All Roads/Session 10

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Kenan: pondering for a longer while, Kenan speaks out loud the third question concerning Isis' future: "If Isis encounters the person she's seeking in Oneiros, what may she do to attain victory?"

Isis: Isis nods. If it's a mage then there are clear if difficult solutions. If it's something else, though ...

Nebuchadnezzar: Itis later that day when Neb, knocks on Isis' door.

Isis: Isis opens the door, a half-finished sketch for a supernal summoning circle in one hand.

Kenan: "it's coming to me, I see a huge figure before you, it is hidden in black smoke that rises from it. The inhuman shape is barely visible, orange flames outline it. I see it is approaching you, but you release a spell, and it dissipates, screaming. That is all@

Isis: "Can you get any sense of what sort of spell it is? A banishment, a killing enchantment, ...?"

Isis: "Can you see where this scene takes place? If that's how the spell works, that is."

Kenan: Kenan slumps down on the couch, preparing himself for the last question "I could try making a guess. Your spell just unravelled it, and the place being Oneiros, I think you somehow unmade it with the Mind arcanum. As for the place..." Kenan takes a deep breath

Kenan: "the vision focused on you and that shadowy figure, but i could make out that you were in some house or apartment - it was very run down. There was a man's body against a wall, wearing a worn tracksuit. I'm not sure whether he might be alive or not. I would likely be able to help you get to that place, if necessary"

Isis: "I cannot Unmake, but I can Unravel," Isis nods. "And that sounds like one of the dreams sent to me. Perhaps it is within the realm of memory corresponding to it that we might find him or it."

Kenan: "indeed. Would you like to know anything else?"

Kenan: "I think i can manage one more question today"

Isis: "All of this suggests that if we are to end this intrusion we must travel into the Astral and into my Oneiros. For your last question - unless of course one of you has a better idea - I suggest asking 'If we travel into my Oneiros seeking to face the source of the influence, how may we be best prepared for what we will find?' "

Kenan: "very well, I shall meditate on this" - Kenan closes his eyes, trying to find the answer

Kenan: "interesting, I see all of us sitting on a sofa in a nicely decorated, opulently so, lounge. There is a woman there, well dressed, she's got pale blue eyes, and talks to us without opening her mouth. She's asking us to come down, so something can begin" Kenan sits, breathing heavily as the spell expires with this last revelation

Kenan: "do you know any pale-blue eyed women, Isis? i got an impression she was communicating with us using Mind arcanum. Or perhaps your mentor might know who that was"

Nebuchadnezzar: "From the description, that sounds like the head of the local Silver Ladder." He says with a shrug, "She tried to recruit me when I first awakened I believe." He sounds unsure, not of whom it likely is, more of his own memories.

Isis: "There's Master Elizabeth," Isis muses, nodding to Nebuchadnezzar's words. "I have never met her, but from what I have heard it could be her."

Isis: "I suppose if it is indeed her in the vision then I don't need to be worried about her any longer."

Kenan: Kenan shrugs "I have only caught a glimpse of the scene. I would recognize her again if I saw her, I think. But why were you worried about her?"

Isis: "Not in particular, but the one who attacked me was a master of the Mind Arcanum, so I thought about the ones we know of." She shrugs. "It's much more likely that it was an unknown than a Pentacle master, but still, better to keep an open mind."

Isis: "Figuratively, that is. Not magically."

Isis: "Do we know of anyone else who might have access to a place allowing us to journey into the Astral Realms?"

Kenan: "well, better safe than sorry. I can't provide more answers about that scene, only that it would help us prepare for the trip to Oneiros."

Isis: "The Aldwych Library includes a demesne, doesn't it?"

Nebuchadnezzar: nods sourly, "I'm still not convinced this is a good idea and unless we have a good reason the order won't let us use it." He looks to the other two. "Best think up a good cover story."

Isis: "I'd rather not tell everyone about whatever it might be," Isis says quietly.

Kenan: "how about we slap together some research project that requires a trip to Oneiros for data gathering?"

Nebuchadnezzar: "I can look into it." Neb says quietly. "There are some things in the Astral Realms I want to investigate anyway..."

Isis: bows her head slightly. "Once I am free of this I will gladly assist you with your research, if I can."

Isis: "What do you think of the idea to ask the mage in Kenan's vision? If it is Elizabeth, would she really help us, do you think?"

Kenan: "I could cast prophecy again and ask about her" Kenan suggests, though it's clear he's not very keen on the idea

Nebuchadnezzar: "For the moment, lets just try the ritual we were thinking of." Neb says wearily his attention back on Isis, "One hour, the main stacks?"

Nebuchadnezzar: He finishes his now cold tea, folds up his paper and stands up.

Isis: "Yes, let's do that."

Kenan: "all right"

Isis: Tearing herself away from her research into supernal symbology relating to the recondite entities of Pandemonium Isis joins Nebuchadnezzar in the stacks an hour later.

Nebuchadnezzar: himself only ventrues out of his study about fifteen minutes before hand. Ritual Chalk, a small sack of chicken bones and candles in his hands.

Nebuchadnezzar: Sketching out a rough circle on the floor, Neb marks the circle with the Atlantean Pentagram and the the Ten Arcanum represented Pictorally.

Isis: Isis has changed into slightly more formal clothes held in unadorned black, the small bone flute that is her magical tool for workings of Death hanging on a piece of string around her neck.

Nebuchadnezzar: He places the candles round the edges, at the points of the star and pulls out a cigerette case and silver lighter. Lighting the candles round the circle, he pulls a rolled cigerette from the case, as Isis arrives. His own clothes are unchanged except for some chalk smuges

Isis: remains at a respectful distance from the circle, awaiting instruction as the supporting caster.

