The events in the Mage: the Ascension chronicle ‘Duplicity’ (#DPLCTY), between 08/09/2019 to 08/17/ 2019.
Jones Carter (Continuing scene from Week 1)
Jonas Carter:
“Huh, now that is odd…” I will print out the papers and then begin laying them out in my work room to try and truly grasp what is in these papers [Using Mind and Entropy to try and sort through all of this & try and find the truth behind them]
Mage Storyteller:
[Are you simply relying on your heightened sphere 1 senses or are you trying to formulate a deeper magickal analysis?]
Jonas Carter:
[I’m using Entropy 1 and Mind 1 to sort through the information and sort it into coherence over 2 or 3 hours]
Mage Storyteller:
[Roll Int + Finance dif. 7.]
Jonas Carter:
[Do either my Book Learning (int) or Warning Signs (Finance) specialties apply?]
Mage Storyteller:
[Lets say warning signs, yes.]
Jonas Carter:
[5 successes on the dicebot]
Mage Storyteller:
You sit down to go over the numbers and as you begin to process the familiar patterns it invigorates your mental circuits. Despite the long day you’re as alert as ever. As the data pours in your learn a few things for sure:
This plan is incredibly poorly thought out. Their rationale for launching this product is based on outdated models from the late 90s. The tech is incredibly sophisticated but the plan is not.
You don’t sense any maliciousness towards you, you don’t get the sense that you’re being set up or anything like that. However this event going forward gives you a sense of foreboding that you can tangibly feel, a splinter of dread in the back of your brain.
Finally there’s a name — the name of the engineer behind the software. His name is Aidric Gatz and while he is not the source of your sudden sense of dread, his name is grating to your psyche. A quick google search yields nothing.
Finally, you’re finished, exhausted. You send the files off Alex and head to bed. A mess though, something to sort out in the morning.
[/Scene]
Paul Chambers
Mage Storyteller:
I think the first time we see Paul he’s at home with his family. It’s the weekend, a weekend you’ve set aside to focus on a few household projects & spending time with family. What is Paul doing on this quiet Saturday?
Paul Chambers:
Paul starts the day mowing the lawn. It’s something he loves because it’s so basic, rhythmic. Around Noon he’s supposed to take the kids to the community pool. He’s a little worried though, something about the day doesn’t feel quite right.
Mage Storyteller:
You’re mowing the lawn, lost in thought. Recently a family of blue birds moved into your family birdhouse– when there’s a horrible clunk from underneath the mower & it powers off. You move it, to reveal an ancient rusted sickle protruding from the grass of your yard.
Paul Chambers:
“Huh, I say aloud. That’s unusual, I’ve been through this yard… 1000 times and never seen this before.” I pick it up and look it over.
Mage Storyteller:
It is entirely rusted over, the handle sticking in the ground with the blade protruding. It sports a large dent from the mower blade slamming into it though it did not snap. As you pick it up a faint sensation falls over your mood. Melancholy, almost.
Before you have time to examine it further you hear a door slam, your daughter Marilyn running out of the house into the yard. She’s fully equipped with her swimming gear, including snorkel. “Daddy!” She shouts, “It’s almost swim time!”
Paul Chambers:
“Yeah hunny, I’ll be right there.” I set the blade on the mower and leave it. I stare at it a moment and then take a big sigh. retrofitted. His wife is staying home to do some work. Paul enjoys getting time with the kids alone. He leaves the radio off as he’s thinking about the way smell connects to memory and the kids argue about who’s better swimmer
Mage Storyteller:
The rust on the scythe flashes crimson red, the color of a rich fall apple, you can almost smell it. Then your son comes out, eager to get to the pool.
Paul Chambers:
I stop, stare and shake my head. “Better head to the pool before it gets crowded.” Paul takes out his phone and makes a note of the scythe, it’s location, and what he saw. He’s worried.
Mage Storyteller:
The scent of apples lingers behind you as you load the kids into the car. [What car does Paul drive & is your wife coming with?]
Paul Chambers:
Paul’s taking the van, an ancient dodge minivan he’s “Sorry, everyone. We’ve got a whittle wabbit problem.” Paul takes a long look at the rabbit, and then taps on the horn to see if it’ll move.
Mage Storyteller:
You’re forced to throw on the brakes suddenly as a shape darts out of the ditch suddenly. The kids, ok but alarmed, peer up to see out the fresh window. You managed to stop in time but sitting still and unharmed in front of the vehicle is a large brown rabbit.
Paul Chambers:
“Sorry, everyone. We’ve got a whittle wabbit problem.” Paul takes a long look at the rabbit, and then taps on the horn to see if it’ll move.
Mage Storyteller:
Your children laugh at your voice and seem to relax, though as you tap your horn the rabbit’s head swivels and its eyes lock onto yours and it takes a hop closer. [Roll Perception + Awareness, add 1 for one of your sphere dots.]
Paul Chambers:
4 dice, 1 success.
Mage Storyteller:
The rabbit seems to nearly squint it’s eyes at you, then dives underneath your still stopped car, and out from underneath into the brush alongside of the road. The cars behind you begin laying on their horns.
Paul Chambers:
I casually flip the cars off behind me. “Better to externalize the rage and let it go, or so the post-deployment therapist used to say.” Paul drives the kids to the pool, and lets them out. He takes note of the rabbit on his phone. *Maybe research rabbit omens?* He shakes head
City Mood
Mage Storyteller:
[Mood] The week has been tense in the social areas this week, people prone to frustration and malaise. The tide is turning however, that restless energy turning productive.