10:00 <banana> It's a nice day outside, one of the last Manchester is likely to experience for the year. 10:01 <banana> The sun is out, laundry is drying on lines in the suburbs. The rivers are barely toxic anymore. Monsters and magic seem a little further away. 10:02 <Crion> Only to rookies and the uninitiated. 10:04 <banana> Richard Haldane's given Agostina and Aaron the location: a pagoda in Gartside Gardens, south of the A635. Surely they're not going to actually meet Sourjack... 10:04 <Quaker> Maybe he’ll possess a goose to speak through. 10:06 <tom> How the fuck are we gonna make bocce tolerable when it's this fucking cold out on a nice day? Are there indoor courts? Is that a thing? Can you have indoor outdoor lawn bowling?? 10:06 <tom> All these thoughts and more, inside one Bob Goreman's brainpan. 10:06 <Crion> Aster is extremely prepared for the usual bullshit. 10:06 <Crion> Nevertheless, charcoal suit, nice shirt, muted tie. 10:10 <banana> The park's got a few people out and about. There's a stand selling icecream, one selling kebabs and a some kids in a pickup game of football by the lake. All very domestic. In the gazebo to which the hunters are directed is an actual robot. 10:11 <banana> It's human-shaped, a metallic android. The face is deliberately inhuman but painted like a sort of butler stereotype with neat black hair. Just posed on a bench, perfectly still and silent. Nobody's noticed it for some reason. 10:11 <Crion> Oh for fuck's sake. Define. 10:11 <Quaker> Badawi is sitting on the steps of the pagoda, wearing a nondescript grey hoodie, sweatpants, and sneakers. 10:11 <Crion> Well, good thing this isn't Philadelphia. 10:11 <Crion> They beat robots to death there. Even homeless ones. 10:11 <VoxPVoxD> Especially homeless ones. 10:12 <Crion> Aster will find some place near the 'robot' to lean and sigh heavily. 10:12 <Crion> Aster: "Good afternoon, Badawi. Has it moved?" 10:13 <banana> Not before Aster showed up. 10:14 <banana> There's a hum and a whirr just beginning now... 10:14 <Quaker> “Not while I was here. Want to shove it and see if it does anything?” 10:14 <banana> Elsewhere, hidden from the sun and the fresh air, with couches hot and cold: a virtual reality game. 10:14 <Crion> Aster: "No. Ah, here it goes." 10:16 <banana> Bob, Rolf and Willie have completed a basic tutorial level, a little VR experience where they were on top of a mesa being attacked by coyotes. Alpha Strike Gaming House's setup is for more real than it should be... but their savepoint technology works, too. You can all remember the blood dripping from Bob's arm onto the already-stained carpets, and you can all see it's gone. 10:16 <tom> Bob: "Let's go back in. I wanna see how many flashbangs I can juggle." 10:17 <tom> "I have some loadout requests. Do we get perks. I wanna re-up for martyrdom." 10:17 <banana> There's some sort of commotion near the back of the house, but it doesn't involve you (yet?). Right now, the gamer clan's leaders are discussing how things went, peering alternately at you and their monitoring screens. One of their acolytes, Hambo, stumps up to the group who've just been temporarily freed from their headsets. 10:17 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's still looking at the spot on Bob's arm where his injury was, though her expression betrays no upset. "Is that terribly costly for you?" 10:18 <banana> "Willie, you totally came. This must be the legendary Rolf Hughes. You-" to Bob- "I do not know. But I wouldn't mind." 10:18 <hrolf> Rolf rotates his hand, and feels down the length of his arm in the manner of one who has recently partaken of hallucinogens. Still a little disoriented: “Blimey, feels real as eck innit? Beats the occulus find any day. Of the week.” 10:19 <banana> Robot: "This is Bitter Jack speaking." The voice, tinny but recognisable, issues forth from a speaker around the neck. 10:19 <banana> One arm moves jerkily, a sort of salute. 10:19 <tom> He's scratching the spot on his arm where the virtual dog mauled him. Not even tingling. "I mean, sure. I don't mind either. Have a few questions, first, though." 10:19 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "I'm a woman of my word. Rolf, Bob, this is Hambo, whose idea this is. Hambo, you know which one Rolf is, but the other is Bob Goreman, formerly of the US Army, currently a sort of knight-errant. Emphasis on errant." 10:20 <banana> Hambo: "Prestige class, is it?" 10:20 <VoxPVoxD> "Very much so." 10:20 <banana> He looks willing to answer questions. Friendlier than the other demons(?) you've met, anyway. 10:20 <tom> Bob: "It's pay to win." 10:20 <Quaker> “What are you bitter about?” 10:21 <hrolf> Rolf, peering at the new entrant: "Yeah I'm Hughes. Listen - you lot interested in playstation fives? Me mates - erm, procured a crate full of em. 10:21 <tom> He follows up: "Don't get me wrong, good shit. Like Rolfie said, way better than anything on the market now. What I wanna know is... why exactly can't you do this yourselves? It's not like... you wouldn't be even better than us, yeah?" 10:21 <VoxPVoxD> Willie wants to know if the save point magic is particularly difficult or costly. She'd originally asked Jan and Nige, but maybe Hambo will be more forthcoming, so she'll repeat the question if necessary. 10:21 <hrolf> Rolf, peering at the new entrant: "Yeah I'm Hughes. Listen - you lot interested in playstation fives? Me mates - erm, procured a crate full of em. 'eard they're impossible to get. We could sell em on to the right nerds, for the right price." 10:22 <tom> "And we still don't even know who the opfor is. I mean, assuming we aren't team red already." 10:22 <banana> Robojack: "It's a constructed persona. Under my true identity I may or may not feel this way but in my role, with you, I carry a degree of unwilling detachment. Can't quite connect to the world. See me, if you like, as cast out - a whistleblower, perhaps." 10:23 <banana> Nigel actually missed Willie's question, or didn't realise it was directed to him. He's a bit focused right now, but if Hambo's handling it that's all good. 10:23 <banana> Hambo: "Oh, I know this one. 'What's an opfor'." 10:23 <banana> "OK, it's good that you have questions. Lemme go round the table, not that there's a table here anymore." 10:24 <Crion> Aster: "It's very theatrical. And presumably expensive." 10:24 <banana> "Loading a quicksave - it takes time. Effort. Power. But then you've loaded, so you get all those things back!" 10:24 <tom> Bob: "The bad guys." 10:25 <tom> He fidgets. "I really hope we aren't going to go raid a bunch of ten-year olds in Rust." 10:25 <Quaker> Badawi: “That sounds great for you. What did you need us here for?” 10:25 <Crion> Aster sees Sourjack as a mysterious, reclusive authority figure with his own agenda, and is fine with that. It is in fact slightly irritating to have the creature playing the woe-is-me,-so-sad,-so-alone card to the hilt. 10:25 <banana> Hambo: "PS5 - are you serious? I mean, we're not scalpers, but if you're selling them at or under retail.. I could whip up about a hundred buyers, easily." 