Unraveling Tapestries IC: Interference Pattern

[Raz_Fox]

Well. When something is meant to be, only a fool allows caution to keep them from it.

The Witch of the Two Streets gets in on the passenger side, opposite the driver, and nods, once. “Let’s go.”

[stveje]

Useful, but difficult. Having the Changeling here, now meant she didn't want to lose the chance to speak with it, and all the ways to get at the spirit (and rank 3 spirits were not to be trifled with) required waiting until dawn or getting equipment from someone else, which would be tricky at best. She also doubted that a UV lamp would do the trick, spirits were far too literal for that sort of thing.

No, what she needed now was simply to get the spirit's claws off that Changeling long enough to talk some sense and hope that would do the trick. This was going to be hard. Still casting through Rushing Heart, she focuses on the Changeling rather than the spirit. Breaking resonance was difficult, and it was even harder to keep it broken. Hayabusa would have to take a risk to do that, but it seemed to only way to bring some sense to the Changeling. She focused on her necklace for all she was worth, feeling the pull of the abyss even as she envisioned the spirit's hold over the changeling dissolving in her mind's eye and chanted it in the pure language of the supernal from beyond the room's door. Keeping her invisibility made this even harder, but that was the only chance she had of actually getting the Changeling before this spirit of darkness tried to do something aggressive at losing its prey.

[I am removing any open or resonant condition on the Changeling that is allowing the spirit to affect it. This is a spirit three fraying task. The effect is lasting and not withstood but casting it at sensory range, instant cast, and with the invisibility spell still active takes 3 reach and I only get one for such a difficult spell. So, that will be two paradox dice. I'm using a dedicated tool, so it's a paradox chance die. Hayabusa chooses to try and contain the paradox. I rolled a 6 on the chance die, so the paradox does not occur nor is Hayabusa harmed. As to the spell pool, it is back to 7 dice: 8, 3, 10, 2, 5, 9, 2. 10. 8. This is an exceptional success! I'd request as an effect a condition that gives arcane beats when resolved, perhaps something related to the fact that this is affecting a Changeling. ST's choice on whether the condition is on the Changeling or Hayabusa.]

As soon as this is done and the resonance of fear is broken, Hayabusa will run to the door and shout to the Changeling: "Hey, I'm here to help. It's not safe here! I promise not to hurt you, but you've got to come with me and get out of here right away!" If it seems like the Changeling won't attack her, she'll even go so far as to go in and help it up. The dark spirit is going to notice this, even if it can't see Hayabusa or Rushing Heart yet.

The girl leaps back and bares her teeth in a feral snarl the instant the spirit's hold is broken. She remains like that as you speak, and a strange light briefly gleams in her eyes, though you're not sure where it came from in this darkness.

"No!" she barks, suddenly. Her voice is surprisingly clear and melodic for someone so feral, so ... suddenly consumed by rage. "This is MY HOUSE! I live here, and no one will take me away again! I will not be cowed! I will not be threatened or flee with my tail between my legs!"

She takes a breath, whole body shaking, then she leaps forward, landing on all fours at the edge of the blackened pit, and roars into the darkness. The sound is like a moon rocket at lift-off, and light explodes from her throat as if she'd swallowed the sun itself. It even shines through her flesh and clothes, her blood turning the light red.

Roll Wits+Stamina as a reflexive action to avoid gaining the Deafened tilt.

Even if you cover your eyes, the light burns straight through your eyelids, even through your hands, leaving red splotches that will take a while to fade, although you can still see. But in that light, you see ... divine plans too vast to comprehend in their totality, but sometimes you catch a thread, a glimpse, and you manage to follow it for a bit.

Seen the Light: You get visions and strange commands from deep within your Oneiros, which become Obsessions (Like Mystery Commands, p. 317, except these aren't necessarily messages from the Exarchs, and it resolves if you manage to somehow foil or prevent one of these visions, although that's likely to make you unpopular with some)

Oh, also, you probably didn't hear your phone beeping, but you got a text back from your Mysterium contact, saying the guy who looked into the house calls himself Morgan. There's a number.

So ... what do you do?

Well. When something is meant to be, only a fool allows caution to keep them from it.

The Witch of the Two Streets gets in on the passenger side, opposite the driver, and nods, once. “Let’s go.”

The driver, who is clearly a zombie, nods mindlessly in response. He holds the wheel and stares dead ahead like he's been doing so since the car came out of the factory.

"Don't mind him, he's quite the excellent driver, actually," the car says, in a cheery female voice, before pulling out and accelerating. "Please fasten your seat belt and hold on to your pointy hat. We're going to have to break a few speed limits."

Maybe you didn't quite break the sound barrier, but it sure sounded like it just now. A loud roar from somewhere ahead as you blast along the road, and the zombie steps a little harder on the gas.

