Re: The Laboratory, A Lost Lich and a Tragic Tale IC Thread 43

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Fight in the Basement]

You cast your spell and it worked, the Nephandus was wounded badly, weightless and scared, you did not know if his hands where slippery with blood or if it was his growing weakness but his knife slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor, the man swore in the Nephandi language again but he was desperate and went at his arm with his nails desperate to complete his spell and escape, at least you had slowed him down considerably.

He assessed his chances and dismissed it. Trying to shoot a small object being held by a small target, while it was randomly floating around and moving under direction was going to be extremely hard, even with magick and he might shoot someone in close quarters. "Counterspell!" he suggested instead, maybe if they both worked against the teleport they could stop or slow him. Then had a thought riding on that. He'd been part of the group that had raised the ward that the guy was trying to teleport through, and most certainly that had not included Nephandi to cross. He'd gotten in via a multi-person portal but this was different, he now had to get through the ward to get out while held by a spell. "I revoke your travel through our ward, Nephandus, in the of Mercury!" he shouted at him. Then, he began to reweave again.

There was a sudden silence as everyone tried to catch their bearings, there where no more attacks, the Nephandus was pretty well contained and then you heard steps as the Chief followed by Nicole rushed into the corridor.

A door opened and Ryan came rushing out, the noise had finally disrupted his trance.
"What the actual fuck!"
The Cultist exclaimed.
"Indeed so Mr Ryan what in Hades ass is going on here!?"
The Chief boomed, seeing his apprentice he asked.
"Mea filius are you unharmed...what about Miss Qen and Miss Wainwright are they down here?"

Serge caught his breath after the sudden and hectic fight, trying to calm his nerves.

When the rest of the mages arrived, he glanced at his Uncle and said, "This guy came out of nowhere and attacked us. Seems he was going after Anna. Thankfully it was 5 against one so he didn't last long. Anna and Yu Die are in the ritual rooms right now."

He looked over at Adley, mirroring the chiefs concern and said, "How're you feeling? Looked like you got doxxed back there."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Common Room]

Anja's Post:

'Think they'll object to the Union more. After all, if they're secretly running the world, they're either incompetent, corrupt or evil to have the world like this, no?'

[Basement]

Anja's Post:

Nicole followed the Chief down, quickly scanning the scene for threats. On seeing none; remained, weapon at the ready.

[Warpmind]

[Steelhaven Garage]

"She is strong..."
Bianca said with a warm smile.
"But off curse Miss Adlebloom will need some rest to recover."
She added then she looked serious.
"Mr Wainwright one thing...your apprentice and Miss Qen was attacked just now, the attack was stopped but the girls are shook up, they are not hurt though. I thought it best to tell you as soon as possible."

Colin nodded, "I expected as much... Did we get the culprit alive this time around?"
He shook his head, "I knew of the attack in question, and warned the Chief in advance, but there might not have been much time to prepare, all the same..."

((OOC: I suspect the plating would be costly, yes, but not insurmountably so. And it would likely not be generally deployed in offensive roles, but in defensive roles, protecting Realms, rather than seeking out new life, and new civilizations. The Yamato would have some emotional value, as such, and it's fairly safe to assume there'd be plenty of Linear volunteers, too. As for the Heart of Horizon and St. Victoria's Blade, those are the brand new capital ships belonging to Cita Telar and Admiral Hastings, respectively, not coming out of dock for some time yet. I believe the Heart of Horizon is the one closest to completion, built around an artificial phylactery. The ship is powered by its captain's Avatar, so she's a remarkable powerhouse.))

[Adley]

[Fight in the Basement]

Bruce reached the man and the large Orphan wrenched the Nephandus hands apart so he could no longer carve runes in his own flesh. "Go fuck a goat!" The attacker shouted this time in Latin and Bruce shrugged. "Yeah I don't really speak that language either buddy but sure whatever." There was a sudden silence as everyone tried to catch their bearings, there where no more attacks, the Nephandus was pretty well contained and then you heard steps as the Chief followed by Nicole rushed into the corridor.

He looked backwards a moment once the thread was contained. Then he began to move back to the ritual room that the girls and Void Engineer had been holding up inside for cover to see how they were doing in there.

A door opened and Ryan came rushing out, the noise had finally disrupted his trance.
"What the actual fuck!"
The Cultist exclaimed.
"Indeed so Mr Ryan what in Hades ass is going on here!?"
The Chief boomed, seeing his apprentice he asked.
"Mea filius are you unharmed...what about Miss Qen and Miss Wainwright are they down here?"

When the rest of the mages arrived, he glanced at his Uncle and said, "This guy came out of nowhere and attacked us. Seems he was going after Anna. Thankfully it was 5 against one so he didn't last long. Anna and Yu Die are in the ritual rooms right now. He looked over at Adley, mirroring the chiefs concern and said, "How're you feeling? Looked like you got doxxed back there.""


"I'm okay, glad you are too. Checking on them now..." He still hadn't quite put together there was anything wrong, things blowing around during a magick fight was not really that strange, considering.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Common Room]

'Think they'll object to the Union more. After all, if they're secretly running the world, they're either incompetent, corrupt or evil to have the world like this, no?'

"I am not so sure abut that. I think most can relate to the Union more than they can the Traditions, and the Union can always blame us or the Marauders or the Nephandi for anything bad, and I guess it depend on who you ask for many this is not a bad world at all."
Chris replied.
"Mystics though will freak the sleepers out."

[Fight in the Basement]

Serge caught his breath after the sudden and hectic fight, trying to calm his nerves.

When the rest of the mages arrived, he glanced at his Uncle and said, "This guy came out of nowhere and attacked us. Seems he was going after Anna. Thankfully it was 5 against one so he didn't last long. Anna and Yu Die are in the ritual rooms right now."

"Are the girls all right?"
Your uncle asked then he looked down looking ashamed.
"I am sorry I could not help, I was in a trance and I am two places at once so I did not hear the fight breaking out. If anyone where hurt I could never forgive myself."
The older Cultist muttered.

He looked backwards a moment once the thread was contained. Then he began to move back to the ritual room that the girls and Void Engineer had been holding up inside for cover to see how they were doing in there.

