In Nomine: the Pacific War (IC)

[Puck]

Originally Posted by Lunakitten

Corat looks up the mountain, hoping for some guidance, but none comes. On the contrary he recognizes Hamael even as the latter turns to climb with some haste up the mountain; not a good sign.
The Baron turns to Ligeia, who has been chatting softly with a mounted hunter. “Mon trésor, You take dem in now s'il vous plait.”

Ligeia holds out her arms to Mitch, Corat, and the parts of Remiel that are joining them, and in a inviting, musical and compelling voice, says “Please, come with me. “ You can see the crowd begin to regain its party fervor, and just in passing, Ted shifting along with them.

Mitch watches the Ethereals pour into their area and shoots Corat an uneasy glance, murrmering to him "It's almost if they were standing by, waiting for the Baron's summons is it not?" He nods at Ligeia and starts to head towards where they just saw Ted.

[tHEhERETIC]

Originally Posted by Puck

Mitch watches the Ethereals pour into their area and shoots Corat an uneasy glance, murrmering to him "It's almost if they were standing by, waiting for the Baron's summons is it not?" He nods at Ligeia and starts to head towards where they just saw Ted.

Corat follows him inside, and while he questions the wisdom of walking into a room full of party gods it does give him a relatively private place to discuss his fears. "He was, or someone fitting his description, was mixed up with Kingman and his apprentice, who did drag..." he remembers that they're surrounded by ears, "the uncle in, to drag the sorcerer whose friend is an angel. That's an awful lot of ifs and maybes though. My hunch is he's playing a good hand. I don't take him for a long-term planner though. Either he's playing by ear or he's just the instrument of someone else. Strange as that is for someone so proud." He winds his way around the crowd but even with his Ofanite senses he can't seem to get a bead on Ted. Part of the problem is that Ted isn't trying to reach you, even with his twin brother along. Part of the problem may be Ted's popularity with the hungry gods.

((PMing Lunakitten, doing some more writing, much thanks to friend FC who's napping in her apartment while loaning me her computer. Will post more tonight if that's cool with her, tomorrow morning if it's not.))

[tHEhERETIC]

Originally Posted by Rocket Man

"I wouldn't worry, Sunae," Kane says, his eyes fixed firmly on the Baron's sockets. "Ol' Mr. Saturday here knows better 'n to try an' pull a fast one on us, I'm bettin'. He knows that too many folks an' too big a noise is just gonna get a slew of my brothers an' sisters down to clean up ... especially the Swordsmen, the Judges and the Dreamers."

C'mon, Samedi, get the message, he thinks quietly to himself. None of us wants this to turn into the reason for Purity Crusade II.

Hamael was in fact listening, and his white uniform glistens from the top of the mountain. He's not alone, though. Laurence arrives in black Hussar, the vessel generally known as The Dane, and with him Janus in his favorite wheelchair. They seem to be having an important discussion that they've deigned to share with you. While their appearance is remote, their voices seem to be coming from among you.
http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/tHEhERE...CMainNPCs.html

"So this is our best plan of action, you think? Michael thinks?" Laurence's voice is ever so slightly peevish.

"We do not attack directly, and thus Baal can't counterattack. So goes Balseraph-think. And the Loa are with us, but they are not of us."

Laurence nods to the Baron respectfully. "But there was," he say diplomatically, "some recent difficulty. And you are arguing to lift a thousand-plus year-old ban, for one ethereal."

"Michael convinced us to make one change, and..."

Laurence usually doesn't cut people off when speaking, and it had to take a special skill to cut off an elder Ofanite. "...and we have no payoff yet, except that we're looking at more changes. I understand you appreciate change, but some things must remain. We drove them here for good reason."

Originally Posted by DAlillama

"I'm afraid I don't take your meaning. They will surely wish to return to Asgard and Olympus once this hunt is done, as that is their home. And if they don't, I fail to see what we could do about it either way. I am an exorcist of no mean skill, but to banish the likes of them is as far beyond me as drinking up the oceans; they are gods, and we can bargain or plead with them, but to compel them? No."

He repeats himself, but his voice seems pointed directly at Glen. "We drove them here for good reason. You do not have the power to put them back, but we do, but not without cost. So," he widens his voice to include Sunae. "You as children of Earth--do you know what the gods would do if they could return? Could you bear the consequences? Would you want to? Could you deal with our intervention should it be needed?"

