[Jack_Spade]

"We are indeed here to get you and your friend together as a repayment of favors. If I may introduce us: This is Robyn, Mrs. Karasu and Al. I'm called Isaint. At your service.
But to help you we need a few pieces of information:
How can we discreetly get into contact with both of you?

We are in the process of setting up the ceremony, disguised within a concert so it can be witnessed as needed without undue danger. Do you have a preference on which holy ground and which official you want for this?"

Isaint glanced at Al, but turned his attention back to the girl: "And since I am entirely uneducated in the rites of below, I'll have to defer to Mrs. Karasu here."
Isaint indicated towards the priestess and took a step back, scanning the surrounding darkness, while he loosened his coat.

[adamu]

Al casually slung his shotgun, as if put at ease by the she-ork's civil response. But he spoke almost inaudibly into his lapel-mic: <<Eyes onna trees, folks. They ain't right. Team Satanists: y'all got a read onna arboreal astral?>>

Watching the suspect foliage with one eye, he continued scanning the shadows - even down here, he didn't reckon the Good Lord's creations went amok without a healthy dose of metahuman in the mix - there was sure to be a devil-worshipping hippy getting read to commit suicide-by-Al around here somewhere....

[obidancer]

Deckard was watching from afar as the quartet approached the Ork warrior and her protection. The whole place was giving him the chill. The only reinsurring thing was the presence of Jackhammer and ISaint's drone nearby, but neither did seem programmed for conversation. Even small talk would have been pleasing.

He was thus concentrating on his task, overwatch, going over each means he had available - whether it was his thermographic vision through his goggles, or the constant switch to Astral sight to look for magical activity around them. He had more in his sleeves and had activated his Life Detection spell to attempt to detect anyone who entered their vicinity.

Satanists Team Leader to Chosen One, I have all three eyes on it, keeping you posted. 


Detect Life, Extended F4 - Sustained: 18d6t5 5 380m radius around Deckard
Perception Visual (6 Skill + 10 INT + 3 Visual Enhancement - 2 sustained spell): 17d6t5 9 Limit to 7
Astral Perception (6 Skill + 10 INT - 2 sustained spell): 14d6t5 9 Limit to 7

[DireRadiant]

[Yukika Karasu - Sunday July 5th, 2076; Gardens of Dis, Below, London] #46

Hahahahahaha! A well played trap! There is no end to the suffering I will inflict on him. He will beg to be flayed and his blood used to grow my Gardens.

I smile and step forward. I bow.

I will let the Polite Oni do what he is good at. Soon I expect this garden to be filled with a rain of lead if I am reading the signs correctly.

I must be rude now.

"Sorry, I will be direct. The Old One supports your Dream and has sent us to ensure that your Houses are joined. No doubt it is the Body Politic and not your love that the Old One is most concerned with, but you can benefit from this. I will need everything you know about the Powers in your House and in those in the House of your beloved. Armed with these levers I will move your World."

I did not even bow. This is so crude.

[Jack_Spade]

Taking the cue from Al, Isaint focused on the indicated area, going even so far to use his hyper concentration ability to tune out all distracting factors.
Slowly, so he wouldn't trigger the bodyguards, he took out his folded rifle and gave the mental command to deploy itself.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn has never spent much time in the Gardens.  An initial clue about Cali had led here and so she had followed it up, but that had not panned out any more than any other clue.  She has heard some of the stories about the place, though, and so is wary.  Her sensors are tuned in to the area and she is monitoring the feeds from the two tiny drones she had deployed about; one on the periphery and the other on her shoulder.   Al's warning is timely and she keeps monitoring her untrasound sensor for any changes or movements.

[Aria]

[Sunday July 5th, 2076; Gardens of Dis, Below, London]
 
Everyone can feel the change in atmosphere now and the vegetation is visibly responding to a presence…on the astral the figure approaching you glows like an acetylene torch and the trees almost seem to be bowing to her…Deckard’s spell is alight with life, and it seems to be converging on you…the wisps that were merely curious before are beginning to spin together in a complex weave of light…
 
“Ethereal…” Tamsyn whispered, “We must be quick, she will not like us being here at this hour… I will send my nurse out during the day, Ama, you will recognise her I’m sure.  Give her any message you would pass on to me, I trust her implicitly.  I have no preference for a site but if this is to work and be ratified by our Houses then the Flowers have always been married on Lyonesse…I’m not sure how that will work with your concert, perhaps as a distraction while we are away?
 
