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

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Well they just brought someone in, a woman. I do not know anything about her though but I know a group went out a while ago to try to get someone out of a mental hospital. It is generally busy upstairs though, it have been a hectic week since the Nephandi decided to go on the offensive."
Rosa said and smiles but you can see the that the smile was false, she was rather worried about the situation.

[Warpmind]

Colin frowned, "Your mother was right to be upset at you... Sharp blades, however pretty they are, are not to be played with. They are tools and weapons, but never toys."
He pondered and gave Joakim a quick glance, "A galaxy like a million wind chimes... Perhaps I should adopt a few of The Doctor's aliases..."
He frowned, "A higher rate of Awakenings? That is peculiar... I suppose, though, that the kid could have an astounding potential for physics and the magical counterparts..."
He nodded, "She is... heartbroken; the Italians took everything from her. It was all I could do to convince her that she still has something left; some means of striking back at the ones who betrayed her... but it took a lot out of me to do so. It didn't help that she was convinced we would just put her back in the... facility where she'd been dumped. I fear I won't be sleeping easily for a few days..."
He shook his head, "If it were just to make her passage to the next world easier, that would be one thing. But I lied, albeit by omission, to manipulate her into helping us... knowing fully well that she's liable to be questioned and executed in short order... There is no bright side to what I just did, only a few points where the darkness creeps into a little greyer areas. At the very least, Master Harris was so thoughtful as to pour me a glass of paperclips. That... helped settle my nerves a little."
He smiled, "Only Adley and Mr. Terach were awake - they carried themselves commendably. The Deaconess herself... seems to have mellowed ever so slightly, as well, at least around me. Perhaps because I am unhesitant to offer her my arm as we walk - a most peculiar if soothing sensation, I might add."

[Tane Karyak]

What's happening? INteresting call?

[Adley]

"Indeed let us get this done." Loretta said she stretched then kicked her high heeled shoes into the corner and smiles. "Ready."

Adjan nodded he fished his bone dice out of his jacket pocket and rolled them around in his hand. "Start my friend and I will follow your lead."

He smiled a bit Loretta kicked off her shoes and made sure they'd be out of his way. Then a thought struck him, his facial expression looking surprised, as if a tiny bubble burst right over his head with a mental -pop-. "Earplugs...please tell me we have two pair, otherwise I'll be routing around..."

// work day was busy, very busy, as there's a holiday Monday. Also that image of the kid with the blender, that's nightmare fuel. Worse than Gremlins. His poor mom! Good thing she's good at life magick.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin:

Colin frowned, "Your mother was right to be upset at you... Sharp blades, however pretty they are, are not to be played with. They are tools and weapons, but never toys."

The boy looked down much like a puppy that had been told it had done something bad.
"Yes I have learned. Mother was very upset and the twins cried. I will not do that again, though it still exist in my now."
He said shamefully then he looked up again.
"Learning is strange, becoming different, very strange."

He pondered and gave Joakim a quick glance, "A galaxy like a million wind chimes... Perhaps I should adopt a few of The Doctor's aliases..."

"You are thinking about a TV show, but he is not a doctor it is his name it just sound like it."
Taliesin said and smiled.
"I watch out the windows at times that is far more strange than TV, everyone have their lives like flowers that are growing, changing, most strange."

He frowned, "A higher rate of Awakenings? That is peculiar... I suppose, though, that the kid could have an astounding potential for physics and the magical counterparts..."

"Most people that think differently or who never grow completely up so to speak, or who's minds in general are not fully in sync with the Consensus have a higher chance of Awakening, however as most Avatars are weak and most do not get trained it just manifest as unusual insight or small abilities that generally do not get noticed."
Joakim explained then he sigh.
"As for Taliesin he is a bit of a special case as I said an Umbrood have fused with his soul making him more spirit than man, a spirit trapped in the physical world that is, but yes he have a great potential that he do."

He nodded, "She is... heartbroken; the Italians took everything from her. It was all I could do to convince her that she still has something left; some means of striking back at the ones who betrayed her... but it took a lot out of me to do so. It didn't help that she was convinced we would just put her back in the... facility where she'd been dumped. I fear I won't be sleeping easily for a few days..."

"Yes she...I know what she is feeling."
The Security Chief said softly then looked away for a moment.
"Poor woman, no I can not imagine it was an easy conversation."
He said with compassion in his voice, his eyes far away.
"Hopefully though some good will come of it.

He shook his head, "If it were just to make her passage to the next world easier, that would be one thing. But I lied, albeit by omission, to manipulate her into helping us... knowing fully well that she's liable to be questioned and executed in short order... There is no bright side to what I just did, only a few points where the darkness creeps into a little greyer areas.

"I do not know Jeffry Morgan very well, but I know that he is a good man. I doubt he will hurt this woman to get information out of her, the interrogation will be gently trying to prod for information, and that information can help us all. And once it is time, I am pretty sure that her execution will be less painful than she would be able to pull of herself. I doubt that Master Morgan will have her dragged to Horizon to be shot before a crowd, yes we benefit from capturing her, but you can probably also be sure that her end will be...kinder this way."
The old hedge wizard said in a compassionate tone to voice.
"You did a good thing Mr Wainwright."

At the very least, Master Harris was so thoughtful as to pour me a glass of paperclips. That... helped settle my nerves a little."

Joakim chuckled at that.
"Yes...he do that at times."

