The Apocrypha War IC

[Lentrax]

Propellers buzz outside the aircraft. Their incessant whirring is only a minor din inside however. The plush interior of the Boeing 307 you find yourselves in is empty other than you, the crew and one other man.

This man, clad in a quite stylish suit and tie, sits calmly in his chair as the plane takes off. Sitting in his seat, he lights a cigarette, smoke curling up onto the ceiling. As the plane rises up above 8000 feet, the cabin pressurizes and you feel your ears pop. Reaching to the table sitting between the two chairs in his row, he picks up a paper. You get a brief glimpse of the headline, Desert Fox Pushes Into North Africa, Sends Brits Reeling.

The flight continues for some time. The man continues to read his paper, has a brandy, then finally stands up to face all of you.

"Ladies, Gentlemen. Others. I am the Fixer. As I am sure you are all well aware, the various nations of the world have declared war on the Axis powers. What most people do not know is that the Nazi have begun sending out teams to gather up every supernatural artifact they can get their hands on. That is the reason the Consilii have agreed to send Magi to find these artifacts first.

"We have teams out right now, hunting for various objects of power and significance. There is a team searching for the Holy Grail, the Rod of Hammurabi, writings of Enki, pieces of meteors that have fallen to earth, and even the damn Ark of the Covenant." Fixer lights another cigarette, and rubs his eye with his thumb as he continues.

"We are taking you into Spain. Since they are currently embattling each other, we should be able to get you into the country. From there, you will have to cross the border into France and cross the Nazi lines.

"Then you must head to the cathedral in the city of Rosendeaux. The local priest will be able to give you more information on what you are looking for and where to start looking for it. Any questions?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac frowns.

"Gathering up supernatural artifacts, right. But can they do anything with them? I know the Nazis are occultists, but do we know if they have any actual Mages?"

[Lentrax]

"The Thule society. Yes. They are occultists. They are also doomsayers, Propheciers, and there will more than likely be at least one Mage in their ranks. I expect by the time this war is through, we will all be very good at killing our own kind."

Fixer stamps his cigarette out in the ashtray next to him, then speaks again.

"At least for now there is a spot of good news. We have received word back from the Vampire courts. They will not interfere with our attempts to stop the Nazi threat from rising to apocalyptic levels. Staving off Gehenna, I suppose."

[SiuiS]

Isaac frowns.

"Gathering up supernatural artifacts, right. But can they do anything with them? I know the Nazis are occultists, but do we know if they have any actual Mages?"

"Of course there are," Evanesce chirps quietly from the back, smoothing a cream white lapel. "Our colleague here is from Japan, and he did not awake because of American soil.

"Or did you?" The Mystagogue cranes their neck to look at the (presumedly gloomy-faced) samurai.


"The Thule society. Yes. They are occultists. They are also doomsayers, Propheciers, and there will more than likely be at least one Mage in their ranks. I expect by the time this war is through, we will all be very good at killing our own kind."

Fixer stamps his cigarette out in the ashtray next to him, then speaks again.

"At least for now there is a spot of good news. We have received word back from the Vampire courts. They will not interfere with our attempts to stop the Nazi threat from rising to apocalyptic levels. Staving off Gehenna, I suppose."

"Oh! Vampire courts? Will there be a chance to interact with them at all?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac turns to Evanesce.

"I'm sure there are German Mages, I'd just be surprised if any of them are sincere Nazis. The first level of Life would show how wrong they are, surely?"

He thinks for a minute.

"Although, they could just be using the Nazis for their own ends."

At the mention of the Vampires, Isaac groans.

"They're blood-fetishist serial murderers, not a petting zoo. The only way I'm interacting with them is with a stake."

[JennTora]

"Of course there are," Evanesce chirps quietly from the back, smoothing a cream white lapel. "Our colleague here is from Japan, and he did not awake because of American soil.

"Or did you?" The Mystagogue cranes their neck to look at the (presumedly gloomy-faced) samurai.

Ghost laughs just barely audibly at evanesce's sarcasm.




"Oh! Vampire courts? Will there be a chance to interact with them at all?"

"Perhaps we should try to focus on the artifacts? Though I would certainly like a chance to speak to vampires myself... If they are trying to avoid some apocalypse myth of theirs, then they might even help us, who knows? While I'd prefer to be cautious, I don't think staking them on sight is the answer. Let's just try and capture whatever we're looking for and be on guard if we should happen to meet any vampires."

[savior indra]

"Of course there are," Evanesce chirps quietly from the back, smoothing a cream white lapel. "Our colleague here is from Japan, and he did not awake because of American soil.

"Or did you?" The Mystagogue cranes their neck to look at the (presumedly gloomy-faced) samurai.


"No, I was born in Nagasaki, Japan. My Awakening happened in Edo, what you would know as Tokyo." answered Garrett with a small nod of his head to acknowledge the other mage.


Isaac turns to Evanesce.

"I'm sure there are German Mages, I'd just be surprised if any of them are sincere Nazis. The first level of Life would show how wrong they are, surely?"

He thinks for a minute.

"Although, they could just be using the Nazis for their own ends."

At the mention of the Vampires, Isaac groans.

"They're blood-fetishist serial murderers, not a petting zoo. The only way I'm interacting with them is with a stake."

"To lump all under one view is dangerous. Theirs is but the only way they can survive. Not all of them asked for this lot in life. A wolf does not choose to kill but it must do so to survive. So is it with the vampire." said Garrett in an even tone before he muttered a Buddhist prayer for the vampires in Japanese.

[SiuiS]

Isaac turns to Evanesce.

"I'm sure there are German Mages, I'd just be surprised if any of them are sincere Nazis. The first level of Life would show how wrong they are, surely?"

"We hear of eugenics, too. They may be breeding superior men, for all we know. That is certainly theoretically possible with the higher mysteries."

Evanesce eyes Isaac, before straightening a pocket of a brown corduroy waistcoat.



At the mention of the Vampires, Isaac groans.

"They're blood-fetishist serial murderers, not a petting zoo. The only way I'm interacting with them is with a stake."

*snort*



"To lump all under one view is dangerous. Theirs is but the only way they can survive. Not all of them asked for this lot in life. A wolf does not choose to kill but it must do so to survive. So is it with the vampire." said Garrett in an even tone before he muttered a Buddhist prayer for the vampires in Japanese.

A smile.

"You see? Symbolism has weight. Even the awakened are not immune to the lures of philosophy. Our Buddhist friend here is no less accomplished a sorcerer because of Buddhism. One can easily imagine obrimoi awakening to nazi symbolism and throwing themselves into it's mythology."

