New York by Night MtA (IC thread)

[Bennosuke]

Act 1 Scene i

“There are so many fragile things. After all, people break so easily; and so do dreams and hearts.”
-Neil Gaiman

The dreams (if you could call them that) had started about a week ago, on the night that Bethany and her friends hat moved into the Chelsea apartment from White Plains, NY. Bethany, or B as her friends called her, was not sure they were dreams, because they were too vivid, too easy to remember and absolutely too lucid. And perhaps Nightmare was more appropriate. They did not come every night, but it was becoming an unfortunate regularity. Tonight, the dream started the same way they all had; not with the sensation of falling, but with drowning.

There was the claustrophobic realization that every part of her body was being invaded by the cold wet water. It was like ice, so sharp that it forced Bethany to squeeze her eyes shut, and almost made her scream out in surprise. But she had been through this for the last week, and she knew to squeeze her lips tight, lest the putrid tasting swamp water reached her tongue.

It took less time now to stop thrashing and orient herself. Bethany opened her eyes and sought out the light, using the moon's glow to find the surface. Gaining willful control of her limbs, Bethany swam up, and up, and up, not thinking about what else may be lurking down in the cold dark water. Finally she broke the surface, flinging her head back and gasping for air. The yellow moon was full, and monstrously large in the starless sky. The water showed no ripples, despite her actively treading water. The surface of the lake was dark obsidian, and reflected the moon, and her face in a pale white distortion of reality.

Bethany paddled to the shore, slowly pulling herself onto land, as her hung wet and heavy protectively against her body. She caught her breath from the exertion, and trudged a little farther onto the lake's bank. There was the familiar snuffling, growling, and yipping sound (Dogs? Wolves?), somewhere off in the distance, behind the dark and twisted trees. But as always, the animals came no closer and did not reveal themselves.

A hooting noise brought Bethany's attention skyward, where a snow white horned owl had landed on the extended branch of a near by tree. The owl cocked it's head at B, it's wide eyes examining her knowingly. It opened it's yellowed cracked beak and let out a shrill human like cackle. The owl turned it's head over it's shoulder, spinning it's neck impossibly so that the head turned a full 360 degree circle. And when the head had turned around fully, Bethany was staring in to the eyes of The Crone.

The impossibly wrinkled face leered at Bethany, with black little eyes behind a long crooked nose. A tassel of wild white hair merged with the owl's snow white feathers. The Crone cackled again then said, "Hello again Bethany, my little pretty one.". She cocked her head again at Bethany, as if waiting for a reply.

[beastman1]

Please, stop this. How do I stop... this?

Bethany in fear and disgust looks both to her right and left, hoping to find an exit, not willing to wait for an answer she knows she will regret hearing.


Act 1 Scene i

“There are so many fragile things. After all, people break so easily; and so do dreams and hearts.”
-Neil Gaiman

The dreams (if you could call them that) had started about a week ago, on the night that Bethany and her friends hat moved into the Chelsea apartment from White Plains, NY. Bethany, or B as her friends called her, was not sure they were dreams, because they were too vivid, too easy to remember and absolutely too lucid. And perhaps Nightmare was more appropriate. They did not come every night, but it was becoming an unfortunate regularity. Tonight, the dream started the same way they all had; not with the sensation of falling, but with drowning.

There was the claustrophobic realization that every part of her body was being invaded by the cold wet water. It was like ice, so sharp that it forced Bethany to squeeze her eyes shut, and almost made her scream out in surprise. But she had been through this for the last week, and she knew to squeeze her lips tight, lest the putrid tasting swamp water reached her tongue.

It took less time now to stop thrashing and orient herself. Bethany opened her eyes and sought out the light, using the moon's glow to find the surface. Gaining willful control of her limbs, Bethany swam up, and up, and up, not thinking about what else may be lurking down in the cold dark water. Finally she broke the surface, flinging her head back and gasping for air. The yellow moon was full, and monstrously large in the starless sky. The water showed no ripples, despite her actively treading water. The surface of the lake was dark obsidian, and reflected the moon, and her face in a pale white distortion of reality.

Bethany paddled to the shore, slowly pulling herself onto land, as her hung wet and heavy protectively against her body. She caught her breath from the exertion, and trudged a little farther onto the lake's bank. There was the familiar snuffling, growling, and yipping sound (Dogs? Wolves?), somewhere off in the distance, behind the dark and twisted trees. But as always, the animals came no closer and did not reveal themselves.

A hooting noise brought Bethany's attention skyward, where a snow white horned owl had landed on the extended branch of a near by tree. The owl cocked it's head at B, it's wide eyes examining her knowingly. It opened it's yellowed cracked beak and let out a shrill human like cackle. The owl turned it's head over it's shoulder, spinning it's neck impossibly so that the head turned a full 360 degree circle. And when the head had turned around fully, Bethany was staring in to the eyes of The Crone.

The impossibly wrinkled face leered at Bethany, with black little eyes behind a long crooked nose. A tassel of wild white hair merged with the owl's snow white feathers. The Crone cackled again then said, "Hello again Bethany, my little pretty one.". She cocked her head again at Bethany, as if waiting for a reply.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany looks around her. The lake, or river is behind her, it's stone cobbled bank spreading in a long curve to either direction. Ahead, the stones lead to a thinly run series of grasses and weeds, which are shadowed by the twisted silhouettes of the looming forest. The woods are so thick that Bethany cannot make out much more than a black abyss under the tree cover. It may be a trick of the light, but she could swear that she sees large shapes moving in that darkness.

The Crone sits perched atop the branch of the nearest tree. When Bethany looks back, the owl's feathered torso has been replaced with the sagging flesh of an elderly woman. Withered breast hang down past the Crone's clawed talons. She cackles and says, "Don't look so surprised dear. We both know you were bound to come back to me."

Please stop hitting "Reply with Quote". There is a big brown "Reply to Thread" button, use that instead.

[beastman1]

Bethany turns back to the crone and bites her lower lip nervously.

NO! Get away from me!

Bethany makes a sharp turn and sprints away alongside the edge of the lake, scanning the looming forest for a break where she can escape to.


Bethany looks around her. The lake, or river is behind her, it's stone cobbled bank spreading in a long curve to either direction. Ahead, the stones lead to a thinly run series of grasses and weeds, which are shadowed by the twisted silhouettes of the looming forest. The woods are so thick that Bethany cannot make out much more than a black abyss under the tree cover. It may be a trick of the light, but she could swear that she sees large shapes moving in that darkness.

The Crone sits perched atop the branch of the nearest tree. When Bethany looks back, the owl's feathered torso has been replaced with the sagging flesh of an elderly woman. Withered breast hang down past the Crone's clawed talons. She cackles and says, "Don't look so surprised dear. We both know you were bound to come back to me."

Please stop hitting "Reply with Quote". There is a big brown "Reply to Thread" button, use that instead.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany turns and begins running down the grass bank. Stones and rough weeds sting her feet as she flees, but as soon as she runs the sound of cackling and wings can be heard overhead. Bethany only makes it about 20 feet before the Owl crone lands in front of her, it's sagging teats reaching all the way to the ground. "Be brave little girl. There are things far more dangerous than I here." As The Crone smiles at Bethany, the yipping and howls from inside the woods pick up in volume, overlapping and perhaps getting closer.

"I have come to talk about you Bethany", she says, stepping towards Bethany on talon tipped claws. "You know you are special; nothing like your Sleeping friends."

[beastman1]

Frozen to the ground by her nerves, but still cognizant regarding her surroundings and dream-like state, Bethany puts her hands out in front of her to keep the distance between them and takes two steps back.

Look, we have nothing to talk about, just... just let me wake up from this. This is all just a BAD DREAM!

Bethany then closes her eyes and begins repeating the words "Wake up. It's not real." hoping that it would be so.

[Bennosuke]

The Crone grimaces at Bethany's words. "No!" she growls, her words cutting through Bethany's mantra. "Now you listen to me little pretty. You and I are here for a reason, whether you like it or not. You can no more ignore me than you can you're magical abilities."

Her words pull a frown from Bethany, and the Crone cackles. "Yes, those abilities which you try so hard to hide from your friends!" As she speaks, something begins to bubble in the water, thick belch like gas coming up from the surface.

[beastman1]

Bethany opens her eyes and turns around to the water behind her.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany turns away from The Crone, towards the dark waters of the lake. The surface is completely still, creating a mirror like reflection of of the full moon above. Only in one area, where the bubbles rise in loud bursts is the illusion disrupted.

The Crone continues speaking, as Bethany watches the bubbles spread over a larger and larger area of the water's surface. "But know this little one", she says, stepping closer to Bethany, "you will never be like your friends, no matter how hard you try. You will never be one of them!"

The water's surface breaks as a human form bursts up into the sky. As the figure spins through the air, Bethany can almost swear that she recognizes the person. Somersaulting, the limbs of the body flailing limply, passes overhead, and lands with a crunch on the grass behind the Crone.

Bethany takes a step towards the body, when she recognizes the battered face of Jean Vanderbilt, in the pile of twisted limbs. In the real world, Jean is one of Bethany's friends. She was the first of the group to find Bethany, alone and afraid and confused. Jean had always gone out of her way to protect Bethany; when the others had doubted her story, or didn't want her moving in with them. Of the three girls: Jean, Alexis, and Hannah, it had been Jean that Bethany had come to love the most.

Her straw blond hair was stained red above one ear, and clung in a wet mess around her narrow green eyes. The girl's neck bent at a hard angle so that her nose was almost fully under one armpit. Jean was still breathing, in sharp rasping sighs.

"You must learn to accept that you will never be one of them. They will never accept you for who you are, and so you must decide whether they are worth risking everything to you!"

The damage that Jean had taken in her incredible fall looked irreparable, but Bethany knew she had to try to help her.

[beastman1]

The Crone was now ever closer and the dread that was filling Bethany's head, her chest... her everything, loomed over her like a great darkness. Jean had to be safe.

Bethany, in a blind attempt of will, makes an attempt to swat the Crone away in a 180 degree spin swat.

LEAVE HER ALONE!

[Bennosuke]

The Crone lets out a series of caws, like a crow, and flutters back as Bethany swings, flapping up and up, and landing on the branch of a tree. The bird's cackle's change to that of the old woman's again, "Ho ho ho! I don't plan on touching her. But you... I don't think she can make it much longer without you, little cupcake."

Jean moans softly, her voice trailing off.

Here we go, time for your first attempt at casting a spell. And yes, that's right, this is like the first level in a video game where they teach you how to play. Bethany is going to try to cast Knit to heal Jean.

The base casting pool is Bethany's Gnosis (1) + Arcana Life (3) + benefit from Yantras=4d10 + Yantras bonus (Again, yantra is just a term for various techniques to aid in casting, such as speaking magic words or making hand gestures).

Bethany's Gnosis is one, meaning she can incorporate 2 different Yantras into her casting. Description for various Yantras begins on page 119. I will list some ones I think you should consider (PICK TWO):

Supernal Verge: In places of magical power, a mage can call on the magic of the domain to enhance their spells. Since this is a "Magical Dream world" so to speak, I will allow you 2 extra die if you use this Yantra.

Concentration: If you take a full turn (combat term, which does not matter hear; think 10 seconds) to focus before casting, you get a +2 dice bonus. In combat, you can get interrupted by taking damage or trying to do something else while concentrating, but that will not be an issue here.

Mantra: A trained mage can speak in "High Speech" (Magic language) to gain +2 dice when casting. Anyone listening would know she was speaking something funny, and a mage would know she is casting. For all intents and purposes, Jean is too damaged to be aware of what is happening, so B does not have to worry about this.

Mudras: NOTE THESE CAN ONLY BE USED WITH A ROTE. A series of hand gestures or similar physical movements which carry magical symbolism. These gestures are tied to skills. Each Spell has it's own specific Mudras skills. For Life, the skills would be Empathy, Medicine or Survival. Bethany could add her 3 dots in Empathy to get 3 dice extra on her roll.

Dedicated Tool: Bethany can incorporate her obsidian knife into casting her spell. Using the knife would theoretically remove two paradox dice (if she adds a single dice to the pool at least one dice must be rolled)

As you can see, most Yantras add about 2 dice, but each has an in game draw back (ie most are not subtle in some way shape or form). I would recommend using the Empathy Mudras, and one other to add 5 dice total, for a total of 9 dice. I am going to ask you to describe what Bethany does and if you use enough detail, and the description makes sense relative to the themes of the spell ect, I will give you an extra dice as well.

Because Mend is a rote, her Arcana counts as level 5 and she gets 3 free raises. When casting a non-rote, the number of free raises is based on your Arcana level in the associated catagory (life in the case of Mend). Without using reaches, the spell will take 3 hours to cast, she must be touching Jean, and will heal 2 bashing damage. With a single reach she can cast the spell from far away, change the casting time to "instant", or to increase the power of the spell (see page 150 for how to increase the power).

