Nazareth Awakened - Chapter 02: Wives of Solomon
- Thread starter TillForPie
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"If Mad Dog's dead, it's because I looked into the Dogs of War. He'd have killed me, and Chance would be next. I'm telling you, it was either him or us."
There is a pulsing vein in his temple. Any other time, he would have recognized Penrose's (completely reasonable) anger, and tried to deflect it. Something's different, now. There's nothing subtle about what he's doing. None of his usual verbal art. He has the urge to meet a problem head-on for the first time he can remember.
"Tonight we stopped a lunatic psychic who wanted us all dead. You're crazy if you think that's a bad thing. My guess is you don't really care about what happened, and you're just worried about your own skin. Don't worry," Agnasci sneers, "there's nothing there that can lead back to you. Wouldn't want you to actually have to get your hands dirty."
Agnasci is taken a bit off guard by this. He has never trusted anybody. He only knows what the word means in an academic sense, and even then the word had a definite negative connotation. Only suckers trust people.
"Maybe so," Agnasci says. He can't think of anything else.
TillForPie
First Post
"You didn't stop anything. We're the ones who have to clean up your mess: And were it not for my intervention you'd be a corpse." His black eyes bore into Agnasci's. "I don't know how you even knew these Dogs of War in the first place, but I'm sure you were profiting from your relationship with them one way or another. You aren't a martyr, you're just an idiot." You're going to have to choose between Orlando and Agnasci, he'd said. He's giving him the same look now as he did then. Everything you've ever done has been in service to the Lie, Agnasci. Everything except Awaken. The look is gone in a moment, replaced not by anger, but disappointment.
This is clearly a critical moment where Agnasci snapping due to his bedlam could have a permanent, catastrophic effect on the student-mentor relationship between him and Penrose.[sblock=Resisting Bedlam]Remaining Willpower 2 + nearing the end of duration 1 = Success with 2 successes
Agnasci's bedlam ends[/sblock]Agnasci's bedlam finally comes to an end. His actions are his own.
Penrose shakes his head with a sigh. "Keep Faye updated on the police front," he reminds Law before turning to go.
If anyone has anything else to say or ask, now's the time.
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Agnasci is left in a state of confusion, denial, and regret. He is used to people being disappointed in him; that's not the issue. It's the injustice of it all. He goes over the past few days in his mind, searching for something he should have done differently. He's absolutely convinced the Dogs of War should not have been ignored, and even Penrose's admonition now wasn't enough to convince him he made the wrong move trying to infiltrate the gang.
But he shouldn't have left them at the house. His greed had overcome him. That's why he convinced Law to put handcuffs on Rich. That's why he stole Rich's bike, and left everyone behind. The others don't know this, of course, but it's enough that Agnasci himself knows.
"I'm sorry, everyone," Agnasci says. He even means it, but not for the reasons they think. He turns to Faye and looks her in the eye. "Penrose is right, of course. I owe all of you my life. But you in particular...you were the biggest part of that. You always know the right thing to do, and you do it without hesitation. Thank you." He knows the words will probably mean more to Faye than it cost him to say. Hopefully it's a start toward repairing the damage he's done to his relationships...
He's suddenly very uncomfortable around the others. He wants to leave, but he knows he can't yet. It would look like he's storming out. He glances around nervously at the others, hoping the interrogation is over.
But he shouldn't have left them at the house. His greed had overcome him. That's why he convinced Law to put handcuffs on Rich. That's why he stole Rich's bike, and left everyone behind. The others don't know this, of course, but it's enough that Agnasci himself knows.
"I'm sorry, everyone," Agnasci says. He even means it, but not for the reasons they think. He turns to Faye and looks her in the eye. "Penrose is right, of course. I owe all of you my life. But you in particular...you were the biggest part of that. You always know the right thing to do, and you do it without hesitation. Thank you." He knows the words will probably mean more to Faye than it cost him to say. Hopefully it's a start toward repairing the damage he's done to his relationships...
