancy until she got her bearings. "You are alright," he said to assure her. Once he saw she was in good care, he went back to keeping an eye out. Crexia was...involved in her working as was Rosario, and they also needed their backs watched.

Cara's eyes opened eventually and she looked around a bit confused at first then she looked embarrassed, she took another sip of the water and gave Nancy a grateful look.
"Thank you...ehm...sorry how embarrassing."
She muttered as she sat up gingerly she pointedly looked away from the dead Nephandus on the floor, she glanced at you and gave you a weak but grateful smile.
"Thank you Sodalis, I am sorry for causing a fuss."
She muttered and shook her head to clear it.
"I...have not been in combat very often."
She said. Olamide smiled a little when she saw that the Criamon was recovering and she looked at you.
"Sodalis if you take our Jerbiton and watch the way we came from and I will keep watch in the direction of the Node and the turn in the hallway, that way we should be fairly covered until we are ready to move."
The Tytalus suggested.
"Let us keep the others safe to do their workings and tasks."

(OOC: I sympathize, my husband have the same problem, and I just can not deal with heat.)

[Warpmind]

He tried for a smile but it didn't reach his eyes. "I do hope you put that in your report to him when we get home," he said, teasing. "Did you say you that was that?" he asked, with a chin shrug at the tanks.

Colin nodded, "Quite. Yes, the... wave of rot I punched along the Labyrinth creature consumed the last of the Quintessence I had in the tanks. I didn't bother refueling at the Node - didn't seem proper to try anyway. I still have the last sachet of miss Jerkins' Tass, though."

Nancy looked at you she gently put Cara's head in her own lap so she could wet a handkerchief with the water and put it on the Criamon's head, the fabric bulged out a little where Adley's shields where still protecting one of her imprints. The Hollower then helped Cara to drink a little and the mystic's eyes fluttered she was coming to even if she was not completely conscious yet, she drank a little water and couch.
"Sixes are running after eights and become threes."
Nancy said and looked up at you.

He arched an eyebrow at Nancy, "My dear, I might understand what you are saying some day... I'm not sure whether that will be good or bad for me..."

"Was not one of your weapons on loan from that tall, blond Euthanathos from your Chantry?"
Olamide asked then it dawned on her.
"Ohh and she loaned it in case...the scorpions got to close and she would have to...ohh yes that might be a bit of a...unpleasant connection there."
She said and scratched her head.
"Well unless she hurt herself going down she should be fine soon then."

He nodded slowly, "Precisely. I hadn't considered the stressful nature of the association; my bad. I don't think she landed hard, though - she collapsed softly rather than falling head first, so... she should be alright, I think."

"Fainted, I believe," he said to Olamide as he gave her a look-over, a grateful nod to Nancy for getting to her and making her comfortable. He glanced up at Colin and frowned at him briefly, though he didn't say anything. He looked back to Cara, not crowding her but just being a presence that was familiar, like Nancy until she got her bearings. "You are alright," he said to assure her. Once he saw she was in good care, he went back to keeping an eye out. Crexia was...involved in her working as was Rosario, and they also needed their backs watched.

He nodded back to Adley, a fairly guilty, sheepish expression on his face.

"Good, our main priority are a better map, and defense plans for the Labyrinth, do not spend to much time, be careful and do not mind the sleeping man in there he is a hedge wizard we will be...rescuing, though he is a prisoner for now, a victim of the Chief her and that man I hear you shot, Gabriel..."
Crexia said.
"Yes it is that room."

He grimaced, "Ah, yes, Gabriel was... quite a powerhouse. Unfortunately for him, he never heard me sneak up behind him with a shotgun... It was a bit messy, really. Right, maps, defense plans, that sort of thing... Sounds like I'll need a little luck, then. Hum, so I'm not the only one to take in rescues, then?"
He fished out his Entropy Monocle and muttered quickly as he strode into the room, "Tabula et incogito nanciscor..."

