Re: A Rescue, A Capture and Bad Choices IC Thread 13

[Tane Karyak]

Are you still close to her? he asked her.

He let her stay with her thoughts as he entered that meditation. He knew she couldn't see them as he saw them, nor he knew how to link into her mind to let her know she was safe, but sleeping like that meant that she could find some ease on the moment. In any case, Tane remained there, now sure that he should do this in front of Cita to show her how he planned on helping avatars, so that she could see what he was doing and how she believed it worked, so that they can make it happen.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Are you still close to her? he asked her.

"As close as I can be while trying to keep someone out of the war."
Beatrice and and gave a bit of a smile.
"Are you still close to your mother? You said you talk with her."
She muttered weakly clearly tired but at least she could hold the conversation.

He let her stay with her thoughts as he entered that meditation. He knew she couldn't see them as he saw them, nor he knew how to link into her mind to let her know she was safe, but sleeping like that meant that she could find some ease on the moment. In any case, Tane remained there, now sure that he should do this in front of Cita to show her how he planned on helping avatars, so that she could see what he was doing and how she believed it worked, so that they can make it happen.

You sit there with Beatrice, singing for her, letting your Avatar gently comfort her wounded forest God. After a while you see Amadeus come back with another man, he was dark of hair and eye with a complexion that marked him Hispanic or Italian.
"Ah you got her to sleep...thank you."
Amadeus said as he looked at his apprentice, he seamed both grateful and quite impressed then he turned to introduce the other man.
"This is Antonio Riez Hermes bani Shaea, he is the scribe mentioned that will see if he can deal with that arcane connection between Bee and the missing Spirit Master without disturbing her."
The old Verbena said and Antonio inclined his head to you.
"Well met Mr Karyak."
He whispered not to disturb the sleeping blood witch in the Node bowl.

[Warpmind]

Colin grinned, "While I don't get to fly armed helicopters anymore, I still keep my license current. They can't take the sky from me; I'm one of the best pilots on the East Coast."
He shrugged, "I have noticed my Avatar does strange things. I might find an answer soon..."
He nodded, "The one who survives a gunfight is not the one who shoots first, but the one who gets the better cover... To your credit, you did nothing wrong in the corridor; I just had my finger on the trigger before I even tried to prepare my shield."
He narrowed his eyes for a moment, "Under normal circumstances, I would have said you are rather too young to even know what hentai is, but I suppose it's all too accessible in this age of the Internet. As for whether or not those things could live without their anchor... I rather suspect the investment marks are a more important anchor than miss Jerkins' Avatar..."
He shook his head, "I don't think so... At least, not for several days; I expect you'll be enjoying the finest of hospital foods and a soft bed for some time yet while you're recuperating. After that... Well, I will try to come by in a few days, if possible."

He frowned at Alex, "What happened was... like I said, a miscarriage of justice. Only two Primi in attendance, and a Quaesitor seemingly all too willing to rush the case before an inadequate council... There'll be a reckoning, though; there has to be..."

He nodded grimly to Joakim, "The outcome of the trial is almost certain. Almost... I've been informed there is precedent, however rare, for a Fallen to come home to the Traditions instead of the normal procedure, if it has been deemed too dangerous to attack the Avatar... As for how wise it is to get attached to her, well... I don't think I could live with my conscience if I didn't sincerely try to save her. Mr. Silverberg pleaded for her not to be captured when we hit the Labyrinth; it was a cruel twist of fate that led her to be shot and subsequently captured by me outside the Labyrinth instead. As it now stands, she has a sliver of hope, which serves the Traditions' needs in obtaining information about the Labyrinth. And I am not so cynical as to offer a hope I do not intend to support. If she lives, I will fight with every legal option I can find to help her Avatar return to the light, and if I come up short, at least try to offer her a little comfort toward the end. If she dies... then at least she will not die surrounded by people who show her nothing but fear and hatred. A little kindness can linger for the next incarnation to remember..."
He leaned back, pondering, "On another note, Anna did inform me of an Infernalist in the Labyrinth; not Fallen, he just made a... poor decision in life. A boy named Alberto; he apparently protested Abigail's plans and was thrown into the dungeon and tortured... It seems one of his demonic masters was upset by that turn of events and attacked the Labyrinth, forcing Abigail to ward the thing off, so... it might seem there is, in fact, some lost love there. Perhaps he would be willing to change sides - though I rather expect execution will be his fate, rather than Branding..."

((OOC: That book sounds like a dangerous thing. Well, it's not like we have a shortage of those anyway... ))

[Tane Karyak]

We share letters, but we haven't seen each other in a long time. Obviously i can't tell her of my spiritual matters via that media... too much things could go wrong.

Tane let the songs trail off, but gently, as to not disturb a sleeping child. Yes, they only need comfort for sleeping a little. he said with a smile as he incorporated and offered Antonio a hand. It's my pleassure. I'm sorry to ask you this out of nowhere, but... do you have anything to do with a couple of Ananasi girls? one of the Weaver and other more attuned to the Wyrm? He asked, maybe finding someone for his friend. You seem of mediterranean or latin heritage, and they are so.

((Alessa's sister, do i know her name?))

[Adley]

"I am glad, well at times coffee is the only thing that keeps me awake, especially at times like this."Joakim said with a grin.