10:26 <banana> "And as for the opposing force..." He glances at the Alphas themselves. "Brussels." 10:27 <hrolf> Rolf: "Fantastic mate. I'll 'ook you up with one of me lads - anyone got a phone? Take down this number -" he rattles off a number of digits. "Goes by the name Courtesy Flush. Proper legend, 'e'll sort ya." 10:27 <tom> Bob: "Right but like, I don't think Brussels has a competitive Pavlov VR team." 10:27 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "I also need to apologise for the surprise scanning Claat and Samuel were subjected to. If you remember the uncomfortable thing I never took from my bag the last time I was here, we've got it working remotely through app platforms." 10:28 <banana> Robojack: "It's the other way around, I think. You need me... well, perhaps it's mutual." Light flashes on and off steadily in his robot's 'eyes'. "I need your judgement. You both recommended against entanglement with vampire court politics, which seems to have been correct." 10:28 <VoxPVoxD> "It slipped my mind before we came to warn you all." 10:28 <tom> Bob: "Yeah sorry. We just sorta scan people. Picked up a few real bangers for my workout mix." 10:28 <banana> The weird thing there is, you haven't seen any new tracks in Huntr. 10:29 <banana> Hambo: "Okay, let's set the euros aside - what kind of scanning is this? I think.. you had some sort of gadget, Willie?" 10:29 <Crion> Aster: "I think that's more true of Badawi than myself." 10:29 <Crion> "But I agree with the analysis that it was correct." 10:29 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Yes. Human Office records call it the 'TrackCheck'. It scans people and returns music and notes as if it were on file as someone's theme song for a film or television soundtrack." 10:30 <hrolf> Rolf exchanges a few business details with one of the secondary (beta?) Alphas, and starts at the mention of a certain city. "'ang on a mo - did you say Brussels?" 10:30 <VoxPVoxD> "We don't know who or what is making those decisions except insofar as they're clearly a bit of a dick." 10:31 <Quaker> Badawi is half-listening. “Mhm.” 10:31 <banana> Robojack: "Consequently: consequences. I'd like to run the next set of leads by you for vetting." 10:32 <Crion> Aster: "Alright. Are you looking for a first-reaction gut-instinct check here, or are you asking us to follow-up?" 10:33 <banana> Robojack: "Really whichever of the two is a reasonable exercise of discretion. I have the sources and need to earn my keep. But I do not want to expose myself or the rest of us to accusations of involvement." 10:33 <banana> "Presently I know of three solid opportunities and a rumour." 10:34 <Crion> Aster: "Well then, shoot. And forward the relevant carbon copy to Haldane so we're free not to take notes here." 10:34 <Crion> He glances around. By now he simply assumes Jack's power is such that they're in their own little bubble. 10:35 <banana> Hambo, to Rolf: "Yeah. We've got some enemies who operate in Europe, using the bureaucratic structure to... do... enemy things. The cool thing is, their own framing gives us a perfect metaphor to fight back with!" 10:35 <hrolf> Rolf: "Fuck em! They 'ave no remit in this country - brexit means brexit. Let's kick some euro arse." 10:36 <tom> Bob: "So are we going to be fighting people, or, what, more dogs? Dogs that virtually represent Brussels?" 10:37 <banana> The argument in another part of the gamer house has escaped. Claat comes striding odorously into the front room where you are, practically dragging Samuel by the ear. 10:37 <banana> Claat: "Alphas. We're going out for a bit." 10:37 <banana> Jan: "Out... side?" 10:38 <banana> Hambo, quietly to the hunters: "The poor bastard." 10:38 <tom> Bob: "No it's okay you don't need to execute him for cheating in Soul Calibur, I forgive him." 10:38 <Quaker> Badawi: “So to be clear…you’ve got some kind of tapped lines operation going, and you’re worried that an inquiry into the problem will flag your taps. Which is why Brutus Barrigan and Constable Damani, and Emily De La Warr, and Benni Athletic, were surprised and slightly offended that we knew about their problems in the first place.” 10:39 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Is everything alright?" 10:39 <banana> Claat: "There's something port-scanning me. It can't get through our firewall yet but there's a chance they'll trace the ping. I can't put us all at risk." 10:39 <Quaker> “But your information is limited to a pretty superficial or otherwise indirect level, which is why you didn’t know that the businessman was a dead-ender.” 10:39 <Quaker> See, she does read what Haldane types up. 10:39 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Ah. Yes. I must apologise again." 10:40 <tom> Bob: "Oh fuck, is it- is it the Trackcheck? Is that what this is? Does our shit have a backdoor?" 10:40 <banana> Claat: "Apologise to the bones and dust, woman!" 10:40 <banana> Jan: "No need for that, Claat. Take a nice long lunch. Use the Visa if you like." 10:40 <Crion> Aster: "You know, I'm not sure he was a dead-ender." 10:40 <Crion> "I think maybe he was -- is -- something worse." 10:40 <Crion> "But we can table that." 10:40 <banana> Nigel's still going over the VR logs, but he nods along with Jan. 10:41 <banana> Samuel: "Sorry about all this." He's moving, or being moved - Claat's taken them both to the door. 10:41 <Quaker> Badawi: “But it wasn’t as straightforward as any of us like, or expected. Just a roll of the dice. He picks up snatches of information, mostly out of context. He wants us to provide context because he doesn’t have a great deal of insight into the organizations he’s listening to.” 10:41 <tom> "Bro please do not murder him for letting me scan you guys. I'll totally fall on my own sword on this one. Just set my ass on fire already." 10:42 <VoxPVoxD> Willie, warningly: "Bob." 10:42 <banana> Jan moves away from the VR setup. "I'm going to need more detail and less self-recrimination." 10:42 <VoxPVoxD> Willie produces her phone, and the TrackCheck app on Huntr, for Jan to see. 10:43 <tom> "I just set up the app. Our tech guy isn't here." 10:43 <banana> While Willie's getting her phone out... it receives a notification. 10:43 <VoxPVoxD> "I brought the object this networks with round a couple of weeks ago, but you were all sufficiently cagey I didn't take it out for you to inspect." 10:43 <VoxPVoxD> "Oh-!" 10:43 <banana> [α] Claat, the Returned | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aMTP6Sxywk | "Good fucking luck there -- this one goes out to every white boy with dreadlocks." 10:43 <Crion> Aster: "Seems like correct analysis." 10:45 <tom> Bob is trying to see what's happening to Samuel, but presumably is having a hard time with the boarded-up windows. 10:45 <Crion> As per their previous steak dinner, Aster is not surprised Badawi is rubbing this in. That's fine. It's not precisely unearned. Time to play good cop. "Context is something we're good at." 10:45 <banana> Robosourjack: "My information cannot be made definite, that much is right. Sources risk exposure. I have more insight than you think and less than I can reveal." 