The Witch and the Dark Forest (IC)

[Katie]

Angelica Durand
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Cat Sith Casino - Main Hall

She wanders the casino like a lost child. Gambling was never a pastime of hers, not when she was scrounging for every coin. Courage propels her deeper into the first floor, and luck is how she runs into Tiffany White. Though she’s never really seen someone trip on a flat floor until now. It’s impressive, yet very worrying if this waitress is one of the people she is meant to protect.

“Perhaps, for example, I can get you a drink and a seat to rest in as we wait for our other associates to arrive? Or would you like to speak with Miss Renwick? I’m not sure if she’s in her office right now…”

Angelica tries not to mull over how someone would introduce herself with the word “incompetent” and instead tries to look on the bright side. At least she’s nice.

“A drink and a seat would be just dandy.” Moving from one place to another, just to sit down and wait some more… Was it too hard to get things running smoothly?

[GilgameshKingOfMemes]

Charapalos Kallergis, Elyra Reissford, John Hopkins
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Holy Church - Basement Morgue

Originally Posted by Charapalos Kallergis
"Out of curiosity Miss Gwyn, have these sightings increased since the rumor of this Witch's forest made itself known? I would imagine the existence of a Witch in such a place would attract a good deal of curious hearts like us.... And pray tell Miss Gwyn, do you have knowledge of those who claim to have seen sights of demonic activity? I do not mean to pressure you, any lead will be of help."

“Increase has been pretty concerning. Rumor got popular about a year ago with demonic sightings, but none made it to Magisfair until 6 months ago. Excavator deaths in the down under have been on the rise a while before that….”
Gwyn starts digging around in her clutter of paperwork for something she might have pertaining to your questioning. She bent down as there seemed to be number of shelves below her coroners table in which a variety of stained folders were flopped out.

It seemed like wasted effort though, as she suddenly remembered what she was looking for was on the counter at the back wall.

“You get markers for things but you keep forgetting where you put them…”

Muttering to herself she walks over to a particular folder. Held down by a pale white candle stick she was using as a paper weight, she moves the item to the side as she flips through the folder.

“Demon rumors have been pretty common in Magisfair for a while. Sometimes for general beasts, sometimes not….. let’s see, there’s been some disappearances around a housing sector called Tartarus down in the slums. It’s not exactly demon rumors but they say the M.S.D have been pretty dodgy about those affairs.”

Gwyn flips through a few papers in the folder looking for one other thing she seemed to have had written down. It was hard to figure out by what criteria she was organizing these folders by.

“Have you ever heard of the Blackmur family? Mmmm, Probably not. They're a noble family that went the way of the Dodo twenty years ago but they practiced demonology. According to a pal of mine Urizen though, he says he’s seen one of those folks in the market place like a ghost from the past…… Don’t tell him I’ve told you this.”

Gwyn quickly pulls out some note cards covered in messy handwriting before nearly returning the folder to its proper spot. With care, she places the pale candle back on the folder.

Originally Posted by Elyra Reissford
“It seems like I’ve found an out of place object. Does anyone know what this could be?"

“Oh, how peculiar. That’s a pretty unnatural shade, it’s really golden in the most literal sense. You think it’s authentic? Could be worth something.”


Alina Eltnam Ardiansyah, Owen Ariafiction, Farrah Harcourt, Lyn L Lynhammer
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

Originally Posted by Lyn L Lynhammer
"Ah, hello, children. I'm Professor Lynhammer. I was sent by Mrs. Tindal to help escort you and assist you however you can. There's no need for formality, so you can call me Lyn if you wish. I'm afraid that your designated guide was more of a drug addicted lazy imbecile than anyone useful, so I was sent to replace him. There's no worries. I am at your service."

“Huh? An escort? This was just…. When would she have…”

Mathew stammers as he tries to figure out the mans strange claims. He looks like he’s trying to recall something only for his words to suddenly come to a halt.

“I suppose it must be true…. I can’t….”

The professor seemed lost before suddenly recognizing that one of his students is hiding behind me. That Lyn fellow certainly gave off strange vibes he had to acknowledge that.

“I get that this man looks…. And speaks, oddly…. But, he’s just another professor. He should be fine to greet normally.”

Mathew didn’t sound too sure himself, but his head wasn’t able to figure out that there was anything wrong with his story. He simply stopped thinking about his story.

Originally Posted by Own Ariafiction
“Wagner, right? Miss Tindal says you’re allowed to come with us. Would you mind, terribly?”

Wagner nods to the boy in a quick, efficient way.

“Understood.”

Putting down her clipboard, she shuffles her way forward to stand by Mathew.

“Mr. Ried.”

“Wagner….”

The two acknowledge each other awkwardly, but they don’t say another word to each other.


Angelica Durand
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Cat Sith Casino - Main Hall

Watching the girl fumble and run off for drinks you were once again left to wait on someone’s else’s Your gaze was drawn to that figure which had stood out to you before only to find the vanished from their seat.

“Good afternoon dear. You know, I’m a bit of a betting man and I think I could confidently wager that you’re one Angelica Durand.”

The man was somehow behind you now, leaning against one of the halls many archways. Digging into a shirt pocket, he pulls out a single note card.

“Representative of the House of that Enlightened Sun. I’ve seen your future. It's quite the sight. Rumor investing was it? Well, I have an offer for you.”

The man pushes what turns out to be something resembling a business card, House of the Enlightened Sun intricately written at the top above a single, abstract eye.

“There are beings in this city a lot older than you or I. They know the Witch is real, just like the M.S.D already does. And I’m sure they’re willing to speak to you all about it, if you show your worth.”

The man reaches into his back pocket this time. He holds something tightly in palm, revealing a small seed.

“They’d just like to see how well you can cherish this seed. To prove your worth.”

[Katie]

Angelica Durand
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Cat Sith Casino - Main Hall

This is the worst pitch she has ever heard in her life, Angelica decides. She’s half a mind to reject it outright, but she doesn’t want to get on the bad side of people with far more influence than her. Maybe it’s too much to ask from Magisfair for a simple life, but maybe one where she doesn’t need to worry about dying would be possible. Achievable, plausible, even.

God, maybe she should pick up gardening. Tomatoes have never killed anyone.

“I’ll consider it,” she says, taking the business card, but very pointedly not taking whatever the seed was. It was unlikely for the card to be enchanted, but no doubt whatever that shady hooligan was holding in his hands was magic, and the less weird stuff she didn’t take from creatures on her, the better.

