Georgina Quittner, a friend from Uni, asks John if he'd like to come with her and some friends who are going to be hiking in western Victoria over Easter. He accepts and they organise the details.
Most of Georgina's friends pull out shortly before they are due to go, but the two of them decide to head off anyway. They spend most of a day walking across half-cleared bushland, dodging lakes and creeks before climbing to the top of a hill to stop the night.
The top of the hill seems to be a clearing that is returning to the bushland around it. John goes looking about the place, and finds considerable evidence that there used to be a significant installation here. He looks further and finds a road that leads down to half semi-depilidated guard house and some chain fence. The guardhouse has a sign that says faintly "Edridge Technologies" John returns to where Georgina is starting to set out food to cook, and asks her about them.
Georgina looks thoughtful. "Um, they were a bio-tech company - they were developing drought resistant plants, better yield crops, that sort of thing. There
was an earthquake here, and they opted to shut down and move closer to
Melbourne.
John says "ok. so the land is still owned by them then?""
Georgina shrugs. "I'm not sure." She grins. "Either way, we're not trespassing. One of my friends is a big shareholder, and we've come out here to camp before.
John nods
John says "how long till dinner?" He smiles.
As the twilight fades, the stars seem to shine more brilliantly than you've ever seen them in Melbourne. A moon starts to rise as Georgina cooks, but the thin crescent doesn't seem to dim the stars. You find yourself staring up at the stars for long periods of time. John appreciates the night.
Finally Georgina serves dinner (partially burnt, for which she apologises) and lets the fire burn down.
Wildlife seems to be abundant here - despite the fire, you see wallabies and grey 'roos, as well as a large number of birds roosting in the area.
Georgina says "So, what are your plans this year? Got a full year of study?"
John sighs
John says "Don't know. Planning it at the moment, but I'm getting sort of tired of uni"
John says "I'll stick with it, but mostly for the company""
John says "although I do enjoy the work once I get started..." He grins.
Georgina idly stirs the coals with a stick and grins at the last. "Planning to go and work?
John says "mmm...let me think for a second...free austudy and sleeping in, or work. Hmm...""
John laughs.
John says "Although some more money would come in handy."
John says "You?"
Georgina grins. "Yeah, I'm not really looking forward to it either. Theatre eats so much of my time.... and I imagine it would be hard to get away for nights like this.
John looks around and at the night for a moment
John says "mmm. Yes. This is nice: thanks for asking me along."
Georgina smiles your direction. "No problem.. but the best is yet to come." She looks up at the sky. "Little while to go yet, but then I've got something cool to show you.
John says, "The best?"
"Ah, if I tell you now, it will spoil the surprise."
Georgina grins.
John scowls lightly
Georgina chuckles. "No, really - its much cooler to see it and go 'ahhhh'"
John says "okay. I'll wait."
John look around for cool looking stuff, like trees that could be lit by moonlight, or rocks, but there is a startling deficit of cool-looking stuff, other than trees, stars, the occasional animal...
The fire burns down lower and lower until it is barely putting out any light at all. Georgina asks you questions about your family, friendlily. She spends a lot of time staring at the stars.
About an hour after her enigmatic comment, Georgina springs to her feet. "Ok, its about time I think." She offers you her hand.
John takes Georgina's hand
John seems anticipatory
Georgina pulls you to your feet, and grabs a torch. She makes sure the fire is fairly much out, and then leads you through the grass and saplings.
Georgina leads you down through rocks and stuff, and into a crevice.
You scramble along the crevice and into a cave.
Marnie says "The whole volcanic plains are full of caves, but these are some of best ones that I know of that don't require spelunking stuff."
John says "deep?""
Georgina shrugs. "Yeah, they go a fair way down I think, but they fill with water pretty quickly. Speaking of which, the next chamber along is cool too.
Georgina starts clambering over rocks. The sand squeaks under her feet.
John follows Georgina
The next chamber is through a small squeeze in the rock and along a winding crevice. Georgina's torch goes a bit wild as she uses her hands to move along the somewhat uneven floor. You drop down a foot or two and come out in the next cave.
The cave is similar to the last one - no stalagmites or stalagtites, but a lot of sand on the floor. Against one wall is a dark, still pool. The smell of water is much stronger.
John ponders the air flow...
There is a slight breeze into the caves, but it comes and goes.
Georgina walks towards the water's edge. "Come look."
John does so
Georgina squats down at the edge of the pool. "I'm going to flick the torch off. Give your eyes a few minutes to adjust, and you should be able to see what I am talking about."
John shuts his eyes to adjust
You hear the torch being turned off.
John open his eyes
You hear Georgina breathing, and a faint gurgle of water.
There is a brief shimmer, where you think the water is... it could be after images...
John is woken from a deep sleep and has that same spooky "I'm being watched" feeling. He looks out the window and sees the guy with the Fae sense watching him. John jestures to 'come up' and the guy flies up to the window sill. John is a bit bemused. They converse. The guy doesn't seem to know who he is, but also doesn't care. He feels that most of John's questions have a self-evident answer ("because", "just because", "I dunno") but is happy enough to answer them. He asks if John would like to go somewhere nice. John wants to bring some friends, but the guy isn't too keen on this idea. John says ok, and quickly rings Mathias and leaves a phone message (everyone being too asleep to be woken mentally) explaining that his friend has shown up and wants to go somewhere nice.
