The Found Arcana - Seventh Interlude [IC] Options

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby had not expected spirit support - but then he had been poking around here a few times already. Only reasonable to expect them to up their game.

Luckily, he had chosen a very speedy form. He immediately took off to break line of sight. It probably wouldn't have worked if at that moment the herd below hadn't become thoroughly spooked and began running away in a haze of animal fear, distracting the newly arrived spirit for just a few crucial moments.

Once Bobby was out of sight, he made a beeline for the fence and for the outside of the AES area. The squirming shrew didn't enjoy the ride at all and Bobby could feel its wee little heart beating like a miniature jackhammer.

Calling on Trouble he said through the astral: 'Please tell AM that I need to be picked up at the Snohomish River crossing of the 522 - don't know how long I can keep the deer alive in that form. And I don't think you want to transport it in your materialized form all the way home.'

[Beta]

When AM relays what Bobby asked of Trouble, Jawsey happily stopped chopping to go and meddle. Maybe he shouldn't, but truth be told he welcomes the chance to blow off some tension. He grabs his focus from the corner of the kitchen, goes into the living room then slumps securely in one of the chairs. He was about to fly off immediately, then decides that it is worth doing this properly. First a spirit, then an astral armor spell, THEN go meddle.

[ Spoiler ]

summon F5 spirit of man (spell: astral armor): 11d6t5 3
spirit resist: 5d6t5 1
drain resist: 13d6t5 4
2 services, no drain

Cast F4 astral armor on his spirit, sustained with focused concentration
astra armor F4: 11d6t5 3
drain resist vs 2: 13d6t5 4
no drain, spirit has 3 astral armo

spirit casts F5 astral armor on Jawsey
spirit casts F5 Astral armor on J: 10d6t5 5
spirit drain resist vs 3: 10d6t5 4
no drain, Jawsey has 5 astral armor

In a moment he's out of his body and heading east, glad that before Bobby had headed off they'd discussed where he was going.

Once there he scans the astral from on high, constantly on the move, criss-crossing the compound, so that at a passing spiritual glance he may be assumed to be passing by.

[ Spoiler ]

asensing: 11d6t5 3

It takes a couple of minutes, as the compound is large, but the spirit isn't hiding and shows up so much more brightly than anything else that it wasn't hard, just a bit slow. Upon spotting the spirit continues to travel, while using his second service to tell his spirit "travel to near the spirit below, look for Bobby's spell signature (he provides a feel for what Bobby's spell signature is like) and erase it, letting nothing distract you from this task until you are done, at which time you may depart."

He judges travel time and after a few seconds he turns and streaks back towards the spirit, sword dramatically brandished. He speeds towards it and gives a mighty slash ... that is carefully aimed to miss, while doing his best to give the impression that he was intending to slay the spirit

[ Spoiler ]

Con, convince the spirit it is under attack: 14d6t5 4 and for kicks lets edge that
edge to re-roll fails: 10d6t5 2
total of six successes

Guessing the spirit at F5 (to spot Bobby it had 8 dice, but that was after a penalty)
spirit resist con: 10d6t5 2

The spirit flinches and moves to avoid attack, while no doubt passing on the information that it is under attack. Jawsey figures that any counter atack will be at least a few seconds so he feints another attack, then goes on full defense to hopefully avoid any counter-attack. He has a hard time not letting too much joy show, he hasn't gone spirit baiting like this in years and he'd forgotten how alive it feels to run the risk of combat without the guilt of painfully disrupting a spirit. Maybe he'll earn a new foe from this today, but he'll be far away in a few days so he's willing to run the risk.

Now it is just a matter of maintaining the illusion of combat for another dozen or so seconds while his spirit finishes its job, so that Jawsey can then head off towards Glow City and then on to some of his memorized high background count locations around Touristville. As he he dodges and feints and fakes, he uses the speed of astral combat to travel back toward the trees, aiming to break the line of site to his spirit such that if reinforcements arrive for this spirit, they'll not notice the cleansing going on in time.

[ Spoiler ]

a few spirit attack and Jawsey defense rolls, in case it comes to that.

spirit A-attack: 10d6t5 3
Jawsey full defense: 15d6t5 5

spirit A-attack: 10d6t5 4
J full defend (2nd in turn at -1d): 14d6t5 5

spirit A-attack: 10d6t5 3
J full def (3rd def, -2d): 13d6t5 5

odds would probably catch up to him eventually, so let's throw a soak roll in there)
astral soak vs 6 damage, pre-edged: 15d6h5 4
he'd take two damage, no penalties yet.

