PRP DYLF: Taking stock and making plans

[Corn]

Corn read Philip's angry reply with increasing surprise. What is he rumbling about? Is he really that paranoid? Anyone can talk about conspiracies. And after an hour?
he thought with some mild irritation. Still, Philip's Sanctum, Philip's rules.

I thought the issue was to foil the off chance some neighbor was passing by the door and catch a word like 'murder' or 'magic' right before he or she ringed the bell, not to confound someone intent to figure out what we're talking about here. If someone is listening in your sanctum for over an hour, then your sanctum is already compromised even if I didn't say a word. If you have suspicions that someone may indeed be listening in, using bugs or other means, then I would appreciate a warning that I may be exposed, to be honest. That level of scrutiny of your sanctum means that anyone seen getting in or out would be followed and investigated. So, do you have suspicions that someone or something may be spying in your sanctum right now, putting my life in danger along with yours*? Now, on the ashes: I am not 100% sure they are a bane for this ghost, but it is a safe bet; I would expect Mothisha would have a strong reaction to her own ashes. As for the construction worker, you are right. So far, he saw us getting out of a club. Then I fought him when the man he was trying to kidnap called for help. He has no reason to suspect anything about us being anything else than bystanders, at the time. So with a kidnapped victim they will probably not spend the effort to look deep into who the people that got 'accidentally involved' were. But the next time any of them see us... yes, it would be problematic. I think we should invest in ski-masks or some other, less conspicuous disguise. As for my contacts, I am not sure they will come through or if they will believe me. The ones I have in mind are fellow academics, Post-grad students or others working in the Uni here or in other places I have done research in. I can tell them I am concerned, since I have a baby, to expose these people as I don't want to be dragged in trials and all, as I am an actual witness, while they could simply help the police with the information you have uncovered and stay out of it. If they do come through and decide to go to the police with what you have found out and my testimony about the fight - I can say I was confused after the fight and the gunfire about whether the kidnap victim was a woman or a crossdressing man - then... the police will be involved. Which also complicates things for us, and potentially exposes more people to ghostly possession. It is an option but it has upsides and downsides. Or, I could ask my contacts to look into this more, without approaching the police yet and be ready to call it in. We could also meet ... the not academic type of 'contact' although I don't have deep contacts with that kind. I have had some dealings with them, and could reach the underworld types to see what they know about our friends but these are not people I know and they are not people I want to associate with. But they won't go to the police, you can bet on that. What do you think?

* Let's see how mister paranoid reacts to that, or if he indeed called me to what he expects to be a breached sanctum. Corn thought. He did feel insulted by what he thought as Philip's irrational concerns, but again, Philip's sanctum, Philip's rules.

[ReubanBrightwood]

There was nothing that needs my input for this rotation. For now ignore my marble while you two converse and form a plan I will chip in when needed.

[Philip Crosen]

Corn`s words cut deep. His sanctum had not been breached, at least as far he knew after all. And so he`d taken it too far, and effectively out on Corn. Philip started seriously considering giving Corn a future favor for his excentrism as soon as he read Corn`s response, annoyed by his own overzealousness..

"No, you`re right. That was the initial intention and I overreacted massively. This place is safe as far as I know. I guess I`m still more twitchy about yesterday evening than I realised, especially with the potential of crazy whackos on the loose, and I took it out on you. So I apologise."

As for disguises, yeah we might need to go mask shopping. And we should quickly knock out Mr. Rockwell first in any encounter, to maintain surprise. And your contacts, yeah. I can see even with them being intermediaries it has ups and downs. But we either need to go fast and decisive or somehow work through intermediaries is what I figure. But I think even with my research and your testimony it`s a weak case, and it exposes us. I mean, the minute the guy tries to go over to the shopkeeper and somehow claim Mothisa-slash-Darren was rescued from the shopkeeper`s weapon with this escape, s their word against ours. And tipping our hand by revealing my research seems dangerous. What I think we need is to use our findings to engineer a situation where the hunter cell over-extends themselves by themselves, and get embroiled in a fight with law enforcement. It might be possible using unrelated, or perhaps engineered evidence to get law enforcement to search one or more of their houses. That might do the trick. They are paranoid after all and if I keep researching I`m sure I can find the right screws to turn with them. And while they`re occupied, we covertly rescue the ghost and Darren-slash-Mothisa. But in order to do that we need to find where Darren-slash-Mothisa is being kept. And I like the idea of using your contacts, but not leaning too hard on them. Just to gather intel to get everything over with more cleanly once we do go in. Because eventually, we`ll have to I think, by the sound of things. And when we do we`ll need every edge. As for the ashes, don`t like holding on to them much anymore either, but if they help ward off or have some other detrimental effect for Mothisa`s ghost, there might be other ways to use them. Such as either trapping the ghost or preventing the ghost from possessing the hunters if we can covertly smuggle the ashes into something have on them, like in a pocket or something like that? But regardless, I still think we should consider discussing this situation with other Mages if this turns into a bigger thing. Regardless of what we do, it obviosly has to be well thought-out and clean, with no loose ends. Although no plan ever fully survives contact with the enemy. And all of this assumes the ghost hasn`t already done damage in the past day by possessing who knows what. But I just got a thought, how do we even know we have the time on our side to plan this? How much time do you think we have? As you say, as soon as the ghost possesses one of the hunters we are officially next-level.