For every reach taken beyond the free reach, Bethany adds a Paradox dice to her paradox pool. Before rolling for the spell, I will roll the paradox dice, and any successes subtract from Bethany's casting pool.

OK, so now you get how to cast a spell. What does it mean if you have a rote or praxes? These are spells your character is extra good at casting.

A Praxes is a spell that costs no mana. Also, three successes on the casting roll cause an exceptional success and all sorts of good things can happen (See page 115 for a list of good things). Conversely, a rote gives you access to Mudras. Furthermore, rotes always count as having Arcana level five (so casting life gives you 3 free raises). They also don't leave a Signature Nimbus (meaning no one can track your spell use), and only cost a mana point.

Note you can have the same spell as a rote or a Praxes, but you can only cast it as one or the other each time you cast it

[beastman1]

The world seems to turn grey and cold. Time appears to slow to a crawl and all of sound devolves into a low hum. Thought, fear, self-awareness, all of these things melt away as Bethany is suddenly standing over the crumpled body of Jean, her face obscured by long hair.

Bethany kneels down to the figure and puts both hands on her, one hand on her shoulder and another on her side. Words begin flowing from Bethany, unknown and ancient words that seems to hold tangent weight as they flow like a river from her mouth. Godspeak, an indecipherable language fills the air, directed at Jean like a spear piercing into a plank. Jean's body writhes as if in pain, but the wracking ends fairly quickly with the effects of the spell working quite quickly. Bethany motions her hands across Jeans body in a criss-crossing pattern that overlaps one hand over the other and then back again with the opposite hand then going above instead of below.

Bethany touches and speaks and casts Knit upon Jean.



Yantra: speaking & empathy
Reaches: 1 to increase speed of cast & 1 to heal lethal damage.

[Bennosuke]

There is a series of pops, and Jean's body twists this way and that. Her neck swing back into position with a crunching noise, and a bone that was previously visible in Jean's leg slides back under the skin as the flesh begins to knit over.

Her will done, Bethany opens her eyes to see that Jean's breathing has returned to a steady rate. There are still large bruises, and a few open wounds, but the girl appears to be resting easily.

The Crone swoops back down from the tree. Now standing again in human form about 10 yards or so from the two, The Crone leans over a long gnarled wooden staff, tipped with an obsidian spear head. "Very good," she says, her voice like the moving of rusted hinges, "I am glad to see you still have some semblance of your old power. Now away with this one." The Crone points her staff at Bethany and Jean, and with a thunderous boom, a yellow spear of lighting strikes Jean. Though Bethany holds her in her arms, Jean's body begins to shrivel, and then disappear, turning to a cloud of smoke that quickly evaporates in the wind.

The Crone takes a few steps closer, leaning on her staff like a cane. Her head turns nearly 180 at the howling and barking of the nearby wolves. Turning back she says, "I am afraid we don't have much longer here. It is not safe in these wilds".

[beastman1]

Feeling a bit drained, Bethany takes a few deep, heavy breathes, contemplating her situation and the unrealness of the moment- a moment that at the same time also feels familiar as well for some reason.

Bethany stares at the crone and also through her. The sounds of wolves are not too far off. Without saying a word, and as if to say "I'm very much done here, in this place, and with you", Bethany makes a run for it, knowing somehow that it made not a lick of difference how far she ran, the Crone would not be so easily evaded.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany turns to run, bolting again down the bank of the lake. The Crone screeches behind her, "No, run no further. It is not safe in these wilds." There is the smell of ozone, and again a clap of thunder. Bethany's feet continue to whirl, but suddenly she finds herself lifted up off the ground, as if grabbed around the waist by an invisible giant.

She is spun around, till she again faces The Crone, now floating no more than a few feet off the ground. "Now listen to me! There is not time for such foolishness. I can only hold this Ward for so long, and my patience wears thin in delivering my message." The wolves are howling louder now, and the moon's light reflects off of many shifting pairs of eyes, that peer out from between the many trees. "You are not safe while you stay in the city of the New Dutch. And the danger that you attract, for it will find you, shall threaten your little friends all the greater. Try as you must to hide What you are from them, it is your Powers that will protect you and them. You have been warned. Stay alive, for I shall need your flesh when next we meet in person."

The Crone slams her staff down into the dirt, and the sky erupts in thunder. The wolves yip and howl, their moans getting louder and louder. Bethany drops the few feet to the ground, her legs folding under her as she lands on her knees and hands. She looks up at the Crone who again has taken the form of an Owl, taking flight off into the starless night. The wolves howls grow even louder, surrounding Bethany as she struggles to her feet. Like out of a nightmare the canines that emerge from the woods are terrifically large, their shoulders nearly four four feet off the ground. They begin padding towards Bethany, some lolling and some galloping to surround her.

Bethany screams, and screams, and screams.

************************************************** *******

Bolting up out of her bed, Bethany turns her head to see her door is open. It takes her a moment to realize that she is back in her room, and that Jean is peering in through the door. She looks nervously at Bethany, "B., B., are you okay? Are you having another nightmare?"

[beastman1]

The cold sweat lingers between Bethany and her pajamas, the slightly sweet smell of the bed and room replaced with a slight sour smell that comes from a heavy 5-mile run.

Still shaking and coming to terms with not being in the woods with wolves, but in the room and safe, Bethany ignores Jean's question.

Jean calls her name twice, once a bit louder and then again in an almost drill sergeant-esque tone.

B? B?!!

The second louder calling of her name snaps Bethany out of it and she immediately steps up and across the room to Jean where she holds her tight in a strong hug around Jean's whole body.

Oh god, oh jesus... just...just hold me, stupid.

[Bennosuke]

Jean wraps her arms tightly around Bethany, who hides her head in her shoulder. "Whoa there, it's okay," she says with concern. She strokes Bethany's hair gently, and then pulls her back so that they are looking eye to eye. Jean's lids narrow around her piercing green eyes, which search Bethany as if for some visible answer or flaw. "Was it another night terror?"

Just double checking, there is no romantic relationship between them. I am assuming Bethany's statement "Just hold me stupid", is because they are close friends, and this has happened before so Jean knows how distressed her dreams make her.

[beastman1]

*They're just friends*

Bethany pushes back a bit and shakes her head a little.

No. It was nothing... just, I don't know. Nothing... really. I mean... do you ever get those feelings when you can just SENSE something is coming, but you don't know what? Bethany spoke shakily while speaking into different directions of the room, looking for something to pop out, I just get this feeling.

[Bennosuke]

Jean returns her friend's hug for a moment longer, then pulls back, leaving her hands on Bethany's shoulders. She shrug and says, "Yeah, sure I do", though her eyes almost scrutinize Bethany with concern. "But it's okay. I promise you that you are safe here. We won't let anything happen." She gives Bethany another hug of reassurance. The irony is not lost on Bethany.

Stepping back, her cheeks flushing, and her face lightening, Jean says, "Well, I don't know if you are up for it, but Alexis and Hannah and I were gonna go out for Saturday morning brunch if you are interested. There's a place that apparently has killer endless mimosas a few blocks away. You in?"

[beastman1]

Bethany fakes a half smile and wipes an almost tear from her face, passing it off as an itchy face scratch.

Yeah, totally. Let me just wash up and I'll meet you downstairs. I need it. I can drive also.

Jean nods in acceptance and leaves the room for Bethany to change and get cleaned up. In the bathroom Bethany stares into the mirror with disapproval at the thing looking back at her. Sunken eyes, greasy, matted hair from tossing and turning and crust in and around her face.

Nothings gonna happen, Bethany assured herself, it's gonna be a good day.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany begins getting herself ready in the bathroom. She quickly washes her face and brushes her teeth, before racing through a layer of foundation and eye liner.

From downstairs, she can hear The Girls chatting. Alexis giggles and then calls up, "Hey Sleepy Head, you almost ready? We don't have all day, and these mimosas aren't gonna drink themselves." The others giggle, seemingly unaware of Bethany's disquiet.

[beastman1]

Bethany made her way downstairs to quick hug everyone and put her shoes on.

Definitely. Thanks for waiting guys. I'm ready whenever you are.

[Bennosuke]

The four step out of their apartment, wind down the old carpeted wooden stairs, three flights down to the narrow and poorly lit stone entranceway.

Ahead of the others, Jean runs a key through the mailbox, to find, unsurprisingly, that it is empty. Too early for the mailman to come. She shrugs and smiles at the others.

Exiting the brick faced apartment building, following the others, Bethany's face is met with a sharp rush of icy wind. Though it is April, early Spring has not yet brought consistently good weather. In fact, it seems like only recently that there was snow on the ground.

Bethany allows the others to lead. Although they had only been there a week, walking the streets of New York City always brought a queesy sense of anxiety to Bethany's stomach. It wasn't just towering monolithic buildings that nearly eclipsed the sky, or the packed streets with hundreds of strangers. Things, buildings and even streets to be specific, seemed to move every time Bethany went outside. One day the coffee shop would be on the same corner as Bethany's apartment, and then the next, it would be on the other side of the city. And even more distressing, the other girls seemed never to notice. They had LAUGHED at Bethany when she panicked on the second day they were here, when she told them what was happening. They had told her that it was just her bad sense of direction, and reassured her that she would figure it all out soon enough.

But deep down, Bethany knew they were wrong. Just like they seemed never to remember any of the strange incidents or magical happenings that had followed Bethany like a plague, they were completely unaware of how the city seemed to constantly be shifting when Bethany turned her back. In fact, Bethany could see that up ahead, Hannah was pointing out to Alexis how Bethany uncomfortably lagged behind, prompting the two to giggle shortly. But Bethany was not bitter, she had learned long ago that she was not like the others, and ultimately, this was her burden... something she refused to let divide her from her friends.

Jean, seeing Bethany's apprehension, sidled up to Bethany and squeezed her hand. "You okay?" she asked, "If you don't mind me asking, what have you been dreaming about? It seems like you've been having nightmares ever since we moved."

[beastman1]

It crossed Bethany's mind to tell the truth but her rational side reminded her about the possibility of being seen as crazy if she spilt the beans like that.

Walking a little faster down the street alongside the girls, Bethany smirked and shrugged.

Don't remember honestly, but I do remember you guys being in it.

This confused Jean, as she had caught Bethany in a cold, frightful sweat when she awoken from her nightmare.

We were in it? Jean responded curtly, I thought you liked us.

Everyone laughed and Bethany tried to laugh with them, but the unease of the world, ever shifting around her like a kaleidoscope on shrooms, kept her from being at ease.

[Bennosuke]

The others chuckle, and the group continues walking. After a few blocks, they pass a small New York City style block park, with a few benches and a fenced in patch of plants with a small maple, just beginning to regain its leaves. As the group begin to pass the park, Bethany begins to pick up on the smell of magic. It was a smell she was only familiar with from the few times she'd practiced alone, or in her dreams when she would encounter The Crone.

It was a smokey smell, as if someone were burning moss laden dirt. The smell always burned the inside of Bethany's nostrils, but it was not an altogether unpleasant smell. Once, before they had moved down to the city, Bethany had cast a very powerful spell, reaching with all her mental capacity. The stench had been so strong that it had almost been like drinking the smoke. Her throat and tongue had burned with the sensation. Of course though, when the girls had come home, they could not smell the choking smoke that filled the apartment.

Now the smell was directing Bethany towards a young man sitting on one of the park benches. He was well dressed, in a dark blue suit, with a skinny black tie. The man had on thin rimmed spectacles. At his feet was a fine leather briefcase. He was Caucasian, but of dark olive skin and dark dark brown hair that had been buzzed on the sides and swept across the top. Everything about the man's clothes and dress was practically perfect, like he were a model on a magazine cover. She could see that he was pretending to read a newspaper, but was actually looking up at her, perhaps picking up on her magical smell.

When Bethany locked eyes with the man, he smiled wryly.

[beastman1]

Instinctively Bethany turned away from the man and made a quick jerk reaction to make it appear like she hadn't even turned her attention to the dapper stranger in the first place- a move that probably didn't deliver the intended results.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany tries to ignore the man, following the others inside the cozy restaurant called "Emily's". Inside, the place smells like baking bread and frying eggs, though it is mostly empty. The interior has a decor likely from the 20's, with checkered marble floor, and stained redwood walls. There is a long silvery marble bar, tended by a young man with a shaved head and a waxed handlebar mustache. The server, dressed like the waiter in black vest white shirt and yellow tie, greets the four of you, and shows you to a table by the window. From where you sit, you can see the man still watching you from over the brim of his newspaper. The others seem completely oblivious to this of course.

