With the storm approaching, Mistral declined Ghost's offer of a portal, bringing her group, consisting of Mistral, Promethius, and Ralph (along with 1 MIB agent. If Mistral decides not to portal him, Ghost portals him in). He waits for you to take the lead.

 The building is old and run down, but has a large iron gate in front of it, located in a bad part of town. It appears to once have been an apartment before this place became a slum.

Mistral’s Portal gave out into an abandoned backlot a short distance from the target location, and she melded into the shadows immediately upon stepping out.  She permitted the man-in-black to pass through with them, as she’d rather know where he was than not.  The portal folded in upon itself as soon as the last of them stepped through.  Mistral set to scanning for wards, and as she did she addressed the others, “I am assessing the wards to turn them over.  Prometheus, you have the security systems, non?  Ralph, I trust if there are sentries you will scent them?  Be ready with the signal-jamming, on my mark.”  Mistral made way surreptitiously toward the perimeter of the compound, looking both for wards and for the least conspicuous entrance.

---

Spooky-sneaky Stealth is a total of 4 successes:

• 01:25, Today: Secret Roll: Mistral rolled 2 successes using 7d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 2,8,4,3,6,8,7.  Spooky-Sneaky!

Wits + Space to search for wards, then Wits + Investigation to look for sneakier entrances:

• 01:17, Today: Secret Roll: Mistral rolled 2 successes using 7d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 5,5,9,2,2,9,4.  Wits + Space.
• 01:19, Today: Secret Roll: Mistral rolled 2 successes using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 9,10(+6),3,2,6,4.  Wits + Investigation.

 There was a fireplace out to the side but that was exposed to a street. For the time being, there did not seem to be anyone watching... or, if there was, no one was responding to your approach.

Mistral melded into the night, stalking toward the structure like a drifting ghost.  Seeing no sign of observers or defenses, she whispered into the earpiece, “Nothing yet.  Proceeding.”  Mistral continued her silent approach.

---

Going to keep searching the perimeter until I come across something, checking options for entrances and looking for the boundaries of any wards

Prometheus stayed in the shadows, waiting for any sort of signal from Mistral to move forward.

As he does so, he uses his cybernetics to try and pick up any Wifi transmisions. From the edge of the compound the signal will likely be really weak....but maybe he would pick up just enough.

"No go on the signal jamming yet, Mist. Give me a minute to hack the place. I'll let you know if I need to get closer."

He didn't expect much from these guys after the last place, but it was possible the way the building was constructed could unintentionally decrease wifi signal range.

---

OOC:
05:01, Today: Promethius rolled 4 successes using 8d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 10(+10,1),2,3,2,6,5,10(+3),9.  Computers: (Not hacking).

04:56, Today: Promethius rolled 3 successes using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 8,9,6,9,2,7.  Opperation: Sneaky Sneak (Stealth + Dex).

Since exiting the portal Mistral had been enshrouded in the sensory dimming that put her beneath the notice of all observers, including Team Subtle.  However, when Prometheus gave the update on his hacking her whisper came from nowhere over the earpiece, "D'accord."

PM

Prometheus mutters something that sounds very close to, "The 21st Century is calling...they want their entertainment back. I mean I didn't even know they were still a company."

After that he actually pressed his earpiece and said, "They either haven't got wifi or its completely shielded."

He considered in silence this problem then said, "Hey Mistral...what do you think would happen if I imbued some Electrons with Essence? If they flow through something, would they be in that thing long enough to pick up some of their traits do you think?"
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 19:08, Wed 20 Nov 2019.

PM

Mistral considered Prometheus’s question, which was not particularly within her areas of expertise, but she shared with him her opinion on the matter nonetheless.

Over the earpiece she whispered, “We’ve a fire escape, an emergency exit and a front door.  The latter two are likely to be noisy.  Unless les alarmes on the exit can be disabled, the front entryway will be quietest.  A moment, while I look ahead.”  Mistral found a discreet location where she could view the front door, then bowed her head for a time, eyelids fluttering as she scried ahead.

---

Here’s an Occult check on Prom’s question, and Mistral will tell him her occult opinion on the matter, whatever the result is ;P  If she doesn’t know then she’ll say so though:

• 23:22, Today: Mistral rolled 1 success using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 5,7,1,9,1,1.  Int + Occult.

PM

Mistral answered Prometheus’s question quietly over the earpiece, “I cannot say, mon ami.  Forces are not my domaine d'expertise.”  There was silence for a minute before her voice came through again, “The ground floor is clear, and contains les utilitaires.  Power, water, ventilation, et cetera.  Perhaps you will find your connection within.  Come to the front door.”