[OracleofSilence]

"You see? Symbolism has weight. Even the awakened are not immune to the lures of philosophy. Our Buddhist friend here is no less accomplished a sorcerer because of Buddhism. One can easily imagine obrimoi awakening to nazi symbolism and throwing themselves into it's mythology."

"Indeed I can. Not to speak ill of those back home, but I wouldn't be surprised if a few members of the Consilii in San Francisco had a similar experience.." Ys gives up trying to straighten out his hopelessly wrinkled coat and leans forward with a bit more interest. "But I must agree with Isaac here. Wolves or not, vampires are nothing but trouble. At best, really irritating, and at worse likely to throw us to the wolves on the off chance they can get some of the leftovers."

[horus42]

Loeb strokes his chin as he listens to the Fixer, and the others talking. He speaks in heavily accented English, his brow furrowed, outlining the crease between his eyebrows.

"I would like to believe that my former colleagues back in Germany do not truly adhere to Nazi ideology. There is no doubt that it is very possible, however."

He sighs, his shoulders heaving.

"Then again, for every monster in the concentration camps, there are thousands of other soldiers who know nothing of the Fuhrer's true goals. They hear the rumors, but do not believe them. They turn a blind eye to the ghettos, to the persecution. It is human nature, as sad as that may be."

[SiuiS]

"Indeed I can. Not to speak ill of those back home, but I wouldn't be surprised if a few members of the Consilii in San Francisco had a similar experience.." Ys gives up trying to straighten out his hopelessly wrinkled coat and leans forward with a bit more interest. "But I must agree with Isaac here. Wolves or not, vampires are nothing but trouble. At best, really irritating, and at worse likely to throw us to the wolves on the off chance they can get some of the leftovers."

Evanesce shrugs, frowns, looks down at an extended leg, examining slacks. "Vampires are a source of Supernal knowledge. I've met sociopath Adamantine arrows, and they are allies. Why not the living dead?"

The Mystagogue wonders, eyes closed, should I change clothes?


Loeb strokes his chin as he listens to the Fixer, and the others talking. He speaks in heavily accented English, his brow furrowed, outlining the crease between his eyebrows.

"I would like to believe that my former colleagues back in Germany do not truly adhere to Nazi ideology. There is no doubt that it is very possible, however."

He sighs, his shoulders heaving.

"Then again, for every monster in the concentration camps, there are thousands of other soldiers who know nothing of the Fuhrer's true goals. They hear the rumors, but do not believe them. They turn a blind eye to the ghettos, to the persecution. It is human nature, as sad as that may be."

"And there is always the Throne."

Evanesce leans backward into the seat, forming the idea of their landing in generalities. Too murky. instead of wandering inward, those amber eyes turn to the fixer.

"Sir, how much do you know? Will we be stationed out of Spain for the foreseeable future? Will we be transient? Will we have access to a hallow regularly? Who should I ask, if you do not have the answers?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac nods, conceding the point.

"I suppose that's possible. We can be grateful that the Nazis have only been around for 20 years or so. That limits how powerful the Nazi Mages can be."

He turns back to Garrett, twisting awkwardly in his seat to face him.

"The wolf is a good analogy. What do we do with wolves that kill people?"

[JennTora]

Isaac nods, conceding the point.

"I suppose that's possible. We can be grateful that the Nazis have only been around for 20 years or so. That limits how powerful the Nazi Mages can be."

"How so? Though unlikely it could be a small part of some ancient group of tremeres' plan." Ghost shudders slightly at the thought of fighting mages that have been around for so long.

To the vampire conversation.

"I agree with evanesce. If any vampires are in the mood to talk it seems a waste not to at least try to question them on the things they know. Who knows what secrets they might have?"

[Lentrax]

""A network of Magi have agreed to lend us Hallows in Europe. When you arrive in Spain, you will be taken to a sanctum where more details can be provided."

[Gareth3]

"I doubt any old Mage could be converted to Nazism, even if young ones could Awaken and keep their ideology. Any powerful Mage has his own whacky ideas about perfecting the world - no offense, Evanesce - and wouldn't have much time for Sleeper politics. And if the Mages are just using the Nazis as pawns, so much the better. Not many pawns are left in the endgame."

[Lentrax]

Fixer laughs, a dry, humorless chuckle that quiets the buzz of conversation about the small cabin.

"And if the ranking members of the Nazis SS are magi? And they they direct the lines of battle along leu lines they themselves laid down in the retreats from the last war. And what if, they have spent these long years, preparing to unleash the few artifacts they had already uncovered? And what of the Society leaders? Surely they are magi as we are. No. Our enemy will not be the child or the teen. But here it will be the adult, trying to use ritual magic to stay us all, No. We must find the middle men, that they can lead us to the bigger ones.

[Gareth3]

Isaac is irritated at Fixer's laughter, but pauses to think before replying.

"In that case, we have to wonder what the Mages want. Carving out an empire in Europe, that makes some kind of sense for a Sleeper government. But how do the Mages benefit? They have to want something more than Polish pig farms."

[SiuiS]

""A network of Magi have agreed to lend us Hallows in Europe. When you arrive in Spain, you will be taken to a sanctum where more details can be provided."

A nod.


"I doubt any old Mage could be converted to Nazism, even if young ones could Awaken and keep their ideology. Any powerful Mage has his own whacky ideas about perfecting the world - no offense, Evanesce - and wouldn't have much time for Sleeper politics. And if the Mages are just using the Nazis as pawns, so much the better. Not many pawns are left in the endgame."

"An end to quiescence. What are your disciplines, mr....?" Evanesce trails off into an opening for a name.

[savior indra]

"We may be mages but that does not make us post- or even trans-human. We are still human beings, bound by human desires and human emotions. Never underestimate the allure of ideology for the moment we think we have transcended humanity and ideology, we have already fallen prey to it." said Garrett in a neutral, and calming tone. It would not do for their group to underestimate or think themselves above these so-called 'sleepers' for that would be arrogant, and arrogance will inevitably pull one off the Eightfold Path.

"This is not simply a war of resources. This is a war of ideology. Nazi fascism and Japanese imperialism threaten to lead the world from the path of right intention. The future of billions of unborn lives hang by a thread. It is the duty of all who can; our duty, to right the balance." stated Garrett as he looked around at his new companions.

[SiuiS]

Evanesce's mouth seals and smiles. "Succinctly, yes."