He smiled, "Only Adley and Mr. Terach were awake - they carried themselves commendably. The Deaconess herself... seems to have mellowed ever so slightly, as well, at least around me. Perhaps because I am unhesitant to offer her my arm as we walk - a most peculiar if soothing sensation, I might add."

"You have treated Deaconess Darnell as a human being and shown her kindness...that is probably why she is more at ease around you."
The old war mage said.
"Her trust is a fragile thing though and she is skittish even if it can seam a strange thing for someone so large and ehm...durable, but treat her right and you might make a good friend.
He urged then he smiled a little.
"Ah yes the presence of that much Primium, a peculiar feeling indeed."

Adley:

Loretta looked at if she suddenly remembered the earplugs to as you mentioned them and went over to where she had left her purse where she found two sets in small plastic boxes.
"I work at a nightclub Mr Roth Hicks, or rather I own one."
She said proudly.
"So I always have some on me or I would have gone deaf a long time ago."
She muttered and put the ear plugs in herself and tossed the other box over to Adjan who gave her a nod in gratitude and did the same. He snapped his fingers close to his ears and then gave you a thumbs up.

(OOC: Well do not feel like you have to post if you are busy the game will wait. Yes when you take an Umbrood essentially, merge it with a human being and then try to have him navigate the physical world dangerous situations arise, but yes it is indeed good his mother is a Master of Life.)

Tane:

Alessa put the phone away as she frowned.
"Disturbing more than interesting Tane...the wererat I and Coawa visited yesterday evening when you did not come back have been found dead. I just got the call from a medical examiner I have bribed...the thing is though the man was dirty but in perfect health last we saw him...I do not like this."
The Ananasi said thoughtfully.

[Warpmind]

Colin grinned, "Actually, he IS a doctor of numerous disciplines, including medicine and cheesemaking. It is a good show, too... though, you are right, what goes on outside the window can easily be stranger than fiction. TV shows have to make a certain amount of sense, after all..."
He nodded thoughtfully, "Great degrees of insights, and very rarely the metaphysical muscles to change their surroundings in an appreciable way..."
He drew a hand slowly across his face, "Ideally, I think, Master Steelhaven will invite her for a cup of tea... or a cup of ink in his case, and have her relate what she can. Unintrusive, and it gets all the details, even the ones that might get glossed over in the spoken explanation. And yes, I rather suspect her death will be... instantaneous."
He pondered with a grin, "Coffee from cupboard lint, whiskey from paperclips... I'm curious as to how he'll synthesize cream and brown sugar..."
He smiled, "Not only her... It seems rather that most of her Chantry has suffered from a lack of decent treatment. Some harshly judged for things that were done to them, others for things they did in another life, some again for... Well, whatever the reasons, they've not been treated fairly, it seems."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grinned, "Actually, he IS a doctor of numerous disciplines, including medicine and cheesemaking. It is a good show, too... though, you are right, what goes on outside the window can easily be stranger than fiction. TV shows have to make a certain amount of sense, after all..."

"They do not make sense...but I like the blue, it is a nice color, it is the color of a dreaming soul, they do dream you know when they sleep, they dream of the universe."
The boy said and smiled.
"There are a flame in everything, but not all flames burn."

He nodded thoughtfully, "Great degrees of insights, and very rarely the metaphysical muscles to change their surroundings in an appreciable way..."

"Yes that is how it often is, with guidance they can become powerful mages, like our own dear Belladonna, a young Akashic who might never become more than a child mentally but what she lack in intelligence she makes up for in insight and kindness, a strange healer who with the right guidance can become a light in the world, but yes most who are different and fall outside of the Consensus whatever it is those who often are more intelligent than others but lack contact or those who are mentally children they never get locked down into the Consensus the same way...but yes they also seldom have the understanding to really work with what they have."
Joakim said and nodded.

He drew a hand slowly across his face, "Ideally, I think, Master Steelhaven will invite her for a cup of tea... or a cup of ink in his case, and have her relate what she can. Unintrusive, and it gets all the details, even the ones that might get glossed over in the spoken explanation. And yes, I rather suspect her death will be... instantaneous."

"Hopefully, the question is if the woman will be able to talk about what have happened so easily, it might be quite challenging to get her to the point where she is able to speak."
Joakim said and sigh.
"But yes let us hope we can get what we need from her quickly and let her have some peace."

He pondered with a grin, "Coffee from cupboard lint, whiskey from paperclips... I'm curious as to how he'll synthesize cream and brown sugar..."

"Old computer parts perhaps."
The old hedge wizard chuckled.

He smiled, "Not only her... It seems rather that most of her Chantry has suffered from a lack of decent treatment. Some harshly judged for things that were done to them, others for things they did in another life, some again for... Well, whatever the reasons, they've not been treated fairly, it seems."

Joakim sigh and looked down.
"You are right several members of Flamingo have been badly treated. Some have been punished far worse than they deserve, others have been ill treated for things that are no fault of their own or just for being different...they are a skittish lot the mages of Flamingo and often with good reason unfortunately."
The old hedge wizard said.
"And all Morningstar can do to help them is to try to treat them decently."

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled thinly, "I find that pure intellect is overrated... Empathy and compassion can get you much, much further."
He nodded, "If anyone can calm her enough to get her talking, I think it would be Master Steelhaven. He is... well, suffice to say I would aspire to be his equal someday; he expresses a kindness and compassion I can look up to."
He grinned, "Or perhaps ball-point pens. Those always seem to disappear, anyways..."
He sighed, "Well, then, let us just agree never to give up on them, shall we? We might have to be the change they need in this world..."