Prometheus and the others find Mistral at the front door, where she quietly tried the handle and found it locked.  She brought a small, circular brass mirror to hand, bowed her head for a few moments, then reached her hand through the door to unlock it from the other side.  The tiny portal of glowing mist closed behind Mistral’s hand as she withdrew it, stowed the mirror in a pocket and opened the door without issue.  Silently she stepped into the dim utility level of the building, beckoning the others to follow.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Thu 21 Nov 2019.

PM

Inside the empty utility floor of the structure, Mistral was one with the gloom near the base of the stairwell.  She remained still and silent while Prometheus did his work, but was not idle.  After a time she spoke quietly over the earpiece, “The top floor is occupied and warded.  I can see no more until I’ve dealt with the ward.  I will begin when all are en position and ready to move.  Progress, Prometheus?  Do we have the signal jam?”

OOC:  the next part will happen after Prom finishes whatever hackery or other preparation he’d like to do, so take whatever time you need, Prom :)

Mistral awaited readiness, then announced over the earpiece, “I will require a few minutes to replace the ward.  I intend to do so without alerting l’créateur, but if I am detected we will have trouble.  If I am successful, we can be away with the children in minutes with our foes none the wiser.”

A pause, then Mistral announced quietly, “Je commence.”

Prometheus followed Mistral quietly. Going where she indicated, but paying careful attention to his surroundings. He trusted her, but wasn't about to let himself be careless and blow their cover.

Once Prometheus is inside the main entrance, he moves looks around for a computer, although not expecting to find one. The one thing he had gathered thus far was these cultists were not exactly tech savvy,

However, fortunately he had another option. Primitive perhaps, but far to few people thought about it. Should he fail to find any sort of PC he will look for the circuit breaker box.

PM

Prometheus approached the breaker box, having had no luck with any sort of computer, and quickly opened it, examining the breakers for labels. Usually the Cameras would be on a separate breaker so they were harder to trip...

And at least occasionally it was labeled so it could be reactivated quickly.

As he did this, he pressed his earpiece and said, "We have 3 options. I can trip the breaker, disabling the cameras, but fixable in seconds, cook the breaker which will be harder to fix but more obvious, or shunt the breaker which would destroy the cameras and be more subtle then cooking... but can ONLY be caused by sabotage.

Any Preference?"

Mistral answered Prometheus over the earpiece, “Shunt the breaker, when the time comes.  If you have any other preparations, now is the time.”  She ascended the stairs with quiet steps and stopped one floor from the top, where she put her back to a wall and began the focused work of unweaving the ward she found there.

After only a minute her eyes snapped open and she cursed quietly, “Merde.”  Then she began to carefully descend the stairs again while reporting over the earpiece, “I was unable to neutralize the ward, and there is movement within.  Do nothing yet, but be prepared for visitors.  Plan B.”  Mistral reached the bottom of the steps and vanished into the shadows to the side, and there she waited in tense silence for reactions from those above.

 There were three guys that exited the apartments from three different doors. They looked around but remained on the floor they came out of. They seemed to be just sitting around but, even from this distance, it was obvious that they were packing.

Prometheus opens his toolkit and prepares to shunt the current directly from the main to the other side of the box.

Technically this could cause a minor brownout and he hadn't told her.... but given how poor this neighborhood was, it probably happened all the time. Especially with the weather at the moment.

Fortunately such a shunt was quick to prepare, and so when Mistral said she had spotted movement upstairs he drew his weapon.

"Tell me if you need the Lights in that corridor dead?" He offered. Otherwise he waited, paying careful attention to his surroundings, just in case the movement Mistral saw had triggered something.

Mistral quickly replied over the earpiece, “Hold.  They know this location is compromised, but not that we are here.  They are preparing to move.”  She turned to the MiB agent waiting not far from her on the empty utility floor and whispered urgently, “We need the gas in the top floor, now.  If they were prepared to move they may be gone within minutes.  Will the ventilation system suffice, or must we take a more direct approach?”  Mistral pulled on the gas mask provided by the MiB and was there to assist in whatever way needed to get the gas pouring into the top floor as quickly as possible, including delivering it personally.

 The voice came in over the earpiece. "Already on it. It should only take a couple of minutes to take full effect."

 The men at the top of the stairs remain where they are. They seem to be actively looking around, but never straying far from the doors.

Mistral's eyelids fluttered in the darkness as she attempted to get a better look at what was occurring above.  She responded over the earpiece, "I will resume my attack on the ward to distract the mage, then.  If I succeed and replace their ward they will be unable to escape via Porte.  They may attempt the stairs."

