IC Thread: Ch. 1 - The Quiet Place

Nov 17, 2025 7:55 pm

John nods.

Yeah, maybe if we had an Adept with us.. Well, something to look into later, I suppose. Letting out a small sigh, John will continue walking towards the cars.

Shall we?

OOC:

Alright, if there isn't anything else, how about we depart? We can either drive separately or together in one car, don't think it'll matter much. I'm ready for the next scene!

Nov 18, 2025 4:46 pm

"Leaving a car here might cause us problems, so I reckon we should leave here as we came. However, we could leave one car elsewhere and go on in the other; that way only one of us has to drive. I’m willing to drive, if you would rather see if your abilities have better luck than mine?"

Nov 18, 2025 5:40 pm

OOC:

What do you mean by abilities here? John trying to check on the ward or just percepting out the window as we drive around the place to see what's what there?

Nov 18, 2025 10:56 pm

OOC:

I was thinking of magick, since Dominic’s Science met with no success, and chiefly in the matter of scanning the area as we drive around it; surely easier for a passenger than a driver. We know where we’re going, but anything we can learn before we walk to the door may prove useful. But don’t let my lack of imagination crowd out your ideas!

Nov 19, 2025 4:49 pm

OOC:

Ok, so I've fallen a bit behind. Bear with me as I catch up.

Quote:

Texting Ally Todd for any info on the place in question (Charisma+Allies at diff7) - (5d10)

As John checks in on his phone while OmniVox works through his options, he notices that his text to Todd has been seen, and based on their normal repoire, he would expect some sort of reply.

But there's been no reply yet. Maybe he's busy at the moment?

ThetaSigma says:

OOC:

How’s this for an idea: Try to get the storage refreshed, hopefully making the data available again and purging the ward (assuming it’s manifested as a program in memory itself).
The idea is to create an "overdue" Freedom of Information request by sending a backdated request; then chase it up with a current message immediately afterwards to actually focus someone’s attention on it now. The hope is that some overworked Data Controller will realise that the request is overdue, the subject matter harmless social media history, and restore it, likely purging the ward program as well. A little social engineering….
The backdated original request might be possible mundanely, given sufficient skill; if not, it’s a coincidental data manipulation of a date… much easier than trying to take down an alert ICE ward directly!

OOC:

So, I feel like there is a bit to unpack here.

And a significant part of that begins with: as GM I am a storyteller but not an expert in all things, and also that this system is a storytelling system, not an "accurate, all-things"-simulator. Right?

My point here being, many-fold, but ultimately what it comes down to is: if the check you're proposing is still reliant on Intelligence+Computers to create this back-dated FOIA request? Then you're really just repeating the initial skill check that was attempted, and it will be made at a +1 Difficulty, as per repeated check-rules.

You didn't propose a roll tho, so I don't know if that was what you envisioned.

If you're proposing to do this through magick, then I need a lot more information as per usual for spell-work: effect and ability, and belief/practice/tools etc. but this sounds like pretty squarely Data Sphere to me, which you don't have.

But also... another part of what I want to unpack is - we can't be micro-obsessing over every roll. It just slows things down in PBP too much.

Right?

The success or failure of this mission does not depend on this one check.

It was an initial opportunity to learn something.

And... you have learned something.

Even if it wasn't necessarily everything you hoped to have learned, right?

You learned there is a magical ward on information about this location. It built some tension, raised even more questions, created some intrigue.

Spoiler alert, but, even if you eventually succeed on getting this one piece of information? It's not going to tell you everything you need to know.

It's just going to be a little bit more information, and build a little bit more intrigue.

Right?

And so what I think I really want to get at here is, a request that you please have some trust in me as a storyteller.

I'm not here trying to defeat you.

I'm trying to build a story with drama and intrigued, and tension, and meaningful use of the gameplay/mechanics at our disposal. And so, I think this initial bit has done the job we all need it to do. Right?

Let's take a breath, take a step back for some perspective, and yes, devote the amount of table time and effort to this that it deserves and warrants. But let's make sure we're being clear eyed about what is important and what this warrants.

RE: Tech/Internet/Data Spirits

I think your characters c/would know this and so I'll say it "out loud", there are absolutely those kinds of Spirits.

They, at the very least, would be - as spirits include embodiment of the essence of ideas of Sleepers - spirits of the web/tech/data as the Consensus understands them. Right?

And clearly magick can access the internet and data absent actual tech, so, even these "idea" spirits of the web/tech/data could conceivably affect the web/tech/data.

It may not be as easy as it would be as if they were (/if there is) literal direct embodiments of the web/tech/data, but they are tied to it as concepts and as magick.

The two are intertwined, imo/understanding.

There is, or can be, a literal ghost in the machine.

Ok. So. Let's make any final checks regarding the Internet research that we need to make, and then let's move on to driving there?