((OOC: Omg, Belladonna the Witch... http://www.nb.no/nbsok/nb/9d17a0540641c7119ba058c8a54603d0?lang=no#0 ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin smiled thinly, "I find that pure intellect is overrated... Empathy and compassion can get you much, much further."

"Indeed though often these children are fragile and need protectors of those who would exploit their empathy and compassion."
Joakim said softly.
"The world is a harsh place and are likely to crush it's most delicate flowers."

He nodded, "If anyone can calm her enough to get her talking, I think it would be Master Steelhaven. He is... well, suffice to say I would aspire to be his equal someday; he expresses a kindness and compassion I can look up to."

"Yes I have met him a couple of times he is a good man."
The hedge wizard said.
"I hear Master Steelhaven is going to leave this world soon to try to become an Oracle. I hope he makes it, and I guess he have a better shot at it than many of us...or rather many of you as I can neither reach such a state or Ascend."
He said sadly.

He grinned, "Or perhaps ball-point pens. Those always seem to disappear, anyways..."

"I prefer less disposable pans myself. I do not allow myself many luxuries but I tend to make sure I have a good quality pen."
He said and tapped at the steel fountain tip he had laying on the table.
"I am sure Master Harris would find something to make his delicacies of though."
He said with a bit of a smile.

He sighed, "Well, then, let us just agree never to give up on them, shall we? We might have to be the change they need in this world..."

"Yes..."
Joakim said and looked away.
"As a man who but for the grace of god, or rather the powers of a very powerful mage that have long ago left this place of existence would be a vampire, I could have easily found myself among the shunned if I had not been taken in by an old Bonisagus and later was invited when that boy creates this Chantry..."
He said then looked well nostalgic perhaps.
"And now Martin is an old mage, ready to leave this life, he and Antonius both, it will be lonely here without them. Well in either case I can sympathize with Flamingo and her inhabitants for I could have easily found myself among them."

[Warpmind]

Colin nodded, "A bitter truth, that... And a harsh lesson to learn is that we can't protect everyone ourselves... Sometimes, we just have to trust that someone else sees the need and steps up. And that trust... is all to often shattered..."
He smiled, "That is correct. He did mention that he's waiting for the current crisis to come to a conclusion first - he doesn't want to abandon us before he knows we're reasonably safe. As for you, well... I don't know how reassuring this is, but I read about the Daoist Immortals; each a master of their field, with godlike abilities, yet quite corporeal. Paragons among humanity, if you wish. Perhaps you might find such a path for yourself; a man who has so thoroughly mastered himself and his skills so as to transcend mortal limits."
He grinned, fishing out his own fountain pen from his pocket, "I agree wholeheartedly. I find that the occasional cheap bic pen can come in handy to poke at things I'd rather not risk ruining my good pen with, though."
He nodded sagely, "The price of immortality, I guess... watching everyone grow old and pass on while you remain. Still, it would not have to get lonely without them; so long as there are people here, you can always have someone... even if you'll eventually have to let them go."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin nodded, "A bitter truth, that... And a harsh lesson to learn is that we can't protect everyone ourselves... Sometimes, we just have to trust that someone else sees the need and steps up. And that trust... is all to often shattered..."

"It is a harsh lesson indeed. However those of the special ones that live under this roof, those I can protect..."
Joakim said then he added more softly.
"At least I hope I can protect them along with everyone else at the Chantry."

He smiled, "That is correct. He did mention that he's waiting for the current crisis to come to a conclusion first - he doesn't want to abandon us before he knows we're reasonably safe.

"That is good of him, hopefully he can continue on his path soon though, even if it will be sad to loose such a man."
The hedge wizard muttered.

As for you, well... I don't know how reassuring this is, but I read about the Daoist Immortals; each a master of their field, with godlike abilities, yet quite corporeal. Paragons among humanity, if you wish. Perhaps you might find such a path for yourself; a man who has so thoroughly mastered himself and his skills so as to transcend mortal limits."

"Hum...well I envision a less...spiritual end for myself Mr Wainwright, a more selfish one as well I guess. Providing I do not get killed in combat, and once I find Etrius and give him the peace he can not give himself...then I will ween of the longevity potions and move to Italy by the sea, find some plump and buxom maiden to marry and have a few kids, grow old and eventually die as content as a man like me can be and fat from my wife's cooking. Perhaps not a realistic wish but it would be a good end for this life."
Joakim said longingly.
"But that is far away for now I need to remain young so I can get stronger, for this Chantry and to find my old friend and eventually best him. Immortality is practical for now."

He grinned, fishing out his own fountain pen from his pocket, "I agree wholeheartedly. I find that the occasional cheap bic pen can come in handy to poke at things I'd rather not risk ruining my good pen with, though."

"True that my good man, it is always wise to have something for the purpose of...poking, on one's person, I certainly would not want to ruin this pen, it was a gift from one of my apprentices."
He said and patted the steel writing instrument fondly.

He nodded sagely, "The price of immortality, I guess... watching everyone grow old and pass on while you remain. Still, it would not have to get lonely without them; so long as there are people here, you can always have someone... even if you'll eventually have to let them go."

