Re: The trouble with corrupted Nodes, Hedge Wizards and Cranky Judges IC thread 2

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled. "Indeed, I might sound a bit pretentious in stating that many fine things come from old Albion... and her old colonies. But yes, I think we have all the details in place. I can get started in the morning on the blade, though it will take a few days to get the block of wood."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"I did expect it to take a few days Mr Wainwright."
The old Verbena said.
"Contact me when the blade is done and I will come and pick it up and give you your pay"
Amadeus said then he turned to leave but he stopped and hesitated.
"I do have one..favor to ask you though, hopefully it will not be needed, hopefully we will find a way to stop the Hermetic Enforcer's plan...but if not..."
The old Verbena hesitated again obviously what he was saying was hard for him to speak about.
"What Madame D'Angelo want to have done to my apprentice...it will not kill her, her body will survive...but without magick...without an Avatar...a mage in such a state is left a husk, the victims of that rite loose all will to live, but also the will to do something about it, their soul in effect die. Usually an execution is given right after the ritual, it is the only mercy one can give someone who have been through something like that...Beatrice's sentence say she can choose if she want to live or not...but if she choose death afterwards..."
Amadeus closes his eyes, the topic was not easy for him to talk about.
"You where a soldier Mr Wainwright, you know how to kill...cleanly...and I do not want her life to be taken by a stranger, and I fear I...I would hesitate, even if I knew that after such a rite death would be a kindness...I fear I would not be able to..."
The old Verbena drew a deep breath.
"Do you understand what I am asking you Mr Wainwright? If the worst where to happen...once it it done I would want kind hands to...end her suffering."

[Warpmind]

Colin breathed deeply, the events of yesterday flashing to the fore of his mind again.
"It is... an ugly thing. I've done it before, and would not wish the weight upon anyone else, friend or foe... You have my word, Sir, I will not let her suffer if she wishes to end it. You also have my word, I will do everything I can, within the law, to prevent such a circumstance - even if it should force me to raise arms against a fellow Mage, should Beatrice be subjected to an unlawful attack. I hope and pray it will not come to that."
He extended his hand to the older mage, firm and steady.
"I will let you know as soon as the sickle is ready, and let us... not speak of the other matter any further."

(OOC: The villa was yesterday, right? It's only been one night since? DAMN! O.o ))

[Adley]

"Ah no need to apologize, I understand them, I am lucky to have been accepted into the Order of Hermes where I am treated as a magi, many of my kind are not as fortunate, if your Chantry mages wish to speak with us, we do not mind."

Adley found himself smiling back at Danny. "I'll let them know if I have the chance, though I should imagine my mentor will be along shortly and then he will be right to work on the matter of organizing all of this.

"Yes I am a fire elementalist, that is correct, I also study a few other Paths...

He listened as he explained their strengths, looking at Ivan as he was called a necromancer who could call spirits to him. "Please be aware that the Nephandus attacked our Umbrood Guardian and shattered it into shards which may still be present in the area; the remaining pieces of the Guardian seemed to have staved off some of the corruption's spread. It has been about a full 24 hours since then so the situation may have changed but I thought it best you knew."

// Yep, the attack was just yesterday! Never a dull one ; )

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Amadeus shook Colin's hand firmly, he looked and the younger mage for a moment then he simply nodded.
"Thank you."
The old Verbena said, giving the other mage's hand a slight squeeze to show that the gratitude was in earnest, then he again turned to leave.
"Good day Mr Wainwright."
The blood mage said as he slowly left the Orphan's workshop.

Danny smiles and nods.
"I suspect you are right, every moment your Node is without protection is another moment that the risk of some dark entity or worse the Nephandi decide it would make a good home, so yes I do suspect that as soon as your Security Chief get here that we will have to get right to work indeed."
The Hedge Wizard muttered.