Mistral then set into a focused supernal assault upon the ward above, which would inevitably become a battle of wills against its maker.  The defending mage usually has the advantage in such a conflict, but Mistral had the notable benefit of not breathing sleeping gas.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:41, Wed 27 Nov 2019.

 It took a focused attempt but Mistral managed to crush the man's ward. However, unlike last time, this mage was aware of what you were trying to do, making it far more difficult to add bans.


 The group could hear shouting from above and the few drew their weapons and began to descend the stairs.

 Meanwhile, more of the men began to pour out of the building above.

Promethus begins to hear the noise coming from above as he puts on his own Gas Mask. Pressing his ear bud he whispers, "Mistral... it sounds like things are getting fairly hot up there."

Let alone the fact that the children would be gone instantly.

It however also concerned him how quickly they had figured things out. The MIB should have cut communication between the 3 locations and these people were about as tech savvy as someone from the Medieval era, based off his past interactions with them.

How did they know.


Prometheus froze. Was  that his though or hers? It did matter how they knew. Still, they are a job to do and getting distracted helped no one. What would help is finding out just how many people were about to come down the stairs AND to see if they were already portaling the children out.

And that he could do.

OOC: Prometheus is casting 'Sense Life' specifically trying to spot all humans in the building.


18:51, Today: Promethius rolled 3 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 9,5,4,10(+4),8.  Sense Life (Gnosis + Life).

With 3 Successes, he knows the location of all humans within 4 yards for the remainder of the scene.

I also rolled for crafting the Shunt that I discribed earlier this scene, because while its simply a bent wire, the challenge is doing so in such a way that when used I won't be electrocuted when used

18:54, Today: Promethius rolled 2 successes using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 7,6,6,1,8,10(+5).  Craft Shunt (Craft + Int + SS).

Mistral’s eyes were shut tight and she had a strained look as she reported through gritted teeth, “The ward de l’ennemi is down, but there is... resistance!”  She had been silent before, but now that the battle of wills was joined she chanted cryptic words of arcane power emphasized with quick, sharp gesticulations.  The sound may well attract unwanted attention from the gunmen making their way down the stairs, but she could not allow the child hostages to be whisked away into the wind.  As she worked she snarled quietly, “The gas... Where is it?”

 The sounds of people continued down the stairs. In a few more seconds, they would be at Mistral's position. Mistral could see the gas coming out of the ventilation, but it had not yet filled the entire building.

 Mistral could hear the sound of cursing from upstairs, followed by the sounds of frightened children.

Mistral’s active struggle of wills against the enemy mage carried on for a time until reaching a crescendo, at which point she took a breath and reported, “I’ve overtaken the wards on the upper floor.  There will be no Portes that I do not allow.”  Only now that her focus returned to the present did Mistral realize how close the descending enemies were.  She performed a quick series of gestures toward the stairwell accompanied by cryptic words of power.  She released the spell and sent out a subtle ripple through the fabric of spacetime.  Nothing seemed to happen until the first of those descending the stairwell arrived at the landing and then... appeared to run in place.  The space surrounding them was now dilated, putting an effectively infinite distance between them and even the nearby walls and stairs.  They were ensnared in a spatial anomaly that would let things in, but would allow nothing to leave.

Mistral said urgently over the earpiece, “They are trapped in a suspension field, but it will not last long.  Nothing can escape, but anything can enter, including bullets.  Use what ordnance you have now, for you’ll get no better shot than this.  I will get the children.”

---

The Suspension zone over the stairs will trap the guys for 3 rounds, so lay into them, boys :D

Prometheus presses his ear bud instantly, "Not to over-rule your authority, but are you sure its wise to portal alone up to a Space Mage who, by the sounds of it, is close to your equal, alone, after they have had a solid few minutes to prepare for you to arrive?"

While the gas may, MAY get the minions, he had no doubt the Mage was still ready and waiting. With Hostages.

"Give me a second and I'll make you see in the Dark, then blow the Lights as you jump up. Its not much...but the momentary distraction may give you the first spell.

Frankly it was clear he still wasn't entirely comfortable with even how fair this fight was going to be, but the time to cast a single spell was likely all she would give him.

Should she allow it, Prometheus moves over to Mistral and touches her shoulder, casting a very brief spell. He frowns, and tries again, before sighing, "It seems you will have to go without that help If you still want me to cook the lights, let me know."


OOC:
God damn it. Seems I don't get to grant nightsight today.
02:12, Today: Promethius failed (no successes) using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 4,6,3,3.  Nightsight (Forces+ Gnosis).

02:12, Today: Promethius failed (no successes) using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 4,2,5,5.  Nightsight (Forces+ Gnosis).
This message was last edited by the player at 15:19, Thu 28 Nov 2019.

