(WI) Leg Work

[Xander]

It started out fairly innocuous.

A few friends of the awakened were complaining about spam from some software company. It promised a new MMORPG called Whispered Invocation and endless hours of free fun with friends. Sure, the spelling and grammar in the email were a bit off, but that's not exactly what causes concern. People had started to talk. About the monsters from the Abyss. About the scelesti that had summoned them. About how they had stopped them. About forming cabals. In the game. It wasn't many people. In fact, the awakened could count them all on one hand if they wanted to. The fact that they were sleepers meant it was enough though.

So the Awakened that had heard about the new game assembled in the Sacramento Central Library. A neutral space with plenty of computers and private study rooms to test their google fu or meet with any of the people involved in the breach.

They had managed to convince their acquaintances to forward a copy of the initial email. One that mentions the scelesti and abyss by name, inviting their players to fight the monsters of the void in explicit if eccentric detail. It also includes a download link and publisher information. Liam Andrews is responsible for circulating this email, president of the privately owned Shard Productions and the individual personally responsible for promotion. Further information would require further investigation, and so the mages of Sacramento gather!

[Apollo]

Computer games were not usually Apollo's thing, especially ones with promotional emails that contained spelling and punctuation issues and at first it had sounded like your usual game people raved about and could be categorised as 'hard pass'. But then the words Abyss and Scelesti were mentioned and Apollos ears perked up. This was going to need looking in to and if he had heard about it.... others probably had heard about it.

Apollo arrived at the Library and took a seat on a bench outside, studying the email for the 100th time while he waited. Truth be told he was seeing if any of the other mages of the city turned up to investigate.

[Moira]

Computer games were definitely a Moira thing! The Enchanter was more than a little piqued at the email. The spelling mistakes were particularly weird to the Acanthus. It denoted a very unprofessional launch, of course the content also gave that away. Was this something to lure them in? Was it something to cause creatures from the Abyss to come and eat them? Was this some crazy scheme to get these sleepers to feed themselves to the void??! It concerned Moira deeply. Moira understood that games invoked the imagination. Dreams, countless thoughts and daydreams, and hours upon hours of dedicated mental juice. Strange things could come out of this, she was sure of it!

Moira dutifully carried a tray of Hot Chocolate spiked with caffeine. Caffeinated hot chocolate sounded to perfect for the pixie brat to pass up! So she went and got four of them in hopes others would be investigating too! I mean, how rude to be sipping her miracle beverage alone! Never!
She was dressed casually for the season and upon seeing Apollo she grinned and rushed over.

"I got caffeinated chocolate Apollo!" She said in a rush of excitement. Her cheeks stinging with chilled color in the early morning light. Her hair was floofed and smelled fragrant of quality hair products, and though she wore little makeup she looked bright and bushy and very happy to see her fellow Libertine.

[Apollo]

Apollos arm reached out, his hand was clasping open and closed repeatedly like a crabs claw. "Ohh, ohhh, ohhhhh, gimmie!" he smiled at Moira, he was genuinely happy to see her. "A, Caffeinated Hot Chocolate sounds like nectar of the gods and B, thank god you showed up. I was starting to worry it would be... I will fill you in on the NA meeting and that cluster fuck when we do sushi night."

[Witch]

It had been a single instance. Her at the vending machine, a high school tour group assembling behind her in the foyer. A couple kids chatting about their evening. Their evening spent forming a cabal to go hunting abyssal monsters summoned by scelesti.


Witch managed not to snap her head up and yank the kids off for some hard questions. But she had been momentarily tempted. A bit of trailing gave the name of the game, google provided a bit more intel, and now it was time to see who else had heard about this.


Spotting Apollo and Moira , her first thought at seeing their smiling faces was that they were on a date. Well, even if they were, she was about to interrupt them and recruit them.


Approaching, she pulled a hand out of her jacket (her one concession to the cooler temps) and lifted it in greeting. She wasn't going for subtle here. She was heading their way.

[Moira]

Moira beamed at Apollo , and carefully handed him a piping hot chocolate. "It's really good! From a small business type place. I love it there, really cool decor, lots of plants! Wonderful little place!" She paused and frowned a little about the NA meeting. "Yeah, sorry about that! Can't wait to here how it went over unagi rolls!" She said and made a finger gun with her one free hand. She didn't have long to bask in Apollo's presence before Witch came approaching!

"Hey grrrrl! You want a caffeinated hot chocolate?" She said in a rush, the usual level of excitement the Enchanter had was on full blast, as usual. "Got a really spooky invite to some rinky dink MMORG, and heard some weird buzz about it. So I was coming to try to track it down. I brought my lap top!" She said with a grin, indicating her bag. She was also armed, but she had it in the small of her back in a sheath. It's not like she thought simply researching the thing was gunna get them in trouble, but she did know tracking an IP address was possible.

[Apollo]

Apollo took his caffeinated hot chocolate and took a sip, he savoured the taste and swallowed slowly as Moira said she had brought her laptop. He had not brought his, clearly she was more prepared for techno-fu than he was. "I am here for the same reason." He paused for a second "I'm Aaron by the way" He felt it was a good start to relay the name he went by in public. "I also heard about this game. I assume that is why you are also here?" Maybe if Witch was investigating this "The more the merrier I say."

[Witch]

Witch blinked and looked down at the beverage offered. Well, that answered that. You didn't bring coffeehot chocolate ... with caffeine? for 3+ to a date.

"Oh. Uh. Thanks." Accepting the offered beverage, she wrapped hands around the heat and nodded at Apollo/Aaron's question.

"Yup. Few keywords made my ears perk and thought before I jumped into it solo, I would see if others had heard of it... lo and behold... She grinned at the two of them.

Turning to glance behind her at the parking lot she gave it a quick scan, but it seemed the only activity was a vehicle pulling out (she had seen a dad loading up his 2 kids in it when she arrived). Seemed word hadn't spread to the whole Consillium yet.

Turning back to Moira and Apollo "Well then - shall we start doing some digging?" And motioning for the two of them to lead the way into the library, she will make sure the lid is tightly on her new drink before following them. Librarians were picky about food and drink around their books after all ...

[Moira]

Moira nodded to Witch, thrilled she wanted some caffeinated nectar of the freaking gods! "Oh yeah, lets get started! No time to waste on this one I'm afraid. Really weird vibes just from reading the email invite." She chewed nervously on her lower lip and charged on into the Library proper. Her head held high and almost defiantly with her tray of beverage firmly in hand. Ready to battle with any angry librarian and disarm the beasty with the last cup. Moira was not above bribery!

Was that an almost evil smile on her face as she looked around for said dragon to slay? The Acanthus's eyes were almost glowing with mischief when she proudly and definatly claimed a table for them, shrugging off her green coat to grace the back of her chair. She took one of the cups for herself and took a defiant swig, digging in her messenger bag for her lap top.

[Apollo]

Apollo nodded and followed Moira as she charged into the library with that liberal arts college confidence. He took a seat at the table. "I suppose a big question is who is making this game. We have the name Liam Andrews and Shard Productions. But who else is involved?"