((OOC: So basically a simple Entropy spell to see where it would be lucky to look for maps or plans in the dead security chief's room. Should be simple enough, really - Arete rolls: 1,8,8 - 2,8,0 - 3,6,7. That should do the trick and save a LOT of time on the search. ))

((OOC: Oh, jeeze, I start suffering around 20C, and stop functioning at about 25C... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He arched an eyebrow at Nancy, "My dear, I might understand what you are saying some day... I'm not sure whether that will be good or bad for me..."

Nancy gave you a big smile and nodded.
"Three is not good for me and my three tend to make others eleven."
She responded.

He nodded slowly, "Precisely. I hadn't considered the stressful nature of the association; my bad. I don't think she landed hard, though - she collapsed softly rather than falling head first, so... she should be alright, I think."

"It is quite alright I doubt that she will blame you."
Olamide said and gave you a thin smile.
"The girl is not trained for combat I can understand how the situation can be overwhelming for her, I am concerned if she will get nightmares once we are done here, then again, perhaps we all will."
The Tytalus muttered.

He grimaced, "Ah, yes, Gabriel was... quite a powerhouse. Unfortunately for him, he never heard me sneak up behind him with a shotgun... It was a bit messy, really. Right, maps, defense plans, that sort of thing... Sounds like I'll need a little luck, then. Hum, so I'm not the only one to take in rescues, then?"

"Yes well I have taken in a few rescues in my days as well, it makes tactical sense, those you have given a chance when no one else will makes for the most loyal allies in the future..."
Crexia said as if she was trying to excuse her occasional bouts of kindness and hide it behind an facade of practicality.
"In this case though the man by law is a Traditionalist, and his testimony about the wrongs done to him might be most important to cut away a rot in the center of the Order, not that I would like to say more about that here, the man is sleeping though and not likely to wake up before I let him. I found sending him into a magickal sleep to be a more kind form of restraint than drugging him."
The Tyralus said then she smiled a little.
"No matter how powerful, a mage is still mortal, many forget that, it seams this Gabriel was one of them and from what I heard from our young prisoner in there...good riddance. And yes maps, defense plans and other things we can use."

He fished out his Entropy Monocle and muttered quickly as he strode into the room, "Tabula et incogito nanciscor..."

You come into a surprisingly normal looking room, on the floor though lay a pale, red haired man, he was bound could could see from his contours but a blanket had been placed over him and a pillow had been placed under his head, his eyes was closed and he seamed to be sleeping peacefully, perhaps the first peaceful sleep he had in a long time. Looking around you feel your chances are best in the top drawer of the Security Chief's desk, and behind a painting of a flock of horses running through a forested landscape that hung on one of the walls.

(OOC: 25 you say that is the exact heat where Sebaceans in Farscape start having problems if the temperature go over 25C I mean...so do you have anything you want to confess Warp? )

(OOC 2: Sorry for my late reply I have been out playing MtG.A friend have gotten allot of deck boxes from another friend who had stopped playing and he gave me a bright pink one he do not want, it will hold two decks so I plan on putting my two old Gray Merchant decks in it just because I think nasty black decks fit in cute pink deck boxes. )

[Adley]

"Just put some paper or cloth into it and put that in the bag, we do not need very much." Crexia instructed

"Yes, ma'am." He got a blank scrap of paper, one that didn't have anything on it or nearby it to confuse the resonances.

"Hum...I could set up a protection around the spirits to prevent anyone piggybacking them when you send them home."
Crexia said.

"That would be welcome."

"I agree that this is not the best environment for them. If you could send them somewhere specific you could send them to the cars to wait there where they will be safe and we can send them home from there and not from in the middle of a Labyrinth."

'They understand things simply, not even truly as words. I could give them an impression of the place they were recently and it might be enough, though I am less sure of the car but possible. Though would it not make our car light up to anyone with spiritual senses? he wrote. Of course, the upside would be the car would be in better than ever condition.

