Offroading fun for the whole family (Jack, pre-dawn Wed. 4/4/07)

[Detritus]

When you've nearly completed your preparations, Camille informs everyone going into the field that Roman waits outside with his pickup truck. When you pass by the ward, the Toreador aren't there, but Sarah and Antoinette stand outside, watching the ward's occupant, who seem not to stir at all.

Roman has a crew cab (i.e. four-door) pickup, a Chevy Silverado. Erik stands with him near the driver's side doors. Dee Dee calls shotgun by right of needing to give directions, but groups everyone over to discuss strategy and tactics before you head out.

"Let's talk this out. We're going into a situation that can turn extremely hot in an instant. We want info, but engaging targets of opportunity is acceptable if the numbers are enough in our favor."

She closes her eyes for a moment.

"They're heading even further east, and starting to angle north. Heading towards the wilderness. How much experience does everyone have in the wilds?"

[SD Anderson]

When you've nearly completed your preparations, Camille informs everyone going into the field that Roman waits outside with his pickup truck. When you pass by the ward, the Toreador aren't there, but Sarah and Antoinette stand outside, watching the ward's occupant, who seem not to stir at all.

Roman has a crew cab (i.e. four-door) pickup, a Chevy Silverado. Erik stands with him near the driver's side doors. Dee Dee calls shotgun by right of needing to give directions, but groups everyone over to discuss strategy and tactics before you head out.

"Let's talk this out. We're going into a situation that can turn extremely hot in an instant. We want info, but engaging targets of opportunity is acceptable if the numbers are enough in our favor."

"The best way to take and keep a Garou captive is quadruple amputation. I hope there is a suitable alternative. 'humanity' is a concept we value even if the Sabbat don't. What sure means do have available to restrain an intact Werewolf?" Jack asks.


She closes her eyes for a moment.

"They're heading even further east, and starting to angle north. Heading towards the wilderness. How much experience does everyone have in the wilds?"

"Some. Not around here however. There are damn few places in America where Gorillas can be expected to be found in the wild."

[Detritus]

Roman offers that he's spent some time in the Barrens around New Orleans, but not so far east as Samantha et al. are heading, but rather more in the opposite direction, in the country between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

In answer to the question about restraining werewolves, Muaziz looks around to make sure no one's watching you, then looks in Erik's direction. When she does, he begins to lift off the ground, to his surprise. He only lifts a few inches before being set back down on terra firma. Both Erik and Roman eye her askance after the demonstration.

"That will work so long as we aren't in an enclosed space," the Tremere archon says, "or near hand holds. I can raise a ward after that, but that isn't terribly mobile. We'd have to do our questioning in the field, this way."

"What about conjuring up some silver shackles?" Dee Dee asks.

"It's too much precious metal to be practical. Silver isn't all that strong, so you'd need a fair amount of it. My understanding was that we were not necessarily looking to capture any Garou, but simply to watch and learn."

"I agree," replies the Sheriff, "we need to find out what we're up against, and while asking questions would be nice, I'm not sure how forthcoming any of the Garou would be. If Samantha heads towards more Kindred allies, one of them might be a better option, though I think we have about as good as we're going to get already in that regard. Shadowing our enemies without revealing ourselves might be the best option for now, especially if we find ourselves badly outnumbered."

[SD Anderson]

Roman offers that he's spent some time in the Barrens around New Orleans, but not so far east as Samantha et al. are heading, but rather more in the opposite direction, in the country between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

In answer to the question about restraining werewolves, Muaziz looks around to make sure no one's watching you, then looks in Erik's direction. When she does, he begins to lift off the ground, to his surprise. He only lifts a few inches before being set back down on terra firma. Both Erik and Roman eye her askance after the demonstration.

"That will work so long as we aren't in an enclosed space," the Tremere archon says, "or near hand holds. I can raise a ward after that, but that isn't terribly mobile. We'd have to do our questioning in the field, this way."

"What about conjuring up some silver shackles?" Dee Dee asks.

"It's too much precious metal to be practical. Silver isn't all that strong, so you'd need a fair amount of it. My understanding was that we were not necessarily looking to capture any Garou, but simply to watch and learn."

"I agree," replies the Sheriff, "we need to find out what we're up against, and while asking questions would be nice, I'm not sure how forthcoming any of the Garou would be. If Samantha heads towards more Kindred allies, one of them might be a better option, though I think we have about as good as we're going to get already in that regard. Shadowing our enemies without revealing ourselves might be the best option for now, especially if we find ourselves badly outnumbered."

"Well if we are going to do that are the wolfies heading to the same general area as Drake or elsewhere?"

[Detritus]

"Well if we are going to do that are the wolfies heading to the same general area as Drake or elsewhere?"
"There were four with her, but now there are only two. The other two just seemed to turn and vanish, and haven't returned, so far as I saw," answers the Sheriff.

[SD Anderson]

"And those two apparently went off into the mirror universe or whatever." Jack says. "If Drake's with them, a surgical strike should be an option we keep open."

[Detritus]

"And those two apparently went off into the mirror universe or whatever." Jack says. "If Drake's with them, a surgical strike should be an option we keep open."
"She's still in the here and now," replies Dee Dee. "I have to think she's leading us to Lucian's allies at the very least, and maybe with some more Garou muscle to boot. The only question is whether they'll be out in the open before we get it in our heads to try to get within arm's reach of her or not."

[Detritus]

"She's still in the here and now," replies Dee Dee. "I have to think she's leading us to Lucian's allies at the very least, and maybe with some more Garou muscle to boot. The only question is whether they'll be out in the open before we get it in our heads to try to get within arm's reach of her or not."
"There's also the dagger," says Muaziz. "Even if we don't manage to capture any stragglers, handing off the hot potato will permit remote surveillance by several more pairs of eyes."

