Re: The Sad Chronomancer, Useful Cats and a old Exemplar IC Thread 48

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Villa]

Colin nodded, "That's one viable option, then."

Chris nodded at that.

He pondered for a moment, "Well, we do have both options, then... but I think we should probably tie it off and making an amusing detonation; after all, they're trying to summon a Meajin Incarna, so preventing that entirely would probably be better than just shifting their power supply..."

"So what you need my help for Mr Wainwright is just giving you remote accsess so you can tie off the drawin to the Life Tree and detonate the flow back to the one who is draining it?"
The Virtual Adept asked.
"I agree we want to avoid the summoning of a Meajin Incarna at all cost, those guys are bad news."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Ritual Room, 12.30]

Anja's Post:

Serge's Post:

As Nicole looked at the drawing with more care, she'd feel rattled by it; enough that it was visible on her face. Rattled and awkward; that she was almost uncomfortable about looking back so closely to that time. Her free hand began to drum on her thigh, bit her lip, could feel herself starting to sweat. 'You'll
charge a mounted flamethrower, fight a Despair Squid, be the first through a hostile transport portal and tell seniors to shove it when they deserve it... yet you're scared of your past self?' a voice within says, almost mockingly...

[The market for a cinema in Concordia would be over 10k, for there's the smaller settlements which are economic satellites of the 'big city'. And there's been these sinister 'moving images' for around 120 years by now, so it's hardly a new thing. However, I suspect Horizon's Intranet would be a 'walled garden', with periodic updates via SneakerNet.]

[Speaking of which, I can imagine a load of 'hybrid' business opportunities on Horizon. One was of a lingerie store where Matter is used on the Sleeper-made products to make them fit each customer perfectly. Same principle for shoes or other clothes too. And a myriad of Foci and low-level Trinkets, obviously - for the 'tourist trade' and/or to fund Earth-bound Chantries.]

[People, please date your locations - if anything, it shows if any of us is running ahead...]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Ritual Room, 12.30]

As Nicole looked at the drawing with more care, she'd feel rattled by it; enough that it was visible on her face. Rattled and awkward; that she was almost uncomfortable about looking back so closely to that time. Her free hand began to drum on her thigh, bit her lip, could feel herself starting to sweat. 'You'll
charge a mounted flamethrower, fight a Despair Squid, be the first through a hostile transport portal and tell seniors to shove it when they deserve it... yet you're scared of your past self?' a voice within says, almost mockingly...

The working continued around you, the chanting, the dizzying feeling as Serge led you towards your former self, and then...everything went black before you woke up in the past, or rather, was aware that you was in the past, as the person you had once been...together with who you had once been, a deep emplty effling inside you where your Genious was still sleeping.

Nicole's body in the present just stood there, sort of in a trance. George nodded to Serge.
"If you gently lead Miss Bouchard out of the triangle then we can work on Mr Roth Hicks."
The Primus said then he gave Adley and encouraging smile.

(OOC: Yes there are other settlements but they are mostly villages with nto allot of inhabitants but even so it is enough of a market for a cinema.)

(OOC 2: It is likely many stores can offer services like adjusting clothes with magick yes. And yes shops with magickal supplies, foci and the like would be commonplace.)

(OOC 3: I will try to remember. Also I will get the thread for the past up as soon as possible.)

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Ritual Room, 12.30]

Nicole's body in the present just stood there, sort of in a trance. George nodded to Serge.
"If you gently lead Miss Bouchard out of the triangle then we can work on Mr Roth Hicks."
The Primus said then he gave Adley and encouraging smile.

Serge looked shell-shocked as he temporarily broke out of his own trance. The sheer weight of seeing the illusion of time ripped apart in front of him, and more importantly being a direct part of it, had clearly made a lasting impression on him.

He followed the Primus's instruction in an almost zombie-like fashion, leading the now abnormally quiet body of his Etherite cabalmate out of the triangle. Afterwards he took a moment to look at Adley. "Brian's turn now..." he muttered to himself before returning back to the circle.

[Amadeus's rooms, 1]

"Anyone decent would have called for help when someone faint and they themselves are unable to help."
Thomas protested.

"True. Doesn't make it any less helpful." Serge said with a shrug.

"No they are not to tight, but off course my joints are sore from lack of movement, but laying down is not as bad as being tied to a chair. My fingers ache a bit but I think they are fine as well."
The young Void Engineer said.
"It is not a huge problem. I am fine I think."

Bianca started moving on the sofa moaning slightly.
"Fuck!"
She grunted. Thomas looked at Serge.
"You should probably check on Bianca."
The kid commented.
"I think she just woke up."