"Well, I suppose it was home once, to my avatar. Even if your Deaconess cannot quite believe it, I can tell she's not quite unconvinced either."

He sighed, sinking into the offered chair, "Adley, let me first say I did not wish to overrule you, but I have a nasty feeling getting the vampire out of, hm, the cauldron is marginally more time critical than Beatrice's condition, specifically if there's someone at home who can use a method which does not distress Beatrice like Chief Morgan's chanting did - which may be the case; Chief Morgan believed Mr. Riez might be able to do safely. This way also saves the extra Paradox for the round trip, though that's merely a convenience in comparison... I merely can't shake the feeling you'll be needed for handling Carmon."

"I don't care about being overruled so much as the fact that what I was asked to do is also quite important, if my pater told you what you understand, and I never was under the impression that I wasn't going on the mission to...deal with Carmon. I was going to come back. But yes, if we can spare the paradox that is not trivial nor simply a convenience it is becoming quite important. And there is someone there that can help, of course I would rather stay and complete things. I'm here now, so let us hope Mr Riez can help out with things back home. You have an instinctive understanding of timing that I don't, though I can't say I like all of your visions nor the fact you seem to treat them as something of a road map rather than something that can be changed. No time for that conversation, I suppose."

He rubbed his eyes with two fingers, "The girl... Anna... She is convinced that cooperating with me, trusting me, gives her the best chance to save her Avatar from the... hatchet man. It's a bit of a stretch to say I've adopted her, though, but Master Min informed me there is precedent for Nephandi to have joined the Traditions... barely enough. The important thing is I can try to give her a chance to break the Black Spiral, however infinitessimal, and that motivates her to try. She... hasn't been told how severely I injured her when I shot her, though. She might not live long enough to be told; doctor Horton will do what he can for her... But as he put it, her pattern is severely weakened, with substantial stress to her lungs, heart and abdominal cavity"

Adley's frown deepened. "I don't think that's a good idea, we have to cut a line somewhere Colin and that seems a very reasonable one...if she can break her cycle that would be quite amazing and with all that has happened this week I won't say it couldn't happen. Maybe next incarnation but not one that's already been through the caul this life. I don't know, I've hardly had time to integrate what we've learned so far into something workable...and yes the caul seems to rip them to what came before there was light or time, but even so...they manifest in the material world, for some there could be a chance. But a confirmed Nephandus, Colin, one that attacked you?" He shook his head and put a hand through his hair, pushing it into disarray.

He nodded grimly to Joakim, "The outcome of the trial is almost certain. Almost... I've been informed there is precedent, however rare, for a Fallen to come home to the Traditions instead of the normal procedure, if it has been deemed too dangerous to attack the Avatar... As for how wise it is to get attached to her, well... I don't think I could live with my conscience if I didn't sincerely try to save her. Mr. Silverberg pleaded for her not to be captured when we hit the Labyrinth; it was a cruel twist of fate that led her to be shot and subsequently captured by me outside the Labyrinth instead. As it now stands, she has a sliver of hope, which serves the Traditions' needs in obtaining information about the Labyrinth. And I am not so cynical as to offer a hope I do not intend to support.

"I don't know if it's cynicism Colin. I know you don't want her sent to be gilguled and I understand that, who would? She is a child. But we cannot save everyone and if we spread our intentions too thin we will end up not being able to save the others."

If she lives, I will fight with every legal option I can find to help her Avatar return to the light, and if I come up short, at least try to offer her a little comfort toward the end. If she dies... then at least she will not die surrounded by people who show her nothing but fear and hatred. A little kindness can linger for the next incarnation to remember..."

"I would like it if we could do that; I think that some can be saved, that there is a way to restore them. But I don't know about a full-blown Nephandus, at least not in this cycle. At least with others, the widderslainte, we have seen that it has been done...I won't say it is impossible but I am concerned with the ramifications of this, Colin. I don't recommend being unduly unkind to her though, of course." He shook his head. "It doesn't seem there's time for this whole conversation either, perhaps we should return to the matter at hand. Dealing with Carmon. I talked to my contact, she has arranged for something of a distraction for the Prince when we're ready to go just int he event they would send backup. It might stall that somewhat."

He leaned back, pondering, "On another note, Anna did inform me of an Infernalist in the Labyrinth; not Fallen, he just made a... poor decision in life. A boy named Alberto; he apparently protested Abigail's plans and was thrown into the dungeon and tortured... It seems one of his demonic masters was upset by that turn of events and attacked the Labyrinth, forcing Abigail to ward the thing off, so... it might seem there is, in fact, some lost love there. Perhaps he would be willing to change sides - though I rather expect execution will be his fate, rather than Branding..."

"She certainly doesn't treat naysayers well. Hrm, I wonder if we can find ourselves a breach in the Labyrinth..."

// lol just what they need, vampires that can turn mage-avatars into puppets! Whoa-boy...