You arrive outside the old, abandoned mansion a moment later. The car stops, and the zombie cuts the engine. You have a moment. What do you do?

"Okay," repeated the girl pleasantly. Now she was interested. She was going to witness a mind cross the void of death! Would an identity be able to assert itself across literal lifetimes, or would it be just tapping into the efflorescent sea of knowledge? Would a connection to another lifetime do to him what it did to her, burning down her identity in the contradictions? She might be able to see what happened to her as an observer rather than a participant, and that was the most fascinating thing she could think to do.

Not even getting into what was meant by a crystal skull. Would there be a psychic alien ghost? We could only hope.

She finished her drink, dropped the can and crushed it with one quick and practiced stomp. That brought the nostalgic moment to a satisfying end. "On my way, then. One last question, you don't mind if I get my cabal involved?"

"Not at all. The contact calls himself Morgan." She gives you his card. The kind of guy who evidently has a card. Morgan, Investigative Journalist it claims.

As you leave, you just so happen to step outside at the same time the Witch comes blasting down the road at thrice the speed limit in a little black car with a zombie behind the wheel.

So, what now?

[Thanqol]

"Not at all. The contact calls himself Morgan." She gives you his card. The kind of guy who evidently has a card. Morgan, Investigative Journalist it claims.

As you leave, you just so happen to step outside at the same time the Witch comes blasting down the road at thrice the speed limit in a little black car with a zombie behind the wheel.

So, what now?

What - was that -? What were the odds of...

Oh, right. Literally 100%. She forgot sometimes.

So she did the only true thing when the Witch of Two Streets rides by in her zombie-drawn chariot - she stuck out her thumb to hitchhike a ride.

[Raz_Fox]

What - was that -? What were the odds of...

Oh, right. Literally 100%. She forgot sometimes.

So she did the only true thing when the Witch of Two Streets rides by in her zombie-drawn chariot - she stuck out her thumb to hitchhike a ride.

So here’s what I think happens: the car roars by at unwise speeds, here and then gone.

A minute later, it roars back around and brakes hard right in front of our little Mastigos, and the door to the back flies open, even as the engine purrs impatiently.

“Haybusa’s having fun, asked for me. Car’s from one of the Wise, called himself the Wizard.” She grins, leaning over with one arm thrown over her seat back. “How’s your night going?”

[Thanqol]

So here’s what I think happens: the car roars by at unwise speeds, here and then gone.

A minute later, it roars back around and brakes hard right in front of our little Mastigos, and the door to the back flies open, even as the engine purrs impatiently.

“Haybusa’s having fun, asked for me. Car’s from one of the Wise, called himself the Wizard.” She grins, leaning over with one arm thrown over her seat back. “How’s your night going?”

"I think I'm the bad guy in an Indiana Jones movie," said the girl, hopping into the back seat.

Refocus. That is exactly what you are. You are an expression of the desire to acquire that skull and unlock its secrets. You are willpower, you are energy, you are creative action in the world. Time for drifting is over - for now.

"And so it is that I shall acquire the secrets of the Crystal Skull!" Jayden Mavel said, and as she spoke her voice hit every note perfectly to send chills down the spine. It's really easy to forget what she's capable of, but with a twist of her voice and change to her stance she is suddenly power again. The gates of hell crash open and it's still music that they play down there - for the right audience.

She is awake. She is aware. She is on. The stage is engaged and the performance has started. Not because it's what she is, not for its own sake, but because it's the mechanism by which she will acquire what her soul craves.

She's an insane ham when she switches on, but it's hamminess backed by infinite charisma.

"Give me details, Twostreets!" she cried as she slammed the door shut. "I demand your report, and in return, I shall tell you how I shall crack the dreams of a mighty dreamer!"

[Anarion]

[Wits+Stamina: 7, 5, 6, 3, 2. Hayabusa is deafened.]

That...was incredible! Even if Hayabusa can’t get the ringing out of her ears. Okay, okay. The changeling wanted to guard this space and get the spirit out of there. And that sunbeam, that was going to work really well. Poor spirit. But in a place like this it would be full of essence, so even if they knocked it out, it could recover later.

That meant this moment called for action! Hayabusa gripped her talon necklace and set her feet in a stance for a jumping kick as she pictured her body glowing with a gossamer touch.
[gossamer touch at +1 potency. Instant cast and make hands into weapons with a bonus equal to potency (2 in this case). Duration naturally steps up, so this lasts for two actions.
4, 4, 8, 9]

Then she goes into a running jump and dropkicks the shadow spirit. [brawl+str+weapon: 8, 6, 8, 9, 1, 8, 3, 5, 4, 6. That’s 4 bashing damage added to whatever the changeling did.]

[Raz_Fox]

“I’m hunting,” the Witch of the Two Streets says, chill frost intermingled with her partner’s glorious burning flame. “One of my flowers was trampled, and I won’t be having it. This is connected, and I can’t wait to see how.”