"Yeah, that's something we've got to keep in mind," replies Dee Dee. "Maybe we should get going. I think our quarry is heading up to the eastern shore of Lake Ponchartrain. It'll take a bit of doing to follow them there."

Everyone starts to pile into Roman's truck at these words. As you head away from the city, Dee Dee reports that Samantha and her companions are indeed headed towards the eastern shore of the lake, headed off-road towards a small cluster of ramshackle cabins near the lake's shore.

((Somewhere between when the two Garou step sideways and Samantha et al. leaving town, those still in the material plane actually leave the city in a motor vehicle, a pickup truck with a cover for the bed.))

[SD Anderson]

'Let me try the dagger. I'll see if I can scout from a high point. Lucien's forces might stand out if we're lucky." Jack says.

[Detritus]

'Let me try the dagger. I'll see if I can scout from a high point. Lucien's forces might stand out if we're lucky." Jack says.
"I was thinking I'd handle that myself," Dee Dee says, turning towards you from the shotgun seat. "You think you can get close enough to do it without provoking a larger skirmish?"

[Detritus]

"I was thinking I'd handle that myself," Dee Dee says, turning towards you from the shotgun seat. "You think you can get close enough to do it without provoking a larger skirmish?"
"Will it hurt matters if he does it?" Muaziz asks.

"He's pretty handy in a tight spot," Erich offers. "He can look at things from different angles, when the time comes."

Dee Dee purses her lips for a moment, then seems to come to a decision. She takes the dagger and nicks one of her fingers with it. Her vitae seems to soak into the blade. When the dagger is once again dry, she hands it to Jack.

"That will do for two-way radio between us," she says to you. "I'll still need to guide you until you can get close enough for your eyes. If you can draw one of them away from the rest of the group, so much the better, but getting the blade delivered is key."

The Sheriff turns to Roman. "We got some off-roading ahead of us pretty soon."

[SD Anderson]

"I was thinking I'd handle that myself," Dee Dee says, turning towards you from the shotgun seat. "You think you can get close enough to do it without provoking a larger skirmish?"

[ooc: Clarification request. "it" from the line 'close enough to do it'. ]

[Detritus]

[ooc: Clarification request. "it" from the line 'close enough to do it'. ]
Stick the dagger in one of the enemies.

[SD Anderson]

[ooc: Clarification request. "it" from the line 'close enough to do it'. ]

"That's a variable. Which one of them how close they are to each other at that time, whether the guy can go missing for a bit without anyone paying attention. For what you're asking, probably not."

[Detritus]

"That's a variable. Which one of them how close they are to each other at that time, whether the guy can go missing for a bit without anyone paying attention. For what you're asking, probably not."
"What did you want to try with the dagger, then, if not to plant it in one of the enemies?" asks Dee Dee.

((What did "Let me try the dagger..." mean in the context of this conversation? Jack is kind of sending mixed signals here as I'm reading them.))

[SD Anderson]

I was under trhe impression the dagger let me view things i was trying to do aerial recon of the region she thought Drake and company were heading towards. There's an outside chance someone armed and waiting might be spotted and a better(?) chance that an area that's been obscured by magic or discipline might show up as a big blank - think Byrne's Superman simply investigating a place that is lead lined.

[Detritus]

I was under trhe impression the dagger let me view things i was trying to do aerial recon of the region she thought Drake and company were heading towards. There's an outside chance someone armed and waiting might be spotted and a better(?) chance that an area that's been obscured by magic or discipline might show up as a big blank - think Byrne's Superman simply investigating a place that is lead lined.
You can view whoever holds the dagger -- it was the Assamite that you tracked before, and she was the one that Dee Dee wounded with it in the fight outside Al's, before she went to send deliver a "Don't Get Well Soon" card to Al in the VA Hospital. If you have the dagger, that trick won't work on anyone except yourself, and only then by anyone who has some affinity with it via Gwynnis's flesh and/or blood. Dee Dee is already providing the surveillance function you're thinking of here with her own personal Auspex ability.

[SD Anderson]

You can view whoever holds the dagger -- it was the Assamite that you tracked before, and she was the one that Dee Dee wounded with it in the fight outside Al's, before she went to send deliver a "Don't Get Well Soon" card to Al in the VA Hospital. If you have the dagger, that trick won't work on anyone except yourself, and only then by anyone who has some affinity with it via Gwynnis's flesh and/or blood. Dee Dee is already providing the surveillance function you're thinking of here with her own personal Auspex ability.


Ok, Jack was able to see areas the Assamite was not in, the hallway between the trwo hospital rooms and shift around as desired to get to where we had set up the ambush before she got there. So I wanted to get a good aerial view.

[Detritus]

Yes, and that capability was keyed off of the dagger -- there was/is a range limit to that ability, but Jack never ran afoul of it the first go around. Anyone holding the dagger could do the same thing, keyed off their own position, but then you're limited by how close you can get to the object of surveillance. It does have the advantage that you don't have to alert the object of the scrying to your presence the way that a stabbity delivery of the dagger would, but if you stick the dagger in someone, then anyone keyed to the dagger can watch whoever got stuck with it.

OK, so with all this info hashed out now, what is it that you'd like to have Jack do?

[SD Anderson]

Jack will go ahead and try aerial srvelillence using the knife till he HITs those range limits he knows nothing about OR finds somethin of note.

[Detritus]

You can start from inside the truck. As you head deeper into the off-road country, the land becomes more heavily forested. You can get to a vantage point about 200 yards or so above the ground.

"We probably shouldn't just drive up to the front door of wherever it is we're going," says Roman. "At some point we're going to have to get out and walk, if we're planning on doing any sneaking."