He's suddenly very uncomfortable around the others. He wants to leave, but he knows he can't yet. It would look like he's storming out. He glances around nervously at the others, hoping the interrogation is over.
Rubberneck
First Post
Law stands up,
"Just try and think about what you're doing. Your actions don't only effect you. Believe it or not we're in this together. There better not be a next time because If you become more of a liability than you're worth, we might not show up to pull your ass out of the fire. Now if you excuse me I have to work in the morning and I have to go out and buy a new gun."
Law excuses himself and heads for the door, unless the conversation continues.
"Just try and think about what you're doing. Your actions don't only effect you. Believe it or not we're in this together. There better not be a next time because If you become more of a liability than you're worth, we might not show up to pull your ass out of the fire. Now if you excuse me I have to work in the morning and I have to go out and buy a new gun."
Law excuses himself and heads for the door, unless the conversation continues.
TillForPie
First Post
Faye is definitely surprised by the recognition but doesn't say anything. Neither does Penrose, whose chastisement of Agnasci seems to have run its course.
GlassEye
Adventurer
Harper, Thyrsus mage
[section]
[section]
Harper's pride was injured but he's just too drained to rail at Agnasci. Besides, Penrose was hard on the man and anything Harper said after that would just seem like ganging up on him. Maybe Agnasci needed some harsh words to jolt him out of his loner mentality and Harper hoped it would work. He faces Penrose.
"Is there anything else you need from us right now?"
[/section]"Is there anything else you need from us right now?"
TillForPie
First Post
Penrose, already on his way toward the Employees Only door, waves a hand in response to Harper to let them know they're free to go.
TillForPie
First Post
The four willworkers file out of the bookstore and it's like returning to Nazareth from another world. It's clear now that their new magical reality is as grim and gray as the mundane one they've left behind. The awakened can do anything: Things sleepers can only dream. But they die - helpless and afraid - like everyone else. That's the lesson Penrose's students have learned tonight.
But it doesn't have to be all black clouds and cold rain for the mages of Nazareth, for they live in Dark Arizona. It's a place where strange women removed from time tease at prophecy, where spirits spy upon the mortal realm from the shadowy corners of their imaginations, where cemeteries cradle the quickened dead, where aloof wizards wile away their hours in the moldering libraries of their hidden sanctums. It's a place without limits.
There's no telling what the dawn will bring.
End of Chapter One: God'll Cut You Down
This is the end of Chapter One. Primarily it's been a chapter for introducing the setting and its workings. We've explored just what it means to be a mage: Agnasci, Chance, Harper, and Law - and certainly Penrose, Magellan, Mad Dog, hell, even Faye - each have differing perspectives on the awakened condition. The chapter also touched on predetermination and inevitability: Mad Dog's attempts to avert his fate were what ultimately doomed him - but what does that mean for free will? Did he really have a choice at all? What about our protagonists - the objects of his fear and obsession - did they have a choice? What of the mysterious Earnshaw and the future she hinted at? And how does it all tie in to the spurt of awakening mages and hallows in Nazareth?
Chapter One: God'll Cut You Down has been immeasurably enjoyable for me - thanks entirely to the four great players I've got to game with. I hope you all enjoyed it, too. Chapter Two is soon to follow and I look forward to continuing our exploration of Dark Arizona in Nazareth Awakened.
Experience & Character Advancement
The group has finished a chapter and everyone is awarded 10 points of Normal Experience (pg 69 in the Mage: The Awakening rulebook). Normal Experience can be spent on anything (though see below).
The group has encountered new supernal mysteries for the first time: They encountered incredibly advanced space and forces magic, a summoning ritual of some kind, a not-yet-awakened man with paranormal abilities, and an actual awakening. Everyone is awarded 5 points of Arcane Experience (pg 340 of the Mage: The Awakening rulebook). Arcane Experience works in the same way as Normal Experience except that it can only be spent on increasing or restoring Gnosis (though see below), Wisdom, and Willpower (Wisdom increases and Willpower restoration have decreased Experience costs as outlined in the OOC Thread). Normal Experience and Arcane Experience can be combined.