The girls where fine, Yu Die was still protecting Anna she stood there with her sword at the ready. Thomas stood there with another ehm....gravity ball...at the ready protecting the door.
"It is over are we safe?"
He asked nervously.

"I'm okay, glad you are too. Checking on them now..." He still hadn't quite put together there was anything wrong, things blowing around during a magick fight was not really that strange, considering.

As you spoke a strange wind seamed to billow around William making his long robes flutter. The lich did not seam to really notice though but he looked rather stressed in general.
"Can I go somewhere quiet now? To much noise...so much noise..."
The old Hermetic said the stress clear in his voice.
"Keep the girls in the ritual room for a moment longer."
Jeffry informed you as he pulled out a prepared dose of the green serum and stabbed the Nephandus in the thigh with the syringe making the prisoner groan with pain, once this was done the Chief put the syringe away again.

Once the serum had been injected the prisoner started changing, his facial feature, hair color and skin tone changed now that he could not longer keep his altered form, the man before you looked like he might be Greeek or Italian with sharp features and light brown, cold eyes and hazel, curly hair, the man glared around.
"Well this sucks..."
He muttered with a sigh.
"Fucking Traditionalists."

Jeffry glanced at Thomas and asked you.
"Is this the Technocrat, with all that have been going on please make sure he is secured. I would like to be kinder about this but right now I want this Chantry secure."
He said as he handed you a bottle of the serum and another syringe
"So this or the cuffs, but he will be restrained now!"

This made Thomas back away a bit, he was still holding his device.
"Wait...I am here of my own free will...wait..."
He protested.
"I am sorry young man, but my first duty is to make sure this Chantry is safe and you are a Technocrat..."
The Chief replied with a sigh.
"Do not resist kid and you have my word you will not be harmed."
Thomas gave you a desperate look.
"I want to leave now."
He begged.
"This is not what I signed up for."

[Steelhaven Garage]

Colin nodded, "I expected as much... Did we get the culprit alive this time around?"

"Yes he is in custody."
Bianca said.
"And none of our Chantrymates where seriously hurt."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Common Room]

Anja's Post:

'Exactly. They can kinda get the Union, which means they can more intelligently bitch about them. It's like when you're talking to someone who does know a bit about their car when you're working on it; you can't BS them so easily, can you? And you think they'll be so "relating" to the Union when they learn about that fucking "Timetable" thing, which for example meant their Dad died of the cancer 'cos it had been decreed that the cure for it was not to be introduced 'till like 2035?' arching an eyebrow.

[Basement]

Nicole continued to watch the goings-on alertly, continuing to aim at the apparent attacker...

[Skip turn]

[I disagree. And if it's it's not 'impossible', it's 'not cost effective'. A Yamato had a compliment of 2,800 and length of 280m. For comparison, the Void 'Cassini-class' cruisers are around 90m length and with a max compliment of 80. It's a boondoggle for you'd be sacrificing a *lot* of smaller craft to pay for the damn thing, to do a task which could be done for a fraction of the price by ground guns and short-range attack craft. Is it worth it when you could have *at least* three 'ships' at the size of the old HNoMS Norge which would be still the same size as a Cassini? Lastly, for other comparisons WW2 'heavies' were ~20m, 50's liners ~40m and the longest ones around ~70m. Why not simply use the bones of a 747 instead?]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Common Room]

'Exactly. They can kinda get the Union, which means they can more intelligently bitch about them. It's like when you're talking to someone who does know a bit about their car when you're working on it; you can't BS them so easily, can you? And you think they'll be so "relating" to the Union when they learn about that fucking "Timetable" thing, which for example meant their Dad died of the cancer 'cos it had been decreed that the cure for it was not to be introduced 'till like 2035?' arching an eyebrow.

"They might not be thrilled to know our Verbena could have healed their dad either though some of them might have more understanding as to why we have chosen to stay hidden."
Chris said with a sigh.
"I hope it is a long time before the general existence of the Awakened get generally known though for it will be a hell of a mess either way."

[Basement]

Nicole continued to watch the goings-on alertly, continuing to aim at the apparent attacker...

The prisoner looked at you for a moment but he was to busy being hurt and scared and pissed of, and he was also still held by a giant stone hand and Bruce so he could nto do much.
"Can someone help me tie this guy up?"
Bruce asked.

(OOC: I will be a bit slow responding today as I will be heading out today to GM Mage for a offline group or rather we are making characters for a new game.)

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Common Room]

Anja's Post:

'True. But I don't blame them witches for that.' Nicole replied simply. 'But coming out might be the only actual end-game there is. That the world is told "these are the options, like; what kind of world do you want?".'

[Basement]

Anja's Post:

Giving a slight grunt, Nicole holstered her pistol, then moved towards the prisoner, cursing herself that her wondrous duck tape was still in her rucksack. 'Anybody got anything to do the deed?' she'll ask the room in general.

[Great One STs MtA games which are not this one? Heresy! *smirks*]

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Fight in the Basement]

"Are the girls all right?"
Your uncle asked then he looked down looking ashamed.
"I am sorry I could not help, I was in a trance and I am two places at once so I did not hear the fight breaking out. If anyone where hurt I could never forgive myself."
The older Cultist muttered.

"The girls are fine, if a little shaken up. They ran into the ritual room as soon as the fighting started. Bad guy over here had a rather large streak of bad luck. His gun jammed when he tried to shoot at them and he dropped his knife." Serge said with a smirk as he glanced around at the dropped items. "Don't worry about it. We already had five mages fighting him. It was getting crowded."

"I'm okay, glad you are too. Checking on them now..." He still hadn't quite put together there was anything wrong, things blowing around during a magick fight was not really that strange, considering.

"All thanks to you and the Earth bender over there. Your quick on that counter spelling." he said with a smile and glancing at the mage who had saved him and created the stone hand. He was about to head to the ritual room to check on Anna and Yu Die himself, but Adley beat him to it. Knowing that constant questions of 'Are you all right' wouldn't be good for the girls state of mind he decided to let Adley do it by himself.


He had gotten a text in the middle of the fight which he couldn't answer right away. In the brief moment of respite after the fight he checked his phone to see what it was....

Ange sent a text to Serge which said.
"My dear apprentice. I am at Steelhaven. It seams we need to have a talk, please meet me in the common room when you have the chance."

