2020-03-26 Penumbra

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## 2020-03-26 Penumbra

### PCs

Tati King
Ted Crews

## Log

> **Uyôtowá (Tati King)**/r 3d10\>\&61;6f1
> Hmmn.
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> /r 3d10\>\&61;6f1
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> (I can't seem to make dice work, so forgive me @Janothar )**SidekickBOT**@Uyôtowá (Tati King): 3d10\>\&61;6f1 \&61; ( 5 8 6, 2 successes) \&61; 2**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**Brooklyn's reflection is that of many inner cities, despite the Tellurian version having its own distinct collectives of culture, art, life, and love, the city within the Penumbra is always somewhat harsh. The buildings are tall and looming, dark and threatening. The asphalt is inhospitable and there never seems to be much of a sun in the sky--the most disconcerting part of the Penumbral city is the webs--thick layers of shining ephemera that coat, cover, and solidify every permanent object here--and sometimes trap unsuspecting Gafflings--it is a small Curiosi who had been trapped that Tati is here freeing, finely manipulating the essence of the webs themselves by speaking in a strange language.
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> @Ted Crews**Ted Crews**/r 3d10\>\&61;3f1**SidekickBOT**@Uyôtowá (Tati King): 3d10\>\&61;6f1 \&61; ( 4 5 6, 1 success) \&61; 1**Ted Crews**(Guess the massive delay happens now)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**(Yeah, just pose, and if you get Paradox, we can retcon, but if you fail, just roll again.)**Ted Crews**(ok)**Janothar**(don't worry about rolls, you're in the penumbra, congratulations! give me just a moment, and I'll be able to take over some narrative stuff)**SidekickBOT**@Ted Crews: 3d10\>\&61;3f1 \&61; (6 5 6, 3 successes) \&61; 3**Ted Crews**After preparing the proper ritual for stepping sideways (going through a door and calling upon the favor of a spirit of traveling, since doors are symbols of passage), Ted arrives at Umbral Brooklyn
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> (cool)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**If Tati seems to notice or be looking for one Sir Ted Crews, his presence does not quite seem to register to her. Instead, she whispers something unintelligible to the Curiosi, who then continues to flit about her, following her as she continues her way down the Penumbral sidewalk, staring at web-covered buildings intently, and sometimes stopping to speak aloud, again in that strange language.
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> The Curiosi is not the only spirit following her around. There is an entire swarm of them, primarily Gafflings of some kind or another, Elementals of Glass and Electricity seem to be particularly interested in her right now, as well as a host of Curiosi and even a few of the Pattern Spiders seem to follow her curiously. She even seems to be speaking to them as she walks.
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> (That's Spirit Magnet @Janothar just to be clear.)**Janothar**To add to the description of Penumbral Brooklyn: though the buildings are dark and threatening, there are two types of threat from them. Some neighborhoods, the buildings threaten in the way wealth does, they feel like they will come down on you like, well, a ton of bricks, if you step one toe out of line, you can feel them watching you. The other set just feel like they'll come down, like they'll consume you in some abstract, yet violent way. In the distance, no matter where you are or what direction you're looking in, the Statue of Liberty is visible, though she appears to be crying.
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> And on top of all that, there's the plague spirits. They're everywhere, flitting about in the rich and poor neighborhoods alike. Though the healthcare system that saves people from them might, they don't discriminate, they're coming for everyone. But there's also something else, a sense of filth that permeates the area that neither of them have seen until recently. On closer look, it seems to have a consistency like sand, but it feels disgusting to the touch.**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**(Add plague spirits to those who might be following me, that makes sense.)
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> (Are they banes?)**Janothar**(In the sense of belonging to the Wyrm? If your character believes in the Wyrm, presumably. They are destructive spirits. I don't know werewolf's take on spirits well enough to say much.)**Ted Crews**Ted looks at the plague spirits and makes a mental note to himself that he still needs to do something about them soon
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> (as Ted walks around, he notices Tati?)**Janothar**(you're welcome to find each other whenever you want)**Ted Crews**(ok)
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> Ted notices an unnatural movement or spirits towards a certain area. Curious, he follows then and sees Tati
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> (Btw Ted has Fame 1 so you might know him)
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> - Oh, look, company! - he laughs**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**(She doesn't strictly belief in the Wyrm, but I guess they might look like Jhor-tainted spirits?)
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> (What is the Fame for?)**Ted Crews**(CEO of Bounty Tech, a local business)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**(What does it do?)**Ted Crews**(It's a tech company focused on apps and mobile games with branches in computer hardware)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**(Okay, I don't think she'd recognize him then--not her wheelhouse at all, I'll pose.)**Ted Crews**(also he runs a charity programming school)
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> (ok)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**Tati is shooing off a plague spirit that is getting decidedly too close to her when she hears Ted laugh, and turns suddenly on her heel. She is dressed in a long, flowing black dress, which some of the Curiosi are fussing with, lifting and dropping the ends. Her hair is tied up into two fist-thick braids at either side of her head, and draping over her torso where she wears a tight black bodice. She is holding a large piece of chalk in one hand, which she holds up in front of her like someone might a weapon, and a still-smoking cigarette in the other. "Woah, woah, woah. Who the fuck are you? Friend or foe?"**Ted Crews**He's wearing a social white shirt, jeans and black shoes. Still smiling, he says:
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> - Friend, of course
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> - The spirits seem to like you, you're lucky**Janothar**(She doesn't strictly belief in the Wyrm, but I guess they might look like Jhor-tainted spirits?)
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> (@Uyôtowá (Tati King) eh, I wouldn't say that. They're nasty fuckers, killing people, but killing is their nature, jhor always seems more of a corruption to me)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"Okay--but you missed the primary question--who are you?" Tati is still holding the piece of chalk up. Despite the tension in her body language, she puts the cigarette to her lips--it is not lit--and some of the spirits around her seem to follow the motion of her hand. "Oh, yeah, lucky. I've always got an army at my back--that's why none of the weirdos and black hats ever fuck with me."**Ted Crews**"You can call me Ted, I'm the protector of this land, as cheesy as it sounds" he laughs again
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> "I'm looking into some rumors about an aggressive spirit running around"**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**Tati shrugs her shoulders, lips still holding the cigarette. She lowers her hand and shoos off another plague spirit that comes too close to her. "This is your turf?" she asks cautiously, eyes briefly flitting from side to side. "I didn't see any tags or pissing posts, so I didn't know. I can bail if you need me to--and there's cheesier shit that protecting the land. I got land to protect too. My land." She pauses then, one carefully curated eyebrow shooting upward. "Are you? What kind of aggressive spirit? We talking like one of those bloodthirsty ones that gets off on street fights, or something a little more...concerning?"**Ted Crews**He shakes his hands in denial
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> - No, no, don't worry. I'm a servant, not a ruler. Be my guest
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> - If what I heard is true, I would say it's more on the concerning side of things
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> - The spirit has been attacking humans, I wad told. Devouring their souls**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**Tati lowers the chalk then, slipping it into the top of her bodice so that the white tip is still exposed. She reaches up and removes the cigarette from her lip and again those spirits surrounding her follow the movement of the potential offering. She kicks at one of the Curiosi fiddling with the hem of her dress, and it scatters momentarily. "Oh, yeah? Sounds real bad. Bad stuff. Soul eating is rarely things the good ones do. I mean, I think. Sounds right. Uh, I'm looking for a problem too. I thought maybe these gross little fucks--" she kicks at another plague spirit inching closer to her, sending it scattering as well "--might be part of it. But I'm not sure if they taste the same. Not that you should taste them--highly recommend against that, really."**Ted Crews**- The plague spirits are more likely a reflection or the pandemic, I believe. If the spirit is causing the pandemic, then it's a problem bigger than I expected
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> - I'm working on that, too, though. I've been trying to convince people to greet with a safer 'wakanda forever' - he makes a cross with his arms to demonstrate - rather than a hand shake
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> He laughs yet again**Janothar**As they talk, that sandy muck is sticking to them, mostly their shoes, not really getting higher than that, but it's sticking to them, and it's persistent.**Ted Crews**(is this common? Can it be dangerous?)**Janothar**Neither of you have seen it before very recently, it has never harmed you.**Ted Crews**(ok)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**Tati seems to notice the muck attaching itself and twists her lips in discuss, taking a few steps so that it does not have as much time to attach itself to her boots. She starts to circle around Ted so as not to walk away from him. She also immediately responds to his demonstration by crossing her own arms and muttering "Wakanda Forever."
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> "Yeah, okay. Sounds like we're on the same track Ted, Servant of Brooklyn. You make any traction on finding the source of this other problem then? That's, uh--I've been wandering around for awhile now looking for any signs of it, but it's a big fucking city."**Ted Crews**Ted follows Tati's lead and walks away of the muck
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> "Understandable, but, by the way, do you know what's this thing?"**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"I've seen it," she says. "Sort of. Tasted it? How do we qualify the ephemeral?" She shrugs, placing the cigarette back between her lips. She glances in the direction of the sobbing statue in the distance, shaking her head. "I know it's a spirit. It's a big one. Some kind of ancient Jagghole, if you know what I mean. At least. If it's more than one of those, I don't know if I can deal with it on my lonesome. It hurt my family." The last is said with a squint of her eyes, but she looks away from Ted then, so that he cannot see her face.**Ted Crews**"I see... I'm sorry for what happened. We will find the spirit and make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else"
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> "Sorry for the blunt question, but where did the spirit made his last victim? It may be a good starting point for the investigation"**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"I mean--it would be--but I followed it this way. I think, I'm not sure, but I think it's in the City proper. Want to trek that way with me, Ted?" She pauses, cigarette still in her lips, causing her to mumble a bit. "I'm Tati by the way. Which side of the war are you on? You don't strike me as an aluminum lizard but you don't seem like a House Cup enthusiast, either."**Ted Crews**- Sure, let's go! - His smile widens
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> - I don't take part in any war except the one for Brooklyn. But I was recently introduced in the Dreamspeakers, if that's what you mean