John's friend takes his hand and leads him out the window. They fly up for some distance and then start swinging south, through the CBD, and out over the Bay. John's friend is fairly calm about it and seems just happy to be with John and flying. John keeps an eye on the moon and the ground and tries to navigate. They seem to be swinging out over the bay and then back towards Frankston, or maybe somewhere a bit further south. They are also getting lower... and lower...and wet. John's friend carries him underwater. It suddenly goes completely dark. John is starting to get a bit worried about his oxygen supply when they breach the surface and into a small cave, maybe 4 metres high and 6 to 8 across. The water laps at the sandy bottom of the cave. John's friend lets go and wanders away, seemingly oblivious to where they are. As John's eyes adjust, he can make out aboriginal paintings on the walls. He's heading over to check them out when he steps in a quite deep hole set back from the shore line. Apart from the heart attack it gave him, there's nothing special about the whole, so John goes to look at the pictures. Checking them out, they are various humanoid figures, abstract designs, animals and collections of dots. They don't make a lot of sense to John.
The stranger is building sandcastles, and doesn't seem to know why they are there when John asks him about the place. John peeks and sees that there is a cave here in the Umbra. However, it doesn't have a sandy floor, but instead has either packed stone or dirt... and its not dark - there is some faint light coming from what might be a short tunnel. The stranger starts to look a bit unsettled and says that they should go. They join hands and fly down the flooded tunnel again. As they emerge, John tries to get a good sense for where they were. The two of them fly out over the bay. John suddenly gets a very spooky feeling from his right and a sudden twitch. The stranger is staring at him, and seems to have a much brighter light of cognition in his eyes, and a totally different demeanor. The stranger drops him like a hot potato, and flew northish. John plunges down into the bay. He starts swimming to shore, but eventually gets tired and decides to get the others to rescue him, as its getting to dawn.
John runs into Marnie, who invites him down to the cafe on Lygon St. Studiously avoiding Carmel's, they sit and catch up a little. Marnie quizzes John about his friend, and John says that he has gone away. Marnie asks if he was a cousin or something, and John says "Not exactly". Marnie also asks about exams and uni, and John replies that he isn't actually a student, as he's had a few things come up this year and decided to defer for a bit. They talk for an hour or two, and Marnie invites John to a sort of dinner tomorrow - some friends are having a get-together-cum-pissup and she'd be glad of the company. Eventually he agrees.
Dinner with Marnie and friends is in a wine bar/resteraunt near Uni. All get fairly pissed, and it is very relaxing. Marnie is drunker than John as they stumble home, and she asks if he'd like a coffee or something. He goes up there for an hour or two and they chat a bit. John offers to give her a backrub and she accepts readily. When John peters out, Marnie leans back and puts her hand on his face. John manages to avoid kissing her without making it seem like a refusal and heads home shortly afterwards, heading off to the faint sound of Marnie headbutting the door behind him.
John runs into Marnie and tries to explain what happened on New Years Eve. He basically claims that he was connected with some sort of groups of criminals and they attacked him, so he went to Canberra for 3 months. Marnie seems to accept his explanation, but then suggests that he come back to her room for coffee.
Ok, you know where her new room is, but you let her take the lead and
show you. She doesn't say anything on the way...
john follows meekly like a lamb to the slaughter.
baaaa
Marnie holds the door open for you and sort of jestures inward.
john enters
The room is still probably one of the larger ones in the College, but
technically you haven't been here since she moved. However, you've had
the chance to examine it from the Umbra. There's nowhere really to sit
other than the bed. Marnie heads for a kettle. "Coffee?
john says "...Yeah. Thanks."
Marnie goes about making coffee, then comes and sits down next to you. Her
body language has thawed again and her warmth is a bit distracting.
Marnie says "So, you were chased down on New Years like all those other
people, and then you went to ...?""
[OOC] John says, "how soon after Peter's death is this?"
[OOC] Marnie says, "6 weeks or so...."
john shifts around a little
john says "went to canberra for a while. Know some people up there, so..."
john says " was a good place to lay low."
Marnie says "What was it all about? They weren't just trying to break your
legs, and I heard that some people got killed... should I be sitting
here calmly, or are you thining of burying me somewhere?"
john looks somewhat offendedly surprised at the suggestion
[OOC] John says, "hadn't even considered it, as a character..."
Marnie looks sideways at you, one eyebrow cocked slightly.
john says "??? Dunno what to say."
Marnie says "Hey, a girl needs to know where she stands..."
john get the joke, and laughs a bit mutedly.
Marnie doesn't even smile back.
john says "You're serious? I'm not that kind of guy."
Marnie says "But the people who were shooting at you were, right?"
john says "I mean, I'm involved in some dodgy stuff, but nothing like
that."
john says "Yes, I'm guessing so. I mean, I _think_ that it was me they
were after..."
john says "Didn't really stick around to talk to them."
Marnie says "They only /shot/ at you."
john says "And it was about the right timing after ... something
happened."
Marnie says "So what about the other girl from uni who was killed?"
[OOC] John says, "scratch that."
[OOC] John says, "would that be georgina?"
[OOC] Marnie nods. "Presumably....
[OOC] John says, "how was georgie killed?"
[OOC] Marnie says, "Gunned down and then set on fire...."
john says "That. Don't know exactly. We were friends as well..."
john looks sad
Marnie blinks. "Oh, right. Sorry...
john says "That's okay."
john drinks coffee
john then continues...
john says "I didn't work with her. But it was probably the same people."
