Don't touch.

warm your little girly feet by it.

>>394787
He didn't say not to touch it. There is likely no danger. Be cautious at first, and try communicating from a distance, but... touching it is probably safe.

Stay smart. Leave it be. Instead take a closer LOOK. That's the difference that makes the particle a wave in quantum physics? The measurment problem?

Tiffany 2012/03/23(Fri)08:25 No. 395191 ID: c44286
File 133251635755.gif - (1.98MB , 800x800 , 617.gif )

Tiffany drew closer to the Haftsusha. The heat seared her skin and hurt her eyes, but she forced herself to stillness. Tangles of arcane energies flowed around her. As the coils unwound around her, she got the distinct impression of being examined. Her skin felt electrified every time a tendril passed near. Being gently caressed by something far greater than her, yet a part of her. The feeling was indescribable.

Suddenly, there was a powerful tug. Tiffany got the sense of urgency and alarm from the spirit, as it tried to pull her closer.

>>395191
Move away, and attempt to disentangle yourself.

>>395191
Uh.

Well. It's US, so whatever it's worried about is probably something pertinent. If that scrying symbol came from outside somehow, try to wake up. If not, throw the Reversal symbol at it paired with the Hook. That would mean 'let go'. You could try putting the Cradle before that, to indicate that it needs to be gentle.

Another worry is that the Maw is pulling on you, and caused the initial tug. The Haftsusha could be trying to keep you away from the Maw. A quick look behind us could confirm that, in which case... we can force the Maw closed or something? We have control over it.

Lastly, the demon said to "keep yourself to yourself" so we shouldn't let the Haftsusha pull us in too close. That'd be bad; it'd probably absorb you or something.

Let it.

>>395197
point, turn around.

allow the fires of your soul to consume you.

Keep yourself to yourself.

>>395191
If you remember, we have amazing awareness but poor understanding. I'm not sure it knows what it's doing. Back off.

>>395280

back off

Tiffany 2012/03/24(Sat)17:31 No. 395616 ID: c44286
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Tiffany resisted the pull, desperately visualizing the Reverse Hook. The Haftsusha maintained the appearance of the Eye rune. As energy danced around Tiffany, the spirit waited. Tiffany repeated the Reverse Hook. With a hint of impatience the Haftsusha let her go.

The sudden drop into reality was not pleasant. It most reminded Tiffany of falling through ice into the freezing waters below. She suppressed a shiver, and tried to get a sense of her surroundings.

Someone had moved her to a couch. The sun was lower than it had been.

There were low voices coming from a little bit away. One was Owen, the other a woman she didn't know.

Damn, I have to stop falling asleep like this before someone gets suspicious.

Okay, you should ask Owen if other mages can do what you just did. If they can, then we should get some advice about what to do when the Haftsusha gets grabby.

You should probably phrase it as if you hadn't actually done it yourself.

>>395616
Get up and ask about your dad.

Tiffany 2012/03/24(Sat)18:47 No. 395626 ID: c44286
File 133264004660.png - (50.66KB , 800x800 , 619.png )

"Where's my dad?"

>The lady: "Oh look, now you woke her up."

>Owen: "Oh don't take that tone-"

>The lady: "What tone?"

>Owen: "Just drop it."

Owen and the lady come over, and he kneels by the couch.

>Owen: "Your dad's out of surgery. We can go see him, but he won't be waking up for another half an hour."

"Is he okay?"

>Owen: "The doctor's did their best. The injury was serious, but they managed to save the leg. It's too early to tell if he'll recover fully."

"Will he be able to walk?"

>Owen: "We... don't know that yet. It'll take time."

Tiffany sat silently for a while.

>The lady: "I'm sorry about your father."

Tiffany suddenly feels a lump in her throat.

"It's all my fault."

>The lady: "Oh you mustn't blame yourself. If Owen and his friends had been keeping better watch this never would have happened."

Owen gave the lady a sour look.

>The lady: "Owen, aren't you going to introduce us?"

Owen's look turned caustic.

>Owen: "Tiffany, may I present the most honorable missus Rosemary Doyle, a solicitor to the clan and a dingy old bat. Dingy old bat, meet Tiffany Kinsley."

>Rosemary: "Lovely to meet you."

"What's a solicitor?"

>Rosemary: "It's a kind of lawyer, dear. I also have the dubious honor of being Owen's mother-in-law, an unfortunate turn of events to be sure."

Owen rolled his eyes.

