A Scavenger Hunt, I Guess

[Molly Quincannon] It's not that Molly spends less time in the Chantry sentry rota than she used to. It does, however, feel like less, now that it's actually her name listed in the slots she's taking, and not having to fill in for cabal members who give her the finger, throw transistors at her head and tell her to go fuck herelf if she asks them to actually take on the responsibilities for which they signed up. It's all perspective. So goes the life of an Awakened mage.

So today, Molly - T-shirt reading "It's Not Easy Being An Apostate", jeans, newly-long hair tacked into a messy bun with pencils - is settled in the kitchen of the House on her usual sentry duty, but she is not engrossed in one of her interminable logic puzzle books or anything like that. Now she is seated with graph paper and pencil, wishing idly for a whiteboard - what she's working on now is much more satisfying when she's making quantum squeaky with her markers. But graph paper will do, and she's pondering a pattern she's drawn on the paper and jotting down equations and making good use of the eraser in spots, frowning. The air in the kitchen smells of good strong coffee and peaches and cinnamon - Molly had a lot of peaches left over from the cobbler experiments, and has been trying many recipes to use them up. The results of her experimentation mostly go to one of three places - Atlas, Ellie and her new housemate, or the House.

[Solomon Ward] Solomon had entered the House about ten minutes ago. He'd come in and checked about for signs of habitation and, seeing Molly, had greeted her briskly when he came through the door way and shut it behind him. A moment was taken to remove his scarf and gloves and hat and over coat, a polite greeting given.

Oh, and there was the cello case...not that any one has ever seen Solomon Ward play a cello. Or mention it, personally or by association of another who may have brought it up in passing. Set by the door, and yet enough to be out of the way, he'd gone down the hall.

"Good evening, Ms. Quincannon", yes, it was still 'Ms. Quincannon'. "Apologies... I'll be back in a moment."

That had been nearly ten minutes ago. The man was not an ever present presence in the House, though he was not slack in his obligations either. Some times he was here when others were. Some times he wasn't. He did keep an eye on the physical grounds and the wards and the wounded Node. He simply didn't advertise how, or how often.

And so he returns, moving to the kitchen and taking out his black leather pouch and empty pipe to set on the table. By the occasional scent of the place, he smokes in the Chantry when few are around. Not that he's a habitual smoker, per se.

"I'm sorry I haven't caught up with you sooner. Things have been...busy. How are you, this evening?"

[Molly Quincannon] Maybe it's surprising that Molly does not ask about the cello case. Then again, Molly has seen Nathan's trombone case, and what's inside of it. It's not that she's not curious, exactly - she's just confident enough to think that she knows that there's likely more to it than meets the eye. (Or there isn't and Solomon wouldn't appreciate it being brought up.) Either way, he would have got a smile and a nod in greeting and acknowledgement of his wandering off, and then he was gone for ten minutes, and there was further mathematical mayhem until he returned with a pipe. She watches him light it - not judgemental, just curious - curious about whether it'll be plain tobacco or something more flavoursome, whether this is something he does to relax or something he does to relax specifically after a stressful day ... and again, doesn't ask.

Instead, she answers the comment and the question. "It's okay; I've been pretty busy myself, with everything. It's all going a little bit twisted but I think we're getting closer to getting it pinned down. Or at least, there's as much of a game plan as is apparently good to have in this situation - apparently keeping it loose is the only way we're not going to get beaten to the punch. Anyway, I am ... thoughtful, a little bit worried, very determined and ... I dunno, a whole bunch of other complicated emotional stuff that's not really getting in the way but is acting as seasoning. But I have intel, which always makes me squeeful, and sharing it makes me more so. First off, though - how're you? I heard you had a run-in, recently. Met Lucian Anders ... and Alex Liang ... and had a bit of what Shakespeare called 'much ado' ... just not about nothing." After all, her 'much ado' was a lot less recent.

[Solomon Ward] He puffed the pipe steadily for a moment, slowly creating a thick plume of bluish-gray haze that hovered about his face and head as he worked at it. Despite the chill outside though, and the fact that pipe tobacco itself was some what classically flavored (lets be honest, old fashioned is better), he moved to crack one of the windows open in an attempt to draw a small breeze and carry the worst of it off. Some people had an appreciation for the scent, even if they didn't smoke. Others...didn't.