Serge's eyes lit up and he quickly typed back. "Sorry for the late reply. Some stuff happened. I'll meet you as soon as I can. This is perfect tho. I have some things I've been meaning to tell you as well, but haven't gotten the time too." he replied back innocently, wondering what his mentor wanted to talk about.

Once the serum had been injected the prisoner started changing, his facial feature, hair color and skin tone changed now that he could not longer keep his altered form, the man before you looked like he might be Greeek or Italian with sharp features and light brown, cold eyes and hazel, curly hair, the man glared around.
"Well this sucks..."
He muttered with a sigh.
"Fucking Traditionalists."

"Fucking fallen." Serge mirrored. "Always warding your goddamm minds. You would have had a lot more fun if you didn't do that you know."

(OOC: Is Serge close enough to see/hear the altercation between Jeffery and Thomas)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Common Room]

True. But I don't blame them witches for that.' Nicole replied simply. 'But coming out might be the only actual end-game there is. That the world is told "these are the options, like; what kind of world do you want?".'

"Coming out as it where might fix the Paradox problem after a while but I do fear we would become targets by angry sleepers afraid of what they do not understand...we are Etherites there are never a mad scientist movie without a posse of villagers with torches and pitchforks in it after all."
Chris commented darkly.

[Fight in the Basement]

Giving a slight grunt, Nicole holstered her pistol, then moved towards the prisoner, cursing herself that her wondrous duck tape was still in her rucksack. 'Anybody got anything to do the deed?' she'll ask the room in general.

"I always carry duct tape on me in case my gear breaks, it will fix anything but I suspect it is as likely to be used on me as on that guy there."
The young guy that looked like Cava commented.
"But here..."
He reached into his bag which made Jeffry aim his weapon at the kid, but he only pulled out two rolls of duct tape, one regular and one pink with silver stars and he rolled those over to you.
"Will these do?"

"The girls are fine, if a little shaken up. They ran into the ritual room as soon as the fighting started. Bad guy over here had a rather large streak of bad luck. His gun jammed when he tried to shoot at them and he dropped his knife." Serge said with a smirk as he glanced around at the dropped items. "Don't worry about it. We already had five mages fighting him. It was getting crowded."

"Good...that is good thank heavens!"
Ryan exclaimed and the older Cultist seamed quite relieved.
"I am sorry I could not be of more help but I was sort of out of it looking for traces of your Banshee friend."

"All thanks to you and the Earth bender over there. Your quick on that counter spelling." he said with a smile and glancing at the mage who had saved him and created the stone hand. He was about to head to the ritual room to check on Anna and Yu Die himself, but Adley beat him to it. Knowing that constant questions of 'Are you all right' wouldn't be good for the girls state of mind he decided to let Adley do it by himself.

The old mage who had made the stone hand seamed stressed, his eyes darted around and you suspect from what your Mentor had taught you that he might be suffering from sensory overload, to many impressions all at once, from the way he was starting to cover his ears and backing away. The stone hand remained though.

Serge's eyes lit up and he quickly typed back. "Sorry for the late reply. Some stuff happened. I'll meet you as soon as I can. This is perfect tho. I have some things I've been meaning to tell you as well, but haven't gotten the time too." he replied back innocently, wondering what his mentor wanted to talk about.

You got a reply back from your Mentor.
"It is quite all right, I heard about the fight, I will meet you in the common room when you are ready. I look forward to hearing what you want to tell me."

"Fucking fallen." Serge mirrored. "Always warding your goddamm minds. You would have had a lot more fun if you didn't do that you know."

"Doubtfully..."
The man grunted.
"So you are the little shit that was pawing at my mental shield? Go fuck yourself!"
He grumbled.

(OOC: Oh I GM Mage for now both a group and one on one with my husband as well. He plays Lily.)
(OOC 2: Yes Serge hear what the Chief is ordering.)

[Adley]

[Fight in the Basement]

"Are the girls all right?"
Your uncle asked then he looked down looking ashamed.
"I am sorry I could not help, I was in a trance and I am two places at once so I did not hear the fight breaking out. If anyone where hurt I could never forgive myself."
The older Cultist muttered.

"The girls are fine, if a little shaken up. They ran into the ritual room as soon as the fighting started. Bad guy over here had a rather large streak of bad luck. His gun jammed when he tried to shoot at them and he dropped his knife." Serge said with a smirk as he glanced around at the dropped items. "Don't worry about it. We already had five mages fighting him. It was getting crowded."

Adley gave a confused look at seeing Ryan, then his brows raised a little bit. Marion didn't have the cuffs, Ryan did. Or had. "Hey, do you or other you still have those restraints? I'll need them," he asked Ryan. He wondered if it counted if you were in two places with one item, in your pocket. If it was the same pocket, or at least an easier teleport. There was still a lot he had to learn about that art, in a practical sense.

"All thanks to you and the Earth bender over there. Your quick on that counter spelling." he said with a smile and glancing at the mage who had saved him and created the stone hand. He was about to head to the ritual room to check on Anna and Yu Die himself, but Adley beat him to it. Knowing that constant questions of 'Are you all right' wouldn't be good for the girls state of mind he decided to let Adley do it by himself.

He gave him an odd look, he new that he'd done something, he'd just heard him tell his uncle so. But he had no time to comment on the fact that Serge had probably saved them from dying while he was incapacitated with dox. Later...

"I always carry duct tape on me in case my gear breaks, it will fix anything but I suspect it is as likely to be used on me as on that guy there."
The young guy that looked like Cava commented.
"But here..."
He reached into his bag which made Jeffry aim his weapon at the kid, but he only pulled out two rolls of duct tape, one regular and one pink with silver stars and he rolled those over to you.
"Will these do?"

He frowned a little. His pater was understandably stressed and concerned and didn't want anything else happening, but pointing a gun at the kid was probably going to freak him out. The tape though could be useful.

The girls where fine, Yu Die was still protecting Anna she stood there with her sword at the ready. Thomas stood there with another ehm....gravity ball...at the ready protecting the door. "It is over are we safe?"

"It appears so, for now. Ah, that was you then that did the gravity spell?" He eyed the thing in his hand. He couldn't deny it had helped, that Thomas had helped in fact, but it also could be classified as a weapon. At least a defensive one.