"Yeah." Serge said walking towards the now awake Hedge mage. He knelt down so that he wasn't towering over Bianca and said, "Welcome back Bianca. How're you feeling? You weren't out long. Dr. Lee should be back soon."

(OOC: I'm actually not sure if Adley's real name (Brian) is something he keeps actively hidden from the other PC's or is something that Serge can learn from his Demesne insights. If Serge shouldn't know about it then let me know and I'll edit my post a little bit.)

[Adley]

[Ritual Rooms, 12:30]

George nodded to Serge.
"If you gently lead Miss Bouchard out of the triangle then we can work on Mr Roth Hicks."
The Primus said then he gave Adley and encouraging smile.

Serge looked shell-shocked as he temporarily broke out of his own trance. The sheer weight of seeing the illusion of time ripped apart in front of him, and more importantly being a direct part of it, had clearly made a lasting impression on him.

He followed the Primus's instruction in an almost zombie-like fashion, leading the now abnormally quiet body of his Etherite cabalmate out of the triangle. Afterwards he took a moment to look at Adley. "Brian's turn now..." he muttered to himself before returning back to the circle.

He glanced between the Primus, then back over to Serge with a flicker of surprise. He started to say something, but then stopped, shifting from foot to foot and then taking the space that Nicole had previously occupied, watching her, it was strange, there she was completely tranced out. It was the quietest he'd seen her aside from possibly asleep. He tried to clear the clutter out of his mind, and then focus on the picture, on his past self, on being Brain again.

[Bee's rooms, 1am]

Amadeus nodded he took another bite of the energy bar.
"I will have to check on Beatrice and Bianca and call the other Coven members."
He muttered concern on his face.
"Are things being done to protect the tree?"

"Yes, but we'll need backup. I don't want to say too much in specifics, just in case...yes, checking on the others that aren't here is a good idea. I have the number for one person, I can call him?" he offered, showing him Mr Ackerman's number.

"Well i guess we did...you bloody Hermetic."
The Verbena grunted but some of the bite was out of his response.

"Bloody Verbena seems more accurate, sir."

"Well I should be fine enough to pull my weight as soon as I have checked on my coven, my head is killing me but I do not feel injured, I can still fight."
He said as he slowly sat up with a groan.
"Time travel suck and also the Nephandi are assholes."

"At least we can agree on that."

// he doesn't use Brian much, but it's not impossible at all to find. He had his name legally changed likely, but anyone with any skill at all could find his birth record which is public and his family still calls him Brian obviously, so it's in circulation.. Basically hermetics use true Names as focii, and go to a lot of trouble to divorce or lessen arcane connections between their old names and the ones they get given as apprentices, which are temporary, and the ones they pick themselves when they are initiated, the whole process of ritual being to divorce their old lives from their new ones, that they have chosen and been guided towards. The 'new names' are treated as something like a personal formulae, riddled with nonsense phrases, similar to voces magicae, a kind of 'noise' to make it hard to scry on them (as in cryptography) and titles and allusions, only two people generally know their whole Name once they are initiated, unless they tell someone else, themselves and their mentors. The latter is to make sure that if their apprentice goes off the rails, they can put him down, probably.

TL;DR: I don't mind you having used Brian at all, I think it goes with the scene thematically with him being in a trance and all the time magick. I would say it's not impossible he'd know his first name was Brian, but it would be a lot harder to know his full Hermetic Name. Up to Anja ofc.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Ritual Room, 12.30]

He followed the Primus's instruction in an almost zombie-like fashion, leading the now abnormally quiet body of his Etherite cabalmate out of the triangle. Afterwards he took a moment to look at Adley. "Brian's turn now..." he muttered to himself before returning back to the circle.

You only begun to mutter the name when there was a sort of static sound that obscured the rest and George stood there with his hands in hand sigils.
"Careful child, a Hermetic would not like you speaking his birth name, if you know it then it is a closely guarded secret and not something to be uttered, anywhere am I clear?"
The primus said sternly as he regarded the young Cultist.

He glanced between the Primus, then back over to Serge with a flicker of surprise. He started to say something, but then stopped, shifting from foot to foot and then taking the space that Nicole had previously occupied, watching her, it was strange, there she was completely tranced out. It was the quietest he'd seen her aside from possibly asleep. He tried to clear the clutter out of his mind, and then focus on the picture, on his past self, on being Brain again.

The ritual begun again. There was chanting and a strange feeling of dizzyness. Serge will feel the gates of time opening and George gestured slightly towards Serge.
"You can lead my young Sodalis back to his past self now child."
He said kindly.

[Amadeus's rooms, 1]

"True. Doesn't make it any less helpful." Serge said with a shrug.