Still, with the window open he wasn't overtly worried about being overheard. The building itself was proofed against far-casting; not that any proofing was ever 100% effective if one was clever enough to worm inside it, but such was life. As to the window.. a small disk removed from his pocket and laid in the window seal covered that. No sound would pass through the screen to yard below. It was as effective, if not more, as the window being closed. The muting sense of some one, or some thing, unyielding briefly intensified around the man, flared, before dying down to normal levels again.

"Indeed, I did. I find Mr. Liang to be some what annoying, as he's made it subtly but clear that he's inclined to hold a bias towards me based on hearsay and not personal experience, but such is life. I've not the time to educate the foolish, if he is such. As to Mr. Anders... yes. I have a natural dislike of strangers, powerful strangers, running around willy nilly inside Chicago. Call me..territorial if one will. That said the man is likely a necessity to the situation at hand, has a small arsenal of talismans near as I can tell, and unlike most passerbys in the city, seemed genuinely earnest about his reasons and goals for being here. I've yet to make a final judgement however."

[Molly Quincannon] For Molly, the scent of pipe tobacco holds nostalgia - one of the more pleasant sorts, at that. So she clearly doesn't mind, and doesn't bother to hide it when she closes her eyes for a second and indulges in one deep breath--
The last bastion of smoking-permitted coffee shops in the East Village; Floyd somehow miraculously lighting his pipe without lighting his ludicrous moustache on fire; Teeth arguing with Animal in the background and Janice laughing...
--and exhale. Back to the now.

There's a tut and a shake of the head. "I'm really kind of thrown about that, y'know. The idea that an Akashic of all things is going to be that narrow-minded ... but I guess we're all different. He didn't strike me as the type, but then he wasn't much of a talker the one time I met him. As to Anders ... I liked him. Call it a gut feeling. He's very much the TCB type, at least." The rest of her opinions - the reasons behind the gut feeling - well, right now they don't matter. "He's also being as free with his information as he knows how. Which reminds me; I met him up yesterday. Me and ... new Euthanatos in town; Kim Jenkins? I've worked with her once, and she seems pretty solid, if a little mercenary ... though I kinda got the feeling that's par for the course, 'cos Anders didn't bat an eye when she started talking expense sheets. Anyway, he's got a bead on what we need to do to get rid of this ... Sending entity thing. And someone's going to Awaken. Hard. Into Quiet. Between some items that need collecting - so we get to have a scavenger hunt, I guess - and being faced with what she's doing - we might actually be able to get out of this with less Armageddon and an Awakened who can maybe be brought out of Quiet and ... helped. That'd be nice." Wistful, that - this comes so soon after the whole miserable affair with one Mr Benjamin Roberts. She so badly wants to help someone.

Then she sighs. "He's asked me to try to find this kid before the Awakening into Quiet thing happens. I think I know how I can do it, but I'm going to need some help. I think Nathan can swing it, but ... he has to promise not to pull the crap he did last time I asked him to back me. Failing that ... I need to find someone with Time, Correspondence, Entropy and Prime, I guess. Bit of Spirit wouldn't hurt either. The future's a bitch to scry out, but it's better than the nothing we have and I'm not entirely willing to wait on a lead from Anders that may not come - or might come too late."

[Solomon Ward] "What crap did Nathan pull?" raising an eyebrow slightly to the question, various as to whether or not it was what he thought it may have been... .

He didn't know Kimberly, but the information was duly noted, a slight nod in response to her words as he took his seat and puffed the pipe, listening attentively. Solomon could be disassembling when he chose to be, but for the most part he was typically a quiet man.

"I don't do magic that concerns Time, personally" and his tone of voice implied he didn't care for such magic at all, though there wasn't a level of accusation or dislike in it. A simple matter of fact. Attempting to see the future was more or less forbidden in his faith and in his general belief structure, not to mention the endless slew of human factors, failings, and variables. "Any thing else i may be able to help with... well, perhaps. I don't make a study of the fate arts, either. Decay, but it's very ..limited as well."

[Molly Quincannon] "Hrm. For this kind of thing, those are the biggies, unfortunately." She shrugs. Future-scrying isn't a thing she does often either - the past is way easier and it's a great way to get intel - but she'll do what she has to. She's not one who believes in being able to see the possibilities more clearly as being an affront to a particular deity anyway. "But there's bound to be ways even if you're not that way inclined, and thanks. I'll make some quantum squeaky with my markers and see what wiggle room I've got. I've done ... similar, before, but I was looking at a specific place, not for a specific event. At least the event is big; it's going to make ripples."