Marnie nods and looks into her coffee cup, listening, but not making
eye contact.
john says "They'll get theirs, eventually. Their type always do."
john pauses for a short while remembering Georgina.
Marnie says "So they followed you to Luke's place then?"
john ponders for a short time, then nods
john says "I think so, yes. Or they found out where I was going
beforehand, but that's"
john says "probably less likely."
john says "It's just strange that they waited till exactly midnight
to hit."
Marnie nods. "He got your car towed. I think its in an impound lot at
the council or something.
Marnie looks at you sharply at the midnight comment.
john says "You mean Luke? Good, I guess. Might pick that up later..."
[OOC] John says, "was georgina killed in the NY midnight strike as
well? Can't remember..."
[OOC] Marnie nods.
john thinks for a bit, then brightens marginally
john says "Ha. I think they must have been the same bunch that got
Georgina. Same time..."
john says "Didn't think about it before. I heard about Georgina from
canberra, in"
john says "retrospect."
Marnie stares at you and blinks. "Yeah, of course.
john darkens, muttering evil nothings under his breath
Marnie says "You know, the media were all calling it a cult thing, or
millenium madness..."
john says "So, what have you been up to in the, what, 3 months I've
been gone?"
john says "herm. Cult thing."
john Thinks for a while
john slowly shakes head
Marnie blinks again, watching you.
john says "I mean, it could have been, I guess, but I know the only"
john says "guys I'm likely to have pissed off that much are ... well,
not cult-like,"
john says "anyway..."
john laughs a bit nervously.
Marnie finishes her coffee and puts the cup down on the floor. "Studying
this year?
john says "...um. No, probably not. I mean, maybe I'll keep collecting
austudy, probably"
Marnie says "So what will you be doing?"
john says "But I mean there are people who tried to kill me who know
my name."
John grins
Marnie nods. "Surprised you stayed here then.
john says ""
john says "didn't realise they'd try to kill me..."
john says "I make enough from selling eeeevil pirated software and music."
johnshrugs
john says "Trod on these guys toes a little hard. Nasty, nasty people."
john says "Canberra's a hole, but it's gunfire free at the moment,
for me anyway."
john says "Came back here to check out what some friends have to say
about the bunch"
john says "of people I think tried to kill me - whether they are still
active,"
john says "If they still want to kill me. Little things like that."
john says "Then I remembered you, and the party, and wanted to see how
you were doing"
john says "And check if anyone got hurt at New Years."
john says "'Cos I'd feel kind of guilty about that, I guess."
john says "not that I knew it was coming, or anything...Is anyone hurt?"
Marnie shrugs. "Not physically. They took off after you I guess.
john says "Not physically, as in mentally? Emotionally? Yes. Shock. No
one injured,"
john says "heart attacks?"
Marnie shrugs. "Shock. Some people weren't in the best states to be
suddenly frightened.
john says "A..h. ah. Yes. Mmm...but uninjured. That's good. Very good."
john says "Unless it was seriously bad?"
Marnie says "Yeah..."
Marnie says "They're ok now."
john says "It's been 3 months. Ah. Okay, they are okay now. Good. That's
something"
john says "off my mind, anyway..."
[OOC] Marnie says, "what's your per+emp?"
[OOC] John says, "dunno emp. Per=4"
[OOC] Marnie says, "Call it 6 all up..."
(Marnie to john Marnie) The roll is: 1 4 5 7 9 10(7). 2 (+1) matches vs
diff 7.
[OOC] John says, "Your call, Mr gm."
Marnie suddenly looks a bit stricken, and you realise it was her that
was in shock....
john realises visibly
john says "Oh. Oh. How bad was it, really?"
john continues emitting soothing noises
john then tries to draw Marnie into a hug.
Marnie half shrugs. "I dealt. (false). Just shook me up a bit.
john ignores the "I dealt" and keeps soothing.
Marnie falls fairly easily into the hug.
john , with his emp of about 2, guesses that continuing to soothe
until she
john breaks down or something would be the thing to do.
Marnie is hugges for a minute or two, and then tilts her face up towards
you, moves up a fraction and attempts to kiss you....
john is caught by surprise and kisses back...
john has never had a girlfriend before and is susceptible to this sorta
thing...
Marnie keeps kissing you, and her hands roam around some... she seems
intent on continuing things further....
[OOC] John says, "see earlier statement, cross-reference 'virgin' 'male'
and 'hormone overload'"
[OOC] Marnie grins evilly. Ok.
Marnie pushes you down on the bed....
fade to candlelight....
[OOC] Marnie says, "Oh, add into 'virgin male hormonal' that its a
full moon...."
[OOC] John says, "Mental link gets a vague jolting :/"
[OOC] Marnie snickers. "Oh yeah. Well, fortunately, only some of the
pack are in town.
Some time later.....
Marnie stretches and idly moves her hands around on your chest...
john basks in warmth.
Marnie says "So.... how much magic do you actually know?"
john says "Eh?"
[OOC] Marnie idly imagines John spitting his teeth out... :)
Marnie rolls onto and sits on your hips. "I'm serious."
john looks a bit wary.
You can see several tattoos on her that have, until just before, been
covered by clothes.
johnsenses wyrm
[OOC] Marnie says, "best guess for Per + Occ?"