“Look, I get a lot of offers, but I prefer them if they’re from people I can see.” She tries to give him a reassuring smile, but it feels as fake as the man she’s giving it to. “No hard feelings, right?”

[Dreamerless]

Lyn L. Lynhammer
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

So, that had worked well. He hadn't expected much resistance, but still... was he really that disturbing that all three children had chosen to run away from him? He should try to get their trust back so they'd know that he meant well. Well, well in a manner of speaking. Wellness was subjective. Franny hadn't had much advice for how to be nice to youngsters, so he was winging it. He quickly went to the one that had hidden, Alina, and gave her a smile. A totally non-sus one.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Eltnam. I promise that I'll be as good an escort as possible. But with a young talent like yourself, I don't think you'll need it."

And then he turned to Wagner. The one who he hadn't expected to join the party. But she was here now and besides, he could use her.

"Of course, my angel. I'm so glad that you'll decide to join us on our expedition. A pretty face and a competent mind is always useful."

And with that he had definitely wowed them all with his sheer trustworthiness. Turning so fast his coat twirled, he addressed everyone at once. Now instead of looking like a shady butler, he looked like an energetic shady butler.

"Now children, time for a field trip!"

[Draconic]

Farrah Harcourt
Phase 1
Day 1 – Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor – Tindal’s Office




Nothing to do but follow along for now. She could spare the effort necessary to keep an eye on Lynhammer, if it seemed necessary. As long as he pulled his weight, she was sure she could manage.

Professor Reid on the other hand was only getting more agitated. Whether that was because he was being pulled away from his job, genuine concern for her and her fellow students, or another reason entirely, she couldn’t say, but it would be best to get started sooner than later. Also, from the way he and Wagner greeted each other, they obviously knew each other, which wasn’t that surprising, but they didn’t seem particularly close. Either that or they’d had some sort of falling out, but it was better not to speculate. She didn’t want to make assumptions about people. Just as well that their latecomer interrupted her speculation.

“Now children, time for a field trip!”

…condescending much? Really, what was with this guy?

”Fair enough. If we’re ready to go, let’s head over to the Pig & Whistle and pick up Ms. Bygrave. The sooner we finish this errand, the sooner we can start the project we came here for.”

She headed toward the doors — slowly, to make sure she wasn’t just running off on her own. It wouldn’t do her any good to seem overexcited.

[Spartacus]

Alina Eltnam Ardiansyah
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

“I get that this man looks…. And speaks, oddly…. But, he’s just another professor. He should be fine to greet normally.”

"If you say so..."

Prof. Reid's reassurance snaps Alina back to be herself. That reaction was very immature for an Atlas alchemist like her. If she want to control her own fate, the most important step is to be a logical person.

This Lynh-, this Professor Lynhammer claims to be sent by Mrs. Tindall. Although she doesn't trust either of those two individuals as a person, there is no reason for this man to lie about his inclusion here, because people like Mrs. Tindall will not let an unknown variable join her carefully planned group. At the very least, he must be a legitimate member of the team.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Eltnam. I promise that I'll be as good an escort as possible. But with a young talent like yourself, I don't think you'll need it."

"I'm sorry for my rudeness, Professor. I was startled because I don't know who you are." She bowed as an apology, both to Lynhammer and to herself. "We are going to be together in this expedition, so I hope that I could be an assistance for all of us."

She has been very impolite to a professor and fellow teammate, that's not a good start. If she wanted to achive her dream through the First Magic, she need to colaborate effectively with everyone in her team. She understand from her own research that she can't do this alone regardless of her genius, and she needs all the help she can get to survive. Her uncalled for behavior might be demerital to their teamwork in the long run.

That being the case, there is something else that she need to address.

"But please refrain from flattering me. I'm not the kind of person that like such a thing."

Although Alina aware that she is objectively a very special individual, she never needed to boast or seek validation from others, in fact, she detest it. Statistically speaking, vainglory is a trait that many people detest. It could influence the perception of others to her negatively.

And as a person that want to control her own fate, an outside evalution of herself is simply unneccessary.

[RacingeR]

Thekla Holzknecht
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Holy Church - Church Nave

Thekla’s eyebrows arched up at Gabriella’s answer. Generally speaking, to keep such a thing ‘classified’ in this context could be interpreted to be rather demeaning, and it was hard to not consider it so. However, the white-haired Executor’s expression remained still and remote.

The reality was that this was ultimately Gabriella’s bailiwick. Sure, Thekla herself probably (she wasn’t entirely sure, honestly) had the authority to, in last instance, issue orders to the Cavalieri d’arme herself, but the orders and authority of their Grandmaster justly superseded hers, so it wasn’t quite like she could actually make any demands here anyway.

Sure, it was more than a bit suspect. One of them even apparently had the idle time to go call up one of the Executors for what had to be this little get-together as well. The whole situation made her feel like Gabriella had some sort of agenda out of all this, but… it was simply too easy to second-guess everything until she’d tossed herself into some sort of paranoid fit.

It was not like she’d been given a reason to not trust her, anyway. Whatever game she was playing, the North Star had shown their loyalty to the Holy Church repeatedly. There was simply no concrete reason to suspect anything.

“Very well.” Thekla rose up from her seat. The two swords held at either side of her elaborate dress jangled slightly, and she felt the one at her right pulse. She idly caressed the hilt with her hand, and nodded at Gabriella. “I shall accept your request, and proceed immediately to investigate. Good day, Miss Gabriella.”

Her tone was still neutral and remote, even as a fire burned in her eyes. There was evil to smite, and regardless of anything, that was what she was born to do. So she forgot about the Grandmaster, who regardless would at least owe her one for this favor (it was a request after all) and walked up to the entrance of the crypt.

She only stopped to wave at one of the few idlers about. “Please send for Miss Rozenhegel to come to the autopsy room soonest. Thank you.”

Now, off to work.


Thekla Holzknecht
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Holy Church - Basement Morgue

“Mister Kallergis is right.” Thekla’s voice sounded out as she stepped into the morgue, having paused beforehand to compose herself. She’d heard Charapalos speak then, and had paused again to witness the spectacle of Elyra’s threads working their… holy magic on the corpse. “Dispersing like this would be most unwise.”

There was something on the way she spoke, a sort of trained authority to it, that called all attention as she spoke. And then there was the way she moved and looked, the sort of elegance and understated rhythm to her movements that naturally called the eye. Perhaps Charapalos amongst everyone here could recognize the studied quality underlying beneath it all, the way she had constructed this image and identity, forged this charisma as one more weapon in her arsenal.