The girls chat about their food, while Bethany tries hard not to pay attention to the man. The others seem to notice Bethany's distracted focus, but do little more than tease her for it. Eventually the man leaves the bench, while Bethany is not looking. Breakfast passes without any further incident, and the food Bethany orders is pleasing, though not nearly as well enjoyed as the drinks the older girls get themselves.

Finally, the four leave Emily's and make their way back to the apartment. Of course, the path back takes the girls in the opposite direction by which they came, at least as far as Bethany remembers, but they still somehow back on their block.

About 10 yards from the stairs to their apartment, there is a call from behind, "Excuse me miss! Excuse me! I think you dropped this!" It is the man from the park, jogging towards the girls with a brown wool scarf held above his head. In fact, it is one of Bethany's scarves, though she does not remember taking it with her this morning.

The others stop, to allow him to catch up, and when he arrives, slightly out of breath, he holds the scarf out for Bethany to take. "Hoo, I think you dropped this while you were walking," between short gasps for air.

[beastman1]

Bethany cautiously accepts the scarf from the stranger but does not put it back around her neck, instead loosely grips it in her hand before stuffing it into her jacket pocket.

Umm, thanks She says, trying to sound genuine and not at all unnerved by the fellow.

[Bennosuke]

Handing Bethany the scarf, the man says, "You are welcome. I'm Steve by the way." The scent of magic had definitely come from this man. He seemed cheerful enough, and this was strange for Bethany. She had never encountered another human being, outside of her dreams with such a strong scent! The burning smoke of wood fire practically wafted from this man.

Nodding towards Bethany's friends, who were already ascending the stairs up to the apartment door, Steve says, "Perhaps you would not mind talking for a moment?"

The girls titter when they hear this. "Perhaps we should give them some privacy", Hannah says rather audibly. "Come on", replies Alexis. The two drag Jean into the apartment building with them, leaving Bethany outside alone with Steve.

When the girls are gone, the man's eyes narrow, "Who are you?". The question is part curiosity, and part accusation. He studies Bethany like a cop might study an outer space alien that just walked into his jailhouse.

So however afraid Bethany is of Steve, she is curious as well. She knows in her gut that he is similar to her, in that he is gifted with Magic, and as far as her memory allows, she has never met another person like him. Furthermore, his recognition of her implies that not only is he magical, but that he "knows" magic. This means he may be able to answer many of Bethany's questions since waking up without her memory.

Bethany may want to try to find out more about Steve, and she has several options to do this. I recommend looking at the spells available to Bethany. I also recommend reading about how she might use Mage Sight (available to all mage characters) to her advantage. Separately, she may view Steve as a threat to her safety or anonimity. If this is the case, she's in a bit of a pickle, since she can't just up and kill him... or can she? Wipe his memory? Maybe....

So before you respond, I want you to come up with a clear idea of what Bethany wants to accomplish, and how she may accomplish this. If you have a question, shoot me a text or ask in the OOC thread.

[beastman1]

*Never having experienced another person like her, Bethany won't try anything magical or dangerous as her friends and civilians are all about, but she is the kind of character to face her problems up front and so she will disarm the stranger with words instead.*

Bethany remembers something very important: she never brought a scarf to brunch that day. Clearly something was not right.

None of your business, Bethany cooly announces, plain and simple, that's who.

She looks down at the scarf and attempts a magic detect on it to determine if there is anything magical or imbued about it.

*If the magic detection attempt is successful Bethany will discard the scarf onto the ground and give the stranger a quick warning to leave her alone. If the attempt fails she will request that the two meet somewhere privately.*

[beastman1]

Bethany attempts a Focused Mage Sight attempt with Revelation of the Scarf's magical nature (or lack thereof) as her goal. The magic path she utilizes for all of this is Force.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany scrunches up her brow, and exhales slowly through her nose. Though this is a trick she has done before, she has no memory of ever learning how to warp her perception this way. She gathers her focus to allow her to the "shadows hanging over the world". It was a term she had made up, but wasn't sure what it meant.

In the OOC thread, please roll Bethany's Gnosis (1) + Dots in Arcanum of Focus (dont have your character sheet with me at work to reference)

[Bennosuke]

Peering through the shadows which seem to cast over Bethany's perception of the world around her, she can see that the scarf has no magical properties. This is her scarf. However, there is a whisp of dark green magical ash that dusts the scarf, implying that some sort of magic has been cast on the scarf, likely a summoning spell.

[beastman1]

Bethany surmises that this was a test of some sort. If she passed, she wasn't very sure if she should've been happy about that. She could tell, without much uncertainty, that he could tell she saw through the veil and into the summoning spell attached to the scarf.

It was her turn now.

Listen, Steve. I don't know who you are, but I want to make this clear: Bethany put on her serious face and serious Liam Neeson Taken voice, I don't want to see you or your tricks around me or my friends.

Bethany gives a slight pause, staring down the man in the eyes before turning to the door and walking two steps up the stairs. She gives a quick turn and does one of two things.

She either turns around, Steve is still there and she throws it at him, telling him to keep it. If she turns around and he's gone, then she takes the scarf down the street to a trash can and throws it away before heading back inside.

Without giving anyone a chance to ask who he was or who her new "boyfriend" was, Bethany quickly exclaims he was a creep and dismisses any questions about the scarf as trivial or stupid.

[Bennosuke]

As Bethany turns away from Steve, to start walking towards the door, she sees her friends are already gone, having likely gone up the steps. She realizes suddenly, that she is alone on this street with this strange man.

She turns back, and he is still standing there, looking slightly twitchy, as if he were in a duel at high noon. Bethany tosses the scarf back at him, but he sidesteps the hunk of cloth, which flutters limply to the wet ground in a heep. Steve looks down at it for a second, as if studying a strange bug.

The muscles of Steve's jaw tighten and bulge again, then go slack. He nods his head in dissappointment, "What? Who are you?" he says, but the question almost sounds like an accusation, "are you a Seer?" He reaches one open hand out to Bethany, but she can't tell if it is to attack Bethany or to defend Steve from her.

[beastman1]

Immediately freaked out by the sudden bleeding of unreality into reality, Bethany races to get inside and slam the door shut.

She locks the door and yells for her friends while making her way to her bedroom.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany slams the door shut and locks it. She takes several steps into the hallway, and calls for her friends, but they must already be upstairs. Turning around, Bethany half expects the door to explode open, but nothing seems to happen, and through the stained glass siding on either side of the door, she does not perceive Steve's shadow.

Bethany runs upstairs to her apartment, and finds the others rushing out the door towards her. "What is it?" Hannah asks, reaching Bethany first. The others follow suit with similar questions, trying to calm Bethany.

[beastman1]

Realizing that she is breaking her golden rule of keeping up appearances when this sort of thing would occur, Bethany tries to calm herself down and respond in a normal, rational way.

I'm... I'm fine guys, sorry. It was nothing. Can we just forget about it?

[Bennosuke]

The others look concerned, but unfortunately have probably gotten used to Bethany's peculiar fragility and anxiety. They try to comfort her, leading her back into the room, but it's not long before the four go their separate ways.

When Bethany returns to her room, she walks in and practically collapses into her bed. However, her attention is drawn back the way she came, when she hears her bedroom door shut. Looking up her sense of reality is blurred by the interference of the many symbolled and multicolored unreality of magic. Standing in front of the doorway, is the fuzzy half existant image of Steve. Now his is very stern, almost threatening.

He points a finger at Bethany and before she can speak says, "Don't speak, don't yell! You and I need to talk. I am trying to help you, because if someone else like me finds you, there could be a lot of problems. Now tell me, who are you, and how do you know magic?". His image seems to become stronger as he says this, and crackles with energy.

[beastman1]

Bethany, realizing how serious this is, and knowing she can no longer run lest she put her friends at risk, answers the questions.

Look, please... just. Okay! Lower your ****ing voice! Oh, jeez... I must be losing my mind. Bethany approaches the figure very very slowly, apprehensive about what may come next. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes before opening and exhaling. She answers.

I don't know. I don't know who I am and I don't know what these... powers are... I don't know you and I don't have any idea what the hell you're talking about. Honestly. Heck, this is all probably a dream.

[Bennosuke]

As Bethany starts to break down, the man's voice softens, though it is still strained with the effort of his magic, "I'm going to come in, okay?" The fizzling image of Steve fills out, and the unreal spectrum of colors around his outline normalize. There is a soft popping noise as Steve finishes materializing.

"Sorry, I... I don't mean to scare you." He takes a step towards Bethany, but then thinks better of trying to get too close to a young girl who is scared of him. "My name IS Steve, and I promise you this is not a dream. I am real. I am the real Steve." He puts his hands up to show Bethany that he means her no harm.

"I don't mean to barge in like this. Look, you... you know about magic, right? You're Aura betrays you, I know you aren't a sleeper. It's just... these are dangerous times to be a Mage." His eyes narrow one more time, though his voice stays low and comforting, "You promise you aren't a Seer, right?"

[beastman1]

That's close enough. Bethany barks at the stranger who has now just materialized into her room.

Stay right where you are. Bethany puts her hand on the handle of her arrowhead stone dagger, a parcel she kept close on a loop of her belt.

There is no such thing as mage and magic... you're lying. I had a bit to drink today and I don't know... maybe something was slipped into it... sounds kinda stupid saying it aloud now.

Realizing that there might be more to the situation she gives Steve a look up and down to access him.

The REAL Steve, huh? Bethany says with a scowl, "okay magic man. Prove it. Do some magic for me if this is all real."

[Bennosuke]

"Seriously? And here I was worried that you were with those Seer sons of bitches" Steve asks with surprise and a hint of sarcasm, "No such thing as magic? You have an impressive ability in self delusion!" He half chuckles, but it is almost at Bethany's expense. "I literally just materialized into your room from where you left me outside; what more proof do you need?"

Steve takes one step closer, folding his arms across his chest. "And besides," he says, "I'm pretty confident you know exactly what i mean by magic."

[beastman1]

Bethany, still unnerved by this stranger in her room, draws her dagger out in a menacing gesture in response to Steve's step forward.

I said stay where you are. Bethany barked, I can't say much to your claims of magic, but I can tell you all about steel. Bethany knew her blade wasn't made of steel, but thought it sounded appropriately intimidating anyways.

Bethany makes an intimidation roll in order to get Steve to backoff and show him who he's dealing with.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany gets two successes

Steve takes a hurried step back, "Okay, okay!", he says with hands raised again. A little sheepish, he says, "Are you seriously telling me you don't know what it means to be a Mage?"

He awaits Bethany's affirmative before continuing, "Look. The majority of people around us are asleep. They are unaware of magic completely. Even when shown proof of real magic, they forget about it, or perform mental acrobatics to write it off. But some people Awaken. They become aware of magic and it's potential." Steve looks at Bethany expectantly, hoping to see a look of recognition; receiving none, he continues, "But, there are two factions of Mages in New York. The Seers of the Throne, who believe in subjugating the sleeping to gather power for their gods, and those of the Pentacle, who believe in trying to help show The Sleepers the truth."

He looks at Bethany, his eyes cold and serious, despite the ludicrous words coming out of his mouth. "[B]Christ, there is a war going on in this city. Mages are killing each other every day, and you are completely unaware of it?"

[beastman1]

There lingers a long pause between the two. Bethany, frozen, with her arm and blade pointed rigid and trembling, keeping an invisible buffer between them. Steve, frozen with his hands raised and a little annoyed.

This was all just too much. All of her doubts, here anxieties and recurring dreams were now manifesting into her literal reality and reading her lines about "mages" and "wars". If it was all bubkis, it all seemed like pretty convincing bubkis, what with the teleporting and whatnot. At the crossroads of life, Bethany had a choice to make. Send him away or hear him out...

Like all things Bethany was faced with, she would chart her own path, she would go with option C. She'd play it clever for once; Bethany was going to play along... at least until she could figure out what the hell was going on.

Bethany says the following and makes a manipulation roll to try and convince Steve to leave Bethany and her friends.

Very good Steve. I was just testing you, fellow brother. I know all about the ages old war between our people. But my work for the cause requires I remain amongst the sleepers, as I am deep undercover for a vital mission. I can't be seen with you or any other mages. Tell the others that if they want me to succeed I and the sleepers I walk among must not be disturbed. Pray I cannot tell you anymore for fear of drawing unwanted attention to myself from the Seers. Now leave. You will know when it is safe when I reach out to you. Hurry and be gone.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany finishes her bluff, struggling to keep her voice steady as she navigated through her lie. But as she spoke longer and longer, she could see the look of disbelief spread across Steve's face. He had a queer grin, half amused and half concern.