[OOC] John says, "accurate guess: 4+4"
(Marnie to john Marnie) The roll is: 1 2 4 4 4 6 6 8. 2 matches vs diff 6.
[OOC] Marnie says, "whittle :) There is not much sense of wyrm - human
normal minus some, if anything..."
john still a bit wary, but asks "...you can do magic? Like, rabbits
from hats?"
john says "Card tricks?""
Marnie pokes you hard in the chest.
john says "Ow. Jeez...What. You can do magic?""
Marnie says "That's not what I asked, doofus. I want to know whats going on,
and abuot this war thing you're involved in."
john Pauses, and thinks for a while.
[OOC] Marnie reminds John that he has a naked, moderately attractive
femme sitting astride him.... makes it hard to think....
john says "Think for a minute. Why do you ask"
[OOC] Marnie says, "Do you mean that you're thinking?"
[OOC] John says, "restate: John says "Think for a minute, then answer. Why
do you ask?""
[OOC] Marnie says, "You're telling Marnie to think for a minute? Ok."
Marnie says "Because I want to know."
john extricates himself from Marnie in order to think better.
john For this is important.
Marnie resists for a moment, and then drops down and crosses her legs. You
suspect she knew that sitting like that makes thinking hard.
[OOC] John says, "among other things..."
[OOC] Marnie smirks.
john says "Tell me what you know. Be honest."
Marnie sighs and looks you in the eye.
john looks serious
Marnie says "I know a lot of stuff, some of which is true. I know I've seen
you fly. I've seen you turn yourself and other stuff invisible. I've
seen some seriously weird stuff at the cemetary. I saw you run faster
than I've ever seen anyone move on New Years Eve at midnight ...."
john peeks to make sure noone is watching him spilling beans.
john senses unnatural on the off chance that she is being mage-influenced
(Marnie to john Marnie) The roll is: 2 6 7 8 9 10(8). 5 (+1) matches vs
diff 6.
[OOC] John says, "covered eyes first..."
[OOC] John says, "show her that in a minute..."
[OOC] Marnie says, "There is some sense of unnatural...."
[OOC] John says, "any specific flavour?"
[OOC] Marnie says, "No, its a really faint mix of a few things... a bit
like the sense you had from NYE...."
[OOC] Marnie says, "re: spilling everything. Just checking (oo, common
sense merit :)"
[OOC] John says, "only sense I remember from NYE is really strong wyrm
just before running."
[OOC] Marnie digs through chronology.
[OOC] Marnie says, "Sense Unnatural does reveal something, but its
very ephemeral - something magicy and something Gaia-y and something
a little faeish as well. Its not centred on anything in particular,
just as a cloud around the place."
[OOC] John says, "I seem to recall guessing wiccan..."
[OOC] Marnie says, "Don't think you said anything outloud..."
[OOC] John says, "no, not yet. Checking umbra first."
[OOC] John says, "looks around apartment for evidence of religion of
any kind."
[OOC] Marnie says, "No, I mean to me (GM) about what you thought the
sense was."
[OOC] John says, "probably not in any meaningful sense...But for that
kind of thing, My guess is wiccan"
[OOC] Marnie nods. Ok. ... so....
John just looked at you.
[OOC] John says, "umbra is clear?"
[OOC] Marnie says, "Oh yeah, religion. Ok, there's nothing overt, but
there's lots of little occulty bits... and her diary has marked in it
paganesque things like fullmoon, etc"
[OOC] Marnienods
Long distance to Mathias: Marnie smiles
john says "Marnie. I like you. (looks at bed and smiles slightly)
obviously. However, I'm limited in what"
john says "I can tell you. In order to determine what I can tell you,
I have to know who"
john says "you are. All I know of you really at the moment is that
you're a student at uni, and that you've seen some stuff that looks like
magic. So. Tell me who you are"
john tries to adopt a kind of teachery attitude.
john says "Tell me how you think of yourself. In relation to the world
around you, and to people around you."
[OOC] John says, "feel free to summarise. I'm trying to determine -
how much she knows of the occult - what her attitude to gaia is - how
resillient her mind is, and - how well she actually recovered from NYE"
Marnie says "Ok... I'm studying comparitive religion, like Dominique was..."
[OOC] Marnie says, "Plan... give me a few mins."
[OOC] John says, "no probs. But tell me, would she know I have a
connection to Dom, or is that supposed to be sekrit ?"
[OOC] Marnie has met you together,... in fact, met you together the
first time she met you :)
[OOC] John says, "okay."
[OOC] Marnie says, "Ok, she seems widely read, but doesn't necessarily
believe all of it. Her basic"
[OOC] Marnie says, "attitude seems to be vaguely wiccan ("do
as thou wilt, an it hurt none") with a sort of hungry interest
in everything. Gaia... hmm. Neutral, like she is to many other
concepts. .. she seems ok after NYE, but its hard to tell immediately."
[OOC] Marnie says, "She seems to approach things less as spirits and
more as ritualistic magic... ceremonial...."
[OOC] John says, "that's natural for homidae."
[OOC] John says, "does she attempt to lie about anything?"
[OOC] Marnie says, "Depends what you ask. ABout her, about general stuff,
no - she'll say "I don't know" to some questions..."
[OOC] John says, "mothers touch only works for physical wounds, more's
the pity..."
(Marnie to Marnie Marnie) The roll is: 1 2 6 8 10(8) 10(10(10(9))). 3
(+4) matches vs diff 6.
