Mage the Ascension: Rule of Shade

[Dark Silver]

Third body found
James Clearwater

The body of a Magium University student was found today in the schools quad. The body, whose identity has been withheld by the Point Pleasant Police Department's Homicide Division, was found at approximately 3:30am in the north end of the courtyard affectionately known as the "Quad". Witnesses who found the body say strange symbols had been carved into her skin and her her body looks to have been abused prior to her dumping.

"The investigation is ongoing, we've no reason to assume that the death of this girl was in anyway related to the other young women found earlier this month," spoke Detective Damien Monroe of PPPD Homicide, "We're awaiting a coroner's report before making any further assumptions."

The third in a rash of murders, each body being found in the University's courtyard, has sent the student body and the entire town into a stir. "Point Pleasant has always had a low crime record....

The rest of the front page was various news articles, one concerning the opening of a branch office of Magadon Pharmacueticals, and the third concerning a celebration known as the "Void Music Festival" suppossed to be occuring in the next three weeks...

[Cynical Cat]

"Pity I don't know how to Jedi mind trick us into morgue," said Arkady.

[B4UTRUST]

"Why would you wanna code a meat virus? Don't get me wrong, unlike most of our Tradition-mates, I love being in my meat more than anyway...but why are you wanting to code something like this? Did you ask Steele for permission to make that thing?"

Gren was disturbed James was working on something this deadly. Technically, as one of the Chantry Masters, he could tell James to discontinue the work...but he admitted his own curiosity. Bio-tech was never Gren's field, he was more of a weapons and stealth kinda guy.

Rowin, on the other hand, knew bio-tech, or at least when it came to the human body and disease. "You may work on it on your laptop, but you're not to Realize it. Understood James? Something like this should not exsist."

James looked blankly up at Gren, the look of his face clearly not understanding.
"Why assume it's a meat virus? It's just as easily a electronic-based virus for computers as a body," he stated, firmly believing every word of what he spoke. The hardware looked different, but a computer is a computer no matter how you cut it. Organic or electronic, they were the same.
"The only difference between the two, you see, is that your system is organic and fleshy."

He tapped the side of the laptop gently.
"This one is hard plastics and silicon. The first viruses written for computers mimicked the nature of their biological counterparts. Creeper spread along every connection it could, traveling through phonelines and airwaves to infect other systems on ARPANET, just like your average cold spreads through touches and sneezes. What I've done is bring the two back together into one that would be usable with minor tweaks against either."

James chuckled to himself at a thought.
"Now there's an idea... a computer virus that intelligently infects the system, then jumps ship to infect the user. A morphological pathogen of the highest order. Not that I have any desire to infect the entire world with a virus, waaaay to risky and dangerous.

"But if you prefer, I'll keep working on my sleepy-time. Spontanious system slowdown followed by a period of unresponsiveness before going and shutting down for a few hours."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Pity I don't know how to Jedi mind trick us into morgue," said Arkady.

Russell read over the russian's shoulders gathering the information.

"Three bodies, sharing similar features dumped in the same location and the police dont think the killings are related? Megadon Pharmaceuticals might be a Progenitor front... those bastard technocrats... We should look into this. And I can get us in to the Morgue"

[Cynical Cat]

"Then let us go to the morgue and not jump to any conclusions. We will be guided by evidence, yes?" [Actually it's Pentex and Syndicate Special Projects bastards]

[Comrade Tortoise]

Russell smiled. "I operate under the assumption that I used to be a scientist. Of course we will be. But that does not mean I should be denied my pet hypothesis. We need to find a private spot. I can scout the morgue before we get there"

[Cynical Cat]

"Wait," said Arkady. "Is problem. Where is morgue?"

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Well, there is that... We should find a phone book" Russell then went off in search of a payphone, those usually had phone books attached

[frigidmagi]

She gave him a smile in return, amused at how high he'd jumped. "Sometimes, walking away from a problem gives you time to clear your head so you can see what you've missed," Supiyaw suggested. "Food helps, and Lady Rowin is downstairs still. You might ask her for advice, like a book on Nubian, if you think that's where this is leading."

She leaned over slightly to look at the idol he'd been studying, careful not to touch it herself. The carvings over it didn't immediately trigger recognition, but that only fueled the curiousity. "I can see why it has captivated you..," she said, turning her head to glance up at Boxer. "You were in Ethiopia last," she added, her eyes half-closing as she thought about where he could have found this and what culture could have made it. She took a guess, hoping to impress him a little. "Axumite?"

Jones had gone to his closet to dig up some clean clothes from a suitcase he still hadn't unpacked. He found a faded blue shirt and some jeans and tossed them into his bathroom and went looking for a towel. Lucky he had already unpacked his bathing material.