She’d dispensed with her nun’s headdress for this, leaving her white hair uncovered. There was no need to suspect dye there: it had once been a beautiful shade of dark blond, before the Ritual and before she learned more about duty than she’d ever wanted to. The Saint still wore that black dress threaded with gold, showy and fitting to her, highlighting her beauty. Her physical looks were undeniably pleasant, and it was clear she’d gone out of her way to emphasize them.

Yet, it’d be wrong to confuse that with mere vanity. What this, along with the nun headdress did, was to emphasize a single, startling fact. Thekla was Different. She wasn’t like anyone else in the Church, because she was the Judge, and everyone was subject to her Judgment. There existed no exceptions to this iron law. And there was no artifice in the distinct predatory edge of a warrior and trained killer in her movements.

Well, that was how it was supposed to be in principle. Either way…

“I’m Thekla Holzknecht. Saint of Killers.” She said, unnecessarily so, but one must still observe proper protocol, if at least a simple introduction, and she dispensed with any additional theatrics. “I thank all of you and the Lord for your assistance in this mission.”

Yeah, that’s how a leader was supposed to sound like. An expression of authority, however pleasantly wrapped. Not sounding like she was wishing she’d had time to wash her teeth before she’d scrambled to a meeting she was arriving late to. Totally intentional to be fashionably late.

Keeping up an image was an unmitigated pain in the ass.

Satisfied with her performance, Thekla continued on, stopping in front of Elyra, red eyes narrowing to observe the thin thread of gold. “Good job, Miss Reissford. We’d have missed this detail otherwise.” She nodded a greeting to Gwyn as well. “Whether it is valuable or not, its existence within the corpse has significance. It may have been the medium used to perform the spell upon our victim, perhaps how the demon manifested in the first place. Should we have access to a… collaborative expert in magecraft, it might be worth having them analyze it. If this turns out to be the work of a magus, that is… and discarding that possibility has worth in itself.”

She cast her gaze upon the corpse, and fury flashed in her eyes. Nobody deserved to die like this, regardless of how sinful they were. It was clear that this man’s final moments had to have been utterly excruciating. Even if she’d become accustomed to gruesome sights such as these, especially in her last four years of active duty, it still made her queasy to look at it. She showed no outside sign of her discomfort, however.

She did mildly regret asking Margit down here. Thekla didn’t like to expose her to this kind of sight even if her friend had seen worse by now. Ah well, too late for that and she wasn’t keen on wasting any more time.

“May I trouble you with a bit of information, Miss Gwyn? The file I was given mentioned the corpse was hollow. May I ask if all of the internal organs were missing? If not, could you specify which ones were gone?” It was a bit of a blind stab, but maybe she could get something out of this specific data. So far, it sounded like the demon had made itself a body out of the poor man’s insides (and wasn’t that a particularly pleasant mental image? Better to not dwell on that one), but perhaps it had targeted a specific organ. Perhaps not.

She turned her attention towards her three teammates, and smiled slightly at them. “Before we proceed, I’d like to establish a few guidelines for us to work with. Although I am the leader of this unit right now, I have no interest in specifically micromanaging all of you. I think that it’d be best if we are all able to collaborate together with our specific fields, rather than the more… authoritarian forms of command available.”

“First, although there’s no need for me to say so, I will still formally appoint Mr. Kallergis as the second in command. In my absence, he’ll be the one holding ultimate authority.” She nodded respectfully to Charapalos. She didn’t know much about the two Executors, but the Knight-Commander was a figure as public as she was, and one of renown and proven loyalty. She’d be a fool to not avail herself of his experience and prowess. Furthermore, he was her equal in rank, although as head of the church’s survey corps, Thekla’s authority within the context of the expedition was greater than his.

“Second, I’d like to establish that Magisfair is quite dangerous right now. Demon aside, I’m fairly sure all of us are able to make a fair account of ourselves in a fight, but we’re far from a place where the Church has any authority, and the place doesn’t strike me as very lawful and orderly even at the best of times.” She paused for a brief moment, eyes focusing briefly on her two fellow Executors. “That will be a lot worse now. With the rumored existence of a witch, all kinds of factions will have a strong interest in the city and Albion in general, and many of them may be antagonistic to us. I’m fairly sure none of us wants to have a run-in with a Dead Apostle without any backup.”

“So I’d like for the four of us to stay together as much as possible. In the case that isn’t possible, try to keep together in teams of two. To state things formally once more, Mr. Kallergis will be paired with Mr. Hopkins, while I will be paired with Ms. Reissford.” She stated.

“Thirdly, our job right now is to hunt a Demon. That has priority over most other targets.” Thekla’s eyes narrowed once again, clearly not pleased with the orders she was giving. “Perhaps other factions in the city like the Zoa and Autopsy Division will try to explain to our enemy how unwelcome it is in their streets. In that case we’ll proceed as if we were on the same side, albeit still keeping our guard up.” She frowned, and added. “That includes Clock Tower Magi and other such… employers of the occult arts. We’re not going into the city to make an issue with them, for now, so avoid unnecessary clashes as much as possible.”

She said nothing about how to react when said clashes were made necessary. The message for that particular contingency was pretty clear.

“Of course, upon encountering Dead Apostles and unholy abominations of that kind, you may employ your own discretion.” Thekla said with a note of steel on her voice. “Just remember to not lose sight of your main mission.”

She breathed deeply and regretted it as the putrid odor of the corpse hammered her lungs. Ugh, not the best place to give a speech. At all.

“Right now, we have a choice. Given this information, if these Blackmur still exist, they’re very likely suspects. My initial plan was for us four to proceed to the crime scene, and then decide our course of action based on our discoveries there. That is the first option. The second option is for Ms. Reissford and I to proceed to the crime scene to do our investigation, while Mr. Kallergis and Mr. Hopkins investigate the market. Then we’ll come together to investigate Tartarus if no other directions are forthcoming.”

“I’d like to hear your opinions on all this, and how you’d prefer to proceed. Also, Ms. Gwyn, if it isn’t much of a bother, as a citizen of Magisfair, which place would you consider an ideal meeting point in case of an emergency, other than the Church?”

[Bugs]

Owen Ariafiction
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office


Owen glanced between the huge woman and Mr. Reid, certain there was more to the peculiarities of their mismatched acquaintanceship, but of a sort that Owen wasn’t nearly skilled enough at ascertaining for himself. Stray fibers of imaginative engineering tickled the base of his brain, unable to halt the internal replication of potentialities until they became all but a garbled mess stretching on toward some watery infinity. Frankly, the mechanics gave him more pause than the motivations. Maybe he gets on a stepladder?

