[In Nomine] The City of Pentagram IC

[robnar]

Astarieth, Judgment

Tommy takes the opportunity of a down few minutes to catch the others up. "I've been out trying to put out feelers for where the demons have run off to. I hired a PI to keep tabs on the other - probably habbalah - of Factions, asked that lawyer's doorman to let me know if anyone comes knocking, and asked the elder Agafonov to keep an eye out. I'm looking for more. My next priority is to find out what's up with the police, and I really want to look into that new private security firm."

"It's fishy that they're going private for school security, and it seems like a way for The War to make a play for the high school. Want to run that to ground."

"I'm not ready to go after O'Rourke yet, but might be able to start working my way up the chain from the rich-side police chief. Haagenti's team being in town has me totally stumped."

[DoctorFaust]

Inian waves away the whiskey when it's offered, saying, "I really do appreciate the offer, but I'm still trying to stay dried out. Give it to Ramiel when he arrives if he wants it. I'm sure he could use some cheering up."

Once Frez arrives, Inian goes to give him a hand with the doctor. "Sure," he says, "You planning something, or just putting the fear of God into her to get information?"

[JeenLeen]

Howlitzer, barroom

Jerechial sets the shot aside for Ramiel, with the grim nod. "Kid's been through a lot, yeah."

Medim, though, also perks up at the mention of the maybe-habbalah. "You found the other Factions demon? If you want help taking him down, let us know."

Towards Astarieth's statements, he also gives a grim nod. "You're doing some good work. Breaking O'Rourke would be hard. We tried fighting her back when there was the war with Technology. Her vessel is tougher than it looks, and she's no pushover in celestial combat, either. But if you can break her hold on the city... that'd be a good boon. We've let things be too much of a stalemate for too long."
He lets out a sigh. "The Seraphim Council wanted things to stay quiet. It doesn't make sense to pass over a chance to eliminate a shedite, but our actions today will cause waves. It may well be open war before long. Here's hoping that Haagenti's person and Bethrezen aren't on good terms. I wouldn't want to fight both of them at the same time. By the way, from what all we know, that Baron is a Balseraph called Greasestain. Not sure if that's a pseudonym or not."

Spoiler: another retcon/mistake on my end

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I forgot that Medim and Gaspariel couldn't attack the demon until they were first attacked.
Not that it probably would have made a difference in the end, as Gaspariel missed and I forgot Medim was even there, but felt like mentioning that they were not acting dissonantly.

Howlitzer, Basement

Frez and Roman take the woman downstairs. Frez gives a playful grin -- almost scary in a crazy-guy-got-his-prey sorta way -- at Inian's question. "Oh, yeah. My Songs are good for moving and tracking, but not so much for interrogation. I use more mundane methods for that." He chuckles, but then -- with a speed matching his Choir -- shifts his demeanor to more solmen. "But I hope no need for more than a little fear to start. She'll think she's kidnapped, probably. Which, well, she is, but we'll see who she thinks is the 'napper. In all likelihood, she's an ignorant pawn of Technology. Or Lust. I don't like publicizing this, but the info leak was from her sleeping with a Servitor of Lightning, a buddy of mine at Harvard. Idiot got drunk with her and blabbed as they were geeking out about medical research. By the time he confessed his dissonance, she was long gone working for some company across the country."

There's time for Inian to respond as they tie her to a chair. Roman exits, noting he'll be nearby if needed. Soon, the woman's eyes open, with a groggy, half-aware look on her face. At seeing Frez's unusual countenance and recognizing Inian, she shrieks and looks absolutely terrified, futilely struggling against her restraints.

[robnar]

Astarieth, Judgment

"You're doing some good work. Breaking O'Rourke would be hard. We tried fighting her back when there was the war with Technology. Her vessel is tougher than it looks, and she's no pushover in celestial combat, either. But if you can break her hold on the city... that'd be a good boon. We've let things be too much of a stalemate for too long."

"Yeah, thank you. I don't know how to get after her yet. Gonna have to figure out the angles to get at that one. Doesn't seem like a good idea to go after her directly."

