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Post by Bonnie Hill on May 30, 2021 19:41:45 GMT -8
On the edge of North Las Vegas and Downtown, Bonnie had called a small team of known associates and the collective curious. More importantly: no Winter. In neutral territory, the experiment was theirs to negotiate, and she was clear with her expectations in her communication. 1) She was sure that the Freehold Wards operated off of energy from the dead. 2) She needed a Gravewight someone with Riddlekith and a Helldiver for the experiment 3) She needed a pair of body guards martial accountabilibuddies to keep things on the rails The point of the whole project was to get some basic readings in Twilight itself, but with a team rather than a lone actor. Once she had the numbers to run, she could continue looking into the operation of the Wards to make up for the fact that their King was senile and about to die close to retirement. The motel itself wasn't popular in reviews, leading to a wide assortment of rooms and tenants only wanting to mind their own damn business. She openly explained the components of the Ritual, dipping a handwoven chord into a barrel that was hauled from the local beef ranch. She would then tie it to the Anchor (someone solid on the outside), and have the Helldiver and Gravewight tie the cord around their joined palms. They would activate their special talents to phase into another plane while the Gravewight had their vision open to the Twilight at the same time. "You're entering physically, though," she explained, "So, Agrippa, you don't just pop back to your Bastion if something eats your face. I want to make that super clear."Linden and Firebringer were the Control Group, taking readings on their end as everyone was laden with equipment that looked like it belonged on Ghost Hunters. "You're going to walk to the graveyard for the next thirty minutes, if that's cool with everyone."
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on May 30, 2021 20:20:18 GMT -8
Nothing about the motel felt any kind of sketch to Danica. Maybe it was because of where she grew up, but walking along in felt like walking into an okay neighborhood nearly. It had bad reviews, but that meant less people. Less people means less problems, generally, right? She looks at the group: Bonnie, who she's briefly met before, Linden, Agrippa, and... Rowan. We can be calm. We can be- it's fine. Really. It is.
Firebringer listens to the directions, nodding as they go along. God, do I feel out of my depth. No. No, it's fine. I'm the control group. I'm doing exactly what I'm made to do. She can't help but think of the story that Lucas told her recently. He was brave as all hell and she isn't even a Gravewright to entirely understand it all. But damn was it scary. Well, the end was. And sad.
Fire looks at Linden before looking back at Bonnie, "Okay, so we're taking readings while walking the graveyard. What are we expecting versus what might we end up coming across on the bad end?" She barely understands what the Twilight is, much less the crap that dwells in it.
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on May 30, 2021 21:03:45 GMT -8
The last time Bonnie had asked Linden for help it had turned into a very long night, involving more than one bad decision- or so they'd been informed later, by Summer's higherups. They'd do their best to listen to the tiny voice of Lucky Jack in their head, reminding them not to be complicit in car theft or make a scene. The more harrowing events that had happened after weren't Bonnie's fault, though it did mean Linden was taking this seriously. It might seems like a straightforward enough experiment now, but with their previous ghost experiences it felt like plucking the edge of a spider's web and waiting to see what turned up.
Leaving the two Summer lugs strapped up with all the contraptions felt a bit like a prank. Linden just didn't want to read one of the dials wrong and mess up the data. At Bonnie's mention that the two divers could meet danger, the Ogre clapped a hand on Agrippa's shoulder and gave it a good squeeze; it was a friendly, fortifying gesture, but also betrayed concern.
"Can do. Is there anything that we should, or can, do from this side if the readings get... intense?" Just waiting sounded awful, though they didn't have much hope for alternatives.
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Post by Agrippa on May 31, 2021 4:16:39 GMT -8
Agrippa was here to walk blindly into the unknown, facing the restless dead and who knew what else with little more than their wits about them. They were here to do something dangerous, with Rowan as their only eyes on the other side and two Summers who knew little of twilight as their backup. They were here, and they were glowing.
"Yes! Yes. So I have to be careful."
The unicorn's head bobbed up and down excitedly, looking for all the world like a puppy about to be unleashed in a dog park. Linden's gesture was accepted, though their concern was lost on the beast, if their grinning mug was anything to go by. They patted themselves down as if to check they were well equipt, though there was nothing to see save the clothes on their back. They nodded to themselves proudly anyhow.
"I'm good with it! I'm good to go whenever everyone else is!"
Eager hands reached for the tallowed chord as bright eyes darted between all the members of the group, finally coming to a rest on Rowan.