10:47 <tom> Bob's fidgeting has, surprisingly, not improved with the possibility he might be responsible for something truly horrible happening to a dude he just gamed wtih. 10:47 <banana> "For this round I'll try to alleviate the problem by giving you some bits on who knows what." 10:47 <Crion> Aster: "Excellent. Proceed." 10:49 <banana> Now Nigel's joined the group discussing the TrackCheck too - six of you all listening to the same brash song fill the room. 10:50 <banana> Jan: "Perhaps we did ourselves a disservice." 10:50 <hrolf> Rolf: "Bleedin awful music mate." 10:51 <banana> Nigel: "It sucks. But Claat would like it. This message that goes with the song- what's the provenance?" 10:51 <tom> Bob, starting to get a bit desperate as he cranes his head over toward the door, trying to hide it: "I think it slaps." 10:51 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "We don't know." 10:51 <tom> "That's the most interesting part, though. The bit that gives us the most info other than, you know, like, a vibe." 10:51 <VoxPVoxD> "Some of them are quite unkind, and many of them are awfully personal." 10:51 <banana> Bob finds a way to peer around one of the boarded up windows... and sees more boards. It's not clear that there's even a window there at all, though by the shape of the house's outside there should be. 10:52 <banana> Nigel: "Well, who made it? What did it cost? Where was it rooted?" 10:53 <banana> The phone buzzes again. 10:53 <banana> [α] Sam, the Immersed | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhaq4JP_t6o | "Prithee, spendest thou thy skill points? Chargest thou thy god damn battery." 10:53 <hrolf> Rolf: "Who fahckin knows. 's why I ain't 'avin it pointed at me. Who knows what the side effects are, eh?" 10:54 <tom> Sweet Jesus did I just murder one of the last pure Morrowind enjoyers? 10:54 <banana> Jan: "Hopefully just knowledge." 10:54 <banana> "Who has that knowledge, I wonder." 10:54 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "We have notes from the Human Office impound, but they're not digitised. It's not terribly forthcoming as to its origin." 10:55 <tom> Bob is absolutely devastated. 10:55 <hrolf> Rolf, jokingly: "Maybe it's from God's own stash hey?" 10:55 <tom> ...But he pulls it together. 10:55 <VoxPVoxD> Willie gives Rolf a disapproving look, like she does when he says the C word. 10:56 <banana> Nigel: "Probably. Which scion of Heaven wields the clapboard?" 10:56 <banana> Jan: "You're using it as a tool for your work. Can we send someone to take a look at it in its habitat?" 10:56 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "We'd need to run that by our team." 10:57 <hrolf> Rolf: "'ave to get a sign on from the boss." 10:57 <VoxPVoxD> "It might be more amenable for me to bring it somewhere for you to examine it than for us to let you into the offsite." 10:57 <banana> It's unclear whether the man, the woman or the robot at Gartside are the bosses. They've got a list of leads to discuss, though. 10:58 <banana> Sourjack's rapid, dry voice continues from the largely unmoving android. "I'll briefly touch on the unactionable item." 10:59 <banana> "I'm keeping an eye on the mages who gave us the spirit-hunting job, because that was good work. Some of them are working up a dangerous mission involving nonwizards. It doesn't seem to have come to fruition yet." 10:59 <Crion> Aster: "We're developing the wizards as something closer than clients, it seems, so it's prudent to lay off sensitive material for now." 11:00 <banana> Sourjack: "This would be the locals, not the ones in Liverpool - but I'll leave them alone for now. Moving on." 11:01 <Quaker> Badawi holds up a hand. “Wait. What do you mean nonwizards. Nonhumans?” 11:01 <tom> Bob goes to sit down on the couch and manages to not hold his head in his hands and instead bounces his knee nervously. 11:01 <banana> "Reveille, singer of Waistcoat Colony, is still looking for bodyguards. Or rather, she's tried some and they didn't work out. She's looking for someone who can protect her and deal with, cover up, otherwise action the deaths of the previous help-" 11:01 <banana> The android pauses. "Sorry, microphone latency." 11:02 <Crion> What? Why would he mean that? 11:02 <tom> "Yeah cool," he says in response to nobody. 11:02 <banana> Sourjack: "What I've learned more specifically is that they're sending an unmagical human on some risky job with great potential. Could be more like it to come." 11:02 <Quaker> As in, it involves nonwizard regular humans? Or nonwizards, but also not regular humans? 11:03 <Crion> Aster: "If we're not going to interfere it's better not to know. If we're going to interfere, it's also better not to know." 11:03 <Crion> "This was the crux of the WASC situation." 11:03 <banana> Robot: "I envy your compartmentalisation." It creaks. 11:03 <Quaker> Badawi: “One of the not-werewolves? Whose youngest member we met at Samhain? Bertie?” 11:04 <Crion> Aster: "Christ, Badawi." 11:04 <banana> The android is silent, waiting for consensus. 11:04 <Quaker> “What?” 11:05 <Crion> He shakes his head. Later, when the fucking robot isn't around. 11:05 <Quaker> We’re literally here to provide context for him - 11:05 <Quaker> “Alright. Keep going.” 11:05 <Crion> He specifically said this was unactionable. 11:05 <banana> Jan: "Ah, the limits to contrition. We wouldn't want to bring the thing here, so that means someone with the skills who examine it who can survive an extended exposure... I'll introduce you to T3rt!arY shortly." 11:05 <Crion> You are creating work. 11:06 <Quaker> Sourjack *thinks* it’s unactionable. 11:06 <Crion> And that means on your head it be when the dossier doesn't fit the remit. 11:06 <banana> Nigel: "If we just don't touch this gadget, it probably doesn't become a problem. Hambo, is Brussels going to let up any time soon?" 11:07 <banana> Hambo: "No, they're blocking us at every turn. Until we get through, we're reduced to Bolo and q3dm17." 11:08 <banana> Sourjack: "I will investigate the involvement of Bertie and his family. Initial impression: none." 11:08 <banana> "So, Reveille is now desperate enough to pay us. There's another piece of work that's opened up also involving telepaths." 11:09 <Crion> Aster: "Here's a pointed request: leave children out of our job offers." 11:09 <Crion> Aster: "As for Reveille, I believe she's our next selection." 11:09 <banana> "Adult telepaths." 11:09 <Crion> "So that's good synergy." 11:10 <banana> "Likely so. And if you decide not, the next best possibility is this man Bosci, who's been cast out of his community. A psi-powered stalker." 11:11 <banana> "They'll pay to have him depowered, which may but does not have to involve murder." 11:11 <Crion> Aster: "...We'll consider it. I'll have to look into whether that's even possible without lobotomy." 11:11 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "What precisely are you being blocked from?" 11:12 <Quaker> Badawi: “Which community?” 