The thing in his bag jostled again, spectacled eyes taking in the clown dancing his merry little jig in front of their group. Lynhammer was clearly as much of Tindal’s dog as Owen was himself, and like two strangers of uncanny breed, perhaps it was best not to draw too much attention to oneself. The clown’s antics meant to woo the stonefaced woman were more grim than humorous. A quality that Owen wished did not also extend as oracle pointed to the rest of their journey.

"Now children, time for a field trip!"

Well. Perhaps it was better to rip the bandage off sooner than later.

”Fair enough. If we’re ready to go, let’s head over to the Pig & Whistle and pick up Ms. Bygrave. The sooner we finish this errand, the sooner we can start the project we came here for.”

Owen briefly bit his lip. Farrah was already positioning herself as the most sensible of the gaggle of students, but watching her head to the door with seemingly no compunction of whether or not she was dutifully followed irked Owen somewhat, though he could not put his finger on exactly why. Furthermore, his person being the only one adequately equipped was distressing. True, there was the chance that the rest had simply left any accouterment in some handy hiding place, but Owen had a sneaking suspicion that encountering Bygrave would dramatically accelerate their descent into the confined unknown of Albion.

“We’re not seriously going right now, are we? Unless somebody here is way better at Imaginary Numbers Space than I assumed, I’m kind of the only one holding anything resembling a bag. Or equipment, like, at all. It just seems crazy…”

You would know crazy, wouldn’t you Owen!

“...Anyway. Wouldn’t it also be a good idea to get this Helena lady some kind of gift? Especially if she’s really an, um, drunk. Or maybe she knows we’re coming and has some kind of test prepared…”

Stricken once more by the memetic offerings of the comics he enjoyed, Owen scowled at himself for more watching the idle steam of his train of thought once more disappear into the distance, without conductor nor ticketmaster. No more.

“Professor Reid. There’s a market here in Magisfair, right? It might be in our best interest to not enter a giant underground dungeon with only the shirts on our backs for protection. Just a thought.”

That was more snide than he had intended, and a part of Owen felt immediate guilt at being so condescending.

“I can pay for a few others, it’s no problem.”

This last he spoke with more volume than the previous, announcing as such that even Farrah may hear that he wasn’t without funds on this trip. Of course, a magus of such caliber that something as mundane as cash becomes a worry is a magus hardly even in name. Given what he was, and what he had to offer at this stage, Owen hoped it didn’t make him sound like a proper dickhead.

[FlameStrike]

Elyra Reissford
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Holy Church - Basement Morgue




While Elyra was focused on examining the corpse with her Threads, Thekla and her companion stepped down to join them in the basement. She gave Thekla a small bow before greeting her.

“Saint Thekla, I see you’ve finished your talk with the Grandmaster.”

Her next move would have been to ask Thekla about the possibility of a sortie, but Thekla was one step ahead.

“Mister Kallergis is right. Dispersing like this would be most unwise.”

A pre-emptive hard no to independent operations. It seems like her judgment that Thekla would be more eager to accelerate the timetables for this operation was misguided. She would need to collect more information to better predict the actions of her superiors. Thekla was the fanatical type, but that did not mean she would rabidly throw caution to the wind at the scent of Demons.

As Elyra was doing a second appraisal of Thekla, the Executor-nun’s white hair caught her eye. Generally it wasn’t normal for a young woman to have hair of such color, yet there were two of them in the same room. Setting her own circumstances aside, white hair was often caused by some outside factor killing the melanin producing cells in one’s scalp. Something like the production methods of Homunculus, Albinism, Mana overload, or perhaps… Human Experimentation? It certainly wasn’t beyond the Church’s moral event horizon to “produce a Saint” through unorthodox means. But she didn’t have access to that kind of information so further speculation would be unproductive.

Aside from her physical appearance, it was noteworthy that Thekla seemed to have her own practiced way of asserting leadership. Her more outwardly commanding style and grace contrasted with Charapalos’s reserved demeanor.

“Good job, Miss Reissford. We’d have missed this detail otherwise.

Whether it is valuable or not, its existence within the corpse has significance. It may have been the medium used to perform the spell upon our victim, perhaps how the demon manifested in the first place. Should we have access to a… collaborative expert in magecraft, it might be worth having them analyze it. If this turns out to be the work of a magus, that is… and discarding that possibility has worth in itself.”

Elyra gave a slight nod before stowing the Golden Strand away for safekeeping. From a purely physical perspective it was a negligible amount of gold. But any value would be mystical in nature. She made a note to search for a Mage or related specialist for a more in depth examination. There was likely nothing more she could discover on her own.

“May I trouble you with a bit of information, Miss Gwyn? The file I was given mentioned the corpse was hollow. May I ask if all of the internal organs were missing? If not, could you specify which ones were gone?”

This was a question Elyra could help with. Her own examination of the cadaver was extremely thorough.

“If I may, Saint Thekla, I can answer that for you. I have just finished a detailed examination of David Brayford’s corpse. As far as I could tell, he was hollowed out thoroughly from chest to groin. Everything from muscles, to nerves, to organs were taken, including non essential organs such as the gonads. It seems odd that such a meticulous harvester creature or person would leave the head, but I cannot accurately testify to the logic of ‘demons’. There is strong evidence pointing to David expiring before the harvest process was complete. The likely cause was asphyxiation.”

It was certainly an unusual case. Most of Elyra’s experience was with dispatching Dead Apostles. They would drain the blood of their victims, but oftentimes kept the bodies relatively intact so they could serve as Ghouls or other such reanimated servants. Although it was not beyond her imagination to envision a scenario where a Magus’s body parts were treated as valuable commodities. This “demon” or whatever it was that harvested David’s organs could have been motivated by simple profit. Though the overall evidence points to more sinister designs. David's remaining extremities were undergoing a rapid transformation.

“Right now, we have a choice. Given this information, if these Blackmur still exist, they’re very likely suspects. My initial plan was for us four to proceed to the crime scene, and then decide our course of action based on our discoveries there. That is the first option. The second option is for Ms. Reissford and I to proceed to the crime scene to do our investigation, while Mr. Kallergis and Mr. Hopkins investigate the market. Then we’ll come together to investigate Tartarus if no other directions are forthcoming.

