Re: A Return to the Deep, Loose ends in Chicago and Hanna's Sorrow IC Thread 27

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Tane] (Labyrinth Master Dupre's strike team, 2 in the afternoon.)

et you chose to follow a monster. Tomorrow you will follow another.

"I follow an Outsider Thing and still will be following this Outsider Thing tomorrow the question is more do you want to be delayed here not who I do or do not serve."
The man said.

ANd what do you intend to do with them? free them so they go with their nephandic friends? To aid them too?

Alphonse gave you a hard look.
"Yes Mr Karyak that is exactly what I indend to do. I do not desire to be delayed here fighting fleeing slaves, what they do with their lives afterward is irrelevant they are not worth the time."

I need not to judge, i need to make sure they will not hurt anyone else or alert them of our alliance. I would forgive and help anyone comming back from the horrid paths they've gone through, but first we need to know they're not a threat anymore.

"I would not forgive them I would slaugther every last one of them if I had the time but I do not, nor do I have the time to stand here arguing this with you Mr Karyak, I do not care if they tell anyone the Chantries of the Boston Tribunal have allied against the Nephandi anyone not an idiot would already know that, I do not care if they go to serve another Labyrinth that will not help that Labyrinth much it is likely to already have a score of pawns and I do not care if they decide to go out and murder puppies and grandmothers, what I do care about is making sure that puppis, grandmothers and everything else still exist tomorrow so we will leave the rats the flee and go I do not have the time to either fight and kill these slaves or take eleven prisoners at the moment, now fall in line and let us continue."
The old Hermetic said sharply and he started walking down the hallway away from the group of fleeing pawns.
"And for the future Mr Karyak, as long as you are under my command never question my orders when we are out in the field in a combat situation again, and never in front of the strike team, if you wish to discuss any decicion I have made you are welcome to do so when the mission is over in private but question me again until said time and you are off this strike team and I will have you teleported back to Steelhaven for then you are useless to me, I have no need of a soldier that can not follow orders...am I clear?"
Alphonse said with cold steel in his voice.

[Nicole Bouchard]

A wrinkle of worry was clear on Nicole's face. 'Erm... hello?' she said to the woman on the floor.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Adley and Nicole] (Jeffry's strike team at the Labyrinth, 3 in the afternoon)

The woman did not move or respond she seamed to be sleeping deeply. Fran pulled her bone rattle out of her teddy bear bag and gave it several rythmic shakes.
"She is not alive."
The Euthanathos said and frowned.
"I suspect she might be a vampire, we ran into one earlier after all, the issues with the day, night cycle could have been changed in that part of the ship but not here, we are in the Umbra after all, that would explain why she is not waking up."

[Nicole Bouchard]

On hearing Fran's comment, Nicole's demeanour grew colder a few degrees. 'Are you sure?... If so... is there a good reason why I shouldn't end it and we can go on our way?' making it clear she really didn't like their kind.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Adley and Nicole] (Jeffry's strike team at the Labyrinth, 3 in the afternoon)

"Sure no, there are several undead creatures she could be any number of those, but I am sure she is undead yes."
Fran said and frowned.
"Well the good reason would be that she is a thinking feeling creature who have been kept captive by a Nephandus."
The Euthanathos said.
"But yes this is a problem we can't just bring her along either and outside this ship the sun is out."

[Warpmind]

[Dalisse's Chambers, 3PM]

"I doubt we can offer them much more than not killing them at the moment my good man, they are what they are after all."
Rodger said.
"But yes Iam sure there are some horrible fates to be found among them and as for this prisoner with her perhaps there is a chance for a ligther path ahead."

Colin nodded to himself, "True enough... but all the same, I would suspect not all of them are Infernalists, and some might be able to use this opportunity to turn a new leaf. We'll have to keep hoping, because we are Magi - if we can't put some mental muscle behind hope, winning this war is going to be even harder..."

((OOC: If Lily delivers a dwagon like that, she'll only succeed even harder at getting Colin on her case - and now he's got a dragon whose soul can be used as a sympathetic focus. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Colin] (Talking with Dalisse and Heather in the Labyrinth at 3 in the afternoon)

"Oh we can certinly hope though I think those who are not infernalists are not pawns they would be prisoners and playthings not that pawns are not playthings as well, and those victims we are going to have to help."
Rodger said.
"And for the rest we can hope but not much else."

