(Duties) A Street Corner Named Desire

[Yumyumcrow]

The Hierarch Campanella had been given a note. He had passed that note to the First Talon, Phoenyx; and she had passed the information onto those who wished to strike at the Seers of the Throne while their attention was focussed elsewhere.

A large copper plate script covered the note, yet remained perfectly legible.

The note directed those interested to the city's north, a much less affluent portion of the city than its beating heart, hard by the river, or out on Sacramento's expanding outskirts near where the Circle of Creation stood.

The exact 'spot' the note led to was not exactly a place. It was a street corner, poised on the cusp of transformation. On one side, the street were signs of major regeneration and gentrification: fresh new shop fronts, a widened street to encourage foot traffic, and a small park for decoration. On the other, the old lingered on in a secular half life: cracked sidewalk, boarded up buildings, a corner store and a laundromat clinging on grimly. Next to the street corner was an alleyway leading toward more empty and cadaverous buildings - all sealed off with chain link and mouldy wire; someone had attempted to use the crumbling building beyond the corner for some street art and advertising but now all that was left was sun bleached paintwork and figures shorn of all context. It was a fitting metaphor for the buildings, sealed off and lost to the street.

If the gentrification continued, the buildings would next on the list to be changed, cleansed, obliterated for the futures sake.

Over to you Xadun Ruach Woland Xander Mandalore5 tinykittycat1 Orianna .

Remember to note your active spells and expenditures.

Please. Enjoy.

[Spark]

Perhaps it was the nervousness of his first 'job' or mission in the city but it had taken him Spark a couple tries to get his chosen shielding spell up and running. He did feel somewhat jittery, he also attempted to lay a few other spells onto himself, mage sight came easily enough. But the control of hid body alluded him at first. His second attempt managed to work, he could feel his breathing slow and felt the slight surge that came with it. The man took a moment to take in what made up his current home. Not that it felt like that, no place ever did, no place ever would. It was always too quiet, too empty, too something.

Spark finished dressing, this time in less showy less expensive clothes. Favoring loose black slacks, a pair of sneakers, and a nondescript white dress shirt. He looked like any middle manager off of work. Or one of those guys who go door to door to talk about god. Expect he slipped he was armed with a handgun. To help hide it he slipped on a light grey jacket that was slightly more worn out looking then the rest of his clothes. Before he left, he stopped as he passed a framed photo he'd put up after moving in. It was older picture, an image of his younger self face pressed in next to his sisters both of them pulling a silly face at the camera. Spark stared at it for a moment before closing the door behind him.

Spark parked his Chevy Impala a few blocks away from where they were supposed to be investigating, taking care to park near a street light and active the car alarm which was linked to his phone (of course it was). The man waited a block from the spot phone open in case any of the others contacted him.

(Rolls below, Ignore the one with 1 dice. I hit the wrong thing there but I figured it would be best to post rather then look like I was attempting to hide it) Active effects: Unseen Shield (3 Armor 2 Potency) Read Matrices (Mage Sight Forces 1 Potency) Body Control (3 Suxx: +3 Initiative) Equipment: Street clothes, Impala, Phone (Magical tool), Colt M1911A1

failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-27 20:22:11		Spark rolls 4 to Cast Unseen shield (10 Again)		2, 1, 7, 6		failure

2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-27 20:25:18		Spark rolls 4 to Cast Unseen shield (10 Again)		3, 10, 9, 5, 3		2 successes

1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-27 20:29:06		Spark rolls 4 to Cast - Read Matrices (10 Again)		3, 8, 5, 6		1 success

failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-27 20:34:18		Spark rolls 8 to Cast- Body Control (Rote) (10 Again)		3, 1, 5, 1, 7, 7, 7, 5		failure

1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-27 20:34:52		Spark rolls 1 to Cast- Body Control (Rote) (10 Again)		8		1 success

3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-27 20:36:42		Spark rolls 8 to Cast- Body Control (Rote) (10 Again)		2, 6, 9, 9, 9, 7, 5, 7		3 successes

[October]

She was sure what to expect from this job. Just that they were asked to look into it. She decided to go casual, wanting to blend in if she could. An old pair of jeans and a cream colored long sleeved shirt, over which she had a leather jacket. Before leaving, she attempted to cast her mage sight, and Fate seemed to be playing games with her today. Putting itself just out of her reach the first time. But undeterred, she tried again, and Fate answered, opening her eyes.