He lets out a sigh. "The Seraphim Council wanted things to stay quiet. It doesn't make sense to pass over a chance to eliminate a shedite, but our actions today will cause waves. It may well be open war before long. Here's hoping that Haagenti's person and Bethrezen aren't on good terms. I wouldn't want to fight both of them at the same time. By the way, from what all we know, that Baron is a Balseraph called Greasestain. Not sure if that's a pseudonym or not."

"Don't know anything about Greasestain yet. The other factions demon's probably a habbalah - at least, that's my assessment based on his attitude. Vessel's a punk kid. I didn't go after him because - you know habbalah. He could've made me beat a bystander to death or something. Definitely gonna want some back up when its time to get that one."

Tommy's got good ears - at the ever-so-faint sound of the scream from downstairs, he stands. "I'm gonna go listen in downstairs."

The tired starts to come back after the shot and the conversation. But he stands anyway and marches down to the secure room. He knocks discreetly on the door and waits to see if Frez and Inian want some help.

[DoctorFaust]

"Well, I won't go shouting it from the rooftops if you don't want me to. If he confessed to his mistakes and is trying to be better, that's all that matters. I'm betting it's Technology. She was working for...Charon Medical or Pharmaceutical, something like that. They've got at least one facility hidden in warehouses downtown."

Inian leaves her to wake up peacefully, but once she starts screaming, he gets up close and personal and grabs her arms to hold them against the chair. "Shut up!" he yells. "You're already in deep **** and being loud isn't going to save you. But telling us what we want to know might."

[JeenLeen]

EDIT: whereever Brittany is written below, I meant to write Kimberly. Got a name confused.

Spoiler

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I'll assume a Resonance roll, so let's see if it's a 5 or a 6. (3d6)[6][4][3](13)

Interrogation

Astarieth hears Inian's statement, followed by a dark chuckle from Frez. Whether the Vassal of Wind has a psychotic streak or is good at faking one is hard to tell; Judgement has no formal objections to Wind, but they do tend towards lawlessness and strange personalities.

The woman shudders as Frez answers the knock, shrugs, and lets Astarieth join. He offers a mask, if the Seraph wants one, to hide his face.

The woman looks across the gathered men, and lets out a nervous sigh, looking at Frez.
"I recognize you. You were poking around Harvard for me, right? A friend of mine took your photo, overheard you on the phone. She said you sounded like some wierd anti-medicine cult to Thor or something like that." Although fear still shows on her face, scorn is also shown. "The work I'm doing will save many lives, if we get this cure out. What do you have against it?" But, then, the fear seems to break through. "W-what do you want to know?"

Frez, whose face has looked a mix of wounded and angry since the mention of Thor, takes out a switchblade and walks up to the woman.
"Your friend is mistaken. Thor," he almost spits the name with loathing, but then shifts to a manic laugh. "Girl, you got no idea. I think any of us could break you like a twig. I want to know who set you on the path to Dr. Daniel Stephens. Was anyone else there that evening, before he blabbed about formula 15? Did the same person direct you to... Charon, was it?"

She squeaks out, "D-did you hurt Dan?"
To which Frez's knife strikes forward, stopping a few millimeters from her face. "He got his punishment, and it's your fault. But he's okay. Well okay enough. Now talk!"

Some tears coming down her cheeks, she simply says, "I-- I was a student of Dan's. We... well, it got unprofessional, but I liked him. But I cared more about my work. So I stole his, that formula 15. We were at a bar, before we went to his house, so, like, people were around, but nobody important. Someone gave me a lead to Charon as a place that might accept it and take me as a researcher, with few questions asked. She said her name was Brittany."

Frez retracts his blade and pockets it. "Brittany. Shoulda known. You been in touch with her since then?"

She shakes her head. "Not really. She asked for money or favors a few times. I gave her some money to shut her up, but sent her away for the rest. But always from a different number; I don't have a phone number to reach her, nor do I want one. Oh--she did want corpses, like for medical research, she said. I feared reprecussion if I told the police about her--she knew too much about me--but she seems bad news. Maybe she went to a funeral parlour or a morgue, but we didn't provide any."