 The gas continues to pour in from the vents, thicker now, as the MIB agent comes around the bend, waving Promethius forward as he took out his gun and began firing darts into the suspension field.

 The way up was now clear.

Protheus curses, then presses his earbud, "Mistral, the Mage and one of the children aren't on the next room. Repeat, we are missing a child."

Regardless of his earlier objections,  they needed to hurry. The world depended on them securing all the children and if the mage was trying to flee the Warded area with a hostage...

Or worse if he was already gone...
This message was last edited by the player at 04:01, Fri 29 Nov 2019.

PM

The suspension field had worked better than Mistral had hoped, and the man in black made quick work of the ensnared gunmen.  Prometheus was not wrong that it would be unwise to go after the children alone, but things were moving quickly and she wanted to get the children to safety as quickly as possible.  Prometheus reported that the mage and one child were missing, to which she replied with a twitch of frustration on her normally placid expression, and said, “Connard...  Do any other hostiles remain, or are these all?”  Mistral referred to the mound of unconscious gunmen she was presently stepping over on her way up the staircase, after dismissing the suspension field.  As she led the way upstairs two steps at a time she said, “Let us get the rest of the children to safety, then we hunt down le sorcier and the last child.”

Mistral sent her eyes ahead of her as she ascended, viewing around each corner before turning it herself.  As they neared the top floor she rechecked the integrity of the wards and paused a moment to quickly descry the rooms ahead.  If all seemed clear she would begin the search for the children, following any sounds first.

Promethus follows Mistral up the stairs, "I only see the Children's lifesigns. I think they are all...." He trails off upon seeing the door that separates them from the children, then immediately rushes to the door, "Bomb...Timer and trap. Don't know if its remote detonated as well yet."

He concentrates on the door, not looking at it but rather through it to what he sees behind it. First scanning the room for anything that could be a security system, then looking at the bomb itself. He could potentially disarm it, but if their was nothing in the room, it maybe in their best interest to let it go off and trick the enemy mage into thinking he had got them.

Not good, not good, fuck, fuck, fuck... who bombs a room full children.


"Can you confirm for me that their is nothing in the room that will trigger should you teleport past the door? Any Space Magic at all in that room you don't control?"

((OOC:
Crap, crap, crap. Hopefully the Mage is bad at hiding things. Fortunately my roll to analyse the Bomb was better,

02:31, Today: Promethius rolled 3 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 4,10(+10,6),9,4,5.  Analysis Bomb and how to disarm (Wits + Craft + SS).

02:30, Today: Promethius rolled 1 success using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 1,8,2,7.  Awareness (Wits + Composure) And the rest of the dice pool.

02:29, Today: Promethius failed (no successes) using 1d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 4.  Awareness (Wits + Composure) Spotting anything electronic in the room.))

Mistral’s eyes focused into a fierce glare upon being informed that the scoundrel had rigged a bomb to the door.  As she analyzed the supernal signatures in the space for anything suspicious she asked Prometheus, “It will trigger on the opening of the door, or something else?  If so, I can enter via other means.”  Mistral will heed any warning Prometheus might give regarding the bomb, and will await his go-ahead to proceed.

When cleared, Mistral calls through the door to the children whimpering inside, “Do not be alarmed, children.  Monsieur Talion has sent us to get you out and to safety.  I am coming in now.”  With pale eyes fixed on the wall Mistral uttered a single syllable in the high speech and then vanished into a cloud of supernal vapors that blew away on an invisible wind.  She reappeared on the other side in a back corner of the room, then stepped out and addressed any children still awake, “Bonsoir.  I will now open a special door that will bring you far from here, to a safe place.  Close your eyes for a moment, if you would?”

Touching the earpiece, she called back to whoever manned the receiving area on the S.S. Grey, “Incoming, blue mark.”  Facing the back wall, Mistral began to weave broad circular patterns with her hands as she willed a connection across the distance, opening a portal in a swirl of glowing supernal vapor.  Mistral turned back to the children and extended a hand to the smallest of them and invited, “One at a time, please, and mind the edges.”  She led the child through the portal, then turned back and extended a hand to the next.  If the children were all unconscious from the sleeping gas, she would carry or drag them through.

 The bomb proved to be one that would only detonate upon opening, but the children were held in three separate groups (3,3,3). However, they were all unconscious from the gas, making their retrieval a simple matter... if a touch time consuming.

 There was perhaps only 5 minutes left on the timer by the time Mistral was done.