The car screeches to a stop before their destination.

“I’d love your help walking this labyrinth,” the Witch says, unfastening her seat belt.

[Thanqol]

“I’m hunting,” the Witch of the Two Streets says, chill frost intermingled with her partner’s glorious burning flame. “One of my flowers was trampled, and I won’t be having it. This is connected, and I can’t wait to see how.”

The car screeches to a stop before their destination.

“I’d love your help walking this labyrinth,” the Witch says, unfastening her seat belt.

"Then my assistance shall be yours," said Mavel magnanimously - she changes the patterns her mind displays, the rhythm of her connection to the Witch to fit the demanded role better - blunt, bold, bright. There is no demand for her to be informed, so she shall not be a person who requires information. There is love on offer, so she shall be a person who acts from love. The identity spins together to fill the gaps that are left for it and so disharmony is impossible. She follows.

[stveje]

[Wits+Stamina: 7, 5, 6, 3, 2. Hayabusa is deafened.]

That...was incredible! Even if Hayabusa can’t get the ringing out of her ears. Okay, okay. The changeling wanted to guard this space and get the spirit out of there. And that sunbeam, that was going to work really well. Poor spirit. But in a place like this it would be full of essence, so even if they knocked it out, it could recover later.

That meant this moment called for action! Hayabusa gripped her talon necklace and set her feet in a stance for a jumping kick as she pictured her body glowing with a gossamer touch.
[gossamer touch at +1 potency. Instant cast and make hands into weapons with a bonus equal to potency (2 in this case). Duration naturally steps up, so this lasts for two actions.
4, 4, 8, 9]

Then she goes into a running jump and dropkicks the shadow spirit. [brawl+str+weapon: 8, 6, 8, 9, 1, 8, 3, 5, 4, 6. That’s 4 bashing damage added to whatever the changeling did.]

Its defense is 5, so that's one less.

You leap into the pit, heedless of the darkness or the depth - you feel a strange certainty that you'll land in water, though it still may not be the softest of landings - and deliver a solid kick to its face.

The spirit, already reeling from the light, retreats into the depths of the earth with a hiss. As you fall, surrounded by darkness and right on the spirit's tail, you feel its fearful presence and catch a glimpse of its baleful eyes. Roll Presence + Composure + Gnosis vs 2 successes.

If you fail, you're going to freeze up for a moment with terror: you're going to take 2 bashing damage - it's a long fall, but it's into water - and the spirit is going to get a head start as it retreats. If you succeed, you'll be able to keep up with the spirit once you land, and you can attempt to soften your landing (Dex + Athletics, each success subtracts from the damage, or if you can think of something else that may help)

Either way, you are overwhelmed by impressions in the brief few seconds of falling. You see flashes of dark tunnels below where the spirit may try to ambush or elude you. But at the end of the tunnels, in a dark grove where owls sit in every tree, you see someone whose face reminds you of the changeling, although you don't think she's a Changeling too.

You also see dogs swarming the mansion, Jayden and the Witch in the black car outside, and someone else ... another Mage, coming for the changeling.

“I’m hunting,” the Witch of the Two Streets says, chill frost intermingled with her partner’s glorious burning flame. “One of my flowers was trampled, and I won’t be having it. This is connected, and I can’t wait to see how.”

The car screeches to a stop before their destination.

“I’d love your help walking this labyrinth,” the Witch says, unfastening her seat belt.

The car screeches to a halt, and a massive dog lands with a heavy thump on the hood before leaping off. It's not alone. Packs of wild city dogs of every size and breed fill the street outside the abandoned mansion, and more keep flooding in. Someone lured them here. Could be Hayabusa or it could be someone else, although you don't immediately see anyone.

One of the dogs seems to notice your driver - a nice, juicy piece of dead meat - and suddenly it's not alone.

What do you do?

[Anarion]

[presence+composure+gnosis: 2, 1, 5, 9, 4, 10. 9. 3 successes.]
[soften the landing: 4, 2, 8. Take one bashing damage.]

So much rushing through her head. First thing, try to get the spirit dormant. “Hey, we can talk about this later, I’m sure we can find another arrangement for you!” Hayabusa says to the spirit as she gets up from the falling roll and snaps a series of punches at it before it can escape. She wants to knock out its corpus.
[second brawl attack (accounting for defense now: 1, 6, 8, 2, 4, 6. I’ll spend a willpower: 10, 3, 10. 2, 7. So that’s 3 more bashing damage. I hope that knocks out its corpus and sends it dormant.]

Regardless, her spell fades after a second attack, so we’ll either have a dormant spirit or a fleeing one. Hayabusa will brush her hair back, smooth her jeans and shout up from the hole (which may sound a bit off since she’s deafened) “I’ll find my way back up in a few minutes. Don’t go near the dogs, the shrine maiden is a helpful friend!” She’s going to head to the owl tree and the other person.