11:12 <banana> Sourjack: "Understood. The full name is Hourann Bosci, and the people who want him stopped are a... sort of social club. Mensa Merseyside; he's a former member, and they're very well off." 11:13 <banana> "The sort of people who are both willing and capable to expend their wealth to keep their hands clean, without getting the police involved in their supernatural problems." 11:13 <Quaker> “I take it that Mensa Merseyside is some kind of regional rival to the Athletic organization.” 11:14 <Crion> Aster: "We've had some prelimnary contact." 11:14 <banana> Robojack: "I don't think they're in the same business, just the same brains." 11:15 <banana> "Questions before I introduce one last solid possibility?" 11:15 <Crion> Aster: "I'm settled. Badawi?" 11:16 <banana> Hambo: "O-" 11:16 <banana> Nigel: "Continuing our work." 11:16 <banana> Jan: "Completing our goals." 11:16 <banana> Nigel: "Doing as we please." 11:16 <Quaker> Badawi: “Could you look into the exact nature of the relationship between Athletic’s group and these ones? It’s hard to imagine that they don’t have some kind of business in the past.” 11:16 <banana> Hambo: "You know those regulators. They basically block everyone from everything." 11:16 <Crion> Aster: "They compete in organized crime on the docks." 11:17 <Crion> "But yes, please get us some specifics if you can." 11:17 <Quaker> “We don’t want to walk into a civil war.” 11:17 <hrolf> Rolf: "'s right. Somefing ort to bee done." 11:18 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "All right then; keep your secrets." 11:19 <Quaker> “Otherwise, go ahead.” 11:19 <banana> Sourjack: "Yes, I understand and I'll action it. Actually - contextualisers, context me this: what leads you to believe the debate club and the barbershop drug thugs are competing?" 11:19 <hrolf> Rolf just scowls. 11:19 <tom> Bob sighs, wrings his hands. 11:20 <Quaker> “They’re about an hour away and aren’t the same organization.” 11:20 <banana> Nigel returns to the computer in the corner. "All's good from the test and it sounds like we don't have a lot of time to get this done. How much time do you have to spare today, folks? And if it's not much, when can you return?" 11:20 <Quaker> “Also, we saw them competing.” 11:20 <banana> Hambo: "Did you guys discuss pay yet?" 11:22 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Not concretely. There was some talk of crypto, and some balk at crypto." 11:22 <hrolf> Rolf: "I don't touch the stuff." 11:23 <tom> "I'm good. I'm prepared to offer a discount on my services today." 11:23 <banana> Hambo: "This reduces the synergies in our shared paradigm." 11:23 <banana> "Not that you're wrong, Rolf. It's stupid crap- that's why we want to get rid of it!" 11:23 <Crion> Aster: "Stopped a riverboat fight between them." 11:24 <Crion> "Canalboat fight?" 11:24 <banana> Jan: "We made the alternate offer of reifying in-game drops." 11:24 <Crion> "Regardless." 11:24 <banana> "Drops or buffs." 11:24 <hrolf> Rolf: "Well you're not dumping crypto on me, mate. Cash please, or- what do you mean, drops?" 11:24 <VoxPVoxD> "Like the guns?" 11:24 <Crion> "Received the card of one Bogdan Georgiou." 11:26 <banana> Jan: "If you find anything valuable in the virtual world - or receive any boons - we can make them real. That's the power of Pro Mode." 11:26 <banana> He just kind of casually admits to essentially doing some sort of world-warping magic there. 11:27 <banana> Robojack's gears grind for a moment. "Alright, there's conflict. I'll learn more about it and update you, or Richard." 11:27 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Suppose Bob rolls very well on a loot table but is injured in the process. Does the rollback exploit require him choosing between retaining the injury and losing the loot?" 11:27 <tom> Bob is too deflated to really take this up. But still: "That sounds way better than money." 11:27 <banana> "Finally: a more long-term job. This is one we might be able to take on simultaneous with others." 11:27 <hrolf> Rolf: "Not a fan of the mystery box model of payment, personally." 11:28 <Crion> Aster: "The cell is trending against such behavior at the moment, but that's offered merely as mood lighting. Please proceed." 11:29 <banana> Sourjack: "It's your call in the end. The opportunity here is a mad cult and a disgruntled former member... but not like Bosci. The ex-cultist is offering us the work. Actually offering; they've heard the name of the Nameless House." 11:29 <banana> No irony in his robotic voice there. 11:29 <Crion> This is why Aster always refers to it simply as 'the House.' 11:30 <banana> Sourjack: "The premise is infiltration; get one or more people into the cult and abide until they perform their dark rites. Then, modify or prevent the summoning as the client desires. More information available - from the client - upon our request." 11:30 <Crion> Aster glances to Badawi. "Thoughts?" 11:31 <Crion> "I say get a timetable." 11:31 <banana> Sourjack: "Three and a half months." 11:32 <Quaker> Badawi: “Do you want some context?” 11:32 <banana> Sourjack: "I'm professionally interested." 11:33 <Crion> This might be the Eygptian bunch. 11:33 <banana> Jan's blue eyes are intense as he glances at Willie then back to Bob. "Yes. That's a choice he could make, or we could set parameters in advance. This quest involves danger, and decisions made in the heat of the moment aren't always rational." 11:34 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "I'll say." 11:34 <banana> Hambo: "Jan." 11:34 <banana> Jan: "What's it?" 11:34 <Quaker> Badawi: “At Samhain, we introduced ourselves as the Nameless House, so anyone there would be familiar with our name. There were also what turned out to be some kind of Mummy-cult, which announced the culmination of some kind of project in the next few months. Their Lord Khemut-Re, I assume, is the entity they are probably interested in summoning.” 11:35 <banana> Hambo: "Keep up with the npcs, boss. This guy's used to making decisions under fire. Am I right?" 11:35 <Quaker> “Any of this ring a bell?” 11:36 <banana> Robojack: "It's enough for further inquiries. I'll have to develop sources. Conjuring an ancient demon, daemon or djinn sounds like quite a laugh." 11:36 <tom> Bob bristles, and with his head angled down as he sits on the couch, his bleary eyes scan the demon's face for clarification. 11:37 <banana> Hambo's face is... wide. But open. You're not sure whether he Knows About you or just has a little more interpersonal awareness than the others. 11:37 <Quaker> Badawi: “If it does turn out to be the mummy, I would not want to get involved. Or else not get involved with very heavy backup.” 11:37 <Quaker> without* 11:38 <Crion> Aster: "At the very least they have deep community ties in Manchester. Very likely this is a job we decline for political reasons, unless we find Khemut-Re sufficiently malevolent." 11:39 <banana> Robojack: "Then I will discern whether it is the mummy. Or at least provide you a way to find out." 11:39 <Crion> Aster: "Understood. I think this has been very productive." 