As you spoke a strange wind seamed to billow around William making his long robes flutter. The lich did not seam to really notice though but he looked rather stressed in general. "Can I go somewhere quiet now? To much noise...so much noise..."

"Soon, sodalis, just a little longer," he said to the older man. His brow creased as his robes jostled and then he said to the Chief, "Is it safe for the kids, now sir?" He wanted to separate them from Thomas in case something happened, if it couldn't be prevented.

Jeffry glanced at Thomas and asked you. "Is this the Technocrat, with all that have been going on please make sure he is secured. I would like to be kinder about this but right now I want this Chantry secure." He said as he handed you a bottle of the serum and another syringe "So this or the cuffs, but he will be restrained now!"

"Getting the cuffs, sir...he has a device that can manipulate gravity, or perhaps something else..."

This made Thomas back away a bit, he was still holding his device.
"Wait...I am here of my own free will...wait..."
He protested.
"I am sorry young man, but my first duty is to make sure this Chantry is safe and you are a Technocrat..."
The Chief replied with a sigh.
"Do not resist kid and you have my word you will not be harmed."
Thomas gave you a desperate look.
"I want to leave now."
He begged.
"This is not what I signed up for."

"I know, this isn't what I wanted to happen, believe me. I'm really sorry about this..." and he was, and he also wished he'd had a better way to deal with this but now that his pater had startled him while he had the gravity ball still in his hand, he had to deal with him and he wasn't sure how to prevent him from acting rashly in fear. He understood his pater wanting, needing to lock down the chantry though with everything going on. Plus, this was never going to be easy...

// I thought Marion had the cuffs but when I went to check it was Ryan, and now that Ryan is apparently colocating... also didn't want to get too far ahead of Serge

[Warpmind]

[Steelhaven Garage]

"Yes he is in custody."
Bianca said.
"And none of our Chantrymates where seriously hurt."

Colin let out a quick sigh of relief, "And Anna and Yu Die? Only the scare?"
He smiled wryly, "I did know the attack was coming, but not exactly how, where, or when - I did let the Chief know, though. In the previous timeline, the attacker managed to kill themselves, making questioning impossible, but this time, well... I'm going to want some answers."

((OOC: I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree on the cost/benefit ratio of making Space Battleship Yamato for the Horizon fleet - the merit of using the Yamato as a platform over a 747, though, would in great part be due to the basic design of the ship; the old girl's structure is better designed to withstand multiple explosive impacts, and she's designed to carry a few fuckloads of armaments - the Ethercannons she could bring to bear in place of the old artillery in case of Nephandi battlecruisers would be gamechanging. Got to keep that in mind, too, after all - she's a bit large and unwieldy, perhaps, but she'd be put into service against oversized abominations that can pretty much brush off the armaments of most smaller classes of ships wholesale.))

((OOC: New campaign got a good start. Nicolas Lí, great-grandson of Lao Tzu and Nicolas Flamel, is pursuing the paths of both his famous great-grandfathers. (Longevity runs inthe family, obviously.) And he's making the local Cultists happy, by manufacturing an impressive quantity of recreational alchemy. It pays the bills, and then some. ))

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Fight in the Basement]

"Good...that is good thank heavens!"
Ryan exclaimed and the older Cultist seamed quite relieved.
"I am sorry I could not be of more help but I was sort of out of it looking for traces of your Banshee friend."

"Yeah, that's on me. I did sorta just give you a random impossible task. Completely slipped my mind that you didn't even know what she looked like. Which I imagine is kinda important." Serge replied.

The old mage who had made the stone hand seamed stressed, his eyes darted around and you suspect from what your Mentor had taught you that he might be suffering from sensory overload, to many impressions all at once, from the way he was starting to cover his ears and backing away. The stone hand remained though.

"Soon, sodalis, just a little longer," he said to the older man.

"There's too much going on. It's overwhelming him." he told his cabalmate, after recognizing the man's plight. "Perhaps he can wait in a quiet room while we sort all of this out? Clear his head for a bit. I would ask him myself but I'm guessing he's more likely to listen to you."

You got a reply back from your Mentor.
"It is quite all right, I heard about the fight, I will meet you in the common room when you are ready. I look forward to hearing what you want to tell me."

Serge nodded and closed his phone. He glanced at Ryan and said, "By the way. Ange's here. She's in the common room now."

"Doubtfully..."
The man grunted.
"So you are the little shit that was pawing at my mental shield? Go fuck yourself!"
He grumbled.

"Likewise. Although I will admit your vines were pretty cool." Serge replied.

This made Thomas back away a bit, he was still holding his device.
"Wait...I am here of my own free will...wait..."
He protested.
"I am sorry young man, but my first duty is to make sure this Chantry is safe and you are a Technocrat..."
The Chief replied with a sigh.
"Do not resist kid and you have my word you will not be harmed."
Thomas gave you a desperate look.
"I want to leave now."
He begged.
"This is not what I signed up for."

"I know, this isn't what I wanted to happen, believe me. I'm really sorry about this..." and he was, and he also wished he'd had a better way to deal with this but now that his pater had startled him while he had the gravity ball still in his hand, he had to deal with him and he wasn't sure how to prevent him from acting rashly in fear. He understood his pater wanting, needing to lock down the chantry though with everything going on. Plus, this was never going to be easy...

"Can we...err..." Serge said, struggling to find a compromise. The revelation that Thomas was a Technocrat threw Serge a little off, having suspected him of being an Etherite. And similarly to Adley's thought process, after a long day of many attacks by many different factions, the Chief wasn't going to be easily swayed.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Fight in the Basement]

Adley gave a confused look at seeing Ryan, then his brows raised a little bit. Marion didn't have the cuffs, Ryan did. Or had. "Hey, do you or other you still have those restraints? I'll need them," he asked Ryan. He wondered if it counted if you were in two places with one item, in your pocket. If it was the same pocket, or at least an easier teleport. There was still a lot he had to learn about that art, in a practical sense.

"There is no other me, it is just me being in two places in the time and space haze."
Ryan said but he did pull the cuffs out and tossed them over to you.
"Here you go."
As you spoke you saw the Nephandus knife be slowly moved across the floor as if by some wind dragging it.

