Mage the Ascension: Rule of Shade

[frigidmagi]

Jones finished his fruit. Spacewhales... He would have chuckled if not for the implications of it all. He looked over at the cartoon and shrugged. He knew from experience that James would be worthless until it was over, he would wait for it to end and then try to get him to look up some symbols for him. If he could even get a partial match...

[LadyTevar]

James had become occupied with his cartoons and stopped petting her. Moving her head slightly, Mandalay could see Boxer, who had once again gotten a very distracted look in his eyes, one she was sure meant he was thinking of the idol again.

Time for a distraction. She prefered her panther form, following Lady Rowin's wishes that she be discrete, yet it made conversation with Boxer taxing. It would be the first time she'd ever shown herself before Stark and James ... if the latter would even notice. Withdrawing from James' lap, she circled around behind his chair, prowling towards Boxer. As the panther moved, her body started rippling. In the mere seconds it took for her to cross the distance, she changed.

The lithe black panther blurred, bulking up into nearly twice the size, a brief glimpse of saber-fangs flashing before rising onto her back legs; a great humanoid panther, beautiful and terrible in a saffron-yellow wrap, a fuzzy-lovers sex-dream and killing nightmare both; then the fur withdrew like fog as the feminine form shrunk, pausing for a glimpse of a tall body-builder's form clad in green bra and yellow sari, then stablizing as the exoticly lovely form of a Hindu woman with long straight black hair and the same coppery panther's eyes, dressed in a tight green choli top under the saffron-yellow sari, decorated with red and green designs along the bottom. The choli fitted her bodice flatteringly, and the ruby gleamed at the side of her nose as her only jewelry.

Once again, her hand reached out and touched Boxer's shoulder. "You are thinking of the idol again, Boxer," Supiyaw teased, her voice the cultured cadence of British India, softened by her years in the States. "Why did you not ask Lady Rowin about it?"

[SirNitram]

Stark looked up from his cartoon obsession, and blinked a few times. "Huh." The simple conclusion of the Techno. "Thought that race was two galaxies from here. You an immigrant, or what?" No, he hadn't realized it was the great cat that slunk around.

[B4UTRUST]

James was fairly absorbed in the animated story on the screen. At the moment it seemed that the female gargoyle, Demona, was discussing some sort of plot with the human male, Xanatos. Whatever the plot may be, however, was yet to be revealed as the show cut to a commercial break, starting with a ad for 'Motor Trend's Truck of the Year - the all new, spacious, Toyota Tundra extended cab."

James immediately lost interest and started looking around realizing a certain giant sized kitty was no longer seemingly after trying to get a lolipop education on interspecies erotica. He was still unsure how he should feel about that to begin with. Looking around he noticed the new woman. Realizing who it must be, he blushed a bit and turned his attention back to the less-than-enthralling commercials trying to convince him that he should spend his hard-earned paper and metal monies on half a dozen different types of dish soap, shampoos and anti-aging creams.

[LadyTevar]

Stark and James' reactions brought a small smile to Supiyaw's face, one that both of them had seen quite often upon Mandalay's face; slightly superior, definitely smirking in that 'I know something you don't know' way the panther often had about her.

[Dark Silver]

As the commercials played on the television, one would catch the ear or those bothering to listen, the local news caster giving the promo for the noon-time newscast.

"For the third time in as many weeks, the body of a young woman has been found on the Darkmuth University Campus. Details, along with the look at the week's weather at Noon."

[Charon]

Jason was dusting himself off and favoring his bruised shins and forearms when he felt two people appear behind him. Jason glanced behind him and saw two very familiar people.

"Oh, Rowin. Gren. Fancy seeing you out here."

Jason glanced back up at his room window and then back to the pair.

"Errr. Lovely, weather, we're having?"

[B4UTRUST]

James's attention perked up at the news blurb. It wasn't unusual, the local station often did adverts of their top stories of the day so far, along with the weather, sports, traffic reports, and the like. But that particular news blurb caught his attention due to its nature.
"Huh," he stated intelligently, mostly to himself. "Three murders in three weeks. You'd think the cops would have something by now, right? Too bad they can't just wake the dead up and ask 'em who killed 'em..."