As soon as Mistral discovered the children were all unconscious in separate rooms she reported back over the earpiece and then opened a portal back to the corridor to allow the others to join her inside.  As she lifted the second youngest child toward the portal back to the S.S. Grey she asked Prometheus, “Can la bombe be disabled?”  Mistral thought it went without saying that the children would all need to be safely away before any such attempts were made, but that timer was not comforting.

By the time the nine children were secured Mistral turned a wary eye back to the timer and said to Team Subtle, “If le sorcier has left via Porte I may be able to trace it.  We must confirm first that he hasn’t left by mundane means.”  She then set to searching the floor and the roof for signs of where the mage went with the last child.

---

Wits + Composure to search for signs of escape via open windows, etc.:

• 21:13, Today: Mistral failed (no successes) using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 3,7,2,3,3,4.  Wits + Composure

Concurrently, Wits + Space to look residue of any teleportation magic that might be traced:

•   21:13, Today: Mistral rolled 1 success using 7d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 5,3,10(+6),7,6,4,4.  Wits + Space.

Well, crap ;P

 Mistral found the roof door ajar.

OOC: I am not sure how many bombs their are total, as most of these posts implied one but the last PM implied otherwise, so I am assuming their are to many to disarm.

Prometheus shook his head, "If I tried really hard, I could POSSIBLY effectively disable them with a Control Electricity spell, effectively cutting the wire without actually doing it, but otherwise it will take to long." He would leave it up to her if he made that attempt, as it was a risk.

Now in the room, his eyes go to the roof, "Our Mage is still here...just. Hurry to the roof, and we maybe able to save them all yet."

Still, he helps Mistral move all the children through the Ring, leaving her as much freedom as possible to peruse the Mage and the 10th Child.

Mistral shook her head and said, “Best leave them be, then.  No matter.  We will simply need to conclude this operation in the next... four minutes and twenty-two seconds.”

Upon discovering the roof door to be ajar, Mistral paused to take cover on the doorframe, eyelids fluttering as she remotely observed the roof before taking the door.

 The other 9 children through, it was now time to deal with the mage and rescue the 10th child... now on a time limit. Promethius was able to set up the timer on his overlay to keep up with how much time was passing.

 The timer now read 3:52.

Mistral reported quietly over the earpiece, “Le sorcier is armed on the rooftop, with the child.  Attempting to make for a corner beyond my ward.  Moving to intercept.”  She strode up the stairs to the rooftop, drawing her blackened blade of meteoric iron, and then vanished.  Mistral reappeared between the fleeing mage and the corner of the roof the mage was headed toward, but she also appeared on the other side of him at the same distance.  At the same moment she appeared, both of her mirror images twirled their blades in deadly arcs, cutting edge gleaming with pale supernal mist as it sliced at the mage’s gun hand at range.  With her hood up and face covered by both gas-mask and smart-cloth facemask the two Mistrals stood guard, silent and implacable.

---

Ranged Blow attack with Défaiseur, -4 penalty to target the gun hand, spending that bonus Willpower!:

• 11:45, Today: Secret Roll: Mistral rolled 1 success using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 8 or more with rolls of 3,2,9(+5),2,5,5.  Ranged Blow Attack! (-4 called shot, +3 WILLPOWER).

I believe I got Argie’s rage-storm weapon enchantment, so maybe the roof is about to blow up too, I dunno ;P

 Mistrals's strike, though it hit true, lacked the power to fully slice though flesh and bone, instead carving through his armored vest and into his forearm. He raised a large pistol which resembled a flare gun more than an actual pistol and fired.

 The gun shot true and hit Mistral square in the chest with a soft *thump*. There was no impact, no pain... for, looking down at the ammunition he had fired was not a bullet at all. It was a muffin... the man had a gun that fired muffins.

 He looked down at the gun in disbelief and fired again, with the exact same result.

 The timer now read 3:40.

Prometheus followed Mistral up the stairs a little more slowly. He had a plan, one that would at the very least freak the Mage out, even if outright death was unlikely. If ONLY due to him being a Space Mage.

It in theory should work. He had done something similar in the past...but...

As he climbed the stairs he began to cast his first spell. After the Mage fired his gun for the second time, reached the top of the stairs and after a moment, cast his second.

 The mage with the muffin gun yelps in pain before grabbing his shirt and shaking it, only to have a large black spider fall out of his shirt.

 He glances back toward the entrance to the door with a glare of hatred.

OOC: he has been distracted for the round (essentially giving Mistral 2 rounds to act now).

"You should know," Prometheus said loudly to be heard over the ongoing battle, "That Spider's bite is fatal to humans without treatment in about 30 minutes. Less if your heart rate is up."

It didn't need to be said that given the situation, it probably was.