(OOC: Well that is true, mu husband said she might deliver an infant Awakened without his Avatar or a little metis puppy without his link to Gaia as well. Lily is the reason why we can't have nice things.)

[Nicole Bouchard]

'A creature which considers us dinner and playthings.' Nicole corrected. 'Hmm... think this is something which is beyond our paygrade.'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Adley and Nicole] (Jeffry's strike team at the Labyrinth, 3 in the afternoon)

"Vampires need to drink blood yes but most of them do not kill, that is why you do not find blood drained corpses all over and their bite is not painful. Some vampires see human as their playthings just like some magi do, but most just want to survive, just like we do and condemning all of them for the bad elements among them is the same as judging all Awakened for the actions of the Nephandi."
Fran said as she glanced at the woman on the floor.
"Like this poor woman will probably look at us...but yes I do agree this is above our paygrade we should call Master Haagen and ask what he want to do about this."

[Nicole Bouchard]

'Oh, I should give them a prize or something that they don't leave the bodies in Ford Field and usually pick people who "society" doesn't give a fuck about anyway?' Nicole retorted quietly; the cold loathing clear.

'You'd better call this in.' she continued, continuing to keep watch on the vampire, rifle half at the ready.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Adley and Nicole] (Jeffry's strike team at the Labyrinth, 3 in the afternoon)

'Oh, I should give them a prize or something that they don't leave the bodies in Ford Field and usually pick people who "society" doesn't give a fuck about anyway?' Nicole retorted quietly; the cold loathing clear.

"They do not leave the bodies in Ford Field because most of the time there are no bodies Nicole whatever they feed of someone who is rich or someone who is poor and they do feed on both. There are vampires who kill absolutely but to assume that one of their kind is would be the same as assuming our kind are remoresless killers...some of us are, both of us have taken lives but some so absolutely do not. If someone found one of the members of our Chantry chained up somewhere would you have liked that they just killed him or her because they hated mages?"
Fran challanged.

'You'd better call this in.' she continued, continuing to keep watch on the vampire, rifle half at the ready.

The Euthanathos nodded and pulled out her phone and called Darrian.
"Yeah Sir it is Francesca Mundis, yes we have gotten some stretchers but there is a problem...yes...we have found a vampire, no it do not appear so she is chanined to the wall, very well...no I know what to do...ok...yes there is a way to make sure they are harmless...I will see you later then Sir."
Fran hung up and sigh.
"We are brining her along we can not just leave her here, we need something made of fairly strong wood to restrain her with until we can have a talk with her and then let her go in the evening."
She said and glanced from you to the sleeping vampire.

[Nicole Bouchard]

'Seen the bodies, I have.' Nicole replied quietly, patently disbelieving Fran's words. 'Heard the rumours. So confident they barely bothered to hide. Now... the leeches you may have run across might be "ooh, can I bite you please?" and all that jazz... but let me put it this way: if you had given me that advice when I first learned about all this shit, I would be fucking dead by now.'

'So... package it up and take it back with us?' she stated after the call had been made. 'Any ideas how?' clearly not liking this, but would go along with it.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Adley and Nicole] (Jeffry's strike team at the Labyrinth, 3 in the afternoon)

'Seen the bodies, I have.' Nicole replied quietly, patently disbelieving Fran's words. 'Heard the rumours. So confident they barely bothered to hide. Now... the leeches you may have run across might be "ooh, can I bite you please?" and all that jazz... but let me put it this way: if you had given me that advice when I first learned about all this shit, I would be fucking dead by now.'

"And I have seen allot of shit in this Labyrith, someone who got into contact with the Nephandi first could easilly believe this is what mages are like, that we are monsters who roturere,, kill and rape for fun. I am not saying one sould not be cautious around other Awakened but I am saying that one should not judge all of them by the actions of a few."
Fran said and sigh.
"And the ones you describe they do deserve to die, but we know nothing about this woman other than that she is here chained to a wall."

'So... package it up and take it back with us?' she stated after the call had been made. 'Any ideas how?' clearly not liking this, but would go along with it.