Frez looks to the two of you. "Wanna know anything else? If she's shared the formula with the company, doesn't seem easy to destroy the knowledge." He looks to Astarieth, then to her. "Could you destroy it, darling?"
Her face turns to stone. "I doubt it. But I'd rather die." Astarieth hears both statements ring true. Frez looks frustrated, angry, but simply turns to you two. "I guess I'm done with her. Seems a shame to kill her. Maybe it's time a cure is found, anyhow. Well, I'll let you locals decide how you think best to deal with her. I think I'm after Brittany now."

Spoiler: stuff

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I assumed Astarieth does his Resonance once he's in the room.
Resonance of 5 from roll.
The statements she's saying are true, both to her understanding and objectively. The closest thing to a lie is that a 'friend' took the picture of Frez; it's a rather one-sided friendship and she doesn't care much for the person, beyond someone to call back at Harvard if she needs it.
She believes sincerely nobody important was around her or Daniel the night he blabbed, but whether they are objectively important is a kinda subjective question.
She does care for him and hopes she might work with him again, maybe even be romantically involved again, but realizes it's doubtful given that she stole confidential medical info from him.
As for why she's telling the truth, she figures it's the safest way to hopefully survive and keep her goals going. She'd be willing to lie or even die to get her research continued, but doesn't want to die. She also doesn't feel like she owes this Brittany anything, and doesn't mind selling her out.

Also, reminder: Brittany is the name (or psuedonym) the local angels know to be a demon of Technology.

[DoctorFaust]

Inian paces up and down the room in silence after Astarieth enters, deciding that anything he does is probably going to be less intimidating than sticking a knife in her face. Once Frez is finished asking questions, he steps towards Dr. Rodriguez with his fists clenched. "Yeah, there are things I want to ask her," he says. "But the big one is how did you get those things in the basement? The ones I killed."

[robnar]

Astarieth, Judgment

Tommy has no dog in this hunt, but after Inian asks about the "things in the basement that he killed", Tommy perks up. At minimum it will be a good story.

He moves behind the woman, so that she can't see him or focus on him.

[JeenLeen]

The woman shuffles at the statement that Inian killed them. She pauses a few moments, then sighs.

"I know it's illegal research. But I want to test my cures on people before trying to do bigger trials. I know it's not statistically reliable, but if a formula works on a few people, I know I'm less likely to be wasting time doing the formal trials. The longer this takes, the more people die. I'm willing to sacrifice some people to expedite this.

"For those... things?... They looked like either some thugs or homeless people hanging out near the lab. My security team and I confronted them, and they asked us for shelter. I was surprised, but we took them to the basement. They did yell at us angry when I tried to get them in a cell, but my security was able to threaten them with the guns so they got in. But one of the security team was hurt pretty bad as I injected them and was in the middle of taking vitals. That giggling one bit him and took a chunk of flesh out of his shoulder. It was creepy."
"But they were strange. I couldn't detect a pulse, and their blood was... well, like the blood of a dead person. I don't know if injecting them did anything. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them." With a touch of scorn towards Inian, albeit still mixed with fear, she adds, "though I guess you took care of that. Why were you there? What do you all want with me and my research?"

Spoiler: Astarieth

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All true. She's being honest because she hopes it's the most likely way she gets out of this alive.

The closest thing to a lie is her questioning how Inian calls them "things". She knows they weren't quite human, as she noted.

[robnar]

Astarieth, Judgment

Tommy pulls out his notebook while the lady talks.

WTF is Charon? Some company?
WTF is Thor? She talking about the ethereal demigod? What does she know about us?
What does kimberley want with corpses?
Who installed that facility? Is that Charon? Who pays them? What are their links?

Just some idle thoughts. Tommy doesn't much care about Frez's agenda, but if there's some Vapulatech outfit in town making illegal research facilities that might fall under his mandate. He flashes the notebook at Inian briefly while he waits and listens, comfortably behind the woman.

[DoctorFaust]

Inian looks up at the notebook Astarieth flashes at him before returning his attention to Dr. Rodriguez. "Why was I there? Bad luck on your part," he says with a morbid laugh. "Do you know why this Kimberley person wanted with corpses? And about these underground facilities, how did Charon get them built? Do you know if there's more?"