I don't know what will actually happen (spirit vanishes, attacks Jawsey, another magician shows up, etc, but will edit this post and add a new one as appropriate.

[Gilga]

AM grins at the signs of her Totem's attention, and sighs as they invited mischief again into their life. "Some people cannot help themselves, not everyone hides." She concludes She stoicly gets to the Ford and begin driving to pick Bobby up. Normally she would swear, but this time she feels more aware of the spiderweb.

Trouble follows, and suggests his movement power to speed up the escape. He finds the act of hunting to be natural but too practical and to the point whereas he'd prefer a chase. Yet a chade they get so the cat spirit is very saidfied.

[Tecumseh]

Bobby zips into the trees, slaloming back and forth at high speed. Kind of exhilarating, kind of fun.

The spirit chases after him but has trouble tracking Bobby's aura through the thick trees. The spirit looks like it is about to go study the signature for Bobby's spellcasting when Jawsey arrives to distract it. The spirit quickly backpedals from Jawsey's ferocious charge, the weapon focus fully selling the threat. The spirit looks competent in a fight, but also doesn't look inclined to press the matter unless Jawsey assaults it for real.

After getting in the car, AM has about a 20 minute drive to rendezvous with Bobby. When she arrives, she notes that the shrew is emitting a wireless signal of some sort. An investigation will reveal that it has been tagged and that its previous owners might have a sense of where it is now.

[Gilga]

She parks out of the way trying not to draw unwanted attention."Bobby there is a wireless tag that we need to ditch before we take our prize." Lets find it and zend it in another direction. She orders Trouble to get a small animal to take the tag and run away with using the animal control power.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby frowned in his bird form. No wonder the shrew was so agitated - in this form the tag had to be digging fiercly into the small animals flesh. Bobby dropped into his normal form, while keeping the shrew in his fingers. Very carefully, he examined the animal. The tag had been implanted in the left ear - and now was almost too large for the poor animal. It was time to end its suffering. With a twist, he broke the animals neck and the deer returned automatically to its original form. Finding the tag again, took another few seconds, after which Bobby triumphantly pulled out the little wire needle with it's peppercorn sized head from the animal's slender ear, handing it to AM.

"I'm good to go, we can dress the carcass somewhere else." He hefted the body and put it in the trunk, making sure to use one of the tarps to keep the car clean.

[Beta]

After several seconds of pretend combat on his side, it is clear that the spirit has not received orders to engage. Jawsey fills the last needed seconds of distraction by backing off, saluting the spirit with his focus, giving an elaborate bow, and leaving in a showy spiral when his own spirit has finished its task.

[Gilga]

AM is too dolled up to carry a bloodied caracas but levitating is fine."Trunk" she comments as she opens the trunk. Trouble uses hos powers to make a squrail pick up the tag and run away with it. He then rubs AM's leg in a possesive gesture.

[Tecumseh]

Out goes the tracking tag and off into the forest with the squirrel that Trouble bamboozled.

Jawsey returns home, his diversion complete. The summoned spirit has scrubbed Bobby's signature.

AM levitates the deceased buck into the trunk. It weighs somewhere between 65 and 70 kilos.

You drive back to Redmond, although the question comes up: where exactly are you going to process the carcass? You'll end up with a lot of bones and internal organs which are probably inedible, even by Mato's standards.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby, reunited with his pants adressed the issue: <<Thanks for the help. Seems like the resort increased their security since I was last there. Greedy bastards.
I'll take care of the dressing. I can rig something up in the garage. The offal will make a nice offering for the local coyotes.>>

Surival: 10d6t5 4

Once they were back, Bobby began to set up - a large plastic tarp and a surival knife as well as a heap of zeolite.

"I need to look into curing leather - would be a shame to let the hide go to waste." Bobby mumbled to himself while working.

About half an hour later, Bobby stepped out of the garage, his hands bloody up the ellbows, carrying a large plastic bag that was already forming a blood drip at its lower edge.

[Gilga]

>>I would help, the Trickster would be amused.. Once they get home, AM quickly changes to her oldest, and perhaps most expandable clothes to help prep the carcass. She has rudimentary knowledge of surviving in the fields, her father sure tried to teach her - but despite everything, she was more of an indoors person. Yet, the Trickster does not like definitions and limitations and each weakness is just a hook for him to exploit. Thus, the tomboyish girl shows up in her worst attire and mischievously grins at Bobby "Teach me" she says assertively. Uncharacteristic to her, and despite her natural inclination she is there to help cut and prepare the meat.