Ivan listened to Adley's warning and nodded, the linear necromancer spoke for the first time, his voice was smooth and sharp.
"Thank you for the warning Mr Roth Hicks. Hum...that is quite the tenacious guardian you have if he manages to stave off some of the corruption even after it's destruction, most impressive."
Danny gave the Tytalus a pat on the shoulder.
"Yeah, though I wonder if their guardian's death is what made our itzy bitzy spider react so strangely yesterday."
Ivan nodded to that.
"Perhaps..."
The necromancer replied. Danny nodded again before he turned to Adley.
"Oh how rude of me, forgive me...are we keeping you from something Mr Roth Hicks, I assure all we intent to do at the moment is to wait for your pater to arrive, if you have affairs to attend to as it seamed like you did when you walked into the Chantry, please do not let us keep you from them."
The elementalist said politely.

(OOC: Yeah I have a feeling it will be some exhausted mages when they finally get the time to take a breather after a few hectic days.)

[Warpmind]

"And to you, Sir."
Colin watched Amadeus leave, and placed the box with the sickle on his desk before returning to the workbench, looking at the very plain silver blade and the equally plain, functional grip.
"Well, I best finish this first and get it out of my system... I suppose there's symmetry in this - an experiment to serve an educational purpose. I'll have to forge myself some proper ritual tools eventually."

The rest of the afternoon would presumably be spent with the ordered sandwiches and tea, and the makeshift dagger.

[Adley]

"Yes...the Guardian...is not quite dead, exactly. It is in fact quite tenacious indeed." He didn't elaborate further except to add, "Still, do be careful, the area was rife with mournful sorrow and pain as well as the taint." He looked at Danny and then said, "Unfortunately, I do have some tasks to take care of, though if you have need of me feel free to contact me. If my mentor or any of you require me I shall be here at the Chantry until about 4:30. Best of success in your endeavors." He looked around the common room and found himself a pen and scrap of paper, hastily jotting down his contact information for Danny and reminding himself to start carrying around his own instead of just in his sachel.

He gave a nod to the others and to Danny and left, walking back towards the stairwell in the main Chantry, he looked to see who was still milling about. "If you wish to speak with our guests, please do feel free until they are ready to attend to their duties."

Then he checked the time again and went to the kitchen to make a sandwich and some fruit if there was any, bringing it back to his own room to eat. So much had happened that the stack of papers to be marked seemed smaller than they had when he'd carried them in yesterday, a smaller priority that he could tackle and complete instead of a bit of a chore. The list forming in his mind kept branching out and complicating at each turn. What he needed was time to think about all that had happened but it was not a luxury that he could afford.

// Adley will stay in his room doing that until it's time to go collect the tass and information and go to Lux Iternis barring anyone calls him for anything or something coming up between then

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin you work on your blade, it have to be taken out of the cast, sanded, and polished and it need a handle and you need to mount the gems, this keep you busy for quite some hoers, by dinnertime you have the handle done, and the gems mounted and what is left is the long process of filing and sanding to make a lump of silver into a actual blade.

Adley: Danny takes the note with your contact information and quickly write down one of his own and give you.
"Thank you Mr Roth Hicks, good day to you."
The Hedge Wizard say and smiles.

Steelhaven's linear mages where still gathered around the staircase, Julia hiding behind her husband when Adley approached them.
"Well..let us go and see if Hermetic Hedge Wizards are as stuffy and boring as their Awakened counterparts."
Henrietta said as she stood and headed for the common area, Julia gasped and looked like she expected Adley to hit the Hollow One Hedge Wizard.
"Henrietta, that is quite rude!"
She said and nervously followed the girl. Anton just grinned he was a man of few words, Adley would know him a little as he two worked as the university, teaching chemistry, but he hardly spoke, he did not speak this time either he just offered his hand to Allison White to help her up before he gave a polite nod to Adley and followed the others into the common room.

You get your papers rated, finally there are some peace and quiet, if just for a few hours, Chief Morgan is probably healing with the Hedge Wizards, and for once your task is as simple as grading papers. When it gets time for you to collect the information and tass and head towards the University though you find Beatrice when you leave your apartment, the Verbena is working on the window at the end of the hallway, and this is not the simplistic workings she usually do.