She’ll send a text to Jayden this time as she’s walking, giving out some orders. She was the ranking Mysterium here. So she writes:
“Hey :small smile: careful of the dogs, there’s another Mage here, probably Morgan. I just helped out a...changeling I think? :shrug: Have Streets talk to her, don’t let anybody else cart her away until I get back. I’m looking around the basement. Avoid any really deep shadows, they might be dangerous.”

[Thanqol]

The car screeches to a halt, and a massive dog lands with a heavy thump on the hood before leaping off. It's not alone. Packs of wild city dogs of every size and breed fill the street outside the abandoned mansion, and more keep flooding in. Someone lured them here. Could be Hayabusa or it could be someone else, although you don't immediately see anyone.

One of the dogs seems to notice your driver - a nice, juicy piece of dead meat - and suddenly it's not alone.

What do you do?

Dogs she did not like. Dogs she did not get. Dogs she did not understand. Jayden Mavel did not like dogs.

She rapidly rolls up her window.

She’ll send a text to Jayden this time as she’s walking, giving out some orders. She was the ranking Mysterium here. So she writes:
“Hey :small smile: careful of the dogs, there’s another Mage here, probably Morgan. I just helped out a...changeling I think? :shrug: Have Streets talk to her, don’t let anybody else cart her away until I get back. I’m looking around the basement. Avoid any really deep shadows, they might be dangerous.”

Jayden showed the text to the Witch. "Can you do dogs? I can't do dogs. Can you drive? I can't drive. Can you control zombie guy? I can't control zombie guy. I can put up a spell that'll let us drive right up into the house without getting out of the car and not hit any dogs though."

[Raz_Fox]

“Well. I could tell them to leave,” the Witch muses to herself. “But they’re obviously hungry, and driven by someone else. Maybe ridden. The car’s not mine, so we may as well leave it behind. Do as you will, Jayden.”

[Thanqol]

“Well. I could tell them to leave,” the Witch muses to herself. “But they’re obviously hungry, and driven by someone else. Maybe ridden. The car’s not mine, so we may as well leave it behind. Do as you will, Jayden.”

"Like hell I'm going out there to get eaten alive by dogs!" said Jayden, producing a large flat magic marker from a pocket somewhere and starting to write some runes on the ceiling of the car. "Let's just drive the car into the house. Yo, driver! Drive right on through the front door, you hear me?"

[Space 2: Break Boundaries. +1 Reach for instant cast, +1 reach for fitting a car into spaces it couldn't ordinarily fit into i.e. the interior of the house. Using a dedicated tool and runes for +2 dice and -paradox respectively:

Gnosis+Space+2: 7,2,7,7,10, - 1 success
Paradox chance dice: 9 - no successes.]

[stveje]

[presence+composure+gnosis: 2, 1, 5, 9, 4, 10. 9. 3 successes.]
[soften the landing: 4, 2, 8. Take one bashing damage.]

So much rushing through her head. First thing, try to get the spirit dormant. “Hey, we can talk about this later, I’m sure we can find another arrangement for you!” Hayabusa says to the spirit as she gets up from the falling roll and snaps a series of punches at it before it can escape. She wants to knock out its corpus.
[second brawl attack (accounting for defense now: 1, 6, 8, 2, 4, 6. I’ll spend a willpower: 10, 3, 10. 2, 7. So that’s 3 more bashing damage. I hope that knocks out its corpus and sends it dormant.]

Regardless, her spell fades after a second attack, so we’ll either have a dormant spirit or a fleeing one. Hayabusa will brush her hair back, smooth her jeans and shout up from the hole (which may sound a bit off since she’s deafened) “I’ll find my way back up in a few minutes. Don’t go near the dogs, the shrine maiden is a helpful friend!” She’s going to head to the owl tree and the other person.

She’ll send a text to Jayden this time as she’s walking, giving out some orders. She was the ranking Mysterium here. So she writes:
“Hey :small smile: careful of the dogs, there’s another Mage here, probably Morgan. I just helped out a...changeling I think? :shrug: Have Streets talk to her, don’t let anybody else cart her away until I get back. I’m looking around the basement. Avoid any really deep shadows, they might be dangerous.”

The spirit isn't quite knocked out and flees as fast as it can into the old tunnels, to hide and lick its wounds. It has certainly learned to be more wary around you.

As you follow the tunnels, you become aware of the changeling following you. She keeps a fair distance, lurking in the darkness, but not so far that you can't see her, or she can't see you. Apparently, staying behind did not suit her.

You find an old rusty gate leading to some secluded part of the abandoned park. This place is Wild, completely out of place for a city. It's like you've been transported thousands of miles from any city to the middle of some remote forest. The changeling doesn't follow you outside, but stays in the shadows of the tunnel, gazing out.