spells , effects and gear

Armor 0, Speed 10, Init +6, Defense: 3 (no FP), Spells active: 0/6(), Spell tolerance: 0/2, Vulgar spells: 0 Health: , Mana: Willpower: (max WP/scene 2, 1 left to spend) Gear: wallet: with car and apartment keys, no cash, various mundane ID`s and membership cards, lighter and order-tool-slash-phone in his pocket, generally unloaded shotgun very close at hand and fast to load, all other tools and equipment he posseses, like ashes of Mothisa, second laptop, fire extinguisher, and a number of 2 and 4 TB SSDs and (that can be weaponized on short notice): his katana, kitchen knives and cans of hairspray and deodorant, his rifle or crossbow would take considerably longer to ready in car parked in Philip`s parking slot at his home: additional first aid kit.

[Corn]

Not realizing that Philip feels very bad about his earlier reactions, Corn nods "It's fine. You got me Pizza after all. Water under the bridge." he says with a smile considering the issue resolved.
Then, he gets to the typing.

Time is also an issue. Darren is in their hands. Mothisha may possess them or do what-else. I think we have to take risks in that. I would love to have days or weeks to slowly built up something, but time is a luxury I think we can't afford. As for evidence... I can 'generate' contraband. I can turn salt to something they should not have in their cars. But it won't be lasting. After a few days it will be salt again. I also have to see something in their car to do that. And if we are tweaking around in their car we may as well put purchased illegal things there. If you have some ability to deal with that, I was thinking to stick a bag of drugs behind the wheel or something, and then tip the police. Tim Rockwell has history with the police, so they will probably get him, if we do that to his car instead of the racer's van. I think that if they find drugs in the car of the one that has the van, the police will then check the house for more contraband. Or we can convince them to. As a note, if you spot a flaw in that plan please say so. I am not that good in cloak & dagger. Of course... I can't readily find a bunch of drugs - unless I make them. I don't even smoke. I could look in the shady not-too-reliable contacts for some, but I don't know how fast I could get these or if I would be arrested myself by the police. Perhaps I could get a little from here and there from post-grad students, but honestly... I know these people, I work with them. I don't want to know which of them have ready access to drugs. Long story short: Could you find drugs? Do we have a way to stick a bag of drugs under Rockwell's hood or behind the wheel of that van? I will start contacting friends about "this sad story..." I found after heroically getting beaten up by a thug. And how having a lot of time in my hands while watching my kid I checked this and that and gathered a few pieces together. I would have to take credit for your research, if you allow it though. I will also tell them that I don't want to get more involved. I will not tell them to call the police in my stead, just how sad it is. Plant the seeds in their minds. Then by their reactions, I could call those that responded well and perhaps push it a bit. I am inclined to include other mages as well. And I think we will soon hit "next level", I am afraid. If the police find drugs on them, they will not believe them. But again, that assumes Mothisha has not possessed Rockwell or someone else from the Scooby-doo-with-anger-issues amateur hunters to leave a bunch of corpses behind her. Considering she didn't do it yesterday, she may probably need to 'recharge' or she can't possess everyone. But the 'she may not be able to possess them' is more wishful thinking than supported by the facts. And if she just needs to build up her reserves to start possessing people, then it will happen sooner or later. Let's check if Mothisha appeared dancing again. If she is, we are in deep, deep shit.

I was thinking Witch , if Reuben allows it and Witch's player wants to.

[ReubanBrightwood]

Just chipping in to say you to can invite whoever you want to up to four participants if they accept, if Witch wants back into the plot all she need to is accept the invite and then start posting. But yeah otherwise keep conversing