11:40 <banana> The whole robot judders into motion for a moment, crossing its arms and leaning back on the bench, a mechanical parody of relaxation. "It might not have changed our plans in any concrete fashion but I'm glad we approach the same page." 11:41 <banana> Jan: "We are at an impasse. Mr. Hughes, I don't mind telling you that it seems like the one thing you want - cash - is what we do not have to give. We live on Irn Bru and mass noodles. Participating in the fiat currency system is... a risk." 11:42 <Crion> Aster pauses. "Do we need to...escort the robot anywhere...or..." 11:42 <Quaker> Badawi: “Can you leave Richard with a weekly summary of your findings, or leads? We don’t need to meet in person like this.” 11:42 <hrolf> Rolf eyes Willie and Bob, then turns back to the alphas: "Well, I mean - these drops. What sort of fing are they likely to be, then?" 11:43 <Crion> Aster's gaze flicks over with mild annoyance. If we want to exercise oversight over Sourjack we do, in fact, need to meet in person like this. 11:43 <banana> Sourjack: "Thank you for the offer, Mr. Aster. It's not strictly necessary, but it would be useful if you could toss this heap in the lake on your way out." 11:43 <banana> Jan: "Hmm. How about we include something explicit in the programme." 11:43 <Crion> Aster, from Philadelphia: "Understood." 11:44 <banana> "Dial in a visit to a virtual bank, a virtual armoury.. is there any kind of equipment you're finding difficult to source?" 11:44 <Crion> Aster will briskly do so, when the light goes out of its eyes, assuming we're done here. 11:44 <tom> Bob perks up a bit, cracks his knuckles. "I am having a hard time acquiring suitable anti-aircraft and anti-tank armaments." 11:45 <Quaker> Badawi leaves without a word. 11:45 <Crion> Fair enough. 11:46 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "I'm not looking for payment; this is about building relationships for me." 11:46 <tom> Bob: "I would settle for a 9K38 Igla. Hell, a PZR Grom even. My standards are dropping by the minute." 11:48 <hrolf> Rolf: "I'd be 'appy wif anyfing that's good at taking down creepy crawlies of the night. Or defending meself agains them. Vampires espescially. Got this funny feeling about them for some reason.' 11:49 <banana> The android's battery has entirely run down. There are a couple of sparks and pops as it sinks beneath the artificial water, and then the ripples close over. 11:49 <banana> ...Hopefully nobody was watching Aster dump something shaped like a human body in the quarter-circle lake. 11:51 <banana> Nigel, from by the computer: "Yes, we can do that. It'll be totemic - an adaptive system where I can't predict the exact result. But I can guarantee you at least one epic drop." 11:52 <banana> "Do you trust me, Mr.- no, wrong question. Do you believe in my power?" 11:52 <Crion> Aster simply acts like he was supposed to be doing that, and no one stops him. 11:52 <Crion> What do the English say? 'Simple as?' 11:53 <tom> Bob: "I believe you could probably kill me in under ten seconds without breaking a sweat." 11:53 <banana> The clan leader looks like he's considering it, working the angles. 11:54 <tom> "What's going to happen to the dude that got yanked outside?" 11:54 <tom> Bob sits up like he expects them to cop to this one. 11:54 <banana> Jan: "He'll come back when he gets sunburn or needs to go to the lavatory." 11:55 <tom> "You guys are weirder than the fucking elves." 11:55 <banana> Jan: "Your asshole device already got their souls or whatever. There's no point wandering around all day, they just haven't realised it." 11:56 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Well! I thank you for your time and attention. I am, again, terribly sorry about that. Hambo can be in touch to set up a further foray?" 11:57 <banana> Hambo: "Yeah, I'll pester you repeatedl.y" 11:57 <VoxPVoxD> "I'm pleased to hear it. Do enjoy the sandwiches in the fridge!" 11:58 <banana> "Ohhhh shit." 12:01 <tom> Bob's eyes disappear back beneath the rims of the visor as the man lifts his head and tries to form a smile. 12:06 <banana> It's later that same day that Badawi and Willie meet up for their visit to the latest in a series of wizards. 12:07 <banana> Agostina's been badgering her way through their circles and hierarchies in the hope of finding someone who's willing to actually do things, with Willie joining in the bizdev plan partway. They've found some nice wizards, even ones who're willing to ally with them and work for pay, but 'fight a vampire for us' remains elusive. 12:08 <banana> Their latest hope is the variously-described Zebek, another Free Councillor of the Assemblies. 12:08 <VoxPVoxD> The last thing Willie wants to do is entangle even more people in her Vampire Business. 12:08 <banana> He's been called an explorer, a dimension-hopper and an unpaid mercenary; apparently he does these things with a partner who is not himself a mage. 12:09 <VoxPVoxD> Willie smiles when she sees Agostina and, presumably, Amjad, if we're going into Liverpool. 12:11 <Quaker> Amjad waves at Willie as she gets into the van. 12:11 <banana> Quill bartered a meeting with Zebek for the promise to help her deploy one of her art pieces in future. All you've got to do is go to where the guy is (a restaurant), and have dinner. 12:12 <Quaker> Badawi is quietly going through some papers in the back. “The only thing worse than a mage who decides to do nothing is one that decides to do something.” 12:12 <tom> Bob shits out a rapid-fire report to Haldane about what just happened at Alpha Strike; the immediate electronic attack on the demons that followed the use of the Trackcheck. The report makes no mention of who used the device, or on whom. He exits the Huntr app and ultimately decides not to immediately delete the app from his visor. Not while he's in a groupchat. 12:12 <Crion> Aster stays with the charcoal suit but goes to a black tie for the meeting with Reveille. He'll have Rolf and Bob on either elbow so he might as well look like the 'class' of the arrangement. 12:13 <tom> The squirrely fuck's there in his jacket, smoking like a faulty wall socket. 12:13 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Did you ever hear back about the mediation with our antitemplar friend?" 12:14 <banana> Team Waistcoat Colony had a bit of time to plan. There's one way they know they can meet the band: after a show. It will be late and noisy. Is it good enough? 12:14 <Quaker> “No. I assume the changelings are just as cowardly as the rest of them.” 12:14 <hrolf> Rolf is driving; they pull up to <location> with a sudden sharp lurch, as Rolf brakes at the last second to take a parking spot he was going to overshoot. Various clatterings, human and Equipment, occur within the over. Where are we? 12:15 <banana> Athletic's name might open extra doors... or slam them shut. 12:15 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "One supposes they would consider it a will to survive rather than cowardice. But one further supposes cowards usually do." 12:16 <VoxPVoxD> "They are lovely people, though." 12:16 <Crion> Aster steps out of passenger side. "Incredible how barely functional you are at driving." 