As sound begins to return to you, you hear a haunting tune from the wilderness ahead. Someone singing quietly, and owls in every tree echoing. Aside from this song, it's so deeply quiet here, you can't even hear the distant sound of traffic.

Do you leave the changeling and follow the song, or ...? What do you do?

"Like hell I'm going out there to get eaten alive by dogs!" said Jayden, producing a large flat magic marker from a pocket somewhere and starting to write some runes on the ceiling of the car. "Let's just drive the car into the house. Yo, driver! Drive right on through the front door, you hear me?"

[Space 2: Break Boundaries. +1 Reach for instant cast, +1 reach for fitting a car into spaces it couldn't ordinarily fit into i.e. the interior of the house. Using a dedicated tool and runes for +2 dice and -paradox respectively:

Gnosis+Space+2: 7,2,7,7,10, - 1 success
Paradox chance dice: 9 - no successes.]

The zombie obligingly drives the car right through the front door of the house ... and all the dogs obligingly follow, surrounding the car. In the lobby, the car makes a strange sound and stops abruptly. That wasn't a normal stop. Someone messed with the engine, most likely.

The car's speakers turn on, and a woman's voice comes out. This is a different voice than you heard earlier, however. She sounds young.

"I hope you're comfortable in there. I take it you don't like dogs?" the voice says. "Funny you should choose the job of dog-catcher, then, or was it a happy accident? It's never easy to tell with Witches around. But if you don't like dogs, you won't mind me catching this one, hmm? It doesn't have to become so complicated between us."

[Thanqol]

The zombie obligingly drives the car right through the front door of the house ... and all the dogs obligingly follow, surrounding the car. In the lobby, the car makes a strange sound and stops abruptly. That wasn't a normal stop. Someone messed with the engine, most likely.

The car's speakers turn on, and a woman's voice comes out. This is a different voice than you heard earlier, however. She sounds young.

"I hope you're comfortable in there. I take it you don't like dogs?" the voice says. "Funny you should choose the job of dog-catcher, then, or was it a happy accident? It's never easy to tell with Witches around. But if you don't like dogs, you won't mind me catching this one, hmm? It doesn't have to become so complicated between us."

Jayden opens her magical perceptions and tunes into the Forces Arcanum. To her it's all embers - burned out frazzled scars and echoes of greater music. Like waking up with a hangover and only dim memories of the music from the night before. She's just looking to eyeball the spell on the car's radio, get a sense for the caster's magical signature.

"I am just here to, like, stop a flower from being trampled, lady," said Jayden. "You don't want to make it complicated then walk on the footpath like a normal person."

[Anarion]

The spirit isn't quite knocked out and flees as fast as it can into the old tunnels, to hide and lick its wounds. It has certainly learned to be more wary around you.

As you follow the tunnels, you become aware of the changeling following you. She keeps a fair distance, lurking in the darkness, but not so far that you can't see her, or she can't see you. Apparently, staying behind did not suit her.

You find an old rusty gate leading to some secluded part of the abandoned park. This place is Wild, completely out of place for a city. It's like you've been transported thousands of miles from any city to the middle of some remote forest. The changeling doesn't follow you outside, but stays in the shadows of the tunnel, gazing out.

As sound begins to return to you, you hear a haunting tune from the wilderness ahead. Someone singing quietly, and owls in every tree echoing. Aside from this song, it's so deeply quiet here, you can't even hear the distant sound of traffic.

Do you leave the changeling and follow the song, or ...? What do you do?

Darn, she had really hoped to for something different there. Had the shadow spirit gone dormant, she'd have been able to keep it asleep, bring it back in a better place, even feed it properly so it could exist safely. As it stood, it knew it's place better, but the mansion wasn't safe and she'd need to come back and deal with that. Ah well, carrot and stick, right? She could return and speak to it peacefully when it wasn't holding someone in thrall.

Had the changeling been speaking to her while she was deaf? Could it hear the song? This was a difficult choice, so many things here spoke to her! Stay with the Changeling and talk? Follow the song? Something like that song spoke to her soul though. That haunting beauty, the connection to Nyssi and the owls, the power of spirit. This was something that moved through that world with power. But did it have to be a choice?

She turned to the Changeling. "Hey. I didn't totally stop the shadow. It's hiding here, be careful. I'm going out here to...investigate. Can you hear the song?" Hayabusa lets it fill her heart for just a second. "You can come, I'll try and protect you. Or wait here. I still want to talk and we need to figure out what to do about the mansion. If you stay and I leave, that thing will come back for you eventually. You can call me Hayabusa, by the way, and if you ever need help, I take care of the shrine in the Two Streets. Okay?"