"Pretty much...hum...perhaps the table could be splintered though if it is some form of processed bullshit it will not be strong enough."
Fran said and scratched her head.
"The alternative would be to make a hole with something else, a dagger perhaps and us a frailer piece of wood afterwards...that should work I think...believe it or not I have not really had to go vampire hunting before I just know a few of them, as Jhor build up...members of my Tradition are attracted towards dead things."

[Nicole Bouchard]

'Asking too much, I think you are; wanting me to have warm thoughts for things which consider us food. Wanting sheep to like wolves next, you will.' Nicole replied.

'The banality of evil...' she muttered, looking at the vampire again.

'Erm... splinter? Hole?' Did my brain click off for a moment and I missed a couple of lines or something?' she said, confusion clear on Fran's comments about how to secure and transport the cargo.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

"Sounds cool, I wish they taught it in school, then perhaps I could have protected myself."
Jen said and smiled a little sadly.
"What do it feel like to do what you do?"

"I feel like a bad ass wizard when I do it! It feels amazing! Like I can do anything. All my thoughts and fears ebb away and the only thing left is the realization that I can do anything." Serge said rather excitedly.

"You can do that? Change...that I am back there in that lab when...I close my eyes?"
The woman asked her eyes wide then she nodded.
"I...would like that, what about my parent's house, the place where me and my brother grew up. I would love to see that when I close my eyes I feel safe there."
She requested.

"All right that's perfect!" Serge said as he pulled his pen and sketchbook close. "Describe it to me. What did your home look like? What did you and your brother looks like as kids. Try to describe it in as much detail as you can. Picture it clearly in your head. Focus on nothing else but that location."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Serge] (Helping out at the infirmary in the attic of Steelhaven at 3 in the afternoon.)

"I feel like a bad ass wizard when I do it! It feels amazing! Like I can do anything. All my thoughts and fears ebb away and the only thing left is the realization that I can do anything." Serge said rather excitedly.

"Well that sounds really nice Mr Yager. How did you learn? Is it something anyone can learn or do you have to be born with some sort of gift?"
The woman wanted to know.

"All right that's perfect!" Serge said as he pulled his pen and sketchbook close. "Describe it to me. What did your home look like? What did you and your brother looks like as kids. Try to describe it in as much detail as you can. Picture it clearly in your head. Focus on nothing else but that location."

"It is a suburban home, fairly modern, it was from the 1980's I think. It was white when I was a kid, white with greed window sills and doorframes. Ontside in the back yard there was this huge ass tree, the neigbors hated it but me and my brother and me had a tree house in it and a swing from one of the branches, my parents cut that tree down when my brother went off to collage but damn we loved it when we where kids...I ehm there tall and thin as a kid, with blond braids and my brother was plump with dark hair and always sitting and drawing somewhere, usually in the treehouse."
Jen said and smiled a little at the memory.
"It was a good childhood, money where not plentyful but we had what we needed and my family always did fun things together, BBQs in the back yard, watching TV together in the evenings, playing with this big black mutt we had, those where god times.

[Adley and Nicole] (Jeffry's strike team at the Labyrinth, 3 in the afternoon)

'Asking too much, I think you are; wanting me to have warm thoughts for things which consider us food. Wanting sheep to like wolves next, you will.' Nicole replied.

"Well if being their food involves no pain and you do not end up dead, I doubt the sheep would mind that much either, however no you do not need to have warm feelings for anyone, giving them a chance to show that they do not deserve killing though would be nice."
The Euthanathos said wryly.

'The banality of evil...' she muttered, looking at the vampire again.

"Evil no...but decay yes, and for all else she is, she is a corpse frozen in time where she should have been allowed a peaceful death when this was done to her...and those who get to much Entropic Resonance or Jhor likes to play with dead things."
Fran muttered and frowned.

'Erm... splinter? Hole?' Did my brain click off for a moment and I missed a couple of lines or something?' she said, confusion clear on Fran's comments about how to secure and transport the cargo.