I’d like to hear your opinions on all this, and how you’d prefer to proceed. Also, Ms. Gwyn, if it isn’t much of a bother, as a citizen of Magisfair, which place would you consider an ideal meeting point in case of an emergency, other than the Church?”

The latter plan seemed to be the most efficient to Elyra. It was unlikely that all four of their group had the necessary skills to contribute to a crime scene investigation. Grouping up would increase their odds against surprise attacks, but given the threat level present in Magisfair, working in pairs should be sufficient for that scenario too.

However, she did think modifying their team compositions could increase their effectiveness further.

“Saint Thekla, I believe the second plan you proposed is the best option. However, given that the B-,” Elyra paused for just a moment. It seems like she didn’t catch the Backup Muscle’s name. Perhaps a different designation would be more clear? “Other Executor has stated he also possesses investigation skills, he and I should head towards the crime scene while you and Sir Charos examine the market.”

[GilgameshKingOfMemes]

Angelica Durand
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Cat Sith Casino - Main Hall

Originally Posted by Angelica Durand
“Look, I get a lot of offers, but I prefer them if they’re from people I can see. No hard feelings, right?”

The man doesn’t blink or flinch at your flat rejection. In fact, you weren’t sure if he has blinked ever. Scams and shady dealings weren’t too foreign in Magisfair so perhaps his obvious bad vibes were just a means of filtering the sensible and gullible, but his vibes were starting to feel much worse than that. For what reason would anyone want to accept this strange seed to begin with?

“My feelings are all of the soft variety, indeed you need not worry about me possessing them. But are you sure? This seed has a market value of 100,000 dollars you know? My benefactors would let you keep it so long as you can make it bloom. We can even procure a contract to ensure it.”

It’s clear that supposed market value would be the reason. It was hard to locate anything particularly appealing about the offer otherwise. Though it was hard to just take his word for it, that seemed like an absurd sum for a mere seed mystical or not.

“And then, you get to meet the elder ones. It’s a valuable meeting, for they’ve seen The Witch after all. Nothing passes through the city without them knowing after all.”


Charapalos Kallergis, Elyra Reissford, John Hopkins, Thekla Holzknecht
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Holy Church - Basement Morgue

Originally Posted by Thekla Holzknecht
“I’m Thekla Holzknecht. Saint of Killers.”

"Yo."

Despite the grandeur of your title and presence, the coroner gave only the most casual of greetings and a wave. Her go with the flow attitude seemed on full display, but perhaps that could be best explained by her simply not knowing what your title even meant. She was merely a civilian after all.

Originally Posted by Thekla Holzknecht
“Whether it is valuable or not, its existence within the corpse has significance. It may have been the medium used to perform the spell upon our victim, perhaps how the demon manifested in the first place. Should we have access to a… collaborative expert in magecraft, it might be worth having them analyze it. If this turns out to be the work of a magus, that is… and discarding that possibility has worth in itself.”

“You all don’t look like the sort to know an expert in magecraft. Magisfair is a place known for its lacking talent but I’d say you might have a good shot checking out management. The Zoa might have a few in their upper ranks too….”

Gwyn stops for a moment to think over what she knows in her scatterbrained mind.

“Let’s see… I’d struggle to recommend em, but Alton Azan at the Cat Sith Casino comes from a pretty notable lineage last I heard. There’s also the Tindal backed expedition up at the Sariel Manor. I feel like maybe I should have started with that suggestion now that I think about it.”

Gwyn awkwardly chuckled to herself a little, feeling she was missing the most obvious of Recommendations.

Originally Posted by Thekla Holzknecht

“I’d like to hear your opinions on all this, and how you’d prefer to proceed. Also, Ms. Gwyn, if it isn’t much of a bother, as a citizen of Magisfair, which place would you consider an ideal meeting point in case of an emergency, other than the Church?”

“My opinion? I’d say around the management offices is pretty safe. Specifically the M.S.D headquarters. I’d doubt they’d let you walk right in without a reason, but everything around there it is quite secure. Mainly cause they’d shoot you if you caused trouble, but if it works it works.”

Gwyn ponders for a moment longer.

“If you want somewhere you can talk privately, strangely I’d say you should visit Bile the investigator. He’d charge you for the service, but he keeps his word if money is involved….. I think he was investigating a Jacobs Ladder incident downtown so he might be out currently. Just look for the tall meat tower, hard to miss.”



Alina Eltnam Ardiansyah, Owen Ariafiction, Farrah Harcourt, Lyn L Lynhammer
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

Originally Posted by Owen Ariafiction
“We’re not seriously going right now, are we? Unless somebody here is way better at Imaginary Numbers Space than I assumed, I’m kind of the only one holding anything resembling a bag. Or equipment, like, at all. It just seems crazy…”

“Well it’s not as if we are venturing into the depths quite yet. I’ve got a few things in this satchel here.”

Mathew jostles the satchel he had hoisted over his shoulder. You could see another moth peeking out of one of the folds. You hoped his supplies weren’t all just bugs.

“I am sufficiently equipped for the mundane dangers of Magisfair. It would be far more prescient to concern oneself with the dangers of what I would do to any threats whose risk exceeds a certain threshold.”

Wager coldly interjects with an odd warning. While from any other magi the last line could have been seen as an arrogant boast, the subdued of and straightforward manner of her speech made it seem far more likely that this merely the calculated evaluation of her functions. With the rumors circling Lore as a department, her words certainly carried a weight to them. Mathew just shoves a shoulder into the woman's side but it doesn't seem to register.

“Quit it Wagner, the boy’s clearly already nervous.”

“I’ve always determined a realistic assessment of an approaching ordeal is an appropriate comfort.”

“Just make it clear you won’t be bringing any harm to the students. That’s a priority.”

Feeling like she missing the point Mathew felt he had to draw a clear line in the sand for her.

“Understood. Odds of an encounter which can’t be solved by a traditional means is less than one percent, it is a statistical anomaly, much like a plane crash.”

“Are you just pulling numbers out of a hat?”

“Through an extensive review of M.S.D case files and census data you can-“

The minute Wagner took out her clipboard to start performing math Mathew just put his hand up to stop her before she could start.

“You don’t need to go that far….”

Originally Posted by Owen Ariafiction
“...Anyway. Wouldn’t it also be a good idea to get this Helena lady some kind of gift? Especially if she’s really an, um, drunk. Or maybe she knows we’re coming and has some kind of test prepared… Professor Reid. There’s a market here in Magisfair, right? It might be in our best interest to not enter a giant underground dungeon with only the shirts on our backs for protection. Just a thought.”