"It appears so, for now. Ah, that was you then that did the gravity spell?" He eyed the thing in his hand. He couldn't deny it had helped, that Thomas had helped in fact, but it also could be classified as a weapon. At least a defensive one.

"Spell? Oh my device yes...I did that."
Thomas said.
"I have made these weightlessness spheres."
He said indicating the little metal ball in his hand.
"Did you see where the other one went they are expensive in parts?"

"Soon, sodalis, just a little longer," he said to the older man. His brow creased as his robes jostled and then he said to the Chief, "Is it safe for the kids, now sir?" He wanted to separate them from Thomas in case something happened, if it couldn't be prevented.

"So much sound...I want to go somewhere else....to many people I do not know."
The old lich complained. Jeffry nodded.
"Yes we can send them upstairs while we deal with things here but I want someone to go with them to guard them."
Jeffry replied.
"I can take them."
Ryan offered.
"Thank you Mr Darehill."
Your Mentor said as Ryan went to fetch Anna and Yu Die and get them out of the way of any potential danger. You notice the knife on the ground being blown about by some wind again as you spoke.

"Getting the cuffs, sir...he has a device that can manipulate gravity, or perhaps something else..."

Jeffry nodded and he still had his gun aimed at Thomas.
"I do not want to harm you young man I need you to put your tools down on the ground."
The old war mage said calmly, the young Void Engineer hesitated but then he did as told and he put the little ball back into his bag.
"I should never have trusted a Traditionalist."
He muttered bitterly.

"I know, this isn't what I wanted to happen, believe me. I'm really sorry about this..." and he was, and he also wished he'd had a better way to deal with this but now that his pater had startled him while he had the gravity ball still in his hand, he had to deal with him and he wasn't sure how to prevent him from acting rashly in fear. He understood his pater wanting, needing to lock down the chantry though with everything going on. Plus, this was never going to be easy...

Thomas had put his gravity ball down, e was scared but he was not stupid and he did not want to get shot.
"Let me leave."
The kid said.
"I have done nothing to you. I am a Void Engineer we do not take part in the Pogrom we have no issue with the Traditions, I just want to go home to my Mentor."

"Yeah, that's on me. I did sorta just give you a random impossible task. Completely slipped my mind that you didn't even know what she looked like. Which I imagine is kinda important." Serge replied.

"Well I did try with what you had given me but knowing her name and her appearance will be more to aim for though I might still not get anything with that either but I can certainly try...first I have to get Anna and Yu Die out of here though and I will get back to it."
Your uncle replied he still looked guilty he had not helped out with the fight though.

"There's too much going on. It's overwhelming him." he told his cabalmate, after recognizing the man's plight. "Perhaps he can wait in a quiet room while we sort all of this out? Clear his head for a bit. I would ask him myself but I'm guessing he's more likely to listen to you."

"You can take our guest to one of the unused smaller ritual rooms Mr Yager."
Jeffry said and he then spoke in Latin to the lich.
"Sodalis this young man will take you somewhere more quiet, he do not speak Latin but please go with him."

Serge nodded and closed his phone. He glanced at Ryan and said, "By the way. Ange's here. She's in the common room now."

"Ah that is nice...I have to make sure I say hi to her."
Ryan said.

"Likewise. Although I will admit your vines were pretty cool." Serge replied.

"Yeah well only to bad they got burned before they impaled you."
The Nephandus grumbled.
"That would have been even cooler."

"Can we...err..." Serge said, struggling to find a compromise. The revelation that Thomas was a Technocrat threw Serge a little off, having suspected him of being an Etherite. And similarly to Adley's thought process, after a long day of many attacks by many different factions, the Chief wasn't going to be easily swayed.

"We are not going to harm the young man Mr Yager we are however going to make sure he can not harm Steelhaven."
Jeffry said calmly.
"What the fuck can I possibly do against an entire Chantry I am a bloody apprentice!"
Thomas protested.
"Who are here of his own free will!"
He added with a frustrated sigh.

[Steelhaven Garage]

Colin let out a quick sigh of relief, "And Anna and Yu Die? Only the scare?"

"Yes they where not harmed, Mr Darehill is guarding them for now. I saw them in the common room they looked perfectlly unharmed Sir."
The hedge witch replied.

He smiled wryly, "I did know the attack was coming, but not exactly how, where, or when - I did let the Chief know, though. In the previous timeline, the attacker managed to kill themselves, making questioning impossible, but this time, well... I'm going to want some answers."

"I think many of us would like some questions answered Mr Wainwright, the guy sneaked in with the delegation from Golden Rose or whatever the fuck that Chantry is called, only when restrained he apparently don't like like him anymore it is causing a bit of a stir."
Bianca replied.

(OOC: Well one of the local Cultists are not happy anymore, but that is not Nicholas' fault.)

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Common Room]

Anja's Post:

'Them torches will be after everyone.' Nicole replied dismissively. 'And you think they'll want the other options? Really? The others...' dropping her voice a bit '-don't have a vision of the future. Part from going back in time, that is. Even old folks going around with their nostalgia filters on max don't want to do one in variants of the Dung Age.'

'Most folk don't have big dreams of the future. They'd mainly like it to be kinda like this one, but with the crap bits ironed out. That suggests to me that they don't object to science, just the particular Scientists currently running the show.' giving a little, knowing smile.

'Something to think about, no? Well, gotta get on and find a biologist...'

[Basement]

Anja's Post:

'Erm... why the fuck is there a Mirrorshade here?' Nicole blurted out.

Anja's Post:

Nicole gave the stranger a look somewhere between suspicion and curiosity; the guy was vaguely confusing but she couldn't really get why. Giving a short nod to the guy, she squatted down to pick up the regular roll with her artificial hand and looked at it to check it was okay.

[A bit of an arse-pull, I know; but Nick did enter the scene just before the guy's colours were announced and means nobody has to explain it again.]

[Then get a hull the size of Norge and uprate her armour and guns, then. Full-size battleships in RL were designed to 'kill their own', and not only were they usually incapable of doing so but there *isn't* any 'own' for the Etherites to blow up. And in firepower terms, three 'Norge-class' may be superior to a Yamato (though it's more likely to be Jean Bart or Vanguard; they were scrapped in RL) and has the benefit that in a battle situation the three ships could attack the target from different directions etc. Lastly, Great One has never specified how big said battlecruisers are or even if anybody has properly seen them yet.]