[JeenLeen]

Frez also takes a look at the notebook, nodding at the questions. It probably looks profoundly odd and unnerving to the woman tied to the chair.

"This chick thinks I'm in some thunder or lightning cult. Guess I was stupid and got overheard making a private phone call. But, yeah, what is Charon? And it is a what, not a who, right?"

To Frez and Inian's questions, the woman looks more confused than affronted.
"Charon is the company I work at. It works in medicine and pharmaceuticals. We--I--have a cure for HIV, I'm sure of it. I admit it's based off a medical formula I stole, but what I stole was on paper. I don't think he even made a batch to test. I got it operational. As part of that, I convinced the CEO to build me a place to conduct some... off-the-books trials. The aboveground will be a normal testing place for formal trials, but the underground is, well, for me, for now. I think they plan to eventually use it for testing more hazardous diseases, where they need to be able to lock down the floor or quarantine people if a vial gets broken--at least, that's how building it was justified to the board of directors. So far that's the only one I know of. It was my idea, though, so it's probably the only one."

She takes a breath. "As for Kimberly, she started to tell me why she wanted them, but I said I didn't want to know. I..." She pauses as if in thought. "She started to say something about research, or at least I think that's what she was saying."

Spoiler: Resonance

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Again, all true. And reasons are 1) think it's her best chance for survival and her research agenda continued. This time she's also honest because she's proud of her accomplishments, shadowy as some of them are, and if she's gonna die she wants to boast before dying. And, again, she's fine if Kimberly gets screwed.

You also gleam a partial falsehood in 'convincing' the CEO. She slept with him and blackmailed revealing it to his wife, in order to get a promotion in Charon and to get the funding she wants. There was legit convincing in that (assuming no criminal charges come up from shadey parts) a cure for HIV will make the company a TON of money, but it took more than just that to get him to agree.

And, although Charon (the person who rowed people to the underworld in Greek mythology) probably was/is a powerful ethereal, her answer about Charon being a company rings true. As far as she knows, there's no connection beyond branding.

[DoctorFaust]

Inian nods along as the doctor talks, pacing back and forth in front of her. "If it was that secret right now, what were you planning on doing with your test subjects after you had developed the cure?" he asks at a pause in the conversation. "And did you not let Kimberley tell you because you thought it would be too awful, or because you wanted to maintain deniability?"

[JeenLeen]

The doctor grimaces, for a couple seconds showing outright scorn for the questions. But then she takes a deep breath and answers.
"Kill them, or have them killed, or perhaps sell them to Kimberly if she calls at the right time. Deniability. I never said I was a good person, but curing this disease is a good thing." She smirks, the scorn showing again. An odd expression for her position. "My ethics classes at Harvard taught that the ends don't justify the means. But there are many treatments we wouldn't have right now, if not that evil mean did evil things. You going to torture or kill me to make me 'repent'? I've answered your questions. What more do you want?"

Spoiler: resonance

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slight lie in that she has claimed to be a good person at times, but, yeah, not much here.

Spoiler: Emote rolls

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(3d6)[5][5][5](15)
(3d6)[4][1][5](10)
(3d6)[3][2][3](8)

All three angels notice that, while her emotions are sincere (proud of herself, self-righteous justification, etc., but also caring about the professor she stole from), she's showing a lot of thought and care in picking her words. Also, she's still very scared, even if not showing it as much. And Inian can tell she hates Kimberly (good check digit); not like hating a best friend who betrayed you -- nothing real personal -- but hate like hating someone who keeps being a thorn in your side or otherwise troublesome.
So noting she's been sincere emotionally but also cautious.

[DoctorFaust]

"You know, I don't know what I was hoping for," Inian sighs. "Information, sure. Besides that, maybe I was hoping you would repent. You've done a lot of evil things and hurt people badly in the name of the greater good. But while I may believe you're guilty enough to be worth punishing, frankly, I'm mostly an accidental hatchet man."

Inian gestures to Frez and Astarieth. "Judgment and punishment is more their thing."