"What are you talking about?" Steve taking another step towards Bethany. The movement again brought Bethany's knife up in quivering defense, pointed at him. "How can you be undercover? Your Nimbus is so loud, so visible; that's how I knew you were a Mage. I've never seen anyone with a Nimbus like yours."

He takes another step towards Bethany, and now he was just out of arms reach. Bethany could see a fray at the lapel of his dark blue blazer. She could almost smell his breath. Bethany could feel her heart thudding hard in her chest, the blood rushing in time in her ears. The hand clutching the obsidian knife was shaking so hard. Steve now looked sad, his eye brows drawn together but his eyes seeming far away. "Don't lie to me please," he says with a hint of contempt, "What are you?"

He took one more step, and without meaning to Bethany yelled, "No, don't come closer". But the knife had plunged deep into his gut. It had gone in just so easily, like pushing your hand into wet mud.

Steve let out a grunt. His eyes were wide, the whites showing almost a full circle, and his mouth was frozen in the shape of an O. There was wet warm blood spilling over Bethany's hand and staining his white dress shirt a bright red. The room smelled coppery.

"Sorry," Bethany said stupidly, pulling the knife from his abdomen causing another gush of blood. "You..." Steve's voice started strong but trailed off. Steve took another step forward, causing Bethany to stumble back. "Why?"

Bethany gains one beat. Steve takes 3 points of lethal damage

[beastman1]

Steve's body crumpled to the floor and Bethany froze like a tack on the spot. The knife dropped from her grip and rattled once hitting the floor.

Numerous shouting voices were making themselves heard as her hands trembled and her heart raced faster and faster.

Time was running out and Bethany knew she had to do something but was too afraid to know what it was.

Then out of the chorus of narratives vying for attention in her mind, a singular voice shouted loud and clear and her feet were the first to act before her head.

MOVE!

Bethany lunged to Steve's side and began her mantra, chanting the words she had practiced and would attempt a specific move to use her discipline spell mend to specifically close the wound and stop the bleeding.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany focuses on the image of Steve's gut closing, the contents of his bowels returning to their proper place, but she can't see to concentrate. Steve is groaning. Blood and an off yellow material that may be partly digested feces pushes up from his heaving abdomen with each moan. When Bethany attempts to release the spell, nothing happens. Steve's clothing is slick with sweat, and Bethany realizes his eyes are no longer open, though he still breathes labored heavy gasps.

Bethany brings her hand back to wipe away the moisture that is gathering around her eyebrows and threatening to sting and blur her eyes. Rubbing the back of her hand across her forehead, Bethany leaves a hot and wretched smelling smear that sticks to the bangs of her hair.

She almost brings up the contents of brunch. But Steve moans again, and when she looks down at him, his skin is still slick with sweat and is now an ashen off-green color. Having no other choice, Bethany re-attempts the spell. She concentrates again on the image of the wound closing, while she chants to herself and repeats the intricate series of hand gestures. This time she can feel the power welling up inside her hands, and when she releases the Imago, pushing her palms across the wound, there is a burst of smokey coppery blood scent which accompanies all Bethany's spells.

Steve's abdomen is healed, and the feverish sweat begins to clear as his breathing normalizes. But Steve does not wake up. He lies on the floor, panting heavily, unresponsive to any of Bethany's attempts to wake him.

So you/I failed the first roll attempt. There was nothing keeping Bethany from re-attempting the spell. On the second attempt she had three successes. Bethany succeeds, but Steve gains the tilt Unconscious. He will be out for the rest of the scene, and now she must figure out what to do with him while he sleeps.

[beastman1]

Bethany was exhausted... exhausted and afraid.

Now what? Bethany muttered to herself in a fearful tone, her gaze shifting all across the room to associate potential objects and doorways with ways to remedy this situation without alerting any of her friends.

Bethany had an idea.

*See the OCC Thread*

[beastman1]

Despite the risk, as she cannot be found with an injured stranger in her room as it would be very incriminating and awkward for her friend(s), Bethany will attempt to use an improvised spell, based on the Control Life spell, to shrink Steve, put him in an empty mason jar with a lid (with holes in the top) and hide said jar in a box under her bed.

This all with the understanding that she would find the quickest opportunity to transport the box with the mason jar in it to a secure location where she could properly restore his original size and go back to business.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany draws her obsidian knife, and lays the flat of the blade over Steve's belly button, where his white linen shirt is still stained with slowly drying blood. She closes her eyes and concentrates on the image of Steve's body shrinking and shrinking till he is only a few inches tall. It takes only a few moments to prepare the Imago, and when she lets go, giving a short sharp exhalation, almost on instinct, she opens her eyes to Steve's body warping and inverting, till he is about the size of Bethany's pointer finger.

The still unconscious Steve continues to breath deeply, completely unaware to the gigantic change his body just underwent.

Bethany grabs an old mason jar from the stand by her bed. It had been filled with tap water, and the inside was still a little damp. Gingerly, Bethany picks Steve up into the palm of her hand, and slides him into the Mason jar. Next she grabs a paper towel and a hair tie, sealing the top. Lastly, she pokes a few holes into the paper towel with the obsidian knife.

[beastman1]

The deed was done. Daylight was loosening its grips on the world and Bethany knew she didn't have much time before it would be dark out.

She prayed this would be the end of her dealings with magic signatures, mage scents, mages, dreamers, power struggles and all the other rubbish that tried to invade her comfortable life.

She raced down the stairs of the apartment, ignoring a voice call out to her from across the hall and exited the building.

She didn't have much time so she briskly made her way to the nearest park, found a tree with a short bush surrounding the basin of the trunk. She had to step over a small metal barrier to reach over.

Knowing that the man's size would eventually conflict with the jar he was inside and perhaps be disastrous upon his return to normal size- she opened the jar, gently laid the mini-man inside the foliage on his back and then turned around.

At first she started walking but after a minute or two she found herself sprinting to get home.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany gets about two blocks away from her apartment when she realizes she does not remember the block. The the cold grasp of panic squeezes Bethany's chest, and she remembers back to the first time she recognized that the streets of Manhattan seemed to shift every time she left her apartment. Her brain raced as she tried to remember the path to the nearest park, Chelsea park, or anything!

Please roll Wits + Streetwise= 3d10. I'm gonna make you roll this one.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany focuses on her breathing, forcing her mind and body to settle. After a few moments, she tries to orient herself, and chooses a direction. It takes her about four blocks till she comes across a small 2x1 block, fenced in dog park. It is little more than a grassy field with a water fountain in one corner.

There is now a fair amount of street traffic, with cars and cabs navigating the wide city streets, and pedestrians lazily taking in the chilly Saturday morning. Bethany lets herself into the dog park.

So Bethany succeeds in her roll and finds the park. Please describe where she leaves the glass, and if she tries to hide the jar, and if she tries to deposit the jar without being seen. If she tries hide the jar, I'd like Wits + Larceny or Wits + Subterfuge roll

[beastman1]

*Bethany is only leaving the mini-Steve in the brush surrounding a tree, not the jar itself. If anyone bothers her or asks her what she's doing she'll just claim that she's picking up a perfectly good mason jar someone left as trash. To leave Steve in the jar in the park would be potentially dangerous as it might mean damaging him as he reverts back to his normal size while still inside an enclosed space.*

[beastman1]

Bethany will try to hail a cab to Central Park in order to find a secluded part of the park to deposit Steve in some bushes by a tree.

[Bennosuke]

After waving at every yellow car that drives by, Bethany manages to hail a cab outside of the park. The car, a yellow Ford Sedan, slides up, and a tinted window rolls down, exhausting the stench of sweat and cigar. A grimy faced man smiles in all gold caps. "Where to?", he asks with interest, while his eyes enjoy their time lingering over Bethany's young body.

A thought occurs to her, perhaps she should try to hide Steve in the jar. That would be pretty hard to explain!

[beastman1]

Bethany gets quick chill down her spine as she shudders at the unexpected thought of having brain cancer. The idea of hiding Steve in a jar is quickly shot down by the fact that Steve is already hidden in a mason jar in her purse bag... she thinks that perhaps voices shouldn't narrate what she thinks as it's kind of weird and not appreciated.

In any case, Bethany ignores the cab drivers cartoonish lecherousness and tells him to get to Central Park, and to "step on it."

[Bennosuke]

The cab driver opens his mouth to ask a question, then shrugs and says, "You got it". The smell of ashed tobacco and body odor surrounds Bethany as she steps into the car. She can almost feel it seeping into her hair and her clothes, and stinging her eyes.

The cab driver asks her some sort of conversation starting question, but Bethany is too distracted by the tangled ant's march of New York City traffic, and the gnawing ball of anxiety in her gut. Bethany is left with the uncomfortable glances from the cab driver, stolen through his rear view mirror.

Stopping across from the corner of where Central Park South and East meet, the cab driver is forced to yell at Bethany to remind her to pay as she steps out of the cab. After paying, she escapes the cab and steps out into the fresh city air. Bethany is standing across from the corner entrance to he park. A line of emaciated and raggedy haired horses with their garishly colored carriages line the other side of the street. As she crosses, there is the dry smell of horse manure and a few uncomfortable offers from carriage drivers.

The sidewalk path leading into The Park winds out of site from the street corner, diving into a forest of foliage.

[beastman1]

Despite Bethany's haste, she suddenly has a realization. In her fear, anxiety and panic, Bethany remembered that she hadn't timed herself nor checked on the mini Steve.

Before going any further Bethany will do three things:

1) Bethany will check how much time she has left in her remaining hour from leaving her apartment (does she have a cellphone or wrist watch you suppose?).

2) Bethany will check to see how the Steve is doing inside his bottle

3) Most importantly, Bethany will make an awareness check to determine if any magical residue, like the kind she detected on the scarf, is emanating from the entrance she is facing into the park.

[Bennosuke]

Checking her phone, Bethany isn't sure, but she would guess she has about 20 minutes or so left in the approximate hour the spell should last. Crossing the street, Bethany steps up to the boundary of the park and allows herself to take advantage of her peripheral mage site. While she cannot see or perceive anything directly, Bethany is aware of the smokey smell of magic coming from somewhere deep within the park.

It would be hard, but Bethany could try to track the source of the scent if she so desired.

She opens up her purse and peers into the mason jar. Despite the thick and ridged glass, Bethany can see Steve lying at the bottom of the jar, still unconscious. His clothing appears very tussled though, as if he has been jostled around greatly during the travel.

[beastman1]

Bethany knows that with only 20 minutes left she doesn't have much time left.

She ventures into the park, trying to move in directions that are counter to the emanating scent from deep within the park.

Her goal will be to go off the beaten path in the park (assuming that no one really cares if she steps over the path fences and wanders off into the bushes, and to find enough heavy foliage/bushes at the base of a tree that she could deposit Steve from the glass jar and make a hasty retreat.

[Bennosuke]

Fortunately with the weather still cold, The Park is not completely full, and New Yorkers are fortunately good at minding their own business. Bethany is able to make her way off the concrete walkway into a wooded area near the pond; although it does take a good ten minutes to get up that far.

Once away from prying eyes, Bethany places the jar down at the base of a tree. The tiny Steve inside stirs, but does not fully wake.

[beastman1]

Bethany will attempt to gently pour Steve from the jar onto the soft dirt ground without harming him before getting up and briskly leaving her problems behind her.

If Bethany must make a skills check in order to successfully perform the action of removing steve from the jar without further harming him then she will attempt it.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany is able to remove Steve from the jar without much difficulty, and gingerly places him on the ground next to the tree. He stirs during the transfer, and almost wakes, but never fully returns to consciousness.

Standing up from her crouch, Bethany quickly scans to make sure no one was watching her, and begins to scurry back towards the fenced wire she had crossed to get into Steve's patch of secluded forest.

As she walks, she can see rising above the sparse tree tops the point of a large dark stone needle. Her eyes lock onto the obelisk, which seems to pulse with energy. The surface of the grey stone is weathered, and even from this distance Bethany can see the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs carved into it. Her eyes stay glued to the powerful stone, even as she climbs back to the paved walkway of Central Park, nearly falling into a passing pedestrian as she does.

[beastman1]

Bethany looks around to see if anyone else notices this black stone obelisk rising from the trees.

If others notice it then she will make a run for it to try and grab another taxi cab to get back home. Greater public acknowledgement would mean facing the strange stone would draw unwanted attention to herself and she would serve her cause of staying away from all of this magic mumbo jumbo much better if she just ran away like everyone else.