"Yes and no, they use the same longevity methods that I do, it is just that Paradox is cruel to the Awakened. Antonius though is nearly as old as I am and Martin is over five hundred years old, but they should have left earth to preserve themselves from the ravages of the Scourge, and they did not, electing instead to stay and help other, younger mages, a brave choice but a costly one."
He said sadly.
"I have seen others grow old and die though, mages who did not want to use magick to extend their lives, fearing they would loose a bit of their humanity that way, sleeper lovers...even a child or two over the years. I accept that, I do not need to join them in death to know I loved them. Yes there are others here and there will be others still though at times it is...cold to be the unaging man who live for vengeance."
He said then he forced a smile.
"Well the sentimentality of a old linear wizard is hardly important in the current situation Mr Wainwright...I suspect I am just getting tired, it have been a long day, a long few days for you."

[Tane Karyak]

Yeah, sorry about that. How did he died?

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"I did not know him beyond one conversation so there is no reason to be sorry to me, however I do wonder what happened."
Alessa said.
"For you see here is the thing I do not know how he died exactly, my contact at the coroner's office just said it was rather brutal so he was attacked by someone and that makes me think his death could be related to the information he gave me, and our current situation and my search for my damned sister."
The werespider commented.
"I am considering going over to the place I met him and see what I can find out."

[Warpmind]

Colin smiled, "We might lose a good man, but we might gain an Oracle. While I'll miss the man, I think it might be a favourable trade for everyone."
He grinned, "You know, that just might be the singularly most optimistic ambition I've ever heard from an old soldier. I hope you achieve that. And if I'm around by then, do send me a postcard or three."
He nodded, "A well loved tool; one might wonder what it would write, should it awaken naturally."
He arched an eyebrow, "Is it truly vengeance you are living for, though, or is it perhaps closure? The distinction... can be crucial to how you live, after all."
He dragged a weary hand across his face, "You're right, the past week has been a long two weeks for me..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin smiled, "We might lose a good man, but we might gain an Oracle. While I'll miss the man, I think it might be a favourable trade for everyone."

"Indeed, no one knows what the Oracels do but I am sure Master Steelhaven's kindness and compassion will be a boon to them, and to everyone else."
Joakim said and nodded.

He grinned, "You know, that just might be the singularly most optimistic ambition I've ever heard from an old soldier. I hope you achieve that. And if I'm around by then, do send me a postcard or three."

"I will do young one better young man if this comes to pass and I end up in Italy a fat and happy old man with an equally round wife I will invite you over for dinner."
The old hedge wizard said and smiles.
"Well it would be a nice way to live for a while and then have someone to grow old with...it would indeed be nice."

He nodded, "A well loved tool; one might wonder what it would write, should it awaken naturally."

"Hum...writing to do lost I suppose."
Joakim said sarcastically.

He arched an eyebrow, "Is it truly vengeance you are living for, though, or is it perhaps closure? The distinction... can be crucial to how you live, after all."

"There was a while before Joakim replied then he said softly.
"I am not sure anymore, it started out as a search for vengeance but now...I just do not know."

He dragged a weary hand across his face, "You're right, the past week has been a long two weeks for me..."

"Yes well once we have dealt with the Labyrinths and this Larson woman's crazy plan perhaps we can all relax for a while before the next crisis."

[Adley]

"I work at a nightclub Mr Roth Hicks, or rather I own one." She said proudly. "So I always have some on me or I would have gone deaf a long time ago."

"Oh good, thank you again, that saves us some time. Perhaps next time I 'visit' I will have the opportunity to check out your club, assuming there's not some other crises to attend to," he said, as she passed out the box to Adjan. Of course that meant somewhen past an uncertain Monday and that the local vampire population would not have it out for him and his friends but it was a small goal, not that he had ever had much time for such socializing. He owed drinks, after all and he'd like to know Chicago somewhat better than 'that place filled with vampires.'

After they had secured the earplugs, he went back to the middle of the area where they were going to work and from there started describing the circle with the ritual dagger as they'd discussed around the other two magii, calling quarters as he went. This was in part to create the working space in his mind, also to keep out friendly spirits and to give him a boundary, something to push against to make the spirits leave when the rote was released, and a place for Adjan to use his dice. It was the working world, in microcosm, and the dice would fall or be put in their due course. Then he went back toward the center and began a similar incantation as the one he used with Adjan before, evoking the trio of Powers I.A.O., his voice sonorous and his head tilted slightly upwards as he spoke, in whose great name should unwanted presences be banished back to their original plane. He waited for his friend to be done collecting his own internal forces and give him a signal, turning back to him and keeping his own internal invocation.

Once he saw he was ready, he proceeded to lift a hand to cover his mouth so the words would not be easily seen by anyone even if they could not pronounce them, entered the north quarter and spoke the Names of the earth elementals, allowing them to remain as his friends, to remain with him at his side or work despite the banishing, as it was not meant for Them. He thought of the stones in his pockets, the feeling of their presences. He followed suit with That Which Was With Him, the spirit that was the Beacon, the potential spiritual son that had somehow become a part of them, for the now, until he was ready to be reborn. That had been there when the path was brutal and unrelenting. The banishing was not meant for Him. He lowered his hand when he was done and began working on the energy raising with the other magii, taking as much time as the three gathered forces could muster together, using movement for the Cultist since she could not hear any incantations. He was not sure how long this part could take, it just took as long as necessary, but eventually Adjan would pick the dice up and the time maga would 'pack it all.'