[robnar]

Astarieth, Judgment

Tommy knows how to take a cue. So much of influence is showmanship - keeping an artificial sense of pressure, keeping them on their toes, thinking they have nothing else. He puts his hand on her shoulder and reattunes his resonance, then steps around her and sits down in front of her.

"Hello Dr. Rodriguez. Is continuing your work more important than your loyalty to Charon?"

"If so, here's the deal. If you choose to cooperate with us I will allow you to leave this place and return to your work. In return I want you to collect information on Charon - who its leadership is, how it is financed, what its other assets are, who provides its security, the names and identities of any more test subjects it kidnaps, what other facilities it possesses, and what other operations it conducts. If you tell anyone at Charon about your information collection this deal is null and void - and I suspect you may be in danger from them. If you leave and run it will also probably go badly for you. I'll provide you details on how to contact me and provide me with information later."

"If you aren't interested in this deal I will end your operations, and my colleague here can do whatever he wants to delete everything you've accomplished from the face of the earth." Tommy nods at Frez for this. "So, what do you say? Do you agree? Do you intend to do what I ask?"

Spoiler: Resonance

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(1d6)[2](1d6)[2] Check Digit: (1d6)[1]

[JeenLeen]

The doctor shudders at hearing the Seraph start speaking from behind her, flinching at his touch. Frez's nod and wild grin do nothing to set her at ease.

"I..." she starts, then pauses. Inian and Frez can see nervous sweat and fear on her face.
"Y-you monsters would actually destroy the cure, wouldn't you?" Frez shrugs, "I got nothing better to do this weekend, little chick."

Her face momentarily shows fury at Frez's statement, but she holds it in and sighs. "My work is more important. Charon's CEO was willing to cut corners, but I don't owe him anything. I believe I can get you the information you need." She grimaces. "Yeah, I agree. And I intend to do what you ask."

Spoiler: Resonance

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I'm not doublechecking what a 1+2 is since kinda away from book, but she's being honest. She might try to run, in hopes you don't find and kill her and that the cure still gets made, but she doesn't plan to.
Slight lie: she may tell some low-rank people she's gathering info for you, like clerks to gather financial info. But she believes she's high-rank enough they won't question it, and it's in the spirit of your deal.

[robnar]

I'm not doublechecking what a 1+2 is since kinda away from book, but she's being honest. She might try to run, in hopes you don't find and kill her and that the cure still gets made, but she doesn't plan to.
Slight lie: she may tell some low-rank people she's gathering info for you, like clerks to gather financial info. But she believes she's high-rank enough they won't question it, and it's in the spirit of your deal.

Spoiler: resonance

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Side note - it's a total of 5 for the check digit, because he made physical contact before reattuning the resonance.

[JeenLeen]

Spoiler: resonance update

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That's right! Sorry I forgot the +2. So everything short of The Truth.

She is telling the truth, insofar as she knows it. Only exception is that she's aware she might decide to run if things seem too risky and she thinks the cure would still get made. She's also not 100% sure if Frez can really do as claimed, but isn't willing to risk it. She very much believes you all are willing to kill her, and fairly sure she'll die if she doesn't agree.
But she wants to stay alive. And she's willing to do what she needs to to accomplish her goals, and if that means sell out Charon, so be it.

She's being as honest as she thinks she can while avoiding death. E.g., she doesn't want to say "Yeah, I agree, but I might run" since she thinks that might get her killed. So she's just saying "yeah, I agree"

[robnar]

Astarieth, Judgment

Tommy nods, and gives the good doctor a short brief on how she will contact him - text message to his burner phone, and then instructions for how to meet or transfer documents. Normal stuff that he's picked up for a while.

He nods to Inian and Frez when done, to cue them if they have anything else to add. When finished, he goes back upstairs.

[JeenLeen]

Frez gives a troubling chuckle, and adds, "I could give her another sedative and drive her someone safe-ish to let her alone. Or would you like to choke her out again, friend? I guess anything quiet that she won't know where we had her. We owe that to our host, eh?"

The woman squirms uncomfortably, and weakly says, "You could blindfold me and, like, tie my hands or something, if you'd like me to stay ignorant of where I am. I'd rather not be drugged or knocked out again... but, well, it's preferable to being killed."