If she finds that no one else seems to notice the existence of the obelisk, then she will stand her ground and face the incoming artifact of unknown origins. Trying to put all the demons back into the box, ignoring it all and pretending like she wasn't getting pulled into something bigger than her seemed to be turning into a losing battle.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany is too far away from the stone structure to be able to tell, as she can only see it cresting from above the tree tops. She will have to get closer

Bethany moves closer to better observe the Obelisk and to see if those around it notice it. She winds her way through circuitous paved and paths, around small grassy fenced off fields, and along an asphalt road, trod primarily by the feeble horses, hauling their wheeled burdens. The stench of horse manure never leaves her nose. As she walks, she is startled by what appears to be a large jungle cat jumping out at her. It takes more than a moment to realize that the threatening figure is no more than a bronze statue, placed strangely at the edge of the path. The cat is frozen in mid-leap, it's claws extended, and it's metal eyes filled with malice. The statue leaves Bethany feeling uneasy, even as she watches it shrink behind her as she continues down the path

Bethany finally arrives near the stone structure, breaking out of the woods into a large, slightly hilly clearing. To the right and up ahead is a large building with window panes taller than a person. The path seems to wind around the building, curving just as it would reach the giant stone needle.

The Needle is maybe about 30ft high, and now that Bethany is closer, she can see that the writing on it is likely Egyptian. The tall, pointed stone continues to pulse with energy, and if Bethany uses her Mage Sight, she can feel something like magic threads vibrating out from the pointed top. The waves of energy seem to bounce like plucked strings at strange intervals, causing the Obelisk to ripple with energy with each vibration.

A pair of older men, dressed in heavy wool coats, and fancy hats stand under the structure. One man smokes a pipe. Bethany can smell the tobacco from where she stands, nearly 50 yards away. The other man seems to be leaning on the Obelisk, as if for support while the two talk.

If Bethany knew anything about New York City, she would know that she is staring at Cleopatra's Needle; one of three Egyptian towers, reconstructed outside their native country, and that the large building is none other than the Metropolitan Museum.

[beastman1]

Bethany will find a place to hide, keep her distance and try to listen in on their conversation to learn more about the strangeness of the situation.

If she must make an hiding check to not be spotted or heard then she will make it. If she cannot hear the conversation from a safe distance while still remaining hidden she will cast her spell of transform life to alter her ears to be like bat ears to hear over a larger distance. If this is the case she will roll to successfully complete that transformation.

[Bennosuke]

While there is nowhere clear to hide, Bethany finds a nearby park bench, and sits herself down. The two older men seem to pay her no mind. Pretending to be occupied by the beauties of the park, she attempts to listen in on the two men.

The man with the pipe appears to be complaining to his companion about his wife's Poodle. "It keeps peeing on our bed, and God forbid we try to have sex in our own apartment; the damn thing goes nuts."

The man finishes his pipe, and the two gentleman continue their stroll, passing Bethany as they go. The Needle is now unoccupied.

[beastman1]

Bethany decides, after hearing their conversation, that they are of no importance.

She approaches the monolith and touches it.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany's hand seems to pass through the stone, though she can feel her hand touching the smoothed rock. There is the sensation like her entire arm is in a huge vacuum cleaner, trying to pull her in, and creates a burning sensation along her skin. Bethany is forced to pull her hands away quickly.

This object clearly had powerful magic, but she wasn't sure what it's purpose was, or how one used it.

[beastman1]

Bethany swiped her hand gently over her monolith exposed arm in reaction to the burning sensation and cringed. Clearly this was not something to mess with... at least with her base understanding and minimal skill with "magic".

For reasons unknown to Bethany, she HAD to know what this thing was and what it was doing here. Heavens forbid one of her friends unknowingly walk by this place and get sucked into a magic stone. Bethany picks up a rock, looks and checks to see if anyone else is around to notice, and if not she will throw the stone at the monolith to see if it bounces off, gets sucked right in or goes completely through the structure.

[Bennosuke]

The stone bounces harmlessly off the stone. To Bethany's limited perception, there is no disruption of the monolith's aura.

Bethany has to choose a Magical Aspiration, discovering about the stone can be hers.

[beastman1]

An epiphany just then struck Bethany like a rock to the back of the head.

If anyone would know more about this thing it would be Steven.

Bethany decides to head back to where she left her mini-man and see if he is still there.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany rushes back to the wooded area she left Steve. She clears the fence again, this time less worried about anyone watching her, though no one seems to care.

She comes back to the tree she had left him under, but he's not there! There is an area of turned up dirt where he must have laid momentarily. Bethany thinks she can see a few shoe prints heading off in the other direction, but she's not sure.

Bethany can attempt to track Steve with Wits +Investigation -2. For Bethany this would be 2+3-2=3d10

[beastman1]

*I didn't leave Steve in the bottle, remember?*

Bethany will try to track Steve.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany gets two successes

It takes a little bit of time, but Bethany is able to follow the footprints back to the concrete. Fortunately, she is able to follow a series of muddy half-footprints to a small cafe in the middle of The Park. The tracks seem to lead into a men's bathroom. Bethany looks around for a little bit, but is surprised to see Steve eventually come out of the restroom. His clothing is muddy, and he has buttoned his blazer to hide the blood stain on his white button down, where Bethany had previously stabbed him.

Steve's eyes widen in a recognition of partial furry and partial fear. "What happened?" he hisses, "How did I get here, and why did you leave me?"

A few men waiting in line for the bathroom look at the two of you uncomfortably; the man in soiled suit, yelling at the late teenage girl.

[beastman1]

Bethany, realizing that commotion could cause trouble for both of them, quickly says.

Look, please, I'll explain everything but I need your help with something. She puts her hands out in front of her with palms wide open, Just meet me outside and we'll talk.

Bethany takes her presence outside and hopefully she can take it to a more secluded place, assuming of course that Steve doesn't "magic" the cafe and everyone inside it into rubble.

Bethany apologizes and acts embarrassed to all who bear witness to the scene as she slips outside. She hopes no phone calls to the cops are made.

[Bennosuke]

Steve's body practically shakes uncontrollably, his face turning a blood flushed hew. The few men in line look on concerned. One even steps forward as if to protect Bethany. Steve shoots him a pointed glance, one eye bulging, halting the stranger's advance.

He turns back to Bethany, eyes narrowed with anger. He uses his right arm to brush caked dirt off of his button down. "Fine", he says as if punched in the gut, "let's talk." Steve motions for Bethany to lead the way, and the two begin walking deeper into the park, neither saying a word.

Once the two are away from any nearby crowds, Steve says "So...". There is still hate smeared all over his voice, but he trails off, giving Bethany an opportunity to speak.

[beastman1]

Bethany would have none of it. In that moment, hearing Steve's raised tone drew all of the anger and loss of control l over her life that fed her discontentment.

You came to me! I didn't want you in my life, but you came to me! You don't get to play the victim here!I hurt you, okay? And I'm sorry about that, I really am. But I saved your life too, so you owe me. You're gonna show me the magic that comes from the obelisk in the park and then you're going to stay out of my life! I'm not some scared little girl, and I don't want your world, but I do need some answer for myself, AND YOU ARE GOING TO HELP ME FIGURE IT OUT!

Bethany, still heated from her escalation in energy, pulls out and brandishes the knife she had stabbed Steve accidentally with, as if it held certain taboo power over him.

Got it?!

[Bennosuke]

Steve stumbles back from Bethany's verbal assault. "Okay, okay", he stammers. The look on his face is exactly the same was when Bethany had stabbed him an hour ago. In confusion, he looks over his shoulder and back at Bethany, "The obelisk? You mean Cleopatra's needle? Here in the park? It's a communication beacon... among other things."

[beastman1]

The vulnerability in his face took Bethany by surprise. One moment she was like Charlie Sheen - Winning, and the next she was feeling somewhat guilty over her domineering nature. It scared her a bit to lose control like that and threaten him.

Bethany sheathed the knife back into her pack and stared at the space behind Steve's shoulder, looking through him.

Show me.

[Bennosuke]

Raising his hands up as if to show defeat, Steve says, "I'm really not allowed to do that. I don't have permission. It's use is only permitted by... well by those above me. They keep a tight watch on it. If you tried anything, it would be both our asses."

He takes a slow breath in, then out, and gives Bethany a stern look. "I don't know what your problem is", he says, "but all I did was try to help. You could be in grave danger; your friends too!"

[beastman1]

Bethany grimaced a bit before returning her gaze to the pathetic looking man before her.

No. That's not good enough- If my friends can wrapped up in all of this then that means I have to take action. I'm never going to let anything happen to people because of my unwillingness to... never mind.

Bethany shook her head slightly with one hand pressed into the side of her face, looking downwards.

You dragged me into this, jerk, and you're going to help me. Just take me to it, do your thing and then leave if you have to. I'll deal with the outcome myself. You owe me that much for saving your life.

Bethany gestured with her hands for them to venture back into the park.

[Bennosuke]

For what it was worth, Steve did look scared of Bethany. He slunk back at her words, his shoulders up by his ears. The man looked beaten and defeated, but defiantly he says, "I dragged you into nothing. If I hadn't have found you, another Mage would have, and there's a good chance they would not have been nearly as forgiving as me. I don't know who you think you are, but this is a city at war. Most of our kind will view you as the enemy if you aren't an ally."

Now Steve's voice was becoming more confident. "And I can't help you", he said with a finger pointed at Bethany, "and now I'm not sure I would, even if I were capable of it." He looks expectantly at Bethany, and after a long pause says, "Fine. If you don't believe me, just look."

Steve first scans the area, and seeing that no one is around, begins to cast a spell. He closes his eyes, and whispers a few muffled words, while his hands switch through a complex series of gestures, that end with Steve sticking out a now glowing finger. He inscribes in the air, a long rectangle, the finger trailing a crackling light. Once the figure is complete, the rectangle seems to glow into focus, revealing a group of pigeons flapping about near the base of the Obelisk.

[beastman1]

Bethany stares into the image of the obelisk and then back at the mage.

Well? What does it mean? Are... are those also other weirdos like you, but in bird form? Is it doing its thing right now? What is it doing? What am I looking at? Well?

Bethany awaits some sort of explanation.

[Bennosuke]

"They are sentinels", Steve says with a hint of frustration. "They are spells programmed to guard The Needle."

He leaves it at that, not moving to elaborate on what happens if they are triggered. With a wipe of his hand, the glowing window fizzles away. Crossing his arms over his chest, Steve says with more than a hint of sarcasm, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

[beastman1]

Bethany's face lights up a bit before turning to a tinge of sour in her eyes and furrowed brow.

You mentioned that my friends might be in danger... if they aren't already. That there are more weirdo's like you and that they're... that they know me or something. Tell me, please, just, how do I keep them- how do I keep all of us out of your "war"?

[Bennosuke]

Steve chuckles once ruefully, "I don't know if you can." He nods his head, his face screwed up for just a moment in regret. Steve sighs once and then says, "First, you should learn to hide what you are better. I mean, I've never seen a Nimbus as strong... or as strange as yours. But if you can't hide it, you will be a beacon to other Mages."

[beastman1]

Bethany does not find his comments amusing.

This isn't funny. I already got trapped up in your bull**** for all of my afternoon... so **** you! If I can't hide it, I mean, can I just... shut it off? Get rid of it? Is there a cure? There has to be a way to end all of this.

[Bennosuke]

Steve's rueful smile disappears, and very sharply he says, "I wasn't laughing at you so calm down if you want my help." His voice has become sharper, and slightly louder. Hopefully, no one is listening.

In response to Bethany's question, Steve says, "Well there are all sorts of spells you could use, it just depends on how you want to go about it." He says this flatly, like it were obvious, and Bethany should know. "I know of mages who use Death Magic to suppress their auras, but there are all sorts of other things you could do, just depends on how you look at it. I don't know of the spell, but I'm sure you could develop a Life based spell to suppress or change your aura." As he finishes his statement, there is less vitriol in his words, and almost a hint of confusion or surprise in Bethany's naivete.

While the words "Death Magic" and "Life based spells" may be foreign to Bethany linguistically (these referring to the various Arcana of the game... perhaps a word she is familiar with), the concepts ring true to her. She understands that some off her spells rely on her ability to manipulate Life Forces, but that she is also capable of using magic to interact with The Spirit World (a plane of existence parallel to our own where Animistic spirits reside and influence our mundane world), and manipulating the strands of Time.

Bethany fulfills her vice of being Stubborn, and gains a point of willpower back. She now has 8 WP points

[beastman1]

There lingers a slight pause in the air after he is done speaking and B comes to a conclusion that is somewhat half realized.

Please. Take me to one of these 'death magic' people. I need to find a way to end this. What do you want? Money? I can pay you.

Bethany pulls out her wallet, and fingers through some singles and 10's in her meager monetary collection. She then turns up to Steve's face and see's the wound, the dirt and the stare in his eyes.

No. You don't seem like the kind of... individual, to really care about that stuff.

Bethany decides to put her money away.

What do you want from me? Name your price.