"I gues so, anyway I did little but shout for help."
Thomas muttered.

"Yeah." Serge said walking towards the now awake Hedge mage. He knelt down so that he wasn't towering over Bianca and said, "Welcome back Bianca. How're you feeling? You weren't out long. Dr. Lee should be back soon."

"I am...okey I guess...my head is killing me...the Tree...something is wrong with our World Tree!"
Bianca exclaimed.

[Bee's rooms, 1am]

Yes, but we'll need backup. I don't want to say too much in specifics, just in case...yes, checking on the others that aren't here is a good idea. I have the number for one person, I can call him?" he offered, showing him Mr Ackerman's number.

"You do not want to say to much about the defense of MY Coven's World Tree?"
Amadeus said sharkly.
"So who may I ask are worthy of that information...yes if you can call the person in charge of the defenses that would be good."
The volatile Verbena seamed rather anoyed.

"Bloody Verbena seems more accurate, sir."

This made the grumphy old blood which chuckle.
"Well you do have a poit there."
He said with a grin.
"Frequently that is indeed the case."

"At least we can agree on that."

"Yeah...well we are hopefully done with time travels for now and we are going to bleed the Nephandi of their heart blood and leave their lifeless husks for the rats."
Amadeus declared with a grunt as he got up and went to the kitchenette to splash some water on his face.

(OOC: It is completley up to Adley if he have shared his birth name with Serge or not. George is nto happy about it being spoken though.)

[Adley]

[Bee's rooms, 1 am]

"You do not want to say to much about the defense of MY Coven's World Tree?"
Amadeus said sharkly.
"So who may I ask are worthy of that information...yes if you can call the person in charge of the defenses that would be good."
The volatile Verbena seamed rather anoyed.

He shook his head. "Someone may have overheard me before, sir. I don't want anyone /else/ listening to know if they don't already; I'll write it out for you. I'm just trying to keep it safe from further harm," then wrote Master Nassa an overview of what he knew was going on with the tree, that the Nephandi had attacked, and that there were werewolves protecting it, and they were currently engaged, then handed the tablet over to him.

"Yeah...well we are hopefully done with time travels for now and we are going to bleed the Nephandi of their heart blood and leave their lifeless husks for the rats."
Amadeus declared with a grunt

"I think they would be too bitter even for rats." He hit the number on and He also took the moment after Richard's departure to return Bee's dagger to it's proper place, while he was in the room.

[Warpmind]

[Villa (oneish?)]

"So what you need my help for Mr Wainwright is just giving you remote accsess so you can tie off the drawin to the Life Tree and detonate the flow back to the one who is draining it?"
The Virtual Adept asked.
"I agree we want to avoid the summoning of a Meajin Incarna at all cost, those guys are bad news."

Colin nodded, "Destroy Riverside, and cripple Westchapel, unless he can be stopped. I suspect those were targeted in that still-preventable future due to already having compromised residents... Steelhaven already dealt with the two compromised individuals under our roof earlier. Warnings have been issued, of course, to prevent complete surprise, and their attempt to get all the Quintessence needed, well..."
He quickly prepared the circle for the Scrambler on a new page of his notebook, "Let's finish that fuel line, shall we? I'm already on that certain dark patron's bad side, might as well add a humongous prime bolt to the list of highly personal offenses..."

((OOC: Oh, yeah, ticking clock, sorry, Nick. Slipped my mime a bit, since Colin's buggered off elsewhere. ))

((OOC2: And yeah, imports to Horizon is probably a bigger trade than exports to Earth. All those pesky Magewrought items would be hard to sell without official-looking gentlemen in matching black suits knocking on your door with a few questions about the items' origin... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Bee's rooms, 1 am]

He shook his head. "Someone may have overheard me before, sir. I don't want anyone /else/ listening to know if they don't already; I'll write it out for you. I'm just trying to keep it safe from further harm," then wrote Master Nassa an overview of what he knew was going on with the tree, that the Nephandi had attacked, and that there were werewolves protecting it, and they were currently engaged, then handed the tablet over to him.

Amadeus pulled a set of glasses out of his pocket, put them on his nose and took the tablet and read what you had written, he frowned deeply then he handed the tablet back to you and nodded.
"I see, well hopefully these defenses will work, I would like to help though."
The old Verbena said as he put his glasses away again.
"I will have to check on my Coven."

"I think they would be too bitter even for rats." He hit the number on and He also took the moment after Richard's departure to return Bee's dagger to it's proper place, while he was in the room.

"You may be right, but the Nephandi deserve no better fate."
The old healer said as he splashed water on his face. You got put Beatrice's dagger back where it belonged.
"Well I will have to contact my Coven and I should be well enough..."
Amadeus said then he gave you a look, he did nto thank you but he was thankful for the help.