"This has always been about souls and free will," Janus agrees. You don't speak for all of humanity by any right, but right now yours are the opinions we need. Do we set these spirits loose? And how many? "

Originally Posted by ladyarcana55

Sunae lowers her voice as she answers Glen

"But then what? Will they return willingly, or will there be a price for that? And how can we be sure we will remain the hunters? This is a god of betrayal we are hunting, I don't want to be its next sacrifice"

Originally Posted by ladyarcana55

"I was referring to them betraying us to avoid having to return"

Janus in particular hears this. "An important consideration. Dear Baron, can you assure us that your choices will not betray our people to this Betrayer?"

[ladyarcana55]

Originally Posted by tHEhERETIC

"This has always been about souls and free will," Janus agrees. You don't speak for all of humanity by any right, but right now yours are the opinions we need. Do we set these spirits loose? And how many? "

"I know exactly what can happen, and what had happened in the past. I want to know this...in the beginning you only spoke of giving us the information we needed to get the job done, all of a sudden you are coming with us? Why do we need you to come and why do we need so many? You are also a god of death and darkness. What reason would you have to take part in this?"

"And another thing that bothers me...we receive visions of an Ethereal asking for help in ending the slaughter god's rampage. I don't see her here. You take one of our Soldiers and are being very resistant returning him, thus forcing us to separate making it necessary to find other reinforcements. Once the suggestion is made, you are all very quick to respond, and I find it very convenient that everyone you needed to summon who you wanted were all here, together, at a party. Was this planned? Where is Yemeya? In my dream I saw her chase him and beg for our help. We should talk to her as well and hear what she has to say."

[Dalillama]

Originally Posted by tHEhERETIC

He repeats himself, but his voice seems pointed directly at Glen. "We drove them here for good reason. You do not have the power to put them back, but we do, but not without cost. So," he widens his voice to include Sunae. "You as children of Earth--do you know what the gods would do if they could return? Could you bear the consequences? Would you want to? Could you deal with our intervention should it be needed?"

"This has always been about souls and free will," Janus agrees. You don't speak for all of humanity by any right, but right now yours are the opinions we need. Do we set these spirits loose? And how many? "

Glen shrugs elaborately. "This lot intervene, you lot intervene, it's all one to me. I doubt very much that it will change my lot, and if it does it's as likely for better as for worse. If you can't or won't hunt it for yourself, then release these hounds and let the chips fall where they may."

[Mysteris]

The Remiel who had remained gasped from several mouths as the voices of the Commander of the Host and the Archangel of the Wind carried all the way to them. "Oh our God, oh our God, oh our God...two Archangels?! Umm...do we bow or...?" He looked around at the elder angels and Soldiers, out of his element. "What do we do when Archangels appear?"

[ladyarcana55]

Originally Posted by Mysteris

The Remiel who had remained gasped from several mouths as the voices of the Commander of the Host and the Archangel of the Wind carried all the way to them. "Oh our God, oh our God, oh our God...two Archangels?! Umm...do we bow or...?" He looked around at the elder angels and Soldiers, out of his element. "What do we do when Archangels appear?"

Sunae sigh impatiently

"One thing you don't do it chitter chatter meaninglessly. Calm down"

[Puck]

Originally Posted by tHEhERETIC

Corat follows him inside, and while he questions the wisdom of walking into a room full of party gods it does give him a relatively private place to discuss his fears. "He was, or someone fitting his description, was mixed up with Kingman and his apprentice, who did drag..." he remembers that they're surrounded by ears, "the uncle in, to drag the sorcerer whose friend is an angel. That's an awful lot of ifs and maybes though. My hunch is he's playing a good hand. I don't take him for a long-term planner though. Either he's playing by ear or he's just the instrument of someone else. Strange as that is for someone so proud." He winds his way around the crowd but even with his Ofanite senses he can't seem to get a bead on Ted. Part of the problem is that Ted isn't trying to reach you, even with his twin brother along. Part of the problem may be Ted's popularity with the hungry gods.

Mitch frowns as he watches the Ethereals swarm greedly around Ted and murrmers "Are we sure they aren't servitors of Glutteny?" He gives himself a shake and nods at Corat "I suppose it's possible that the Baron is working for a larger power, but who could it be? He seems a power in his own right certantly." He nudges Bill "Try calling for your brother, perhaps he'll be able to hear you now that we're in the house."