// 4, 5, 0 - 8, 5, 8 - 8, 1, 8 - 9, 8, 6 - assuming 7-8 is still a success, got a little shaky there for a second

And yeah I know but I do like to keep a steady pace but work is work xD Gotta do it. Also Warp, can't see that image sadly as it takes me somewhere with a warning in a language I cannot read Ah well. And as long as Colin doesn't get the moniker Oncoming Storm >.<

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

"Oh good, thank you again, that saves us some time. Perhaps next time I 'visit' I will have the opportunity to check out your club, assuming there's not some other crises to attend to," he said, as she passed out the box to Adjan

"Ah please do, I will treat you and your party to a night out, on the house."
Loretta said and smiled before she put her ear plugs in.
"These should work for the volume you where at in the start above that I do not know."
She said a little to loud as she could not fully hear her own voice to regulate the volume.

After they had secured the earplugs, he went back to the middle of the area where they were going to work and from there started describing the circle with the ritual dagger as they'd discussed around the other two magii, calling quarters as he went. This was in part to create the working space in his mind, also to keep out friendly spirits and to give him a boundary, something to push against to make the spirits leave when the rote was released, and a place for Adjan to use his dice. It was the working world, in microcosm, and the dice would fall or be put in their due course. Then he went back toward the center and began a similar incantation as the one he used with Adjan before, evoking the trio of Powers I.A.O., his voice sonorous and his head tilted slightly upwards as he spoke, in whose great name should unwanted presences be banished back to their original plane. He waited for his friend to be done collecting his own internal forces and give him a signal, turning back to him and keeping his own internal invocation.

Loretta sat down cross legged at you worked her eyes following your movements as you started the working, she was very still, her only movement being the slow rise and fall of her chest as she brought herself into a trance. Adjan was more involved and you could feel his energies there, he joined your movements where he could and otherwise stood in silence once you gave him the signal you saw him mark out the circle with his dice, carefully and lovingly placing each of them, and as he did his power quickened and joined with yours, you could feel his magick there, the ritual might be a bit cobbled together but you could direct it as he called the powers in his own way. I.A.O was harder than usual though, off course you could do the gestures and speak the words but the forces behind them where tricky to balance. The signs for Isis in mourning and Apophis was stronger than for Osiris risen due to the Euthanatos's Resonance. Slowly the forces you desired came to you though, magick, reality itself obeying your words and the silent mushing over the powers of death from your friend taken the shape of Gods.

Once he saw he was ready, he proceeded to lift a hand to cover his mouth so the words would not be easily seen by anyone even if they could not pronounce them, entered the north quarter and spoke the Names of the earth elementals, allowing them to remain as his friends, to remain with him at his side or work despite the banishing, as it was not meant for Them. He thought of the stones in his pockets, the feeling of their presences. He followed suit with That Which Was With Him, the spirit that was the Beacon, the potential spiritual son that had somehow become a part of them, for the now, until he was ready to be reborn. That had been there when the path was brutal and unrelenting. The banishing was not meant for Him.

The two other magi averted their eyes as you begun speaking the names that must remain secret, giving you as much privacy as could be had in a joint working. You could feel them, the earth elementals, the Brothers as you spoke their name, they where those names, you could feel their sense of justice, their desire to protect and preserve what was. From That Which Was Within you feel hope, it was hope mixed with the growing ache in your soul as you thought about the shard but it was still hope, a beacon of light in the gray darkness of despair, such was the nature the growing spirit, you potential son was taking on, it would be what he was, your banishing was not for them, and you formed the rote so it would not affect these beings.

He lowered his hand when he was done and began working on the energy raising with the other magii, taking as much time as the three gathered forces could muster together, using movement for the Cultist since she could not hear any incantations. He was not sure how long this part could take, it just took as long as necessary, but eventually Adjan would pick the dice up and the time maga would 'pack it all.'

At this point Loretta got more active in the ritual, she was fully in a trance now and you could feel her wild, swirling energies, a dagger dance. Deep in a joint ritual the lines between you and them thinned, Adjan was like a pillar made from fossils long encased in stone, a black monument to death and stability, while Loretta was a fox, wild and free but with teeth when she needed them, the three of you working together towards a single goal, until finally you felt the rote was powerful enough, it was a order for reality to heed your command, a shout in the darkness and it was finally loud enough, the signal was given and Adjan begun to slowly pick up his dice as Loretta stared dreamily into her crackled glass bead.

It really felt weird this time, the rote was cast, you felt it complete and be obeyed, you felt reality yield to it, you felt your magick taking effect and yet, nothing happened, or it did in the future, for a moment, just for a moment you could feel your rote taking effect in the future and it was, disorienting. It was done though and Adjan who also felt the strangeness of it shuddered a bit as he put his dice away then remained still in the circle for you to close up the ritual and for Loretta to come enough out of her magickal trance to notice what was going on around her.

(OOC: 7 is a success yes. Generally this is Spirit 2 which would make the diff 6 but since there are three mages of different Paradigms working together I raised it to 8, but because of the detailed and creative ritual description I lower it to 7 again. Also in all 4 successes from Adjan and 5 from Loretta so all in all that hanging spell is packed down with quite a bit of juice in it.)