"I was in Venezuela last actually, but that turned out to be a hoax. Bunch of locals making 'ancient wall carvings!' to drum up a tourist trade. I did find that in Ethiopia however and I do think it's Axumite or from Axumite ancestors. I've established that it's at least 3,000 years old. I found it hidden in a small temple drilled into the side of a cliff up in the highlands. There were old Cup of Isis symbols in the doorway along with symbols that I couldn't identify. My first thought was maybe Greek or Egyptian refugee mages come down into Axum, but now I think the Cup of Isis symbols was carved on the temple after it was made, sorta like roadsigns put up in front of Aztec temples in Mexico? So this may be the work of old African mages who had no contact with western traditions! Think what that could mean, they would have had ways of looking at things unheard of to us, new ideas that no one has thought of for thousands of years! Knowledge we've completely forgotten!" He said and found a towel and turn towards the bathroom.

"It's all I got anyways so I'm gonna solve it. Just need to identity what language those symbols are from, hell find a related language. No luck so far, but I don't speak any African languages. Hell, I used Russian and English to get by in Ethiopia. Alot of the older men there served with Russian advisers under the communist government. The younger men hang with American aid givers or trainers. I'll be down when I finish my shower, excuse me." With that Jones firmly shut the bathroom door and turn on the shower.

[LadyTevar]

Since he firmly shut the door after that running commentary, Supiyaw did not get to make her suggestion that he re-bury it. The longer she was there, the more -wrong- it felt. But as she heard the shower start, she decided to wait until he was down at the breakfast table. Then, she could warn Lady Rowin about the idol and the bad feelings it was giving off as well.

Thus, with a shrug, Supiyaw once more took on her leopard form and slunk out of Boxer's room. Once outside and walking down the hallway, opportunity opened a big wide doorway in front of her. The doorway to Darek Steele's study, that is. A place she'd never been able to go inside before. <Curiousity, you're a bitch....> she thought silently, her tail twitching. <But I'll never have a better chance....>

She stalked her silent way into the open door, eyes alight with the thoughts of what Secrets she might find in the room beyond.

[Cynical Cat]

Arkady walked across the street and opened the telephone book by a pay phone. "Hmm. Need to get Virtual Adept portable internet tech toy. Make life easier." He flipped through the pages and found what he was looking for at the back. "Ahh. Here morgue. Small town advantage. Everything is close."

He closed the phone book. "Is that way. Easy trip."

[Charon]

Jason got out of the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist. The young man got out all the amenities he used to keep himself looking nice and carefully scuffed up his hair just right, applied anti-acne facewash, brushed and flossed, etc. Then when he was done with that he carefully snuck back to his room and shut the door.

Jason looked at his clock and sighed, it was still way too early to go out into town, and Rowin had been pestering him for almost a week about getting something useful done. She hadn't seemed at all convinced by Jason claiming that he was doing things out in the city. With a grumble Jason sat down on his bed, turned up his music, and got out one of his mom's old books.

[Dark Silver]

As Mandalay neared the cracked open doors, the soft, sweet sounds of music was clearly heard. An entire orchestra piece could be heard playing. It was only one of the two double doors that was open, and only half way at that. But it was enough to let her get a glimpse in when she got to it. The room wasn't light by candles, the light seemed to come from everywhere and no where, there was little to call shadowed in the room.

The windows able to be seen from where the door stood, were massively tall. Easily as tall as the entire mansion house, and the view outside was incredible. The estate had no trees that size, no colors that vibrant, and most certainly didn't have the lake and a gazebo sitting on it's shore....

The music changed as she neared the door. Instead of the hauntingly beautiful orchestral piece, the sound of a piano was heard. A loud, very on tune piano.

The music was very familiar, and far to modern to be classically composed. All doubt of what it was became erased when a middle aged man slide into view, holding what looked to be a oak staff in his hand, a pair of sunglasses on his face, and dressed only in white socks.

The second repition of the piano came in, and another, near exact duplicate slide into place, this time on his knees, with a cedar staff.

A third repition of the piano notes, and Rumor appeared, sliding past the two. A man's voice boomed out of no where, adding in the words as the instruments played from no where and everywhere.

Just take those old records off the shelf
Ill sit and listen to em by myself
Todays music aln t got the same soul
I like that old time rock n roll
Dont try to take me to a disco
Youll never even get me out on the
In ten minutes Ill be late for the door
I like that old time rockn roll

As the song continued to play, the two men with in the white socks seemed to step into each other, and merge into one being, completely dressed in a very stylish, very well tailored Brooks Brothers suit. Rumor trotted up to the Man, rubbed against his side, and purred deeply.

Steele, for his part, smiled ruefully, and scratched his familiar behind the ears, before walking out of view of the door.


----------------------


The Morgue was located a good distance away from Arkady and Russell, they being in downtown, and no right thinking city would put the morgue in the middle of their busy shopping district. Still, walking would be quicker than taking the car it seemed today, the roads were positively choked.