Frez shrugs. "I leave it to you all. I guess I'll poke around Charon and see if I can track Kimberly down." He starts to leave the room, but grabs a couple masks and some rope from outside and tosses it in. Enough that could work for a blind fold and restraints.

Spoiler: to robnar

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Feel free to start the next scene if you want. Both of you are pretty free to go to whatever scene/leads you want. If Inian has other questions, we can shift back a scene.

[DoctorFaust]

Inian shakes his head. "No, I'd rather not have to choke her out again. I only did that to get her out quietly," he says. "Plus I don't want to hurt someone that's agreed to help us. Whatever the reason they agreed to it."

Inian goes over to her and blindfolds Dr. Rogriguez with a mask. "Stay quiet and, I don't know, get a nap or something. I have a little more business to attend to here and then I'll drop you off somewhere," he says before leaving the room and going upstairs to rejoin whatever conversation is going on.

[JeenLeen]

With the doctor blindfolded and left in the room, with Roman and another Soldier standing guard, the three interrogators exit.
Frez gives Jerechial a summary of it. The manic, somewhat psychopathic demeanor has been dropped and he has a more cordial and, well, reasonable-for-an-angel persona now. Jerechial confirms he'll have Roman drop the doctor off somewhere discrete and safe in an hour or two.

Medim, now in corporeal form, mentions to the angels that Ramiel and a medic are looking after his folks. It seems like the shedite had a Song or attunement that made people act violently, and his parents got into a bad fight before Ramiel knocked them out with a sap. So Ramiel is shaken up, and -- she pauses a bit looking at Judgement's Servitor before adding -- maybe a touch dissonant at the moment, but the dissonance (if any) should clear up once they treat and heal his parents. Ramiel's going to be focusing on helping heal the emotional trauma, though.

As for Inian and Astarieth, they are free to pursue their research.
Astarieth does have a text from Joanna summarizing the press release at the school, and a link to the security firm's website, but nothing he doesn't already know.
He also has a voicemail from Camael: "Hey, I didn't see much that you probably can't get from just reading a blog about the statement, but there were some weird vibes. The police chief for the poorer side of town is really unhappy with the other speakers about this deal, but feels like he has to go along with it. I couldn't really sense more, but wanted to pass that on to you. Don't think my side never gives yours a hand."

It's 11:30 am.

[DoctorFaust]

Inian touches base with Ramiel to offer him a few words of encouragement before returning to Astarieth to discuss strategy.

"So, how do you want to play the security firm?" he asks. "Is it something you're going to try to investigate yourself, or do you want help getting an in with them? I do have some leads of my own, but they can be put on hold for at least a while if this is something you feel like is urgent."

[JeenLeen]

Spoiler: job interview

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Throwing out that you can schedule a job interview pretty easily via their website. Mentioning this to facilitate trying to infiltrate it, if you want to, to help expedite anything else y'all also want to look into.

It maybe should be a touch harder, but making it easy like this facilitates the game. And it's not like they're super-picky for interviews. As noted, background check needed for hiring, but I can see them going the "open interview" route.

I think the only "obligation"/story-point set-in-stone currently is Inian at the circus this afternoon. I admit I might be forgetting something. I know there's plenty y'all have to investigate, but just speaking of things with a set time/appointment currently.

[JeenLeen]

Ramiel still sounds in shock at the recent events, but gives a sincere "Thanks, man" to his fellow Michaelite. His parents are stable now, but still unconscious. He and the Soldier of Stone start preparing to take them out.

---

As Inian and Astarieth talk, a young woman exits one of the side rooms. Jerechial motions towards her and says, "Sorry to interrupt everyone, but this is another new-comer to the city. While you were talking to that doctor, I gave her a summary of the last couple days, Gabriel's prophecy, and what-all. This is Katriel, Mecurian of Wind."

Frez gives a half-hearted wave. Medim offers a large smile and waves her fingers in greeting. Andreson looks at her blankly; if not knowing that he was an angel, it'd probably come off as creepy, but there's a childlike innocence to it. Gaspariel, wearing the body of a homeless man, gives a soldier-like nod, a noble and strong bearing seeming countrary to his host.