[Villa (oneish?)]

Colin nodded, "Destroy Riverside, and cripple Westchapel, unless he can be stopped. I suspect those were targeted in that still-preventable future due to already having compromised residents... Steelhaven already dealt with the two compromised individuals under our roof earlier. Warnings have been issued, of course, to prevent complete surprise, and their attempt to get all the Quintessence needed, well..."
He quickly prepared the circle for the Scrambler on a new page of his notebook, "Let's finish that fuel line, shall we? I'm already on that certain dark patron's bad side, might as well add a humongous prime bolt to the list of highly personal offenses..."

Chris frowned deeply.
"Westchapel is the Chantry I live at."
He muttered.
"You think someone who is compromised by the Nephandi are there...I can not imagine that."
The Virtual Adept asked darkly as he wrote on his computer.
"Ah yes getting on dark beings bad side...it is a hobby...ok a connection to the World Tree opening in three...two..."
He counted down for you ready to hit enter when you where ready.

[Adley]

[Bee's rooms, 1 am]

Amadeus pulled a set of glasses out of his pocket, put them on his nose and took the tablet and read what you had written, he frowned deeply then he handed the tablet back to you and nodded.
"I see, well hopefully these defenses will work, I would like to help though."
The old Verbena said as he put his glasses away again.
"I will have to check on my Coven."

"Yes, definitely."

"Well I will have to contact my Coven and I should be well enough..."
Amadeus said then he gave you a look, he did nto thank you but he was thankful for the help.

He nodded, as he was on the phone to Mr Ackerman himself, to see if he answered.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Bee's rooms, 1 am]

"Yes, definitely."

Amadeus finished splashing water on his face in order to wake himself up properly and he pulled out his phone from a pocket and called a number.
"Thorn? What is happening?"
He asked whoever was on the other line, probably Thorn the Verbena you and your Cabal had rescued at the Umbra port two months ago, the one who had taken over Raven's apprentice when the blood witch died due to Jace's security system.

He nodded, as he was on the phone to Mr Ackerman himself, to see if he answered.

You heard some squaking and scratching when Mr Acherman ansvered the phone then a short time after.
"Oh...sorry about that Mr Roth Hicks...I forgot to change shape, it is me, I am in the middle of defending our tree though...so I do not have much time."
The Verbena said sounding a bit stressed.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Ritual Room, 12.30]

You only begun to mutter the name when there was a sort of static sound that obscured the rest and George stood there with his hands in hand sigils.
"Careful child, a Hermetic would not like you speaking his birth name, if you know it then it is a closely guarded secret and not something to be uttered, anywhere am I clear?"
The primus said sternly as he regarded the young Cultist.

"Of course......Of course" Serge said, still in his trance-like state but looking confused all the same. "It's strange....I don't remember hearing that name before. I apologize. I won't speak it again."

He glanced between the Primus, then back over to Serge with a flicker of surprise. He started to say something, but then stopped, shifting from foot to foot and then taking the space that Nicole had previously occupied, watching her, it was strange, there she was completely tranced out. It was the quietest he'd seen her aside from possibly asleep. He tried to clear the clutter out of his mind, and then focus on the picture, on his past self, on being Brain again.

The ritual begun again. There was chanting and a strange feeling of dizzyness. Serge will feel the gates of time opening and George gestured slightly towards Serge.
"You can lead my young Sodalis back to his past self now child."
He said kindly.

Serge stood in the circle and let the chanting fill his soul once more. As he opened his mind, vision of the gates of time flooded through him. He basked in that glory and watched as the blue and gold sparks spiraled enthralled by the secrets that lay just beyond them. He composed himself and let the insights he had gleaned from his time in his realm light up a path for him to guide his awaiting cabalmate.

"How it amuses me that we look to the past for answers. To a time where all you did was look to the past for answers. I suppose some things never change....." he finally began, the airy tone of his voice returning once more.

As the cultists voice entered his mind, Adley would notice the picture flickering between his older self and younger self. Flickering faster and faster until they became one image entirely. As Serge forged the connection between the mind of his past and present self, Adley would begin to see memories of the two time periods. Both performing the same tasks whether that was reading stories, studying new languages, or any other such task that the two time-separated entities shared.

"A knight, A scholar, a guardian, and a phoenix. So many names. So many titles. All earned through hardship, then and now. So many desires. I wonder....do they still flood your mind? Weight down your heart? Do you still search for answers to questions you haven't yet determined? Plan for battles against a myriad of imagined enemies?" he spoke, his voice always audible despite the Hermetic chanting echoing around them.

