Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Magic is Real.

We fly over oceans, hold the sum of all recorded knowledge in our hands, and speak with relatives halfway across the world without leaving our chairs. Magic isn't just flying on broomsticks or calling down fire from the Heavens. Magic is limited only by your Imagination, and your Will to make it manifest. There's a battle going on over the nature of Reality and Mankind itself. Pretend it isn't there, or get involved and forge the Future you envision.

Welcome to the Ascension War.

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Sep 25, 2019 5:25 pm

Ulrich volunteers to stay and keep watch over Phoenix, while Ken comes along to see the other Second. He sticks to the background, trusting the other two to take lead in this situation. Things comes full circle as they return to the second floor, to the Drawing Room. Drawing Rooms, or at least the term, originated sometime in the 16th or 17th centuries, where a host could entertain guests in a 'withdrawing room', away from the main state room, or salon. This one is very modern, with recessed light fixtures, white leather couches, and a central glass table with a few items for show.
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When you arrive and start looking around, your target fortuitously comes around a corner to meet you as well. Unchanged since you last saw him an hour or so ago, he is an elderly caucasian man, with pure white hair, light blue shirt, dark blue tie, and he has a squint that could either be stress, or he needs to put on some glasses. He has a drawn out, tonal voice as he gestures to the group. "Good, good, glad to see you are back. Hopefully you come bearing good news." He looks around at all of you rather myopically, then takes a seat himself. This time he doesn't have a double-handful of paperwork, just himself. He leans forward, his elbows on his knees, and he lays his chin in cupped hands. "Hell of a day, should have stayed home. So, what have you got?"
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Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by Muskrat » Thu Sep 26, 2019 6:27 pm

"Uh, well," says Pixel, "we aren't exactly sure we've got. Not enough to prove anything, but enough to worry us. Oh, and someone with some knowledge of like healing or exorcism or something should probably step in and take a look at Phoenix. He's in the other room--and he seems to be subject to some sort of affliction of the spirit, which is one of the reasons we think there's something wrong ..." Her voice trails off and she looks over at Dexter, to see if he wants to add more before they get an initial reaction from Quinton.

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by Hermit » Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:26 pm

Dexter, having sat himself in the recliner sofa with his hands folded over the handle of his cane, nodded in agreement with Pixel's statement and took her look as his cue to expand on it further. "We have reasonable suspicion to believe that what transpired between Hash and Yossarian was a deliberate attempt at defamation orchestrated by someone else," he began, deliberately leaving out the name of the suspected culprit, at least for now until he was certain of Quinton's intentions. "As Pixel has stated however, we don't feel that the evidence we've gathered would be solid enough to substantiate this claim and exonerate Hash of his transgression and the certámen issued against him by the Praetor."
''At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.'' - Lao-Tzu

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by Muskrat » Mon Sep 30, 2019 6:50 pm

Pixel nods at Dexter's words, not adding more. Best to be leave Jade Dragon's name out of it until they learn more about Quinton's intentions if they can.

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by ManWithDoor » Tue Oct 01, 2019 8:36 pm

Quinton's gaze sharpens as the pair go on, flicking between them as you can clearly see the gears churning in his head. "There have been inklings of someone moving against Hash, more than simply shunning him. Nothing close to proof even of a 'reasonable suspicion' nature. Whomever this is must be held accountable for their actions. And if sufficient I will clear away this certamen nonsense. This is no longer a matter of honor and propriety if someone was subverting the Laws of Hospitality." He talks in a very matter-of-fact manner, with no doubt that he can make such sweeping decisions.

He then cocks his head. "As for Phoenix, I will call in our best spiritual expert to examine him. Is his affliction connected to this defamation attempt against Hash?"
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by Muskrat » Wed Oct 02, 2019 7:12 pm

"Ye...es," says Pixel, slowly. "We were actually talking to him about our suspicions, when it was as if he was possessed by some angry force. He said ..."--she hesitates--"it was his sister, Jade Dragon." Uncomfortably, she lets the implications hang there in the air. "It also seems like someone altered Ken's memories of an interaction he had with Jade Dragon." She squirms internally, but this actually seems like the best way to bring the issue up--not making any direct accusations against Jade Dragon, but leaving the pieces there on the table.