[Lunakitten]

((OOC: Lunakitten here- Heretic asked me to post collaboratively with her, so you will see both of our characters here. If you need to know who’s who, I’m only really responsible for The Baron, Ligeia, and some of the local color.)) ((OMG-Did I just take responsibility for the Baron?? 0_o))

Originally Posted by Mysteris

The Remiel who had remained gasped from several mouths as the voices of the Commander of the Host and the Archangel of the Wind carried all the way to them. "Oh our God, oh our God, oh our God...two Archangels?! Umm...do we bow or...?" He looked around at the elder angels and Soldiers, out of his element. "What do we do when Archangels appear?"

Originally Posted by ladyarcana55

Sunae sigh impatiently

"One thing you don't do it chitter chatter meaninglessly. Calm down"

"Very true," Corat chimes in, almost at a whisper. "Janus likes you to speak frankly and look him in the eye," he leaves out the part about eyes-of-storms, not wanting to confuse the poor wetwing, "and Laurence prefers traditional military deference: speak when spoken to, stand at attention, answer yes when you can. But it's very, very rare to find the two of them together. On the other hand," he adds, trying to read the expression in the eyes and mouths of the Kyriotate, "they are at the top of the volcano, not standing here, er, there, er, here." He's not used to bilocation, nevermind tri- or quad-. "Speak openly but respectfully. That should do it."

Originally Posted by DAlillama

Glen shrugs elaborately. "This lot intervene, you lot intervene, it's all one to me. I doubt very much that it will change my lot, and if it does it's as likely for better as for worse. If you can't or won't hunt it for yourself, then release these hounds and let the chips fall where they may."

Dignity the ewe-cherub casts him a dirty look, looking as serious as her preferred form allows, daring him to break into giggles in front of the archangels.

Originally Posted by ladyarcana55

"I know exactly what can happen, and what had happened in the past.

"You see?" Janus says to Laurence. They are of different opinions. Maybe we could ask the other..."

Laurence is peeved. "I am the commander. This is not a democracy. I value your wisdom, so please keep your words wise."

"Very well," he concedes. "We must keep in mind the conditions on the ground. An angelic attack could provoke Baal into solidifying their hold on L.A., so recently in the balance."

"I am aware. This group of angels and soldier is what I approve of for this hunt. Whatever assistance they deem necessary, also. Otherwise I would not even consider ethereals, even our Loa. Pepito could have been disastrous, may yet be harmful."

Originally Posted by ladyarcana55

I want to know this...in the beginning you only spoke of giving us the information we needed to get the job done, all of a sudden you are coming with us? Why do we need you to come and why do we need so many? You are also a god of death and darkness. What reason would you have to take part in this?"

The Baron looks over at Sunae. “You’re a one t’ scold ‘bout useless chatter. All I done heard out of mos’ of you. An’ my reasons for wantin’ t’ mix in dis are pretty simple if you thinkin’, which I ain’t seen much of from anyone. If you knew someone callin’ demself a servant of your lady, or (addressing the rest) mebbe someone callin’ demself an angel, was killin’ wit’ no rhyme or reason- what would you do?” The Baron straightens up, and you can hear the strong pride in his voice. “I’m a God of Death, an’ a good one- I do my duties well, an’ not a one can argue dat. An’ dat beast run off crazed an’ shamin’ all de gods. So I give you my self an’ my family an’ friens t’ help you, ‘cause it bad goin’ into demontown when you a cherub, an’ you sit an’ debate an’ theorize an’ nothin’ get done. An’ somethin’ need t’ be done fast- no-one faster dan de Wild Hunt, an’ de bes’ hunter Gods an Goddesses t’ join ‘em. So dey offer t’ help too, ‘cause no one like bein’ shamed like dat. An’ you, (addressing the Archangels) you brin’ up de one time dat my job spook some knife happy angel like it all my fault? When we doin’ our work together an’ so well fr’ so long? Sometimes we have misunderstandin’s, sure, even we not perfect. But me tryin’ to minister t’ a downtrodden creature, demon or no, an ridin’ my horse as ‘e an’ I agree, well, dat’s part of what I been tasked to do, an’ you know it- who does it serve t’ bring dat up again when it settled lon’ ago? My mistake’s are settled- you lookin’ t' add t' yours?”

Originally Posted by ladyarcana55

"And another thing that bothers me...we receive visions of an Ethereal asking for help in ending the slaughter god's rampage. I don't see her here. You take one of our Soldiers and are being very resistant returning him, thus forcing us to separate making it necessary to find other reinforcements. Once the suggestion is made, you are all very quick to respond, and I find it very convenient that everyone you needed to summon who you wanted were all here, together, at a party. Was this planned? Where is Yemeya? In my dream I saw her chase him and beg for our help. We should talk to her as well and hear what she has to say."