[Bennosuke]

The man's shoulders slump, and he looks down at Bethany with concern and pity. He shakes his head, "Man, you really are something else. Where did you come from?"

Waving a hand back in forth in front of his face in the negative, Steve says, "You're right, I don't want your money. I WAS trying to help you before, because I was curious. But then...", and with this he rubs a hand over the darkened hole in his shirt where Bethany stabbed him, "well lets just say you weren't the most receptive." Steve pauses at that, his eyes clouded as if distracted in thought, or by something in the distance. "I could probably take you to someone who knows, but unless you are versed in Death Magic Arcana, it could take you a while to learn, and the person I know isn't exactly the most trustworthy, if you are trying to stay under the radar."

Steve looks around, scanning the area more decisively now. "We probably shouldn't stay out in the open much longer,", he says, "Chances are, our antics have already attracted the kind of attention you wanted to avoid. Look, I know you don't trust me yet, but I'll try to help you if I can."

[beastman1]

The words turn to painful notes in her ears. This was not the conclusion she was hoping for. This was not going to be easy or quick, she thought to herself.

What's the catch? I hurt you, and I hurt you badly. You could've died back there if not for me... and you're just going to help me? Just like that?

Bethany shook her head and crossed her hands.

We're not going anywhere unless you tell me what the score is. What is it you're getting out of this? I don't believe you for one second about "wizards" and "wars" and magic beacons. I snagged that scarf from you, and, I don't know. Could've been laced with something. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the unbelievable stuff I do. You've given me no reason to trust your charity. You do know they have things in wars, they're called "sabotaging spies"! How do I know you're not going to cut me up into little pieces and stuff the chunks into bonson beakers inside a dingy dungeon? I can find my own way if you're not being upfront with me!

[Bennosuke]

"No catch, no catch," Steve says with the tone one would use on wounded predator, "though I can't say I'm happy about what happened". Steve sweeps his hair back and pats it down vainly. He looks around nervously again, but then continues, "I am proud of my position in The Pentacle. I have earned what little status I have gained with my colleagues, and I wold rather my association with them, than to be leagued in with the sociopathic Seers".

"But I understand if that's not for everyone," Steve says these words very slowly, almost cautiously, like his lips were dancing on a razor blade, "and I know how difficult and dangerous it will be for you if you try to go down that route".

Steve's smile returns, though there is a hint of bitterness. He says, "And I think I know you are too stubborn to have your mind changed". Steve winks and motions Bethany on. "Shall we go?", he says.

[beastman1]

So long as you promise not to wink at me ever again. Lead the way.

[Bennosuke]

At this a real smile cracks across Steve's face before he chuckles. "I think you are a little young for me. I don't think you have to worry kid", Steve says.

But Steve doesn't walk away, doesn't lead the way. Instead, he says, "Look, I don't know if I have everything to help you just yet. I'm sure we can figure something out, but Death Magic isn't really my thing. Give me a bit of time to do some research. Why don't we meet tomorrow anyways. I'm sure you want to get back to your friends, and... well, I would like some time to change, and just... recover after everything that has happened today." Steve looks down at his soiled and punctured clothing, then back up at Bethany. "Let's say tomorrow afternoon, around maybe 2PM. We can meet at a place of your choosing, but one with some privacy. Does that sound fair?"

[beastman1]

Bethany holds her ground, stubborn to the end.

No dice. And don't call me 'kid'. The sooner I can get to where I need to be, and the quicker we can both be done with each other, the better. Just take me to these other death weirdos now and I'll take it from there.

Bethany's face turns red and hot as she stares Steve down with her "do you want to dance 'mother****er?" face. She rests one hand on her knife hilt.

Leave my friends out of this.

*please see OCC thread for making a threat attempt roll

[Bennosuke]

Steve looks at Bethany with significant confusion. "I mean, I'll take you there if you really want... but what do you expect will happen? It's not like you can learn a spell in one afternoon. And even if you could, I can't promise you any other Mage would be willing to maintain your privacy."

Steve flinches at a sudden grimace on Bethany's face, perceived as a potential threat. Apparently the stabbing still stuck with the older Mage. "I will take you there, but it's not safe." With this, Steve runs his hair through his hands in frustration, and then shrugs, almost apologetically to Bethany.

[beastman1]

Bethany softens her stance and takes her hand off the hilt of her dagger.

Thank you, Steve. Please, lead the way.

Bethany and Steve leave for the magic death weirdos in the hopes they can teach Bethany to suppress her magic footprint and thus remain fully hidden from the world of mages.

[Bennosuke]

It is a quick though uncomfortable Uber ride, to a street Bethany does not recognize, in a neighborhood she can't identify. The two are standing on a narrower street than Bethany is used to in Manhattan. The buildings too are cramped, almost seeming to tower in over the street due to lack of space. Young pedestrians rushed past Bethany, almost as if she were an obstacle to climb around.

Bethany and Steve are standing in front of a brick fronted building with a tinted face level window. A neon sign with an eye in the middle of a pyramid flashes the words "Readings Inside". Next to the window screen is a thin wooden door, with a porthole looking into a flight of stairs leading up. Under the window hangs a sign that reads, "The Psychic Is In!"

[beastman1]

Bethany scans the sign and door up and down with here gaze, her head frozen in position.

She turns to Steve with a blank slate of a face.

So, is this where we part ways?

*If Steve says yes than Bethany will walk inside the building without him. If he says that she'll go in with her than Bethany will say Well then, after you.

[Bennosuke]

Steve nods his head in the negative, "Trust me... you don't want to go up there alone."

When Bethany invites him to lead the way, Steve hesitantly grabs hold of the door and pushes it open. He leads Bethany up the stairs, and as they go up, she is overwhelmed by the smell of old, perhaps rotten wood, and some sort of smokey burning incense.

The stairs terminate at an entrance blocked by a pho-velvet purple curtain, which dusts Bethany with the odor of mold as she follows Steve through into a candle lit room. In the middle of the room is a round oak table with a black marble circle inscribed with ridiculous looking ruins. On the other side of the table sits an androgynous man who could easily be in his twenties or his fifties. He is draped in a black silk Kimono top, but his ribbed and veined chest is left bare. The man has a bony, defined face, sucked dry of any collagen or fat, and big round brown eyes stare up at Bethany and Steve. His thick lips are pursed in a half smile, and he locks eyes with Steve when he says in a husky and feminine voice, "Welcome, I take it you are not here for a palm reading?"

The man smiles mischievously at Steve, his head tilted so that he is almost ear to shoulder. Steve looks anxiously back at Bethany before saying, "My friend here seeks your help".

The man's dark eyes lock on Bethany, making her feel like a mouse cornered by a house cat. "Is this so?", he asks, the last word drawn out far longer than it should. The man has an almost Arabian accent, though Bethany would be hard pressed to pick his ethnicity.

[beastman1]

There lingers a moment of silence as Bethany takes in both oddities of environment and character.

Yes, it is... sir. Bethany chokes slightly on her own words and becomes hyper aware of herself, her sweat, her size, her smell and her presence being small in comparison to the figure she faces, I want, err, I was hoping you might be willing to teach me.

A moment of silence follows her statement- this is very awkward.

Umm, what I mean is, I have this problem, you see, and this guy told me you could train me to be invisible to, well, people like you.

[Bennosuke]

Yes, it is... sir. Bethany chokes slightly on her own words and becomes hyper aware of herself, her sweat, her size, her smell and her presence being small in comparison to the figure she faces, I want, err, I was hoping you might be willing to teach me.

The seated man smile, seeming to stifle a laugh at the young girl's request.


Umm, what I mean is, I have this problem, you see, and this guy told me you could train me to be invisible to, well, people like you.

Almost lazily, the man stands up from his chair, placing one hand gently on the table. He takes a confident stride forward and says, "He did now", giving Steve a measured glare. His hand drags lightly across the table, as his gaze returns to Bethany, "And even if I could teach YOU", the last word emphasized like an insult, "why should I?"

The man takes another step towards Bethany. He has long wiry legs, packed into tight and tattered jeans, that show as much flesh as his Kimono. Before she can respond, the man asks, "Who ARE you?"

[beastman1]

Bethany's flitch reaction hits up against her brain like a hot needle shooting into a firm rubber ball. Bethany resists the urge to step back, but just barely as the old man steps into her personal space.

My name is Bethany. And... that's all I know. I have people, friends, who I worry might be in danger of being drawn into, well, all of this.

Bethany realizes how her statement sounds at insinuating the World of Mages is a "dangerous" place and looks slightly embarrassed.

Err, umm, n-no offense mister. One thing I do know, however, is that I am apparently a peculiarity and I stand out. Just by the way you're eyeing me up and down, I can tell you know I'm some sort of enigma wrapped in a Chinese puzzle box.

She then turns to Steve and stares at him unapprovingly.

This one can tell you. Go on, tell him.

*Depending on what happens next Bethany will act.
If Steve speaks in her favor, explaining that Bethany is indeed someone who could be useful in the "mage war", then Bethany will offer herself up and perform any task he so desires for him - within reason - and will do so immediately.
If Steve instead, feeling uncooperative regarding Bethany refuses to speak to Bethany's claims or refuses to comment/be a part of the conversation at all, then Bethany will instead try proving her point by performing a magic spell (that spell to be determined).

[Bennosuke]

The man smirks at Bethany's words, neither confirming or denying her words. He looks to Steve, who just nods, a little embarrassed. The man turns his gaze back to Bethany, and his eyes seem to haze over for a second. Bethany can tell he is tapping into his Mage's vision (Mage Sight in the rulebook), scrutinizing her like an object at an auction. His grin widens, and again he takes another slow step towards Bethany. "Very well Miss Bethany," and with this the grin becomes almost a leer, as if he savors the use of her name, "my name is Djinn, at your service." Djinn extends a rope like arm with a hand to shake.

Before Bethany can even shake the man's hand, Steve blurts out in a fit of agitation, "She is hoping you will teach her how to obfuscate her Nimbus."

"Maybe I can help with that," Djinn says, grabbing Bethany's hand and shaking it. "But what would you be willing to compensate me with?". Djinn does not let go of Bethany's hand, and he leers at her with a look of hunger.

[beastman1]

I can make people and things disappear Bethany turns to Steve in a blank stare, calling back to her shrinking debacle with Steve, and I can heal, err, mend wounds and other stuff. Besides that I don't know.

Bethany, although doing a poor job of it, tries to keep her creeped outness to her self, turns to Djinn. But I'm not, like, a call girl or something. I'm not going to go down on you for lessons. No funny business.

Bethany pulls her hand back finally and breaks free of the weird man's grip. I'm hopeful that with you teaching me what I need to know, I can put all of this stuff behind me and just be left alone, just be a normal girl.

[Bennosuke]

Djinn lets Bethany remove her hand, but never breaks his smile or his locked gaze. He gives a stabbing laugh when Bethany finishes, and says, "Oh no, I have not interest in those sorts of things from you." He crosses his arms over his bronzed and bony chest and shifts his weight over one leg into a rather cocky pose. "Perhaps we can make an arrangement though. Can we speak in private?", he says cocking an eyebrow at Steve.

"No you absolutely cannot!", exclaims Bethany's companion, as if pleading with her to hear reason.

Djinn rolls his eyebrows at this and turns back to Bethany, "I don't see why not. This is really between the two of us. Don't you agree?"

[beastman1]

Bethany turns to Steve and gives him a silent, stolid stare that translates a somber look of desperation.

Please Steve, we, I... have to to do this, otherwise all... all of this is for nothing.

After that she returns her stare to Djinn and nods once.

We'll speak in private, I'll hear what you have to say.

[Bennosuke]

There is a desperate moment of shock in Steve's eyes. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Instead, his lips close and purse, as if tasting something sour. His shoulders drop, and Steve says, "Sure. Okay... well I guess I'm just going to head out". He locks eyes first with Djinn, then turning to Bethany, Steve says, "Good luck kid". Without letting Bethany stop him, Steve turns around and exits out of the room.

A toothy grin spreads across Djinn's face as he turns his attention to Bethany. Waving a hand towards the back wall, Djinn says, "Follow me". He walks to the back of the room, a plaster wall covered with various semi-erotic expretionistic or pseudo-occult images. He presses his hand on a poster, depicting a naked young man crouched over bleeding woman like a predator over a downed game. The image on the poster begins to blur as Djinn begins speaking in a language Bethany recognizes though doesn't quiet understand. The image warps and shifts, like the paper was made out of a sea of worms. Then the blurring, squirming effect spreads across the wall till a tall rectangle of of glowing, writhing distortion reveals itself. The rectangle changes color till it has become a doorway, guarded by a hanging curtain, like the entrance to Djinn's shop.