"Ah...yes...I should explain terribly sorry, if this woman is the same kind of undead as the ones I know then putting a piece of wood into her heart will overthrow the Static/Entropic balance in her body making her stay quite still and will also prevent her from using most of her powers, rendering her in effect helpless. I learned about that weakness when one of my vampire contacts asked for help...the kind of help my Tradition offers."
Fran explain and she looked sad at the last part.
"The problem is the the rib cage is pretty strong so getting wood through it are not to easy."

[Jeremy Silverstein]

"Well that sounds really nice Mr Yager. How did you learn? Is it something anyone can learn or do you have to be born with some sort of gift?"
The woman wanted to know.

"Everyone has their own theories and beliefs on the nature of this stuff. But in general  I'm pretty sure you've got to be born with it." Serge said with a nod. Their was a bit more to it then that but Serge didn't actually know the details of sorcery and hedge mages like Allison.  

"It is a suburban home, fairly modern, it was from the 1980's I think. It was white when I was a kid, white with greed window sills and doorframes. Ontside in the back yard there was this huge ass tree, the neigbors hated it but me and my brother and me had a tree house in it and a swing from one of the branches, my parents cut that tree down when my brother went off to collage but damn we loved it when we where kids...I ehm there tall and thin as a kid, with blond braids and my brother was plump with dark hair and always sitting and drawing somewhere, usually in the treehouse."
Jen said and smiled a little at the memory.
"It was a good childhood, money where not plentyful but we had what we needed and my family always did fun things together, BBQs in the back yard, watching TV together in the evenings, playing with this big black mutt we had, those where god times.

Serge went right to work drawing the picture. A backyard view of a home in modern 1980 suburbia. It had bright green window sills and door frames with a large tree towering over the scenery. A tree house could be seen within it's branches as well as a swing dangling from one of the lower branches. The house evoked a friendly sort of atmosphere. Like it was a part of a friendly neighborhood where nothing could go wrong.

Up in the treehouse sat a plump black haired young boy, feverishly drawing (something Serge was intimately familiar with).

On the other side of the backyard was a grill, smoke pouring out of it's maw indicating some sort of food was being seared on it. A large black dog was anxiously waiting next to the grill, hoping to be rewarded with the first juicy cooked pieces of meat.

And sat within the swing, swinging away without a scare in the world, with a smile on her face and her blonde braids flowing in the wind, was a child version of Jen. Happy, carefree, and enjoying life, a complete change to what Jen was currently.

"How's this?" Serge asked as soon as he placed the final pencil stroke in it's appropriate place and turned the page to show Jen.

(OOC: Dex+ Drawing to draw a the picture that Jen is describing.

Roll: 4, 7, 5, 10, 2, 9)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Serge] (Helping out at the infirmary in the attic of Steelhaven at 3 in the afternoon.)

"Everyone has their own theories and beliefs on the nature of this stuff. But in general I'm pretty sure you've got to be born with it." Serge said with a nod. Their was a bit more to it then that but Serge didn't actually know the details of sorcery and hedge mages like Allison.

"Yes and no, everone is born with the spiritual bits so to speak to learn magick, but some are born far closer to it than others. If you are interested I will ask our resident expert to examine your prospects Ma'am."
Richard said and the woman nodded.
"O...ok...I think I would like that Sir."
She said and Richard smiled a little.

"How's this?" Serge asked as soon as he placed the final pencil stroke in it's appropriate place and turned the page to show Jen.

"That...is pretty close Mr Yager...remarkable."
Jen said and she smiled a little at the memory.
"I remember dad busy at work at the grill making dinner for when mom would come home, she is a nurse and often worked late while he worked in a hardwarestore and was done at four, he is retired now...and yeah Denver, the dog, he would stay by the BBQ begging food, he always did."
She said and smiled a little and seamed calmer as the picture invoked the memory of happier times.

[Adley]

"That do sound stressful indeed. Very well for me time do not move, I can wait carrier of what I can not touch inside, we can talk about it later for you."
The elemental agreed, but she did seam very curious and hungry for knowledge.

"Good." Being an Air elemental, it wasn't surprising that there was a curiosity of sorts as part of her, but there simply was not enough 'now' to deal with all the questions. He could imagine a better time when they could exchange some knowledge when they weren't dealing with the Labyrinth, though.