Nov 19, 2025 5:14 pm

Yeah, sure. I know this one good parking lot downtown, not too far from the Chantry proper. How about we drive there, I'll drop my car and we'll go in yours? Then we can drive around that block they want us to investigate, you behind the wheel, while I'll cook some of my magic in the back, see if I can spot any hotspots there.

John quickly checks his phone to see if there is any reply from Todd, frowning when there is none. The guy is always on his phone! Hopefully he's just busy, maybe running some errand for Bitsie.

OOC:

I think we're fine to move to the next scene. The internet ward thing can be left for later. John's lack of technical computer aptitude coupled with the fact that at current level he can perceive spirits but not summon/call out to them, makes any potential roll somewhat dubious. Maybe if there are some other avenues or and ideas later on, we can revisit.

Nov 19, 2025 11:20 pm

Dominic is intently punching keys on his phone. "One more thing I can try…"

OOC:

Relax, I wasn’t trying to set homework! ;-)
What I was trying to do was come up with an alternative strategy; a different approach, both for variety (trying the exact same thing a second time is boring) and, I admit, trying to avoid the +1 difficulty for simply trying the same tactic twice if another motivation were needed. I confess I found it difficult and had to use some background knowledge; I apologise if my explanation was unclear.
Dominic is trying to persuade a system administrator into restoring the obscured data to normal by overwriting the area of storage from a backup, replacing the concealed data with an unconcealed copy in its original location -and- possibly erasing the ward, as that would not be part of the backup (because any backup holding the original data would pre-date the placing of the ward). This should not seem an unreasonable request to the sysadmin, as from a mundane perspective, the data is unremarkable, and restoring data from backups is an occasional and normal request.
However, as this approach is both mundane (Manipulation + Computer I was thinking, as he needs to convince someone to achieve a specific goal which relies upon Computer knowledge to specify) and a bit more ambitious in outcome - gaining access to the data and possibly negating the ward as well - I have no issue with a higher difficulty being applied anyway.
I fully understand the desire to move on; if there’s a roll worth trying, it can be done in this thread even as the next thread is set up; since @emsquared can see Dominic’s stats you might not need to wait for me to make the roll, since the dice roller is impartial.
If there is no roll worth trying, we can move on without further discussion.

Last edited November 19, 2025 11:29 pm

Nov 20, 2025 7:21 pm

OOC:

Ok, so the magick was not a one time effect - it's an active ward - and it wasn't used to simply place this data in an archive - the magic ... wards the data. It prevents it from being found/viewed/accessed. So I don't know that doing this would change anything?

I may have fallen into the trap of giving detail that made it seem like something was planned and specific, when really I was just following your lead. You brought up searching a web archive, and there was more [magic] gameplay for us to explore here, so I "yes, and"ed. And used your frame of reference to show to you that something deeper was going on, cuz I wanted to build intrigue and bring in magick gameplay.

But it doesn't actually have anything to do with web archives. Right? At least, it didn't until you showed me that that's where you thought there might be more story to uncover. And there was more story, so I put it where you looked.

So, maybe a slight mismatch in gaming styles here (verisimilitude focused vs story focused), but hopefully not insurmountable?

And I do not generally make rolls for players. It can easily raise agency questions and I have enough to do anyway.

We kind of talked about this earlier:

Quote:

Please do feel free to make a roll without being prompted!

This will help me, because that's you telling me where you see gameplay, and so where you see important stuff happening, right? Which helps me understand the kind of game you want to play and the kind of story you want to tell.

Quote:

If you're following one of the many pre-defined actions in the book that has a "RAW" roll defined for it, you don't need to add context.

However, if you're just making up your own roll, let's give the context you think is necessary, to understand why you put the roll together as you did.

OOC:

The most I will do is prompt you for a roll. And I will try to do that more actively if that is what you need as a player, but as you can see, I misunderstood what you were actually trying to do.

So that can have it's own problems/back and forths.

I'm going to move us forward.

Meeting at the parking lot you transfer vehicles and head north toward the airport. The address marked on your Google Maps, with the blue dot.

Traffic on the interstate and 281 is heavy and it takes you a bit to get up there. You exit after the main Terminal exit, onto McAllister Freeway, which is where most of the long term parking lots are accessible from, and from the Freeway onto Isom.

And... man, you can see what the social media posts were talking about with the encampments of unhoused people under 281. If there truly is no way to walk to the Terminals from here without crossing under, it definitely seems like a sketchy journey.

And sure enough, there is the Economy Black parking lot, right off of Isom. There are a few cars parked there but not many. Lots of spaces available.

You turn onto Gulfdale and yea, the area is quite run down. Lots of commercial space that appears to be empty - lots with windows busted out or boarded up, lots of weeds growing in the derelict business parking lots.