Then she comments "I think you should, self-cured leather should have high strength and low resistance. Would make a good focus, or even a Homunculus if you feel like want some additional security. Imagine having a belt that you can command, or even a stuffed doll that can open the mail for us. " Her mind races to imagine the possibilities sorcery can offer.

[ Spoiler ]

Using leadership feels a bit off - but having a single point of survival she can roll for teamwork.
2 extra dice: 2d6t5 1
survival help: 6d6t5 2

[Jack_Spade]

"Actually, I was thinking about a pair of leggings that would transform with me, if I made them a focus or an attuned item. It certainly would be a good item to improve my respectability. Maybe even a pair of mocassins if I'm careful with the leather."

Bobby smiled: "It's funny to think about this - my father always went on about how important it was to learn all the skills our people had posessed. And I didn't really care. Only when I went into the army, I actually had to learn about all the surival skills - including creating gear from scratch. Now I'm part of a semi respectable firm with a regular income - and this is the time I actually start taking this drek serious.

Funny how everything turns out."

[Gilga]

Oh, if you can change shapes without being so naked it would make life easier. Had no idea that focuses transform with you.

when Bobby mentions his father she comments "My father is just like that, trying to be as self-reliant as he can. He was never around much-- had a real family to look up for. Mommy was all for computers. So I did not pick up much survival. I did learn how to shoot a gun and drive cars. Daddy felt like it was his responsibility to teach me these things. Perhaps he got it in the army, he did not speak much about his life but I researched him. He spent ten years in service.

Pausing she comments "It is strange that you take it seriously now - you seem to have more money than you know what to do with. I mean, you bailed me out instead of buying some fancy focus or a car or whatever. It says a lot. "

[Jack_Spade]

"I read about it in a case study about vampires. When they turn into mist, they take bound foci with them. Stands to reason that it works for all transformations."

Bobby continued:
"My father is a war shaman - very outspoken about tradition and correct way of life. The only exception he made in his ideology, was for my mother. Just shows you that base instincts trump morality fantasies again and again. He was proud of me when I developed my magic, though he likely hoped I'd be a full mage like him. He was a lot less proud when I was dismissed from the SDF - and downright terrified when he found out what my totem was. He hasn't disowned me, but I'm no longer welcome to learn from him. Spiritual contagion and corrupting influence. Protecting his family from me...

Anyway, that's neither here nor there. Forget I mentioned it."

Bobby worked silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was firm again.


"Nah, I know exactly the worth of my money. What I did was an investment. The dividents aren't coming out of your pocket - it's coming out of the work you can do when you don't have to worry about your loanshark - and the ability to upgrade your gear. I'd say it already paid off in part.
Even the fanciest focus couldn't hack a camera. My payout might be a bit delayed, but for me it makes sense to keep our business running. I just wished, I could have done something for Jawsey to make him stay.

Damn. Handling those guts is making me morose. Let's finish this up. I need to research how to best cure this leather."

[Gilga]

She works in silence and does not pursue the issue when she thinks Bobby has overshared. Familial relations are often a minefield, especially her own. "You know, the SDF seems to still have its claws in SIS. I'd imagine they still make use of your skills if it is of any comfort."

When he mentions Jawsey she sighs "He is running away Bobby. He says he is going for his people which is admirable but he is also terrified of Urubia's attention. I am not sure we'll see him back here anytime soon. He has not been the same after the Funhouse." She sighs "... and your investment seems even more speculative given Mato and Jawsey. Would Mato stay with us now that he is rich? I can hack cameras but how long would SIS be here."

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby sighed: "Yeah, I'm still owing Razak for his support. But I don't mind - he generally plays fair with his assets and knows exactly how to use them."

"Mato isn't rich yet - and with his transhumanism obsession, I doubt he will be any time soon. Though who knows with trauma. Some guys would start investing in derma plating, titanium bones and other enhancements to feel save again. Others get scared and learn how to rig anthro drones instead, hiding from the world. I hope Mato is the former type.
As for Jawsey: Maybe. His experiences left a mark on how he deals with things. He never was the larger, stronger force in a given conflict. So he developed his strategies to survive. Can't blame him for taking the flight option when fight would be suicidal. I actually learned a lot from him and by extension from you as well. A year ago I wouldn't have backed down from any kind of fight - even if it was clearly stupid to do so. I got over that superhuman complex because I had to consider more than myself in a given situation. If Jawsey actually goes to help his people, he will have to lean in the other direction as well - fight instead of run when his people are on the line.