Everyone should have a total of 10 Normal Experience and 10 Arcane Experience at this time.
NOTE: At this time experience CANNOT be spent on Gnosis or Arcana dots. When the final free dots due to new characters are awarded at the end of Chapter Two these things will be unlocked for purchase. Attributes, skills, skill specialties, and merits can be purchased as normal. Experience can be saved.
Furthermore, everyone is awarded more of the free dots due to them as new characters.
But it doesn't have to be all black clouds and cold rain for the mages of Nazareth, for they live in Dark Arizona. It's a place where strange women removed from time tease at prophecy, where spirits spy upon the mortal realm from the shadowy corners of their imaginations, where cemeteries cradle the quickened dead, where aloof wizards wile away their hours in the moldering libraries of their hidden sanctums. It's a place without limits.
There's no telling what the dawn will bring.
End of Chapter One: God'll Cut You Down
This is the end of Chapter One. Primarily it's been a chapter for introducing the setting and its workings. We've explored just what it means to be a mage: Agnasci, Chance, Harper, and Law - and certainly Penrose, Magellan, Mad Dog, hell, even Faye - each have differing perspectives on the awakened condition. The chapter also touched on predetermination and inevitability: Mad Dog's attempts to avert his fate were what ultimately doomed him - but what does that mean for free will? Did he really have a choice at all? What about our protagonists - the objects of his fear and obsession - did they have a choice? What of the mysterious Earnshaw and the future she hinted at? And how does it all tie in to the spurt of awakening mages and hallows in Nazareth?
Chapter One: God'll Cut You Down has been immeasurably enjoyable for me - thanks entirely to the four great players I've got to game with. I hope you all enjoyed it, too. Chapter Two is soon to follow and I look forward to continuing our exploration of Dark Arizona in Nazareth Awakened.
Experience & Character Advancement
The group has finished a chapter and everyone is awarded 10 points of Normal Experience (pg 69 in the Mage: The Awakening rulebook). Normal Experience can be spent on anything (though see below).
The group has encountered new supernal mysteries for the first time: They encountered incredibly advanced space and forces magic, a summoning ritual of some kind, a not-yet-awakened man with paranormal abilities, and an actual awakening. Everyone is awarded 5 points of Arcane Experience (pg 340 of the Mage: The Awakening rulebook). Arcane Experience works in the same way as Normal Experience except that it can only be spent on increasing or restoring Gnosis (though see below), Wisdom, and Willpower (Wisdom increases and Willpower restoration have decreased Experience costs as outlined in the OOC Thread). Normal Experience and Arcane Experience can be combined.
Everyone should have a total of 10 Normal Experience and 10 Arcane Experience at this time.
NOTE: At this time experience CANNOT be spent on Gnosis or Arcana dots. When the final free dots due to new characters are awarded at the end of Chapter Two these things will be unlocked for purchase. Attributes, skills, skill specialties, and merits can be purchased as normal. Experience can be saved.
Furthermore, everyone is awarded more of the free dots due to them as new characters.
- Arcana Dots: Everyone is awarded two arcana dots that can be divided among their second arcanum (that is, whichever arcanum they currently have at level 1) and a third (that is to say, new) non-inferior arcanum. At least one of these dots must be put into a third arcanum. Thus all the PCs will have three arcana (2/2/1 or 2/1/2). These two free arcana dots must be spent now and cannot be saved.
- Rote Dots: When a character casts a spell it's typically improvised. The mage forms an imago - a conceptualization of the changes they wish to make to reality - and they will the spell to exist. Rotes, on the other hand, are concrete spell formulas. Everyone is awarded three rote dots that can be spent to purchase rotes. These three free rote dots must be spent now and cannot be saved. Normal Experience can be spent at this time to purchase additional rote dots (each additional dot costs 2xp) should you so choose.
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