Thank you...ehm...sorry how embarrassing." She muttered as she sat up gingerly she pointedly looked away from the dead Nephandus on the floor, she glanced at you and gave you a weak but grateful smile. "Thank you Sodalis, I am sorry for causing a fuss." She muttered and shook her head to clear it. "I...have not been in combat very often."

"You did not cause a fuss, do not worry," he said with a small smile.

He grimaced, "Ah, yes, Gabriel was... quite a powerhouse. Unfortunately for him, he never heard me sneak up behind him with a shotgun... It was a bit messy, really.

"Powerhouse is not the word I have for that man," he said, in the same tone as he had with the Chief. "Death was too good for him," he said with a severe scowl as he stood back up.

"Sodalis if you take our Jerbiton and watch the way we came from and I will keep watch in the direction of the Node and the turn in the hallway, that way we should be fairly covered until we are ready to move." The Tytalus suggested. "Let us keep the others safe to do their workings and tasks."

"Yes ma'am," he said to her and gave a nod to Leon, placing himself into a watch position. Quickly, he took stock of how his shield was doing after the last two battles to see if it needed a shore-up.

// CSI: Steelhaven, gathering forensics for arcane investigating! And yeah well, to be fair its not usually that hot here even in the summer. We get a few weeks of warm weather in September, but lately due to the drought it's been warmer. Normal weather is fog around the Bay in summer. The other hand is that hardly anyone has A/C here and our houses aren't built for heat unless you're inland.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"That would be welcome."

Crexia nodded she picked up one of the tiny spirits, the little Umbrood chittered in protest at being taken away from the tear in the archmage's dress that it was repairing, then she used the upset little spirit as a proxy for the entire swarm, her hands went through the gestures or Perdo, Rego and Vim as she wove a powerful protection around the little Umbroods to keep other spirits or spells from piggybacking them as they where sent back to Steelhaven, the old Tytalus muttered softly as she worked and you could feel her quite static, protective Resonance, her magick felt old, like ancient parchment, but it was not unpleasant to be around. Once done with her spell the old Hermetic put the little spirit back where it was and the spiderling happily continued it's work, the earlier agitation forgotten in an instant.
"It should be safe to send the little ones back to your Chantry now Sodalis."
Crexia told you.

They understand things simply, not even truly as words. I could give them an impression of the place they were recently and it might be enough, though I am less sure of the car but possible. Though would it not make our car light up to anyone with spiritual senses? he wrote. Of course, the upside would be the car would be in better than ever condition.

"Well my imp is already at the car, do not worry he would not harm your spiderlings Sodalis but yes the more spirits the more the car would attract attention, the best is probably to send them home, and with my rote that should be relatively safe."
The archmage said and nodded.
"Yes I do imagine they would love to repair my car...they are darling are they not, these little gafflings."
She said and smiled a little.

"You did not cause a fuss, do not worry," he said with a small smile.

Cara smiled a little at that but she still looked embarrassed.
"Thank you Sodalis but even so I...well I feel like I am such a bother, I guess a Flambeau would not faint at the possibility of...death and seeing a dead body."
She muttered.
"Well and seeing that ritual...that awful...I...I am sorry...I just want to survive this...go home and hug my apprentice."
She whispered and looked down, she was clearly scared and shook up.

"Powerhouse is not the word I have for that man," he said, in the same tone as he had with the Chief. "Death was too good for him," he said with a severe scowl as he stood back up.

"Agreed, death is to good for the man, I would have preferred to send him to Horizon to answer for his crimes against Asencion however a dead Nephandus is preferable to a living, happy, free Nephandus ready to cause more problems."
Crexia commented and glanced over to you.

"Yes ma'am," he said to her and gave a nod to Leon, placing himself into a watch position. Quickly, he took stock of how his shield was doing after the last two battles to see if it needed a shore-up.

Your spiritual shield where untouched and in perfect condition the kinetic one though was in tatters, one more good hit and it would be gone. Leon glanced at you and took up position beside you as he checked the magazine of his gun, the Jerbiton looked a little pale.
"How much more trouble do you think we will meet down here Sodalis?"
He muttered.