[frigidmagi]

"The Dead don't always know. I mean if you were killed at night by a tall white guy with black hair out of no where, how much could you tell the cops even if they could wake you up and ask?" Jones replied. He realized he was still hungry. Very hungry. He got up and headed towards the fridge again. More fruit or something.

"And Mandalay, I got nothing to take to Rowen yet expect a weird piece of African art as of yet. I am not going to run to my elders like a 4 year old with a scrapped knee until I know I've got something worth attracting their attention. All I need is to have them spend a week on it and find out it's some old prehistoric mage's set up for making roast baboon pie or something." He said opening the fridge. Yeah, he had had jack and shit to show the elders for them 'adopting' him. He needed to come up with something before they started wondering why they were allowing him to soak up resources like a sponge.

[LadyTevar]

She could hear the frustration in his voice. Normally she would make someone work to figure out a Secret, but this idol was too dangerous for play. "You never asked what I sensed from the idol, Boxer," Supiyaw replied, watching him dig for food. "Anyone who can sense the Spirit World will tell you the same thing -- the idol is malicious and dangerous."

[B4UTRUST]

James simply shrugged.
"Not arguing that, I agree. But if you tell them it was a tall white guy with black hair you just eliminated every hispanic, black, indian and oriental who may have been a suspect. Narrows it down a bit. And unless it's two midgets standing on shoulders, you eliminated the vertically challenged which might still be more then they have to go on. Just sayin, it might help if they could. Might not, as you said. Of course, for this to even be an issue to really discuss they need the body and Jesus of Nazareth. Or at least a fairly skilled Awakened."

[Cynical Cat]

Arkady lead Russell back to the car, first stopping at a pay phone. He phoned the Chantry. "Picked up autopsy folder for mysterious death. Mirrorshades there. May have been spotted. Will take circulous route to avoid tail. Keep look out."

He headed back to the car. "Now we drive around and find out if being followed." Paranoia was an old habit. Fortunately Arkady had a knack for losing tails. He did a few sudden stops and turns to see if he was being followed, but he was clean. He ended up back in the Chantry.

[SirNitram]

Stark was about to ask about 'Mandalay', before he leaned his head back in an all-too-recignizable gesture that he was dealing with a phone call. The lack of visible phone never did impede him.

"Stark here. I copy. Will be in position just in case." He leaned back forward. "Arkady has something from the Morgue! And Mirrorshades in on it. If he's talking literally, expect unmarked black vehicles. I'll be Consensus side to keep the watch."

And the bastards were making him miss Gargoyles. The jamming of the remote controls ceased as the ex-Engineer headed to keep watch.

[LadyTevar]

Supiyaw blinked as Stark relayed the message, then looked over to John and Boxer. "I believe Arkady has found another way to hear the Dead speak, unless I miss my guess," she said.

Mirrorshades... Technocrats, possibly. Best to stay human for now, as that would confuse them into thinking she was just another mage. There was a cold look in her eye as she thought of how badly they'd be mistaken. "Servants? please inform Master Darek and Lady Rowin we may be having unwanted guests."

[Dark Silver]

Supiyaw spoke, and one of the pair of red glowing eyes set within the hollowed socket of the translucent skull seemed to stare blankly. The voice which issued forth was simple deep, and hollow sounding as the skull looked to be, "The Chantry is protected. The Master will be told."

With that, the eyes simply disappeared - as was their want. Instantly, the room felt a couple degrees warmer - something about their resonance made the air in a room chill when they entered.

---------------


Rowin and Gren appeared behind Jason, and Rowin shook her head in debelief. "You were just going to leave? Without informing us? Shame Jason...you could have just used the front door..."

Gren shook his head, "Don't get into to much trouble in town kid. Thirteen will be stopping over for dinner tonight, so be back by then."