[OOC] John says, "ask can she do magic, herself?"
[OOC] Marnie says, "SHe seems ok, just a bit bruised rather than wounded
(mentally)"
Marnie chews her lip. "I'm not sure... I mean, people have said that
they can feel something when I do the rituals, but I've... well, I
mean... I dunno.
[OOC] John says, "(HA!) just curious...can you turn a human into a fetish
or talen ?"
[OOC] Marnie blinks a lot. "Er, you've been told that you can bind
spirits /to/ humans, but not /into/
[OOC] Marnie says, "You get the definate feeling that Marnie thinks that
They want to stop people knowing about magic(tm) and spirituality(tm), and
that you are fighting against Them, and thats what NYE was all about..."
john says "Explain 'people' and 'do the rituals'"
Marnie goes a bit quiet. "Other people... um. Just folks. I'd rather
not say. Stuff that we've found in books and that people have taught...
john says "That's okay, I don't need to know names, just who they are
in relation to you."
Marnie says "People that I've met around the place. Online, and in
Melbourne..."
john says "Do you have a a name for yourselves?"
john says "so, you have attempted some rituals, and some things have
_almost_ happened, they say, yes?"
Marnie grins. "You mean like a coven? No, its not like that. We ... well,
we're not like that. They're just people I've met and sometimes hang
with and sometimes never meet again.
Marnie frowns a bit. "I've sort of felt stuff, but never really been
sure. And some of them are supposed to only increase the chances of
stuff happening, so... "
john says "Hmm. So, it's not as if you know all the people you do this
stuff with? Some are strangers?"
Marnie giggles. "A couple of times I was fairly sure there was nothing
and someone would tell me there was and then suggest that tantric magic
might be my style...
john says "Most are strangers, from what you're telling me..."
john laughs
Marnie says "People come and go, but there are people that I recognise
by name..."
john says "Sounds like a nice try"
Marnie rolls her eyes.
john says "Okay."
john says "Trouble here is that whereas I know and like you, I don't
know the others that you talk to."
john frowns slightly.
john says "Ah well. Never mind."
Marnie says "Some of them are wannabes, some are serious, some are nice,
some are nasty. They're people. I don't have any particular overriding
conenctions to them."
john says "I have a suggestion."
john says "Can you remember any of the rituals that you've attempted
and gotten a good"
john says "response from?"
Marnie nods slowly. "For what its worth, I've only spoken to a couple
of them about 'some guy I know at uni who might be interested in this
sort of thing'...
Marnie says "Luke, for instance."
Marnie hmmms. "Yeah....
john says "Ah, I see. Okay, thanks. As I mentioned, a low profile might
be good for me."
Marnie nods. "So, am I in danger now?
john frowns as he thinks about danger
john says "...I don't _think_ so. As I said, I'd trodden on some
people's toes. But that's one of the reasons I'm cagey about who I'm
close to...I've lost some close friends."
john shakes head
Marnie nods and looks sympathetic.
john says "perhaps you could try that and I could see if you are doing
something wrong..."
john says "What's the effect supposed to be, how long is it supposed to
take, how noisy is it. Details are required *smile*"
Marnie says "Um. Maybe... I'm not sure..."
Marnie says "Its a rite to ... um... sort of centre yourself.... noisy?"
john says "If it's to center yourself, it's kind of difficult to see if
it worked or not..."
Marnie nods. "Its supposed to fill you with chi as well...
john says "Well, I'm curious..., yeah, noisy. Is there any yelling
involved that would make"
john says "your neighbours curious, or did you want to go elsewhere
than here?"
Marnie hmms. "I've sort of had more luck at night....
[OOC] Marnie says, "Its about 3.30pm"
john shrugs
john says "We can wait..."
Marnie says "I can think of something to do...."
Marnie leaps on you...
john grins
[OOC] John says, "ooh, look, it's nighttime already... :)"
[OOC] Marnie grins. "how the time flies"
[OOC] Marnie suggests going out away from the city, say into the
dandenongs somewhere...
[OOC] John says, "John gets deja vu from going into the hills alone
last time..."
[OOC] Marnie snickers. "True - different hills...
[OOC] John says, "that makes me feel better :) Still, going to leave
note at my place."
[OOC] Marnie says, "What, not mentally leaving a message?"
[OOC] John says, "if there's members of the pack around, sure."
[OOC] John says, "'going to dandenongs with Marnie. Back later""
[OOC] Marnie says, "Or you could ring the caern or something. Melissa's
around, but she'll be curious as to what you're doing..."
[OOC] Marnie says, "Of course, that's about as curious as she'll be."
[OOC] John says, "Melissa can handle a ''go away now' :)"
Melissa mentally says "Have fun. Not that you haven't been.
john mentally blushes.
Melissa mentally gives the picture of her trying to interact with people
at the zoo all afternoon and having to go have a lie down. "Guys are
/still/ weird."
john mentally responds with 'aren't we all...
To the Dandenongs! Its a balmy March evening, quite pleasant. Marnie
has not particular aim in mind, so you can just find somewhere random.
[OOC] John says, "usual perimeter sensing - don't want anything
disturbing us."
You're nearing the edge of the city-safe zone in the Umbra, but its
still diff 6 or 7 (depending). Nothing untoward lurking about....
john says "Marnie. Listen carefully."