Ramiel gives a friendly, if distracted, smile, as he and a Soldier of Stone take his parents to a vehicle. "G-good to meet you, but I gotta go." He sighs, muttering under his breathe, "man, what to tell 'em when they wake up..."

Jerechial has already given Katriel a run-down of the local angels, demons, and Tethers. Not all of the local angels know of her yet, but the Seneschals do.

Spoiler: welcome RossN

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Welcoming RossN to the game, with Katriel the Mecurian of Wind.

Katriel knows who the local angels and demons are, but this is the first meeting.
Also, FYI, only Camael knows about two demons: Issac, and Fatima's Role. Those haven't been revealed to the PCs yet, but is still in the info-dump since a PC found it out.

[RossN]

Katriel's vessel is a young brunette Caucasian woman, on the short side, slender and pretty with large chocolate brown eyes and long dark brown hair and a perky expression. She is dressed in heels, a red dress and matching beret all of which make her look retro vintage (or a bit of a hipster depending on ones viewpoint.) Around her neck on a strap hangs a professional looking camera.

Waving a hand in greeting human style the Mercurian smiles at the others, especially Ramiel (who she'd heard was a fledgling and was possibly still shy.)

"Hi! Glad to meet meet you all! I'm Katriel and I go by Katie or 'Kat' O'Brien out there in human-ville. I'm a freelance phototographer so if any of you need snaps I'm your girl friday."

[robnar]

Astarieth, Judgment

"Is it something you're going to try to investigate yourself, or do you want help getting an in with them? I do have some leads of my own, but they can be put on hold for at least a while if this is something you feel like is urgent."

"I don't know what is urgent. Everything seems urgent right now. I've got so many leads flapping out there I don't know what to do with them. No sense of priorities at the moment."

"I think my biggest task is to get after the police department, but it seems like the biggest threat is probably O'Rourke. I've got someone looking for that other factions demon and someone out there with his ear to the ground, but I need a way to get in a room with the rich-side police chief. I'm worried about this security thing on the high school just because it seems like a clear for opportunity for The War or someone to go for a tether."

"Not sure what to do about this Haagenti or this Vapula stuff. Lower on my list."

Tommy breathes out, and acknowledges Katriel as she walks in somewhere in the middle of his soliloquy. He nods at her and offers a fist bump. "'Sup."

"Sorry, that's more of a list of my worries than a plan. Think I'm gonna go open up my shop for a minute tomorrow morning, sign up for an interview with these mercenaries, and maybe try to stake out the police chief. Not sure."

"What are you going after? Any of these ideas interest you?" His question is broad, and he invites Kat to weigh in as well.

[RossN]

Katriel, Wind

Katriel looks a little shocked that a Seraph of Judgement would fist bump but the Mercurian quickly recovers and smiles breezily, returning the gesture to towering Tommy who is a full foot taller than her (or would be if she wasn't wearing heels.)

"I'm definitely the new girl in town, and I think the only Windy so I can tag along with you guys until I get my street smarts. I mean I know names but that's not, like, actual experience and stuff. Unless you think I can help you elsewhere? Like I said I am a photographer so I at least have an excuse for being places, and could maybe get an interview or two, and use my resonance."

The young woman's brown eyes seem to sparkle with excitement at the prospect of adventure and chasing down the forces of Hell.

[DoctorFaust]

Inian nods along with Astarieth. "Yeah, I feel you about everything seeming urgent. I'm in the process of working on some leads for the school as well, since there's another Shedite getting involved with a student, probably to try to turn him into a Soldier. Then I'll have to see if the info I got off of the flash drive at Charon leads me anywhere. And who knows what's going on with Agafonovs."

He waves and smiles at the Mercurian when she enters the room. "Nice to meet you too, Kat. I have to say that your Vessel has a very convenient name considering. Did you get to pick it yourself?" he asks with a laugh. "If you're going to tag along with one of us, it might be a better to stick with Astarieth. I'm finding out I have a bad habit of getting into fights everywhere I go, and he's a little more of an information broker. You might also want to meet up with Camael, the Redeemer in town. She has the Role of a journalism student, which might fit what you're trying to accomplish too."