"Agreed," replies the Sheriff. "Looks like there's a compound a few miles up the road. Let's try to find a parking spot within the next mile or so. We can try to get closer afoot after that." Jack can confirm Dee Dee's interpretation of the clearing in the woods he sees at this time.

Roman finds a decent parking spot where he can pull off the little-used trail he was following about three-quarters of a mile from where the discussion about parking occurred. There he can pull a bit into the woods and drive around to the far side of a largish tree trunk, interposing it between his pickup and the road.

It's probably 2-3 miles to the compound, which has several ramshackle buildings of similar quality to the one that Jack and the gang from Dallas met Lucian in, although the buildings all look to be considerably larger than the little shack Lucian was in. There are several pickup trucks and vans on the ground as well, and a few people are stirring on the grounds.

"We should probably come at this from a couple of different directions if we can," says Dee Dee. "Jack and I can head out in opposite directions. Can you take to the skies and keep yourself hidden?" she asks of Muaziz.

"No, although if I have at least one watcher, I can do some astral scouting." Dee Dee considers for a moment.

"I'd prefer it if you were in the here and now, in case things get hot. It won't be trivial to get you roused if we need it and you're out and about in astral form. Maybe you should stay here at our base camp, such as it is."

"One of us can go on bat patrol," says Erich.

"I'm staying with my truck," replies Roman. "We might need a getaway car."

"OK, Roman and Muaziz stay here as backup and getaway support, Erich takes to the sky, and Jack and I head out in separate directions, unless you've got anything else you'd like to suggest," the Sheriff says to you.

[SD Anderson]

You can start from inside the truck. As you head deeper into the off-road country, the land becomes more heavily forested. You can get to a vantage point about 200 yards or so above the ground.

"We probably shouldn't just drive up to the front door of wherever it is we're going," says Roman. "At some point we're going to have to get out and walk, if we're planning on doing any sneaking."

"Agreed," replies the Sheriff. "Looks like there's a compound a few miles up the road. Let's try to find a parking spot within the next mile or so. We can try to get closer afoot after that." Jack can confirm Dee Dee's interpretation of the clearing in the woods he sees at this time.

Roman finds a decent parking spot where he can pull off the little-used trail he was following about three-quarters of a mile from where the discussion about parking occurred. There he can pull a bit into the woods and drive around to the far side of a largish tree trunk, interposing it between his pickup and the road.

It's probably 2-3 miles to the compound, which has several ramshackle buildings of similar quality to the one that Jack and the gang from Dallas met Lucian in, although the buildings all look to be considerably larger than the little shack Lucian was in. There are several pickup trucks and vans on the ground as well, and a few people are stirring on the grounds.

"We should probably come at this from a couple of different directions if we can," says Dee Dee. "Jack and I can head out in opposite directions. Can you take to the skies and keep yourself hidden?" she asks of Muaziz.

"No, although if I have at least one watcher, I can do some astral scouting." Dee Dee considers for a moment.

"I'd prefer it if you were in the here and now, in case things get hot. It won't be trivial to get you roused if we need it and you're out and about in astral form. Maybe you should stay here at our base camp, such as it is."

"One of us can go on bat patrol," says Erich.

"I'm staying with my truck," replies Roman. "We might need a getaway car."

"OK, Roman and Muaziz stay here as backup and getaway support, Erich takes to the sky, and Jack and I head out in separate directions, unless you've got anything else you'd like to suggest," the Sheriff says to you.

"Lucien and his people appear to be well organized and professional. Drake when you get down to it is a show off and her people tend to be amateurs, to of whom seem to think spraying lead around and leaving lit sticks of dynamite behind constitutes good tactics. There won't be a lot of consistency of quality if both groups are around. But I expect the pros among them to use tripwires, motion sensors and cameras with IR or night vision.' Jack says.

"Keep an eye out for them."

[Detritus]

As you start to approach the compound on foot, you start getting better and better angles from which to view its layout. Most of the vehicles are clustered by the tallest building in the compound, presumably the garage. There are five narrow, shotgun shack-looking buildings that surround two double-wide mobile homes in an irregularly spaced perimeter.

You see one person, whom you recognize as Lucian's lieutenant from the Texas encounter. He emerges from one of the mobile homes unarmed, enters the smallest shack, and comes out with a shotgun in either hand about 30 seconds later. There doesn't seem to be any particular urgency in his movements. You watch as he heads back towards the trailer he came from when you hear a twig break.

When you turn your head, you see a man (http://www.trollandtoad.com/p191126.html) step out from behind a tree. He drops the pieces of a broken twig and then shows his empty palms at you. He takes a few steps toward you, utterly silent as he moves, until he is close enough to speak with you in a low voice.

"You stalk dangerous prey. Are you certain you are equal to the task?"

[SD Anderson]

As you start to approach the compound on foot, you start getting better and better angles from which to view its layout. Most of the vehicles are clustered by the tallest building in the compound, presumably the garage. There are five narrow, shotgun shack-looking buildings that surround two double-wide mobile homes in an irregularly spaced perimeter.

You see one person, whom you recognize as Lucian's lieutenant from the Texas encounter. He emerges from one of the mobile homes unarmed, enters the smallest shack, and comes out with a shotgun in either hand about 30 seconds later. There doesn't seem to be any particular urgency in his movements. You watch as he heads back towards the trailer he came from when you hear a twig break.

When you turn your head, you see a man (http://www.trollandtoad.com/p191126.html) step out from behind a tree. He drops the pieces of a broken twig and then shows his empty palms at you. He takes a few steps toward you, utterly silent as he moves, until he is close enough to speak with you in a low voice.

"You stalk dangerous prey. Are you certain you are equal to the task?"