[Our disagreements are - I think - primarily down to doctorine. I'm a clear proponent of Jeune Ecole, while I think you're a much more a 'decisive battle' type. If I was to get a massive ship for the Fleet, I'd want an carrier than your overfed battlewagon. Though ironically, I think Colin would agree with me but Nicole would agree with you... *smirks*]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Common Room]

Them torches will be after everyone.' Nicole replied dismissively. 'And you think they'll want the other options? Really? The others...' dropping her voice a bit '-don't have a vision of the future. Part from going back in time, that is. Even old folks going around with their nostalgia filters on max don't want to do one in variants of the Dung Age.'

"Yeah but do the Traditions really have a vision of the future? We are a war council, joined together so we would not get killed, safety in numbers and all that. If we have any unified goal it is the perseverance of willworking in all of it's forms, I am not so sure the sleepers would care."
Chris protested.

'Most folk don't have big dreams of the future. They'd mainly like it to be kinda like this one, but with the crap bits ironed out. That suggests to me that they don't object to science, just the particular Scientists currently running the show.' giving a little, knowing smile.

"But would they really object to the Un ion, remember how many just have accepted looking individual freedoms in the name of security. When the Union says yeah sure we have a bit of control over your lives but we do it to protect you from mages and vampires and werewolf and everything else that go bump in the night, many will just accept that as necessary."
The young Etherite replied.

'Something to think about, no? Well, gotta get on and find a biologist...'

"Sure...good luck please don't let me keep you, nice talking with you Ma'am."
The kid said and he waved his hand goodbye to you.

[Fight in the Basement]

'Erm... why the fuck is there a Mirrorshade here?' Nicole blurted out.

"I was invited."
Thomas muttered sourly.
"Under false presences it seams."
Jeffry sigh.
"He is here because Wallace Jace want him and when Wallace Jace want something we do not want him to get it."
The old Hermetic explained.

Nicole gave the stranger a look somewhere between suspicion and curiosity; the guy was vaguely confusing but she couldn't really get why. Giving a short nod to the guy, she squatted down to pick up the regular roll with her artificial hand and looked at it to check it was okay.

The roll was half full and it was just regular gray duct tape so it should hold fine.

(OOC: What is it that you feel is over explained?)

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Common Room]

Anja's Post:

'No, the Traditions don't. We're an alliance formed by what we don't want rather than what we do.' Nicole replied, slightly irritatedly. 'Each Tradition has their own view of the future. And they don't mix. And most of them involve going back into the past. And almost nobody wants that. They like the modern world, as a whole.'

Anja's Post:

'Pick a card, any card... but you'll always take the one I give you.' Nicole quipped. 'Have the Mundies ever been given a free choice? Hmm... I wonder, is there any other group who are not the Union but do not want to have the world return to a variant of the Dung Age either? Ones who are perfectly at home with a scientific world that has done so much for people in the last few hundred years?

Anja's Post:

Nicole gave a nod to this, leaving the room.

[Basement]

Anja's Post:

'Your team has been really fucking slow on this one. Chances are, you'd have been black-bagged even before your brass has organised the meeting to discuss the possible problem which might have you kidnapped.' Nicole replied. 'We need to make sure your body don't fall into Fallen hands...' a slither of steel entering her tone here. '-it does not need to be a living body.'

Anja's Post:

Nicole took it towards the prisoner Bruce was holding down, ready to truss them up with the tape.

[*confused look at Great One at question*]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Common Room]

'No, the Traditions don't. We're an alliance formed by what we don't want rather than what we do.' Nicole replied, slightly irritatedly. 'Each Tradition has their own view of the future. And they don't mix. And most of them involve going back into the past. And almost nobody wants that. They like the modern world, as a whole.'

"Yeah I guess you can see it that way as well Ma'am, but that would only make it more likely the sleepers would favor the Union over us, they at least on paper want to protect the regular person while most mages want magick to be as powerful as it was in the past."
Chris replied with a sigh.

'Pick a card, any card... but you'll always take the one I give you.' Nicole quipped. 'Have the Mundies ever been given a free choice? Hmm... I wonder, is there any other group who are not the Union but do not want to have the world return to a variant of the Dung Age either? Ones who are perfectly at home with a scientific world that has done so much for people in the last few hundred years?

"No the sleepers have never really been given a free choice. I am not sure who you think they will choose over us and the Union though, neither the Marauders or the Nephandi seam really likely or are you referring to us the Etherites for we can not move that freely without the rest of the Traditions."
The young Etherite replied.

[Basement]

'Your team has been really fucking slow on this one. Chances are, you'd have been black-bagged even before your brass has organised the meeting to discuss the possible problem which might have you kidnapped.' Nicole replied. 'We need to make sure your body don't fall into Fallen hands...' a slither of steel entering her tone here. '-it does not need to be a living body.'

"So now you are threatening to fucking kill me!"
Thomas shouted clearly becoming agitated and he was backing away.
"Fuck you everything I was told about the Traditions are true you are fucking maniacs!"

Nicole took it towards the prisoner Bruce was holding down, ready to truss them up with the tape.

Whoever was controlling the giant stone hand seamed to understand this as the hand opened and dropped the Nephandus at you feet, the man grunted in pain from his injuries and glared at you.
"Fuck you birch!"
He muttered and then came something in that foul collection of sounds the Nephandi seamed to communicate in. Anna who was being led away by Ryan stopped in her track and gave the Nephandus a shocked look whatever he said it was clearly fucking rude.

(OOC: It was a response to this comment did I understand you wrong?
[A bit of an arse-pull, I know; but Nick did enter the scene just before the guy's colours were announced and means nobody has to explain it again.] )

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Common Room]

Anja's Post:

'Hmm... let me put it this way. You're given a slice of cake. You like cake. Cake is familiar. But you bite into it and it's all dry and stale. So you spit it out. You are rejecting that cake. Not cakes in general, like. This means you're willing to select a cake made by a different cake-maker, rather than those weird-looking types making a strange pudding in which you've never seen before and smells funny.'