The Magician ushers Bethany into a a room of impossible size, given the size of the building. Silks and Persian carpet cover the floor, and there is a thick smoke of incense and tobacco. Djinn leads Bethany to an area of pillows and encourages her to sit on them. Standing over Bethany, so that her face is uncomfortably close with his tight and torn denim, Djinn asks, "Do you know what you are Bethany?

[beastman1]

Bethany walk into the room but does not answer the man's question, instead giving off a worried face and staring about the details of the walls and floor.

She examines everything around her and looks behind her to make sure the newly formed exit is still an exit and not something else.

[Bennosuke]

The exit still appears intact, but Djinn looms over Bethany, blocking what would be her path to the door. He looks expectantly at her, waiting for her to answer his question.

[beastman1]

*Before Bethany answers, please Game Master, describe in detail the room now that Bethany has given it a thorough look about.

[Bennosuke]

The room is maybe 500 square feet, in the shape of a rectangle. A number of carpets and pillows liter the floor at various locations, around low coffee tables. Bethany sits at the table nearest the entrance. Along the walls are a number of book shelves, though they are covered with an assortment of nick knacks, stuffed birds of prey, crystals, and strange fetishes, as well as a number of books of various sizes and shapes.

There is a larger, round table at the far end of the room, littered with sheets of paper, some white printer paper, others appear to be parchment. In the corner, between the far wall, and one of the long walls of the room is a glass walled cabinet filled with intricately painted ceramic jars.

[beastman1]

The room, for some reason, greatly fascinates Bethany, like as if she's been here before or something in the room holds great historical affinity for her.

She immediately walks past the weird old man and approaches the shelves across the room on the wall that houses the assorted items and knick nacks. She specifically focuses on the crystals in the room and stares t the prettiest while answering his question without looking at him.

I know WHO I am. What difference does it make, what I am? I'm just a normal teenage girl. Bethany, almost in a trance begins moving her left hand to grab and hold the prettiest crystal, but not yet actually grab it, And I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're not... human. Like Steve.

[Bennosuke]

The man's smile widens at Bethany's words. He seemed anxious as Bethany crossed the room towards his belongings, but his shoulders relaxed when she directed her energy at the various crystals on the shelf.

When Bethany said, "And I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're not... human. Like Steve", he cackled ruefully. "I'm not Human? Well isn't that a funny concept", he brought a hand to his face, rubbing his cheek and jaw. Pointing a finger at Bethany, the man said, "I would argue that I am probably more human than you. To be honest, that is why I wanted you here."

The man walked towards Bethany, but turns and picks something up from the table at the far end of the room. When he turns back, Djinn is now holding a long ivory stick, engraved with various patterns to small for Bethany to see. Perhaps it wasn't Ivory though, no, as Bethany looked harder, she was somehow sure it was carved from bone. Taking another step forward, and clutching the bone wand like a steak knife, Djinn said, "I think I am going to eat you up, little girl".


Ok, so a couple of things. First, Bethany may wish to scrutinize the man in some way with her Mage sight, or scrutinize the room. I would probably use peripheral mage sight for this, but up to you. Please read about mage sight before posting.

We may be entering combat now depending on what Bethany wishes to do. If Bethany is going to do anything either to fight or Flee, I'd like to have her roll Initiative first. To do this, roll 1d10 please.

[Bennosuke]

Djinn grins greedily at Bethany. Even as she begins to draw her knife, he is already casting a spell. He points the silver wand at Bethany, his off hand creating a series of intricate circles and symbols in the air. His eyes go wide with power as the spell is finally cast. Through Bethany's Peripheral mage sight, she can see Djinn cast a spell, extending from the wand like a series of spider webs meant to pull on Bethany's soul.

The spell hits Bethany in the chest almost knocking her over, even as she frees the obsidian knife from it's leather ceremonial sheath. With a yank, Djinn pulls on Bethany's soul, trying to cleave her very Supernal Being from her body. She can feel her very life, live an extra layer of skin being ripping off her being, but try as Djinn might, the pull is too weak. Bethany's Soul refuses to leave.

Djinn looks at Bethany wide eyed as he realizes his spell has failed.

So Bethany has a very high resolve score, which lets her essentially Withstand the effect of the spell. The spell sloughs off of her having absolutely no effect. So now it's Bethany's turn. Knowing that Djinn is essentially trying to steal her Soul, does Bethany still want to draw her knife, or does she want to take more drastic action?

[beastman1]

Frightened but somehow not undeterred by the assault on her "soul", Bethany makes an immediate action to lunge at Djinn, strike the wand out of his hand with the knife and then pin him to the ground, knife to his throat.

*Just tell me what traits I need to roll for and I will try to roll for them to see if she succeeds or fails in this action. If she succeeds then she'll say something threatening when I post next post.

[Bennosuke]

Djinn begins backing away from Bethany as she draws her knife; his predator's grin now replaced with a look of absolute disgust. Nearly tripping over himself, Djinn begins to cast another spell, this time targeting something behind Bethany. With his wand outstretched, the older Mage begins chanting in high speech, words describing some form of Veiling spell. But when it comes time to cast the spell, it appears as though nothing happens. The veins in Djinn's leathery forehead begin to swell and turn plum colored. "No", he half mutters, half spits.

[beastman1]

Bethany understands the gravity of her situation- this man is clearly a danger and it's highly unlikely that he's going to change his mind and help her in any way, however, Bethany has seen this world and what it can do. I must try, she blares in a voice in her own head, to salvage what I can.

Bethany for her next turn attempts to close the distance between her and Djinn so that she can be within striking range of his wand.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany strikes out at Djinn with her knife. But it is not the heroic slice that she would imagine a Hero would give. Instead the obsidian weapon swings awkwardly through the air, telegraphed so that Djinn easily side steps the slice. All evidence of the cocky hunter is gone from the Mage's face. With his free hand, which has now worked through a series of Mudras, he gives Bethany a push, while shrieking, "Give it to me!". His voice is shrill, and rather effeminate, but the spell he has cast is anything but impotent.

There is a sudden ripping sensation, deep inside Bethany, as if one of her organs has come loose, and is hanging by a thread. The ripping sensation is followed by immediate searing pain. Bethany stumbles back suddenly, feeling weaker, and empty. Something very important has just been taken from her.

Bethany gains the soulless condition (see page 318). I strongly recommend you review this condition. It is Bethany's turn to act. Now may be a good time to cast a spell. Bethany's lack of Weaponskill makes it very unlikely she will do anything successful with that knife.

[beastman1]

Bethany responds by casting the spell, Transform Life.

*see OCC for question and more details

[Bennosuke]

Bethany stumbles back, wracked with a sense of her chest being hollowed out and filled with fire ants. Djinn sneers back at her triumphantly. From the end of his wand is a long silvery string of energy, thinning as it extends to Bethany's chest. "It's mine now, you little bitch", he jeers, too many teeth showing. He starts to pull at Bethany's soul, reeling it in like a fishing line from his wand.

Defiantly, Bethany prepares her spell, a clever gambit to change The Mage's physiology such that he would be unable to breath air. Despite the pain in her chest, Bethany focuses on the image of gills ripping themselves into the man's neck. She casts Transform Life, pushing her Arcane abilities beyond the limits of safety, and with a strike of her hand, forces the spell into his chest. She watches with eyes old as time, as the Supernal energy burrows into the man's pattern, only to dissipate into nothingness.

Djinn cackles again, slapping Bethany's hand away. Like the cat with the cornered mouse, Djinn looms over his prey and gloats, "Poor little fractured one".

But there is a sudden thunderous explosion, like a bomb going off in the room. The organization of the Space tapestry created by Djinn shreds open, to allow Steve to walk through. There is an anger in Steve's eyes, that Bethany has not yet seen, and a confidence to his movements. Like a jungle cat, Djinn roars at the intrusion of another Mage. Turning his attention from Bethany he hurls a spell at Steve; one that reeks of clotted blood and feces, a spell of Death Magic. The spell explodes across Steve's chest, nearly knocking him off his feet. It changes Steve, seems to suck the meat from his bones, instantly emaciating Bethany's only ally.

As Djinn casts his spell, the thin thread of Bethany's soul is ripped free from both ends. Like the thread of a balloon, it is dragged up towards the ceiling where it seems to hover without energy or direction.

Bethany's spell fails due to Djinn withstanding the spell. Steve arrives. Djinn casts Withering and does one point aggrevated damage. In doing so, he loses hold of Bethany's soul. It is now Bethany's turn, then Steve's.

[beastman1]

Bethany casts the Life Return spell to put her soul back to where it belongs.

[Bennosuke]

Her mind racing, Bethany quickly improvises a spell, imaging the long silvery thread of spirit rolling back up like a yoyo into her body. She felt empty inside; she ached, and she was hungry for the return of her Soul. She performed a few quick hand gestures, chanting "Return, return, return", as if to command the silky cord to come back.

And then it was happening, just as she imagined, the thread was hooked and reeling back into her body. The string retracted and became a sphere, about the size of a shimmering golf ball, hurtling back into her. The Soul hit her in the belly with a loud pop, the impact filling her up like a hose of helium. Bethany could feel her ears pop, as if on an ascending airplane.

It took Bethany a moment to realize what Steve was doing. Djinn's attention was focused on Bethany, glowering at her success, and Steve was casting another spell. But this time, Steve was not targeting the lithe Mage, instead he was focused on the space around Djinn. The entire room seemed to shake with the disruption of its reality as Steve's ability weaved an incandescent ovular barrier around his enemy. Light seemed to bend through the barrier, contorting Djinn in a carnival mirror thin and wavy limbs and a too fat face.

Djinn was clearly screaming, but no sound escaped his new prison. When he tried to push through the barrier, he simply bounced off of it. His attempted spell seemed to dissipate off of it.

Steve looked up, exhausted but smiling at Bethany. "I told you it was probably a bad idea to come here", Steve said, walking towards her, "We need to hurry, it won't last too long".

[beastman1]

This is crazy! Bethany thought.

Wait, Steve! she blurted out, still disoriented by the retrieval and replacement of her soul, what did you do to him? What's going on?

She turns to Steve and then Djinn in his funhouse mirror bubble, and then back at Steve, a blank expression of exacerbation staring outwards.

I can't leave here without learning what I need to learn! An idea then materialized in her head.

I can still get what I want out of him, just watch my back as I try this!!

Bethany, with the feeling that Steve in a disapprovingly furious retaliation would knock her unconscious to pull her out of there for her own safety, runs past Steve, her back facing him, and her front facing Djinn, starts chanting and motioning the air with her knife.

Bethany will attempt to, once again, fishify Djinn's lungs with her magic in order to bargain her way to Death Magic knowledge.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany rushes past Steve, not even waiting for a response to her question. Her turns, dumfounded as he watches her run back towards Djinn. Not under duress, it was simple for Bethany to recast her spell, it was simple for Bethany to recast her spell, even with Steve blurting "Bethany, wait!"

But when the Imago was released, the spell seemed to diffuse harmlessly off of the barrier that Steve had cast. Steve sighs heavily, and when Bethany turns back to him, he says, "The spell blocks all magic from entering or leaving the Ban. The area inside that barrier actually exists in another dimensional space now."

Djinn continues to kick and scream against his restraints. "Can we go now," Steve asks, "that spell won't hold for too long, and I don't know if the two of us are strong enough to... well beat Djinn. We are probably already in a large amount of ****."

Sorry, not trying to place a road block, but that is really the mechanics for that spell. See page 176.

[beastman1]

Out of energy and out of options, Bethany concedes to her symbolic defeat at the hands of Steve's spell. He came back for her and fought for her. If she wanted to lose him permanently she would have to **** up pretty badly. She wouldn't do that.

Damn it. Fine. She blurted out in a huff of exasperated breath, sweat pouring down her forehead and making wet stains over her shirt shoulders. Lead the wa-

In mid-sentence Bethany came to one final realization: salvaging gold out of a **** situation. A conciliation prize, as it were.

Steve, how long do we have before the spell runs out? I want to take as much stuff as I can carry out of here. He attacked and betrayed our trust... I say we return the favor. There's gotta be some "magic" books or crystals or amulets or trinkets or voodoo dolls or something that can help me learn to mask my "magical" presence to all other weirdos in your weirdo club. Can you help me snag the right stuff?

*If Steve agrees to help her identify and locate the right objects from Djinn's room that could be of use then that's what she'll do.

If he says they don't have the time or that he wouldn't know where to look or that nothing there will help her in her goal to learn the appropriate death magic, then she'll just run and grab a varied assortment of crystals and books and scrolls and trinkets and artifacts as she can carry out of there.

[Bennosuke]

Steve smirks, glancing over at the trapped mage. "I think we have enough time," he says, "lets look.".

Bethany gets one success on her investigation roll.

