Mage the Ascension: Rule of Shade

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:04 pm

"Lower your voices, Jason, Russell," Supiyaw said casually, although the warning was there. They were, after all, still on campus with a lot of people mulling around now that the fire alarms had driven folks outside. They were going to get started at.

"If it was a Caern, no one would come near it, yet the Guardian only appeared to us. Jason is right, this is one of the Chantry's nodes," she explained, keeping her voice low so it wouldn't carry. Just friends talking, nothing more. "If you wish, Russell, call the Chantry and tell the others what we've found."

The Bastet trailed off, looking at the horribly frightened Tasha. "What did she say, Arkady," Supiyaw asked. Instinctively, she moved closer and reached out, wishing to comfort the smaller feline.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:14 pm

"Dragon," Arkady whispered. "She said dragon."

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:49 pm

"Oh, that's nice... set a dragon to guard a hoard," Supiyaw muttered, one hand reaching out to caress Tasha softly. <You are safe, Tasha. We will protect you.>

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 6:09 pm

Russell did as the were-cat suggested and opened his cell phone and dialed in to the chantry, waiting for someone to pick up.

** if that did not work, he would leave a message and call Stark's head

Russell was starting to feel a bit jittery, until he realized he had not switched out his dip-pouch for some time. He really needed to get away from the russian so he could have a proper smoke.

He switched them out while the phone was ringing, and his jitters started to calm as nicotine was absorbed through the epithelial lining of his mouth

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:32 pm

Stark's internal comm rang. What, could no one get the phone? Showers were his one reminder he had once been human!

"This is Stark, talk to me."

At least the internal comm didn't pickup the noises of the shower.

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:50 pm

"hey Stark this is Russell. I dont know if you would know this, but does the chantry control a node at the major quad at the university? It seems there is one that is not insignificant with a rather cantankerous guardian spirit, and we wanted to confirm if it belonged to us or to one of the elders privatly. Considering the fact that there have been three ritualistic murders near it, it seemed relevant"

Charon · Post by **Charon** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:28 am

Jason looked over at Arkady and then to Supiyaw. "Dragon? Ok, well if it is one of our nodes that rules out Zoom. He'd have some sort of... giant... mecha... thing. Probably Rowin too, that doesn't seem like her style."

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:13 am

"Oh and apparently this guardian spirit is a dragon... that makes my life so much easier... I need a real smoke"

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:25 pm

"The University's node? Yea, that pumps to the Chantry directly." Stark didn't know why they expected him to have this, even if he did. Wasn't he the enemy they barely trusted?

"Dragon, huh? Sounds like Trad, yea."

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:11 pm

Phyber's analysis of the remote system was complete. It was going to be a pain in the ass. He could do it, he was sure of that. But the risk associated with it was too great vs potential rewards. So he decided to make it easier on himself, relatively speaking, of course. Keeping his connection routed he created a remote connection to the CSU system, bypassing the PD firewalls and security. He utilized some of his own personal data to make the hack go easier.
(Correspondence 3: Remote connection, spending 1pt quintessence)
5d10 = 547876570 = Fixed

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:54 pm

SirNitram wrote:"The University's node? Yea, that pumps to the Chantry directly." Stark didn't know why they expected him to have this, even if he did. Wasn't he the enemy they barely trusted?

"Dragon, huh? Sounds like Trad, yea."

"Ok, so that leaves us with some rather uncomfortable questions. There have been some rather interesting murders here... ritualistic ones. I am not necessarily sure if the two are connected but if they are... Either way we have a lot of research to do. So... how has your day been going?"

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:24 pm

"I saw the show-and-tell with the police reports, yea, or do you guys just forget I'm around?" Stark reminded the Hermetic. "And my day is going about how you'd expect for a post-human. Get up, eat slop, watch cartoons, get bizarre murders to contemplate, phone the office for the latest disasters, get in the shower, get called asking about Nodes I might not even technically have clearance to know about.."

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:20 pm

[Russian] "Easy Tasha," Arkady cooed as he hugged the kitten to him tightly and stepped back. "No one died. No one got hurt. It stayed on the other side of the Gauntlet. Everything's fine."

The cat buried her head into his chest. "It was so terrible."

"Hush," said Arkady. "You're fine. I was strong enough then and I am stronger now. And you are older and can advise me better."[/Russian]

She perked her head up. "Da," she said. "Da." She looked him straight in the eye. He smiled back.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:53 pm

As Arkady stepped away from her, Supiyaw dropped her hand, thinking he was pulling away from her. It took a moment before she realized he was simply backing away from all of them for a private moment to calm Tasha from her fright. She could not speak Russian, so what he said was lost, but the body language of man and cat said enough for her to get the idea.