It's only then that she deals with the thing about Nathan. "Well, first time I met Anders, I took to heart everything everyone said about taking backup because I am actually capable of learning from my mistakes eventually." There's a grin there; not even too sheepish, this one. She's learning and she's proud of that. "But even though Ashley was the other person he technically made contact with, I didn't really want it to be Ashley first off because ... well, it didn't seem diplomatically viable at the time and I know there's a serious irony there because she's supposed to be the person vetting new mages in the city and given everything, maybe we ought to rethink her as the welcome wagon? But for another time. Anyway, I brought Nathan because I trust him and then all hell broke loose and he kind of freaked out and then he did a total one-eighty and told me to get into a taxi and then he'd get into another taxi after I did, which struck me as wrong because no way was I leaving without him because backup doesn't work that way and then there were gunshots and I sure as hell wasn't leaving him with that shit going on ... and that's when he hit me. In the head. With the butt of a stockless rifle. Apparently 'for my own good'. If he'd actually had any kind of force behind it, I'd have been unconscious on the floor in the middle of a people stampede. So ... I don't even know."

[Solomon Ward] "I see." Which is all he says for a moment, puffing the pipe a little more quickly, heavily, than he had been prior to that. Israel had made mention of this, but to date he yet to speak with or see Nathan. Cabal they may be, but Solomon is ..busy. Yes, simplified, the man is busy. "I'll speak with him."

He leaves it at that, though by the mild change in his tone and very idea of whom and what Solomon is it may not be..pleasant.. for Nathan.

As to Ashley McGowen, Solomon waves his hand, dismissing it slightly. "It doesn't matter. The girl can do as she wishes so long as it doesn't interfere with my duties. I would prefer she update me as to whom is allowed in this building from time to time, but such is life. Besides, there is an upside to being demonized by the general populace. Certain actions are...expected of me, and thus actually allow me greater freedom to do the hard things that need done."

After all, if every one were convinced he was a gun waving pyscho and not a man of specific ideals and beliefs, well, no one could complain when he did gun some one down out of necessity, now could they?

"So, as I understand, this Lucien Anders has not been overtly shy or biased as to whom he approaches? He made mention of using a scrying device and that certain people were key to things he had seen, so I believe it is possible that he's making contact with people he has seen in the future of said device. The man seems too capable and bearing too much forethought to simply grab every mage he sees with out rhyme or reason.

Then again, I don't overtly trust men who rely in crystal balls either, but it is what it is."

Crystal balls... seriously?

"Our visitor, the Sending, is going to be a real head ache. As we've both experienced she can mute our arcane abilities. We have learned that charms and talens and magical devices still work appropriately. Just not basic magic. Which has me concerned, because we can not manufacture potentially needed effects into physical items on a whim... So... what is this 'scavenger hunt' you mentioned?"

[Molly Quincannon] Molly sighs. "I wish it was that simple about Ashley, Solomon. It's not, is the thing. She's not meeting people, first of all - I've had an Apprentice-level Orphan living with me for months and I'd actually really like to invite her to join my crew but I don't feel like I can because she hasn't even got House access yet because meeting up with magi who might actually need the House? Really hasn't been a priority. And maybe it is okay if she's ... demonising you, if that's the word ... because if you're cool with it, that's the important thing in that case. But what about everyone else? It's hard enough trying to get people to work together around here if the first thing they hear from the nominal 'one in charge' is not 'this is my opinion of these people' but 'this is how these people are'. I don't think she'd listen to me, and I know she hasn't really listened to Israel - or it hasn't sunk in yet if she has - but shouldn't somebody talk to her? Chicago's got enough problems without grudge-spawned infighting. I'm not saying right now, mostly because this doesn't take precedence over rains of fire and tornados, but ... it's a thing to at least keep on the to-do list, maybe. For the overall good of the city, at least."

Then it's back to the main point, and the bit about Anders' scrying device gets a chuckle. "Hey, he calls it a crystal ball, I use a computer monitor. In the end, it's all just a focus for the Will, and we all have our quirks. As far as people being key ... keep in mind that a lot of that is maybes, and he's actively trying to keep things vague - again, because this Sending entity thing would be able to get the drop on us a lot easier if we relied too much on planning, rather than going at least a bit by Fate. As to the 'scavenger hunt', though ... to be honest, I don't know everything we'll need yet. He's still putting the list together. I think he wanted to get a bit more detail on who, and probably what, before he gave details, but still warn us about the need for it so that we could get focused, or maybe use a bit of self-generated luck to get a head start. I don't put all my faith in whatever magic-eight-ball focus is out there either, not even the ones I make myself, but I'd rather know what's coming if I can. Makes the possibilities a little easier to predict the old-fashioned way - with straight-forward logic, y'know?"