[JennTora]

Ghost folds his arms and lowers his head in thought, "I don't think we have enough information to guess at their motives just yet. It sounds like all we know is they're gathering artifacts, which could mean nearly anything. I think we should wait until we know more to try and guess what they want."

He turns to fixer.

"Though I am curious if we know anything about what artifacts they already have?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac suddenly turns back to Fixer, remembering something.

"Excuse my manners. I'm Isaac Holzberg, Third Spirit, Second Life, First Matter, First Forces. Free Council and Imagineers. Use "Hippocrates" if you want a Shadow name. Actually, that reminds me. Ystori, is there any way you can let us speak Spanish? Or French, I suppose. A bunch of English-speakers wandering around can't help but be suspicious."

[Lentrax]

"We know of only a few. They have obtained the Staff of Ra, one of the scrolls of Shiva, and the Staff of Field Marshall Wellington. I am sure there are more, but we cannot be certain. What we do know, is that we cannot allow any more to fall into the hands of the Krauts. Some of these artifacts can unbalance the laws of Reality, or even destroy the Earth."

[horus42]

"We may be mages but that does not make us post- or even trans-human. We are still human beings, bound by human desires and human emotions. Never underestimate the allure of ideology for the moment we think we have transcended humanity and ideology, we have already fallen prey to it." said Garrett in a neutral, and calming tone. It would not do for their group to underestimate or think themselves above these so-called 'sleepers' for that would be arrogant, and arrogance will inevitably pull one off the Eightfold Path.

"This is not simply a war of resources. This is a war of ideology. Nazi fascism and Japanese imperialism threaten to lead the world from the path of right intention. The future of billions of unborn lives hang by a thread. It is the duty of all who can; our duty, to right the balance." stated Garrett as he looked around at his new companions.

Loeb nods fiercely in approval. "Jawohl, that was very well said. It was perhaps... optimistic of me to hope otherwise."


"We know of only a few. They have obtained the Staff of Ra, one of the scrolls of Shiva, and the Staff of Field Marshall Wellington. I am sure there are more, but we cannot be certain. What we do know, is that we cannot allow any more to fall into the hands of the Krauts. Some of these artifacts can unbalance the laws of Reality, or even destroy the Earth."

"I find it amusing that they search for relics of the so-called "Mongrel Races." Especially the Ark of the Covenant. I have a feeling that trying to use that particular artifact could end... badly for them."

[Lentrax]

"Hitler only desires power, it is likely the magi holding him up who understand the power of magic and faith that are searching for the artifacts."

[Gareth3]

Isaac is startled.

"Wait a minute, Wellington's staff is an artifact? What does it do?"

[Lentrax]

"According to the legends passed down by the skalds, it was imbued with the power to perfectly lead an army, though the exact means of doing so are unknown."

[SiuiS]

"According to the legends passed down by the skalds, it was imbued with the power to perfectly lead an army, though the exact means of doing so are unknown."

"Oh, interesting." Evanesce sits up, eyes gleaming. "I am rusty on the exact mechanics, but I think I know how that would work. Is it an artifact or an imbued staff? I shall have to try and remember anything from my studies – I have been more interested in politics than apocrypha and relics I'm afraid."

[Gareth3]

Isaac looks even more confused.

"So Wellington was a Mage?"

[Lentrax]

"He was not a Mage, though he may have not been entirely asleep. War does strange things to men, as it did to the general when he was at Assaye. As to the nature of the staff, it is more than likely imbued, but such things are... Out of my understanding. I am a go-between. A sort of inter consilium diplomat, if you will."

[OracleofSilence]

"If the Staff is an Artifact, he need not have been. It just means the staff is an object of great Supernal influence. At least, that is what I recall on the matter. As for language, it may be within my ability. I can make any language comprehensible to myself, but I must admit, I haven't ever attempted to bestow knowledge of a language on another." Ys leans back considering options.

[Gareth3]

Isaac nods.

"Right. You'll do the talking for us. Speak Spanish in Spain, then French in France. Everyone else, keep quiet in front of strangers until we can work out some way to share the spell. Even if you can speak an appropriate language, the accent will tip people off."

[SiuiS]

"Oh, I had not thought... Are you a sleepwalker? A Proximus, perhaps? If so then This would all be over your head."


Isaac nods.

"Right. You'll do the talking for us. Speak Spanish in Spain, then French in France. Everyone else, keep quiet in front of strangers until we can work out some way to share the spell. Even if you can speak an appropriate language, the accent will tip people off."

Evanesce's head shakes slowly. "The more abstract the imago the easier the working will be. Understanding what another says and phonating the sounds appropriate to their language successfully are different by magnitudes. Restructuring the lingual areas of your mind may even risk vulgarity. With any luck, our meeting will be with either another sorcerer, or someone bilingual."

[Gareth3]

"Sure, but I'm thinking more of the taxi drivers and hotel doormen. Assume everyone's a spy, unless we're specifically meeting them."

Isaac turns back to Fixer.

"Come to think of it, is the Spanish government cooperating with us?"

[SiuiS]

"We can play it by ear." Evanesce smirks. "I doubt that any government knows enough about the existence of the mysteries to 'cooperate' with us. Out own agents would be swaying their ears but nothing like outright complicity.

"Now excuse me a moment, gentlemen."

With heavy, half-lidded eyes, Evanesce looks to Time, a frisson of energy and potential as a spell is cast in the wake of atlantean arcanoglossia, the wordrunes for Knowing, Time, and Self.



[roll0]
[roll1]

A variant of glimpsing the future, aimed at the specific action of choosing to dress as X. For ease of use, the default frame is "will presenting as male be most beneficial: Y/N".

[Lentrax]

"What government? There are several right now. No, we are operating outside the usual concepts of government and nationalities. Or rather, you are."

Your divination reveals tat a more masculine form would probably serve better in Spain.

[Gareth3]

Isaac is surprised.

"Oh, I didn't think it was that bad. Who's in control where we're landing?"

[SiuiS]

"The Diamond, if we are lucky."

[Gareth3]

Isaac frowns, and silently holds up five fingers.

[horus42]

"Even if the Pentacle Orders hold sway where we land, who is to say that they are not hostile? They may not like foreign Magi interfering in their business. This war is not only divided along the lines of Axis and Allies, or Pentacle and the Throne. There are Magi from both the Seers and the Pentacle on either side. No one is guaranteed to be an ally."

[SiuiS]

"You don't join the nameless cabals if you want to make a difference in politics. Sorry."

[Gareth3]

Isaac sighs.

"Is it really that hard to say "Pentagram?""

[JennTora]

Ghost raises an eyebrow at Isaac.