[Warpmind]

Colin shook his head, "If I didn't have this particular sense of urgency and necessity, I wouldn't even have considered asking you to stay another hour or two... This is not an outright vision thing, though. It's more... Call it a sense of symmetry, perhaps - it's an odd feeling of history reflected in a mirror darkly. I can't describe it any less vague, I'm afraid... Plus, right now we have momentum, while the Fallen are off balance; while we would be fools to rush in, we can't afford them too much time to prepare, either..."
He nodded, "I don't know that she's ever actually attacked anyone... By her own admission, her job has always been to sense when someone is using magic, and shut them down. And she is good at that - I don't know for certain how good, but I've seen Raymond's father work, and I'm not sure which of them is quicker or stronger..."
He frowned, "Oh, offering a reward for good behaviour without the intent of paying up is cruel and cynical, no matter the circumstances... But I agree, this is not the time for an extended debate on it. I'm going to have to see her after we return, to get the Labyrinth map, in any case... So, freeing Carmon; we have a distraction when things get moving. Did she give you any more details on the cells themselves?"

[Adley]

Colin shook his head, "If I didn't have this particular sense of urgency and necessity, I wouldn't even have considered asking you to stay another hour or two... This is not an outright vision thing, though. It's more... Call it a sense of symmetry, perhaps - it's an odd feeling of history reflected in a mirror darkly. I can't describe it any less vague, I'm afraid... Plus, right now we have momentum, while the Fallen are off balance; while we would be fools to rush in, we can't afford them too much time to prepare, either..."

"Like I said, you are the one that seems to have the knack for that sort of thing. I agree we do have momentum, and I'm here so let's use it."

He nodded, "I don't know that she's ever actually attacked anyone... By her own admission, her job has always been to sense when someone is using magic, and shut them down. And she is good at that - I don't know for certain how good, but I've seen Raymond's father work, and I'm not sure which of them is quicker or stronger..."

"Preventing someone from being able to attack or defend themselves, countermagick is still an offensive action, given it was coupled with someone else there ready to kill or capture you."

He frowned, "Oh, offering a reward for good behaviour without the intent of paying up is cruel and cynical, no matter the circumstances... But I agree, this is not the time for an extended debate on it. I'm going to have to see her after we return, to get the Labyrinth map, in any case... So, freeing Carmon; we have a distraction when things get moving. Did she give you any more details on the cells themselves?"

"I don't know Colin, it seemed to me that you had plenty of intent to try to...well, let me see here. I think you were part of that conversation, but we've been planning a few areas now and it's bound to get a bit confused. Let me see what I recall about this villa...its on John Hugh's street, there would be three or maybe four ghouls and at least one vampire, one of the Sherrif's men. The ghouls maintaining it were named...Wildbrooke, no Wildbrock, Marie and Don. Residential area with high hedges. and the holding area is the basement...only one entryway via stairs in the kitchen. The basement is mostly concrete and some places stone. Manhole near the villa on a sidestreet visible to the adjacent houses but the tunnels do not extend all the way under the place, though close."

That reminded him that she was going to send him a map of the place, he pulled his phone up and went through any of the messages he'd kept that were hers to look for it.

"I have enlisted the assistance of the two spirits. I believe we were considering trying to lock down some type of teleportation out of there, but that it would need coordinates and we were thinking of using the adjacent sewer. I'm not sure the spirits would be able to understand that type of logic or not, being they are of the earth, but they might be able to provide something we can use. We were also discussing the fact that her scout found magickal protections up around the place..."

// Tyler said she'd send him the map of the villa and what she knew about the cells but I can't recall if she did or not!

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin and Adley:

Colin grinned, "While I don't get to fly armed helicopters anymore, I still keep my license current. They can't take the sky from me; I'm one of the best pilots on the East Coast."

"It do sound fun to fly helicopters or anything else really. I have never been on anything flying though. I have however been on an Umbral ship."
Anna said and nodded.
"That was fun."

He shrugged, "I have noticed my Avatar does strange things. I might find an answer soon..."

"Well as long as it works and also do what it is supposed to do I guess that is fine, and who knows what they really are or want anyway."
The girl said and scratched her head with her chained hands.

He nodded, "The one who survives a gunfight is not the one who shoots first, but the one who gets the better cover... To your credit, you did nothing wrong in the corridor; I just had my finger on the trigger before I even tried to prepare my shield."

"Yeah...but I got injured...nearly killed and captured...so I sort of did rather poorly. I do wonder how much Dox my partner got though, those like us do not deal that well with the scorn of reality, and mother nature have allot of scorn to give for us."
She said and frowned.

He narrowed his eyes for a moment, "Under normal circumstances, I would have said you are rather too young to even know what hentai is, but I suppose it's all too accessible in this age of the Internet. As for whether or not those things could live without their anchor... I rather suspect the investment marks are a more important anchor than miss Jerkins' Avatar..."

"I live in a place with penises growing out of the wall that more or less worship a giant vagina that sends you to hell and you are worried about cartoons?"
Anna said and raised an eyebrow.
"I would not know really if Miss Jerkins' children would stay in this reality without her, but if they are bound to her it yes probably are her marks and by that her life and not her Avatar which they are bound to."

He shook his head, "I don't think so... At least, not for several days; I expect you'll be enjoying the finest of hospital foods and a soft bed for some time yet while you're recuperating. After that... Well, I will try to come by in a few days, if possible."

"I see, well it is better than what I had expected."
Anna said but she did look scared and worried.

He frowned at Alex, "What happened was... like I said, a miscarriage of justice. Only two Primi in attendance, and a Quaesitor seemingly all too willing to rush the case before an inadequate council... There'll be a reckoning, though; there has to be..."