We do not have time now to list all those powers you seek, there are too many factions, too many people…we will talk again I’m sure…talk to Ama, she will find a way for us to meet again…”
 
The figure that emerges from the trees is almost a disappointment…an elf, tall even for her kind, dressed in a hooded cloak that hides her eyes and apparently very little else from the flash of her lean legs as she walks…tattoos of flowering vines cover much of her exposed flesh.  Her voice when she speaks seems to bypass your ears and go straight to your erogenous zones
 
“What do you do here?  You disturb my peace…”
 
***
 
#57

[Jack_Spade]

"Minding our own goddamn business." Isaint nodded towards the three Company girls and made a gesture to his own team to disengage.
"Which, if more people would do it, would drastically decrease the amount of violence in this world."
Dramatically appropriate at this moment the barrel of his rifle set itself in position with a satisfying "click".

#443

[adamu]

Sure enough. Just like in the Good Book. Seek a devil-worshipping hippy and ye shall find a devil-worshipping hippy. Dammit all to hell. Al figured his erogenous zones had enough to worry about with Alyce back in the picture without some half-naked pagan plant priestess playing paranormal piper on his privates.

Taking Isaint's signal, he started moving off, keeping a wary eye out for any uppity tree people. He knew Isaint would insist on being last off the field, and it would just be a waste of time arguing, so he took the lead on their exfil from the park.

On his back, Rex had been restless from the get-go, and now Hannibal was getting antsy too.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn's sensors are not able to pick up everything happening and that make her curious.  Her drones pick up the presence of the woman and identify her as Elven, and the ink on her body would seem to indicate that she is of the House of Flowers.  She strides confidently in this place, which says much for her power and possible abilities.  That she has not already attacked Al, Jackhammer, or ISaint says something to her as well.  Robyn bows and steps forward to address the woman.  "We mean you no harm or disrespect and I am sorry if we have disturbed your peace.  We came here to speak to others of matters that cannot be said openly.  Would you give us leave to remain and do that or would you prefer we left?"

[adamu]

Al was two steps away when he realized Alyce had stayed to chat.

Joseph and Mary and all the animals in the manger, was he going to have to jump on another grenade?

[DireRadiant]

[Yukika Karasu - Sunday July 5th, 2076; Gardens of Dis, Below, London] #47

They do say men are afraid of forming relationships. Look at those two prepare to run. The Unclean Hound Mistress at least makes the proper offering.

I will not run. Not all battles involve exchanges of lead.

I make obeisance.

Staring at the ground between us I speak.

"Please, I am Mistress of the Cinnamon Pavilion, Guardian of the Everflowing Fountains, Iron Servant of the Green Throne, and to some The Flying Knife."

I hold my obeisance.

"How may I serve you?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn pauses as Yukika introduces herself, waiting an appropriate few seconds to add, "I am called Robyn Masters by some and Alyce Krait by others.  In this place I am a servant of the First House and mean you no harm or disrespect."  She has the aerial drone focus its sensor over to where Tamsyn is standing with her companions and wonders that the girl has not left yet.  She cannot leave without knowing the Ork is safely away and is wondering if the girl had expected something like this.  Robyn has no intention of blurting out anything about the wedding at this juncture, but is interested in what is happening here.

[adamu]

Women.

Well, if they could make something good happen, then power to 'em.

Alyce's face tat might score them some mileage.

But dealing with some sort of Flowers witch?

Near as he could tell, rules of this place only mattered when they were convenient.

Al had his doubts, and kept his attention on the trees.

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint scowled behind his mask. Every second they spoke with those guys was a second they could use to construct an excuse to be offended - or to claim one of their number as collateral/slave or whatever.
<<Get your respirators and gasmasks on. Those guys love their airborn drugs.
AND STOP ENGAGING THEM. This is the enemy - they are the ones we need to keep this whole thing secret against.
Last time these guys tried to dominate one of our principals and got all pissy when we objected and reclaimed her.>>
<<Arthur, load Smartsoft, prepare Riotmode.>>
<<Susi, Full Defense, Jammers on Full, Cluster scan for MARKs>>

In the meat world he had merely readied his weapon and kept an eye on the surroundings.

#444