[stveje]

Jayden opens her magical perceptions and tunes into the Forces Arcanum. To her it's all embers - burned out frazzled scars and echoes of greater music. Like waking up with a hangover and only dim memories of the music from the night before. She's just looking to eyeball the spell on the car's radio, get a sense for the caster's magical signature.

"I am just here to, like, stop a flower from being trampled, lady," said Jayden. "You don't want to make it complicated then walk on the footpath like a normal person."

"But I love tramplin'," the girl says, and the radio starts playing. There's a heavy thump against the roof of the car, and a pair of boots start stomping to the rhythm atop the car. "I even put on my favorite tramplin' boots."

There's something solid and enduring about this mage's aura. The ashen echoes of music feel like ancient stone-age beats, carved in the bedrock by aeons of wind and rain. It's the energy of the Earth: most of the time it's slow, yet strong enough to wear down mountains, or build mountains, but when it erupts ...

"Your voice is familiar ... Jayden Mavel, right? Weren't you just at Sass's?"

She turned to the Changeling. "Hey. I didn't totally stop the shadow. It's hiding here, be careful. I'm going out here to...investigate. Can you hear the song?" Hayabusa lets it fill her heart for just a second. "You can come, I'll try and protect you. Or wait here. I still want to talk and we need to figure out what to do about the mansion. If you stay and I leave, that thing will come back for you eventually. You can call me Hayabusa, by the way, and if you ever need help, I take care of the shrine in the Two Streets. Okay?"

Sounds like a Persuade check, but make it at -2.

[Anarion]

Sounds like a Persuade check, but make it at -2.

[5, 8, 5. One success.] Maybe all that Shadow punching had earned her a little credit with the Changeling here. Let's see if it joined.

[Thanqol]

"But I love tramplin'," the girl says, and the radio starts playing. There's a heavy thump against the roof of the car, and a pair of boots start stomping to the rhythm atop the car. "I even put on my favorite tramplin' boots."

There's something solid and enduring about this mage's aura. The ashen echoes of music feel like ancient stone-age beats, carved in the bedrock by aeons of wind and rain. It's the energy of the Earth: most of the time it's slow, yet strong enough to wear down mountains, or build mountains, but when it erupts ...

"Your voice is familiar ... Jayden Mavel, right? Weren't you just at Sass's?"

She liked that energy. It felt warm, cozy, nostalgic... the energy from when the music was everything. The energy she was wearing like a mask right now. There was a time she would have met fire with fire and tried to drown herself in the pounding of drums and scream louder than that volcano as all the earth came up and the ruin came with it...

Rage. Power. Defiance. She loved the memories, like how one of the Pompeii statues loved the memory of the eruption despite all that it had wrought.

"Oh hey, you've heard of me," said Jayden, reclining back into the Witch's side as she looked up at the rooftop, tracing the patterns of music between the thumps. "And you've been stalking me too! Man, most new mages must find that kind of thing to be an absolute trip, huh? But you know how to carry a tune so, tell you what - ditch the House of de Vil thing you've got going on here and take me out somewhere with alcohol and I'll show you some real dancing."

[Raz_Fox]

This is... maddening. Strange. And wonderful.

The Witch shall let this strange little drama unfold! And why not? It is a fool who insists on answers immediately! We are the Wise, are we not? We can afford to wait until things unfold properly.

So, do go on. Let’s see the conclusion.

[stveje]

[5, 8, 5. One success.] Maybe all that Shadow punching had earned her a little credit with the Changeling here. Let's see if it joined.

"Okay." The changeling looks a bit uncertain at the park as she takes a tentative step outside. "My name is ... is Sköll. I thought I was dreaming that song. My ... someone I once knew used to sing it."

She sniffs the air as if it's her first time smelling fresh air, and then she tenses. "We're not alone. Someone is coming."

She liked that energy. It felt warm, cozy, nostalgic... the energy from when the music was everything. The energy she was wearing like a mask right now. There was a time she would have met fire with fire and tried to drown herself in the pounding of drums and scream louder than that volcano as all the earth came up and the ruin came with it...

Rage. Power. Defiance. She loved the memories, like how one of the Pompeii statues loved the memory of the eruption despite all that it had wrought.

"Oh hey, you've heard of me," said Jayden, reclining back into the Witch's side as she looked up at the rooftop, tracing the patterns of music between the thumps. "And you've been stalking me too! Man, most new mages must find that kind of thing to be an absolute trip, huh? But you know how to carry a tune so, tell you what - ditch the House of de Vil thing you've got going on here and take me out somewhere with alcohol and I'll show you some real dancing."

"Really?" There are a few beats of silence. "Okay."

She sounds cheerful, like she just went "wow, that was easy."

"I'm Curb, and by the way, stalking? Not really my style. Li'l Sass sent me a text, although she didn't say you were on your way here. Might have spared us some time if she had."

[Thanqol]

"Really?" There are a few beats of silence. "Okay."