“Helen isn’t the type to plan but… I suppose the sentence can end there…. Anyways, it’s very sweet to want to bring a gift. I suppose we can think of something.”

Mathew thinks things over, rubbing his temples.

“The market is a bit off the path….. But picking up some extra supplies isn’t an awful idea…. Things could still be dangerous though…..”

After mulling it over, constantly tapping his foot in timing with his bouncing thoughts, the man finally arrived at a decision.

“We can go after we pick up the enforcer, then we’ll have extra security. As for the gift, unless you have something in mind we can see what they have in the entertainer district as we pass through. I’m sure that place has something better suited for her…. Predilections.”

[Bugs]

Owen Ariafiction
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office



Owen allowed himself the small comfort of a sigh of relief, temporarily assured that at the very least Professor Reid and Wagner’s combined competence would be enough for now. He wasn’t planning on being dead weight, but oftentimes one’s desires and the reality of the situation never properly met.

Still, there was one area he already knew he wouldn’t be lacking in, but bringing it up at this state of the game would have felt awkward and self-aggrandizing. As if it’d cooperate the one time he wanted to show off a little anyway. Better to wait.

The sight of Reid’s new moth causes Owen’s nose to wrinkle briefly before returning to neutrality. Something about the moth had piqued him before, he’d have to ask Prof. Reid about it later if he had the chance.

“Understood. Odds of an encounter which can’t be solved by a traditional means is less than one percent, it is a statistical anomaly, much like a plane crash.”

Owen sagged when he heard Wagner’s monotonous relay of information. It was all the same that he’d come to expect from his fellows from Brishisan, but something about Wagner’s statement bugged him.

“Oi. Isn’t Albion unpredictable by its very nature? So what you’re really trying to do is compare an anomaly with an anomaly. That’s pretty meaningless, if you ask me.”

Unconsciously, Owen found himself slipping into the same monotone. Dullness. Day after day of pressure-cooker secretiveness, each individual of Lore a mystery not only to the rest of the student body, but to each other as well. Miserable, insufferable in its anxious tedium–

“We can go after we pick up the enforcer, then we’ll have extra security. As for the gift, unless you have something in mind we can see what they have in the entertainer district as we pass through. I’m sure that place has something better suited for her…. Predilections.”

“Not really, no. I’m not much for drinking, Professor. Kills brain cells, ya know.”

With that cryptic response–carrying a bit of leftover embarrassment at challenging Wagner–Owen gathers him and shuffles after Lyn and the girls.

[Dreamerless]

Lyn L. Lynhammer
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

So they wanted to go shopping. Of course. When he went to buy the small amount of things he needed, he managed to get a discount by not paying for it. Maybe they'd let him do that. He saw no need to actually spend money.

"That sounds reasonable. Why don't you give me a list of things you want and I'll get them. I'm good at bringing the price of things down."

The moth was starting to bother him. As was the strange three eyed child behind him. Huh. He really wanted a drink, unlike this Owen fellow. He'd have to watch him.

[Katie]

Angelica Durand
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Cat Sith Casino - Main Hall

A hundred thousand.

It’s a number that would make anyone second guess, but as is, Angelica only has this shady person’s word for it. And right now, she lives rather comfortably. Enough to entertain her dreams of moving to the surface, anyway, see all the places her parents told her about when she was young. There was no need to rock the boat, even if the sum was worthwhile. Still, if he insists, she may as well humor him. See if she can figure out why this is allegedly valued at a hundred grand.

“Can you tell me what it is? What kind of seed it is, specifically,” Angelica says, letting the exasperation leak out into her words. “And if your benefactors know everything that’s going on in Magisfair…”

“Why deal with little old me, anyway? Doubt I can get anything done for distinguished individuals such as themselves.”

[Spartacus]

Alina Eltnam Ardiansyah
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

"Eh? Are we going to-"

When Alina heard about their next plan, she begin to frantically search all the pockets of her suit and jacket. She take out her wallet that she have been using from before joining Atlas and still use it after bertraying them, checks her equally old passbook inside that wallet to see the amount and-



(Crap, I'm out of cash...)

She is reminded that she almost spend her entire money on coming to London and living here by herself for a few months. She tried to search her jacket again in desperation, but other than her weapons and some cash for lunch, she have nothing.

She looks left and right, unsure what to do, swallow her own saliva and pride at the same time, before saying:

"Err, Owen, can I come with you? You are going to pick a gift for Helen, right? Let me help you with that. Ahahahaha, ahahahaha..."

[Mithras]

As Thekla entered the room and spoke her piece, John could not help but scrutinize her. The most obvious point of inspection was her appearance. While Charos obscured himself in his... rather impractical red armor, Thekla did no such thing. Her hair, of course, is uncovered as seems to be the rule of this degenerate age. It seems John was a fool to hope for the bare minimum of modesty from the upper brass of the church. That her hair was a strange color barely registered, it seems to be a given that the agents of the church bare marks of magic's taint that would have resulted in their execution but a few centuries ago.

Her dress is a caricature of Catholic decadence. The primary black color serves as a promising start. However, just as Thekla bares the facade of a respectable Nun but is anything but when one takes a proper look, the dress is anything but modest. The first issue lies in dress' cut, it's too high for any honest woman to wear. Secondly the gold thread serves only to highlight her figure and seems to be entirely impratical-... it is wrong to make such an assumption. While it is not an unlikely assertion, making assumptions about one's superior is in it of itself a mark of inordinate pride. As is written in Proverbs 18:2: A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. John will withhold judgment until he is certain there is no practical reason she is dressed in the manner she is.

Her tone creates a sharp contrast with Charos. Still, that is by no means a bad thing. The harsh voice of authority that brooks no dissent is almost nostalgic, though her pitch is too high. Furthermore, in comparison her words seem to ring hollow. While she may speak with a level of certainty that could put most of the church to shame, she by no means carries his father's tone. Where his father spoke with righteous certainty of God, she merely speaks with the confidence of an experienced killer.

As for her orders themselves, John has little issue with them. In these circumstance, avoiding sparking unnecessary conflict with the other factions is wise. While all of the church's foes deserve death, one must be pratical in serving God's plan lest he run off chasing his own pride. Of course killing in the name of one's one pride rather than God would be a grievous sin, so biding one's time with the less immediate targets and allowing one's righteous fury simmer is the correct choice. As the Bible says: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. The time will come soon.