"No matter our age or attempts to stop it, life is so full chaos. A constant battle for survival. But I suppose that is the nature of fire. Though you may try to keep it concealed, that fire of passion always burns within you, connecting you between the ages." he said, still speaking quite absentmindedly as if constantly distracted from the task at hand, "But.....perhaps I'm wrong. Or perhaps I'm right. What do you believe? That's all that matters after all. Perhaps we could discover it together? Just....follow.....me...."

As he spoke those last words, Adley would see a hand in his mind. Emblazoned with the familiar picture of a flaming rose, the hand beckoned him forward into the gates of time. Whether he accepted the guidance was up to him.  

[Amadeus's rooms, 1am]

"I am...okey I guess...my head is killing me...the Tree...something is wrong with our World Tree!"
Bianca exclaimed.

"Don't worry." Serge said in a reassuring voice. "The chantry knows about it. I'm sure people are already on their way to defend it. It's under control."

(OOC: Same spell as last time. Guiding Adley's mind to his past self by focusing on elements which make them similar. Get a difficulty reduction due to nearby node and demesne preparation.

Roll: 8, 10, 2, 9 - 6, 1, 5, 2 - 9, 5, 3, 5 - 3, 3, 5, 7 - 5, 10, 6, 1)

(OOC2: Would guiding minds back to the past and being exposed to the nature of time by being directly in the middle of a Master Level Time Spell be a good enough condition for Serge to spontaneously gain a dot in the Time Sphere?)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Ritual Room, 12.30]

"Of course......Of course" Serge said, still in his trance-like state but looking confused all the same. "It's strange....I don't remember hearing that name before. I apologize. I won't speak it again."

George nodded at that and said nothing more about it.

Serge stood in the circle and let the chanting fill his soul once more. As he opened his mind, vision of the gates of time flooded through him. He basked in that glory and watched as the blue and gold sparks spiraled enthralled by the secrets that lay just beyond them. He composed himself and let the insights he had gleaned from his time in his realm light up a path for him to guide his awaiting cabalmate.

"How it amuses me that we look to the past for answers. To a time where all you did was look to the past for answers. I suppose some things never change....." he finally began, the airy tone of his voice returning once more.

As the cultists voice entered his mind, Adley would notice the picture flickering between his older self and younger self. Flickering faster and faster until they became one image entirely. As Serge forged the connection between the mind of his past and present self, Adley would begin to see memories of the two time periods. Both performing the same tasks whether that was reading stories, studying new languages, or any other such task that the two time-separated entities shared.

"A knight, A scholar, a guardian, and a phoenix. So many names. So many titles. All earned through hardship, then and now. So many desires. I wonder....do they still flood your mind? Weight down your heart? Do you still search for answers to questions you haven't yet determined? Plan for battles against a myriad of imagined enemies?" he spoke, his voice always audible despite the Hermetic chanting echoing around them.

"No matter our age or attempts to stop it, life is so full chaos. A constant battle for survival. But I suppose that is the nature of fire. Though you may try to keep it concealed, that fire of passion always burns within you, connecting you between the ages." he said, still speaking quite absentmindedly as if constantly distracted from the task at hand, "But.....perhaps I'm wrong. Or perhaps I'm right. What do you believe? That's all that matters after all. Perhaps we could discover it together? Just....follow.....me...."

As he spoke those last words, Adley would see a hand in his mind. Emblazoned with the familiar picture of a flaming rose, the hand beckoned him forward into the gates of time. Whether he accepted the guidance was up to him.

Adley you felt Serge there in the middle of the dizzying energy around you, beconing to you, asking you to follow and then he would lead you, the portals of time was open before you, glowing, swirling, a gate between now and then, just awaining you taking the first step.

[Amadeus's rooms, 1am]

"Don't worry." Serge said in a reassuring voice. "The chantry knows about it. I'm sure people are already on their way to defend it. It's under control."

"I...but...but..."
Bianca muttered weakly.
"Are you sure the tree is being defended Serge? I feel that I should do something? What about Bee and Amadeus, are they safe?"
The Verbena hedge witch asked.

(OOC: The working go very well, and very nice write up again.)
(OOC 2: Yes that would be a very good justification for it yes.)

[Warpmind]

[Villa (oneish?)]

Chris frowned deeply.
"Westchapel is the Chantry I live at."
He muttered.
"You think someone who is compromised by the Nephandi are there...I can not imagine that."
The Virtual Adept asked darkly as he wrote on his computer.
"Ah yes getting on dark beings bad side...it is a hobby...ok a connection to the World Tree opening in three...two..."
He counted down for you ready to hit enter when you where ready.