She sounds cheerful, like she just went "wow, that was easy."

"I'm Curb, and by the way, stalking? Not really my style. Li'l Sass sent me a text, although she didn't say you were on your way here. Might have spared us some time if she had."

Some part of her wanted to resist out of sheer contrarianism. If this person was happy with the outcome didn't it mean she'd lost by giving her what she wanted? Should she not puff herself up and rage against her to find something she didn't want to do, and make her do it?

But those thoughts were smoke; the memory of fire traced in still air. Picking fights for unclear reasons with unknown people no longer seemed like a sign of strength. It seemed like a habit, as artificial as any other.

"Alright," said Jayden, kicking the door open and stepping out of the car with a dramatic stretch of limbs. "Twostreets, you good to figure out what's haps with your flowers while I get a drink?"

[Anarion]

"Okay." The changeling looks a bit uncertain at the park as she takes a tentative step outside. "My name is ... is Sköll. I thought I was dreaming that song. My ... someone I once knew used to sing it."

She sniffs the air as if it's her first time smelling fresh air, and then she tenses. "We're not alone. Someone is coming."

"Not the singer I assume then? I thought this mansion was supposed to be abandoned, and at any rate not something anyone was keeping an active project in. Instead there's you and at least two major spiritual powers and now somebody else is coming? Can't a girl study something interesting in peace?" Hayabusa gives the changeling a shrug, like, yeah she wants that but she knows you have to roll with the state of the world and it's not really anything to get worked up about. Sometimes the world just looks weird. All the time, really.

"Sköll. Mine's Hayabusa. I'll keep you safe, if I can. Let's go meet whoever is here and find out who's doing the singing."

[Raz_Fox]

"Alright," said Jayden, kicking the door open and stepping out of the car with a dramatic stretch of limbs. "Twostreets, you good to figure out what's haps with your flowers while I get a drink?"

“Naturally.” The Witch’s exit from the vehicle is much more elegant, smooth, ever so slightly unnatural. A far cry from either Jayden’s confident outburst or the gangly, unhurried movements of Clover.

[stveje]

Some part of her wanted to resist out of sheer contrarianism. If this person was happy with the outcome didn't it mean she'd lost by giving her what she wanted? Should she not puff herself up and rage against her to find something she didn't want to do, and make her do it?

But those thoughts were smoke; the memory of fire traced in still air. Picking fights for unclear reasons with unknown people no longer seemed like a sign of strength. It seemed like a habit, as artificial as any other.

"Alright," said Jayden, kicking the door open and stepping out of the car with a dramatic stretch of limbs. "Twostreets, you good to figure out what's haps with your flowers while I get a drink?"

“Naturally.” The Witch’s exit from the vehicle is much more elegant, smooth, ever so slightly unnatural. A far cry from either Jayden’s confident outburst or the gangly, unhurried movements of Clover.

In case it escaped notice, or our dear witch forgot, this is the one you were looking for. Mitzi, or Curb, who your witness said threw the bomb through the window of that restaurant, and who may have trampled your flowers too. And if not her, probably one of her friends.

She's short and stocky, arms and neck covered in tattoos, short hair ... gorgeous boots. Those weren't cheap. In fact, despite her street look, none of her clothes look particularly cheap, although they have suffered some of the wear of the street. She keeps dancing to the rhythm as she watches you leave the car. Dogs all around come up to sniff you, as dogs are wont to do. "Aren't you coming too? More the merrier," she says sweetly.

"Not the singer I assume then? I thought this mansion was supposed to be abandoned, and at any rate not something anyone was keeping an active project in. Instead there's you and at least two major spiritual powers and now somebody else is coming? Can't a girl study something interesting in peace?" Hayabusa gives the changeling a shrug, like, yeah she wants that but she knows you have to roll with the state of the world and it's not really anything to get worked up about. Sometimes the world just looks weird. All the time, really.

"Sköll. Mine's Hayabusa. I'll keep you safe, if I can. Let's go meet whoever is here and find out who's doing the singing."

Sköll just shrugs. She doesn't know any more than you do about what's going on.

The park is not so bad here, almost like there's a path just for you, that you just so happen to have stumbled upon. Everywhere else, it's a bloody jungle. You take a few steps when you hear noise from the wilderness. A spirit in the shape of a massive black dog, more bear than dog really, emerges from the tangles with surprising ease as if it's perfectly at home in any wilderness despite its size. The perfect doggo, loyal and good, the kind who'll never let you down, who will guard and protect you and carry you on its strong back if necessary.

It stops right in front of you and seems to want you to come with it, off the path, back the way it came. Sköll has already taken a step towards it without thought, drawn to its good and protective nature.

[Anarion]

It stops right in front of you and seems to want you to come with it, off the path, back the way it came. Sköll has already taken a step towards it without thought, drawn to its good and protective nature.

