Nazareth Awakened - Chapter 02: Wives of Solomon

[Mosier]

Agnasci briefly gathers his composure as he walks up to the booth, casting First Impressions before he greets the person.

When the person in the booth addresses him, Agnasci is confident and casual. "I'm here to see Weinberg at 205 Washington. He's expecting me. Half an hour ago, actually." If his earlier failure with the woman in the comic store is still bothering him, he doesn't show it. Wouldn't be the first time he fell on his face. Or the last.

(Persuasion 4 + fast talk specialization + Manipulation 4 + first impressions)

 

[GlassEye]

Harper, Thyrsus mage

[section]

Harper lets out a deep breath when Officer Bailey walks away. He's relieved that he got off with a minor expression of dismissal from the cop but also irritated that his performance, perhaps his best ever, was so quickly and easily dismissed. He holds onto that irritation until he realizes that Crow stole Bailey's keys then he feels a stab of trepidation. When Bailey doesn't find his keys in the restaurant it's likely he's going to assume Harper lifted them. Harper glares at Crow as he grabs the box of Chinese food. "You trying to get me killed?" He gets up and walks off down the street, away from the police cars, while trying not to look like he is running away. He'll take the first alley he comes to and will circle around to go back to the bookstore or find someplace out of the way where the cops are unlikely to look for him.

​

[/section]

 

[TillForPie]

Law
[sblock=Convincing the Sunset Cabs manager]Roll: Manipulation 2 + Persuasion 1 vs Composure = Tied with 0 successes
Law's failed to persuade the manager. He can continue to attempt to convince him, but each further attempt will accrue a cumulative -1 dice penalty and for each roll made the manager will become increasingly hostile[/sblock]
"Either you show up at the office with a court order or else I can't help you, officer." His reply is curt and followed by silence. He stays on the line in case Law has something further to say.

Agnasci
[sblock=First Impressions]Roll: Gnosis 1 + Mind 2 = 2 Successes
+2 dice to first social roll made with regard to an individual Agnasci is meeting for the first time[/sblock][sblock=Convincing the security guard]Roll: Manipulation 4 + Persuade 4 + Fast Talk 1 + First Impressions 2 vs Composure + Highest of Empathy/Subterfuge + Baseline Disbelief 1 + Could Easily Call to Verify 1 = Success with 2 successes[/sblock]
Agnasci successfully casts First Impressions.

This isn't the easiest of cons. He's showing up at the gate of a rich neighborhood on foot and it would be trivial for the guard to phone Weinberg to verify the story. Still, fortune (and Agnasci's magic) favors him today and the security guard, a paunchy middle-aged man with thick-rimmed glasses, buzzes him through after a moment's scrutiny. "Have a good day, sir."

The wheeled gate rolls aside and Agnasci strolls through. The neighborhood's layout is confusing but within ten minutes Agnasci is standing outside Weinberg's two-story house. A brand new SUV is in the driveway, a black GMC Yukon, and the lawn is one of the few on this street with grass (most of the others have desert landscaping). Here we go.

 

[Mosier]

Agnasci confidently rings the doorbell. No turning back now. He isn't nearly as calm and collected as he seems, but putting on a false face is what he does best.

If Weinberg comes to the door, Agnasci says to him, "I heard you have a problem with dogs. I'm here to help. May I come in?"

 

[Rubberneck]

Law will give it another shot, trying his best to sound professional.

"Look bud it's not really worth the drive to Phoenix to speak with you. You'd be saving us both a lot of time and trouble if you could just help me out. Help me help you to get this to go away. It won't take but a few moments of your time over the phone."

If Law is unsuccessful at breaking the stubborn manager, he'll just hang up and leave it be and head into the bookstore.

 

[TillForPie]

Law and Harper
[sblock=Convincing the Sunset Cabs manager, second attempt]Roll: Manipulation 2 + Persuasion 1 - Successive Attempt 1 vs Composure = Failed with 1 success
Even with a reduced dice pool Law managed to score a success, but it wasn't enough[/sblock]"Maria already told you more than she should've. I ain't giving you the driver."

Oh well.

Once Law is off the phone he gets out of his car. Harper, having circled around the shopping center, appears outside the bookstore at the mouth of an alley. The two men acknowledge one another and head inside. Faye is still behind the counter, reading a Susan Johnson novel.

Agnasci
Ding doooong.

About fifteen seconds later an older gentleman opens the door, shorter than Agnasci by two inches but in good shape for his age. He's in khakis and a green polo shirt and he's wearing an expensive-looking watch that draws the eye to his hairy arms.

"Problem with dogs?" He looks Agnasci up and down, confused. Realization slowly appears on his face, which twists into a frown. He reflexively closes the door halfway and points a forefinger at Agnasci's chest. "You listen to me, pal, don't think I won't call the police." He hesitates briefly before continuing. "I have a gun."
[sblock=Spotting Weinberg's lie]Roll: Subterfuge 3 vs Subterfuge = Success with 1 success
Agnasci suspects Weinberg is lying[/sblock]Agnasci doubts Weinberg has a gun. But even though Agnasci hasn't done anything illegal, he suspects Weinberg will call the police if he pushes him past the breaking point.