"Do you not like the word 'pentacle'?" He asks, amused

[SiuiS]

Isaac sighs.

"Is it really that hard to say "Pentagram?""

"The free council wouldn't be helpful in this venture, would they?" Evanesce arcs a brow. "We are dealing with items from a history they say does not exist, after all. If two historians and an engineer are together, and someone doesn't ask the engineer a history question, why would he be upset?"

It was an open secret for anyone who bothered to look into things that Evanesce was an atlantean literalist. Anyone with death sight could tell why.

[savior indra]

"Enlightenment is a personal journey, not a political one. Whether you are in one of your pentacle orders, a banisher, a seer, or an apostate anyone can seek enlightenment. All that is require is discipline, conviction, and a pure heart. All else is immaterial. Change is a path everyone walks alone. Other can show you the way, but you are the one that must walk it." said Garret as he focused on polishing his katana and wakazashi, making sure that there were no spots or stains on them. Once he was satisfied that the blades were battle ready, he reverently placed them on the ground before him before settling down to meditate in the lotus position, muttering the Great Compassion Mantra under his breath.

[SiuiS]

"Enlightenment is not what we have to deal with in spain." Evanesce admonishes. "And as much as enlightenment is personal, interaction is a part of it. If all we had to do was navel gaze, neither space nor life would be arcana.

"Now, we should probably rest a bit before arrival. It wouldn't do to meet our liaison looking jet-lagged."

[Gareth3]

"Pentacle, Pentagram, Pentagon, whatever. The point is that the Free Council does have a role to play here. As for history, we've just heard about an artifact that wouldn't turn up in any of your grimoires. Wellington is part of real history, not your mythology."

[SiuiS]

"The mysterium doesn't deal with myth in the sense of fictions like you will find with those who fetishize the glories of Rome. Myth is history distilled, and the stories of Pecos Bill are just as valid for our research as any awoken history. That's why I'm here; the politics involved in this war are as supernal as any previous war."

[OracleofSilence]

"A reasonable stance, but just because the Council doesn't believe in Atlantis, that doesn't mean they ignore supernal influences on history. Having a different view about somethings source doesn't make someone less interested in it's outcomes. Myth may be a useful benchmark for moments in history, but it's a mistake to think of it as history at it's purest. Maybe the perception of history at it's purest, but little else."

[Lentrax]

"Whatever you believe in, you had better get some rest. The rest of our flight is only scheduled for another three hours."

After a few eyebrows go up at that remark, he explains. "The only people aboard are Awakened. It is the middle of the night, and the only way for anyone else to witness our distortion of reality would mean they are in the air next to us. And with the gravitas this situation calls for, the Masters have decreed a little vulgarity is not entirely out of line."

[JennTora]

Ghost shrugs, "I doubt Atlantis was a pure fabrication like the libertines. If people were awakening to the supernal realms before early civilization, then those who awakened probably sought each other out. Humans do seek out others like themselves. Eventually that would have led to something like we think Atlantis is."

Ghost scratches his head and smiles sadly, "That said, I can't exactly prove the exarchs actually climbed the celestial ladder, it's just that it so nicely explains why life is so terrible for the unawakened, despite that no one living today did anything to deserve it. But evanesce is right, we should probably rest."

Ghost sits down and closes his eyes to relax until the flight ends.

[Gareth3]

Isaac is amused.

"So the pilot is a Mage? What about the stewardesses? I suppose Moros would be best for them..."

He notices that everyone is preparing to sleep, sighs, and settles back to rest.

[SiuiS]

Evanesce, only mildly jostled by the plane (and sworn to silence by right practices) spends time attempting meditation.


Five rolls possible between now and landing, assuming -1 for uncomfortable environment. Wits+composure-1.

[roll0]

[roll1]

[roll2]

[roll3]

[roll4]

[roll5]

[horus42]

Loeb closes his eyes, glad for the chance to rest. He bows his head in silent prayer, asking God for the strength of will to do his duty.

Eventually, he drifts off to sleep, despite the roughness of the flight.

[Lentrax]

Those of you who are paying attention outside the aircraft notice there are no lights as you begin to land. No running lights, no Tower lantern, nothing.

The plane taxis to the far end of the runway, propellers whining slightly as they wind down. Another man is waiting for you as the plane's door opens, and the stairs unfold. He doesn't say a word as he motions you to a series of cars waiting near the runway's edge. Inside each car, a driver sits, machine gun propped on the door next to him.

Fixer speaks up as you approach the cars. "Get in. You will be taken to where you can learn the next stage of your journey."

Each of you may feel free to choose which car you wish to enter, but only three of you can fit in each one.

[OracleofSilence]

Ys takes his bag and hops into a car at random, settling in as comfortably as he can on one of the back benches. "Well, this is certainly different. Not many pilots would ever try a landing like that. Guess they were a awakened after all. Or they were crazy, and could have killed us all."

[Gareth3]

Isaac sleeps badly on the noisy plane, and is alarmed at the dark landing. He gets into the car with Ys.

"Even if he is a Mage, that was still dumb. Why waste the Mana?"

[savior indra]

Garrett steps off the plane feeling refreshed. The meditation had helped focus his senses and he was mentally prepared for what lay ahead of them. He brought his arms together so that he could slip them inside the opposite sleeves to help ward against the wind. While his robes were comfortable, and maneuverable in battle, they did not offer the greatest protection against the elements. He was privately glad that he had packed a warmer set of robes in case it became necessary. He quickly surveyed the cars before waiting until everyone else had picked a car before choosing the one with the least amount of people in it.

[SiuiS]

We are missing Ystori's character sheet and Chaos Archon seems to have dissapeared. :(

WP: 7 HP: 7 MP: 5
360° vision
[Zen]


Evanesce puts a close hand over Garrett's back and a far hand on the swordsman's elbow moves to quickly sweep him into a car and shut the door.

[JennTora]

"Well goodbye for now, Fixer," Ghost says, and enters an as yet unoccupied car.

[horus42]

Loeb disembarks, stretching as he slowly but surely comes to full wakefulness. He gets into a car with Ghost, since the others are more or less occupied.

[Lentrax]

The cars rumble off down a rough dirt road. Each of you get the distinct feeling that you are being watched by means unseen.

As you continue on, the drivers turn onto a paved road, and the ride finally smoothes. Then, the lead car explodes, causing the night to erupt in flame and noise. Small arms fire rings out, the short bark of Thompson submachine guns heard in the dark night. Your cars screech to a halt, pulling up just short of piling into each other. The drivers pop open their doors, other hands already bringing their own weapons up to bear as they fire out into the night.