"Not a real question. You run you lose and they come and kill you at their lesiure and get to take their time killing you. Man up to what ou have to do and they might kill you. But it isn't about how fast, how strong or how skilled they are. It boils down to how willing are you to see the other guy die. Those fuckers need killing real bad. And it's time to give them what they need." Jack says.

"Now it's my turn to ask a question; Who the fuck are you and why are you here right now?"

[Detritus]

"My name is Wynn. I am Gangrel. My Sire is Stanislava." He pauses for a moment then shakes his head slightly. "That is... who I am." Another short pause follows.

"I am here, in part, to pay my respects to the new Prince of New Orleans, or I will be paying them shortly, better to say. We sat together on the Primogen Council in Houston until very recently. It seems that Rebekka has finally come into her own," he says, the last sentence half to himself.

"We have had a succession of interesting guests in Houston in recent nights," he says, putting his full attention back to you, "the latest of whom requested that I learn of the lay of the land in the outlying areas to New Orleans. That was two nights ago. I was drawn here in my scouting efforts, and it seems I am not the only one to have been drawn to these woods."

[SD Anderson]

"My name is Wynn. I am Gangrel. My Sire is Stanislava." He pauses for a moment then shakes his head slightly. "That is... who I am." Another short pause follows.

"I am here, in part, to pay my respects to the new Prince of New Orleans, or I will be paying them shortly, better to say. We sat together on the Primogen Council in Houston until very recently. It seems that Rebekka has finally come into her own," he says, the last sentence half to himself.

"We have had a succession of interesting guests in Houston in recent nights," he says, putting his full attention back to you, "the latest of whom requested that I learn of the lay of the land in the outlying areas to New Orleans. That was two nights ago. I was drawn here in my scouting efforts, and it seems I am not the only one to have been drawn to these woods."

And you know my name because you're very good at looking over the lay of the land, I take it?

Edit: If he has any body language or psychology worth mentioning he can reasonably conclude that Jack's line of questioning will be to ry and see if there is either a bloodline link to Rebecca or... unlikely to Jack and Erik.

[Detritus]

And you know my name because you're very good at looking over the lay of the land, I take it?
"I have never heard your name uttered that I am aware of. My proficiency in sizing up the wilderness is aided greatly by the ability to speak with The Master's Voice." The capitalization in the final three words is subtly evident in Wynn's speech.

"Yet, I do not think that is the question you wish answered. I have never been very good at reading minds. For that, you should speak with Rebekka. Or better yet, Gwynnis, who did see fit to assign me this task after bring Prince Casimir back to Houston. But if you would have straight answers from me, then ask me straight questions."

[SD Anderson]

"Fair enough. You clearly have some idea of whatever and whomever lie ahead. Any specifics you can give me?

[Detritus]

"A half-dozen Kindred have recently arrived, and I have seen as many more go between various buildings in the clearing. I would guess that at least as many more as I have seen are within the buildings.

"Having queried the wildlife in the immediate vicinity, I believe there also Garou in the area. How many I cannot yet say, but there seems to be something... off about them, from what I could gather from the local fauna. I am not sure I understand."

[SD Anderson]

"We know of four, likely Spiral Dancers, apparently working with the kindred you've seen. Seems they're after something real bad that they also want really bad." Jack says.

[Detritus]

"We know of four, likely Spiral Dancers, apparently working with the kindred you've seen. Seems they're after something real bad that they also want really bad." Jack says.
Wynn shifts his lower jaw sideways and then taps his teeth together at their one contact point in this configuration for a few seconds before making his reply.

"I saw only two arrive myself, yet I did not see much of their approach to these woods." He pauses for a moment and makes the same lopsided tooth-tapping motion before continuing.

"You should also know that Rhongomyniad is present, and wielded by hands to give it a bite that would be difficult to ignore, even for the hardiest of Kindred." An air of... speculation (?) enters his features after saying this last.

[SD Anderson]

"There is a word I have never heard before." Jacks says casually.

[Detritus]

"There is a word I have never heard before." Jacks says casually.
"But, you bear Carnwennan, do you not? I can feel its presence."

[SD Anderson]

jack raises an eyebrow. Clearly another word he has never met.

OOC: a successful body language read or any number of other similar checks should let him realize Jack is the sort of vamp who doesn't go for words like Vitae and Childe in lieu of blood and kids. High priced words than thos would be actively dodge.

[Detritus]

jack raises an eyebrow. Clearly another word he has never met.
In point of fact, he has heard the name:

http://forum.criticalfumble.net/showthread.php?t=19796

See posts 6 & 7 in the thread. Carnwennan is the name of the dagger that Jack has.

[Detritus]

"The Justicar's dagger, man, do you have it or not? If you don't, who does? It is very close. Close enough that the memory of its bite knitted into my flesh sings."

((He seems either not to notice or to ignore any body language hints about Jack's preferred mode of speech.))

[SD Anderson]

"Kind of a long story on that and I don't think I'm the one who could explain what happened to it in any event. Perhaps Rebecca herself should." Jack says. "But you haven't answered my question regarding wrongomynius or whatever it was."

OOC: Rhongomyniad of course, just pronounced in real Amurican English.

[Detritus]

"Kind of a long story on that and I don't think I'm the one who could explain what happened to it in any event. Perhaps Rebecca herself should." Jack says. "But you haven't answered my question regarding wrongomynius or whatever it was."
"You have not asked a question about Rhongomyniad. You simply claimed to be unfamiliar with the name. For one who seems to be wearied by indirect and fanciful speech, you have not been the least bit forthcoming yourself. I have tried to make allowances for my being the stranger here, yet have found myself playing games with a cub about to stick its nose in a hornet's nest. I am amazed you have managed not to stick yourself in the foot with the dagger. I should take it from you and return it to the Justicar, and tell her to give it to someone worthy of it. But instead, I shall give you a history lesson while we stand on the enemy's doorstep.