Originally Posted by Thekla Holzknecht
“Whether it is valuable or not, its existence within the corpse has significance. It may have been the medium used to perform the spell upon our victim, perhaps how the demon manifested in the first place. Should we have access to a… collaborative expert in magecraft, it might be worth having them analyze it. If this turns out to be the work of a magus, that is… and discarding that possibility has worth in itself.”

That order in particular is less palatable. Again John will withhold judgement, but he seriously doubts Thekla is speaking about calling in a executor with experience regarding magecraft.

Quote Originally Posted by Thekla Holzknecht
“Right now, we have a choice. Given this information, if these Blackmur still exist, they’re very likely suspects. My initial plan was for us four to proceed to the crime scene, and then decide our course of action based on our discoveries there. That is the first option. The second option is for Ms. Reissford and I to proceed to the crime scene to do our investigation, while Mr. Kallergis and Mr. Hopkins investigate the market. Then we’ll come together to investigate Tartarus if no other directions are forthcoming.

Quote Originally Posted by Elyra Reissford
“Saint Thekla, I believe the second plan you proposed is the best option. However, given that the B-Other Executor has stated he also possesses investigation skills, he and I should head towards the crime scene while you and Sir Charos examine the market.”

B? Other Executor? Did she not pick up his name even when it was just said? Such a thing is unlikely for an Executor, but what would the alternative be? The possibility exists that she was attempting to antagonize John with some childish refusal to acknowledge him, but her seeming professionalism and the fact she seemed to actually stumble on her words makes that unlikely. Did... did she seriously not catch his name? That's understandable for a normal human but for an Executor? Tsk, they are letting them loose with less and less training it seems.

Regardless, John is indifferent to either outcome. A good Executor does what he's told, after all.

[SleepMode]

Charapalos Kallergis
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Holy Church - Basement Morgue



Goodness, a most surprising find; a single strand of gold, spun so thinly one could mistake it as hair. A piece of almost imperceivable evidence that would have gone unnoticed, had Miss Reissford not performed her blessed craft.

And oh, what a wondrous sight it was: to see wires unfurl like water, sculpting into the corpse’s facsimile with an artist’s precision — Charapalos had met his share of personnel utilizing the Lord’s teachings. Still, the finesse of this display quickly put them to shame. The Knight-Captain resisted the urge to applaud, to not distract the Executor in her assessment. No doubt she would prove invaluable when the investigation starts in earnest.

In any case, Gwyn’s mention of the Blackmurs had caught his attention. A non-zero chance indeed; magi truly come in all shapes and practices. What is more intriguing than their existence is their current absence of one; talks of sightings despite their extinction, adding that the rumors in circulation well before this “murder,” not to mention the disappearances of unclear reasonings…

This all seemed too convenient to be mere coincidence. But without a unifying element, these are all merely symptoms of an environment prime for demonic infections to manifest — and that alone can be an issue, if this is not resolved. Something to discuss for the future, perhaps.

Before Charapalos could address the coroner’s remark, the fourth and final arrival strode past the workshop’s entrance.

“I’m Thekla Holzknecht. Saint of Killers. I thank all of you and the Lord for your assistance in this mission.”

“A pleasure for you to join us, Miss Holzknecht.” Charapalos returned her introduction with a slow bow as usual. “I pray your meeting with the Grandmaster proved fruitful.”

Letting the Judge continue with her assessment, the Knight-Captain listened on in thought. Whether assessing the body or asking the coroner, Miss Holzknecht remained consistent in poise and voice. Unlike the two Executors’ stoic bearings, it was a steadiness conveying confidence. As though embodying the severity of law itself, the young lady held herself with an aura almost befitting her station.

— - The keyword being almost, mind.
Noting Miss Holzknecht’s overly well-practiced movements and tone, it was not hard to pick up slivers of imperfection in her delivery. Not truly ‘Artificial’ or ‘Hollow,’ but perhaps closer to ‘Performative.’ A perpetual formality hoping to conceal annoyance instead of awkwardness, as with someone displeased at being in a formal gathering.

Charapalos smiled a bit, his expression thankfully obscured beneath his helm. There was an endearing quality about the ill-concealed honesty of inexperienced youth.

Ultimately, however, inexperience in speechcraft is nothing worth fretting about; all have their growing pains, to say nothing of its limited application once they brave the Spirit Tomb below. Ideally, she will have enough years to hone that poise later on.

Dialogue aside, it was impossible for Charapalos to not take note of his peer’s stark-white hair. Unlike Miss Reissford’s variant of snow-white, mostly unblemished in its sheen, Miss Holzknetch’s was unnatural in comparison. It was not the result of chemical bleaching or dye layers, but as if something had robbed them of hue or tint. Dazzling but uncanny; clean but desolate —-Pure but lifeless.

The Knight-Captain found his fingers against his hair, only for the gauntlet to brush against the helm. …Assuming choice hearsay about the Judge’s responsibilities were true, it is truly cruel for someone so young to bear this mantle.

“I’d like to hear your opinions on all this, and how you’d prefer to proceed.”

“Saint Thekla, I believe the second plan you proposed is the best option. However, given that the B-Other Executor has stated he also possesses investigation skills, he and I should head towards the crime scene while you and Sir Charos examine the market.”

“Ah, if I may interject…”

At this, Charapalos raised his hand. The Judge had asked for council; better say his piece now.

“I heartily agree the second is the most expedient in terms of speed. That said, Miss Reissford, there will likely be matters of witnesses to engage with. As I am sure that is part of your expertise in investigation, including a more personable element would benefit the process.

The Knight-Captain continued, nodding in Thekla’s direction.

“Always smooths out the questioning from feeling like an interrogation proper.”

Especially considering the Church’s reputation against those residing in Mystery, it will not be surprising if the locals’ wariness leads to some withholding of information. For that, having the two Executors extracting potential accounts might be a bit much; bless their forwardness, the two hardly seem to type to ease others in conversation. Miss Holzknecht may appear more authoritative than personable, it is better to have someone more versed in dialogue on the scene.

“You all don’t look like the sort to know an expert in magecraft. Magisfair is a place known for its lacking talent but I’d say you might have a good shot checking out management.”

“My thanks for the recommendations, Miss Gwyn. And worry not, your earlier divulgences will be our little secret.” Thanking the coroner, Charapalos then faced the Judge once more. “Between these leads for the thread, Miss Holzknecht, might I suggest contacting Magisfair’s management? ‘Lacking talent’ aside, their role as the governing body guarantees a degree of neutral cooperation without overt risk — our current concern is with the demon, after all. A promising line, would you agree?”