As he spoke he took out his medical kit, "Its also not native, so your chance of getting any Antivenom at a Hospital is zero. I however do have it. Thus, you have three options. Fight and Die, Flee and Die, or Surrender and Live."

OOC:

03:29, Today: Promethius rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 9,1,4,6,7.  Being a convincing Liar (Subterfuge + Manipulation).

Mistral did not flinch when the man took aimed at her insubstantial doppelgänger, but she soon discovered she had even less reason to be frightened of the weapon.  She looked on with bemusement as the hostile muffin popped out of the gun barrel and sailed right through her insubstantial chest, then looked back up to see him jumping and squirming toward the unwarded corner of the roof.  As much as she wanted to destroy this disgrace of a will-worker, she had other priorities.

As he danced, Mistral began to weave circular patterns with her hands but forgoing the words of supernal power to avoid drawing attention from her foe's distraction.  A circular portal limned in bright mist opened beneath the child's feet, causing the child to fall through.  In her haste Mistral failed a crucial security component to the spell, however, leaving the gate open to any who might wish to pass through it.  Her foe should have no way to know this, but who could say whether he might make a lunge for it in his moment of desperation?

The instant the child had fallen all the way through the portal Mistral made to snap it shut, but... was she quick enough?

 The moment Mistral portaled the kid away, seeing that there was no longer a hostage or a threatening weapon within reach, the muffin mage took a flying leap off the side of the railing into the alley below!

The timer now read 3:20.

The moment the enemy took his leap from the rooftop Mistral whirled, planted her foot behind her and a palm on the pommel of the meteoric iron blade, then thrust the black knife upward at the air, seemingly at nothing.  Yet, the point of the blade flared and boiled with glowing supernal vapor as she projected its point and velocity into the space that the man was leaping into, causing him to effectively throw himself upon her blade.

As she thrust Mistral hissed quietly, “Tu ne peux pas m'échapper, connard.”

---

Ranged Blow stab at the leaping muffin-man at range, trying to align it to leverage his leaping momentum to make him fall on her virtual-blade:

• 06:57, Today: Mistral rolled 5 successes using 7d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 8 or more with rolls of 10(+8,3),2,9(+3),4,9(+7),7,9(+6).  Ranged Blow attack!

No defense roll against it!
This message was last edited by the player at 16:16, Wed 04 Dec 2019.

 The enemy mage took a knife to the gut as he leapt off the roof top. However, he had the wherewithal to begin weaving a spell that Mistral immediately recognized as a portal.

 She tried to interfere with the casting but to no effect and the man in question vanished elsewhere.

 The time read 3:00.

Prometheus ran to the edge and fired his gun just as the man vanished through the Portal, "Either he is stupid...or he knows a damn good healer. I am guessing the second."

Looking at the time he growled quietly, Chasing a space Mage is a terrible idea, but do you think you can work out his destination from the Reassurance in...about 2 minutes?"

1 minute to flee would be cutting it close, but was not the worst idea.

Mistral stopped near the building’s edge as the man jumped and quickly worked to unravel his spatial weaving as he fell, and though she sapped the spell’s potency significantly, it was not enough.  “Merdasse!  Hold, I will find him.”  Mistral ran a thumb along the flat of the blackened blade, wiping from it some of the mage’s blood.  She smeared the blood onto the center of her small brass mirror and began quickly chanting while tracing circles onto mirror.  Her eyelids fluttered, pupils twitching as she cast her sight across space to the owner of that blood as held Défaiseur poised like a cobra ready to strike...

 Mistral worked her magic and an image of her target appeared in front of her, in the middle of Time Square. He was attracting more than a few worried looks due to the severity of his wounds and panicked fleeing. Many were on their phones.

Mistral seemed to catch sight of her quarry, but stayed her hand for the moment...

---

OOC: uff, typical tourists still on their phones out in Times Square despite the apocalypse rolling in ;P

Noticing Mistral making no move to peruse or cast anymore, leads Prometheus to check the timer.

Trust the Spcae Mage...she has a plan and we still have plenty of time to get out.

Finally he said, "He's making this difficult, isn't he?"

 Mistral waits, watching, and notices something strange about the people around the mage. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something was just... off.

 It could be attributed to the fact that some people were just stupid... but, from the roof, it looked like the sky had swallowed part of the city.

 The mage finally wandered into an alleyway and began incanting the words to heal himself. Mistral had seen Promethius use the same magic on her.

 The time now read 2 minutes.