"To answer the question you thought you asked, but did not, Rhongomyniad is a spear, and part of a set with Carnwennan. The third member of the set is the sword, Caledfwlch. The Justicar refers to all three in her native tongue of Welsh. The sword, at least, has other names, the most familiar being Excalibur, just as Gwynnis herself was named Gwynhwyfar in her mortal days. She does not hide these facts of her history, but neither does she advertise them, and it is plain she has not told any of it to you.

"There is a property of the dagger, if one is wounded by it and the weapon released, the wounded party cannot rid himself of the blade. The Justicar and those of her blood can track the unlucky bearer, but they are also capable of relieving the bearer of its possession. One such there is in the compound ahead. Her name is Sidana, the eldest of the Justicar's childer, and I would be amazed if Gwynnis knew that she was still alive. All thought her lost in Detroit, over two decades ago. She it is who wields the spear, and it is a terrible weapon in her hands. If you leave the dagger behind, in the flesh of an enemy, she will be able to draw it out. It is an open question what she might do with it then.

"And now that I have finished, would it be too much to ask you your name? If not, please introduce yourself, since you have neglected to do so thus far."

[SD Anderson]

"Jack. Jack Constatine. "

"I do know this. Until someone vouches for you I can't tell you a lot of things. They have a vamp who can changer her appearance and a high enough power Tremere who almost certainly can make himself look like... oh yourself easily enough."

[OOC: What is cellphone reception like out here. Can i get word to the Sheriff first or have to escort Wynn to her?]

[SD Anderson]

OOC: Sorry I could have sworn Wynn addressed me as Jack in post #23.

[Detritus]

"Jack. Jack Constatine. "

"I do know this. Until someone vouches for you I can't tell you a lot of things. They have a vamp who can changer her appearance and a high enough power Tremere who almost certainly can make himself look like... oh yourself easily enough."
"Or yourself, no doubt. I have revealed a good deal more than I should have to someone on the wrong side. And you bear the dagger, but for battle, or to reunite it with the spear to use against its rightful owner, I cannot say."

[OOC: What is cellphone reception like out here. Can i get word to the Sheriff first or have to escort Wynn to her?]
Yeah, you can call the Sheriff if you want.

[SD Anderson]

"You might want to wander ove my way." Jack tells Rebekkah. 'you ight find it intersting.'

not much of a description but, cell phones aren't that secure.

[Detritus]

"You might want to wander ove my way." Jack tells Rebekkah. 'you ight find it intersting.'

not much of a description but, cell phones aren't that secure.
OK, it's Dee Dee as Sheriff, not Rebekka, but she'll report that's she close to making visual contact with the compound. Can it wait?

[Detritus]

((Assuming that Jack wants to talk right away...))

Dee Dee grumbles for a couple of seconds before hanging up when Jack insists she come over immediately. Her face is smooth when she arrives, though. A touch of surprise mars this smoothness when she sees Jack's interlocutor.

"Hi. You are?"

"I am Wynn. I am Gangrel. My Sire is Stanislava."

"I'm Dee Dee. I'm Sheriff of this town."

"You are going to take me into custody then?"

"We'll see. Maybe we'll just have a short Q & A for now. Stanislava sired you?" The question carries an obvious undertone of skepticism.

"There are nights when I can hardly believe it myself, but it is so. I must confess, I do not know how she passes her nights. She is the youngest of Ennoia's childer, if you need more of my lineage. It is unclear who Sired Ennoia. My best guess is Irad the Hunter, whom legend has it that Caine himself sired." Dee Dee raises an eyebrow.

"You've already presented yourself to the Prince? That's the rule, no matter how short or long your lineage runs."

"No, I have only arrived tonight. I have temporary dispensation from the Toreador Justicar, Gwynnis. When she was last in Houston, two nights ago, she tasked me to get the lay of land here before I presented myself to the Rebekka, who is the new Prince of New Orleans, I am given to understand."

"I hadn't heard. About any orders to other scouts from Gwynnis, that is." Dee Dee pauses for a moment, and gives Wynn a weighing look. "You say you're from Houston. Would Rebekka recognize you?"

"Instantly," Wynn says, and he begins to smile. "We served together on the Primogen Council of Houston until very recently."

"Well, if she vouches for you, you're in, and no doubts about it. Until then, maybe we should head back to the truck." The Sheriff motions for Wynn to follow her.

"Go to the compound and have a quick look around. We should probably bring Wynn before the Prince as soon as possible."

"Before we leave, I must warn again not to deploy the dagger. I assume that is one possible objective of this mission. The Justicar's eldest childe is present, and she wields Rhongomyniad. She will be able to remove the dagger from the person of anyone injured by it."

"Anneke's in the compound?" Dee Dee asks, incredulous.

"Not Anneke. Sidana. It seems she was not destroyed in Detroit after all."

"Sidana?" Disbelief fades from Dee Dee's face as she thinks about this.

"Go as fast as you can, Jack," she finally says.

((Description of the compound coming shortly...))

[SD Anderson]

Jack makes haste, going to brachiation a few times just to lose foot prints that might lead a hypothetical tracker to where he's going. mosty on foot however for the superior speed.

[Detritus]

Dee Dee and Wynn head back toward Roman's truck. Jack can make it to a position where the compound is in his sight, yet far enough into the woods that he's pretty well concealed.

There are three pickups and two vans outside the garage, and another van within. The pickups all have gun racks, and each van has a gun rack on either side of its cargo hold behind the driver's/passenger's seats. There are also several shovels in each vehicle.