Arriving at the address, she parked her rental a few blocks away, just in case. Walking up, she was glad to see someone else was there. Though she didn’t remember what a regular name was for him.

Smiling, she waved, “Hey! I saw you at the gathering, I’m Amber in case I forgot to introduce myself before.” See, a way to work with it.

October has a cell on silent, dedicated magic tool(old silver bracelet) work badge, bottle of water. Sybils Sight active

  failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-27 21:38:58		October rolls 6 to Sybil's Sight(Wits+Occ+Arcana) (10 Again)		2, 4, 4, 5, 7, 7		failure

  1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-27 21:39:16		October rolls 5 to Sybil's Sight(Wits+Occ+Arcana)-1 (10 Again)		5, 3, 7, 10, 5, 3		1 success

[Kaze]

Kaze parks his beat up old work truck about ten blocks away, and walks to where they are meeting. He's wearing black trousers and a solid black shirt and a brown leather padded jacket with a leather satchel.

"Hey. Good to see you." he says to the others in a casual, friendly tone. "Call me, 'Case." he offers. "I guess we are waiting for the First Talon before we do anything." he suggests.

Equipment

Equipment:*Reinforced Clothing (Leather Jacket)
*Cell Phone on silent
*First Aid Kit (Advanced, +2 dice added to Dexterity+Medicine rolls for Healing Wounds)
*Katana

Spells

Honing the Form +3 DEX to DEX 6
Organic Resilience (Mage Armor Life) Defense 8 Armor 2 (+1 Kung Fu Armor vs Bashing)

  failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-28 12:03:06		Kaze rolls 1 to Paradox check for Rote Casting Life 3 Honing the Form (Gnosis 2 base 1 -1 3 dot -1 rote) (10 Again, Chance)		5		failure

  3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-28 11:49:54		Kaze rolls 10 to rote Honing the Form DEX (Life 3 + Resolve 3 + Athletics 2 + HS 2) (10 Again)		10, 7, 9, 3, 6, 5, 5, 1, 7, 5, 9		3 successes

  failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-28 12:03:06		Kaze rolls 1 to Paradox check for Rote Casting Life 3 Honing the Form (Gnosis 2 base 1 -1 3 dot -1 rote) (10 Again, Chance)		5		failure

  2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-28 11:50:36		Kaze rolls 9 to rote Organic Resilience (Life 3 + Stamina 2 + Athletics 2 + HS 2) (10 Again)		4, 1, 7, 1, 9, 4, 2, 1, 9		2 successes

NOTE: Danger Sense and Iaido 2 = +4 to Initiative if surprise/ambush

[Spark]

Spark nodded to the others as they showed up. "Spark," he offered casually, despite the nervous tapping of his foot. When Shodan showed up he calmed a little and offered a nod. "Hi, Case suggested we're waiting for the First talon. Is that plan or should we have a look around regardless?"

[Cosmo]

Cosmo was next to arrive on the scene, an extra golden glyph was visible as he chanted and brought a fourth into being.

To him the neighborhood was a clear microcosm for one of the struggles he most identified with. The old, withering and neglected while the new is heralded and put to use. Although maybe the issue was the idea of 'old' verse 'new' rather then thinking of the history of a city block as simply timeless. Then again, seeing the Shadow reflection of the Fallen World everyday made it clear how ideas could swallow up the old as the new catches the attention of the masses. Perhaps that was why some things like fashion and history repeated themselves. The new eventually becomes the old, and attention returns to the old as something 'new'. But after people are affected by the new, do they perceive the old in the same light?

This is how Cosmo overthinks things.

"Hey." Was Cosmo's simple greeting to the mages. He was dressed down today, blue jeans, a black shirt and hoodie, and some running shoes to tell everyone what he'd be doing in a pinch. He smiled and looked at the assembled mages before his eyes went wide at the sight of Kaze. "Did...did you bring a sword? In public?"

Cosmo wasn't stealthy, but it was good to know he wouldn't need to ask for a distraction.

Equipment: Running shoes and Smartphone.
Spells: Spirit Tongue (Monthly), Sixth Sense (Monthly), 2E Spirit and Forces armor.