"If this is true Mr Wainwright that is just terrifying. I mean...we are talking about Avatars, if they can sentence someone to...with not enough judges present and without following protocol...everyone could be in danger..."
Alex muttered his blue eyes widening.

He nodded grimly to Joakim, "The outcome of the trial is almost certain. Almost... I've been informed there is precedent, however rare, for a Fallen to come home to the Traditions instead of the normal procedure, if it has been deemed too dangerous to attack the Avatar...

"There have been one case of this Mr Wainwright, one, and those circumstances where rather special where the defendant's Avatar is to powerful and to dangerous to attack and the Traditions was left with the choice of killing this person and seeing that soul reborn in someone who had not surrendered or well keeping him close to keep and eye on him instead, I doubt the same circumstances will apply to this girl."

As for how wise it is to get attached to her, well... I don't think I could live with my conscience if I didn't sincerely try to save her. Mr. Silverberg pleaded for her not to be captured when we hit the Labyrinth; it was a cruel twist of fate that led her to be shot and subsequently captured by me outside the Labyrinth instead. As it now stands, she has a sliver of hope, which serves the Traditions' needs in obtaining information about the Labyrinth. And I am not so cynical as to offer a hope I do not intend to support. If she lives, I will fight with every legal option I can find to help her Avatar return to the light, and if I come up short, at least try to offer her a little comfort toward the end. If she dies... then at least she will not die surrounded by people who show her nothing but fear and hatred. A little kindness can linger for the next incarnation to remember..."

"Kindness is a good thing Mr Wainwright and showing compassion and giving comfort to a prisoner, especially a child is a good thing, just remember that you will loose her. The case you mentioned where exceptional. A Fallen Archmage surrendered tired of his many centuries of violence and destruction but when the ritual was attempted on his soul, it counter attacked and only great effort on the part of the condemned man kept that raging Avatar from destroying the entire group of ritualists the Traditions where then left with an impossible choice, kill this person just to have that soul reborn into a new body that had not tried to surrender, send him away and loose track on him, or throw Masters of Spirit at him until the ritual was complete loosing many of our finest in the process, instead the choice was made that the safest option was to let the man join and keep him under surveillance, it was a bad choice but the best of the ones presented, you can not hope that the same will apply to this Nephandi child...which means nothing can save her."
Joakim said softly.
"I would not want you to get hurt in the process Mr Wainwright."

He leaned back, pondering, "On another note, Anna did inform me of an Infernalist in the Labyrinth; not Fallen, he just made a... poor decision in life. A boy named Alberto; he apparently protested Abigail's plans and was thrown into the dungeon and tortured... It seems one of his demonic masters was upset by that turn of events and attacked the Labyrinth, forcing Abigail to ward the thing off, so... it might seem there is, in fact, some lost love there. Perhaps he would be willing to change sides - though I rather expect execution will be his fate, rather than Branding..."

"Hum...a demon of some sort attacking the Labyrinth, I like the sound of that. In any case yes most likely this person would be executed as soon as it was confirmed that he is not Fallen, he would be to dangerous to let us join or leave so death is more likely but whoever lead the strike team might have a different opinion and take him captive and let the courts decide, but even so death is the most likely outcome yes."

"Well, I suppose it was home once, to my avatar. Even if your Deaconess cannot quite believe it, I can tell she's not quite unconvinced either."

"Well it is hard for Miss Rose, loosing her favored apprentice in such a way was a hard blow to her, she might not want to let herself believe it just yet."
Joakim said.
"But it is good you have found out a bit about your Avatar's past Mr Roth Hicks even if it is not a happy past or at least that it did not end well."

"She certainly doesn't treat naysayers well. Hrm, I wonder if we can find ourselves a breach in the Labyrinth..."

"You are thinking about exploiting the fact that this woman seam to treat her own followers allmost as badly as anyone else she encounters."
Joakim said and nodded.
"Hum...that is an option, a good one in fact."

Let me see what I recall about this villa...its on John Hugh's street, there would be three or maybe four ghouls and at least one vampire, one of the Sherrif's men. The ghouls maintaining it were named...Wildbrooke, no Wildbrock, Marie and Don. Residential area with high hedges. and the holding area is the basement...only one entryway via stairs in the kitchen. The basement is mostly concrete and some places stone. Manhole near the villa on a sidestreet visible to the adjacent houses but the tunnels do not extend all the way under the place, though close."

"That do sound about right."
Joakim said and nodded before taking a sip from his coffee.

That reminded him that she was going to send him a map of the place, he pulled his phone up and went through any of the messages he'd kept that were hers to look for it.

As you start to look for the map your phone ping with a message and low and behold it is the map you where looking for. Tyler had not had time to sit down and draw it yet with all that where going on, but now she was finished and you see a picture of a neatly drawn map of a basement with four cells and a guard area, and a first floor entrance hall, kitchen and door to a living room, the parts of the villa Tyler had seen when last she was brought there as a ehm...guest...

"I have enlisted the assistance of the two spirits. I believe we were considering trying to lock down some type of teleportation out of there, but that it would need coordinates and we were thinking of using the adjacent sewer. I'm not sure the spirits would be able to understand that type of logic or not, being they are of the earth, but they might be able to provide something we can use. We were also discussing the fact that her scout found magickal protections up around the place..."