Google bids you to make a right and on Vandale you see what looks like it was probably once housing, or maybe a motel. Hard to say, no signs indicating it was one thing or the other. But pretty soon you're making another right onto Sandau anyway, and there's the airport of to the East, with the service access and entry for private hangers and things...

OOC:

What do you do?

Nov 24, 2025 2:54 pm

After the car switch, John will situate himself in the back, getting some of his things from his own car. Once they start getting closer to the designated area, he will begin crafting his magics.

Swallowing nervously, he takes account of his instruments. You just need to calm down. You can do this. - he thinks to himself.

Setting his leather-bound grimoire/journal on his knees, flips it to the right page, filled with multiple formulae and a written poem of sorts, a chant filled with words of power and command. Some words are crossed over, other re-added, in an attempt to alter, improve and tailor the spell to John's sensibilities and needs. He takes out his grandfather's old pocket knife, and starts the chant, as he lightly scratches his skin with the knife - not to the point of drawing blood, but to leave a visible, physical mark. First, it's the forehead, where he scratches a third eyes. Then begins an intricate carving on his hands, palms and wrists - a line of script around the wrist, a labyrinthine sigil on the back of the hand and finally another eye etched onto the palm, all the while quietly reciting the spell:

as above - so below - all things are one

ARARITA, the TRUTH - the light shines through (nod), to illuminate the darkness

I reach across - all things are one

(Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultem Lapidem)

LUX - the TRUTH is shown, illuminated, visible..!

Once the carvings on both hands are done, John will flick the lighter on, bathing the palms in the heat of the flame, warming both and waiting for the feeling to kick in, intently staring, focusing his will on the flame.

[ +- ] If it succeeds

OOC:

So John is casting a multi-Sphere spell, composed of Prime (to sense the Resonance their elders were talking about) and Correspondence (to increase the range of his senses). If it is successful, the sort of thing like in the picture happens - a small threads of energy going out of his fingertips, then dissipate. He would then be able to see (with the carved third eye) and feel (with his hands) any Prime-related happenings in a small area (line of sight for vision, as per Correspondence 1 and what he can touch with his hands for feeling energies in things and items).

Rolls

LVX Illuminus Spell - (1d10)

(4) = 4

Dec 3, 2025 5:30 pm

OOC:

Some great insight into John's practices and tools there, thanks.

As for the roll, that's a success! Yay, magick!

As his excellence weeks up within him and he scans the area around him, his senses bolstered by magickal energies, it's as if the world comes alive to John in ways it wasn't before.

The patterns of... everything... are there. just below the surface. Needing only the nudge of another Sphere to emerge and to be a tangible thing to him. He can sense his connection to the world around him, and it's connection to him, and it seemingly divulges it's secrets to him willingly.

Little details emerge all around...

There, on the airport-side of the road, a box truck sits in parking spot, the driver looking hard at your car as you drive by.

The car ahead of you, their eyes flicking up into their rear view mirror, gazing back at you for a brief moment before they turn on their turn signal.

Off to your right in the Economy Black parking lot a group of people stand around their vehicle, a couple pulling out luggage while another scans the area - catching your eye and you theirs.

And seemingly underlying it all, John senses ... something strange... it's Quintessence certainly, at least in part, holding together magickal effect nearby - within line of sight (as he knows is the limit of his ability), but also it's a strange magickal energy, it feels unlike the pattern of the rest of reality around him, and unlike his own, and unlike OmniVox's.

It must be some other Will Workers Resonance.

Dec 3, 2025 9:12 pm

I can feel it alright. The energy. - says John as he is looking around. It's nearby. Let's park in the lot, take a look around. Hopefully the rumors about it being a murder spot are exaggerated.

Let's keep the car running just in case. There is an active spell close, I think. Can't quite tell what it is though. Or if whoever cast it is still around. There are people near, so if worse comes to worst, we just dash back to the car and bail. Hopefully the sleepers walking around would prevent anyone potentially hostile from doing their own workings. Unless they are of the kind who are not affected.. John shuddered. He has heard about the Marauders - the insane mages bending reality in strange, unforeseen ways, shrugging the Paradox away, and hoped he never would have to encounter such a madman.

We just gotta be careful. Keep our eye open. As the parking lot drew closer, John put the journal in his backpack, knife and lighter in his pockets. Sifting through the cigarette pack, he picks the cigarette with the right symbols and words scratched on it, and tucks it behind his ear for ease of access.

Dec 6, 2025 7:30 pm

Dominic manages to keep most of his attention on the road, but his eyebrows climb noticeably at the parts of John’s working he glimpses. However he’s wise enough not to say or do anything to interrupt.
Once John announces his results, he feels safe speaking. "Well done, you learned more than I did, so it makes sense to follow your lead. I’ll gladly keep her running while we’re in the car; but I’m not leaving the car running like that in a place like this, it’d be gone when we got back.
Now, how close d’you want us parked?"