All windows in all buildings are boarded up, but Jack can project his vision inside. The building that Lucian's lieutenant went to is filled with shotguns and rifles. The five smaller shacks have three small rooms each that all look like cramped living quarters, with each shack able to hold a couple dozen Kindred, you'd guess. You think you recognize several members of Lucian's gang in one of the shacks, and a second shack holds six stringy-haired, snaggle-tooth Kindred. They aren't supernaturally hideous like Nosferatu, but they are some ugly mugs.

When Jack tries to shift his vantage to inside the double-wide trailers, he begins to encounter resistance as he approaches them. Perhaps they are warded against psychic eavesdropping?

[SD Anderson]

Dee Dee and Wynn head back toward Roman's truck. Jack can make it to a position where the compound is in his sight, yet far enough into the woods that he's pretty well concealed.

There are three pickups and two vans outside the garage, and another van within. The pickups all have gun racks, and each van has a gun rack on either side of its cargo hold behind the driver's/passenger's seats. There are also several shovels in each vehicle.

All windows in all buildings are boarded up, but Jack can project his vision inside. The building that Lucian's lieutenant went to is filled with shotguns and rifles. The five smaller shacks have three small rooms each that all look like cramped living quarters, with each shack able to hold a couple dozen Kindred, you'd guess. You think you recognize several members of Lucian's gang in one of the shacks, and a second shack holds six stringy-haired, snaggle-tooth Kindred. They aren't supernaturally hideous like Nosferatu, but they are some ugly mugs.

When Jack tries to shift his vantage to inside the double-wide trailers, he begins to encounter resistance as he approaches them. Perhaps they are warded against psychic eavesdropping?


"There's some resistance to seeing inside the doublewides." He tells them. "Any chance that my going futher in could alert them?"

OOC: is there ammo along with those guns? My hope is for something in the neihborhood of Cliche Survivalist proportions. Six months of rations and si years worth of bullets.

[Detritus]

"There's some resistance to seeing inside the doublewides." He tells them. "Any chance that my going futher in could alert them?"
"That's weird," replies Dee Dee. "Muaziz says uou may have already set something off. If you haven't, you could, if you get too close to the building."

There's a pause before Dee Dee resumes speaking.

"Sit tight, and wait for Muaziz to come to you before reconnoitering the larger buildings."

OOC: is there ammo along with those guns? My hope is for something in the neihborhood of Cliche Survivalist proportions. Six months of rations and six years worth of bullets.
There are no rations -- mortal or otherwise -- that you can see.

Each vehicle has three or four weapons in it, and a few hundred of the appropriate rounds. The "armory" has at least as many weapons as in all the vehicles combined, and there are probably several thousand rounds in that building. The door definitely has a lock, and we'll say that you saw Lucian's lieutenant lock the door when he left the armory, since I neglected to mention that before.

There doesn't seem to be any fuel on site, save whatever's already in the vehicles, if you look for that, nor anything that really looks like explosives.

[SD Anderson]

"That's weird," replies Dee Dee. "Muaziz says uou may have already set something off. If you haven't, you could, if you get too close to the building."

There's a pause before Dee Dee resumes speaking.

"Sit tight, and wait for Muaziz to come to you before reconnoitering the larger buildings."


There are no rations -- mortal or otherwise -- that you can see.

Each vehicle has three or four weapons in it, and a few hundred of the appropriate rounds. The "armory" has at least as many weapons as in all the vehicles combined, and there are probably several thousand rounds in that building. The door definitely has a lock, and we'll say that you saw Lucian's lieutenant lock the door when he left the armory, since I neglected to mention that before.

There doesn't seem to be any fuel on site, save whatever's already in the vehicles, if you look for that, nor anything that really looks like explosives.

Jack ends the link.

"Lots of guns, no ammo in the shacks. No food for theirwerewolf buddies, no blood in storage unless it's inside the trailers. Though with Sabbat, I'd expect Chowchilla style bunkers full of Kine burried here and about." he says.

[Detritus]

After several minutes of waiting, Jack's ears perk up at the sound of a quiet rustling coming from the direction of Roman's truck. Muaziz appears a few seconds later. She squints towards the compound as she comes up to you.

"That's damn peculiar. I don't remember ever seeing the like. I'd say we're dealing with a Thaumaturge with capabilities significantly beyond those of any enemy mages we've identified so far."

The Tremere archon gives the trailers another look.

"I think I see what you mean about the resistance. Most wards have rigidly defined boundaries. There's a sense of a certain springiness with this one. Let's try something."

Muaziz walks over to a tree and sits down. Leaning against the trunk, she closes her eyes, which pop open again after a couple of minutes or so.

"The effect is there in the astral plane, too, though I guess we could have figured that out from the resistance you encountered in your scouting. And I saw others. The blond-haired girl we fought earlier tonight was one of them, and a red-haired girl carrying a black-hafted spear. There was also a Garou in hybrid form with them. They came in from the northeast, so they probably didn't pass by the truck, and I don't think they saw me or even looked this way. Still, I think it's past time to be gone."

((If there's anything else Jack wants to do, fire away.))

[SD Anderson]

After several minutes of waiting, Jack's ears perk up at the sound of a quiet rustling coming from the direction of Roman's truck. Muaziz appears a few seconds later. She squints towards the compound as she comes up to you.

"That's damn peculiar. I don't remember ever seeing the like. I'd say we're dealing with a Thaumaturge with capabilities significantly beyond those of any enemy mages we've identified so far."

The Tremere archon gives the trailers another look.

"I think I see what you mean about the resistance. Most wards have rigidly defined boundaries. There's a sense of a certain springiness with this one. Let's try something."

Muaziz walks over to a tree and sits down. Leaning against the trunk, she closes her eyes, which pop open again after a couple of minutes or so.