[SiuiS]

WP : 6 HP : 7 MP : 5
360° vision
[Zen]"— So clearly, the lictor was in a bind. He knew we were right, and he knew the libertine was recording their affairs, and he knew we knew abou the affair," Evanesce prattles on, doubtless sending words like rainwater onto the stones of a dead and disinterested Mastigos. "So there really wasn't any choice but... To... Oh dear. Gunfire.

"Well. You're the warrior, friend. Let's see if engaging is worth the risks? If so, lead the charge."

Words of potency, divination and destinies drip from Evanesce's lips, colored the shining gold of the stars of the northern shore.


Time, Unveiling (augury). "Will making a stand be better than running?"

Using Willpower and high speech. 11 dice.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Gareth3]

Isaac immediately drops to the floor of the car, lying awkwardly between the seats.

Casting Ephemeral Shield, Spirit 3: [roll0] Roll spoiled, see below.

[Gareth3]

Corrected roll: [roll0]
10-again: [roll1]

[savior indra]

Garrett nods silently to Evanesce as he exits the vehicle, drawing the katana at his side silently while leaving the wakazashi sheathed. He closed his eyes before opening them after activating the omnivision portion of his Yanagini Kaze, gaze around he searching for the source of the gunshots.



Acceleration
Vulgar Magic
Gnosis 3 (2d10 paradox roll)
-1 Rote
-1 Arcane Tool (watch)
Paradox roll is a chance die unless other modifiers are added.

Stamina + Athletics + Time (8)
[roll0]

10 Again
[roll1]

EDIT: wow I'm bad at magic.

Also what should I roll for searching for our attackers, and does Omnivision grant any bonuses for that roll?

[JennTora]

Ghost also looks for the source of the gunfire and casts entropic guard.


Entropic guard death arcanum dots as armor on success.
[roll0]

For any 10 agains: [roll1]

[SiuiS]

Evanesce feels hir eyes tighten reflexively at the sudden surge in awoken magic, and sighs. Any chance of going undetected or underestimated is evaporating quickly...

But maybe that will work to advantage? Any enemy mystics would also trigger unseen senses.

[Gareth3]

Isaac cranes his neck awkwardly towards Ys and whispers to him.

"What can you tell about the shooters? How many, where are they? Are they Mages?"

[SiuiS]

WP : 5 HP : 7 MP : 5
360° vision
Mage Sight – Time
Mage Sight – Fate
Body Control 3
[Zen]


Evanesce nods once, sharply, to the ronin with a tone of affirmation: begin the attack.

What do we know, the Mystagogue wonders idly. No awoken response. No indication of allegiance of enemy or target of enemy. A basic ambush, and a bungled one – no diam— Pentacle casualties.

Surmise? A token effort. If anything put forth by a worthy adversary, then only marginally so; an idea passed so far down the chain of command that a sleeper's sleeper's minions are executing it. Almost an afterthought, and inconsequential. Although the enchanter does recognize that what is inconsequential on paper is still real lead and fire and death.

And what looks inconsequential on paper could be the snowball that rolls downhill and sets off an avalanche, too.

Evanesce speaks a few more firm-yet-unheard syllables of the arcanoglossy and casts all three eyes to both time and fate, tearing away the hat covering the back eye as they go.


Combined Mage sight (time, fate), using willpower. -2 per spell, [arcanum] 2 + gnosis 3 for both versions, so total dice pool is 8. Both are ruling arcanum; no mana necessary.

[roll0]
[roll1]

Stepping out of the vehicle and keeping the door as a shield, Evanesce surveys the battleground, noting any auras or awoken resonance first, and any indicators that this fight will have Fated consequence or direct them down any one road.

[Gareth3]

Isaac concentrates for a moment, then slowly opens the car and leaves, walking in a crouch.

Casting Sense Life, humans only: [roll0]

[SiuiS]

Isaac would note that, strangely, Evanesce does not quite register.

[horus42]

Loeb curses under his breath, getting out of the car and following the others to safety. His hands contort into a gesture meant to invoke protection as he casts a shield over himself.

Rolling Matter+Gnosis to cast Unseen Aegis.

[roll0]

[OracleofSilence]

Robert unholsters his pistol as soon as the shooting starts, jamming in a magazine and muttering fragments of high speech in a desperate effort to get his mage armor up as well as suss out the locations of his attackers, then ducks out of the car and follows the others in a low crouch.

Using High Speech for +2 dice pool, and casting a Combined spell of Misperception and Sense Consciousness (human targeting) (Mind 2, Mind 1, Gnosis 3, so requirements are met).

Mind+Gnosis+2-2: [roll0]

Ten again [roll1]

Potency is 1 I believe

[Lentrax]

Gunfire continues to punctuate the night air, and through the smoky light coming from the flaming car, you can see hazy shapes running about, trying to make you think there are more attackers than there truly are.

A hail of bullets impact against you defenses, but none of them break through. Bullets tear holes in the doors of the cars, and one of the drivers goes down, his Tommy gun chattering as it spews more lead into the sky.

A note on combat magic, and roleplaying.

Everyone can post their actions. I will take and sort everything out into one long summary post after everyone has taken their actions. If you are using magic that lets you take multiple actions, post them all, and note if you are able to take more.

Magic: The more descriptive the better. The more imaginative the better.

[Gareth3]

Isaac raises his hands.

"I surrender!"

He peers through the smoke, trying to make out the attackers.

Wits+Composure [roll0]
10-again [roll1]

[savior indra]

Garrett shook his head as he looked around searching for the source of the gunfire. He was at a disadvantage unless he could close the distance. Muttering under his breath, He tried to grip the power that had eluded him earlier and attempt to suffuse the essence of time throughout his body.



Stamina + Athletics + Time (8)

[roll0]

10-Again [roll1]



Feeling that he had succeeded this time, Garrett moved in the direction from where the gunfire was coming from at normal speed planning to utilize his acceleration only to close the gap and go in for the kill. His katana shimmered in the night has moved forward his body angled towards the ground to make himself as small a target as possible.

[SiuiS]

WP : 4 HP : 7 MP : 5
360° vision
Mage Sight – Time
Mage Sight – Fate
Body Control 3
[Zen]

"A clever strategy. I cannot join you, however. Get down."

Spatial mapping is one of the more foundational functions of the space arcanum, and one Wvanesce tends to ignore. Except, of course, in these situations; in the dark, sight impeded by roaring flame, even three eyes are insufficient.