Marnie looks at you.
john says "Sometimes wierd stuff happens. You've seen some indication
of this."
Marnie looks a bit uncertain. "Yeah...
john says "If, perchance, something wierd should happen to me, or around
me, try to remember that I'm your friend."
john says "If wierd things happen, I'll try to come back and explain."
john says "understand?"
Marnie blinks and frowns a little. "That's not exactly settling... could
you be more specific? Because 'll have trouble concentrating now...
john says "Hmm. I'll try to be a little more specific, but give me a
minute to think..."
john says "Let me put it this way. How did you feel after New Years
Eve? After seeing the"
john says "events that happened there?"
john says "Would you say you reacted with calm and lucidity?"
Marnie shifts a bit. "noo... but then again, I was tripping a little,
so...
Marnie looks very defenceless suddenly.
john smiles wryly I'd guessed.
john says "Tripping, as you say, loosens your grip on reality. Having
strange things happen"
john says "has much the same effect."
Marnie hmmms. "Are you sure this is a good idea then?
john says "So, if anything goes wrong, you can be mentally unprepared
for it"
Marnie nods slowly....
john says "so, tell me again - why is it that you're interested in this
sort of thing?"
....
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 14:14:41 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
I believe we were in the mountains doing a ritual.
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 14:15:14 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Okie doke.
Marnie does her rite, and by extending your senses to the utmost,
you can /just/ feel some sort of gnosisy movement...
Message 2: Wed Jun 13 14:15:57 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
peeking occasionally...
Message 2: Wed Jun 13 14:17:25 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Nothing special happens in the umbra...
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 14:17:30 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
*nod*
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 14:18:26 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Sense wyrm doesn't show much change, but sense unnatural
suggests maybe that there is a little bit more balance
within marnie - not so much on the tri-W scale, but more
gaia ness...
Message 12: Wed Jun 13 14:19:13 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Neato ritual, then.
Tell her it worked.
Message 7: Wed Jun 13 14:19:55 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
ok, she seems sort of 'yay' but also 'oh', because she didn't
notice anything monumental happening.
you have high rituals, ya?
Message 11: Wed Jun 13 14:21:02 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
rituals=4
Message 6: Wed Jun 13 14:21:53 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Ok, there are many minor rituals known the garou, some of which
might do something like this. ... purification rituals, little
pack things, etc...
Message 8: Wed Jun 13 14:21:56 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
point out that from her description it's a kind of quiet, zen type
ritual, so the results were'nt going to head for the dramatic anyway :)
Message 5: Wed Jun 13 14:23:28 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
ok. then what's the plan...
Message 4: Wed Jun 13 14:32:42 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
mmm...forest sex :)
let me think for a sec...
Message 2: Wed Jun 13 14:33:39 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
How long would it take for me to learn the umbrally yoinking other
people in gift?
Message 3: Wed Jun 13 14:33:56 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Um, how far from 3rd rank were you?
Message 2: Wed Jun 13 14:34:06 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
(pre hive renown I mean)
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 14:34:36 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
still needed something like 2 perm. wisdom points...
(hence the constant complaints :)
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 14:36:54 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Do you remember your temp score?
Cos you get a big chunk for the end of last season, plus
you've already got some downtime renown (learning rite of
fetish, I believe)
Message 8: Wed Jun 13 14:38:48 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Temp....somewhere around 3-5 I think...
Message 7: Wed Jun 13 14:39:27 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Don't think it's going to happen quite yet, unless umbralling with Thomas
and rite of fetish counts muchly...
Message 5: Wed Jun 13 14:39:55 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Ok, you'll probably get up to the next perm then.
Um, those two are worth ~ 4W...
Message 6: Wed Jun 13 14:40:00 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Herm...
Hive was before downtime. Recognised then, then on top of that is the
downtime renown...
Message 5: Wed Jun 13 14:40:10 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Figured as much...
Message 4: Wed Jun 13 14:40:54 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
yeah, basically you get recognised as having that next perm
@ Feb moot, and then pick up some more during downtime
Message 3: Wed Jun 13 14:41:52 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
ok, in which case, you're not getting the gift soon, and you
should probably chat to people about it beforehand.
What's your general plan for Marnie - guide her into
the light slowly?
Message 3: Wed Jun 13 14:41:59 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
So, if I'm remembering my character sheet properly, I'm sitting about
5 temp off next rank :/
Message 2: Wed Jun 13 14:42:13 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Yeah, most people should be near, but not at Rank 3
Message 2: Wed Jun 13 14:42:26 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Crash course! :)
Yes, slowly. Don't want her seeing too much too soon, especially of me.
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 14:42:38 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
How close is she to completing her degree ?
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 14:43:11 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
and consulting with Emma, one presumes?
ANother year or so.
She's very enthusiastic about the magic stuff though, and
she's probably doing hons this year...
Message 11: Wed Jun 13 14:44:40 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Yes. Talk to Emma. Not keeping this a secret secret, but obviously not
broadcasting it to people who will be likely to rip Marnie apart.
Message 9: Wed Jun 13 14:45:44 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
:-)
No one's going to do that (at this sept).
Emma will advise you to be pretty cautious, because she's obviously
been speaking to a lot of people abut the topic of maaagic.
Any hint of werewolfness is /baaad/, esp wrt the caern.
Message 10: Wed Jun 13 14:46:30 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Get her to sit down and think about stuff. Magic is important, but she
can't just drop out of her life.