Nebuchadnezzar: sticks the cigerette in his mouth and stows the case back in his coat pocket. "Time to begin I suppose." He says turning to Isis. "Stand in the centre of the circle I suppose, as your the target as well as supporting the casting." Neb sounds relatively laid back and does something Isis has likely never seen him do before...

Isis: Isis nods and stands in the middle of the circle, careful not to disturb any of the arrangements as she steps into it.

Nebuchadnezzar: lights the cigerette and inhales deeply, muttering as he exhales. "It's funny. I quit for her." Quietly enough that it is hard to hear him, "Lets get on with this then."

Kenan: "hello, I thought it's about the right time" - Kenan walks in, and quickly casts a spell on Neb - "good 'luck'", he winks

Nebuchadnezzar: Neb just stares at him and takes another long drag before beginning.

Kenan: "Isis, I'd offer the spell to you as well, but you seem already overloaded with them" Kenan smiles apologetically and goes to watch TV

Nebuchadnezzar: As Kenan leaves, Neb begins the ritual, his part mostly taking place with old gestures taught to him for ritual casting which cause the shadows to slowly shape the smoke from his cigerette and the candles round the cirlce into marks hovering over Isis.

Isis: Isis tilts her head slightly, not understanding but not wanting to disrupt Neb's concentration by asking.

Isis: Seeing the imago slowly take shape Isis channels Stygia through the Watchtower of the Iron Gauntlet to strengthen and support it.

Nebuchadnezzar: The marks form slowly... glacially slow. Stubs of a dozen rolled cigerettes surround Neb's feet by the end. The ritual area covered in smoke and the edge smeared by ash.

Nebuchadnezzar: The marks begin to form, their shape powerful and solid after near six hours of casting. Neb is covered in sweat, his arms tired, as he begins to tie off the spell.

Nebuchadnezzar: He exhales one last breath of smoke and stubs out his last cigerette just outside the circke, before rising. "I think that is about time to stop." He says to Isis. "Best come out of the circle before you get too much a taste for nicotine." His voice drops lower, as if he is recalling the his next words being uttered by someone else, "Smoking is a filthy habit."

Isis: "I wondered why people do it, if not for the magical symbolism of poisoning yourself or making offerings to the dead." Isis steps out of the circle and turns to watch the image of her soul, slightly less clouded than her own efforts managed.

ST: Neb projects his spell, an illustration of Isis' soul, and after a time you see the offending pattern coalesce before your eyes. As Isis saw within her mind it uses the raw stuff of her thoughts to churn out new memories of its own creation.

Isis: Her mind still augmented to soaring heights she examines the marks, trying to discern any new information about the unsettling phenomenon.

ST: It takes only minutes, but when it is done it dissipates, extending and insinuating itself into her being like thin tendrils.

ST: Two things become apparent to you.

ST: First, the action of this strange proto-conciousness is such that should it continue unabated it may eventually be such that Isis' memories are fully transformed into the same, repeated scene that it creates.

ST: Second, it would most likely be best to strike when the new memories are being created, as it is only then the pattern is fully manifest in a single area.

Isis: Having finished her examination Isis turns to Nebuchadnezzar to see what the necromancer thinks.

Kenan: as the magic fades away, Kenan enters the room "how did it go?"

Nebuchadnezzar: shrugs. "I think that that was completely unrevealling... and that I should probably use a different tool for the Death Arcanum during Rituals", he says looking at the mound of cigerette butts at the edge of the circle.

Isis: "We were successful in gaining a clearer look. I can think of no new ways of dealing with the problem, though," Isis says.

Nebuchadnezzar: "Not well", Neb says "Fetch a dust pan and brish from the Kitchen would you." He asks as Kenan enters, the smoke, Neb manipulates out of the circle and then out of the Library.

Isis: "Once can go too far in attaining resonance with death," Isis agrees, giving Neb a slightly worried look.

Kenan: "good grief, yes, this smoke will stink up the whole house" Kenan goes to fetch dust pan

Nebuchadnezzar: "I feel ill." His pallour is slightly grey, "I haven't smoked like that since my teens." He gives a slight cough following the ball of smoke he has accumulated out of the Library. "I think I might go into the garden for some fresh air."

Kenan: "we should have a rule about not smoking in the library" Kenan mutters as he's cleaning up, then follows Neb to the garden

Kenan: "have you considered eating pomgrenates instead of smoking? they've been linked with death since ancient times"

Isis: Isis too follows, looking down and feeling responsible. After all, if not for her problems Nebuchadnezzar wouldn't have had to use this dangerous tool.

Kenan: "or perhaps burning incense in small quantities. There's smoke as well, but at least it smells better"

Nebuchadnezzar: "Lecturing me about my bad habits already then Kenan?" He says looking up from where he is lounging in a deck chair. "I agree in the Library was a bit much, but I've never commented on the smell of smoke from your room no matter how occasional it might be." There is restrained anger in his tone.

Nebuchadnezzar: "Thank you however for the suggestions." He gives a grimace and then a cough muttering all the while. "Should have stayed quit but I just couldn't resist the temptation..."

Isis: Isis remains quiet and in the background, knowing no right words to say.

Kenan: Kenan looks mildly hurt by the remarks "I wouldn't call it lecturing, I was just expressing concern about your health. And the library's safety" Kenan grins "if you want to quit smoking, wouldn't some Mind spell be helpful in overcoming it?"

Kenan: "overcoming the habit, I mean"

Nebuchadnezzar: "I had."

Nebuchadnezzar: "I haven't had a cigerette in nearly a decade." He takes another deep breath, coughs a little and stands turning to look at the setting sun. "Anyway.... I have work I need to be getting on with."