"They can probably produce visual cues but understanding coordinates and a plan like that is not likely, they are what they are after all and understand little beyond that."
Joakim said.
"But yes there might be a way to get them to help if the Tremere is being kept on a stone floor at least, they might be able to understand they have to relate that floor to the rest of the ground...perhaps. The magickal protections though might be a problem, I would like to know more about them before moving in if possible."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Tane:

We share letters, but we haven't seen each other in a long time. Obviously i can't tell her of my spiritual matters via that media... too much things could go wrong.

"Yes...the Union might hear it..."
Beatrice muttered.
"Bloody Technocracy making everything more complicated. Letters can be good though..."

Tane let the songs trail off, but gently, as to not disturb a sleeping child. Yes, they only need comfort for sleeping a little. he said with a smile as he incorporated and offered Antonio a hand. It's my pleassure. I'm sorry to ask you this out of nowhere, but... do you have anything to do with a couple of Ananasi girls? one of the Weaver and other more attuned to the Wyrm? He asked, maybe finding someone for his friend. You seem of mediterranean or latin heritage, and they are so.

"Yes she needs rest but manage to get far to little of it."
Amadeus said and gave his apprentice a concerned look. Antonio shook your hand then he looked confused.
"Ananasi that are one of the changing folk types is it not? I am afraid hat is not my area of expertise Mr Karyak so no I can not remember meeting the women you speak about."
He said then he nodded.
"My mother is Spanish and my father Mexican so yes I am but no I have not met these ladies unfortunately."

(OOC: Alessa's sister is named Agatha.)

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled, "Flight is wonderful, seeing the curve of the earth far below you, or going just low enough to watch ant-sized people wander around on the ground... and if even on the off chance something goes wrong, there's no record of anyone not getting back down."
He grinned, "Forgive me for being a little old-fashioned about certain things. But I suppose context is rather important to the... casually exposed bits."

He nodded to Alex, "Nothing stays buried forever... Perhaps things will come full circle soon."

He nodded to Adley, "True enough - though it seems she may have been micromanaged all the same."
He frowned, "Right, we need to assess the wards in place; see whether they actually extend underground, and what they might react to... If we're really lucky, the marble knights could be able to reach Carmon undetected and extricate him relatively safely through the stone, or at least place a teleportation tether on his person... If not, well, there's always brute force."
He smiled sadly to Joakim, "True, the situations are not the same, but currently, she is not well enough for option A, meaning option B or C are at least temporarily on the table. I think... losing her is inevitable, but a little kindness and compassion now could well pay off in her next incarnation, if she gets one. I don't honestly think she's going to survive long enough to, well... You know. I think not trying would hurt more in the long run than trying and not succeeding..."
He nodded, "Yes, the lad's life is probably forfeit, but if he's found incarcerated, killing him on the spot would probably be excessive, and seeing as he protested Abigail's plans, he might prove a very useful source of information."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin smiled, "Flight is wonderful, seeing the curve of the earth far below you, or going just low enough to watch ant-sized people wander around on the ground... and if even on the off chance something goes wrong, there's no record of anyone not getting back down."

"That do sound beautiful."
Anna said and nodded.
"I guess that if you get enough Paradox you might just continue up and never go back down, but other than that someone will come down yes."

He grinned, "Forgive me for being a little old-fashioned about certain things. But I suppose context is rather important to the... casually exposed bits."

"There is allot of context to Miss Jerkins mating with an Outsider Thing."
The girl said and shrugged.
"Disgusting context but context non the less and there is context in Hentai also but it is no fun for there are no story usually, not that Gabriel let me watch anything on TV very often."

He nodded to Alex, "Nothing stays buried forever... Perhaps things will come full circle soon."

Alex looked at you still rather shocked by what you have said.
"Well if what you say is correct Mr Wainwright I certainly hope so."

He nodded to Adley, "True enough - though it seems she may have been micromanaged all the same."

"Even so she is a Nephandus."
Joakim said and sigh.

He frowned, "Right, we need to assess the wards in place; see whether they actually extend underground, and what they might react to... If we're really lucky, the marble knights could be able to reach Carmon undetected and extricate him relatively safely through the stone, or at least place a teleportation tether on his person... If not, well, there's always brute force."

"Just do not send the Brothers in before you know if the wards will harm them."
The Security Chief said sounding rather worried.
"But yes we may hope that we will be lucky and there will be an easy way to get around the ward and let us hope we do not have to resort to violence in such a populated area.

He smiled sadly to Joakim, "True, the situations are not the same, but currently, she is not well enough for option A, meaning option B or C are at least temporarily on the table. I think... losing her is inevitable, but a little kindness and compassion now could well pay off in her next incarnation, if she gets one. I don't honestly think she's going to survive long enough to, well... You know. I think not trying would hurt more in the long run than trying and not succeeding..."

"Hum...well I guess Master Min will have the details on what can and can not be done. But yes I agree however I agree showing the girl kindness now, regardless of her fate is a good thing and perhaps it can influence her possible future incarnation, however never forget that she is a Nephandus and as such dangerous, she is not a lost kitten."
Joakim said sternly.