12:16 <Crion> "Don't mention the husband around the client. Might be fine using his name to get in the door, but she won't want to hear about him." 12:16 <tom> He arrived in his own vehicle. It looks like he's been here for a little while, gauging from the ashed cigarette butts accumulating around his feet. Bob seems distracted by whatever he's seeing in his visor. 12:17 <hrolf> Rolf: "Gets us from point A to point B in quick time, mate." He scans the entrance to the revue - any bouncers, guards, or barriers to entry? 12:17 <Quaker> Badawi doesn’t answer. Instead, after a while — “ Amjad? Are we going?” 12:17 <Quaker> “Of course, miss.” 12:18 <hrolf> "Wasn't plannin on mentioning the mister to the missus. But she's 'ung out an' about on the premises of the Atheltic lads, so she knows I've worked for em - if she remembers me face. So watch out for that, like." 12:18 <VoxPVoxD> Hmm. Does she typically let conversations die like that? Willie doesn't really know her well enough to be sure. 12:19 <Crion> To Bob: "Anything from the drone?" 12:19 <tom> "How'd you know?" 12:19 <Quaker> What kind of restaurant are they meeting Zebek at? 12:20 <Crion> Aster: "There's not really anything interesting happening at those parked cars. So you're obviously streaming a feed." 12:21 <banana> Waistcoat Colony are headlining at what's probably the year's last outdoor concert, a monthly festival named Postpunkapalooza. While the hunters assemble themselves and their equipment outside the fence, Bob has a view of the band's last piece before the cooldown guys play them off. 12:21 <tom> Bob pops his neck and pushes off from his parked vehicle. "C.M's next stream drops at Four in the morning local time. It's so unfair how time zones fuck us here." 12:21 <Crion> What, they don't come back out for an encore? Brits. 12:23 <banana> You can all hear the music a bit from out here, thanks to the power of Loud. Waistcoat Colony is four people: Reveille, a tow-headed figure in a cut-up dress who's cradling the mic as she leans into it, two guitarists in bright clashing colours and a drummer at the center of an extraordinary assemblage of percussion equipment. Bob can see the latter woman's only got two arms, but she's playing 12:23 <banana> more beats than you'd think would be feasible. 12:24 <tom> Anyway: "Not bad for like, post-goths, I guess. Not really my scene." 12:25 <Crion> Music that sounds like noise. 12:25 <tom> "I'd need to see them with the ODIN to get a good idea what they're all about. Elevated cranial temperatures, EKG-like discharges even the visor can pick up." 12:25 <Crion> What are we looking at for security to talk through? 12:26 <banana> Now that the concert's almost over, one guy leaning on a closed wire-fence gate with a cigarette and a raincoat. 12:27 <Crion> Aster, to Bob: "Make sure whatever you're carrying isn't obvious. Let's go." 12:28 <tom> Bob is carrying the shitty little metal-tube submachinegun that so far has mostly been used against farm equipment. It's tucked up into the small of his back in a hidden holster strap. 12:31 <banana> Waistcoat Colony have left the stage. For a while, they'll be in their trailers or circulating the backstage areas and facilities. You've got a window of about 30 minutes before the concert itself ends, and they'll be leaving... some time after that. 12:31 <banana> Security: "Hey, you there. You came outta the carpark, not the toilets." 12:31 <banana> Security, belatedly: "Security." 12:32 <Crion> Aster: "Observant. We're here for the security job above yours." 12:33 <Crion> Aster: "The band's back in their trailers. Call Reveille, the frontwoman of Waistcoat Colony. She'll know what we're here for." 12:33 <banana> (On the drone feed, men with enormous speakers and synthesisers are shooting their shot on stage. The shortest guy steps up to the mic to inform the end-of-night crowd: We. Are. NEEEEEEEEEEEEERDS!) 12:34 <tom> The twitchy fucker on fivehead's six has his hands in his pockets, but is otherwise projecting, maybe a bit too desperately, an unthreatening aura. 12:39 <banana> Well... they look like they know what they're talking about, and who gives a shit? Waistcoat Colony isn't big enough to get this guy fired just for bothering them. Maybe. 12:40 <banana> He takes a radio out of his raincoat. "There's three guys here who say they want a security job. Yes ma'am. No ma'am." 12:40 <banana> The guard bends down, holding the walkie-talkie awkwardly in one hand, lifts up his own foot with the other and examines it, straightens. "Twelve, ma'am." 12:41 <Quaker> Badawi seems less patient and open than Willie is used to. 12:41 <VoxPVoxD> :( 12:41 <Quaker> She’s not exactly an open book at the best of times, but she’s very business-like here. 12:42 <hrolf> Rolf: "Wots the 'old up? Lets us in mate." 12:42 <VoxPVoxD> ...where are we eating? 12:42 <banana> Security: "You can go through... don't try anything. Keep the fence on your right, skirt around the booths, someone will meet you backstage." 12:43 <banana> Badawi and Wellesley will be eating at Pendleton's. 12:43 <banana> Unless it sucks and they bail. But that's the plan. 12:43 <Crion> Aster says, "Thank you." after the first four words and is already moving through the rest. 12:44 <Quaker> And what is Pendleton’s? 12:45 <banana> If there's no more conversation on the way, then they'll arrive in Liverpool a little while after sunset. Pendleton's is a French-Korean fusion restaurant, too new to be heavily reviewed; from the outside, it looks like just one more shop on the cafe strip. Lots of triangular flags on strings outside, forming an ersatz awning. 12:45 <tom> Bob nods and keeps an eye oh now 'NEEEEEEEEEEERDS' is doing. They better be crushing it, Bob's mood is riding on this vibe being good. 12:45 <tom> The drone continues its lazy circuit overhead. 12:47 <banana> NERDS (not the american N.E.R.D.!) are doing fine, which is to say they're playing energetically at high volume. Some of the crowd haven't even left yet... but they've seen who they came here to see and plenty are aiming to beat the rush. 12:47 <hrolf> Rolf grimaces and covers his ears as they walk on. 12:49 <tom> Well as long as it's not visibly Sad, Bob can cope. 12:50 <Quaker> Inwardly, Badawi is still turning the meeting with Sourjack over in her head. An employer who thinks he’s smarter and more exotic than he is. A Professional, middle-aged male colleague who has grown comfortable with mistaking his opinion and routine for objective reality, and sneers when you open your mouth. That’s not new, nor is it anything she can’t handle. But the rest…the mopey maudlin killer, the thrill-seeking martyr ingenue, the 12:50 <Quaker> racist puddle...and over them all, the constant threats, the condescension, the stonewalling… 12:50 <Quaker> She gets out of the van feeling very Tired. 12:51 <Quaker> Didn’t she just take a vacation? 12:51 <Quaker> But she’s also very experienced at shoving it all down and getting to business. “Ready?” 12:52 <VoxPVoxD> Willie looks up from her phone. "Mm-hmm!" 12:52 <banana> Backstage at the dying concert, a woman wearing the same security getup as the guy at the fence meets the three hunters, holding a stack of badges for them to clip on. "For the band? You're some kind of external hires?" 