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Post by Rowan on May 31, 2021 16:00:49 GMT -8
The Darkling let out a sigh as he looked over the team. Most barely understood what was happening. Agrippa seemed completely oblivious to the harm they could come to. A shiver went down Rowan's spine as he remembered his last visit to the Twilight.
He was standing a few steps away from the group, adjusting to so many Mantles in one place. His own connection with Autumn had deepened, and he wanted to offer the others the same courtesy. In his hands were a tray, with several coffee cups, as well as a paper bag.
Bonnie had explained her plan to gather readings, but he wasn't convinced. If his regular meetings with Mitch thought him one thing, it was how fragile his psyche actually was without proper connections to the real world. And after so long picking up the pieces, he had no intentions of just, Diving head first.
Or letting others do so. Rowan went over what he knew of this experiment in his head, looking for shortcomings or obvious flaws. He was the ranking Courtier (maybe?) and he felt responsible.
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Post by Krakenbox on May 31, 2021 18:24:22 GMT -8
Likely the ritual is designed to end when the Helldiver ends their Blessing, which puts the ramping danger in the hands of those who decide how deeply they wish to understand. There was something needling his memory about ghost activity in Vegas, but buried beneath all of the other knowledge he consumed at the forefront, he had to assume the occultist Gravewight knew what she was doing?
The situation was voluntary. The level of risk they invited was up to them, as this was a purely academic venture.
Bonnie nods to Firebringer's question, "Yeah! The ghosts are going to be attracted to your glamour," she explains, "So I would advise to taking your time and not giving them reason to see you? You're going to make your way to the Gate they've congregated from and put this through it." A mirror with no reflection is handed to Agrippa.
She gestured to the Literal Anchor that she bound the cord around, "Make sure it isn't messed with and carry it with them, since they can't advance without you moving it? Agrippa can pop them back if it gets too much. I can only do this once every three years, though, as a heads up," she said to Rowan and the Beast, "And this is the best I could come up with with the time crunch I've got. I didn't make this up, this ritual was p-r-e-t-t-y buried. Don't ask."
The Banshee runs a tongue along her teeth as she thinks, "We should also probably collaborate on how the information we find would be realistically distributed. This is a pretty sensitive area of research."
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on May 31, 2021 21:43:29 GMT -8
Firebringer listens, going over the information in her head after Bonnie speaks. This time, when they go in, they aren't going to feel like they are missing information. At least, she hoped that's what would happen this time. Preparation. At least this time she shouldn't have to worry about being shot, right? Oh god, she hoped not. Hospital recovery took forever and she didn't want to rely on Spring for so much healing, which she knows is counter intuitive.
"Got it. Take our time. Put mirror through gate. Keep watchful. All that jazz." She makes it sound nonchalant, but there is a seriousness to her tone. She wants this to go correctly.
The fact that this ritual can only happen once every three years is a bit worrying. What if we fuck up? She didn't want to think about that possibility, given that she didn't want to acknowledge Rowan thinking it would be her fault. Was he even considering- Nope. Stop it. Think about you first. It doesn't matter anymore. Right.
Fire takes a moment to consider Bonnie's remarks about information distribution. There are no Winters in this team and given everything else going on... Plus, this is a hella old, experimental-ish ritual (if it is that old, it's gotta be experimental). Whatever information they glean from it might have a huge impact. The thing is, she doesn't entirely understand yet, not quite. Maybe Agrippa or Lucas at some point could give her the low down on this kind of stuff.
For some reason, there is a pull to the occult for her, specifically to do with the dead. She's never nurtured it. At least, not enough.
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Post by Krakenbox on May 31, 2021 22:33:54 GMT -8
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Post by Rowan on Jun 6, 2021 16:57:33 GMT -8
"I brought coffee. And bagels."
The Darkling held out the cardboard tray and the paper bag, shaking the latter a little like a treat bag. It was easy social credit, and hopefully a way to save on Glamour for the upcoming ritual. He really hoped Bonnie would pick up on it.
He spared a glance to Fire, before returning to tho the task at hand. He had nothing new to say, and the realizations he had made with Mitch were his. Besides, voicing them out loud right now would be counter productive to the common goal. He offered a nod by way of acknowledgement.
"What can you tell me about ghost activity, Bonnie?" He was hoping the expert would help him jog his memory.
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Post by Krakenbox on Jun 6, 2021 17:16:53 GMT -8
"Like in general? Hauntings are almost non existent. It takes something incredible to trigger a ghost to imprint on a scene, and even then it's...incredibly rare. Most of my study came directly from the Revenant Crisis. You're going to track the nexus to a Gate, and the closer you get, the stronger the activity that this ritual will trigger. Does that give you some perspective on how this is a once in a lifetime scenario?"