'We're the alternative cake-makers; us and the Adepts. We offer a fluffy cake with cool marzipan and cherry jam filling, like. It's the cake which matches the picture on the box of the let-down cake given by the Union.'

[Basement]

Anja's Post:

'No... just pointing out that the Fallen do not need you alive.' Nicole retorted. 'If you're a Scientist, you want the facts, no? Even when they're not nice ones? Or perhaps you'd prefer comforting lies, like small children do?' ending with a raised eyebrow.

Anja's Post:

As soon as the Fallen was free, Nicole pounced on him; pinning him down face-down on the floor with her leg. 'Why... don't... you... shut... up. Got a.... fucking headache... as it is.' she muttered loudly, first taping his mouth shut and then working on his arms, using a blade from one of her fingers to slice the tape when needed.

[What I meant was that I did a bit of "RP time" to allow Nicole to hear that Thomas was a Technocrat even though it's unlikely strictly speaking she would have heard that bit of the conversation. I did this mainly so Nicole didn't have to ask a redundant question.]

[Warpmind]

[Steelhaven Garage]

"Yes they where not harmed, Mr Darehill is guarding them for now. I saw them in the common room they looked perfectlly unharmed Sir."
The hedge witch replied.

Colin nodded, "Good... Wait, Mr. Darehill took them to safety, not Mr. Yager? Hum... another wiggle in the timeline, then..."

"I think many of us would like some questions answered Mr Wainwright, the guy sneaked in with the delegation from Golden Rose or whatever the fuck that Chantry is called, only when restrained he apparently don't like like him anymore it is causing a bit of a stir."
Bianca replied.

He frowned, then his brow furrowed, "Hum, this Flavian chap, isn't he with that group, too?"

((OOC: I think I see a bit of where the disagreement stems for. At least nine times out of ten, I would agree with smaller, more maneuverable ships. The scenario where I would prefer the Yamato would be when you are literally standing in your own doorway, trying to stop a group of large, heavily-armed and armored intruders from entering. Any scenario where smaller craft can't bait the opponent into disadvantageous positions, where the enemy craft are too big to care much about the efforts of figurative gnats swarming around them while they get close enough to bring all their armaments to bear on the, well, planetary surface, Jeune École is... slightly less suited. Basically, for that one scenario, what you want is something big enough, with big enough guns, to either outright destroy the enemy cap ship ship, or interpose itself between the enemy cap ship and whatever you're defending, and basically tank any ship trying to crash into the planetary surface. Mind you, Horizon's getting carrier craft, too, but a big-ass, (slightly) mobile battlefortress does have a function in defensive warfare, on the last line of defense, even if a Jeune École-derived doctrine is employed all the way *before* the enemy might reach the last line. Oh, and Colin's seen four of those battlecruisers, one of which while on foot... when he knocked on the door and offered a book and a half-kilo block of margarine. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Common Room]

'Hmm... let me put it this way. You're given a slice of cake. You like cake. Cake is familiar. But you bite into it and it's all dry and stale. So you spit it out. You are rejecting that cake. Not cakes in general, like. This means you're willing to select a cake made by a different cake-maker, rather than those weird-looking types making a strange pudding in which you've never seen before and smells funny.'

'We're the alternative cake-makers; us and the Adepts. We offer a fluffy cake with cool marzipan and cherry jam filling, like. It's the cake which matches the picture on the box of the let-down cake given by the Union.'

"I get what you are saying, the problem, is that you assume that everyone is well informed. The problem is that the Union is not going to present them one cake and then we can present another and everyone is free to choose. Instead the Union will say, ok guys our cake sucks, however do you know many who have been ripped apart by werewolves? Did your mother get eaten by a vampire, did a blood witch sacrifice your brother? No well you are welcome, follow us for we will offer security and those guys over there even if they are well meaning do not have the resources to say the same. Most would choose security over yummy cake."
Chris said then he sigh.
"And now I am hungry."

[Basement]

'No... just pointing out that the Fallen do not need you alive.' Nicole retorted. 'If you're a Scientist, you want the facts, no? Even when they're not nice ones? Or perhaps you'd prefer comforting lies, like small children do?' ending with a raised eyebrow.

Thomas looked a little like he would like some comforting lies like now but he sigh and nodded.
"O...ok you meant the Nephandi...well yes I guess they do not need me alive, but that still do not make it ok to take me here under false pretenses."
He muttered sullenly but he had stopped backing away at least.

As soon as the Fallen was free, Nicole pounced on him; pinning him down face-down on the floor with her leg. 'Why... don't... you... shut... up. Got a.... fucking headache... as it is.' she muttered loudly, first taping his mouth shut and then working on his arms, using a blade from one of her fingers to slice the tape when needed.

The Nephandus groaned in pain as you leaned on him.
"Fucking fat bitch."
He managed to get out before you taped his mouth shut and the rest came out as mumble mumble mumble. You got his hands and arms secured the man was injured and he could not put up much of a fight.

[Steelhaven Garage]

Colin nodded, "Good... Wait, Mr. Darehill took them to safety, not Mr. Yager? Hum... another wiggle in the timeline, then..."

"The way I was told Mr Yager and Mr Roth Hicks saved the girls during the attack, Mr Roth Hicks made himself a human shield to protect them and Mr Yager fucked with the attacker's luck I was told and then there is this Mirror Shade kid and gravity is all messed up and a giant stone hand and Mr Yager had to tend to a upset lich, or something."
Bianca explained.
"I don't know I was not there..."

He frowned, then his brow furrowed, "Hum, this Flavian chap, isn't he with that group, too?"

"Yeah that he is and he is an asshole he hit Allison."
The hedge witch grumbled.

(OOC: Ah understood misunderstanding cleared up seams reasonable yes.)

[Warpmind]

[Steelhaven Garage]

"The way I was told Mr Yager and Mr Roth Hicks saved the girls during the attack, Mr Roth Hicks made himself a human shield to protect them and Mr Yager fucked with the attacker's luck I was told and then there is this Mirror Shade kid and gravity is all messed up and a giant stone hand and Mr Yager had to tend to a upset lich, or something."
Bianca explained.
"I don't know I was not there..."