Colin nodded, "I am not saying you have Nephandi... I'm saying you may have an Infernalist pacted to Lord Steel the Duke of Hate. And considering one of the two infiltrators we found, not necessarily a willing Infernalist, at that. I... shouldn't say more than that, since the legal case coming from it will likely get nasty."
He nodded, quickly drawing up the circle for the Funnel, combined with the simple Prime Bolt, and replied, "Yes, go."

((OOC: Quick work, then, first to pinch off the Quintessence flow to help discern the direction; Arete roll: 2,7,0. It'll have to do for a quick pinch. Next, detonating the Quintessence flow after the pinch in a chain reaction - going to require a couple extra successes, I think: 2,9,9 - 2,5,7 - 4,6,7. That's as long as Colin dares to take. And I am *guessing* that's a Paradox point, since blowing up a Quintessence stream like that should be Vulgar as all Hell. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Villa 1]

Colin nodded, "I am not saying you have Nephandi... I'm saying you may have an Infernalist pacted to Lord Steel the Duke of Hate. And considering one of the two infiltrators we found, not necessarily a willing Infernalist, at that. I... shouldn't say more than that, since the legal case coming from it will likely get nasty."

"Someone working for Lord Steel the Duke of hate against their will...well i guess it is possible, do you have any idea who it might be Mr Wainwright. I know you said you should say no more about it but if my Chantry is in danger I must inform the Deacon Council to warn them."
Chris said with a frown looking rather concerned.

He nodded, quickly drawing up the circle for the Funnel, combined with the simple Prime Bolt, and replied, "Yes, go."

The Virtual Adept Master pressed enter and then you felt the flow of Quintessence being drained from the Verbena World Tree, a massive flow of power that had been generated though year and decades of the Coven sacrificing their own blood to the tree...and the occasional enemy and traitor off course. You found the flow and blocked it and then detonated it to flow back as a fuse back to the one drawing on the flow of Quintessence with a single curst of Primal energies. You felt reality scowl at you but before Chris closed down the connection again you was sure you heard a woman scream out in pain and protest.

(OOC: Yes it is about 1 in the morning.)
(OOC 2: That is a point of Paradox yes. Reality scowl and Colin.)

[Warpmind]

[Villa 1]

"Someone working for Lord Steel the Duke of hate against their will...well i guess it is possible, do you have any idea who it might be Mr Wainwright. I know you said you should say no more about it but if my Chantry is in danger I must inform the Deacon Council to warn them."
Chris said with a frown looking rather concerned.

Colin frowned, "Master Morgan should have called it in already, I believe, as I did not have the phone numbers in question at hand... but no, I don't know anyone I would suspect, let alone name or accuse, as an Infernalist, willing or not. I am merely suggesting it might be how, in that future timeline, that bastard managed to get through the defenses as he did."

The Virtual Adept Master pressed enter and then you felt the flow of Quintessence being drained from the Verbena World Tree, a massive flow of power that had been generated though year and decades of the Coven sacrificing their own blood to the tree...and the occasional enemy and traitor off course. You found the flow and blocked it and then detonated it to flow back as a fuse back to the one drawing on the flow of Quintessence with a single curst of Primal energies. You felt reality scowl at you but before Chris closed down the connection again you was sure you heard a woman scream out in pain and protest.

He left the chokepoint to linger and dissipate on its own, and let out a small smirk, "I think it worked... I heard a most displeased voice in the distance. I... really need Master Telar soon, though; I'm accumulating more Paradox than I rather appreciate."

((OOC: Colin's got 7 Paradox now; he's going to be quite wary of Reality's dirty looks in the immediate future... ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Villa 1]

Colin frowned, "Master Morgan should have called it in already, I believe, as I did not have the phone numbers in question at hand... but no, I don't know anyone I would suspect, let alone name or accuse, as an Infernalist, willing or not. I am merely suggesting it might be how, in that future timeline, that bastard managed to get through the defenses as he did."

"Well he is a Meajin Incarna I suspect he can get though most defenses."
Chris replies with a frown.
"But yes you are probably right that Master Morgan most likely have called and warned the Deacons already, I should ask him."

He left the chokepoint to linger and dissipate on its own, and let out a small smirk, "I think it worked... I heard a most displeased voice in the distance. I... really need Master Telar soon, though; I'm accumulating more Paradox than I rather appreciate."

"Well the great reckoner will have it's due..."
The Virtual Adept grunted.
"Do you think we managed to stop the flow of Quintessence from the World Tree and do you think the dispelased person is injured enough to be out of comission for a while?"
He asked as he got up from his seat.
"Well we should rapport to Master Morgan."