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> - ... Also, I'm not very informed on the terminology, what those terms mean?**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"Can't take the train here--wait can we?--I've never tried. What kind of payment should we offer a train spirit to ferry us away? Should we let it at all?" She starts walking in the island's general direction, eagerly keeping her boots from staying on the ground too long. "Oh! Well--that's useful and explains a lot--uh, don't stress it. I'm just knocking the stick-up-their-ass brigade. You know. The Union and the Order. I have had my complete fucking fill of the Order lately. How do they have no cognizance for how fucking obnoxiously full of themselves and overbearing they are?"**Ted Crews**(Can we take the train here? Lol)
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> (My guess is no)**Janothar**(it's a bit tricky, probably not worth it, and sometimes drops people off in the Low Umbra)**Ted Crews**(Oh, neat)
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> - We could, but it's really not a good idea
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> - Besides, walking is good for our health
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> - Hmm, I believe I heard about these organizations. For the way you talk about then, can I assume you're a disparate?"**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"Oh, yeah, sure. That will balance it out, right? The Umbra is bad for your health just like these little fu--get the fuck off of me," she kicks at another plague spirit, and for good measure, a Curiosi. "--and the walking good, so we come out nice and soft at the end!" She laughs at her own joke, not seeming to care if Ted thinks it is funny. "Sure, let's avoid the train. I'll trust the Dreamspeaker bros--we can be bros right?" She shrugs, "Y'all are usually the best of the Traditions--yeah. I'm non-denominational. I thought you'd guess based on my particular chic."**Ted Crews**"Of course we can! Also, thank you in behalf of the Dreamspeakers, thank you"
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> "Do you wish to get rid of the plague spirits? Maybe I can help"**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"I don't think there's much to be done about that--you said it was a reflection of the other side, but it could just as easily be that the other side is a reflection of this side. Either way--do you watch the news?--it's in the minds and hearts of literally every last person right now, and it's global. Maybe we could wipe out a few, but as a whole, there's not a lot that can be done about it, I think." She continues on her trek, her parade of spirits following after her, and the long train of her dress dragging along the ground.**Ted Crews**- Yes, sadly I don't think we can get rid of all of them, but maybe these specific ones
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> - Also, I don't believe that the Umbra is a reflection of Earth of vice-versa, though I used this word. I think both are cause and consequence. Both worlds exist and act together, dependently**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"Yeah, there's a lot of theories, huh? That one is a lot closer to mind--it's better than the Ghostbusters ideas. I got desperate and asked them for some help because the Order kept blowing me off."**Ted Crews**"Are they that bad? Everyone talks about them as if they are worse than Hitler or something"**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"No--they're less bad and more extremely exhausting. Dealing with them is almost exactly like dealing with the Order." She pauses, looking back at Ted and pausing, "Wait--you said you were fresh. How fresh?"**Ted Crews**"My entrance rites finished yesterday" he rubs the back of his head and laughs a bit**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"Holy shit!" Tati says, stopping in her tracks for a moment. She looks back at Ted, looking him up and down brazenly, "You have an aura of authority about you--so I figured you were a little more of an old hand, to be honest, despite what you said. And you're here--so you obviously know what the fuck you're doing. This is no beginner feat." She stares at him a little longer, briefly pressing a black lacquered nail to her lips, considering. Then, she meets his eyes. "Well, take whatever I have to say with a grain of salt. Everyone annoys me. The Order is fucking full of themselves and you're probably gonna have to deal with their sociopathic narcissism complex even more than I ever will." She pauses, then continues walking. She lowers her voice, but it's far from a whisper. "They'll also treat you as lesser no matter how good you are what you do--but that's part of why y'all are the best of the whole big rotten fruit."**Ted Crews**- Well, I did Awaken when I was 8 years-old. Thank you, I'm flattered
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> - I may be inexperienced in Tradition matters, but I've been on this for a looong time on the real world**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**Tati raises her eyebrow then, briefly glancing back at him. "You've been an Orphan this whole time? How old are you now?"**Ted Crews**"48, why?"**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"I'm just doing some math, man. You've been Awakened for 40 years and you've been an Orphan until yesterday?" Tati laughs, but then covers her mouth and shakes her head. "Good for you, dude."**Ted Crews**"Yep. Is this unusual?"**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**"Nah. I've met plenty of ancient Orphans. I knew an Orphan who was in his seventies the last time I saw him. Haven't seen him in a hot second, though--I was twelve when I woke up--I'm just a lot younger than you, old man." Tati jibes.**Ted Crews**"Yep, again, lucky you"
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> (also, it's 2 AM where I am, mind if we finish this later? I gotta sleep)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**(Yeah! Let's say they fuck around and explore the penumbra up until Brooklyn Bridge and then maybe down the line you and I can grab @Janothar to investigate further. She'll give Ted her number.)**Ted Crews**(great, should we make some rolls to represent the investigation? Like talking to spirits, checking resonance and stuff?)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**(Let's just do it next time when Janothar is around)**Ted Crews**(ok, sure. Night!)**Uyôtowá (Tati King)**(Night! I had fun! THank you!)**Janothar**(I should be around most of hte weekend, at least)