I won't talk about specifically Garou stuff.
Are spirits willing to impart gifts to humans?
Message 9: Wed Jun 13 14:46:53 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Or does that rip apart their minds?
Message 8: Wed Jun 13 14:49:43 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
on 1. Good on 2 :)
Sooome kinfolk can learn gifts.... but not in general.
They just... can't/don't/won't.
Message 8: Wed Jun 13 14:50:21 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
It just doesn't take. Okay, fair enough.
Message 7: Wed Jun 13 14:51:04 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Was there anything funky I could deduce from the centering ritual of hers?
Message 7: Wed Jun 13 14:52:42 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
wrong sort of soul maybe? For a start, the spirit and the human
have to get on, and it takes a /waaaay/ spiritual human for that.
Um, yeah, some of it felt kinda familiar, or that you could
get your brain around - you might be able to even learn it.
Message 5: Wed Jun 13 14:58:34 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
you're going to have to feed marnie something, her hunger
for the knowledge is pretty intense.
Message 12: Wed Jun 13 15:00:47 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Show her fairy lights trick, shrug.
Say I wasn't really set up to be a teacher, shrug.
Say I now have an interest in passing along knowlege, so I'll start
learning how to teach better, and...
hmm...what do I know that I can pass along?
Message 11: Wed Jun 13 15:01:12 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Don't want to give her mage concentration ritual because of possible
demonic possession.
Message 7: Wed Jun 13 15:02:11 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Ah. Lore. Knowlege.
Informing her of the umbra isn't specifically garou, is it?
Message 4: Wed Jun 13 15:02:12 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
:)
*lol* Ok, that's fair. Did you want to learn the light right
too?
Given the ritualistic nature of what she does know, you might be
able to teach rites... especially minor ones like Greet the Sun...
You can practice teaching if you'd like (instruction skill).
Message 6: Wed Jun 13 15:02:28 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Minor cantrippy rituals are good...
Message 3: Wed Jun 13 15:02:39 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
errrrrr.
Its a bit um and arry.
Spirits - fine. Umbra as a place to go. Way bad.
Message 5: Wed Jun 13 15:02:40 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
the light rite?
Message 4: Wed Jun 13 15:03:02 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Spirits okay then.
Message 2: Wed Jun 13 15:03:57 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
You were going to study the mage books and learn more about
magic, yes? There's a magic spell that makes a sort of light...
Yeah, cos humans are cool with spirits.
So basically the plan is to teach her some and generally protect
and guide as she learns about maagic (theory, if not practice)
Message 2: Wed Jun 13 15:04:23 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
Teach her minor cantrippy rituals,
a bit of 'safe' spirit law.
Does the light spell cause any sort of wyrminess?
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 15:04:44 (read)
From: benji [To: eccles]
That's the theory. Solid grounding in safety proceedures before any high
voltage, if any.
Message 1: Wed Jun 13 15:05:00 (read)
From: eccles [To: benji]
Do you know any? :)
You might have to learn some.
Er, you'd have to learn it before knowing, really...
The pain in your mind twists your gut and catches your breath. Tears come with every new thought. Hands pick you up and move you from place to place, but you can't care where they are taking you. You can't pull your thoughts away from the wall, every name conjuring up images of how they died, how they were forced to live. You are wrapped into a world of pain and suffering. Hands and voices, a blanket. Physical warmth only highlights the cold within that you feel, a sort of frozen indecision and agony. Hands insisting that you drink, bitter warm tea, you swallow as much as to make them stop as to drink. The outside world fades, but you are left with your inner world. Far off, you hear your pack, fighting. Fighting Jordan [a thousand images of his pain, growing up untrusted, not really growing up at all but being forced into an adult mould from day one, causing pain, spiritual and physical rape, murder]. You can sense them as they are hurt, sense the pain that underscores their hopes and dreams (friends murdered, hopes dashed, agony of silver). You can block the external world totally - and then you are left only with memories. Peter. Your parents. Georgina. Others who you have cared for and who have had their lives stolen or damaged. The ones you couldn't save. The times you let them down. Incidents of regret. Finally, blessed sleep. When you wake up, you are a bit more together, but the least thing will send you spiralling back into the internal well of pain - - Christine tending her shrine to Georgina and Marion, carefully encouraging the surrounding growth to surround but not engulf it. Touching each item, caressing the names carved into stone, her hurt is embodied in every movement. - Kirsty moving through the Sept, obviously furious about something, avoiding the rest of the Garou, wrapped in her own world of anger and loneliness. - Ken sparring with Ian, and having to stop and let an old wound, covered in scarring rest for a few moments while they chat. It obviously hurts him, but the two of them treat it as nothing special. Fleeing the caern, you hide in Graeme's cottage, trying to escape the constant barrage of impressions, of glimpses into another's soul. You can sense Emma and Graeme's concern, and that just makes things worse. On Tuesday, Emma bullies you into leaving Graeme's and coming with her to Rippling Waters. She takes you to see Dominique, who in her cottage, along with a number of the Fianna from the Sept. Dom is nursing one of her twin daughters and she introduces you to them - Belinda and Elizabeth. She chases the other Garou out for a while, and makes you sit with her and them. The twins have almost violet eyes, and a faint dusting of silver hair. Only a couple of days old, there is no miasma of pain floating about them, no history of disappointment. Dominique herself is