  Pot 2 for both armor spells

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-28 18:57:42		Cosmo rolls 7 to 2E Forces Armor (Gnosis+Forces+HS) (10 Again)		9, 8, 3, 4, 1, 7, 1		2 successes
2019-09-28 18:57:04		Cosmo rolls 6 to 2E Spirit Armor (Gnosis+Spirit+HS-2 Advanced Prolong) (10 Again)		3, 5, 9, 9, 7, 6		2 successes

Note: I forgot the -1 for contagion on the Forces armor but that doesn't affect the total successes subtracting from the right.

[Phoenyx]

The First Talon of the Adamantine Arrow walks down the street, dressed in her usual leather coat to cover up her assorted weapons. The streets were part modern, part abandoned. She was surprised to see everyone already here, but it didn't show. she does give Kaze a tiny smile, but then frowns at the katana. "Why on earth did you bring that thing, dummy? Can't you stash it somewhere? It's hardly inconspicuous." Sure she had her weapons, but they were all under the coat and a little better concealed than the sword.

"I'm glad to see you all here. I hope I haven't kept you all waiting." Phoenyx looks between them. "Given the number of us, I thought it best if we go in two groups." She lowers her voice. "Cosmo, Shodan and myself in one, will take the older side. October, Spark and Kaze, look along the renovated side." Working together for a mutual objective was meant to built character, and she could handle these two. Of course she could.

"We swapped numbers earlier, so we can contact one another. Take a look around, meet back here in half an hour unless you find something of interest. Keep in contact, and see you soon." Just because they were looking around was no excuse not to take sensible precautions.

Spells: Life Shield, Supernal Vision. Max Mana (6/6), 0 Vulgars, WP 6/6, Max HP (7/7)

Inventory: Smartphone, Pistol (Beretta M92, +2 lethal), pair of daggers, Reinforced Leather trenchcoat [1/0]

[Yumyumcrow]

The Awakened gather, organically accreting at a spot a few blocks from the location indicated on the note. When Phoenyx arrives, the First Talon takes no time at all presenting a plan to them all.

And some notes before we continue: little things your characters will pick up while in the area.

Shodan Woland had taken the time to do some research beforehand. Word on the street was that the area had a persistent problem with gangs and the homeless. The Libertine's internet searches had backed what the rumours said - the area had was stuck in a rut: caught in a cycle of gang turf wars and vagrancy, all of which was centred on the abandoned buildings nearby (which had never been sold, bought, of cleared). This malaise had been deepened with bureaucratic infighting and a series of rejuvenation projects that had never taken off.

The last project had gained the most traction but it had ended with the work only half complete (halted due to a municipal election and continued funding issues). The commentators who watched local economics and politics were still hopeful the next tranche of rejuvenation would take place, citing favourable political will and the gently increasing police presence (driving out the gangs and vagrants alike).

The Libertine hadn't seen an active police presence on his drive into the area, but he could hear them thanks to his Attainment. Two patrol cars pointedly cruised nearby; close enough to arrive quickly if called or alerted to suspicious activity.

There is nothing out of the ordinary under Cosmo Spirit Sight. The area might be built up suburbia, but there is enough dissolution and hidden wild spaces to counteract the more ossifying of Sleeper impacts on the Gauntlet (Gauntlet Strength 3). To an extent, October also picks up on this through her Sybil's Sight - a slight density or weight to the neglected areas of the neighbourhood, the blight that has for so long marked the area's fate.

Shodan and Phoenyx don't see anything obviously amiss with their active Supernal Vision. There does not appear to be any Hallows or magical anomalies here. At least, on the surface.

Spark sees the colours of the power grid and hears the keen of chained electrons, one layer laid atop another. The grid is a complex kaleidoscope of power, set in a whirl of other natural forces - none of which are out of place or out of balance. The Mighty is are of a certain distortion - a feedback loop as when one frequency is interfered with by the charged hum of powerlines or garbled in a storm - emanating from near the spot the note directed them toward. Shodan picks up this distortion as well - more jarringly when it breaks through the ambient noise, like a sudden surge of toothache.

The distortion, should they seek to pin down its location, is coming from within the crumbling buildings at the end of the alleyway.