12:52 <Quaker> Badawi will hold the door for her. “Beauty before age.” 12:53 <VoxPVoxD> "You're too kind." 12:53 <banana> Pendleton's is half-empty. It's early - just past 5 - and a lot of people still aren't going out to restaurants. So that might not say anything about the food... 12:53 <hrolf> Rolf, taking a badge and examining it critically: "'s right. Where can we find em?" 12:53 <hrolf> Rolf, taking a badge and examining it critically: "'s right. Where can we find em?" 12:54 <Crion> Aster: "Waistcoat Colony put out a mark. We're here to pick it up." He pauses. "Tell the lead singer we don't work for her ex." 12:55 <banana> It does make it easy to spot Zebek and Daniel. The wizard is as he's been described: fit, bearded, wearing something that's been tailored to look smart but which is still basically workout gear. 12:55 <banana> His partner... is facing away from you and bent over the menu. 12:55 <tom> Bob takes the lanyard and clips it to his shirt pocket. 12:55 <Crion> Badge goes on lapel. 12:56 <VoxPVoxD> Willie walks right for them, assuming Agostina's right behind her. 12:57 <Quaker> She is. Let’s get this out of the way. 12:57 <banana> The final security guard laughs and does as Aster says. You're introduced to the trailer door as 'not from your ex', it opens, there's a brief glimpse of rock stars drinking and getting changed, and then one of them steps out to meet you. The short-haired ash blonde. 12:59 <tom> He's got no hat to tip so instead he takes his visor by the rim and lowers that. "Ma'am." 13:03 <banana> Reveille's presence is immediate, startling. She's tired and nearly middle-aged, but when she descends the trailer steps it's like being bathed in star power. You are in the presence of a Celebrity. Bob and Aster felt something a bit like this at, or above, Elysium... 13:04 <banana> The difference is that the Night Mayor's power is coercive; it forces you to attend, constrains your actions. Reveille's aura sweeps over everyone around her and makes them - you - feel good things about her. Mary Morgan becomes more attractive, reasonable and worth defending at once. But all of you know it's telepathy, not some real immutable thing. 13:04 <banana> The difference is that the Night Mayor's power is coercive; it forces you to attend, constrains your actions. Reveille's aura sweeps over everyone around her and makes them - you - feel good things about her. Mary Morgan becomes more attractive, reasonable and worth defending at once. But all of you know it's telepathy, not some real immutable thing. 13:05 <hrolf> Rolf respectfully straightens from his usual slump nevertheless.. 13:05 <Crion> Preferable, frankly. Aster declines to play along, necessarily, but he's less bothered by it. 13:05 <tom> An outside observer editorializing by thinking that William Goreman doesn't vibe extremely well with tired-looking women has clearly never dated a healthcare worker during the pandemic. 13:05 <hrolf> "Wotcher, marm. We're from the night watch, 'ere followin up on a job offer." 13:05 <banana> Squint, and she's a woman in glam makeup, good shape but plain, circles under her eyes. But when she speaks, her melodic voice is like an enchantment and you only wish you could have heard her sing. 13:05 <banana> (Bob did, through a drone speaker; it was good, but didn't have the same magic.) 13:06 <banana> Reveille: "If you're my saviours... maybe I've got a fighting chance." 13:06 <tom> Bob: "I swear to fucking God Rolf, if you say we're the Night Watch one more fucking time I'm going to frag you." 13:06 <Crion> Aster: "Indubitably." 13:07 <Crion> As, of course, they argue behind him. 13:07 <tom> He's done. 13:07 <banana> Reveille: "Are you men who can stand up to the forces of Cosmos?" 13:07 <hrolf> Rolf looks around cautiously: "Is that Penberthy cunt around again? Calm down son." To Reveille: "Never mind him, marm. The night watch, at your service - and yes we can." 13:08 <tom> Bob will actually look at Aster here. 13:09 <Crion> To Bob: "It's fine. The House is nameless; it helps if there's one questionably-serious prick running around spreading a fake name." 13:09 <Crion> "Builds the legend." 13:09 <tom> Bob exhales and shakes his head. 13:09 <banana> Reveille: "I don't need a legend, I need men who can fight. Keep me safe until Christmas, and I'll make you all rich." 13:10 <Crion> To Reveille: "For the right price, which we've been assured is on offer, the job is as good as done." 13:10 <hrolf> Rolf: "Should we discuss the details in private?" 13:10 <banana> Reveille: "Aye. Come in and meet the band." 13:11 <tom> There had better be a cold beer waiting for him. 13:12 <banana> Zebek Trajan raises a hand (large, calloused) to greet the women. "Zebek; this is Daniel. Friends of the Ideas are friends of ours." 13:12 <banana> "I've ordered a red, so consider the menu accordingly." 13:13 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "How do you? Willie Wellesley." 13:14 <banana> Zebek reaches out to shake hands as his partner looks up sharply. 13:14 <banana> "Willie- that's why you wanted to talk to us? You work fast. A good start, if a little obvious." 13:15 <Quaker> Badawi shakes, nods, and sits down with the two men at the table. “Nice to meet you. Ms. Badawi. I don’t really pair wine with foods.” 13:17 <banana> Zebek: "Look, I know it's a bit pretentious but matching the flavours can be pretty worthwhile. Or don't you drink? That's fine, we could do a round of something fizzy as well." 13:17 <banana> Daniel looks back and forth between them. The last time Willie saw this guy, he had the head of a scarab beetle. 13:18 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "A fortunate mostly-coincidence. The Tatterdam has tangled roots." 13:18 <Quaker> “I appreciate it, really. It’s just my stomach. Been on the up and down all morning. I’ll stick to lemon water, thanks.” 13:19 <Quaker> “You know each other?” 13:19 <banana> Zebek: "Got it. A waiter should be here in a sec." There are none nearby but... he's got wizard senses. "...Tatterdam?" 13:20 <banana> Daniel: "I can't remember the last time I experienced a coincidence. Nice to meet you both, but if this isn't fate... it's enemy action." 13:20 <banana> Zebek: "Ah, hell. I can check it out if someone will... explain." 13:21 <Quaker> Agostina holds up a hand. “Okay. Wait.” 13:21 <VoxPVoxD> Willie will try the foie gras over scorched rice with shaved fennel and soy-mushroom sauce. "Let us hope for benevolent fate, then." 13:21 <Quaker> “Daniel. Zebek.” 13:22 <banana> They regard her with curiosity. You think it's just curiosity. 13:22 <Quaker> “We have spoken to so many supernatural things. They all want to come off like the most mysterious and cultured people in the country.” 13:22 <Quaker> “I am asking politely. Please. Please just be normal, when you’re talking to us.” 13:22 <banana> The wizard chuckles. 13:23 <VoxPVoxD> Wow, she's not doing very well. Bad holiday? 