Beatrice stand before the window shaping her ward, symbols are carved into her small hands, she utters no words but her gestures are ritualistic. Adley you can feel her magic, now while this ward is not as strong as the one your mentor have you help him with placing on the Chantry every month, you do think the Security Chief might have underestimated the young Verbena for this rote will provide some protection. More though you notice the way the young mage looks as she works, she is focused, elegant, she looks like the woman she could have been if her arrest and trial had not scared the life out of her, or perhaps she way she will one day be, confident and strong. You find yourself actually recognizing some of the gestures done by the Verbena, yes hers also involves blood that now drips down her fingertips, and the gestures are, changed over the centuries but there are a core of similarity in them to gestures you yourself use. There are rumors around the Chantry that Amadeus is a descendant of the Diedne, which would explain both his dislike for you and your mentor and his very ritualistic way of working, and it would explain the rote his apprentice now worked. Beatrice probably saw Adley come out of his room, but in the middle of her working as she was she did not pause to speak she just continued the ritual.

(OOC: If you wish to you can roll intelligence plus occult to see how much of Beatrice's ritual you recognize or off course use Prime to look at what she is doing, but that is off course up to you.)

[Adley]

He didn't make any remark back to the Hollow One, having rather a lot of better things to do with his time then pithy comebacks. He nodded to Allison and Anton as he passed and went to his apartment, glad to have a few hours of quiet.

He got the papers and lesson plans together, his satchel and took the small box he used to carry tass with him, securing it away from sight. When he left his apartment, he stood watching Beatrice curiously for several moments not interrupting. The first thing that came to mind was that if she had been doing this all afternoon, perhaps he should show her the lesser banishing rather -sooner- rather than later. And the second thing...was that it didn't seem as different as he might have expected a Verbena working to be, although she did indeed fulfill the 'blood' aspect of blood witch.

//Int+Occult: 9, 2, 3, 9, 7

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

You have seen the hand gestures before on paintings of the Schism War, they where indeed hand gestures from Vim and Creo, though changed over the long couturiers. Many sources said that it was Diedne who taught the Order to do non ritualistic magic while it in turn taught the Druids how to work with rituals. Beatrice was making an Hermetic ward, though it had changed over time and she used blood instead of her voice to express her will through it, where the ritual came from was clear.

The blood witch finished the last movements of her working and then was still for a moment, then as her magick settled into place as a ward on the window she took a few hesitant steps before she had to catch herself against a wall not to fall, she had probably been doing this all afternoon, and that in addition to the stress of last night and the fear she had experienced today had worn her completely out.
"Oh hello Adley."
Beatrice muttered, she looked rather pale from exhaustion.
"I am soon done with the windows, I have the ones on the third floor hallways left and the attic..."
The young Verbena muttered.

[Adley]

Adley frowned a little as this new understanding tried to fall into place. Some mages had longer memories than others as it came to his mind only earlier, a living history. If her mentor was one of the descendents of that House or had somehow learned their ways to teach to her...they'd been accused of diabolism and human sacrifice; the Schism War had taken place to destroy them.

"Oh hello Adley."Beatrice muttered, she looked rather pale from exhaustion.
"I am soon done with the windows, I have the ones on the third floor hallways left and the attic..." The young Verbena muttered.