Last edited December 6, 2025 11:20 pm

Dec 6, 2025 8:54 pm

Let's go for a spot somewhere in the middle and go by feel from there.

As the car pulls into its spot, John will check out the people with the luggage. While they are unlikely to be involved, it doesn't hurt to check. Do they look like regular folk, tourist perhaps, or is there anything suspicious about the bunch?

OOC:

Going to roll Perception+Alertness just in case, to check if the luggage people are not some creeps. Also, who/what's Ranald? @ThetaSigma

Rolls

Checking out luggage people - (6d10)

(1721069) = 35

Dec 6, 2025 11:22 pm

OOC:

Deeply sorry, identity slip due to updating several PbP games in succession after a few days dealing with RL emergencies; edited!

Dec 7, 2025 10:33 am

OOC:

No worries, was just curious is all.

Dec 9, 2025 1:27 am

Another car pulls into the lot shortly after you, and they start following you over-close - you can see in your rearview mirror the driver looks unhappy, shouting inside the privacy of their vehicle, brow furrowed in anger - until you turn into a row to find a spot...

By the time you pull into your spot, the people who you saw unloading their vehicle are now walking to a shuttle stop. They do look like travelers, regular enough, but as you survey them, one of them seems to happen to glance up and catch your eye. They say something to their fellow travelers and begin walking faster, glancing over their shoulder as they go.

As you exit your car and start walking your eyes are drawn across the road to the substantial encampment of unhoused people beneath 281. There are 3 people standing beside a great concrete support of the highway, a couple of them are pointing and gesturing... at you? ... when they see you looking, they dash within the makeshift structures in the shadow of the great snaking highway overhead.

Dec 9, 2025 6:11 am

The glances, looks and pointing were unnerving. John instinctively took a step back and froze. Clenching his fists, he forced himself to stop, to collect himself. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath in - and a deep breath out, opening his eyes anew to the scene.

Ever since his Awakening, the obsessive, somewhat paranoid thoughts of everything around somehow being related to magic or being magical, appeared in his mind from time to time. It was easy to slide into this mindset - that that accident you saw on the news was the work of a mage; that shiver you felt in the parking lot was from a spirit and not a cold gust of wind; that stranger looking at you across the street is watching you specifically, tracking your every move and not just being a nosy gawker. The fact that Traditions seemed to be besieged on all fronts - by the Technocracy, infernal Nephandi and the Sleepers themselves - didn't really help alleviate these fears. But reality of the matter was often (if not always) much simpler - the travelers with the luggage are simply being cautious, paying attention to their surroundings and anyone out of ordinary; the homeless are keeping an eye out for strangers - huddled together for safety from the world that rejects them, they have only each other to rely on and must be on constant lookout for strangers; the man swearing in car is probably pissed off at Dominic's driving, irritated by some perceived "slowness".

Armed with this newly crafted shield of common sense, John takes in the parking lot, sneaking a peek at Dominic. He was never comfortable with leading, but it seems he has to step up now, as he is the only one who can lead them to whatever disturbance is happening in the area. Just gotta stay calm. - he thinks, reinforcing his will and steeling his nerves.

Alright, let's take a look around the lot first. If there was a spell cast on the land itself, it might be noticeable. Keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual. Even if the spell was cast from somewhere around here, there might be some physical evidence left, if the Resonance is strong enough.

With that, John will begin his inspection of the parking lot. Using his acquired supernatural sensitivity as a guide and the cast spell as a detector, he will survey his surroundings - kneeling down to gently run his palm across the asphalt; touching the car itself; the grass poking through the cracks; any litter, such as empty bottles and cigarette butts. If the spell was cast here, perhaps the Resonance of the Working has imprinted on the things nearby.

John will also try to make sense of the nature of the Resonance, if he feels it near or comes across anything imprinted - is it a harmful effect? Anything dangerous? What forces/Spheres did the mage/s called upon for this spell?

Additionally, he will keep an eye out for any strange physical phenomenon in the area that can clue them in as to the nature of the spell - things like grass growing in one direction or leaves floating in the air without falling.

OOC:

If the rolls are not applicable here, feel free to disregard them. Figured I'd add them just in case any of them are useful. John's essentially letting his Awareness guide him to any places/things that feel off and then using his spell to inspect those spots/things for anything Prime related, while also being alert to any mundane "leftovers" that the spell might've left (Alertness).

Rolls

Sensing anything unusual in the area (Perception+Awareness) - (9d10)

(543231885) = 39

Keeping an eye out for strange mundane occurrences (Perception+Alertness) - (6d10)

(771973) = 34

Dec 11, 2025 2:59 pm

OOC:

@ThetaSigma works love to have some roleplay from you if you're around?

Dec 11, 2025 11:17 pm