General physical skill, as well, is fundamental to the arcanum of life, and something no Mystagogue should do without. It's a mild transfiguration, not even a true spell working, that shifts equilibrium and muscular metabolism to support temporary acrobatics.

So it is that Evanesce, shifting proficiency through body mastery, bursts into a sprint and dives. Hands slam into asphalt over the gun handle of the Thompson machine gun, and the sorcerer shifts into a handstand, before torquing legs downward and whipping up their arms, gun coming to bear. Every sound, every movement sending echoes through time and fate, coordinating direction, location. Spinning, tumbling, almost falling and almost dancing, the acanthus does what they do best; gun barrel moves in invisible currents of predestination and probability, jerking and swaying and dipping and diving, launching heated supersonic lead at almost random stochastic intervals, missiles shrieking across the intervening distance like the inevitable march of time and tide.


Spatial awareness rote: [roll0]
[roll1]

Aiming magic creative Thaumaturgy: [roll2]
[roll3]

Sharpshooter's eye creative Thaumaturgy (WP): [roll4]
[roll5]

Turn order:
• 1 cast spatial awareness. Locate targets
• 2 cast aiming spell
• 3-5 begin aiming
• 6 lock onto target(s)
• 7 automatic fire (nonproficient)


Net result
• lock onto any targets within line of effect
• Ignore ranged combat penalties for each up to -5
• ignore additional penalties up to -3 (nonproficient/armor

Total time: 21 seconds

[need remaining penalties and weapons numbers for tommy gun]

[JennTora]

Ghost takes a second to cast a death sight spell, speaking words of darkling power and making visible the shadow of the reaper on all around him, then takes aim at his attackers and fires.

turn 1: Grim Sight death mage sight spell
Boosted with high speech.
[roll0]

Turn 2: Attack seen enemies with pistol

[roll1]

[horus42]

Loeb goes over to the driver who has been shot, to check and see if he's dead. He hopes that the poor man is still alive, but if not, he wants to make sure that his death was not in vain.

He pauses and activates the Grim Sight, so that a simple glance can tell him whether the driver has passed on.

Rolling Death+Gnosis to cast Grim Sight.

[roll0]

Ten-agains [roll1]

[SiuiS]

Evanesce dances away behind the bullets, seeming to meet up with whichever other awakened soul chance had in store.

[Lentrax]

Bullets continue to pour out through the night air.

A burst of fire from the cars rings out, and you hear a scream as a man is shot.

Another burst, followed by another shout.

Evanesce opens up with xir weapon, bulets ripping through the air. The bullets tear the air, just as surely as they tear into bone, sinew, and flesh.

More screams, and then the night is quiet, save for rippling fire and the moans of the wounded.

Loeb confirms the death of the driver, as well as noting the passing of more than half of your attackers. And another it seems, will not be far behind...

And of the others, all are running off, save for one. He appears to locking something onto the front of his weapon, though it is too hard to make out at this range.

[savior indra]

Quickly grasping the arcanum of Time Garrett summoned forth the spell necessary to give him the timing necessary to cut down their last foe.

[ 1 ] Perfect Timing ( Mage: The Awakening -- Page 258 )
]Dice Pool: Int + Composure + Time (8)

[roll0]

10-Again [roll1]

Garrett the rushed towards the last attack moving at supernaturally fast speed hoping to striking him down before he even knew what was happening.

Attack Roll in the OCC thread

[horus42]

Loeb frowns, a crease forming between his eyebrows. He knew that there was a chance this could happen, but it also gave him access to a resource he needed. This man had died suddenly. Unexpectedly. Violently.

Put together, it was the perfect recipe for a ghost.

He reaches into the man's pocket, taking out his wallet. A personal possession like this would aid in the summoning. He begins to mutter an incantation under his breath, drawing on the power of the High Speech to reach across the borders of life and death. He casts his words across that gulf, hoping they fall on the ears of the spirit of the dead man in front of him, drawing the ghost back into the world of the living.

Rolling Death+Gnosis to cast Summon Ghost

[roll0]

For ten agains: [roll1]

[JennTora]

Ghost curses, but takes another shot at the final attacker

I think I miscounted last time. 3dex+4firearms+1for earlier exceptional success - 1 for strength + 2 for damage bonus + 1 for specialty, so 10...

[roll0]

Ten agains...
[roll1]

[SiuiS]

Evanesce nods at the summons and sort of stands guard, looking all the world like an untrained model mishandling a prop.

[Lentrax]

After a moment a ghost materializes near Loeb. Its pale reflection of the man it once was seems almost taller than the man it recently represented.


Ghost moves out of the shadows near the last man, who he notices is affixing a grenade to the launcher on his rifle. He has just finished and was about to set the launcher to fire when a shaft of metal erupted through his chest. The man's last breath is squandered jerking the mechanism to launch his grenade which explodes harmlessly some 50 feet away from you.

Which just leaves some cleanup duty to attend to, and a safehouse to get to before more of these people decided to welcome you to Spain.

[Gareth3]

Isaac is frustrated at having contributed so little to the battle.

"Who were they?"

[horus42]

Loeb looks to the ghost, smiling sadly. It was a shame that it had come to this, but he wanted to make sure that the driver hadn't died for nothing.

"I know you must be upset right now. Life cut so tragically short. But death need not be as unfair as life was. I will not bind you to my service, for I believe the dead belong solely to God. I will, should you desire it, give you a chance to avenge yourself. If you ally yourself with me, I can even craft you a body. It wouldn't be made of flesh, though I can make a reasonable facsimile, and you would not truly be alive again. But it would be enough for you to interact with the physical world. Enough for you to help find the people who killed you."

[SiuiS]

"Just Compel the thing, and be done with it." Evanesce says testily, brushing smoulder from a sleeve. "Metaphysically, it's an object. It does not have a true mind and your own death sight should confirm it has no soul. God has taken what was his. The divine leaves this to us for our good works."

In the meantime, spatial approximation shows a very large and now unowned collection of guns. Evanesce is quite sure they will need them, and sets to collecting as much of the stuff as possible, along with any military or police credentials and any mundane armor they may have been wearing. Priority is a few guns, one armor piece, a few credentials more armor, and then remember that bullets exist and should be picked up.

[horus42]

Loeb pulls Evanesce aside very briefly.

"You know that, and I know that. The shade does not. I would compel it but..." He pauses. "I can't. My mastery of the Death Arcanum is not yet at that level. Until I reach that point, I must work with what I have."

[Gareth3]

Isaac takes a guess at where the ghost is, and turns in that direction.