[Warpmind]

Colin grinned, "Well, in that case, I should have to reciprocate. I'm sure your future wife would be greatly amused by looking through my recipe books."
He smiled thoughtfully, "Yes... I myself am looking forward to the twenty years I remember with Freddy... If, ah, that makes any sense to you. Of course, if everything goes well, there'll be a whole lot more than twenty years, but that's the part I have memories of."
He arched an eyebrow, "To do-lists? Really? Here I would have thought it would write a fiery biography, or perhaps a few inflammatory letters... then again, who knows? It might settle for some reflected criticisms of warmongering instead..."
He smiled softly, "Remember what I said earlier about a sucker's game? Revenge rarely pays off, and it takes a constant toll before you get there... and that moment of satisfaction may have a bitter aftertaste. Finding closure, on the other hand... you can often tell the difference between the two in the simple question 'And then what?' which in your case would be a comfortable retirement in the Mediterranean. Revenge seldom cares about the aftermath... It's showed up time and again in both literature and history; someone attaining their vengeance, and find themselves lost with all their bridges burned... I think you'll be fine, though."
He nodded, "Quite so, once the Larson problem is resolved, and a few administrative matters dealt with, I'm planning on taking Freddy on a week's vacation in my couch fortress. In a time bubble, if possible..."

((OOC: No worries, s7trif3, the link was intended for Anja anyway - it's the Norwegian translation of a Swedish book I read when I was a kid. Doesn't seem to have enjoyed an English translation, unfortunately - a shame; it's a good book, too... And The Oncoming Storm was the nickname I had in mind, yeah... John Smith might be easier to get away with, though. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grinned, "Well, in that case, I should have to reciprocate. I'm sure your future wife would be greatly amused by looking through my recipe books."

"I am sure she will, I just have to meet her first, then again in this modern era as perhaps my future wife will not enjoy cooking at all and that will be my job...oh well as long as she will want to live by the sea in Italy I am fine with it."
Joakim sounded amused.

He smiled thoughtfully, "Yes... I myself am looking forward to the twenty years I remember with Freddy... If, ah, that makes any sense to you. Of course, if everything goes well, there'll be a whole lot more than twenty years, but that's the part I have memories of."

"I hope you get more than twenty years with Miss Adlebloom Mr Wainwright but twenty happy years are better than a hundred miserable ones, at least you know fate have some happiness in store for you."
He said and smiled.

He arched an eyebrow, "To do-lists? Really? Here I would have thought it would write a fiery biography, or perhaps a few inflammatory letters... then again, who knows? It might settle for some reflected criticisms of warmongering instead..."

The hedge wizard burst out laughing at that.
"Yes it might very well do just that...it might indeed."
He said sounding most amused.

He smiled softly, "Remember what I said earlier about a sucker's game? Revenge rarely pays off, and it takes a constant toll before you get there... and that moment of satisfaction may have a bitter aftertaste. Finding closure, on the other hand... you can often tell the difference between the two in the simple question 'And then what?' which in your case would be a comfortable retirement in the Mediterranean. Revenge seldom cares about the aftermath... It's showed up time and again in both literature and history; someone attaining their vengeance, and find themselves lost with all their bridges burned... I think you'll be fine, though."

Joakim sat considering for a while then he said.
"I think perhaps that in the beginning, it was just revenge, I had nothing and was a broken man but as the years pass by I feel less and less angry, and more compassion for Etrius who also lost in all, he just like to pretend he did not. I still need to end it, as he is he continue to create more like himself, more tragedy and once he was my friend and he needs to be released from the abomination he have become...but the red hot anger have left me, at least it have most days."
He said and shook his head.
"Ah but I am rambling, that is neither here nor there right now."

He nodded, "Quite so, once the Larson problem is resolved, and a few administrative matters dealt with, I'm planning on taking Freddy on a week's vacation in my couch fortress. In a time bubble, if possible..."

"Well now that sounds like a splendid idea."
The old hedge wizard said and grinned.
"Let us hope we can deal with them as oon as possible."

(OOC: Yeah I forgot to reply to that OCC message yes Belladonna's names was inspired from that book and it was one of my favorites as a child. The book is about basically the bachelor for witches, where you have a powerful old warlock that realize he is getting old and arrange a spell casting tournament where the winner get to marry him, it is hilarious. I do think it got a English translation though as Which Witch https://www.amazon.com/Which-Witch-Eva-Ibbotson/dp/0141304278 )

[Warpmind]

Colin grinned, "Well, at least I have that aspect ascertained in advance - I will do the cooking. Good thing I enjoy it, I suppose."
He nodded, "Twenty good years before the Nephandi attack Horizon... and I'm already working on plans to get out of the polyp before everything explodes. By my estimates, I have about eight seconds from the shields go down until the... er, sorry, derailing."
He smiled, "Just keep in mind that the Japanese superstition that a well-loved tool gains sentience after a century is not so much a romantization as a warning... They apparently have some very strange monsters over there."
He nodded, "If you decide you want some help facing Etrius for the last time, feel free to call on me. I might be able to lend a hand. I'd be honoured to help the two of you to put an end to the matter. I... would not offer this help if I believed it was a vengeance mission."
He sighed, "The Larson issue should be dealt with quickly enough - within hours, in fact, rather than days... And should we fail, well, then I won't have to contend with bureaucratic matters, at least... Oh, bugger, that's right, did you hear from Dr. Horton about the bullet?"

((OOC: Well, son of a bitch... When I searched for her books, I found nothing in English. O.o I love Not Just a Witch and The Haunting of Granite Falls, too... The latter has some REALLY mentally unhinged villains, by the way... :3 ))

((OOC2: Aaaaand I just had a really scary mental image of events some time down the line... "So, Mr. Wainwright, you've just returned after searching for five years for the alleged location where Avatar fragments gather. Did you find it?" "Most certainly." "Could you tell the viewers how you found it?" "Quite painful, actually - a lot of those shards were quite insistent and forceful in their search for a new host." "Uh..." "Also, did you know that one's Avatar rating can reach double digits?" "...What?" ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin grinned, "Well, at least I have that aspect ascertained in advance - I will do the cooking. Good thing I enjoy it, I suppose."