 

[Mosier]

Ding doooong.

About fifteen seconds later an older gentleman opens the door, shorter than Agnasci by two inches but in good shape for his age. He's in khakis and a green polo shirt and he's wearing an expensive-looking watch that draws the eye to his hairy arms.

"Problem with dogs?" He looks Agnasci up and down, confused. Realization slowly appears on his face, which twists into a frown. He reflexively closes the door halfway and points a forefinger at Agnasci's chest. "You listen to me, pal, don't think I won't call the police." He hesitates briefly before continuing. "I have a gun."

"If you want me to leave, I'll go," Agnasci says, "but let's not pretend you'll resort to violence. You and I have the same problem, Dr Weinberg. These are not the type of people who accept 'no' for an answer. Now are you going to invite me in so we can talk about this like civilized men, or do you want to have this conversation out in the public street?" Agnasci lifts his shirt up, showing Weinberg there's nothing hidden there. "I'm not here to hurt you. You know that. But you don't want to see who they'll send next."

That's it. He's laid it all out on the table. No deception. It almost feels good, being completely honest. In the time it takes Weinberg to consider what Agnasci has told him, the mage has a sudden epiphany. Truth, lies, honestly and deception; they're all the same, in the end. They're just tools, used to get what you want from someone. Both are equally useful in their own way.

Agnasci casts First Impressions for the third time in less than an hour. Just get the foot in the door. That's all he needs - a wedge to lean into.

Agnasci will also read Weinberg's aura, although he's already pretty sure just exactly what that will tell him.

 

[TillForPie]

Agnasci
Normally I'd say it would be too late at this point to cast First Impressions because you've by now already met and interacted with him (even if you haven't yet made a roll that would use the First Impressions bonus dice) but we can say Agnasci cast it just before ringing the bell.
[sblock=Spell: First Impressions]Roll: Gnosis 1 + Mind 2 = 2 Successes
For the third time today Agnasci's scored 2 successes on 3 dice.[/sblock]Agnasci has successfully cast First Impressions. He also successfully casts Aura Perception.[sblock=Convincing Weinberg]Manipulation 4 + Persuade 4 + First Impressions 2 = Success with 3 successes
Agnasci has successfully persuaded the hesitant Weinberg to speak with him[/sblock]Weinberg stares back at Agnasci, his aura throbbing, its color changing with each pulse between orange, purple, red, green - it's a muddy, bitter-smelling aura. Weinberg clearly feels cornered and incredibly anxious but also angry and defiant.

Weinberg slowly and wordlessly opens the door to let Agnasci in, closing it once he has. Weinberg has beautiful hardwood flooring, a rich brown that almost approaches red, and all the walls are a tasteful off-white. Weinberg leads Agnasci into his spacious kitchen, all dark porcelain and red oak.

He crosses his arms over his chest. "I'll tell you the same thing I told the other one the last time I talked to him: I'm willing to pay what my idiot son owes. But that's it. I'm not afraid of you and your friends." Yes he is. "I won't be intimidated."

 

[Rubberneck]

Law steps forward towards Faye,

"Hey I need to speak with Penrose. It might be important. I think there may be another mage in Nazareth."

He keeps it simple and straight to the point, showing that he is a little unnerved about the situation. He definitely doesn't like that this new mage knows so much about him and obviously the others. While he is talking and waiting for Faye to respond, Law pulls out his cell phone and once again goes to the thread of messages that shows up like a group chat between him and his 3 accomplices.

"Might be a new mage in town. Late 20's female dolled up looking like she's from the 50's. Blonde hair in curls. I'm speaking with Penrose about it now. Will keep you updated. Keep an eye out for her."

 

[TillForPie]

Law and Harper
Faye looks at Law over the top of her book before snapping it shut and setting it down. "Wait here. I might need to wake him." She stands and disappears through the Employees Only door.

Law and Harper are left alone with one another and the quiet music, barely on the edge of hearing. This time it's Wilco's Hell is Chrome. It's a song with a soft piano and a slow drum beat.

Cooome... with me,
You must go,
So I went,
Where everything is clean,
So precise and towering.

A minute later Faye reappears in the door with Penrose behind her. She takes her place behind the counter while Penrose approaches his two apprentices.

Penrose looks different than he did this morning, with the pale blue glow replaced by the bright afternoon light pouring in through the windowed storefront. He looks worse. He's wearing the same clothes as before and has dark bags under his eyes, which are squinting against the light.
[sblock=Detecting Penrose's scrutiny]Law's Roll: Wits 2 + Composure 3 = Success with 1 success
Harper's Roll: Wits 2 + Composure 4 = Success with 2 successes
Both mages can detect that they are being magically scrutinized[/sblock]Law and Harper both feel a tingling sensation, similar (but not quite identical) to the feeling they get when a spell is cast, and they feel like they're being analyzed. They can both be reasonably certain that Penrose is magically scrutinizing them. Penrose doesn't seem panicked but his attention is firm on his students in a way that it only rarely ever is.

"Tell me."