Then she looks quite interested. "So Wonders and things still work okay, even if our Avatars are..." she shudders a little "...walled off? Interesting to know. So Nathan's imbued bullets, Israel's healing charms, that kind of stuff ... all workable? Man, I will learn to do that some day. I'd love to put some ideas into practice ... if I had five minutes to sit down and work it out." Then she shrugs. "Even if we can't be uber-prepared, at least we've got something, which is more than I knew we had before you came in. That's always a good thing."

[Solomon Ward] "Traditions are simply that..a pattern of tradition and shared belief. These aren't fan clubs; I have no such delusions. We could, in due and appropriate time, bring light of the fact of her lack of attention to the meeting and vetting of mages. We could challenge her opinions and blathering... she'll resist of course. She's Hermetic. The point is though, really, it doesn't matter.

In time our actions and words and role in what takes place here will justify what I and Nathan and others have done. Besides, Emily was kind enough to recite the 'popular opinion' of me, and its so off from the truth I wasn't sure whether to be insulted or amused" He actually grins at that, which says quite a bit.

"I'm really not worried about her. But no, the crystal ball to your computer analogy isn't accurate. It's literally a crystal ball, Ms. Quincannon. The man is, as I said, a walking arsenal or things magically crafted. He literally has a magic ball... I haven't seen it, but the way he mentioned it, given the exact circumstances that took place, I'd bet a house against a dollar that it is an artifact.

I've never seen that many talismans in my life, Molly. Not in almost thirty years.

Owned by one person. Raises a few questions..."

[Molly Quincannon] All of this is a lot of food for thought, really. It's not actually that Molly's that concerned about Ashley's opinion of Solomon specifically, and she's clearly not doing a very good job of getting that across. Such is the problem of being such a Frantic person across the board, perhaps. Either way, it gets sidelined - there are more important things, or at least more immediate things, than people being left by the wayside because the 'administrative dean' is the ultimate Darwinian.

It's the other bit - the bit about the crystal ball Anders spoke of being an artefact rather than just a focus - that gets her attention and holds it. "The rings, too, then," she muses, thinking back on his disappearing act. "And how he always got a little defensive about the crystal ball when it came up, even though I was never actually laughing at him for it. I ... know those kinds of things can be made, and I guess it would make sense given that he didn't even have to work up to Jaunting out of the Green Mill the way someone else might have had to. So ... did he make them? Or ... oh, crap, did he inherit them? Or maybe both? I know he's highly regarded within the Euthanatos, so it's not beyond reason that he could have made them himself - he's had the time, and more than likely has the power, but..." Then she sighs. "Well, I guess that part might not matter beyond my own curiosity anyway, but ... maybe it does. If we're supposed to be scavenging, I ... kind of have to wonder now what it is we're supposed to be scavenging in the first place. If Lucian's a collector ... I just hope he hasn't got ulterior motives for whatever bits and pieces we're supposed to be picking up. Because I don't think the list is going to consist of things like 'a traffic cone', 'bronzed baby shoes' and 'a plushie raccoon', y'know?"

[Solomon Ward] "His interest in this matter is entirely personal", voiced with a rather certain sense of clarity into the matter. The pipe puffs another heavy cloud of smoke, which, despite the single window, is growing some what thick and hazy. Despite being practically an ascetic in many ways, the man is also a creature of habit, for better or worse. A man that often denies himself the things in life few would consider.. sugar, caffeine, sweets. Molly may have learned from Israel that the man doesn't use air condition or take hot showers, except for Israel's personal benefit. The pipe how ever? Once aday, in the evening. Most days any way.

"The man is a death cult mage, regardless of internal affiliation. I am, by definition of what I am, not overly comfortable with the Euthanatos at large. I agree with them that some people need killing, and they actually have an order of Knights that I am familiar with. Regardless of his factions focus or beliefs, around the Euthanatos, people die. He's likely been building them for some time, inheriting them from Good Deaths and ghosts and what ever else his kind deal with. The man was known to be a Master when he vanished from the grid in 1999. It's likely he could have made some of them. I doubt he made them all... . "

A moments pause, thoughtful, considering some thing before he spoke... "I believe we can trust his motivations as to this situation based on why he is here, Molly" First name... Solomon only uses first names with some thing is important, whether attempting to assuage or connect with some one for some specific reason, or perhaps in simply a display of the importance of a topic if he is willing to stretch his sense of propriety...