Anyway, I asked Razak if he knew someone that would be suitable to replace Jawsey and he promised me to get back to us. So we'll likely have to conduct some job interviews in the near future."

[Gilga]

"It is good that you contacted Razak, we'll need new blood in here. Yet, I am a bit skeptical that anyone could replace Jawsey's silver tongue and limitless potential with magic. The man moved from barely using magic to almost my equal in only a few months. Within a year our roles would have been reversed. " She sighs "Perhaps some people aspire for bigger things than survival, which makes them bad assets even if they are the most talented."


AM comments "I don't know about Mato. I'd be very confused if someone offered to support me indefinitely for supposed blood relations or anything. In my case, I cannot be normal - but without the attention of the Trickster, I'd probably be somebodies wife, raising kids and managing a household. The entire story is a bit too fairytales and rainbows - I mean
I fantasized about such a deus ex-machina as a child. That my father is like a king or a prince and that he'll save us from poverty. To see such a story actually happening makes me very paranoid that higher powers with obscure ends and very elaborate plans are messing with us. I mean, what are the chances of actually having a rich dad that cares about you."

[Jack_Spade]

"In our circles? About one in four it appears. Don't worry - you can have that kind of life. You are still young. Though getting taken care off is overrated in my opinion. Too many conditions and dependencies. Freedom is a priviledge and a duty. Materialism will never satisfy - because there is always more to want.

But that's probably just me talking because I can turn into an eagle and soar high in the sky for a whole day. Brings things in perspective."

Bobby finished cleaning up and filling the ofal bag.

"Alright, time to cut it up and get the stuff freezer ready."

[Gilga]

She grins. "One in four, heh? We're snowflakes Bobby - all of us." she comments. Then adds "It is not materialism per se, but the more stuff you have the better you live. Think about the bullies we live with, from murder clowns to anarchist bomb makers, violent trogs with a strange fashion sense, organized crime, and not one but two dragons playing this hood like a chess game. This is not an environment where people normally grow very old, this is the place where you die young from a driveby or from insulting the wrong person.

The kids at Bellevue have it better, the police protect them. Their food is healthier, and if they are rich enough they don't even have to grow old when their perfect life prolonged. They can do these therapies that radically extend life, and get a second adulthood period, then a third, and who knows if technology continues to progress perhaps they can live forever. We live in an extremely materialistic world, where money lets you cheat even death.

I mean, if you want to sleep on the floor and eat lentils your entire life it is okay, but you still need a trust fund to stay safe, healthy, and young. Why do you think that shape-changing changes this for you? "

Work-related, she is happy to move the meat chunks to the kitchen for finer chopping and making steaks, stew, and other chunks whereas the others she plans to grind to make burgers. Figuring out it would be terrible to waste edible meat when most of their nutrition is crap. Having all that said, the thought of actually eating meat is a bit alien - she was a vegetarian most of her life - not by choice but the meat was a luxury they never afforded. Now there is like a ton of it, enough for all their guest to feast and take home the remains. The situation seems a bit unreal as if it happens in a movie to someone else.

[Beta]

When Jawsey realizes how much meat they have he just stops for few minutes, thinking. Finally he says "Thank you, Bobby, and AM for helping with it. Such a fortune in food is kind of overwhelming. I'm not sure my cooking skills are really going to do full credit to this, but I'll do my best ... but no way do we cook anywhere near all of it today. I guess freeze some of it, and hope that electricity holds out until you eat it. Then give some to Cutty, he probably needs more meat and he's been a good friend. Heck, wouldn't surprise me if he knew what to smoke it or make sausages or whatever it is you should do with a deer." A bit more thinking, then "Huh, I can't think of a bit of magic to help with this. I guess that is a good thing about cooking, it really does ground you."

He looked around the kitchen, maybe hoping for inspiration, then said "I'll look up recipes, I'm really not sure what best to do with fresh game. And I guess go buy whatever ingredients fresh game calls for. And get a grinder, to grind up some of the less desirable cuts, and then use that for something like chili or dirty rice. Maybe one of you could provide some of that to the pizza kids, and maybe, find another name for them -- I kept thinking that 'soon' I'd have enough of their trust to ask for names, but I never quite got there. Wishing you better luck with that. Oh, and I used to track them down astrally, maybe Trouble could help with that? Or you could make some other arrangement?"