He saw how exhausted she was, he shook his head as she began talking, walking towards her. "Beatrice, you must rest. The third floor and attic will wait for now, you've had a very long day and done a great deal of work this afternoon. Allow me to see you to your apartment, or to the kitchen for something to eat."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Beatrice looked down, she was exhausted, she could barely stand, but Vittoria D'Angelo's words rang in her mind, words that warned her to enjoy her magick for she would not have it for long.
"But...what if..."
The young Verbena begun, she wanted to continue using her magick, she wanted to feel the rush of it while she still had it, but off course Adley was right, she looked down on one of the cuts on her hands, that was from an earlier ritual, but in her exhaustion she had messed up the simple healing rote to close the small wound, a rote she had done so many times she could do it in her sleep, now it would have to heal on it's own. Beatrice knew that a careless mage could attract Paradox even if her rotes where Coincidental or done in the safety of a Chantry, not to mention that magick gone wrong could do some damage, she did need to rest but...
"O...ok, I do not think I could eat...but you are right I do need to rest."
Beatrice said hesitantly.
"But what if that Enforcer find some excuse...and I am arrested and I am never allowed to use my magick again..."
The young Verbena said fearfully.
"She could come for me at any time."
Beatrice said and she looked up at Adley, there where terror in her eyes that did not just come from the threats she had gotten this day, but old trauma from her arrest, trial and Branding.

[Tane Karyak]

If that Cabal is going to be tracking down and following the Nephandi, i'm wth them. Ok, would you have the number of any of them so i can call them and arrange a meeting?

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Jeffry looked at Tane and nodded before he took a piece of paper and scribbled down several names and phone numbers on it, before he handed the note to Tane.
"Here you go, these are the names of the members of the young Cabal...now this man here, Adley, my own student, now he is busy tonight with another assignment, and this woman here, Beatrice she...is dealing with a personal issue, I doubt she would be of much aid to you today, but she might introduce you to the others. Now I recommend that you seek out Bruce King, he works with artifacts and would be useful for the task of searching for clues about another mage, in either case tell them at Jeffry sent you."
The old mage said. The note had these names:

Adley, Beatrice,Colin, Jon, Bruce and Richard, each name was followed by a phone number, but surnames where not mentioned showing that the old Hermetic did not yet trust the Dreamspeaker and did not want to give him to much information.
"Now here is the thing, we are looking for a Nephandi woman, the Cabal can fill you in on the details, however she looks like this."
Jeffry put a printed out copy of a picture on his desk, the picture showed a woman in her 40's perhaps with shoulder length, dark blond hair, a plain face but very pretty blue eyes.
"This woman was as far as we know the lover of a Nephandus that attacked one of our Nodes last night, nowthis woman was spotted trying to recruit a member of another Chantry, a Orphan named Monica Simpson at her place of employment at a barber shop at CambridgeSide Galleria mall. I want you to bring a few members of the Cabal and check the barber shop and the mall itself out to see if you can find anything out about this Nephandus. Now be warned this Nephandi woman's lover where a Master of the Art, I am not sending you there to capture here, I am sending you there to find out if this lead lead anywhere. Now off course if opportune presents itself then strike but if she is as powerful as her lover then you and any of the Cabal I am sending you to work with will be easily swatted aside and the last thing I need is dead mages on my hands, do you understand?"
Jeffry said then he added.
"Oh and one more thing, the Union might also be after the Nephandi, be careful."
The old Hermetic's lips curled in distaste when he said Union.
"Also I want the Nephandi alive, if you find her all in for help, however if opportunity present itself, a dead Nephandus only temporarily remove their threat, and also a dead Nephandus can not answer questions."

[Adley]

"O...ok, I do not think I could eat...but you are right I do need to rest." Beatrice said hesitantly." But what if that Enforcer find some excuse...and I am arrested and I am never allowed to use my magick again..." The young Verbena said fearfully. "She could come for me at any time."

He looked at her hands and frowned, then back at her. He remembered the point of having her do the wards in the first place was to take her mind off of this and now it was well and back, full force if not worse. Maybe giving her something to think about for tomorrow besides the cutting block might help. "Beatrice, I know that you're scared but it would be a mistake to overuse your abilities at this critical a time. Harming yourself won't aid you in any way. There are things in motion now and not all of them are against you; I do not say that in blind faith but you saw your mentor just earlier, did you not?" He paused before continuing. "The 'what if' game is dangerous; it invites misstep from the path you want to manifest." He turned and headed back to his apartment, looking to see if she was coming or if she needed assistance from her exhaustion.