He nodded, "Yes, the lad's life is probably forfeit, but if he's found incarcerated, killing him on the spot would probably be excessive, and seeing as he protested Abigail's plans, he might prove a very useful source of information."

"True that...if he is found locked up he might agree to lend aid, even so though his fate is probably set but at least it will be a kinder fate than what await most captured Nephandi."
The old hedge wizard muttered.

[Tane Karyak]

Ah, such a shame. They come from Itally, i would presume, i thought that maybe as Coawa and i, you might have come together. Tane said with a smile, but a little disapointed. Alessa an Agatha. A Sad story.

So, how was Coawa? Too bad? he asked to Amadeus

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Ah, such a shame. They come from Itally, i would presume, i thought that maybe as Coawa and i, you might have come together. Tane said with a smile, but a little disapointed. Alessa an Agatha. A Sad story.

"Italy is a pretty big place Mr Karyak not everyone from Italy know one another even if I had been from there."
Antonio said.
"I do not know any werecreatures well I am afraid, I have heard of them but not made contact."

So, how was Coawa? Too bad? he asked to Amadeus

"It was some rather nasty wounds yes, but I have patched him up. I have recommended that he go to his native habitat, the ocean in this case I assume and get some rest but the wounds themselves are now knit together, I made sure he got some food in him so he is up in the common room eating, your friend do have a healthy appetite."
Amadeus said.
"He will be just fine.

[Adley]

"Well it is hard for Miss Rose, loosing her favored apprentice in such a way was a hard blow to her, she might not want to let herself believe it just yet." Joakim said. "But it is good you have found out a bit about your Avatar's past Mr Roth Hicks even if it is not a happy past or at least that it did not end well.

"Yes, it is understandable. As for good...my avatar certainly seems to have some things it wants us to figure out together, things that have become a part of my life now. Strange, all those names of the past are a part of her, or at least she remembers them." He shook his head.

He nodded to Adley, "True enough - though it seems she may have been micromanaged all the same."

"I'm sure that some would say the Order micromanages their apprentices too. She did participate in your attack and she is a Nephandus. She's also a brainwashed twelve year old," he sighed. "But if we don't stop this we'll have a world like her, and June...or worse."

"There have been one case of this Mr Wainwright, one, and those circumstances where rather special where the defendant's Avatar is to powerful and to dangerous to attack and the Traditions was left with the choice of killing this person and seeing that soul reborn in someone who had not surrendered or well keeping him close to keep and eye on him instead, I doubt the same circumstances will apply to this girl."

"Who was this person?" he asked.

You are thinking about exploiting the fact that this woman seam to treat her own followers allmost as badly as anyone else she encounters." Joakim said and nodded. "Hum...that is an option, a good one in fact."

"If anything, that there is upset there it may work in our favor. Though I don't want to have to take care of a demon on top of everything else, mind."

As you start to look for the map your phone ping with a message and low and behold it is the map you where looking for. Tyler had not had time to sit down and draw it yet with all that where going on, but now she was finished and you see a picture of a neatly drawn map

"Can't tell if that woman is reading my mind or lucky coincidence," he said to himself and then showed Colin and Joakim the map.

"They can probably produce visual cues but understanding coordinates and a plan like that is not likely, they are what they are after all and understand little beyond that."

"I wonder if they can take something in with them that can be used to get a location?"

The magickal protections though might be a problem, I would like to know more about them before moving in if possible."

"Yes, they've been problematic..."

He frowned, "Right, we need to assess the wards in place; see whether they actually extend underground, and what they might react to... If we're really lucky, the marble knights could be able to reach Carmon undetected and extricate him relatively safely through the stone, or at least place a teleportation tether on his person... If not, well, there's always brute force."

He rubbed the side of his face. "Brute forcing some types of wards and traps is...well, deadly. I'd like to avoid that. So that's our primary issue, I think. We can collect up some weapons and get enchanted weaponry, I think you had someone looking into that sir. But we don't know what the magickal protections were. It may also mean there is a mage or hedge wizard there. I believe the scout was once Tremere if I'm recalling correctly and did not recognize the type."

[Tane Karyak]

I know i know and you don't have to have arrived recently. I just thought that maybe the coincidence was something important. It's been 4 coincidences as of late he said apologetically In the last... week? Two weeks? I have found near my home a recently spontaneously awakened girl that's proving to probably turn into a verbena, this italian Ananasi wounded by her sister and a couple of fomori, and a wounded wereshark from Greenland that has just started shapeshifting, and a pupet marsh spirit used by a nephandi to spy. You can't blame me for asking. He said, almost sarcasticly

Ah, that's good to hear. I'll take him to the sea. Our home is over a Node and the house over the node, i have awakened it's spirit to turn it into a shelter for the wounded, so i bet he'll get better in no time. Tane said with a wide smile.

Should we start, Mister Riez? Let's take our chance while she's sleeping and won't feel so threatened. Tell me if there's something i can do for you, if not, i'll keep getting her at Ease. Maybe you can see how i do it and apply the same technique yourself, Amadeus.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley:

"Yes, it is understandable. As for good...my avatar certainly seems to have some things it wants us to figure out together, things that have become a part of my life now. Strange, all those names of the past are a part of her, or at least she remembers them." He shook his head.