(OOC: Mage CSIs would be a fun game, perhaps for a Technocracy game. I have to remember that one.)

[Warpmind]

"It is quite alright I doubt that she will blame you."
Olamide said and gave you a thin smile.
"The girl is not trained for combat I can understand how the situation can be overwhelming for her, I am concerned if she will get nightmares once we are done here, then again, perhaps we all will."
The Tytalus muttered.

Colin sighed, "I hope she'll be alright... and for some of us, we'll just add to the nightmares we already have... The Node, for example is going to stay with me for some time, I fear... as will... Cotta..."

"Yes well I have taken in a few rescues in my days as well, it makes tactical sense, those you have given a chance when no one else will makes for the most loyal allies in the future..."
Crexia said as if she was trying to excuse her occasional bouts of kindness and hide it behind an facade of practicality.
"In this case though the man by law is a Traditionalist, and his testimony about the wrongs done to him might be most important to cut away a rot in the center of the Order, not that I would like to say more about that here, the man is sleeping though and not likely to wake up before I let him. I found sending him into a magickal sleep to be a more kind form of restraint than drugging him."
The Tyralus said then she smiled a little.
"No matter how powerful, a mage is still mortal, many forget that, it seams this Gabriel was one of them and from what I heard from our young prisoner in there...good riddance. And yes maps, defense plans and other things we can use."

He smiled thinly as Crexia tried to explain away compassion, then frowned as she spoke of Willie in particular, "He's a Traditionalist? As in a full-fledged member, but... God, what's been done to him, then? No, don't answer that - not the time and place. And yes, however subtle the wizard, a dagger between the shoulderblades will still cramp their style."

"Powerhouse is not the word I have for that man," he said, in the same tone as he had with the Chief. "Death was too good for him," he said with a severe scowl as he stood back up.

"Agreed, death is to good for the man, I would have preferred to send him to Horizon to answer for his crimes against Asencion however a dead Nephandus is preferable to a living, happy, free Nephandus ready to cause more problems."
Crexia commented and glanced over to you.

He shrugged, "As an estimate of his raw ability, 'powerhouse' seems accurate enough. Neither possitive nor negative connotations. Any other term one might choose to describe him, though... well, there's scant praise for his deeds."

You come into a surprisingly normal looking room, on the floor though lay a pale, red haired man, he was bound could could see from his contours but a blanket had been placed over him and a pillow had been placed under his head, his eyes was closed and he seamed to be sleeping peacefully, perhaps the first peaceful sleep he had in a long time. Looking around you feel your chances are best in the top drawer of the Security Chief's desk, and behind a painting of a flock of horses running through a forested landscape that hung on one of the walls.

He arched an eyebrow and reached for the painting, only pausing just before he touched it, and took a step back, switching to the Prime-aspected monocle,"Ah, of course, she might have trapped that... Magia spectare."

((OOC: So, good old magic-detection comes back into play. Arete roll: 4,5,9 - should be plenty to spot whether the painting or drawer are warded. Though perhaps not to discern the particularities of any such wards. ))

((OOC2: Well, there's speculation the Sebacean genetic stock comes from Earth, and if so, some common ancestry can't be ruled out. ))

((OOC3: Pink boxes and sleeves are never a reassuring sign in Magic... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin sighed, "I hope she'll be alright... and for some of us, we'll just add to the nightmares we already have... The Node, for example is going to stay with me for some time, I fear... as will... Cotta..."

"Yeah...Cotta..."
Olamide whispered and looked down at her hands then she quickly wiped tears from her eyes so no one should see them.
"I...can't believe I will be going home...a soulrender..."
She muttered mournfully.

He smiled thinly as Crexia tried to explain away compassion, then frowned as she spoke of Willie in particular, "He's a Traditionalist? As in a full-fledged member, but... God, what's been done to him, then? No, don't answer that - not the time and place. And yes, however subtle the wizard, a dagger between the shoulderblades will still cramp their style."