"Don't listen to them. I'm a Mage too, and as far as I can tell you're the same person as... our driver."

Technically not a lie...

[SiuiS]

Eyebrows raised, Evanesce nods. "Continue."

[Lentrax]

Several submachineguns are lying next to recently departed corpses. None of them were wearing armor, since thus far nothing has truly proven useful against the new rifles that exist.

You do note, however that one of them is wearing an unusual necklace. It bears an insignia you have never seen before.

Loeb:

The ghost seems to be ignoring you.

[horus42]

Loeb frowns, deep in thought for a moment. They were in Spain, after all. It was possible that the ghost didn't speak English.

"Hello? Do you understand me?" If he gets no reply, he repeats himself in both German and Hebrew.

[Gareth3]

Isaac sighs at their communication problems.

"Ys, help them out."

He crouches beside the corpse with the necklace and examines it, both with mundane senses and Mage Sight.

"Ah, Japanese Jews, a proud but embattled people. Once you've tasted gefilte sushi..."

Casting Second Sight 6d10
10-again: 6d10
Examining the necklace, Wits+Investigate: 5d10
10-again: 5d10

[Gareth3]

Casting Second Sight [roll0]
10-again: [roll1]
Examining the necklace, Wits+Investigate: [roll2]
10-again: [roll3]

[JennTora]

Ghost happens upon the conversation about the summoned apparition and speaks quietly to Loeb.

"Well I could try and control the shade, I'd wait and see what it said, but it doesn't seem in the mood to answer."

[Lentrax]

The host, instead of answering, decides to begin wandering. In a seemingly aimless pattern, it goes from place to place until it stopped over a body. There, it just stood. You don't know if it is trying to tell you something, or if it really is just wandering aimlessly.

Looking over the necklace, Loeb seems to recall seeing something similar somewhere, but the memory of it slips from memory as the thought turns to the matter of the shade. When you turn your mind back to the necklace, you get an odd sense of deja vu, like you have held the necklace before, but you can't seem to remember when.

[SiuiS]

WP : 5 HP : 7 MP : 5
360° vision
Mage Sight – Time
Mage Sight – Fate
Body Control 3
[Zen]


Luckily, that was within Evanesce's wheelhouse. Between the ghost and the body it looms over, Mage sight scans for fated connections, spatial and temporal sympathy, and other similar subtle threads begins. The strangely dressed gun-toting Mystagogue seems oblivious to just how ridiculous one looks carrying an armful of weapons and flarig into the air above a corpse.


[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Gareth3]

Isaac makes a disgusted noise as his spell fails.

"Can't even cast Mage Sight."

He turns to the others and tosses the necklace gently to whoever reaches for it.

"I'm getting nothing from this, someone else try. Heads up!"

[horus42]

Loeb turns to Ghost (not the ghost).

"That may be for the best. We're not getting anything else out of him." He looks to the necklace. "It seems familiar, but I cannot place it..."

[SiuiS]

"Relax, Isaac. Your eyes will open. Keep trying."

[Gareth3]

Isaac takes the necklace and contemplates it for a moment. He pulls a strange mechanical device out of his pocket. It might be recognised as a Philco "Mystery Control", for wirelessly controlling a high-tech radio. Isaac holds the necklace at arm's length and points the control at it.

"I hate to do this... Who am I kidding, I love doing this. LIVE!"

Casting Rouse Spirit on the necklace. [roll0] Ten-again:[roll1] Please roll for Paradox with a magical tool.

[JennTora]

Ghost nods, and begins his spell with a few words of high speech.



Gnosis 1 + death 3 + high speech 2

[roll0]

10 again
[roll1]

Rawr, half decent roll this time please, Mr/Ms forum roller.

[Lentrax]

As Isaac finishes his spell, the necklace seems to glow with an inner light. It's presence seems to grow from the stone settings.

Oh, no. This won't do. I would look terrible on you.

What exactly do you want the ghost to do? Control ghost is to give it very specific commands.

[Gareth3]

Isaac nods.

"Right, right. What sort of people wear you?"

[SiuiS]

"Gentlemen," Evanesce steps in. "Now that we've hooked our tools, proper discussion may well do better to wait until we have a sanctum. Security, power, amenities."

[Gareth3]

Isaac doesn't look up from the necklace.

"Sure, sure. I'll bring this with me, I only have a limited time to talk to it."

[SiuiS]

A nod. "That's what the sanctum is good for."

[Lentrax]

Oh, all sorts, men and women. Young and old. But I don't think we would fit.

The man the ghost came to rest over appears to have been in charge of your transportation, since he was carrying a map marked with the location of you destination in his jacket pocket.

Salvaging the vehicles you can, you all limp your way to your temporary sanctum, a small cottage, just big enough for all of you.

[Gareth3]

As he rides to the cottage, Isaac frowns at the necklace's reply, and thinks for a moment.

"Men and women, young and old. So what do they have in common that's different from me?"

[Lentrax]

Something, different, about you. Maybe not fit.

[Gareth3]

Isaac glances around the cottage and sits in the nearest chair. He frowns in disappointment at the necklace's vague answer.

"What do you think would happen if I put you on?"

[Lentrax]

Nothing, probably. I am given. Not taken. Don't know.

[SiuiS]

Isaac glances around the cottage and sits in the nearest chair. He frowns in disappointment at the necklace's vague answer.

"What do you think would happen if I put you on?"

"If you're getting vague answers then the spirit isn't strong enough to have memories that matter. They aren't creatures. It does not think like you or I would; it just is and knows that it is. We should use prime and discover any enchantments before we bother trying to use it."

[Gareth3]

Isaac shrugs.

"It's all I can do, I don't have Prime."

He hands the necklace to her.

"Knock yourself out."

[Lentrax]

As all of you begin to settle in and prepare to rest for the night, the door opens again and Fixer enters the room.

"Well that was a total disaster. I don't know about you, but I am probably not going to be staying here tonight. There are not many who knew where we were going, the route we were taking, or even when we were going to be travelling. In short, I am pretty sure someone sold us out."

[Gareth3]

Isaac is confused.

"Does it have to be a mole? Couldn't they have found us by, uh, magic?"

He notices the necklace lying on the table in front of him.

"What's this?"

[Lentrax]

"When Mage fights Mage, they come in with a bit more than a couple of Tommy guns and machine gun grenades. If the Thule Society knew we were coming, they would have probably made sure we got taken out. You have any better ideas?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac nods.

"Fair point, but if it's a Sleeper organisation, how could they infiltrate us?"