contentedly happy, and quite open to you mentally. You can sense almost a structure to her, a sense of who she is, and it is mingled with pain, mingled throughout. As she tends to her daughters, there is sometimes an echo of feeling, almost like a second presence. Dom seems to accept it, to understand and forgive the sense of pain that it brings, without quite acknowledging it. Faintly comes laughter and voices from outside, but the two of you are seperated from them. Cushioned, away from the caern and the history there, but still within the familiar presence of a pack member. There's nothing mystic happening, but you start to feel more balanced, more calm. It is probably hours later when Emma knocks on the door and says that you'd both best be getting back. Goodbyes are said and Dom walks you to the door. Just as you are heading onto the street, she mentally says to you: "Hope in small things" . The caern is its old familiar self, light drizzle falling downwards, promising to be cold and unpleasant. Sleep comes easily, and deeply. It is only towards the end of the evening that you feel that you are rising up into a dream. You are moving, almost walking perhaps, across green landscape, fields and low hills. Everything moves in a dreamy, fuzzy way. You move towards Dominique, who is cradling her children. She looks up and says "Joy in small things" as you pass her. At the bottom of a hill, next to a stone bridge that crosses a creek, Christine is pulling weeks away from the stones at the end. As you cross the bridge, she murmurs "Hope is brightest in darkness". You drift onwards, up the far hill. As you crest the very top, you emerge into sunlight again from the shade. Melissa is looking forwards, saying nothing, but gazing into the sun. When you wake, it is into darkness, and quiet. Unable to stop yourself, you probe at the pain like a sore tooth. It is still there, and you suspect it always will be. But rather than memory after memory of darkness, a dark memory is linked with a light, and then to another. Perhaps then to forgotten shame, to a smile shared... the pain is part of you, not smothering, but guiding, warning, teaching.
John spends the first few days of his time back on Earth with Marnie, catching up and checking how she's going with her mystic experimentation. A couple of days after he gets back, she gets a phone call from a guy called Xavier - apparently someone she met last week at one of her meeting. He seemed quite interested in meeting John - Marnie mentioned some vague stuff about him. Xavier suggests that they meet for coffee, and John and Marnie head there.
They walk to Carmel's, apparently at Xavier's request. Carmel is serving and nods at John as they take a seat out the front. Xavier is dressed in jeans and jacket, and looks vague 25 and Mediterranaen. He also senses strongly of Magic, Deadlands and Wyld (with a little Wyrm). John starts using Truth of Gaia, and he, Marnie and Xavier sit and talk for a while about various topics - movies and some of the people they know in common. John notices that outside noises feel quiet and that his pack feel further away than usual - he tries to make contact with Kimu, and Xavier catches his eye and shakes his head. John pushes it a bit further and feels that he could contact Chasing-the-Night if he wanted to, so he relents.
Marnie takes a break to the ladies, and John asks what's going on. Xavier says that his name is actually Xanthipides. He understands that John and his pack (he uses that word) incurred a debt on a recent trip, and that the debtee wishes to call on that favour. After a bit of "wha?" it becomes clear that Xanthipides means the gatekeeper demon from the Well of Atropos, whom he refers to as Cybele (or "my employer"). Marnie comes back and says that she has a book back in her room for Xavier, did he want to come along?
They walk back to Marnie's room, and as she reaches across her bed for a book, Xanthipides makes a small motion, and she collapses on the bed, asleep. John checks her, and she seems ok, just asleep. John and Xanthipides talk - Cybele is calling in the pack's favour, and what she wants is... the other mages removed from Melbourne. Xanthipides says that she feels that they are becoming too blantant in their abilities, and wants them removed. John tentatively agrees to this. Xanthipides says that he would prefer that John kept his presence a secret for the moment - he is aware that some of John's friends have some severe prejeudices, and would like to keep his head on his shoulders.
Xanthipides says that he's willing to help them - mostly with information, but he'll see what happens. He can teach John a short ritual that allows them to communicate via Cybele, which John agrees to after Xanthipides says that he knows that John knows other magic. Xanthipides agrees to not involve Marnie any further and wakes her up. He takes his book and goes.
John and Xanthipides meet several more times and John learns the ritual. He has a brief conversation with Cybele, who confirms that she sent Xanthipides.
While John is getting ready for bed, he senses Cybele wanting to speak to him and greets her. She says that her servant wishes to speak to John, and Xanthipides voice comes through. Xanthipides says that he has some news for John that might help them. His researches have revealed some information about an artifact called the Chandeen Mirror which allows the posessor the ability to look into the Deadlands. Apparently this may help trace the magic of the demon-mages, for their powers probably cause distortions or ripples in the lands of the dead.
Xanthipides says that best that he can determine, it belongs to a Victor Ademko, who was last known to be in Australia, probably Victoria, somewhere. Xanthipides doesn't know what the mirror looked like, or how it worked or anything, but he'll keep looking. He asks how John intends to inform his packmates, and John suggests claiming it was a dream or something, which seems to make Xanthipides happy.
John speaks to Dom on the way out of the caern, and asks her about her Garou name - she's fairly unhelpful, and just says it is something that she got for tribal stuff. Frankly, she doesn't look happy to discuss it, so John drops it.
He calls Xanthipiddes instead and explains about the mirror. Xanthipiddes doesn't exactly sound thrilled by the events, but says that he'll see what he can do about trying to find another way to track the mages.