With that, the two Masters disappeared again, this time walking from the house, towards the forests. As they neared a otherwise seemingly normal birch tree, they both disappeared.

---------------


Arkady's drive was clean. No black sedans followed, no black helicoptors shadowed him from a distance. Infact, if it wasn't for the fact Arkady had seen the black suited men, and he felt like one was staring right at him, so knowingly.....then it would seem like there was nothing out of the ordinary.

The car drove into the simple garage at the back of the Chantry house, and a Unseen Servant opened the door for them to enter. The Chantry itself was eerily quiet, until the sound of a deep thrumming followed by a intense schwooping sound.

It faded after a few seconds.

[Cynical Cat]

"Is big mess," said Arkady as he came into the house. "Mirrorshade very sloppy with folder, could be plant." He spread the contents out on the table. "Many technical terms. My English not quite good enough. Not enough medical background."

[B4UTRUST]

James shut the lid to his laptop and pulled some of the files over to him from the folder, setting them on top of the clamshell case as he read them.
"Looks like a coroner's report, anything specific you're looking for in it?"

James may not have been a liscened doctor but between his youth and what schooling he did have he was probably nearly as qualified. Of course that didn't matter zip if he tried to actually practice medicine in a hospital. But it mean he had more then a basic understanding of forms and how they were filled out and catalogued.

[SirNitram]

"Names? Titles? Words like 'New World Order' or 'Syndicate' floated around?" Stark asked as he took some of the contents and began scanning for the telltale hints a Technocrat would know.

[LadyTevar]

Supiyaw, thanks to her father's practice, had grown up reading medical textbooks and journals. That knowledge alone could have made her a nurse, if Luna had not given her a higher calling. However, there were forms to be followed first.

"Welcome back, Tasha," she said, greeting the feline first as she did every time. The lack of whiskers in human form made it hard to speak Kheuar but the addition of hands meant she could give the familiar scritchies instead of a headbutt. Only after Tasha had acknowledged her would she speak to Arkady. It did not mean that the Hindu woman was ignoring the Russian, merely that she was getting Natasha's permission first to talk to her human.

As she waited, she leaned over the table to look at the pictures that accompanied the file. They were quite gruesome.

[Dark Silver]

Contents of the Folder
"Instant Development" Pictures of the crime scene each with "caption"

Picture One:
The remains located on the Darkmuth Campus Quad. The body lies prone on the ground covered in plastic tarp. There appears to be no head and no arms. The remains are naked, and only in vague human shape.
Caption Remains: 0355h - Jane Doe body

Picture 2:
The head laying on it's side, outlined by police tape. The head is of a college aged girl, what remains of hair on her head is black in color. Eyelids are open, but no eyes are visible. Mouth is open, no tongue visible. Nose looks to be chewed off. Back of head is removed, no brain.
Caption Remains 0357h - Jane Doe head

Picture 3:
A picture of small intestines, apparently ripped fresh from a body, in the shape of a pentagram (upside down pentacle). no blood is on the area, even though the intestines are drenches in it.
Caption 0400h religious symbol of human remains. NW of body


Picture 4:
A sterile coroner's exam room. What remains of the body laid upon metal exam table, devoid of clothing. Obviously a female corpse, one of the breasts remain intact, and the distinct lack of male genitalia. Stomach has a incision seemingly sewn shut running parallel to the line of symmetry. The arms have been removed, flesh torn at shoulder sockets. 95% of body has been mauled, flesh ripped apart, naked bone in various places are visible, very little "clean" flesh is left.
Caption Coroner #1


Picture 5:
Close up of symbols carved into right side, taken at 90° angle from relative "above".

Caption: Mysterious Symbols Close-up- Coroner #2


----------------------------------

DATE and HOUR AUTOPSY PERFORMED
9/13/2000; 0800 AM by

Travis Jones, M.D.
2000 Government Row
Office 32
Point Pleasant, TN 38665
225-352-XXXX (FAX 225-352-XXXX)

ASSISTANT:
Trish Luxom, M.D.