"He is a third degree member of the Order of Hermes, so yes a fully fledged linear mage member of the Traditions."
Crexia said then her eyes turned very dark.
"Gabriel had been done to him, but yes any details...it is not the time and place...let us just say he will need...allot of care to recover, if he ever will."
She said then her mood lightened a little and she gave a slight wry smile.
"Well unless that wizard is a lich....we just sort of...leak...."

He shrugged, "As an estimate of his raw ability, 'powerhouse' seems accurate enough. Neither possitive nor negative connotations. Any other term one might choose to describe him, though... well, there's scant praise for his deeds."

"Well the man was certainly powerful..."
Crexia admitted.

He arched an eyebrow and reached for the painting, only pausing just before he touched it, and took a step back, switching to the Prime-aspected monocle,"Ah, of course, she might have trapped that... Magia spectare."

There was magick behind the painting, a spell woven together of several aspects of reality which had been destroyed to create what you think, since Forces is not your biggest forte, is some sort o explosive reaction if the safe door was tampered with or the wrong code was used. There was several smaller bits of magick inside the safe, enchantments or talismans perhaps.

(OOC: Well with three successes you get a pretty good overview.)

(OOC 2: I guess we are going to have to ask N to keep the heat down in her apartment for Saturday's game session then we do not want any living death happening, that would be bad. Though if we changed game it would make a remarkable impression of a staked vampire. )

(OOC 3: Fear the Pink Merchant of Asphodel. )

[Warpmind]

"Yeah...Cotta..."
Olamide whispered and looked down at her hands then she quickly wiped tears from her eyes so no one should see them.
"I...can't believe I will be going home...a soulrender..."
She muttered mournfully.

Colin nodded and gave Olamide a light squeeze on the shoulder, "No, it's a horrid thing to do, and ultimately unproductive, I think - I don't buy that an Avatar can ever be truly destroyed. Even the finest fragments will probably congeal into a new Avatar at some time and place... and yet, I came resolved to become worse than a soulrender today, if needs must be... And should that come to pass, the burden on me will be... outright unique, perhaps."

"He is a third degree member of the Order of Hermes, so yes a fully fledged linear mage member of the Traditions."
Crexia said then her eyes turned very dark.
"Gabriel had been done to him, but yes any details...it is not the time and place...let us just say he will need...allot of care to recover, if he ever will."
She said then her mood lightened a little and she gave a slight wry smile.
"Well unless that wizard is a lich....we just sort of...leak...."

He grinned wryly, "Yes, well, I suppose wedging two vertebrae apart would hamper a lich, as well... Not as much as a merely mortal Mage, but still..."

"Well the man was certainly powerful..."
Crexia admitted.

He smiled wryly, "Fortunately, his impressive power helped foster arrogance, and that was that..."

There was magick behind the painting, a spell woven together of several aspects of reality which had been destroyed to create what you think, since Forces is not your biggest forte, is some sort o explosive reaction if the safe door was tampered with or the wrong code was used. There was several smaller bits of magick inside the safe, enchantments or talismans perhaps.

He frowned and peeked out in the corridor again, gesturing to Adley, "Battle-brother, I need your expertise. I've found what's probably a concealed safe behind a painting, but it looks like it has some manner of unpleasant ward. The explosive type."
He handed over the monocle, "See if you can discern anything useful about it, would you?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded and gave Olamide a light squeeze on the shoulder, "No, it's a horrid thing to do, and ultimately unproductive, I think - I don't buy that an Avatar can ever be truly destroyed. Even the finest fragments will probably congeal into a new Avatar at some time and place... and yet, I came resolved to become worse than a soulrender today, if needs must be... And should that come to pass, the burden on me will be... outright unique, perhaps."

"It had to be done."
Olamide said and sigh.
"Perhaps nothing is ever truly destroyed but at least that Avatar will not become a widderslainte, even if it somehow become a new soul at some point in time..."
The Tytalus said she looked at you and nodded, she remember well that thermos you where carrying.
"Let us hope...that will not be necessary..."
She muttered softly.