Steve makes his way over to the shelves, while Bethany begins scouring his table. There are a number of scrolls and pieces of parchment, littered over the table, but after nearly turning the large wooden table over, she finds a small black leather bound book inscribed primarily in the strange Mage language that Bethany both understands, and has never seen before. The text seems to describe the processes needed for casting a number of spells.

Steve comes over to Bethany, holding a few jars, "These are soul jars. It looks like you weren't the first person whose Soul Djinn has attacked. It's... highly proscribed to perform such magic against another Mage." Steve turns and shows Djinn, "I think we will be bringing these to the attention of the Pentacle High Council."

"What do you have there?", Steve asks Bethany, looking at the book she is holding.

[beastman1]

I don't know big guy, but I bet your buddies at the council can tell us more about it, Bethany shrugs with child innocence as she turns the little black booklet front and back and front and back, flipping through the pages like a little animation flip-book, What about "I dream of genie" over there? By the time we bring all this evidence to your pals won't he hightail it out of here before we can come back.... and, uh... arrest him? Is that a thing with you people? I'm not really clear on how this works. Shouldn't we deal with him first? Knock him out and drag him with us for justice. These soul jars give me the creeps.

[Bennosuke]

Steve shakes his head, "I'm not sure arrest is the right word. He would go under trial before the High Council, but I don't think we are powerful enough to ummm keep him detained long enough." His voice hushes so as if to keep Djinn from hearing, though Bethany is still not sure if sound can pass through the barrier Steve created. "At the very least," Steve says, "with this evidence, Djinn will be forced to go into hiding or leave the city. But we should get out of here before The Ban dissolves. After you."

[beastman1]

*When Steve says "after you." What is he referring to? Where is the exit?

If Steve is gesturing or pointing to the opening from which he came from than Bethany will go through it with all that she and Steve have collected from the room.

[Bennosuke]

Steve is gesturing to the curtains by which Bethany and Djinn entered. Steve entered by fracturing Space-Time, and that door is closed. He doesn't have the capacity to maintain the Ban spell and re-open a portal in Space. Bethany still follows?

[beastman1]

Bethany follows Steve.

[Bennosuke]

The two rush back into Djinn's wooden parlor, down the stairs, and out into the street. Somehow, it is still only early afternoon, though it feels like more than a day has gone by. The two stand on the sidewalk for a moment, not talking. "So," Steve says, "I guess that didn't go as planned". His arms were still filled with jars and scrolls, his shirt was still stained maroon with his dried blood.

[beastman1]

In that moment Bethany came to the realization that her whole world, whether she wanted it to or not, was turning upside down. More importantly, her time with Djinn made her less, not more, trustworthy of these magic people. Steve could be a saint, or he could be a sinner, but Bethany wasn't going to go another step without putting her foot down.

Steve, stop. Bethany demanded softly as she turned her gaze to the ground, sighed deeply, then turned up at his judgmental gaze, Before we go any further... I want some answers. 1) Who are you, really and what's your story. 2) Why are you helping me, I hurt you on accident and left you for dirt, why risk it by hanging with me? 3)... how... how can I truly trust you?

Bethany, shifting the weight of her newfound booty to one hand, and clandestinely positioning her other hand on the handle of her knife.

[Bennosuke]

This time the gesture does not seem to intimidate Steve. He smirks at her, a grown man towering over a teenage girl. "Well", he says as the grin spreads, "One, I like you... at least in some ways, am a Mage. I am a human blessed with the ability to recognize the Supernal truth behind the lie of this supposed reality. The better question is, WHAT are you? You are certainly Mage... but not like anyone I've ever seen. And if you don't think you can trust me after I saved you despite you stabbing me into unconciousness.... well, to be honest, I'm not sure why I did that either."

With that Steve starts to turn around. Over his shoulder he says, "I'll see you around B.".

[beastman1]

Unsure of whether she's done the right thing by questioning Steve's motives, Beth decides it's best that she allows him to depart... but not without one last pressing thing she decides is important to ask.

Wait, before you got, just tell me this one last thing. I think you owe me for all this magical booty we claimed from that creep's hideout: This whole time, all along, what have you wanted from me, really? What's been the point of all of this. Let's say I DO believe you and I AM, what you say I AM, and YOU are who you say YOU are... there must've been a purpose to it all. The council, and the war and the "magic" and the world behind the shroud... You need to tell me that at least. You owe me that much for all the trouble you've put me through. All the danger and needless risk.

[Bennosuke]

With his free hand, Steve swipes his 40$ haircut out of his eyes and sighs. He shrugs in response to Bethany's question, "There is a lot you don't know, but now is not the time or place to talk about it." Steve looks around cautiously, waiting for a confused looking Sleeper in her mid thirties carrying a toddler boy, who stairs at the odd pair. When they have passed he continues, "But I think you will just have to accept for now that perhaps I was just trying to do something unselfish for once in my life."

Steve's free hand fishes into his back pocket, and after a bit of fumbling, he pulls out a bronze card-holder. With impressive dexterity, Steve frees a business card with his free hand and offers it to Bethany. "Maybe some other time we can talk about it. If you want to know, give me a call some time."

The card is a water marked off white number that reads Richard Wright MBA, Financial Advisor". There is a familiar symbol in the top right corner, depicting a book with a key-lock over a strange looking asymmetric Ideogram.

[beastman1]

Thank you. I'm... I'm sorry for mistrusting you... it's just... this is all... it's a hell of a lot to take in. Bethany takes the card in her left hand and turns it in and out in her grip, eyeing every detail and symbol on it like some precious thing.

I'm... I owe you one for saving my life... Friends are important to me, and, and you've proven that you can be good, Bethany puts out her right hand as a gesture of good will, her face softening into a half smile, shake my hand and I promise you that I OWE YOU ONE. Shake my hand and you have my word that I will do you a solid for saving me back there. Whatever you need me to do, so long as it doesn't endanger my friends, I will execute to the best of my, err, "abilities". Otherwise, if you're done with me then this is where we part ways. Sir.

[Bennosuke]

Steve smirks at Bethany's longwinded promise, and offers his hand. "Don't worry about it. I think things may get worse for you before they get better. Keep you head down, and just let me know if you need me. When you are ready to find out about the Truth behind the Lie, let me know."

Steve releases Bethany's hand and just begins walking down the block. He turns over his shoulder and waves goodbye with his free hand, before turning the corner. Bethany can feel the sun setting by the increased sharpness in each biting gust of wind, even though it is still light out. Despite making a new friend, she suddenly feels quiet alone.

So the Scene so to speak is near coming to a close. If there is anything you want Bethany to do with her spare time (research, spell casting, try to talk with one of her friends about everything), let me know now.

[beastman1]

With the remainder of her scene, Bethany will examine the loot she has acquired from Djinn to see what she's got and make her way back to the obelisk in Central Park to see if anything she has can activate it like she observed a while back.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany quickly scrolls through the black book. The word Grimoire comes to mind. The book is filled with steps for casting spells. It would take some more detailed study to ascertain which Arcana the spells were focused on. The pages were covered in more of those strange Idiograms which Bethany recognized and could partly read by gestalt, but which were otherwise meaningless. Faceless strangers passed by Bethany, some stared, but most just went about their day too busy to notice the girl on the street alone.

Bethany had decided she would try to find Central Park, but again she was reminded that she knew not where she was, nor how she would get where she needed. She could call a cab, but who knew how long that would take, or how much it would cost. The other option was maybe the subway, if she could figure out how to navigate it.

[beastman1]

Realizing she is inexorably lost, Bethany instead finds a city bench where she can research the black book more in relative privacy away from the faceless masses that negate her focus.

[Bennosuke]

Finding one of those slanted iron bench painted green at a bus stop, Bethany sits down and begins pouring over the book. Perhaps it was the slowly fading daylight, or all of the events of the day flashing over and over through her head, but Bethany could not make heads or tails of the spells in the book.

The symbols were all familiar, and the book was clearly filled with directions for casting spells, but it was a lot of short hand and phrases Bethany just was not familiar with. She would likely need some resources to decode it, or at least some more time, but now Bethany's head hurt almost as much as her bruised behind, and it was getting dark. Her friends may be getting worried about her already!

Bethany fails her roll, see OOC thread.

[beastman1]

Having failed her intelligence/occult roll to decipher the spells in the book, Bethany tries again, despite her splitting head, to understand the contents of the booklet as she is not ready to give up yet.

[Bennosuke]

Despite her headache, Bethany decides to continue her studies of the book. The strange glyphs seem to warp and swarm in her vision, and she becomes unsure whether her Supernal vision was bleeding into her reality in the mundane world. It feels like she is at the precipice of an answer time and time again, but nothing seems to come.

Her studies are so intense that she does not realize that the sky has become dark, and the streets nearly empty. She is disrupted from her studies by a heavily accented voice, "Little girl, little girl". Bethany's gaze rises to find an unkempt man of possible middle age and Indian ethnicity. His pants look like they have been attacked by a saw, and his shoes like they had been run over by a semi. He swayed back and forth in front of Bethany, already too close so that she could smell the left over food that stained his shirt. Grinning with a mouth missing as many teeth as it had, the aqualung seemed to be studying Bethany with glassy eyes.

[beastman1]

After today's events, Bethany is somewhat numb to surprises and she takes this new appearance with a dull And who might you be?

[Bennosuke]

The man gives a loud and wet laught, "Har har har", and his breath reeks of sour milk and alcohol. He stumbles a few steps forward, now just out of arms reach, but close enough so that every stain on his tattered clothing can be identified by smell, if Bethany tries hard enough. The man's hands open and close, the only points of tension in his entire body. "Little girl", he begins again, "won't you play with me?"

[beastman1]

The smell is what does it. Bethany snaps back into self-preservation mode, like a cat cornered under a wooden patio, surrounded by loud noises and unfamiliar figures.

After the Steve knife debacle, Bethany plays it somewhat cooler than before- getting off the bench she launches to her own two feet and puts space between herself and the menacing man. She gets prepared, placing one hand on her knife hilt and the other at her side in a combat-ready position.

Look, I don't know who you are, but didn't your mommy ever teach you it isn't nice to scare little girls?

[Bennosuke]

Bethany's response causes the man to stumble back just a step, before releasing another "Har har har". The man sways to and fro after regathering his footing, and the grin returns. He leans forward now, impossibly so, as if he should topple. The big half toothed grin returns and he says, "Oh, I would like to do more than just scare ya". He looks over both shoulders quickly, as if making sure the two are still alone.

Perhaps you want to do something that involves a roll (intimidation, persuasion, ect).

[beastman1]

She is tired. Bethany might be numb to the world and it's slings and arrows, but she is still in the game. As soon as the menacing figure turns his head 180 degrees to check around his shoulder she bolts and makes a run for it in the opposite direction, double-time.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany is halfway down the block before the man starts to react. He takes one or two stumbling steps before giving up. Her heart racing, and with the book still clutched to her chest, Bethany crosses about four blocks, before she realizes she is safe. But looking around, Bethany has no clue where she is. Towering brick and stone edifices loom over her like the cyclopean structures she has seen in several nightmares. She is tired, and though her mind is numb, she can't seem to quiet it. People pass Bethany by on the street, most seem not to notice she is even there. It is starting to get cold out, and the sweat dripping down her back is turning to ice.

[beastman1]

Not being the anti-social type, Bethany decides to try her luck at flagging down a random (albeit normal and not danger-looking stranger) person to ask the following question:

Excuse me sir/ma'am? Could you help me? I need directions.

[Bennosuke]

Bethany is able to grab the attention of an older couple dressed as if for a ball. Though the wind has picked up, the two are dressed as if it is winter, in heavy furs. The gentleman, a tall man with long white hair, an aqueline nose, and wire rimmed glasses, steps in front of his wife as if to protect her. The woman squeaks, "We have no change!", but the man looks at her sternly while towering over Bethany, "You need directions?"

[beastman1]

Bethany responds:

I'm... I'm lost. I'm new to New York. Could you direct me to (Bethany's friends address)? Also, please be careful, there's a dangerous man down the block thatta way, Bethany turns her head and torso and points in the direction to where she was accosted earlier. She then turns back to the odd couple, he seemed to be looking for trouble.

[Bennosuke]

The man looks at Bethany with some confusion, "You are pretty far away! We are all the way on the Upper East Side. It's going to take you a while to walk." His wife chirps in with, "It's obviously some sort of prank", glaring at Bethany. He shrugs and continues, "I'm not sure how you would take the subway back. You should probably just get a cab."

[beastman1]

Bethany takes a cue from their attitude and slinks away into the faceless crowds surrounding her.

Sorry to bother you folks.

Bethany uses her Mage sense to locate a nearest hotel where she can stay the night at and end her turn for this story to conclude.