Full Autopsy Performed

--------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY REPORT OF AUTOPSY

Name: DOE, Jane

Date of Birth: unknown

Race: White

Sex: Female

Date of Death: 9/13/2000

Body Identified By: No Identification

Case #: 0003526-13B-2000

Investigative Agency:
Point Pleasant Police Department


------------------------

Evidence of Treatment
Body has multiple lacerations and contusions. Subject shows obvious signs of mistreatment, and mauling.

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION
The Autopsy is begun at 8:00 AM on September 13, 2000. The body is presented on stainless steel examiners table on top of black body bag. When first views, deceased is unclothed. Arms are detached from shoulders and presented slightly above shoulder sockets near head. No jewelery is included. The body appears to be that of a normally developed white female measuring 58 inches, weighing approximately 115 pounds and appearing generally consistent with a age within the range of 17-21 years of age. Lividity is non-present in the body, as if all blood was drained before hand.

The deceased's head has been removed from the body. Inspection of the neck reveals damage consistent with tearing of the flesh and musculature. Inspection of the vertebrae reveals damage consistent with a serrated object sawing through bone.

Deceased's hair has been removed except for small amount near the fore of the scalp Hair remaining is black in color, straight, and measures between 3 and 13 inches in length. The hair is encrusted with what appears to be blood. Rear portion of the skull has been removed by unknown means though damage is consistent with that of a circular saw, and the brain has been removed. Subject's eyelids are open, with the eyes removed. This appears to be the only trace of blood upon the head of the deceased.

The chest, abdomen and back are non-symmetrical and are not intact. External genitalia are that of a developed adult female, and there is evidence of major injury. Limbs, when present, are symmetrical and developed. There are ten fingers present, but no associated fingernails. Damage to the deceased appears to be a mix of animal assault, and physical brutality associated with blunt trauma.


INTERNAL EXAMINATION
HEAD--CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: Subsequent autopsy shows that the victim's eyes appear to have been gouged out. Excessive damage to the optical nerve suggests a serrated instrument was utilized to remove the subject's eyes. Flesh has been ripped from the deceased's right cheek, and is consistent with the patterns of a human bite mark. The back half of the deceased's skull has been removed, the rear portion of the skull and scalp were not found with the body. Deceased's brain has been removed, and was not located with the body. Deceased's brain stem remains intact at the base of the skull.

There appears two be two puncture wounds upon the upper part of the deceased's neck, approximately 1 inches apart. They appear to be made with two small, cylindrical objects with a diameter of approximately 1/2-cm.

SKELETAL SYSTEM: there are multiple hairline fractures observed via X-RAY to the ulna and femur. Severe damage has been observed to the number 18 vertebrae

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM-THROAT STRUCTURES: Trace amounts of vomit and what appears to be semen are present in the posterior oral cavity. The oral cavity shows evidence of recent lesions. The mucosa is not intact, and there are injuries to the lips, teeth and gum. There is no obstruction of the airway. The mucosa of the epiglottis, glottis, piriform sinuses, trachea and major bronchi are anatomic. There is major damage to the trachea, possibly resulting from blunt force trauma. The Lungs are not present, unknown how they were removed.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart weighs 232gram, and would be of normal size, if it would not appear to have been crushed. There is no evidence of atherosclerosis present. There is a lack of any blood within the deceased.

GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM: The mucosa and wall of the esophagus are intact with a grey-pink coloration, though the esophagus itself has been crushed. The gastric mucosa is intact and grey. Small intestine has been removed, as has the large intestine and the stomach lining. The Mucosa of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and rectum are intact.

URINARY SYSTEM: the kidneys are not present in the deceased. They appear to have been removed with the intestines.

FEMALE GENITAL SYSTEM: The structures are within normal limits. There is evidence of sexual fluids within the deceased's reproductive tract.

TOXICOLOGY: Sample of blood located in the heart has been sent for further screening, as has a sample of deceased's bile.