OOC: I rolled for you. you don't know what it is and can't explain it, but you have an uneasy feeling about something you're seeing

Mistral’s eyes and her focus were cast elsewhere, but after a delay she replied to Prometheus, “He jumped to Times Square.  It appears crowded.  He hopes I will not end him in public.”  She paused, then rapidly thrust the black-bladed dagger upward, bright vapor streaming off the edges as she twisted and then dragged outward.  Mistral concluded drily, “He was mistaken.”

Edit: cut out a premature conclusion
This message was last edited by the player at 06:47, Fri 06 Dec 2019.

 Mistral feels nothing as the knife slides in and, when she slides it out, it is coated in blood.

 The man clutches his leg and collapses... only to change into a man with the distinct look of a drunken businessman. He vomits into the rain as he breathes his last breath. The actual mage was nowhere to be seen.

Mistral stared blankly ahead after completing her attack, and then her demeanor hardened.  She spoke over the earpiece, “Extraction on roof in one minute, building detonation in two.”

Once Ralph had arrived to the rooftop Mistral re-opened the horizontal portal through which she previously dropped the last of Talion’s children.  She gestured to it in invitation to the two men, “After you, Monsieurs.  Do not worry, you’ll have a soft landing.”
This message was last edited by the player at 15:23, Fri 06 Dec 2019.

PM

As Mistral awaited Ralph’s arrival for extraction she knelt at the roof’s edge, lips moving and eyes darting rapidly, intently focused on scrutinizing the spatial resonance left in the enemy mage’s wake.  A hovering black ball of candy apparated from nowhere as she worked, and without looking Mistral plucked it out of the air, popped it into her mouth and chewed, not losing a moment’s focus.

PM

The time for extraction came, and Mistral awaited Prometheus and Ralph to jump down into the portal that would drop them onto the oversized bed in her cabin on the S.S. Grey.  Once they’d both gone through, the portal closed behind them, but Mistral remained on the other side.  Her voice came through over the earpiece to the two of them, “Le sorcier has escaped me.  I hunt him now, but can only do so alone.  I will return soon, unless I can not.  It has been an honor to work at your sides, and tell the others the same if I can not.  Au revoir, Monsieurs.”  With that, the line went dead.

On the rooftop, Mistral incanted words of power to reconstitute the spatial pathway left behind by her enemy, then made a running leap off the rooftop.  She fell briefly before vanishing into thin air, leaving the building to detonate in her absence.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:07, Sat 07 Dec 2019.

OOC: Sorry about the delay everyone. I had to a bunch to do the last two days and it took longer then expected.

Prometheus made no comment when Mistral's expression hardened or despite the concerns he held for these events. Something wasn't going right and he didn't know what it was. Space Mage battles were always risky.

Still, when she said it was time for extraction, he went through eagerly, well aware of how little time they had before the building exploded. They could peruse the Space Mage latter.

OOC: ---> To Return Trip (0.1.8)
This message was last edited by the player at 02:04, Sun 08 Dec 2019.

 As Mistral fell, the building exploded, the fireball expanding above her as she fell through the midair portal.

 Mistral had had the foresight to check the enemy portal, scry on the location, and alter the portal's destination before following through. It had been a good thing too, because the original endpoint had been moved to the top of a building in Time Square.

 Instead, she landed in a nearby alley. There were still quite a few people out in the driving rain. Despite the lightning, despite the howling winds... and, as such were all staring slack-jawed at the sky as a funnel cloud passed above them, ripping the lightning rods from the tops of buildings.

 It was only then that these people began to actually seek shelter.

 The problem now was "where to go?".

 When she had followed him sympathetically, she had ended up following someone else... so now the question became how to track a space mage through an apocalypse storm without any resonance.

Mistral landed in the alley, absorbing the impact with her knees as if she’d just jumped from a rooftop, which she had.  Hood upraised and fading into the rain like a specter, she flattened herself against the alley wall and checked her immediate surroundings.  Then she moved toward the enemy mage’s last known location, or at least of his treacherous will-working that placed an innocent drunkard in the path of a killing blow meant for him.

The storm was worsening, and what were all these people doing out here, she wondered?  Was Talion aware yet that his children were safe?  Ten of them, at least.  Mistral didn’t know about the others.

Mistral found the place where she’d been made to do a murder, and her placid demeanor faltered for a moment.  It was the connard I hunt who has killed you...  Was she trying to convince herself, the corpse?  The corpse didn’t care.  Mistral searched for resonances, wards, residual teleportation signatures, as well as evidence of more mundane movements.  Even if her scry had showed her false imagery, he had been here at least briefly...

 Mistral found little other than what she knew had happened with her mundane eyes. Her magical investigation, however...