"I do have something you can do that will help in the meantime that is good for you and your magick. -When- you have recovered some and had something to eat," he says firmly. "My pater asked me to show you a particular technique; having seen your work just now, I think that it may bring you benefit. And as you are exhausted a period of quiet study may be worthwhile I do not have the time at this moment to teach it to you unfortunately, however I was looking to tomorrow." He stopped at his door and went inside, leaving it angled open as he went to find a book that would be suitable to give her and Colin on the banishing ritual or if he had a copy of it handy. "I will also be showing this technique to Colin; perhaps if he is available you both can study together for a time. Also, we will need to use the ritual room either in the early morning or in the evening, say ten pm. Would you please check the availability of the chamber and sign us a time and contact Colin?"

Adley's room is fairly neat with a desk and bookshelf in one corner, a space cleared for small workings in another corner, and a bed and dresser taking the rest of the area. The desk is less tidy, with papers and books stacked in small piles with numerous papers sticking out of them and his forgotten plate and a few mugs pushed to the side. The walls and top of the dresser are suspiciously empty, though close examination would show tack-holes and areas where the paint was fresher.

//he's looking for a book or exercise page that he would give the basics on the ritual without going too in-depth with the deeper mysteries that would come later in training and after initiation

[Tane Karyak]

I'll do as much as i can to bring them alive. All of them. Said Tane and nodded before he went out.
Once out he walked a little and called the woman called Beatrice.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Beatrice did follow Adley slowly, she was unsteady at her feet but she did walk, she paused at the entrance to his room and waited at the door, she had not been invited into the apartment and she did not want to intrude.
"I...know you are right."
The young Verbena said as she looked down, off course he was right, harming herself would not help, but it was all so hard.
"I am just reminded of..."
Beatrice begun in a low, soft tone of voice.
"When they arrested me, they placed these magickal cuff on my wrists that stopped me from using magick, and threw me in a cell that did the same, try as I might I could do nothing, then as the trial progressed I saw how bad it looked, I knew the likely outcome...and then the sentence was spoken to me, I think I fainted at that point for the next thing I remember I was on the floor and my attorney holding a glass of water to my lips and I heard my mentor argue my case,pleading with the Council for mercy."
The young mage's voice was shaking and so low that Adley just barely heard her now.
"That are the moment I relive in my nightmares every night, when I was helpless, kept from my magick and had been sentenced to Gilgul, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop it. My mentor got the suspension of my sentence, I do not know how, I think perhaps some of the Primi decided to show mercy or perhaps it was politics. In either case I was marched out of the Council Chambers, I was so afraid I hardly understood what was going on. I was still chained with those damned cuffs, I still could not use my magick. I was told I would be Branded and then let go, but at the time I did not understand what that mean. I was taken down a long, spiraling staircase, I remember it was hard for me to walk as quickly as they wanted me to. Amadeus shouted my name, he told me something, I did not hear what, and then we arrived at that room.."
Beatrice looked down at her bleeding hands and leaned against the wall for support as she spoke.
"The Main Sentencing Hall, all major punishments on Horizon happen there...and many are taken there from all over the Traditions, to be executed, branded or...worse...even with those cuffs I could feel the Resonance of that room. I was taken to a chair and strapped down, I remember I could not move and that I panicked, someone read the decision of the Council to me but I was to afraid to understand it. A man came over to me...he was not unkind, his voice was soft, but then he touched my Avatar, not looked at it, shit more people have gawked at my Avatar than I would like to think about, I mean that felt violating, I would rather parade around naked, but at least that was just looking at it, but this man he...touched it, then he grabbed it. I could feel my Avatar struggling inside of me, feel it's unease and feel this man handling the most...the innermost part of my being, and then he pulled...I do not know how less to describe it, I could feel my Avatar shift from the place inside of me where it belong...to another part of reality, closer to the surface perhaps...I do not know. I think I screamed at this point, it did not...hurt as such, but it was terrifying, to feel someone handle and move that innermost, spiritual part of me. I think this man told me to be calm, that he would not damage my Avatar, but I did not fully understand his words...and then he begun a new rote, I could feel my Avatar struggling in his grip...yes I know those are incorrect terms, it is not a physical being, how can it struggle, but that is how it felt like, I think it was afraid, though not in a way that you or I feel fear it...knew something would happen to it...and then there was pain...horrible...mind shattering pain."
Beatrice stopped in her tale as the memories came flooding back to her and she had to steady herself not to be sick.
"Only a short time earlier I believed I would loose my Avatar, and here was this man hurting it, I could not think...there was nothing but agony, I screamed...and I felt my Avatar scream with me as it was Branded...I did not know they could scream, it was not a sound it uttered but I know it screamed, then I passed out...thankfully then I passed out, but even so there was pain, there was no escaping it."
Tears ran down Beatrice's pale cheeks as she spoke.
"The next ting I remember I was in a bed, my mentor was there holding my hand, I still hurt, so badly, but the pain came from nowhere, it was not a physical pain, it was more like something else that my human mind translated as pain. I needed to know I could still use magick at that point, I had been kept from it for so long, I had believed I would loose it and then the branding, I had to...Amadeus tried to stop me, but I cast a small rote but it dissolved almost as soon as it was cast, I could not keep it going, the pain was to intense...but the relief at knowing my magick was still there...still working..."
Beatrice sigh and shake her head.
"I am afraid of being arrested again, kept from my magick and then...hurt again, only this time, there will be no recovery...the memory will not leave my mind..."
The young blood witch muttered then she closed her eyes.