"I have found that many of those with what I can not touch inside and those who only have sleeping what I can not touch inside but navigate the hidden laws of reality use different tools and way to perform magick. We do not do so to use our powers they just are." The talkative elemental whispered.

It took him a second to realise she meant hedge wizards, probably. He nodded. "That is so. We are more variable in self and methods."

"Yes we want that information when we have made sure there are a tomorrow I suspect the Chief want that information Sodalis he...have a well I do believe the modern tern is beserk button when it comes to slavery, he will want this slaver's head." The alchemist said and Ann-Marie heard him and replied from inside the lab.
"Hum...there are some other papers here but the language it hurts my eyes to read it, there is also a laptop." Darrian nodded.
"Leave t,he papers you do not understand but bring the laptop Sodalis." He ordered.

"Yes, sir." It was true; his pater really had not liked letting her go but she was going to wipe them at the time. He wouldn't forget a moment like that. He waited for Ann-Marie to exit the room and for it to seem safe enough to continue with the process of getting the curious elemental free.

// awe man, poor dragon! And various younglings : (

[Nicole Bouchard]

Nicole looked like she was going to argue her point about vampires, but then shrugged.

'Could have simply said "that Hollywood shit about stakes in the heart is true".' she said, giving a sigh. 'Well... if we can find something which is thin enough to get through the gap and line it up just right... but they can wake up in the day, like earlier in the basement. Then they'll fight back.'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Adley and Nicole] (Jeffry's strike team at the Labyrinth, 3 in the afternoon)

"Good." Being an Air elemental, it wasn't surprising that there was a curiosity of sorts as part of her, but there simply was not enough 'now' to deal with all the questions. He could imagine a better time when they could exchange some knowledge when they weren't dealing with the Labyrinth, though.

The air elemental did not seam upset that you stopped answering her many questions instead she just floated around you could feel her like a slight breeze in the room.

It took him a second to realise she meant hedge wizards, probably. He nodded. "That is so. We are more variable in self and methods."

"Yes you do indeed seam to be so...why is that, why have not one method that is the best method been found?"
The air elemental wanted to know.

"Yes, sir." It was true; his pater really had not liked letting her go but she was going to wipe them at the time. He wouldn't forget a moment like that. He waited for Ann-Marie to exit the room and for it to seem safe enough to continue with the process of getting the curious elemental free.

Ann-Marie existed the lab with a note book in her hands.
"Gah...now we can burn that foul place."
She exclaimed, she did seam to be safe enough though. Darrian got a phone call though at about that time.
"Ah how go your search? You have gotten some stretchers good...what a vampire is it allied with the Nephandi?...No a prisoner then...is there any way to render her harmess so we can bring her with us, after we have asked her a few questions we can probably let her go...very well Miss restrain her for now and we will ask she be teleported out of her with the rest of the rescuees. Very well see you then take care."
Darrian hung up and frowned.
"The four we sent to make stretchers have found an inprisoned vampire, we can not just leave it here."
He said.
"Damn the last thing we needed where another complication."

'Could have simply said "that Hollywood shit about stakes in the heart is true".' she said, giving a sigh. 'Well... if we can find something which is thin enough to get through the gap and line it up just right... but they can wake up in the day, like earlier in the basement. Then they'll fight back.'

"Well it do not kill them it just sort of push the pause button, it hurts them pretty badly though and they get to experience the terror of being locked into their own bodies which is probably worse then the pain."
Fran said and looked at the woman on the floor.
"Yeah they can wake up during the day, and as you noticed when you nudged her she moved, but they find it hard to do, it is like...ok have you ever been seedated at a hospital, not put under narcosis where you are just gone but sedated? They have it like that during the day, they can wake up and if they get hurt or really scared they have a greater chance of doing so but it is not easy for them."
The Euthanatos said.
"Ok when if we try to splinter the table and look for a thin splinter then I can stab her with my dagger and inser the splinter in the wound...it should work, provided she is what I THINK she is for if she is any other kind of undead that might just piss her off."

(OOC: Well Lily is a slaver who also run a snuff porn site mortality is not exactly her strong point, there are kind Fallen who just have this idea that reality should end and do not want to hurt anyone, not really but most of them are monsters.)