[Tecumseh]

All you really need to dress a deer are a sharp knife and a strong stomach. Bobby and AM go a step further by putting on gloves and putting a tarp down so that the garage doesn't get too bloody. The work goes like this:

1. Cutting the butt to free the colon, but without puncturing the colon, which would taint the meat.

2. AM props the head and antlers up, then spreads the hind legs and holds them apart to keep the body in place.

3. Bobby slices a shallow 2cm slit all the way from the testicles up the midline, from pelvic bone to breastbone.

4. AM separates the hide from the organs, holding the knife with the blade facing up to avoid puncturing the organs.

5. Then Bobby cuts the diaphragm away from the cavity's walls and works all the way to the spine to separate it. He cuts the windpipe.

6. Now for the big show: with one long, strong pull on the windpipe, Bobby yanks out the heart, liver, lungs, intestines, stomach, and bladder all at once. They are deposited on the tarp in a glorious heap. BLORP.

7. While Bobby deals with that, AM flips the deer over and spreads its legs so that the blood can drain.

8. After that is the easy part: fillet out the backstraps, tenderloins, and neck meat, then remove the quarters.

In the end, AM and Bobby estimate that they've taken 20kg of meat out of the deer.

"Wait, save that," Mato says, arriving late enough so that AM and Bobby are confident that he hasn't overheard anything. He strides forward and scoops up the deer's liver with his bare hand. Well, his hand is bare metal, but still ungloved. "And that too." He picks up the deer's heart with his other hand.

"These are the best parts," he declares. "I'll cook these up for dinner tonight." He marches off with bloody deer organs in his hands.

[Gilga]

Wow, he actually knows which part is the best, she suddenly feels so small and insignificant. This is an achievement because butchering the deer was an empowering experience. She opens her mouth and then closes it, as no words appear. "He actually knows what it all tastes like" she finally says to herself. As the internal organs they were about to throw away look so small in these big metallic hands.

[Beta]

When Jawsey hears about Mato's plan with the liver, he arranges to be done with other food prep in the kitchen by then, so that the smell doesn't get into the other food. He knows how nutritious liver is supposed to be, bu the couple of times that he's had some he didn't care for it.

When Mato comes in though Jawsey greets him with a smile, slaps him on the back and exclaims "Good idea, it is probably good for your recuperation, lots of iron! Eat all you can." He stays to help, and to make sure that there are some other things to eat that night.

[Jack_Spade]

Interrupted by Mato, Bobby dropped the conversation and just shrugged as the cyborg went away with his two prizes.
"Personally, I find the heart too chewy - you have to tenderize the drek out of it to make it palatable. The liver is fine, though nowadays I avoid it - too much environmental poisons around - and those tend to accumulate in the liver tissue. Not directly harmful, but also not the best flavor enhancers."

Bobby began to clean up. To Jawsey he said: "Yeah, Cutty certainly has a recipe - and I bet it's for a stew. Cutty is a stew-kinda-guy.
For our own preservation, we can airdry the stuff for jerky or pemmican. Depending on the seasoning, that can really be a treat. Though you lose something like 75% in volume and weight through dehydration. So probably best if we serve it up at your feast.
Personally, I like sauerbraten - wine marinated pot roast. Takes three days and real wine or wine vinegar, but it's delicious. My mother used to make it."

Bobby went silent again, washing his hands after taking out the trash.

When he went back to find AM: "Almost forgot to answer you earlier: Having more money doesn't make you safer - it just gives you different things to worry about. You are probably right about rich people staying alive longer, but I don't think they actually live longer. Because existing isn't actually living in my opinion. And that's why shapechanging makes a difference: I'm experiencing as many different lives as I'm able to take different forms. The demands of our job and our environment grants us unique experiences that force us to develop and adapt. Mato nearly died, but he made it - and he'll likely come out of the experience changed and more experienced.
So I'm saying - our current lifestyle might be detrimental to our surival, but it is certainly conductive to us living life to its fullest."

[Gilga]

She makes some tea and seats in the kitchen to rest a bit from prepping the meat, she plans to help with cooking after she finishes her tea. As usual, she makes a whole pot and wordlessly invites the rest to drink. Responding to Bobby, she says, "Do you think I can do it too? How did you start? Do you just know how to behave in all these forms?"