Beatrice glanced into the room though when Adley spoke of teaching her a technique, the prospect of that seamed to cheer her up a little, the young woman did enjoy learning.
"Really? I...I can talk with Colin and get something to eat and some rest."
Beatrice muttered, agreeing to Adley's terms as she wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand to avoid smearing blood on her face.
"I...I can check the list for when one of the ritual rooms are...open to."
The blood witch said, she was shook up from speaking so detailed of what she had been through, but she had wanted to...share it with Adley perhaps to make him understand that she was not weak, that there where reasons for her fear...why exactly it was important that he did not think her weak though, that she did not understand herself, the prospect of learning something new made the young Vebena feel better though, it banished some of the darkness she was feeling, yes she had seen Amadeus earlier, he would not let anyone touch her without a fight...and there where others who would do all they could for her...it was not hopeless.
"Thank you."
Beatrice muttered as she continued to wipe her tears, trying to steady herself.

Adley you do find a small book after a while that can be used, it is a introductory text on Prime from a Hermetic perspective using the Lesser Banishing Ritual as a basis for teaching a Newly Awakened mage these basics, there are no great secrets in the book though, and the ritual is clearly explained and analyzed over several pages. The book was named The Light and the Rose, and was not that uncommon to show to non Hermetics as well, especially those one wanted to work in concert with who might need a just basic understanding of Hermetic thought without revealing any secrets that outsiders should not know. The book had been given to you at the start of your apprenticeship.

(OOC: This phone conversation happen a couple of hours before Beatrice's talk with Adley above.)

Jeffry sigh and look at Tane.
"Well right now you will do as much as you can to bring yourself and whoever go with you back alive preferably with information, you are in no position to fight a Master of the Art, though off course we do not know that this woman is this, we know she is a mage but beyond that we know nothing."
The old mage said as Tane left and shook his head.
"I will get a headache with that one."
The muttered to himself and then stood as Hildegaard knocked on his door and then entered to tell him that the second degrees from Lux Itineris had arrived. Hildegaard smiles to Tane as she pass him on her way into the Security Chief's office.

A woman with a soft voice answered the phone after a few rings.
"Yes...this is Beatrice Alexander, who am I addressing?"
The girl said, she sounded fairly young and somewhat tired on the phone.