[Warpmind]

[Dalisse's Chambers, 3PM]

"Oh we can certinly hope though I think those who are not infernalists are not pawns they would be prisoners and playthings not that pawns are not playthings as well, and those victims we are going to have to help."
Rodger said.
"And for the rest we can hope but not much else."

Colin smiled thinly, "Yes, prisoner evacuations are in progress; fortunately, we've got an infirmary in the making back home, though it's nowhere near as complete as we would wish it to be..."

((OOC: Lily may be the reason we can't have nice things, but dammit, we'll make sure she can't have nice things, either. ))

[Adley]

"Yes you do indeed seam to be so...why is that, why have not one method that is the best method been found?" The air elemental wanted to know.

"If one method is found, another will be found against it, so we find another. Or we continually improve ourselves and our methods as we are not created whole and perfect but must learn."

Ann-Marie existed the lab with a note book in her hands.
"Gah...now we can burn that foul place."
She exclaimed, she did seam to be safe enough though.

He nodded to Ann-Marie again, glad to see her safe. He turned towards Darrian about to speak but stopped as he got a call in.

"Ah how go your search? You have gotten some stretchers good...what a vampire is it allied with the Nephandi?...No a prisoner then...is there any way to render her harmess so we can bring her with us, after we have asked her a few questions we can probably let her go...very well Miss restrain her for now and we will ask she be teleported out of her with the rest of the rescuees. Very well see you then take care."
Darrian hung up and frowned.
"The four we sent to make stretchers have found an inprisoned vampire, we can not just leave it here."
He said.
"Damn the last thing we needed where another complication."

"Hrm, I wonder who it is..." He frowned. "Well, I assume we will will have to stake them to bring them with us if that is what is happening," he said, his frown deepening. "Do they know how to stake a vampire?" While he was inclined to think that Fran might know, Nicole's former interest in vampires was still a concern to him and he wasn't sure what her deal with vampires was precisely. "I know how, if we have a proper stake." He searched to see if he had one still, but he recalled giving it to someone as they were going up against vampires. Who that was was lost to his memory, now. "Damn...who did I give that stake to? Well, shall we let my friend here go while they make their way back here or have I other orders?"

[Jeremy Silverstein]

"That...is pretty close Mr Yager...remarkable."
Jen said and she smiled a little at the memory.
"I remember dad busy at work at the grill making dinner for when mom would come home, she is a nurse and often worked late while he worked in a hardwarestore and was done at four, he is retired now...and yeah Denver, the dog, he would stay by the BBQ begging food, he always did."
She said and smiled a little and seamed calmer as the picture invoked the memory of happier times.

"I've always had knack for this stuff. Here you can hold it." Serge said as he gave her the drawing. "Try to focus on that drawing. Everytime you close your eyes imagine that your there. It may be hard at first but remember that you are in control of your own mind." he said somewhat ironically as he began to influence her mind.

"Let the thoughts of labs and mad scientist ebb away and be replaced by Denver, your meat loving dog and your nurse mom and barbecuing dad. The scratching of your brother's pencil as he drew and the meaty smoke emanating from the grill. Imagine the happiness that place brought you. The comfort, the relaxation. Their's no place like your childhood home. Let those thoughts protect while you rest." Serge said calmly and softly as he focused his magick through the artwork and let his mind and Jen's coalesce, searching her mind for pleasent memories of her childhood and guiding her thoughts so that she remembered with vivid detail the comfort of her childhood home while simultaneously fogging up and severing the traumatic connections to the lab where she was a prisoner.

He couldn't erase memories yet but he could fog them up, make them harder to remember. The mind was a powerful thing, often fogging up traumatic memories so that the body could function normally. He tapped into that and made it harder for Jen to recall the horrific experience she had endured.


(OOC: Mind 3 effect to push away and fog up the traumatic memories of Jace's laboratory and replace them with thoughts and memories of Jen's childhood accompanied by a sense of serenity and the subconscious feeling that 'everything will be ok now'

Arete Roll: 8, 3, 7, 2 - 4, 4, 3, 7 - 7, 10, 3, 1 - 5, 4, 5, 9 - 2, 3, 4, 2

I think that's enough successes.)

[Nicole Bouchard]

Nicole took all this in, or at least looked like she was. Took a look at the chair; was it made from wood?

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