-----------------------


Rowin and Gren shook their head at Jason, but let the result lie. Gren trusted the young Adept to do what was right, and besides, he had a interesting idea.

"Just be careful with it, we don't need that getting into the wrong hands." was his only reply.

"So Tony," Rowin's gentle voice rang out, "What's your plans for today?"

[LadyTevar]

<kisha told me I wouldn't want to see everything....> Mandalay said to herself, flattening down onto the floor, her paw flopping over her eyes. <Naked old man dancing to Bob Seager is one of them....>

[Cynical Cat]

"See, not much distance," said Arkady. "Is tiny compared to Moscow suburb. Only spoiled Americans who go everywhere in car think this real distance."

[frigidmagi]

Boxer finished his shower and put on fresh clothes. He wondered down the stairs, maybe he could find an apple or some juice. He looked much better, shaven, brushed and clean.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"See, not much distance," said Arkady. "Is tiny compared to Moscow suburb. Only spoiled Americans who go everywhere in car think this real distance."

Russell laughed "You are right. And people wonder why our oil consumption is so high. I am going to want to scout the area before going in.. I can see without being seen...."

[Cynical Cat]

"We're not Spetnaz in Chechnia, we are in small American town. No need for such paranoia."

[SirNitram]

"My plans revolve around therapy.. Better extend that session after the blast of questionable music... And then going and poking my nose around the higher tech businesses in town. Can't let them go unwatched. Someone might get silly ideas about competing with me." A grin from the Technocrat.

"Unless, of course, the Traditions could use a free agent today. I'm quite free."

[B4UTRUST]

James shot a less-than-friendly glance towards the 'former' Technocrat. He had suspicions that the 'man' was anything but. Of course he had also considered the notion that he wasn't a Technocrat at all, and merely some sort of plant to try to make James 'slip up' in the Trads' eyes and show whatever true loyalties they kept thinking he was hiding. He had long since grown weary of these mind games that kept being tossed at him, and all the little attempts by all the different groups he had belonged to, to try to make him 'fess up' to being some sort of Technocracy spy. His mentor's affiliations had cursed him forever, it seemed. He had thought that maybe this place would be his chance to prove himself. But lo and behold, there ends up being an 'Ex-Technocrat' living right down the hall. This had set-up written all over it. He just had to figure out the angle.

He switched designs on the laptop, sending the command to the main system to save the progress and continue compiling the data. The next one he pulled up was the very thing he had sarcarstically stated he'd work on to Gren and Lady Rowin. A transmittible sleepy-time virus that hit with a double-whammy. This one, however, was tailored strictly towards organic systems at the moment. He knew enough casual, non-magicakal ways to lag and freeze up a system without having to resort to that. The two-fold attack quickly and temporarily increased the seretonin production of the body and implanted the suggestion that the target desperately and immediately needed a nap. The end result? Something that was casually referred to around Thanksgiving and Christmas as 'The Itis.' A biological imperative to take one hell of a nap. He had been working on an upgraded version known as 'The Luther.' He was just concerned that it would permanently put someone out. Of course if you wanted to make sure you weren't bothered...

[LadyTevar]

With a sigh, Mandalay picked herself up off the floor and turned away from the door to Darek Steele's chambers. Somethings were not worth the mental anguish to learn.

Once downstairs again, she was a little surprised to see Boxer had beaten her downstairs. Had she been that stunned by the sight, that she'd laid there long enough for him to shower and dress?
Ew.

<Master Steele has returned, Lady Rowin,> she said, walking over to rub against her leg affectionately. <Also, the idol Boxer brought back needs reburied as soon as possible. It is not a friendly thing.>

[frigidmagi]

Jones found the apple he sought and started cutting it up as he sat down.

"How's the life folks?" He asked.

[SirNitram]

"You know how it is, deal with normals only interested in cash, a little mental trauma, a little intrigue, a little curiousity. Anything interesting turn up in old ruins this week?" A grin from the Void Engineer and a wink. "I really wish I had the time before I retired to grab the full archives. Could probably help you alot, from back when we explored this planet."

[frigidmagi]

"Sounds like good times. Venezuela was a bust. Those 'anicent wall carvings' just recently unearthed are a hoax. A bunch of farmers and ranchers got together and decided having artifacts would bring in dumb Yanqui tourists. I gotta admit it brought me in just fine. Course I got lost in a damn swamp for a week to. Ethiopia remains my great triumph I'm after. A stone statue I can't figure out. I know Cupbearers of Isis were at the site a couple thousand years ago and that's about it. Been trying to crack the language on it. Where is everyone else?" Boxer said popping a piece of apple into his mouth.

[SirNitram]

"Out seeing town. Russian wanted to get a good enjoyable time out in it." A shrug from the Techno. "Probably investigating whatever news I didn't bother to read. I think a few might still be asleep.. What is it with you groundsiders and sleeping in? Trad, techno, sleeper, if you're down here you seem to sleep alot."