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Oct 09, 2019 5:15 pm

The somewhat languorous body positioning of resting his chin in cupped hands disappears as he sits up sharply. The movement seems too fast for such an aged figure, as though he skipped from the one position to the other. "Jade Dragon ... attacked her brother?" Shocked disbelief is plastered all over his face, as he is clearly having trouble even processing that sentence. He looks from Pixel over to Ken, then back again. "And memory manipulation?"

His cheeks and eyes seem to sink deeper, aging visibly before your eyes. "Kenneth is newer to the Arts. He would be vulnerable to such things, especially if it came from an unexpected, trusted source. Those of us who are older, more steeped in the Magic, are resistant to such manipulation. Nothing short of an Oracle could alter my memory without my being acutely aware of it." He sits back heavily against the couch, seeming at a loss for words.
Both of you succeed on your Perception/Alertness checks (especially since you were already forewarned by others in previous scenes). You're seeing fraying of the illusion spell that constitutes his body. Most likely the surprise and distraction of the worrying news.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by Muskrat » Wed Oct 09, 2019 6:46 pm

Pixel frowns and starts to peer more closely at Quinton, then wipes the expression from her face--it would be unwise to be rude to someone so powerful for no better reason than curiosity. Similarly, though her fingers are itching to, she does not pull out her instruments to try to scan Quinton to determine what is illusion and what physical reality.

She says, "I'm not exactly sure what happened between Jade Dragon and Phoenix--he tried explaining their connection as twins, but I'm not sure I fully understood it. You may want to talk to him, as well as finding someone who can make sure he's okay. I did record the relevant part of Ken's memories on my phone--with Ken's okay, I can show you those."

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Oct 16, 2019 5:43 am

Ken gives the nod for Pixel to proceed. Pulling out her personal technological marvels, she brings up her supernatural recording of his internal memory of the event.

The interior of the Nine Hands Wellness Center forms, showing the basement sanctum in hazy detail. Since this isn't a real video but a reconstruction of Ken's memory, various specifics only show up if he was paying attention to them. The image of Jade Dragon shows up in sharp relief to the vague background, their conversation regarding the philosophy of understanding magic. The Dreamspeaker's external monologue is picked up as well, as he was cooperating with the mental probe ...

"She asked about my progress. I told her that it had been slow, taking all of this magic stuff in. She chuckled, told me that the better part of magic - maybe she said the biggest part? - comes from paying attention. She asked me to send join her in meditating, so she could show me what she meant.

"It started pretty normally - relaxing each part of my body, focusing on my breath. Then she told me to extend my awareness to everything my breath touched, the way the air itself was moved when I breathed. To become conscious of the stirring inside the things around me.

"I've been able to sense spirits for a little while, but this was the first time I had really focused on that sense. Everything around us has this life, this living...ness?... and I finally was able to appreciate it fully."

... The joint meditation session continues, until finally he is seen out of the Wellness Center. While Ken was unaware of it at the time, the joint revelatory magicks of Pixel, Dexter, and Ulrich were able to reveal the white mist moving in to blanket Ken's memory, preventing him from remembering either his time in the Wellness Center, nor of Jade Dragon herself.
Quoting JohnnyWeird's post from earlier this year. :)
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Chapter 1: __________ is Magic

Post by Muskrat » Thu Oct 17, 2019 5:40 pm

Pixel shuts off the recording and turns back to Quinton. "So, you, ah, see why we're concerned that--between this and what happened to Phoenix--something fishy is going on." She doesn't want to make explicit charges against Jade Dragon, but the implications should be clear.

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