[Adley]

Adley took care not to walk too far on in case she lost her legs and needed assistance. He was hesitant to invite her in but didn't want to leave her standing in the hall either, especially once she started talking about what happened to her. He looked over and waved her inside the door, turning from hunting through his apprenticeship material as she hesitantly began to relate what exactly had happened at Horizon. He did feel for her ordeal...it sounded as terrible as he could have imagined.

"I am afraid of being arrested again, kept from my magick and then...hurt again, only this time, there will be no recovery...the memory will not leave my mind..."The young blood witch muttered then she closed her eyes.

He was quiet a moment, turning back to his search. "The memory may be there but...at least we might take your attention away from it and towards something to your betterment. That isn't said to belittle your experiences or how you feel," he said, recalling how Colin thought he'd been flippant and dismissive with him earlier. "It is said because I believe the more energy the mind expends in the past, the more it expends on things we do not wish to be, the less power we have to fulfill our true will. Something as traumatic as what has happened to you however isn't something one can easily put out of mind, as you know better than I. I don't want you to think I believe what I'm saying is easily managed. But perhaps the technique I will show you might help your distress. It is called the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.

"Ah...here it is." He pulled a volume from one of the shelves and quickly flipped through it, scanning quickly. Then he grabbed a scrap of paper off of his desk to mark a section near the first third. "Take this book with you. Read the ritual and if you have time and energy, there is more to be found beforehand that you might want to read. I encourage you to write your own notes on the ritual from it. That when I show you tomorrow it will not be wholly unfamiliar." He looked at her hands again with a frown and then went and fetched her some towels for her hands. "I received this book when I first started my apprenticeship," he said thoughtfully, closing it. It seemed a long time ago. Yesterday seemed a long time ago! He wrapped it in a towel and handed that and the other towel for her hands to her as he headed back for the door. "I'm sorry but I can't stay much longer; I have to make the delivery and then evening lecture. Please allow me to help you to your apartment..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Beatrice took a few steps into Adley's apartment as she spoke, she glanced around but reminded at the door as she continued her tale, talking until it was done. The young Verbena did not feel belittled, the Hermetic was right, her fixation on the past was not healthy and if she could have something else to think about, that would be a very good thing, especially now.
"You are probably right, a Verbena would say something similar, we do not have the idea of the true will but energy, that we work with, and yes the more energy directed at the past, the more one is anchored in it, I know I just..."
Beatrice sigh, it was not easy to let go, no it was not easy to put out of one's mind, especially when there was a good chance it would happen again only this time..."
The young blood witch looked up, she was still shaking but at least her tears have stopped flowing for now.
"I...have heard the name of that ritual..."
The young mage muttered.
"But I know nothing about it."

Beatrice looked at the offered book, she took the offered towels and wrapped one around one of her hands after wiping all non dried blood of her fingers so she would not stain the book.
"Thank you Adley, I will read it."
The young Verbena said she glanced at the book while still in Adley's hands, tiptoeing to do so, the Hermetic was a good deal taller than her, hum...Beatrice thought she saw...where those Hebrew words, well that would be different...words had never meant much to her in her magick, she dealt with symbols, gestures and blood, but perhaps she would find some way to work it anyway.
"Thank you, I will be careful with your book."
Beatrice said as she let herself be led out the door.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to keep you."
The young Verbena said, she was still unsteady on her feet as she nodded when Adley offered to help her to her apartment, she could make it on her own, but she was dizzy and really needed to sit down.
"I did not mean to worry you."
Beatrice added in a whisper as she was lead through though the hallway and stopped before her own door.
"You are kind Adley."
The young woman said and offered a slight smile.
"Kinder than I thought someone from your House could be from my Mentor's descriptions, perhaps even Amadeus at times is wrong. Now I can make it from here, do not let me keep you from your tasks any longer."
Beatrice said as she opened her door and turned on the light in her messy apartment.
"I will take your advice and get some rest and then read up on your ritual."