 By the time she was done examining, she heard a loud crash behind her. Someone's AC unit had been torn off the roof and landed on the ground dear her. Debris was falling from the sky and an uprooted tree landed in the middle of Time Square.

 The puddles around her were literally boiling, despite being cool to the touch. Spirit resonance swirled around her, touching and destroying every sympathetic trace. She witnessed graffiti in the alley she was literally melting off the walls and the trash surrounding her was likewise melting as though someone had poured acid on them.

 You had seen Grey disassemble matter in a very similar way before, but you could not see her familiar metallic sheen in any of this work.

 Suddenly, the lightning illuminates the silhouette of an apartment building flying through the air above her, followed by a deafening crash of thunder.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:28, Sun 08 Dec 2019.

Mistral did not find the trail she was looking for, but what she did find was curious indeed.  The resonance had familiar aspects, but a large part of it was unlike any arcanum she’d ever studied.  She’d have questions for the author of this strange arcane cocktail... if she weren’t going to kill him first.

She arose to her feet just as an AC unit crashed to the ground nearby, causing her to dart away into the cover of a recessed doorway.  Mistral glanced up at the debris raining from the sky, then to the seething puddles and all things melting.  No, not everything... just the trash and graffiti, as if things were being cleaned up.  Interesting.  The apartment building hurtling through the sky overhead confirmed that the situation had become perilous.  Yet, she’d detected no residual teleportation signatures, which might mean her quarry was still here, somewhere.

Mistral opened her second sight and went on the move, keeping to cover as well as she could as she stalked the streets of the apocalypse like a ghost in the rain.  The situation had grown particularly dangerous and she had little hope to find her quarry now, but she had a feeling there was more to be found here...

 The rain had begun to drive down hard, reducing visibility to only a few feet. The sound of wind had become deafening, to the point where she could only hear the thunder and the sounds of large objects landing around her.

 With her second sight, the only thing she could truly see were the masses of spirits... and something of incomprehensible scale in the clouds. A spiritual leviathan swam within the storm above her, illuminated by lightning, even a single limb of which was fully more massive than the largest buildings in New York... and it was searching for something.

 You locked gazed with the titian for a moment but, just as quickly, it lost interest.

The weather was worsening by the moment, and it was quickly growing into a maelstrom that made a category-5 typhoon look like a pleasant spring shower.  Mistral could see next to nothing with her eyes, but her second sight revealed an incomprehensible sight.  Oceans of furious spirits roiling in flocks through the driving storm, and in the sky swam a spirit leviathan so vast as to defy imagining.  The titan turned toward Mistral for the briefest moment, and that terrible gaze struck like a blow both physical and psychic.  Mistral staggered back and was slammed against a wall, then collapsed to her knees.  She regained her feet, still reeling and fighting the urge to shiny herself away from this roaring chaos.

Yet, she thought this dreadful leviathan might be searching for the same thing as she.  On a foolhardy impulse, Mistral ran out from shelter into what she thought was the open plaza of Times Square, though in this apocalyptic storm she could not be certain.  It didn’t matter, for she only needed an unobstructed view of the spirit titan she sought to entreat.  Shouting words of power over the roar of the world’s ending, Mistral projected a psychic impression across the vast distance.  It was a brief vision of the enemy mage as she had seen him on the rooftop, driving Talion’s child before him at gunpoint.  The image was colored by Mistral’s impotent rage at being tricked and robbed of the chance to bring justice to this scum.

She didn’t realize until after she’d sent forth the image that she’d been screaming into the storm, heard by no one.

 The leviathan stopped and turned to stare at Mistral once more, this time with interest... but, as she'd seen with the smaller ones, the interest of a rage spirit was never welcome.

 It roared a peal of deafening thunder and glass began shattering around her, mixing with the wind and the rain to create a flaywind maelstrom. A car near her had its sides shredded and, as the leviathan approached, its foreclaw descended.

 In the material realm, it was a tornado... a swirling funnel of death reaching down, as if the sky itself had come to lay claim to all things terrestrial.

There could be no doubt that Mistral had succeeded in catching the titanic rage spirit’s attention by showing it the enemy, but there was a small problem in that she now had the attention of the titanic rage spirit.  She had no way of knowing whether the leviathan came now to destroy her or the enemy mage who might yet be nearby, but what difference would it make if the whole of Manhattan were turned into a crater with them both in it?

Mistral swirled her hands in mirrored gesticulations as the shattered glass whipped up into a destructive whirlwind all about her.  She shouted the High Speech incantation and was gone in a flash of bright supernal mist, which was instantly torn away by the terrible gales.

 Surprisingly, even though she found herself in the midst of a glassblown gale, she managed to teleport away before she was harmed.