"The effect is there in the astral plane, too, though I guess we could have figured that out from the resistance you encountered in your scouting. And I saw others. The blond-haired girl we fought earlier tonight was one of them, and a red-haired girl carrying a black-hafted spear. There was also a Garou in hybrid form with them. They came in from the northeast, so they probably didn't pass by the truck, and I don't think they saw me or even looked this way. Still, I think it's past time to be gone."

((If there's anything else Jack wants to do, fire away.))


"Any chance we can call in an airstrike here?" Jack asks. "Let's back off."

[Detritus]

"Any chance we can call in an airstrike here?" Jack asks. "Let's back off."
"Probably not, unless you are literally referring to some connection with the Air Force that one of the city's elders has. That would present problems, anyways. Let's head back to the truck."

Muaziz suits her words and heads back towards Roman's vehicle.

[SD Anderson]

"If a heavy ordinance solution to that place isn't an option," Jack says once they've moved away "what do we have as a substitute? I'm inclined towards anything that leaves them in the form of red smears, but I'm open to other options."

[Detritus]

"If a heavy ordinance solution to that place isn't an option," Jack says once they've moved away "what do we have as a substitute? I'm inclined towards anything that leaves them in the form of red smears, but I'm open to other options."
"Conventional ordnance won't break down the mystical barrier that protects the trailers. I have a feeling that it will have to be infantry of one form or another that clears this compound, not bombing. Maybe Councilor Meerlinda could cook something up, but even she wouldn't be able to do it very fast. We should have around-the-clock surveillance on the compound, of course, but it may take a bit of figuring things out before deciding on a course of action." Muaziz stops speaking and looks at you for a moment.

"I'm not certain why you would expect *me* to know how we'll proceed. I've only been here a very short time, after all. I would very much like to know if anyone recognizes the red-haired girl I just saw." She gives you an inquiring look.

[SD Anderson]

OOC: Does Jack or should I roll for him?

Also ooc; This morning I had a sore throat. B afternoon i had the sniffles. Before ten pm i was coughing my lungs out. I may be of limited availability for the next couple of days. This bug is fast acting!

[Detritus]

OOC: Does Jack or should I roll for him?

Also ooc; This morning I had a sore throat. B afternoon i had the sniffles. Before ten pm i was coughing my lungs out. I may be of limited availability for the next couple of days. This bug is fast acting!
No, Jack has never seen the redhead before.

Get well soon...

[SD Anderson]

"Ok, the rehead's another unknown. Let's deal with something we know something about. Wynn tells me the sword out there is Excalibur. What's it's story, what can it do and how the hell do we take it away from this woman who can use it?"

[Detritus]

Muaziz blinks a few times at the question. Finally, the name "Guinevere" passes her lips, and she gives you a puzzled look.

"You want to take the Justicar's sword from her? I don't think the Sheriff would like that very much. I don't know what it can do, really. If you refer instead to the girl and her spear, I haven't any notion of its history or capabilities, either."

[SD Anderson]

Muaziz blinks a few times at the question. Finally, the name "Guinevere" passes her lips, and she gives you a puzzled look.

"You want to take the Justicar's sword from her? I don't think the Sheriff would like that very much. I don't know what it can do, really. If you refer instead to the girl and her spear, I haven't any notion of its history or capabilities, either."

"Sorry, I misspoke." Jack says. "Pity. In this case, what we don't know may very well kill us and a whole lot more."

[Detritus]

"Perhaps others may know of the spear's capabilities," Muaziz says as you near Roman's pickup truck.

((If you're good at this point, I am, too, though Dee Dee, and perhaps Wynn, may well have knowledge of the spear's capabilities. Assuming that Wynn spoke the truth to Jack, Gwynnis would certainly know all about the spear.))

[SD Anderson]

"We could call Gwynnis and ask. I think she might be interested in the subject." Jack says.

[Detritus]

"We could call Gwynnis and ask. I think she might be interested in the subject." Jack says.
"She seemed like she was going to be pretty busy tonight," Muaziz says, "but one of her offspring might be able to get her attention. We could have the Sheriff contact her, since Dee Dee is at hand."

[SD Anderson]

"She seemed like she was going to be pretty busy tonight," Muaziz says, "but one of her offspring might be able to get her attention. We could have the Sheriff contact her, since Dee Dee is at hand."

"Then let's do it. The Germans didn't counter D-Day like they could have because his aides were afraid to wake Hitler up. That compound over there might just be the equivalent of the invasion fleet."

[Detritus]

"Then let's do it. The Germans didn't counter D-Day like they could have because his aides were afraid to wake Hitler up. That compound over there might just be the equivalent of the invasion fleet."
Muaziz quirks an eyebrow at this statement, having worked out the other equivalences in the analogy. Roman's truck roars to life as soon as Jack finishes speaking, and a rear window rolls down. Dee Dee sticks her head out the open window.

"Perhaps you should return the dagger to me," she says in a too-sweet voice, "so that you don't have to remember that it has ears, and a mouth."

[SD Anderson]

Muaziz quirks an eyebrow at this statement, having worked out the other equivalences in the analogy. Roman's truck roars to life as soon as Jack finishes speaking, and a rear window rolls down. Dee Dee sticks her head out the open window.

"Perhaps you should return the dagger to me," she says in a too-sweet voice, "so that you don't have to remember that it has ears, and a mouth."


"Sure." Jack says. "It's not as if we like each other anyway." And hands Dee Dee the knife.

[Detritus]

"Sure." Jack says. "It's not as if we like each other anyway." And hands Dee Dee the knife.
"In that case," Dee Dee says after taking the dagger, "maybe I should cut that third eye out of your head right now, Leutnant Konstantin."

EDIT, Wynn will add the following.

"Perhaps that is a bit hasty, Sheriff. The Justicar can be a trifle high-handed from time to time. Nearly as much as you were with me a short while ago," Wynn says to Jack, smiling.