[Adley]

"There's no need to apologize. You are not keeping me from being where I need to be." He looked at her as she stood in front of her door calling him kind. His House surely had earned its reputation for fearsome warriors; if Amadeus was somehow connected to the Diedne, then he would have no good words for himself or his mentor. "Good night Beatrice. Please do make sure you eat something as well." He did not know how much blood she'd lost but she was unsteady on her feet if from nothing else but sheer exhaustion.

He turned and walked back down towards his mentor's office, fishing his mobile out as he went. He found Colin's number and sent him a text; when she contacted him he would at least know her state.

Please check on B. if poss. OExerted self.<end txt>

[Warpmind]

Colin dropped the coil of bronze wire when the phone beeped, and grumbled something halfhearted. Quickly reading the message, he tapped out a reply; How bad? State of mind?

Looking down at the blunt blade and almost-fitting grip he sighed.
"Well, it's not going to be a silk purse, no matter what I do. I'll use my bloody pen if needs be."
With a contemptible snort, Colin dumped the silver blade into a small bucket labeled "For a game of soldiers", and tidied away the rest, before heading back upstairs to collect his lunch parcel from the café.
"Miss Jones, it appears neither my hand nor my head is quite in it today. I shall have to resolve some personal matters first, liable to take the rest of the day. I'll see you on the morrow."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley: Beatrice give you a slight smile and nods.
"I will try to get something to eat."
The young Verbena said, she was hungry she had not eaten since this morning, but she did not know if she could stomach anything, but she would try.
"Good night Adley, stay safe."
Beatrice said as she entered her apartment and closed the door behind her.

You get down to your mentor's office and when you knock on it he calls out.
"Enter."
Jeffry Morgan sit at his desk two large books in front of him and he was reading as he was balancing a bowl of some pasta dish on one hand, having his dinner as he was doing research. The old Hermetic put the plate aside as his student entered his office.
"Ah Adley I assume you are here for the tass payment for our allies and the information on the Nephandus."
The old mage said as he stood and his hands begun to move in the known, regular gestures of the ritual to open his pocket realm, even if Jeffry had done this ritual hundreds of times he did not hurry nor did he get sloppy with it, each movement was done precisely, each word he spoke was uttered with purpose, once he was done he reached into nothing and pulled out nine rocks, a sleeper would just see very clear quarts crystals, but to a mage they vibrated with power. Morgan put the stones on his desk and then he found a folder of papers from among a stack on his desk and put it together with the vis before he muttered the words to close his pocket realms again.
"Hum...I have to make one of these for you as well Adley, as soon as I have the time and some vis to spare, you should be proficient with ars Vim enough to open and close the pocket realms yourself, and it could be useful if you want to bring something with you that you might not want to carry on your person...I will put it on my to do list."
The old Hermetic said and smiles as he sat back down.
"Well there are the vis and the information requested."
He said and pointed at the small pile on his desk.

Colin: Miss Jones nods.
"Off course Mr Wainwright, I will see you in the morning then."
The clerk said and gave a slight smile.
"I hope you do remember though that at 12 noon tomorrow I have a dentist appointment and will be gone for one hour."
The woman politely reminded her employer.
"Good day Mr Wainwright."

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled back, "Of course, I shall make myself available throughout the day, I expect - I have a blade to give an acid bath tomorrow, so I shan't spend too much time in the workshop itself until the fumes clear, in any case."
He nodded and headed out the door, and back toward the Chantry.
"Good day, Miss Jones."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin you arrive back at the Chantry, it is just before dinnertime, many of the Chantry's magi are gathered in the common room eating while talking with one another rather than eating alone in their rooms, there are a few residents here and there in the hallways as well, you notice Adley going into his mentor's office. There is a strange mood over the Chantry today though, by now everyone have gotten the news about the attack on the villa Node and most are worried or angry or both, potentially loosing a Node is not good news for the Chantry.

[Warpmind]

Colin briefly scanned the common room and found it far too crowded for his liking, and headed towards Beatrice's room, lunch in hand.

[Sponsored content]