(OOC: Reality scowl at Colin the way Vervain have been scowling at me todya after I allmost stepped on her in a dark bathroom.)

[Warpmind]

[Villa 1]

"Well he is a Meajin Incarna I suspect he can get though most defenses."
Chris replies with a frown.
"But yes you are probably right that Master Morgan most likely have called and warned the Deacons already, I should ask him."

Colin nodded, "Most likely he can, yes, but I'd surmise he'll prefer to go through the defenses that present less of an obstacle. Such as by virtue of a back door."

"Well the great reckoner will have it's due..."
The Virtual Adept grunted.
"Do you think we managed to stop the flow of Quintessence from the World Tree and do you think the dispelased person is injured enough to be out of comission for a while?"
He asked as he got up from his seat.
"Well we should rapport to Master Morgan."

He shrugged, "I don't rightly know... might have impeded the working, at least, but we'll want to get another close look at whether or not the flow is still going... You report to Master Morgan, I'll confer with one of my contacts at the tree."
He fished out his phone again, messaging Dino, 'Would you kindly ask the Ananasi if she can say whether the draining of the tree is still ongoing? Also, any other allies there yet?'

((OOC: Well, the lack of infrared vision is really no excuse for stepping on a black cat in a dark room, is it?))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Villa 1]

Colin nodded, "Most likely he can, yes, but I'd surmise he'll prefer to go through the defenses that present less of an obstacle. Such as by virtue of a back door."

"I mean why make it dificult if you can make it easy. However there is also the chance that it is bad luck that Westchapel and Riverside are targeted, or that he also intend to go after Steelhaven and Lux Iternis, perhaps the nuns up in Five Sisters as well...how do you know which Chantry will be hit first by the way Mar Wainwright?"
The Virtual Adept asked raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged, "I don't rightly know... might have impeded the working, at least, but we'll want to get another close look at whether or not the flow is still going... You report to Master Morgan, I'll confer with one of my contacts at the tree."

"Very well, I will go and do that now."
Chris said and he snapped together the lid of his laptop and headed into the living room to talk with Jeffry.

He fished out his phone again, messaging Dino, 'Would you kindly ask the Ananasi if she can say whether the draining of the tree is still ongoing? Also, any other allies there yet?'

You got a reply back from Dino.
"The bloody spider says that the flow from the tree have stopped and the webs around it have changed whatever that means. Several of the Verbena have arrived and I have sent Barks-At-All-The-Things and Noble-Until-The-End to meet Miss Mar and her group who just parket at the little parking lot at the entrance to the marches."

(OOC: No that is no excuse at all. I should have worked harder to learn Forces. She is in her shelf, with her but to me, just glaring when I speak to her.)

[Warpmind]

[Villa 1]

"I mean why make it dificult if you can make it easy. However there is also the chance that it is bad luck that Westchapel and Riverside are targeted, or that he also intend to go after Steelhaven and Lux Iternis, perhaps the nuns up in Five Sisters as well...how do you know which Chantry will be hit first by the way Mar Wainwright?"
The Virtual Adept asked raising an eyebrow.

Colin smiled wryly, "An... acquaintance told me, three years from now. I'm... somewhat temporally detached, or more accurately, I will be, so I do get some fairly accurate foreknowledge of imminent troubles. That helped save the world back in September, when I knew to bring a certain book and a block of margarine to bribe the Handler of the Great Polyp the Nephandi were using for a Labyrinth... Lovely lady, too, and quite willing to help us defeat her tormentors."

You got a reply back from Dino.
"The bloody spider says that the flow from the tree have stopped and the webs around it have changed whatever that means. Several of the Verbena have arrived and I have sent Barks-At-All-The-Things and Noble-Until-The-End to meet Miss Mar and her group who just parket at the little parking lot at the entrance to the marches."

He sighed with relief, replying quickly, 'Hopefully, that will be enough to slow down, or even prevent the summoning they were attempting. Give my best to your pack and to the Ananasi.'
He pocketed the phone again, frowning for a moment, then shook his head as he returned to the living room, muttering "I don't know whether I want to ask, or decidedly don't want to ask Dino about their naming conventions... I thought Hermetics were odd in that regard..."

((OOC: And now Colin's even more irritating with even more undeniable results in Helena's book, isn't he? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Villa 1]

Colin smiled wryly, "An... acquaintance told me, three years from now. I'm... somewhat temporally detached, or more accurately, I will be, so I do get some fairly accurate foreknowledge of imminent troubles. That helped save the world back in September, when I knew to bring a certain book and a block of margarine to bribe the Handler of the Great Polyp the Nephandi were using for a Labyrinth... Lovely lady, too, and quite willing to help us defeat her tormentors."