"That's as may be," replies Dee Dee, "but that's no call for comparing the Sabbat to the Allies from WWII. You mark me, Leutnant Konstantin. In this extended analogy, I'm Field Marshal Rommel. If you want to speak ill of die Führerin, don't do it where I can hear, and don't try to undermine her with other sect agents. If it gets back to me that you're doing that, I'll have your head. Alles klar, Leutnant?"

[SD Anderson]

"And deny her the pleasure? Oh for shame!"

[Detritus]

Dee Dee smirks.

"You think she's been hard on you? I hate to break it to you, but that's just how she rolls. It's a tough job, and most of it is Internal Affairs work, the Sabbat buildup here in New Orleans notwithstanding. You did just lose a Justicar on your watch, and I suppose she did what she felt she had to to check you out. But I don't think you're that high on her priority list now, to be perfectly blunt about it. Me, on the other hand, you better watch out for."

Dee Dee's smirk deepens as she gestures at you with the dagger before sheathing it.

[SD Anderson]

Jack shrugs.

"So let's get back to matters at hand.' he says. "We have some manner of barrier that will stop a load of dropped bombs and hinders magical attempts to see inside it. What can open it up and is there any chance we can do it from here?"

[Detritus]

Dee Dee looks to Muaziz.

"We can't do it from here, or at least I can't, and I don't think I'd get much Thaumaturgical help from anyone else we've got out here."

"Your conclusions about the compound," Dee Dee asks Wynn, "they're based on direct visual contact?"

"For the most part, yes," Wynn replies, "though as I have now told two of you, I feel the spear's presence. The memories of wounds I have taken from it in the distant past resonate whenever I come near it."

"Well, that's something I'd like to double check with the Justicar, if you don't mind."

"And I'd like to report on what I've experienced of the warding out here in person," Muaziz says. "Certainly to Rebekka, and probably Councilor Meerlinda, too. That was some fancy work, and it might be a tipoff or some sort of personal signature that one of the elders could identify."

"All right, I'll try to contact Gwynnis again, but she may just be too busy to answer her phone right now. I can keep a watch on the compound remotely. I think we should all head back to the mansion, the powers that be will most likely have some pretty strong suggestions about how to proceed once we inform them of this intel. Unless there are any objections to leaving the compound unattended..."

[SD Anderson]

"If they've isolated the Justicar...' Jack says. "Use the knife, focus on the Assamite, see if she's there. If you're lucky, Gwinnis will be in the vicinity. You said the knife can talk?"

[Detritus]

"That wouldn't work unless the Assamite already had the dagger on her," Dee Dee says with a bit of exasperation. "Ah, Christ, I keep forgetting you're new to the business with the dagger. I've used it so much it's like a fifth limb to me, so I've just internalized how it works. So here goes, once more from the top.

"The dagger is an anchor for second sight if you don't have it, not a projector of second sight if you do have it. And it's an anchor for second hearing, too, that's what the business about it having ears and a mouth was referring to. You can hear what's going on around the dagger, but that's effectively the same as it hearing and then telling you what's going on.

"Anyways, think back to when you spotted the Assamite at the Veteran's Hospital. You didn't have the dagger, she did, and your second sight was anchored on her person, because she still had the dagger after I stuck her with it outside Al's. Then after she was captured, I was able to take the dagger off her person, thanks to the blood relation between Gwynnis and me.

"I have second sight of my own, and with a projection range much further than you can get with holding the dagger yourself. The problem with that is I didn't know where to look, nor did anyone else, and we wouldn't have figured it out without the dagger. If you have the dagger yourself, you can only shift your vantage point a few hundred yards away from it, which will get you a decent-sized area beneath you, but you can't see a subject indefinitely far away from it that way.

"But, if somebody else has the dagger, you can shift your vantage point as far as you need to have your second sight centered on it. The intervening distance really doesn't matter in that case. Now that I know where to look, though, I don't need the dagger, and I won't be using it to watch what's going on. That'll be pure Dee Dee.

"All of which to say, you can't use the dagger out here in the boondocks to see what's going on at the mansion, and I don't want to divert my attention from the compound unless absolutely necessary. I really think I need to get back to the city make a report in person, and I'm not sure I want to leave just one or two people behind in circumstances where we don't know just how much is arrayed against us, especially when the inklings we've gotten so far suggest we're already outnumbered without splitting up."

[SD Anderson]

"Ok, you have the cell of anyone else at that house?" Jack asks. "Presumably someone is doing basic guard duty there and can answer their phone."

[Detritus]

Right when Jack suggests this, Dee Dee's cell phone starts to audibly vibrate. After a couple of sentences it's clear the Sheriff is talking to the Prince. She manages to report Wynn's appearance, and begins to tell about what everyone has seen in terms of the layout of and personnel in the compound when she's cut short. The second half of the conversation sees Dee Dee mainly listening with the occasional, "As you say, my Prince," thrown into the mix.

"There have been developments," Dee Dee says after she hangs up. "Rebekka has called a council starting at 2 am. We're to bring Wynn before her prior to the council convening. She seemed surprised that you were here," she says to Wynn, "but she was able to confirm that you worked together on the Primogen Council in Houston." Wynn nods as if there were no other possible outcome.

"There were... complications in the rescue mission for Jocelin. Rebekka didn't go into any details, but whatever happened, she felt it necessary to assemble the senior staff of the city to talk about it. Also, Bonnie has returned the city. She's orienting on the dagger right now, and both she and I will be watching the compound while we return to the mansion. All right, Roman, let's get going."

[SD Anderson]

I'll assume at this point: New thread a'coming

[Detritus]

I'll assume at this point: New thread a'coming
Yes, Jack and the gang will roll in right around when the other IC thread wraps up, which should be soon.