Hayabusa puts her arm out to stop Sköll from going forward. There are spirits of good concepts, but it is exceptionally odd that a spirit of a guiding dog would appear to lead them off the path. Even such spirits do not provide charity (on a similar note, she likely was overly harsh on the shadow spirit, if she finds it later, she'll likely try to offer it essence to make amends for her haste in the moment).

[She'll quickly cast know spirit: 1, 1, 2, 5, 2, 7. Spending a willpower 5, 7, 8. Just squeaked by on that. For this one my base is potency 3, so Name first, then influences, then ban, reduce by its rank as relevant.]

As she digests the information, she'll cautiously greet the dog by name, ask what it's doing here, and where it wants to lead them.

[stveje]

Hayabusa puts her arm out to stop Sköll from going forward. There are spirits of good concepts, but it is exceptionally odd that a spirit of a guiding dog would appear to lead them off the path. Even such spirits do not provide charity (on a similar note, she likely was overly harsh on the shadow spirit, if she finds it later, she'll likely try to offer it essence to make amends for her haste in the moment).

[She'll quickly cast know spirit: 1, 1, 2, 5, 2, 7. Spending a willpower 5, 7, 8. Just squeaked by on that. For this one my base is potency 3, so Name first, then influences, then ban, reduce by its rank as relevant.]

As she digests the information, she'll cautiously greet the dog by name, ask what it's doing here, and where it wants to lead them.

Its name is Backbone.

It's also not a subtle creature, so it tells you honestly that it's here to find the changeling and bring her back to its master. It won't hurt her, and you're welcome to come, too, if you want. While you can't tell for certain from your spell, unless you were to try again, it seems it's someone's familiar.

[Raz_Fox]

Ah. Here she is, and dancing to strange music, is she not? Not in herself, not of herself.

“Curb.” Her voice is cold as ice. How dare she? Even if her wits are all abuzz, this is wrong. What she has done is wicked, whether she is the hand or the weapon. “Why have you trampled on Will’s? It never did you harm.”

[Anarion]

Its name is Backbone.

It's also not a subtle creature, so it tells you honestly that it's here to find the changeling and bring her back to its master. It won't hurt her, and you're welcome to come, too, if you want. While you can't tell for certain from your spell, unless you were to try again, it seems it's someone's familiar.

"Five minutes" she says. "Go tell your master. We'll join you in 5 minutes." It's a command, not a request, though she won't try to harm another Mage's familiar unless the mage tries to cast magic through it at her. "We're going to look at the singing first."

Hayabusa was starting to get actively annoyed. Normally, a place had minor spirits. Someplace significant like the mansion might have one more significant spirit like the shadow being. Maybe a second if that shadow had displaced something as seemed to be the case with the owls. You could take the time to get to know them, have some conversations, understand what they were after. Here, there had also been a Changeling who was a special case, dangerous, and prone to flight, so she'd had to act more quickly and aggressively than normal. No time to negotiate and offer essence to a shadow when the changeling would have attacked her when she entered the room if she wasn't helping it. But now there were, what, at least 4 Mages here? Maybe 5? Multiple spirits, some kind of...what was this a demense, or a verge, or maybe an iris to the primal wild she was floating around in? Just...let her focus on one thing for a a few minutes without something else popping up and demand they go a different way. Singing first, then this other mage.

[Thanqol]

In case it escaped notice, or our dear witch forgot, this is the one you were looking for. Mitzi, or Curb, who your witness said threw the bomb through the window of that restaurant, and who may have trampled your flowers too. And if not her, probably one of her friends.

She's short and stocky, arms and neck covered in tattoos, short hair ... gorgeous boots. Those weren't cheap. In fact, despite her street look, none of her clothes look particularly cheap, although they have suffered some of the wear of the street. She keeps dancing to the rhythm as she watches you leave the car. Dogs all around come up to sniff you, as dogs are wont to do. "Aren't you coming too? More the merrier," she says sweetly.

Ah. Here she is, and dancing to strange music, is she not? Not in herself, not of herself.

“Curb.” Her voice is cold as ice. How dare she? Even if her wits are all abuzz, this is wrong. What she has done is wicked, whether she is the hand or the weapon. “Why have you trampled on Will’s? It never did you harm.”

Jayden relaxed her persona, detaching herself from her identity as a diver kicks off from the side of a ship into the ocean of thought. The Witch had cut right to the heart of the matter - what could she add to the emotion passing between the two of them? She should instead drift and absorb, see the nature of the friction in this moment when it's revealed. What defenses go up? What is the emotional tenor here, what lies does she tell herself, how does her identity justify its existence when challenged?

How does Curb justify a crime to herself?

[Wits+Empathy: 6,6,2,3,8,6,1 - 1 success, strike off numbers from the right if there's a penalty]