"Every life your Avatar have lived is a part of you and it. I heard one describe it as if you stand in a room full of mirror, every reflection is you even if the glass, silver and other materials of the mirrors are different and reach reflection is slightly different."
The old mage said sounding slightly sad.
"But yes you are Miss Rose's old apprentice and he is you even if you also are different from him now in this incarnation Mr Roth Hicks."

"Who was this person?" he asked.

"Master Ir, a member of House Tytalus now and an Archmage of Spirit."

"If anything, that there is upset there it may work in our favor. Though I don't want to have to take care of a demon on top of everything else, mind."

"No let us hope that is well and truly gone by the time we attack."
The old hedge wizard said and sipped his coffee.
"But yes if the Labyrinth is not unified that will be a boon for us and perhaps we can find some way to stir the nest as it is and get some of the Fallen to abandon their leader in combat and flee, that would make our job easier."

"Can't tell if that woman is reading my mind or lucky coincidence," he said to himself and then showed Colin and Joakim the map.

"Let us hope it is coincidence but then again you never know with vampires."
Joakim said as he leaned over to look at the map.
"Could you send a copy of the map to my phone as well so I have it?"
He asked.

"I wonder if they can take something in with them that can be used to get a location?"

"Well you could ask Mrs Knox for a rare stone of some kind and then have them deposit that with the vampire that should allow Master Harris to scan for the mineral in question or at least I think that should be possible."
The linear mage suggested.

"Yes, they've been problematic..."

Joakim nodded at that.

He rubbed the side of his face. "Brute forcing some types of wards and traps is...well, deadly. I'd like to avoid that. So that's our primary issue, I think. We can collect up some weapons and get enchanted weaponry, I think you had someone looking into that sir.

"I should be able to arrange for some magickal weapons and some mundane ones we have some at the Chantry and I have gotten an approval from the Deacon Council to share that with you and your team as needed to deal with this Nephandi situation."
The Security Chief confirmed.

But we don't know what the magickal protections were. It may also mean there is a mage or hedge wizard there. I believe the scout was once Tremere if I'm recalling correctly and did not recognize the type."

"Yes the scout sent by your contact was a Tremere and since she did not recognize the type of ward, the chances that at linear mage or a full blown Awakened is there keeping watch is great and when you think about it, if I where Abigail I would put someone I trust to keep an eye on my battery to be."

Tane:

I know i know and you don't have to have arrived recently. I just thought that maybe the coincidence was something important. It's been 4 coincidences as of late he said apologetically

"Oh do not worry about it Mr Karyak I do not mind. I have lived in Boston for several years though even if I grew up in Spain until I Awakened and was apprenticed."
Antonio said and smiled.

In the last... week? Two weeks? I have found near my home a recently spontaneously awakened girl that's proving to probably turn into a verbena, this italian Ananasi wounded by her sister and a couple of fomori, and a wounded wereshark from Greenland that has just started shapeshifting, and a pupet marsh spirit used by a nephandi to spy. You can't blame me for asking. He said, almost sarcasticly

"Oh my you have had quite a week I see Mr Karyak, I do not fault you for asking. Hum...well a new Awakened is always a good idea, you do however seam to have a knack for finding these shapechangers."
The scribe said with a bit of a wry tone in his voice.

Ah, that's good to hear. I'll take him to the sea. Our home is over a Node and the house over the node, i have awakened it's spirit to turn it into a shelter for the wounded, so i bet he'll get better in no time. Tane said with a wide smile.

"Good make sure he get some rest and he should be fine."
Amadeus said approvingly.
"You have your own Node, that is quite impressive for such a young mage."

Should we start, Mister Riez? Let's take our chance while she's sleeping and won't feel so threatened. Tell me if there's something i can do for you, if not, i'll keep getting her at Ease. Maybe you can see how i do it and apply the same technique yourself, Amadeus.

Antonio nodded he sat down on the floor and pulled out a leather notebook and a pen.
"Just try to keep her calm, hopefully she will not even notice that I am working, the proximity to the Node will give me all the help I need."
He said as he started writing.

"I do not think I will be able to copy your methods Tane, they are to different from my own, but I would like to observe your working."
Amadeus said and sat down on the ground as well.
"You do seam to have a talent with Avatars."

[Adley]

"Every life your Avatar have lived is a part of you and it. I heard one describe it as if you stand in a room full of mirror, every reflection is you even if the glass, silver and other materials of the mirrors are different and reach reflection is slightly different."

He looked thoughtful at that. "It's just like you said, all those words for the material make up the one mirror, it's just calling attention to one part of the composition rather than another."

The old mage said sounding slightly sad. "But yes you are Miss Rose's old apprentice and he is you even if you also are different from him now in this incarnation Mr Roth Hicks."

He nodded at that, dropping the subject. He didn't want to upset the Chief, given his situation and only so much could really be said anyway.

"Master Ir, a member of House Tytalus now and an Archmage of Spirit."

He raised his brows. "That individual is here, is he not?"

"Let us hope it is coincidence but then again you never know with vampires." Joakim said as he leaned over to look at the map. "Could you send a copy of the map to my phone as well so I have it?"He asked.

He nodded and sent him and Colin the map.