He grinned wryly, "Yes, well, I suppose wedging two vertebrae apart would hamper a lich, as well... Not as much as a merely mortal Mage, but still..."

"Well it certainly would be most unpleasant."
Crexia said and raised an eyebrow.

He smiled wryly, "Fortunately, his impressive power helped foster arrogance, and that was that..."

"And now he is a dead impressively powerful Nephandus."

He frowned and peeked out in the corridor again, gesturing to Adley, "Battle-brother, I need your expertise. I've found what's probably a concealed safe behind a painting, but it looks like it has some manner of unpleasant ward. The explosive type."

"Go and see what you can do if you would...I can keep watch."
Leon told Adley then he grumbled.
"At some point I would like for these guys to make a plesant ward, you know one that spread perfumed smell and summons teddy bears, then again I guess that would defeat the purpose of a ward, but it would be so much more plesant to encounter."

[Warpmind]

"It had to be done."
Olamide said and sigh.
"Perhaps nothing is ever truly destroyed but at least that Avatar will not become a widderslainte, even if it somehow become a new soul at some point in time..."
The Tytalus said she looked at you and nodded, she remember well that thermos you where carrying.
"Let us hope...that will not be necessary..."
She muttered softly.

Colin nodded, "We can hope..."

"Well it certainly would be most unpleasant."
Crexia said and raised an eyebrow.

He shook his head, "Oh, I have no intention of testing that, but seeing as you brought up the notion of trying to hamper a lich..."

"And now he is a dead impressively powerful Nephandus."

He nodded, "A preferable state for us to find him in."

"Go and see what you can do if you would...I can keep watch."
Leon told Adley then he grumbled.
"At some point I would like for these guys to make a plesant ward, you know one that spread perfumed smell and summons teddy bears, then again I guess that would defeat the purpose of a ward, but it would be so much more plesant to encounter."

He stared at Leon for a moment, "Good Lord, man, the psychological effect of that would be devastating! 'Hello, burglar. I could have obliterated you in sixty different ways already, but here's a teddy bear and some allergy-safe perfume instead.' Nothing could demoralize an intruder more savagely without the need for a mop and bucket afterwards..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "We can hope..."

Olamide had a grave look on her face and nodded.

He shook his head, "Oh, I have no intention of testing that, but seeing as you brought up the notion of trying to hamper a lich..."

"A woodchipper would work, fire, acid anything that destroy the body completely, it takes a long time to get back from that if not that then powerful enough anti magick will do the trick."
Crexia said and grimaced.
"But yes...I would be most cross with anyone who did that to me..."

He nodded, "A preferable state for us to find him in."

"No a preferable state to find that man in young man would be being a helpless captive on his way into the Main Sentencing Hall, however dead is a good second."
The archmage said sternly.

He stared at Leon for a moment, "Good Lord, man, the psychological effect of that would be devastating! 'Hello, burglar. I could have obliterated you in sixty different ways already, but here's a teddy bear and some allergy-safe perfume instead.' Nothing could demoralize an intruder more savagely without the need for a mop and bucket afterwards..."

Leon looked at you for a moment then his lips spread in a wide grin.
"You know...you may be right...I might think twice about breaking into that place...perhaps thrice as well."

[Adley]

"It should be safe to send the little ones back to your Chantry now Sodalis." Crexia told you.

"Thank you," he said.

"Well my imp is already at the car, do not worry he would not harm your spiderlings Sodalis but yes the more spirits the more the car would attract attention, the best is probably to send them home, and with my rote that should be relatively safe." The archmage said and nodded. "Yes I do imagine they would love to repair my car...they are darling are they not, these little gafflings."