"I have never been good at cooking but I can always learn."
Joakim said and gave a little smile.

He nodded, "Twenty good years before the Nephandi attack Horizon... and I'm already working on plans to get out of the polyp before everything explodes. By my estimates, I have about eight seconds from the shields go down until the... er, sorry, derailing."

"I do wish you good luck with that Mr Wainwright. Hum if there are no shields can you not learn the arts of Spirit and Correspondence and teleport out, or have someone do that for you? The problem is getting any magick into a Battle Cruiser but if that is not a issue any longer getting you out should not be that hard, at least if you have on you some kind of beacon."
The old hedge wizard suggested.
"Not that I know the general situation though so such a solution might be impossible."

He smiled, "Just keep in mind that the Japanese superstition that a well-loved tool gains sentience after a century is not so much a romantization as a warning... They apparently have some very strange monsters over there."

"Ah yes, and they would be correct the spirit of a well loved item will awaken over time, though not necessarily one hundred years, there are plenty of awakened toys and teddy bears out there, the spirits of children's beloved toys...as for Japanese monster...I never got all the umbrella creatures...hum..."

He nodded, "If you decide you want some help facing Etrius for the last time, feel free to call on me. I might be able to lend a hand. I'd be honoured to help the two of you to put an end to the matter. I... would not offer this help if I believed it was a vengeance mission."

Joakim gave you a warm smile then shook his head.
"I am honored by your offer Mr Wainwright, but I think that when the time comes, this is something I have to do myself, regardless of how long it will take me to get powerful enough to actually do it, he was my friend, and it should be me that eventually give him peace."
He said and looked at you a moment then smiles again.
"Though fighting at your side would be a privilege young man."

He sighed, "The Larson issue should be dealt with quickly enough - within hours, in fact, rather than days... And should we fail, well, then I won't have to contend with bureaucratic matters, at least... Oh, bugger, that's right, did you hear from Dr. Horton about the bullet?"

The hedge wizard's mood darkened.
"Yes if we fail to stop Larson's plans we all die."
He muttered then he drew a deep breath and nodded.
"Yes Dr Horton told me that the bullet had become a rib bone, that is one less thing to worry about...yes and speaking about hearing from someone, I got a message from the Deacons, they have agreed finally to let us use Tass from the construction site Node for the purpose of taking down this Nephandi threat, it took them long enough to come to a conclusion but I guess we are going to have to be thankful that their response was a positive one."
He said and gave a half smile.
"I have sent some of the Sentinels to get some of the Tass as we speak, hopefully they will be back before you leave on the retrieval mission, so there is that bit of good news at least."

(OOC: The opposite of the merit Storm Warden, you attract Avatar shards like a magnet instead, instant spiritual pin cushion. Hum...I do not think I have read any of her other books I will have to track them down.)

[Warpmind]

Colin grinned, "You know, the most hilariously twisted part of the whole thing... I know the time and place twenty years in advance. If my studies into spacetime advance quickly enough... I could potentially build a capsule before the Nephandi attack, and jump forward in time to pick myself up and haul me to safety before the battlecruiser ceases to exist. Just because I didn't remember having done that in twenty years doesn't mean I won't have - there are enough details that were glossed over in the memory that I could milk such a possibility for all it is worth."
He smiled, "Hum... If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise..."
He nodded, "Still, I don't think you should necessarily go it alone... As I recall it, most forms of Code Duello not only permit, but actually call for the office of Second. You know, to keep an eye on the surroundings, and to make sure the opponents' aides don't try something dishonourable."
He sighed with relief, "At least the bullet's not a worry, then. As for the tass, good. I expect whoever is set to start tearing down the Labyrinth's wards and magical defenses will need it. If there's an extra supply for the rescue mission, I'm certain that can come in handy, as well. I have a couple of drams of the... guk left, but some untainted tass could come in handy for tricks that don't fall in the hand grenade category."

((OOC: Perhaps less "pincushion" and more "Frankentar of Borg. Your Avatar fragments will be assimilated and added to the whole. It will sting , but their power and peculiarities will be absorbed." The Haunting of Granite Falls is titled "Spøkelsene på Carra" here. Might be easier to find by that title. ))

[Adley]

"Ah please do, I will treat you and your party to a night out, on the house." Loretta said and smiled before she put her ear plugs in

"That's very gracious, thank you."

"These should work for the volume you where at in the start above that I do not know." She said a little to loud as she could not fully hear her own voice to regulate the volume.

He nodded to her and made an 'OK' sign. He didn't have any plans on speaking at a louder volume than he could help, at any rate.

The ritual went as well as he could hope to expect, perhaps better, though there were moments where he felt and experienced things in the moments that were bound to be strange, on reflection. But as it happened, they seemed natural enough or at least as if it was working, almost as a dream did, or in a seeking. His spirit friends of the earth that he could feel exempted, the mixture of hope and ache from the shard and his avatar...concern over the state of them both, and the growing sense of ache from his avatar but for now, they were together. Working together as best they could. To keep the despair away. Both of those things at once, while they were together for now. It made sense too that Adjan's resonances would feel they way they did, manifest in the connection to some powers over others, though that meant he tried to balance it out as best he could. That Loretta was a vixen with her chaotic swirling sharpness, his friend was a mausoleum and that these perceptions he experienced were somehow not all his own. Later that would seem strange, when they were done but while he was doing the ritual it did not. The sensations were broken or at least halted by the time ars though, as they were supposed to be, but that still felt weird -as it happened.- As if part of him were still doing the rote but it had also stopped it, waiting for his dagger point and Word. He had to wait until the disorientation passed enough to close the circle as he normally did, turning the circle the other way around, returning the place they worked back to normal vibrations again. Loretta no longer a fox, his friend no longer stone and bone...