Colin nodded sagely, "Good, good, they managed to bring the young man to safety here... Er, upset lich? Someone troubled Lady Crexia?"

"Yeah that he is and he is an asshole he hit Allison."
The hedge witch grumbled.

He frowned, "That suddenly upgrades Mr. Flavian from an irritant to a security breach... I'd better have a word with him sooner, rather than later. I'm given to understand Mr. Flavian is the de facto leader of that contingent?"

((OOC: Oh, forgot to mention earlier, regarding mad scientists and torches and pitchforks - not ALL movies revolving around mad scientists involve torches and pitchforks, or equivalents thereof. The Jurassic Park movies don't have that sort of trouble (though a lot of other problems, I will allow), and then there's the Back to the Future trilogy, Weird Science, and the Ghostbusters franchise. Don't recall there being mention of torches or pitchforks in The Fly, either... Plenty of good and bad Mad Science without having to worry about revolting peasants, you know. ))

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Common Room]

Anja's Post:

'Ah, you forget an important thing; all those shit things happened on their watch. And...' dropping her voice '-you don't think there's some in the Union who think they're going about it all wrong? That the tactics and targets are incorrect? That some of the problems in fact may be being made worse by their actions?'

'Well, go and discover cake. Sure there's something...' ending with a little grin.

[Basement]

Anja's Post:

Nicole gave a clear "not my problem or fault" shrug.

Anja's Post:

'Ironically, I'd be lighter if it was fat.' Nicole quipped brightly, finishing off securing the prisoner. 'Where he's going?' looking to the Chief for orders.

[Part of the problem is it's not "a doorway". It's more akin to standing on a large lawn with no borders trying to keep a bird from stealing your dinner. They can simply dart around you, swoop from above etc. Therefore, we can 'put netting up' to aid the defence, rather than making you the Green Giant. Horizon can have the monster guns, but they're in the ground instead; after all, an EtherYamato would *only* be risked to save Horizon, so there's no point in having those guns able to move (and makes them tougher, as you could encase them in rock etc). And it's highly likely that Horizon has it's own squadron(s) of converted fighters and bombers. RL has several examples of how a monster ship can be killed using Jeune École; the destruction of 'Force Z' in 1941 a case in point, as well as the death of Yamato herself. And the Great One never said *how* big the battlecruisers were; they might in fact be similar in size to the current capital ships the two other Fleets have. After all, it's not like Colin had the time and a measuring-tape, is it?]

[Mad Scientists don't need 'protection' from ignorant peasants. That's what their myriad of doomsday devices are for! *smirks*]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Common Room]

'Ah, you forget an important thing; all those shit things happened on their watch. And...' dropping her voice '-you don't think there's some in the Union who think they're going about it all wrong? That the tactics and targets are incorrect? That some of the problems in fact may be being made worse by their actions?'

"I am sure there are some Technocrats who do not agree with the party line yes."
Chris said.
"But getting them to join us is not going to be easy and I do not think it will be easy to convince the sleepers that we are a better choice but I hope you are right Ma'am."

'Well, go and discover cake. Sure there's something...' ending with a little grin.

"Well I do think I have a candy bar in my pack, but I try to not get to full before a battle, I do not want to get sluggish."
The young Etherite said with a grin.
"First kick Nephandi ass then cake."

[Basement]

Nicole gave a clear "not my problem or fault" shrug.

Thomas scowled at you.

'Ironically, I'd be lighter if it was fat.' Nicole quipped brightly, finishing off securing the prisoner. 'Where he's going?' looking to the Chief for orders.

The Nephandus glared at you and mumbled he could not do much more.
"The wash room should be empty, you can tie him to a wall fixture there."
Jeffry said.
"Make sure he have no chance to escape or end himself."

[Steelhaven Basement]

Colin nodded sagely, "Good, good, they managed to bring the young man to safety here... Er, upset lich? Someone troubled Lady Crexia?"

"No a male lich, but they don't let us see him, he don't like allot of people and noise or something. Mr Roth Hicks found him somewhere."
Bianca said.
"He cast some impressive spells in the basement I hear."

He frowned, "That suddenly upgrades Mr. Flavian from an irritant to a security breach... I'd better have a word with him sooner, rather than later. I'm given to understand Mr. Flavian is the de facto leader of that contingent?"

"He is not actually he just pretends to be. It is this old Sons of Ether dude who are the senior among the guys from Worchester but he is like real quiet and laid back like. He asked about you though apparently the guy know who you are, but I think this Flavian asshole is the senior from Chantry Golden Rose, this old Etherite is from another Chantry like or something."
The hedge witch explained.

(OOC: You will have to take that up with Chris...also doomsday devices solve every problem.)

[Warpmind]

[Steelhaven Basement]

"No a male lich, but they don't let us see him, he don't like allot of people and noise or something. Mr Roth Hicks found him somewhere."
Bianca said.
"He cast some impressive spells in the basement I hear."

Colin frowned, "Hm, that was unexpected. Well, I should ask Adley, then..."

"He is not actually he just pretends to be. It is this old Sons of Ether dude who are the senior among the guys from Worchester but he is like real quiet and laid back like. He asked about you though apparently the guy know who you are, but I think this Flavian asshole is the senior from Chantry Golden Rose, this old Etherite is from another Chantry like or something."
The hedge witch explained.

He nodded, "Ah, Mr. Tasselwell? Highly functional drunk, decent pilot? Hum, but I meant if Mr. Flavian is the head of the group from his own Chantry, not the leader of all our external reinforcements..."

((OOC: Which is why you would want a huge capship that offers some mobility, unlike a fixed battle station. Because with those polyps, you don't want to merely kill it, you want to physically stop it so it doesn't become a very wide smear in the middle of a populated city... a fixed turret on the ground can't move to intercept a battlecruiser on a ballistic trajectory. As for the size and power, size isn't the *only* factor, but I seem to recall that it was implied or even explicitly stated that two Nephandi Battlecruisers will lose to three Union Dreadnoughts... and the last surviving Dreadnought will be limping home. And Colin got better looks at the horrid things than he wanted to. And he doesn't *need* a measuring tape to gauge size accurately, what with his little Correspondence knacks...))

((OOC: Doomsday devices mean never having to admit you're sorry... ))

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