"You understand the nature of a consecrated bond between two people? The way you could feel Israel, and her you.. and in some ways, you and I, with Israel as a nexus? Lucien Anders, and that is his real name, was concentrated to a woman for decades. It's more than a magical link... it is a blending of patterns. The laws and rules and codes of magic, those flexible and inflexible... they change in a situation like that. Magic that may only work on yourself now works on your bonded partner. It has flaws.. for instance, if Israel heals me, she cannot, for what ever reason, heal herself. It's like trying to reshift your own pattern to quickly, even though we are two bodies, two minds. She can take me along her magical gates despite not having the inherent strength to do with others, because I count as part of her in accordance to the rules of magic as we know it. We barely need foci or Will or effort to sense one another...across oceans."

"We've been bonded a little less than five years. Lucien's bonded boon-companion, a lover if I read between the lines correctly, ended up shredded in the Avatar Storm. She is one of the pieces that make up the Sending-Construct. He can feel her presence, know she's active. A piece of her soul is in that construct.... I believe it is fairly safe to say his motivations are honest."

[Molly Quincannon] Molly listens (and as ever, there's a certain sort of pleasure in the fact that he actually uses her first name - 'Miss Quincannon' always brings back unpleasant echoes of being talked down to at school, though she'd never admit it and is patient with it, as it's clearly Solomon's way) and nods, more than a little relieved. Still, her reaction to it is to sigh and to prop her chin on her hand, thinking. Brooding a little, maybe. "Living so connected with someone ... must be really something. I only experienced it briefly, and ... I dunno, it gave an insight ... not so much into the two of you, but into that kind of relationship in general. Hearing about his love, and the Consecration and everything that goes with it ... knowing what that must be like, even from such limited experience ... and being fond of the man on short acquaintance on a personal level ... I just don't want that colouring my judgement so much that I'll willingly blind myself to the possibility of that not being the all of it. I don't want to have to consider these things, but I do. We all do, but me in particular because I know what I'm like, and if I don't at least consider it - really consider it ... it just hits harder than it has to if I turned out to have been too trusting." He saw her after the Four Horsemen mess. He's known Israel for a long time. He must surely know this one. "I'm glad enough to have some logical reasons to have it sitting in the 'nah' pile, though, that idea. So ... thanks." That with a small smile.

After which she stretches a bit and says, "And with that bit of uncharacteristic pragmatism out of the way, back to the hopeful mitigation of doom. I know it's probably not going to be as easy as it sounds like it should be on the surface, and I wish I knew who was supposed to be finding what, and why, but ... the Spirit thing is not really my area of expertise. All I can really do is ... well, heed the advice of people who know better than I do about the bits in which they do know better than me, find backup that hopefully won't concuss me and play Rikki-Tikki-Tavvi. 'Run and find out'. Which at least I'm good at." She grins, shrugs and looks at her papers again before adding, "If there's anything else you can think of that I can do, you'll get in touch, right? I'll do likewise, and keep you updated. Spreading the word seems to be a necessary thing right now, and having a voice of experience in this ... really isn't going to go amiss, let me tell you." Yes, she's actually getting the idea. Hallelujah.

A thoughtful frown comes next. "Oh, I should jet, actually. Things to do of a mundane, 'I like having a paycheque' nature. Anything else I can help with or dump intel on you about before I ... um, 'movate', as Atlas puts it?"

[Solomon Ward] "No, not that I can think of" he says, removing a pipe tool from his pocket with which to snuff out, and later clean out, his pipe. There's a mild grin on his face in response to her small smile, but it almost seems an ..unfamiliar thing. Not that he has never smiled, nor smiled at her, but the severity of his usual demeanor and the scars on his face make it look off. It ruins the sincerity with out meaning too, makes it look out of place.

"And of course I will. I may not agree with all of your out looks and practices and such, but such is a two way street, no? Admittedly you are very good at what you do, Ms. Quincannon. If there is any thing that comes to mind, or some thing I learn that fits what you know, or may even be better dissembled by yourself, I will let you know as immediately as possible. Have a good evening, ma'am"

He stands up then. An old custom, an old habit. "As to things of spirit.. I have a bit of experience. Let me know if there is any thing I can do or clarify for you", and so he remains until she has left the room, once she is ready to do so of course.