// seems like a good amount of power, definitely better than one guy shouting to the spirits 'damn kids get offa my lawn' ; )  Thanks for the explanation about the book : )

@Warp - lol, I suppose Oncoming Storm fits the bill, or maybe Eye of the Storm. But now I have this image of those magnetic toys with the filings, and the largest shard of his avatar is the magnet. And yeah sometimes jokes and subtlties are lost in translation, too bad I'm not a polyglot like my character I do like reading things in their original language : ) Still, some translations are pretty good. I do like a good villain!

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Colin:

Colin grinned, "You know, the most hilariously twisted part of the whole thing... I know the time and place twenty years in advance. If my studies into spacetime advance quickly enough... I could potentially build a capsule before the Nephandi attack, and jump forward in time to pick myself up and haul me to safety before the battlecruiser ceases to exist. Just because I didn't remember having done that in twenty years doesn't mean I won't have - there are enough details that were glossed over in the memory that I could milk such a possibility for all it is worth."

"Well going forward in time is easier than going back."
The old hedge wizard said.
"Then again I can not help but think it have to be easier to ask for someone's help for this rather than to do it all by yourself. But yes while predictions are never fully accurate there is free will after all you have a good indication of what will happen and when and where, you should be able to exploit that to better your chances of survival."
He agreed.

He smiled, "Hum... If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise..."

Joakim gave a little smile at that.

He nodded, "Still, I don't think you should necessarily go it alone... As I recall it, most forms of Code Duello not only permit, but actually call for the office of Second. You know, to keep an eye on the surroundings, and to make sure the opponents' aides don't try something dishonourable."

"You may be right. I shall think about your kind offer Mr Wainwright...in any ways it is a while of the last time we danced, Etrius kicked my ass if you excuse the language, rather exquisitely and embarrassingly, there will be a while before I can stand as his equal in a fight."

He sighed with relief, "At least the bullet's not a worry, then.

"No that have been taken care of apparently."

As for the tass, good. I expect whoever is set to start tearing down the Labyrinth's wards and magical defenses will need it. If there's an extra supply for the rescue mission, I'm certain that can come in handy, as well. I have a couple of drams of the... guk left, but some untainted tass could come in handy for tricks that don't fall in the hand grenade category."

"If the Sentinels get back here in time before you and your party leaves for the rescue mission I am sure something can be arranged, while we can not harvest the Node like maniacs there is enough there that restocking your supplies with something that is not attuned to word destruction should be quite doable."

Adley:

"That's very gracious, thank you."

"Well us Traditionalists have to stick together."
Loretta said and gave that measured smile, besides it would allow her to show of before the apprentice of a powerful mage, raise her political capital which was always a good thing, at least for her it was.

He nodded to her and made an 'OK' sign. He didn't have any plans on speaking at a louder volume than he could help, at any rate.

Loretta nodded at that.

He had to wait until the disorientation passed enough to close the circle as he normally did, turning the circle the other way around, returning the place they worked back to normal vibrations again. Loretta no longer a fox, his friend no longer stone and bone...

Adjan was silent for a while after the circle was closed he took the ear plugs out and put them back into the little box.
"I think that was effective enough, a little cobbled together but that is to be expected."
He said as his energies settled.
"Hum...strange I am more used to working with Verbena mages and those of them that use circles the whole circle casting comes from the Hermetics, and yet your ending of a ritual feels very different you...end the circle, close it while they open it but leave part of it intact to meld into the surrounding energies...quite interesting."
He muttered.

Loretta slowly stood and stretched.
"Interesting indeed."
She said after she had gotten her own earplugs out then she handed the small glass bead to you.
"Everything went according to plan I would say."
She commented.

(OOC: Thank you Warp I have read the Carra book actually and have been looking for it.)

(OOC 2: The problem is that if you are a sleeper and end up in Avatar splinter central then they will merge together much like when you make cotton candy and form a Frankentar of Borg, but if a already Awakened mage end up in such a situation the shards will make minced spirit out of his or her existing Avatar and then there is nothing for them to adhere to to clump together so you do not get a new one either so that is sort of bad. Colin might just be an exception to that rule though... )

[Adley]

"I think that was effective enough, a little cobbled together but that is to be expected." He said as his energies settled. "Hum...strange I am more used to working with Verbena mages and those of them that use circles the whole circle casting comes from the Hermetics, and yet your ending of a ritual feels very different you...end the circle, close it while they open it but leave part of it intact to meld into the surrounding energies...quite interesting."

"Some of that is definitely due to the temporal effects, I think," he said, blinking and then rubbing a hand across his eyes. "But yes, there are similarities and differences with regards to the uses of the circles between our groups of course...speaking of that I did experience some different things myself that I never have before. I don't have time to reflect on it properly right now, though unfortunately. But yes, I think it worked pretty well, considering."

She said after she had gotten her own earplugs out then she handed the small glass bead to you. "Everything went according to plan I would say." She commented.

"Thank you very much for your assistance, it was invaluable. Both of you, than you." He then pinned the bead on the other sleeve, going the other direction, made a mental note of which was which.

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