SEROLOGY: N/A

LABORATORY DATA

Cerebrospinal Fluid culture and sensitivity

Gram stain: unremarkable
Culture: No growth. Recheck in 72 hours.

Cerebrospinal Fluid bacterial antigens:

Hemophilus influenza B: Negative
Streptococcus pneumoniae: Negative
N. Meningitis: Negative
Neiserria meningitis B/E. Coli K1: Negative
Andromeda G.: Negative

Drug Screen Results

Urine screen {Immunoassay} was INCONCLUSIVE
Ethanol: 0 gm/dl, Blood (Heart)
Ethanol: 0 gm/dl, Vitreous

Millicent Trent; Ph.D.
Chief Toxicologist
Sept 13, 2000

EVIDENCE COLLECTED
1. One (1) Trace of dirt from toenails.
2. Ten Autopsy Photographs
3. One Postmortem MRI
4. 3 postmortem X-RAY
5. Samples of Blood (B-), Bile, and Tissue (heart, large intestine, liver)

Manner of Death
Homicide

Immediate Cause of Death:
Separated of spinal column resulting from removal of head from body.

Time of Death
Body temperature, rigor and livor mortis place approximate time of death over 17 hours prior to location of deceased.

//Travis Jones, M.D.
Point Pleasant City Coroner's Office
Sept 13, 2000

[Comrade Tortoise]

Russell looked over the file. Whether or not he had a medical background or not in his old life, he had a decent one now.

"Ok. From the top of my head,this looks like some sort of ritual rape-murder. She was forced to perform oral sex while she was alive. Evidenced by the semen and damage to the inside of her throat and the vomit. This was done very hard. There was damage to the inside of her mouth consistent with it, as well as being punched in the face. She was also raped. I cant tell from this if it was done while she was alive, though the bite mark on her cheek is consistent with something that would happen during the rape.

Um.. She was drained of blood, and cleaned. Her eyes were also removed without medical equipment... with something like a steak knife, and there is evidence of both animal attacks and massive blunt force trauma. It looks like she was beaten and had dogs let loose on her. Her higher brain was removed, her skull opened with a circular saw... And something odd happened to her neck. Two cylindrical punctures, not consistent with any tools I know of. Massive trauma to he throat, like she was struck there with an object, her trachea was.. pretty much destroyed. Her heart was crushed.

Her intestinal tract, and stomach lining are missing

We need to see the other bodies, and the autopsy reports... we need to see them soon. Whatever did this is a sexual sadist who is extremely powerful... and if the pentacle and these symbols say anything, this has meaning for our perp, he wont stop"

[Cynical Cat]

Natasha, who had descended from the roof top when Arkady arrived, acknowledged Mandalay's greeting and accepted the head scritches, leaning into the werepanther's hand before jumping on the table to get a closer look at the file.

[LadyTevar]

Once she'd been acknowledged by Natasha, then she spoke to Arkady. "Why did you invade the morgue in the first place, Arkady?" She was waiting for his reaction, since she was sure he had no idea who she was. Confusion was a fun game to play, and a large black panther was very different from a Hindu lady with cafe-au-lait skin, a ruby in her nose, and clad in yellow and green sari and top. The only link would be her long black hair, the general shape of her face, and the coppery-colored eyes

As she waited for his reaction, she began looking over the very graphic full-color photos. As she finished with the first, she put it down on the table for someone else to view.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Because brutally murdered bodies in the same place in a college town, several of them, is interesting, especially when the police dont think they are connected" Russell said, not looking up from the report. Then he did a bit of a double take. He did not recognize the voice at all

"Who..are you? Did I miss something?"

[SirNitram]

The picture of the symbols, blown up, had entranced Stark. "I've seen this before. Invert your dimensional alignment fifty degrees and it was all over the inside of Mir before she finally fell." Stark gestured to the spiral. "Spiral with three lines.. Seen it when raiding Syndicate.. Ah.. Well, let's just say that shit wasn't human. Anymore."