[SiuiS]

"When Mage fights Mage, they come in with a bit more than a couple of Tommy guns and machine gun grenades. If the Thule Society knew we were coming, they would have probably made sure we got taken out. You have any better ideas?"

Evanesce sighs. "Indeed.

"Rockets and bombs can tend awoken flesh as easily as sleeper skin. If they do know where we are and we don't have sufficient protections, then we're done. Maybe even with protections. A good fire bomb is a fourth magnitude forces event, after all. The fallen reflects the Supernal."

A thoughtful look, and then "though it would be an excellent learning experience should you survive. Fixer, do we have other arrangements? And is there possibly time for a bath?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac starts to reply to Evanesce, but he catches another glimpse of the necklace and stares at it.

"Where did you get that necklace? Were the attackers wearing it?"

[SiuiS]

Isaac starts to reply to Evanesce, but he catches another glimpse of the necklace and stares at it.

"Where did you get that necklace? Were the attackers wearing it?"

"You gave it to me moments ago, after awakening it's spirit for some questions. You do not recall?" That gets an eyebrow raise. "Fetch a pad then. Pen. We should record what we know before we lose any more knowledge. Quickly, they're in my bag if you don't have any. And can you still see the spirit you roused?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac keeps staring at the necklace, obviously disturbed.

"I've never seen it before. Are you sure I had it? It could be a false memory someone's implanted in you, not a real one erased from me. As for the spirit, I don't usually see anything, but I could try talking to it."

He bends over towards the necklace but avoids touching it.

"Uh... Hello, spirit, are you still there?"

[Lentrax]

The very disturbing thing is that when you focus on the necklace again, you feel your distinctive tingle of magic on it.

But you don't remember a thing about it.

I am still here.

[JennTora]

"Interesting." Ghost says, and grabs he items evanesce suggested, and writes 'on our way to our temporary sanctum we were attacked, and discovered a strange necklace on one of them. Isaac examined it, but we found when he passed it on to evanesce he forgot about it's existence. Currently evanesce holds the necklace.'"Alright, so, unless someone has prime, I suppose we should pass the necklace around, and see if it masks itself somehow?"

[SiuiS]

Isaac keeps staring at the necklace, obviously disturbed.

"I've never seen it before. Are you sure I had it? It could be a false memory someone's implanted in you, not a real one erased from me. As for the spirit, I don't usually see anything, but I could try talking to it."

He bends over towards the necklace but avoids touching it.

"Uh... Hello, spirit, are you still there?"

"No, I am not sure. So we write everything down."


"Interesting." Ghost says, and grabs he items evanesce suggested, and writes 'on our way to our temporary sanctum we were attacked, and discovered a strange necklace on one of them. Isaac examined it, but we found when he passed it on to evanesce he forgot about it's existence. Currently evanesce holds the necklace.'"Alright, so, unless someone has prime, I suppose we should pass the necklace around, and see if it masks itself somehow?"

"Too risky, non? Too many options. It could be mystical. Or it could be a skin poison in the metal. Or it could be someone who uses this as a focus, targeting. The many faces of paranoia are why both occultation and demesnes exist. Ghost, let's add some more detail, yes?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac jumps in shock as the spirit speaks.

"I cast the spell, but I don't remember any of it."

He grabs paper and pen and writes a description of how they were attacked and travelled to the cottage, as he remembers it. He turns back to the necklace.

"Do you remember me?"

[Lentrax]

Yes. I do.

Fixer frowns at you. "What are you doing? We may have been compromised in a very bad way, and we're playing pawnbroker?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac ignores the criticism, and reaches for the necklace.

"Quick, do something memorable, something you wouldn't normally do on a mission. Any of you."

He firmly grasps the necklace, and looks at the others.

[SiuiS]

Evanesce looks panickedly between the other members of the cabal, and then swiftly kicks Loeb in the shin.

[Gareth3]

Isaac writes THE NECKLACE WIPED YOUR MEMORY on his hand, and EVANESCE KICKED LOEB on the paper. He holds his hand in front of his face, and lets go of the necklace.

"Thanks for that. Let's see what I remember."

[Lentrax]

You watch the necklace fall, chain delicately winding through your fingers. You remember the note, the kick everything, until someone draws your attention by asking if you remember. Once your eyes leave the necklace, you forget that it even existed.

All you know is, Issac's shin hurts for some reason, and Fixer just asked if you had any ides about being sold out.

You do not recall the necklace with the stones. At all. You don't even remember writing the note. Well, at least it clears the mystery about the shin, anyway.

[JennTora]

"The necklace seems to wipe memories of itself, Fixer, we found it on one of our attackers,"Ghost explains at his protest about playing pawnbroker.

"Evanesce, do you remember the necklace, now?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac looks puzzled at the necklace, then sees the notes and sighs.

"Just to get up to speed, we found this necklace with the attackers, and I asked you to kick him as some kind of memory test. Am I right so far? If so, that gives us some idea what it's doing. It's not only erasing memories of itself, but anything arising from its presence. The kick has nothing to do with the necklace - except it only happened because we were testing my memory, because we found the necklace."

He thinks for a minute.

"Not really sure where to go from here. One thing we do know, it wasn't a Sleeper organisation attacking us. This is a little beyond the Abraham Lincoln Brigade."

[Lentrax]

"Then we should put it away for now and focus on who it was that hit us. And why the Scryers saw nothing of this to warn us."

[Gareth3]

Isaac nods, grabbing a cloth from the kitchen and wrapping up the necklace before pocketing it.

"So they have a magical artifact, but their attack means they weren't expecting us to be Mages. Who does that suggest?"

[Lentrax]

"Don't be so sure. It could also be a ruse, to convince us they did not know what we were. It could have been anyone." Fixer lights another cigarette, and soon the heavy smell of smoke is in the air.

"Hell, I wouldn't put it past the Vamps. Words don't mean a whole lot to them, though they speak to the traditions of the past they try to cling to."

[SiuiS]

"Let us set that aside for now. I've examined it quite thoroughly; if we meet anyone even tangentially connected to it through fate or sympathy I will know.

"Our primary issues are restocking any spent supplies and getting somewhere safer. I could guide is somewhere good enough, through providence, but that is difficult and not guaranteed. Thoughts?"

[Gareth3]

Isaac scratches his head.

"It seems a bit much for a ruse. They had to be looking for some tangible result..."

He straightens up.

"I didn't get a good look at them. Were they specifically shooting at the Mages, or at the Sleepers? Could they have been killing off the Sleepers so someone could cast vulgar magic?"