The Baron turns back to Sunae and his voice is lower, tightly controlling his displeasure with her comments. “We take? You separate your party, ‘dis boy go off alone, an’ find us, mebbe ‘e go off t’ find us, mebbe t’ play spy? An’ ‘e dere in de party where even I cannot pluck ‘im at your lil' ol' whim, an’ you got too much goin’ on to go in after ‘im your own self. I don’ see you so anxious after ‘im dat you run in dere wit’ you friens , now do I. No, you rather sit ‘ere quackin’ an’ wastin’ time. An’ you suspicious, too, after all I try an' do for you, so you need t’ see Yemaya den? Fine, I ask ‘er she can come out, but you show ‘er de respec’ you forget wit’ me. “ His voice gentles, but still carries above all the noise and the party, and he calls out almost lovingly, almost entreating and very respectfully, “Yemaya, Mami Wata, La Sirène , ma chère mere, please will you come out to us?

A regal, beautiful woman, with a heavy bust, a full and round belly, deeply dark skin, eyes and hair, emanating fertility, steps out not from inside the party, but beside it. Where she steps, and where her simple white dress trails, grass and small white flowers grow, and as she moves you hear the sound of the waves. Her voice is a deep contralto, and her tone is reminiscent of the slightly impatient mother of a busy toddler- loving, but long-suffering. “Where am I, you ask? Why are you here? Why are you not stopping the murders, or giving us," she extends an arm in Odin's direction too, "leave to do so?" She rests her hands on the top of her belly and looks over as Odin takes her cue. "Bæcern sy diht herehúþ?" he shouts back to his troops. A yipping and barking comes from far in the back of the Hunt. A message is relayed from hunter to hunter until it reaches the front. Yemaya translates the message from Odin's final version. "There is a man with a flash nightmare of being cooked alive, betrayed by his own technology. It's a loose fit, but Odin is confident that it's our man."

((Once again, electronic translator, so my Anglo-Saxon is at least as bad as my Latin. My apologies to the purists.)) ((You can forgive my French, I can forgive you anything, Heretic ~ LK))

Originally Posted by Puck

Mitch frowns as he watches the Ethereals swarm greedily around Ted and murmurs "Are we sure they aren't servitors of Gluttony?" He gives himself a shake and nods at Corat "I suppose it's possible that the Baron is working for a larger power, but who could it be? He seems a power in his own right certainly." He nudges Bill "Try calling for your brother, perhaps he'll be able to hear you now that we're in the house."

Ligeia turns to them and in her musical voice, says: “I don’t think that gluttony is quite the same here as you see it. Remember, we don’t live by the same code as has been ingrained in you, we have our own, and it varies from Goddess to Goddess, nymph to witch. The restraint of our appetite, if we choose to practice it, isn’t in order to please anyone but ourselves, or the Deity we are beholden to. Mark that, please, because you may be invited to indulge by any being that fancies you, and even if you decline, you would hate to offend, I know.” Her voice is very warm and compelling, and you find yourself feeling the urge to agree- after all, it wouldn’t do to be rude.

Bill calls out: "Ted! Ted! Edward Taft Dylan!! I'm your brother!"

"Whoa, he looks just like me." For a moment the spell is broken, and Ted realizes this is not all fun and games. The crowd pushes him further inside like a wave, through another doorway and into another room. It's beginning to look like Poe's masque, with costumed folks dancing around you in groups of colors. Your appearance, despite being clearly angelic, bothers them only in the slightest, and after a second's hesitation each invites you to partake of his, her, or its favorite pleasure. Even razor wire doesn't deter them; it only draws a different and slightly rougher crowd than snakeskin and wings or disembodied eyes and ears.

[Rocket Man]

She's Fire, all right, Kane thinks. And the fuel is goin' up fast. Maybe it's time to lower the temperature.

"Shame and honor's somethin' we can all understand," he says to the Baron. "Along with loyalty to our own. Makes us all kinda prickly sometimes. 'Specially if we been hurt before an' don't wanna be hurt again."

"But you're right. We're talkin' too blamed much. We got evil to stomp. And Mr. Saturday, I'll trust your friends if you'll trust mine." He sticks out a hand. "And we'll both make sure we don't give each other reason to regret it."

Assuming he gets a handshake, the shark's smile returns. "Now let's go butcher us a slaughter-god."