13:23 <banana> Zebek: "Look, I'm all for normal. What's the hangup, love?" 13:23 <banana> Daniel: "Ah.. it's just a bit difficult to cross milleux like this." 13:23 <Quaker> “We will speak very, very plainly with you. In fact, we prefer it. We just ask for the same.” 13:24 <banana> Daniel: "Ms. Badawi, I'm not trying to be cryptic. You don't remember the ceremony under the big elf tree?" 13:24 <Quaker> “I do. You were there? Which one were you?” 13:24 <Quaker> “No offense. There were a lot of people. A wizard hit me in the head.” 13:25 <banana> Daniel: "I was the guy with the pinch of ash. All the mages there were awful, so." 13:26 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Not the one with the prophecy." 13:26 <VoxPVoxD> "The scarab!" 13:26 <VoxPVoxD> Helpfully to Zebek: "I was a strawberry." 13:27 <banana> As promised, a waiter. 13:27 <Quaker> “Oh! Well, then, hello for a second time. I don’t think we were introduced there.” To Daniel: “I went as a bunch of flowers.” 13:28 <banana> Your counterparts order the croque bowl and scallop barbequed on rice, respectively. 13:29 <banana> Zebek: "Coincidence does happen. Another way to put it is that we move in the same circles, and have formed a Venn diagram." 13:29 <Quaker> “Who would be considered the enemy, for a mummy cult?” 13:29 <Quaker> “Sorry if that’s not the PC term for it.” 13:31 <banana> Daniel: "It's kind of a come-off-as-mysterious term..." 13:31 <Quaker> Badawi motions for the waiter to come near and then slips him a fifty pound note while she whispers: “Do you have any saltines? Sorry, my stomach is shot.” 13:33 <Quaker> Recovering: “What’s your term for it?” 13:33 <banana> "I'll ask the chef for craquelin ala riz, madame." 13:35 <banana> Daniel: "Not mine anymore... I'm who is considered the enemy. The group calls itself, the Cairo-Manchester Apiarists' Society. Cee-mass." 13:35 <VoxPVoxD> "Hence the bees." 13:36 <banana> "To give you the very short story - most people in what previously a defunct and hidebound tradition are reinvigorated - enthused that our god is coming back to life. I'm not, because I actually know about this sort of thing, thanks to-" He gestures at his partner. 13:36 <VoxPVoxD> His partner, who was not at Samhain. 13:36 <banana> Zebek: "Hence blasphemy, hence expulsion. Not the first time either of us has been kicked out of a secret society." He shrugs. 13:36 <VoxPVoxD> Interesting tension! 13:37 <VoxPVoxD> There was quite a lot of that 'we're here for the kids' going around, wasn't there? The vampires had it too. 13:37 <Quaker> “Sorry to hear that. Just how recent was this split?” 13:39 <banana> Daniel: "That night was the final break. So I was really surprised to see you reaching out to us..." he hesitates. "Look, I'm really sorry. Zebek, could you please check it out? Whether this really is a coincidence?" 13:39 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "It's fine. I'm curious myself." 13:39 <VoxPVoxD> "You know, most magicians we've met wouldn't have done the courtesy of asking." 13:39 <Quaker> “Sure. Whatever makes you feel comfortable.” 13:40 <banana> Trajan: "Daniel's not a mage, really, so... he has common sense." 13:40 <banana> "Okay." He squints. "You've got destinies alright, some artificial. None of them to do with either us." 13:40 <VoxPVoxD> "Anything we should worry about?" 13:41 <banana> "I wouldn't bother. Hardly your fault that the guy who wanted to hire you for something is married to the guy you wanted to meet for some other reason." 13:41 <banana> Daniel: "Cool. Normal world, I guess." 13:41 <banana> Zebek: "All the worlds we've been to and this remains the normallest." 13:42 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Better normal world than Hell World." 13:43 <Quaker> Badawi: “Ah.” She turns to Willie. “Our meeting with our signals earlier. Mr. Daniel wanted to reach out to us, and ask if we’d take on the job of infiltrating his former Society, and then spoil their magical rituals when the time was ripe.” 13:43 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's eyebrows go up a bit. "Ah! That is coincidental." 13:44 <Quaker> “We hadn’t discussed it at much length, actually. Obviously, our first reaction would have been to ask for more information.” 13:44 <Quaker> “But my first reaction would have been to politely decline. Mummies, I understand, are a bit more dangerous than even our more recent work.” 13:44 <Quaker> “Involving vampires.” 13:45 <Quaker> “But…if it’s for a prospective friend…” 13:45 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Yes, we're happy to learn more either way." 13:45 <banana> Daniel: "I've never actually met one, but yeah, they're not pushovers." 13:45 <VoxPVoxD> "What would you say is at stake, here? What are the consequences of unspoilt rites?" 13:46 <Quaker> “Have you met Vivi, with the Manchester Mysterium? I believe the phrase he used was “as close to a God as you can get”, or something like that.” 13:47 <banana> Zebek's watching all this with some interest. "I have been in the same place as Vivi at the same time. And I've heard people compare our beards, which didn't incline me to actually go talk to him." 13:47 <VoxPVoxD> Willie only knows Vivi as the 'Put a Donk On It' guy. Her opinion of him can only deteriorate, really. 13:48 <banana> Daniel: "I mean, if you're interested.. let's eat, I don't want to get in the way of what you meant to come for. But there's been some kind of chinese whispers.. it's not like you can actually stop the god from coming back to life." 13:48 <Quaker> “He’s very Mysterium. Which is to say, he’s friendly and condescending. And won’t work with you outside his own protocol.” 13:48 <banana> "I'm just hoping that its chief servant, who is a piece of shit, can be left on the other side of Duat." 13:49 <banana> Zebek: "Rules, dude. The Diamond can be as bad as any government agency." 13:50 <Quaker> Badawi shakes her head in a friendly way. “Well, look…to be perfectly honest, we came just to meet you both and take your measure. No idea you were the client behind that job, Daniel. We heard you two were open to working with adventurous sorts, and we’ve been opening a firm that works that side of things. Very active fieldwork. Lately, it’s been a bit…” 13:50 <Quaker> “Frustrating.” 13:50 <Quaker> “No one is very eager to explain themselves. Well, maybe the changelings. But besides them.” 13:51 <Quaker> “Or offer much in the way of friendliness, once you’re outside their little circle. But we find ourselves with so many opportunities for cross-pollination, that it would be a shame not to have someone normal to talk to, who’s also interested in that sort of thing.” 13:52 <VoxPVoxD> "We've found the Assemblies here to be refreshingly earnest and plain-dealing. We want to cultivate that." 13:53 <banana> Zebek: "Can't claim to be normal. I am, like you said, an adventurer, which is mostly not a real job. But I do like talking shop, and our loose assembly believes that yeah, secrets are unhealthy. The fear that most people have in this shadow-world of letting in the light is doing them harm." 13:54 <Quaker> Badawi: “Right. Have you seen the others? They are, to use the English phrase, a bit fucking mental.”