[Bugs]

Owen Ariafiction
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

"Err, Owen, can I come with you? You are going to pick a gift for Helen, right? Let me help you with that. Ahahahaha, ahahahaha..."

Wait, that worked? Was money secretly the key to happiness all along? Magi pursuits, the depths of Mystery, what did any of that matter when you still had to live in a society bound by the laws of the monetary system?

On second thought, nothing so dramatic. Not one to let a chance to be overcome with paranoia slide, Owen's default mental state already had him second guessing how much cash he'd actually been provided. Shit, if this girl's tastes were expensive, was he going to have to say no? That sounded uncomfortable.



"Oh...Sure."

Flashing what he hoped was a winning smile, Owen tugged his backpack closer, glancing over his shoulder at the accompanying faculty in the midst of whatever bizarre relationship they'd clearly possessed in the past.

"Hey. What do you think of the rest so far? Wagner's cold, but she's reliable if Tin--...if Miss Elizabeth has anything to say about it. I kind of want to ask about the Atlas Institute but part of me thinks you'll have to kill me or something if you did, like a spy movie."

Oh, right. Watching movies was still a rarity among magi. Let that be their problem, then. He didn't need to worry about being a complete Luddite.

[Spartacus]

Alina Eltnam Ardiansyah
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

"Oh...Sure."

"Th-thank you! Cool!" she felt at ease upon hearing that her money crisis has been averted.

Or at first, anyway.

(This is a life and death situation, I have no choice! I swear I will not be this kind of person when growing up, I'm not a gold digger! There is no such kind of future in my calculation!!!!!)

She continue to mentally convince herself of the shame she just did. The fact Owen smiles brimmingly as if he just win something hurts her pride even more.

Thankfully, his next question brought her back to reality.

"Hey. What do you think of the rest so far? Wagner's cold, but she's reliable if Tin--...if Miss Elizabeth has anything to say about it. I kind of want to ask about the Atlas Institute but part of me thinks you'll have to kill me or something if you did, like a spy movie."

"Hmm... Professor Reid seems reliable, Farrah's familiar can be fitting for recons, but the other two are weirdos. I do trust they possess abilities suited for this expedition, or else Mrs. Tindall will not let them in, right?"

Again, although she doesn't trust Elizabeth Tindall as a person at all, she doesn't doubt her in term of providing the necessary firepower for the expedition.

"As for Atlas, as long as it doesn't concern our mystery, I think it's fine to tell you. But first, I want to ask-"



"Did you say spy movie? Are you a fan of cinema too?!"

She grasp the boy's right hand with both of her arms excitedly, starry-eyed.

[GilgameshKingOfMemes]

Alina Eltnam Ardiansyah, Owen Ariafiction, Farrah Harcourt, Lyn L Lynhammer
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

Originally Posted by Owen Ariafiction
“Oi. Isn’t Albion unpredictable by its very nature? So what you’re really trying to do is compare an anomaly with an anomaly. That’s pretty meaningless, if you ask me.”

“All possible calculations are limited to the domain of Magisfair and population statistics. The dragon's tomb is simpler to determine. Concerning our destination, the odds of encountering an insurmountable threat is a nigh certainty.”
“Yes, and that is why I don’t want you students going down there. The unpredictable is a certainty to at some point encounter, so I hope you all reconsider.”

Mathew gives a warning, while making sure to nudge Wagner to make her stop talking about this topic.

Originally Posted by Owen Ariafiction
“Not really, no. I’m not much for drinking, Professor. Kills brain cells, ya know.”

“While there’s more than alcohol or drugs out there, you certainly don’t have to partake yourself. I wouldn’t worry about whatever brain cells that woman has left.”


Angelica Durand
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Cat Sith Casino - Main Hall

Originally Posted by Angelica Durand
“Can you tell me what it is? What kind of seed it is, specifically.....Why deal with little old me, anyway? Doubt I can get anything done for distinguished individuals such as themselves.”

“The seed? It is a phantasmal. An adorable child as children are.”

The man gives you a smile like this is the most normal thing in the world.

“We simply need to find the right person to make it grow. Neither prestige nor skill may fit its desire, merely the right character is all it needs. So we’re handing out a bunch of them! Whether you all have the aptitude to bloom a flower and not a weed, well only time can tell. That’s trial and error.”

That opens his other hand for reveal he had several more to grant others. This situation was spiraling further into absurdity as you counted what, according to him at least, was nearly a million dollars worth of magic seeds in his palm. All of it treated like simple pocket change.

“This is all mutual interest. Money and knowledge, magecraft and mysteries. Even if you live comfortably like you think, I think this should interest you. We’ll just have to procure a contract from management.”

[Bugs]

Owen Ariafiction
Phase 1
Day 1 - Afternoon (New Moon)
Sariel Manor - Tindal Office

“While there’s more than alcohol or drugs out there, you certainly don’t have to partake yourself. I wouldn’t worry about whatever brain cells that woman has left.”

“You say that, but…”

Owen was probably being unfair here. Though Professor Reid’s constant warnings might get a little grating later on, it’s not as though the man isn’t speaking from both a place of concern and first hand experience. Probably? His eyes flicked once more to Wagner, before he allowed the tug on his chain of consciousness to be pulled toward his personal wishlist of items to hopefully be found at the market.

Water bottles, for sure. Well, unless one of the others had a method to just conjure water out of the ground or something. Such thoughts circled the drain on something Owen was already aware of, but was afraid to face so bluntly. Real magi had concerns and considerations beyond his comprehension. It was embarrassing, acknowledging his fraudulence even in such a passing manner. Yet a part of him still clung to that desire to show off someday, to not be forced to be his own record of events.

He should be content. Far more pressing matters to attend to than the ego of a young man. Let’s see, food…uh…

He could hear the thrumming of his own heart in his ears. Icy dread dripped its sticky acid down his back, the hairs on the back of his neck stood together in strange camaraderie. What was happening?

"Did you say spy movie? Are you a fan of cinema too?!"

She grasp the boy's right hand with both of her arms excitedly, starry-eyed.

Oh.

“ERASER…head,” Owen choked out, thankful that his voice didn’t crack.

“It’s my favorite movie. It came out only a few years ago, but it’s in black and white. It’s about a man realizing he’s too young to be a father, but all the newspapers just call it weird nonsense. They just don’t get that the Lady in the Radiator is a metaphor for the release of death…”