Once Tasha seemed cheerful and Arkady was smiling, Supiyaw stepped closer again, reaching out to caress Tasha with the back of her fingers, her other hand unthinkingly placed on Arkady's arm. <You may hide behind me next time, Tasha... I will not let anything harm you or your human.> The unspoken Kheuar probably was nothing more than a low comforting purr from Supiyaw's human throat, her coppery eyes focused on Tasha.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:57 pm

Arkady did not recoil. Tasha extended her paw, touching Supiyaw's hand gently. "Thank you. Arkady will protect me, as he has since I was a kitten."

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:57 pm

"You and I both know that just because you are not supposed to know something, it doesnt mean you dont...Of course this means I have to tell Jason he was right... I hate that... In any case have a good day, we will see you when we get home"

Russell seemed especially irritated at that last point. He was not overly keen on feeding the young man's superiority complex or preen his overconfidence any more than needed to be done.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:00 pm

Cynical Cat wrote:Arkady did not recoil. Tasha extended her paw, touching Supiyaw's hand gently. "Thank you. Arkady will protect me, as he has since I was a kitten."

"Then I will have to protect Arkady," Supiyaw answered with a smile, coppery eyes glancing up to the Russian mage. "Or at least offer to watch his back for him." and maybe get much closer to him in the meantime...

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:12 pm

"Old habits die hard. Keep out of trouble, call me if you need a gun." Stark clicked off the phone in his brain and resumed his shower. A little while later, the limo rolled up to his corporate offices in the city, where he could better monitor the situation as a 'Concerned citizen with the interests of the city at heart'.

"Paula.. I'll need a press statement on those murders prepped.. Standard fare, Point Pleasant greives together, NexTech Enterprises fully intends to assist in anything it could be of use in, blah blah.." He rattled off to his secretary. "Then see if you can't cut a check for the family, keep that off the press release but make sure there's a chance for someone to see it.."

This is the Technocracy's work. Control the Masses. Stark's version just used alot more carrot and alot less stick.

Charon · Post by **Charon** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:16 pm

Jason had not been paying too much attention to Russell's conversation, just picking up little bits. Mostly the boy was staring intently at the site of the ritual murder. "Not Technocracy... They wouldn't be so, obvious about it all." It was clear he wasn't even aware he was muttering to himself. "Sleepers could do this but... it would take a bunch of them. The rituals aren't right anyway."

As Russell shut his phone Jason broke from his reverie, he looked at the older man. "And what does the space-man have to say? Doesn't know?"

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:47 pm

"You were right, belongs to us. In fact it is directly connected. Which makes some of the questions we have to ask somewhat... uncomfortable. We need to do some research on what these rituals could be. Get information on the timing of the other murders, as well as ariel photos to discern a pattern... and we have to wait until there is another dump, and try to get here before the police do... THis could either be a bunch of sleeper cultists with an abandoned meat processing facility for the blood draining... or it could be very very bad "

Charon · Post by **Charon** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:10 pm

Jason began to walk away from the quad now, trying to get the others to follow.

"I don't think it's a bunch of sleepers, at least not until we find details about the previous rituals. This was done too well for it to be a bunch of amateurs. Technocracy wouldn't be this obvious. That leaves maybe other traditionals, someone in the chantry, or I dunno," Jason paused. "Wait, Stark not only knew that the node was ours but that it tied directly into the chantry? See, that is information that I don't like very much."

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 5:52 am

Still petting Tasha, Supiyaw looked over to Jason. "You're right, that is ominous," she agreed with the young mage. "Whatever they do to the node may cross over."

Charon · Post by **Charon** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:59 am

Jason looked back. "What? Yeah that's just... common. I was actually referring more to the fact that the freaking 'Crat knows about a node that we didn't. That worries me."

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:29 am

Charon wrote:Jason looked back. "What? Yeah that's just... common. I was actually referring more to the fact that the freaking 'Crat knows about a node that we didn't. That worries me."

"It is somewhat bothersome, but not as ominous as one of our nodes being used for terrible things. He is disconnected from their machinations, that is good enough for me...besides if he betrays us, we know where he lives..."

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:31 am

"If he betrays us, Master Steele knows where he lives," Supiyaw pointed out. Stark was a veteran, with a body of steel and magick even if he would not call it that. Derek Steele was an Archmagi. Stark's avatar would be crushed and scattered if he betrayed the chantry.

"Still, while we are here, we should not waste the opportunity. The other bodies were dumped nearby... there would probably be flowers or other gifts left by greiving friends. Let us find where they are in relation to this..." and hopefully avoid the dragon

LibriumArcana.Games

Mage the Ascension: Rule of Shade

#276

#277

#278

#279

#280

#281

#282

#283

#284

#285

#286

#287

#288

#289

#290

#291

#292

#293

#294

#295

#296

#297

#298

#299

#300