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Jun 6, 2021 17:38:15 GMT -8
Fire can't help but grimace a little bit at the full... severity? of this situation. This really is a one time thing to get something right and that's now on her shoulders. "Got it. Yeah, that certainly gives a perspective."
She continues thinking on implications, but for a moment is distracted by Rowan's nod. He... acknowledges me. Kay. Cool. No, stop. Just. Fuck. Keep it together.
"Obviously, we need to be incredibly careful who we spread this information to. We've said that already. Really specifically, I don't think we should let it get out to the general populous. Not until there's... well, whatever needs to be done about what we find. People are already agitated and paranoid. They don't need something else added right on top of it, right?"
She eyes the coffee and bagels, but doesn't do anything at the moment.
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Jun 6, 2021 19:36:40 GMT -8
Agrippa's response did nothing to comfort Linden, so they turned their gaze instead to Rowan and tried to give him a meaningful look; a 'please keep them safe' look.
Unsure if the message had been received, they snagged the bag from Rowan's hands and pulled out a bagel. Biting into it to keep their hands free, they angled the open mouth of the bag toward Firebringer, and passed it on to whoever was interested. As an afterthought, they accepted one of the coffees with a quiet thanks.
"These gates, are they like... a doorway with no door, always open? Or does something trigger them to allow traffic?" They couldn't put aside the memory of the vision they'd seen with Kai: Fawkes almost being sucked into a gate on Buck's estate, and Golden Boy vanishing into it despite both their efforts. Whether that danger was more present for the ghost team or the mundane team, they didn't know.
"I can carry that," they offered, gesturing loosely toward the anchor.
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Post by Agrippa on Jun 7, 2021 2:08:44 GMT -8
Agrippa accepted the mirror, loosing themselves within the refection-less surface as if staring at it long enough would allow them to see the secrets of the universe. Without looking up, they snaked a hand into the bagel bag that Linden was offering around, taking one and stuffing a ungodly portion into their gob. They barely had the patience to swallow before they started speaking
"Mmm Rowan, truly you are a man of wonder!"
There was a pause as they scarfed down another bite.
"My vote is to decide what we do with the information after we have it! Surely the potential ramifications of how it is spread will depend on its nature. When everything goes as planned we'll be in a better position to decide."
Finally they managed to tear their eyes from the ritual object in their hands, putting their attention to Linden.
"Bonnie can correct me on the details, but I know I have to open gates if I want to get through. Think I will need to open this one if I want to get this through as well-"
They gestured casually with the mirror
"I don't do it very often because it can be a one-way ticket to a very bad day and none of these things come with helpful warning signs, but it isn't very hard to do at all. Better yet if I don't have to throw myself in!"
They chuckled as if they were joking, though they still looked to Bonnie to make absolutely certain that going past the gateway wasn't an intended part of the proceedings
"What is this anyways? I'm assuming it is a reflective mirror, but simply isn't reflecting meatspace?"
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Post by Bonnie Hill on Jun 7, 2021 23:34:53 GMT -8
Bonnie nods as they answer each other's questions. "Naw they need a key or a Helldiver. And- oh! A scrying mirror. It's what our court's named after, I think."
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Jun 9, 2021 19:41:31 GMT -8
Fire almost rejects the bagels, but takes one at the last second. It isn't like they're enemies, they're just... not friends. This shouldn't still bother her. Well, maybe it should. She hasn't done anything to address it really, has she? Not in a meaningful way. She's barely talked to Riley about it. She just let it die and 'forgot about it'. That's not healthy and now she's feeling the after effects of that. Bottle it up? Bottle it up.
"Cool. So we're in agreement on that." Figure out what they heck they've got before talking about who to share it with. Still, keeping a mind on that still isn't a bad idea.
More talking and then Bonnie simply answers the 'what's this mirror over here' as to what it is. It's a scrying mirror. Cool. What the heck is gonna happen with it?
"Scrying mirror so that they can see... got it. That's fancy. Hopefully it works." It took her a moment to connect it, but she got it. At least, she thinks she got it. She never really knows half the time, but people will generally correct her when she's wrong. ...right? Her arms are crossed as she takes a casual bite of the bagel. Focus back. It's so easy to let herself be distracted by things that don't matter, not to the mission at hand. She's got this.
"Is there anything else we need to know? Anything else that is particularly important we know or keep in mind?" Maybe she's a little too ready to get this done. "If not..." She looks to the others with a look of 'we ready?'
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