"And quite helpful," he agreed. "Very well," he said, and began to gather the impressions of going home to Steelhaven, back to keeping the Chantry's shields strong while they were away, keep the bad spirits that nibbled on people and the wards from getting a foothold. He knew these ideas were more complex than the spirits would readily understand, but the task could fall into their purview, he felt. He felt a wave of homesickness as well, even in the midst of everything else. But he could not go home until all that needed to be taken care of here and at Morningstar was dealt with...yet he could send Uragi's children back where it was safer until he had need of them again. He focused his mind on that so they would have as clear a path back as he could manage for them.

He shrugged, "As an estimate of his raw ability, 'powerhouse' seems accurate enough. Neither possitive nor negative connotations. Any other term one might choose to describe him, though... well, there's scant praise for his deeds."

"Well the man was certainly powerful..." Crexia admitted.

He smiled wryly, "Fortunately, his impressive power helped foster arrogance, and that was that..."

"And now he is a dead impressively powerful Nephandus."

"No a preferable state to find that man in young man would be being a helpless captive on his way into the Main Sentencing Hall, however dead is a good second."

"His 'raw ability' came at the expense of others that he exerted his cruelty over, for his enjoyments...forgive me, but it leaves a bitter taste, the 'impression' he's left on me. I do not wish to continue speaking of him now." He shook his head, then added, "Ma'am," trying to correct his rather blunt statement.

Thank you Sodalis but even so I...well I feel like I am such a bother, I guess a Flambeau would not faint at the possibility of...death and seeing a dead body." She muttered. "Well and seeing that ritual...that awful...I...I am sorry...I just want to survive this...go home and hug my apprentice."

"I think...you perhaps should measure yourself against your own goalposts, instead of those of my House or anyone else, even. Recall, it's hard to take a target down if you can't spot them. And you helped us to do just that, all the faster. Besides, I cannot say I find all this...easy. But together we can help one another survive. I have a feeling I will need your expertise again soon enough. I saw that you got the teacup, I think I should give it over to be taken care of while we have the time?"

Your spiritual shield where untouched and in perfect condition the kinetic one though was in tatters, one more good hit and it would be gone. Leon glanced at you and took up position beside you as he checked the magazine of his gun, the Jerbiton looked a little pale. "How much more trouble do you think we will meet down here Sodalis?"

Adley looked to him and said, "Not more than we have to handle. But they have been trying to deplete us...no doubt there are a few good fights to come." Then he turned his attention to trying to repair his shield and keep an eye on things.

He frowned and peeked out in the corridor again, gesturing to Adley, "Battle-brother, I need your expertise. I've found what's probably a concealed safe behind a painting, but it looks like it has some manner of unpleasant ward. The explosive type." He handed over the monocle, "See if you can discern anything useful about it, would you?"

He looked over at Colin as he heard himself so addressed. "That sounds very unpleasant," he said."What is that for?" he asked, looking at the monocle with a quirk of his brow.

"Go and see what you can do if you would...I can keep watch." Leon told Adley then he grumbled."At some point I would like for these guys to make a plesant ward, you know one that spread perfumed smell and summons teddy bears, then again I guess that would defeat the purpose of a ward, but it would be so much more plesant to encounter."

"Very well," he nodded, turning to walk to the Chief's room.

He stared at Leon for a moment, "Good Lord, man, the psychological effect of that would be devastating! 'Hello, burglar. I could have obliterated you in sixty different ways already, but here's a teddy bear and some allergy-safe perfume instead.' Nothing could demoralize an intruder more savagely without the need for a mop and bucket afterwards..."

Leon looked at you for a moment then his lips spread in a wide grin. "You know...you may be right...I might think twice about breaking into that place...perhaps thrice as well."

"And here I was only going to remark I would not like to have to fight an army of possessed or golem summoned teddy bears. How terribly embarrassing it would be to lose to such," he tsked, as he walked away.

// Mage: CSI; Mage: Law and Order ; )

Let me know if I should make a roll for sending the spirits back to Steelhaven.
Forces shield roll: 3, 2, 3 - fat lotta nope. I figure that one roll in before Colin asks him to join him?

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