Chris raised an eyebrow.
"Now someone getting messages from the future that I have heard of and nto being completely stuck in one point in time that I have heard of as well but...you bribed a Nephandi Handler with butter and a book and got her to help us? How...why?"
The Virtual Adept looked rather incredulous.

He sighed with relief, replying quickly, 'Hopefully, that will be enough to slow down, or even prevent the summoning they were attempting. Give my best to your pack and to the Ananasi.'

You got a reply back which simply said.
"Will do."

He pocketed the phone again, frowning for a moment, then shook his head as he returned to the living room, muttering "I don't know whether I want to ask, or decidedly don't want to ask Dino about their naming conventions... I thought Hermetics were odd in that regard..."

Jeffry stood talking with Chris, Darrian was clearly standing guard over the troll doll.
"I was told it was sucsessful Mr Wainwright."
The Security Chief asked though he rised an eyebrow over your muttering.
"Well now all we need to is wait for the main strike force, unless you think they will need more hands at the Life Tree for now Mr Wainwright."

(OOC: And the most anoying but effective mage award go to...)

[Warpmind]

[Villa 1]

Chris raised an eyebrow.
"Now someone getting messages from the future that I have heard of and nto being completely stuck in one point in time that I have heard of as well but...you bribed a Nephandi Handler with butter and a book and got her to help us? How...why?"
The Virtual Adept looked rather incredulous.

Colin grinned and found the picture of Dalisse on his phone, showing Chris, "She's quite the fan of Dune, and I happened to have a nice hardcover copy... and access to a block of a Norwegian margarine, brand name Melange. She appreciated the humour in the gesture."

Jeffry stood talking with Chris, Darrian was clearly standing guard over the troll doll.
"I was told it was sucsessful Mr Wainwright."
The Security Chief asked though he rised an eyebrow over your muttering.
"Well now all we need to is wait for the main strike force, unless you think they will need more hands at the Life Tree for now Mr Wainwright."

He nodded, "According to our allies at the Tree, the draining has ceased, so there's a fair chance the summoning has been interrupted, possibly completely. Miss Mar has arrived at the marshes, and Dr. Acevedo has sent, er, Barks-At-All-The-Things and Noble-Until-The-End to meet her. It seems Garou have somewhat... more elaborate name-related practices than the Order does. Seems all we have to do is indeed to wait for the rest of the strike force."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Villa 1]

Colin grinned and found the picture of Dalisse on his phone, showing Chris, "She's quite the fan of Dune, and I happened to have a nice hardcover copy... and access to a block of a Norwegian margarine, brand name Melange. She appreciated the humour in the gesture."

"Well...she do look a bit like a Spacing Guld Navigator I guess and it is a cute gift but she is still a Nephanda is she not I am suprised she was willing to aid you."
Chris said and he raised an eyebrow.

He nodded, "According to our allies at the Tree, the draining has ceased, so there's a fair chance the summoning has been interrupted, possibly completely. Miss Mar has arrived at the marshes, and Dr. Acevedo has sent, er, Barks-At-All-The-Things and Noble-Until-The-End to meet her. It seems Garou have somewhat... more elaborate name-related practices than the Order does. Seems all we have to do is indeed to wait for the rest of the strike force."

"Well that is good, at the very least that should give some breathing space for our side to mout defences of the Life Tree."
Jeffry said with a nod.
"It is odd then that Dr Acevedo have a normal name while his friends are named...whole sentences."
Darrian commented.
"Curious indeed it sounds like there are stories behind those names."
Jeffry said with a slight smile.
"But yes for now we have to wait for the rest of the strike force before we take the Labyrinth."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Ritual Room, 12.30]

Anja's Post:

Nicole stood her ground, even though she desired to retreat from this...

[Serge knew Adley's real first name but didn't know Nicole's real last name...]

[Not sure where to go from here; the '03 thread not started yet and don't know where to have Nick return to afterwards as the 'after' scene started some time ago...]

[Economically, I'd argue that Horizon resembles the 'tourist towns' on Earth - the place *is* the premier Awakened 'honeypot' in the world (or the Ellis Island of the Traditions; everyone passes through there at least once). That a heavy % of the workforce is either directly or indirectly tied to the visitors, a significant amount of the property-space are short rentals (like the Chief's home is normally) and much of Horizon's imports are for re-sale to the visitors. This income would solve Horizon's 'balance of payments' issue otherwise she'd have a heavy trade deficit, which she'd have to plug with - I assume - sales of Tass. Horizon would also need a decent amount of income anyway to pay for it's 'government'.]

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

(OOC: I will reply to the OOC comments in the OOC thread.)

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