"Well you could ask Mrs Knox for a rare stone of some kind and then have them deposit that with the vampire that should allow Master Harris to scan for the mineral in question or at least I think that should be possible."

"That's an interesting idea...first we need to get through the barrier though."

"Yes the scout sent by your contact was a Tremere and since she did not recognize the type of ward, the chances that at linear mage or a full blown Awakened is there keeping watch is great and when you think about it, if I where Abigail I would put someone I trust to keep an eye on my battery to be."

"Considering we have whittled away some of her Labyrinth, I do wonder who that leaves..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

He looked thoughtful at that. "It's just like you said, all those words for the material make up the one mirror, it's just calling attention to one part of the composition rather than another."

Jiakim nodded at that.
"It is a thing through not easily put into words, and sometimes words can come in the way of truer understanding."
He said softly there was clearly some sadness in his brown eyes but he kept his emotions under control.

He raised his brows. "That individual is here, is he not?"

"Yes he is, he is Lady Arden's husband he have been a resource for the Chantry from the day he moved in but it is hard to forget what he was...what he is..."
Joakim said and looked down into his coffee mug as he considered the old Archmage.

He nodded and sent him and Colin the map.

"Thank you."
Joakim said as his phone pinged as he got the message with the map.
"This will come in handy."

"That's an interesting idea...first we need to get through the barrier though."

"We do and that is where we need to come up with a plan, but other than trying to sneak under the ward if it do not go into the ground or brute forcing it, I unfortunately are drawing a blank on that young man."
Joakim said sounding frustrated.

"Considering we have whittled away some of her Labyrinth, I do wonder who that leaves..."

"Yes as your Cabalmate here have been saying Mr Roth Hicks, it have not been a good day for that Labyrinth, but I bet it can still cause some trouble so we have to take every precaution while taking it out."

[Tane Karyak]

Hhaha yes, brother says i smell old and festive, like his ancestros. tañe said with a smile.

The node is a local wereshark tumul, but since i'm helping them and i have a wereshark living with me, they have allowed me to guard it and profit from it's power as long as i don't drain it, of course. I have exchanged it's tass for help from the chantry to install wards and i protect it from the surface. he explained. It was not his, not would he have wanted it.

As i said: it's the smell. he said with a smile. He then returned to his chanting and meditation, soothing Bar for a while more

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Hhaha yes, brother says i smell old and festive, like his ancestros. tañe said with a smile.

"Hum...well the changing folks are said to have good noses."
Antonio say with a bit of an uncertain smile not really getting what you are saying but trying to be polite.

The node is a local wereshark tumul, but since i'm helping them and i have a wereshark living with me, they have allowed me to guard it and profit from it's power as long as i don't drain it, of course. I have exchanged it's tass for help from the chantry to install wards and i protect it from the surface. he explained. It was not his, not would he have wanted it.

"I do not know that a tumul is but I can guess it is your friend's name for a Node?"
Amadeus said and nodded.
"It seams you do good work with it then, and it is good to have allies, even without our own society, far to many of our kind look down their noses at the other Awakened beings of the world."

As i said: it's the smell. he said with a smile. He then returned to his chanting and meditation, soothing Bar for a while more

Beatrice slept for now and for a while the only sound where your voice singing and the slight scraping of Antonio's pen on the notebook paper, after a while he looked up.
"Hum...I think I can trace this arcane connection but not remove it, it seams like it is dug in and we might need someone with more experience than me working on it...but at least we might find the man the Nephandi have captured...hopefully."
He muttered as he tapped the page he had been writing on with his pen.

[Tane Karyak]

They have an spirit protecting the node,that's like it's avatar. They conect through that with the spirits, and that means it's a he'll lot more complicated told Tane.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"So you see spirits and Avatars the same then Tane?"
Amadeus asked.
"I kind of see Avatars as spiritual beings, but not completely, especially given how many different views there are. Many Technocrats see their Avatar is part of the brain, and for them it is. We had this former Iteration X turncoat at my former Chantry, he lost a Core War badly and got his soul damaged, not seriously but still damaged, for him actual painkillers worked to ease his pain as he saw it as a blow to the head basically, the same would not work on my student. Many modern Hermetics have to go through this ridiculous six month ritual, eighteen after some more research on the translation have been done to hear their Avatar's voice as they are so convinced it is their Holy Guardian Angle and will only contact them after this working, many older Hermetic see it just as a gift for magick. Some see it as a higher self, or an oversoul there are so many versions. I even heard about a Cultist who are convinced that her Avatar is herself from the future. So yes I think they are spirits, but not the same thing as an Umbrood."
The old Verbena muttered.

[Tane Karyak]

Life is always simpler than the livings: to me, an avatar is simply a spirit, one of many that embody a concept.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Amadeus nodded as he glanced over at Tane.
"I see my Avatar as the eternal part of my soul, the part that is not just mine alone but which lives on for life after life as this flesh die, and the rest of my soul go to live with my ancestors in the afterlife, mine just remembers to much...or rather let the next incarnation remember to much."
He muttered but he said nothing more about it right now.

[Tane Karyak]

I belive avatars are simply spirits of our own paradigms. They change with is and they través to is through lifes as they are the embodiment of what our souls actually already know to be our truth.
And that shards you bring? It's a way of thinking that branches from your own paradigma, but doesn't quite go against it.

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