>Rosemary: "I've been taking care of your and your father's paperwork. I was on my way to Bardsey when I heard of the incident. If there is anything at all I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

>>395626
Thank her politely and ask to wait by your dad's side.

>>395626
Wait, ask if she's familiar with Blake family traditions? If so, then law. We need to know our rights in the whole inquisitorial arena.

Yes, it'd be nice to know exactly what legal protections you have.

Say you'd like an overview on the legal stuff, to know how it works.

But right now you'd like to see your dad if it's okay.

Tiffany 2012/06/17(Sun)15:37 No. 423618 ID: c44286
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"Thanks, but I really need to go see my dad."

>Rosemary: "Certainly. I'll show you to his room."

"Okay. I do have some questions for you, later."

>Rosemary: "Anything specific? This way."

"I kinda want to know what kind of legal rights I have, being a Kinsley and all."

Rosemary gives a brief smile.
>Rosemary: "That's a bit of a heavy topic for one as young as you."

"Please. I need to know this stuff."

>Rosemary: "That's very adult of you. I'll do my best."

"Thank you."

The recovery room was quiet and well-lit. Tiffany's dad was lying on a hospital bed. The only sign of life was the steady beep of the ECG. Tiffany dragged a stool next to the bed and sat down. Owen was leaning against the doorframe, while Rosemary found another seat.

After a while it became apparent that Dad wasn't going to wake up quite yet.

"So... I guess we have time for that legal stuff now."

>Rosemary: "All right. So what do you want to know?"

"I don't know. Some kinda overview would be nice? Also, what kind of legal protection do I have with the inquisitors and all that?"

>Rosemary: "Most of the clan's internal affairs are handled through tradition rather than law, really. I'm not exactly the expert in that. Me and my collegues mostly take care of things for the clan out in the real world."

"Well, could you tell me what you know?"

>Rosemary: "Allright. The family is pretty rich. Real estate, investments, so on. All that is in the care of a trust-"

"What's a trust?"

>Rosemary: "It's a legal term for when some is taking care of someone else's property. Basically there are some businessmen who take care of the family estate."

"Do I get any of that?"

>Rosemary: "Well, yes. As a member of the family, you are entitled to a fixed income. Since you're a minor we were going to release the funds to the care of your father, but with the current situation... Anyway, that was part of the paperwork I was going to go over with you before all this happened."

"Oh."

>Rosemary: "Anyway, membership in the clan isn't, by law, determined by your ancestry. In practice it is hereditary, with some exceptions. Legally, the council can choose to grant or revoke the membership of any individual for any reason. In practice, the council only does that very rarely, on grounds of gross misconduct or-" Rosemary gave a sharp glance at Owen " or what they call heresy."

>Owen: "Oh give it a rest will you."

>Rosemary: "See, the clan has some very particular ideas about what people can or can't do. It's heresy to want to study something that was some half-mad mystic banned a thousand years ago but it's perfectly ok to cut your own eye out, stick a spying device in the hole and go around pretending like nothing happened."

Owen gave a little twitch.

>Owen: "You wouldn't understand."

>Rosemary: "You're damn right I wouldn't understand. Don't you think it's a little bit unfair to keep something like that from one's family? Bit of a shock to find your husband's walking around with a webcam for an eye, and has been since before you were married?"

>Owen: "I don't have to listen to this. I'll be right outside if you need me, Tiff."

Slam.

>Rosemary: "Sorry about that. We don't exactly see eye-to-eye."

"Why were you antagonizing him like that?"

>Rosemary: "He had it coming. It's a personal matter. Anyway, legally the worst punishment the clan has is exclusion. In practice... I don't mean to worry you, they are civilized people and all, but they are a very closed community. They are much more lenient to minors, of course, so you really shouldn't worry."

Ask her if the clan really does only consider physical age when discussing how young this "minor" is. The go back and forth so much, and the shit you've been through is blending the lines of maturity.

You don't even know the difference between what being a child and adult is anymore.

Too bad you're a special case in more ways than one. You need like... A list of banned topics.

>>423618
Ask if there's any chance you can keep your conversation here private from scrying. Then ask if she was the one accused of heresy, since she seems to be rather pissed about inquisitors and isn't in the clan despite being married to a Kinsley.

This could be someone we can TALK to about the heresy issue, since I'm sure we've already done heretical things by now and we plan to do more in the future for certain.

>>423618
"You know, I wasn't supposed to know he's an inquisitor. Now they'll be all in a tizzy about him being discovered
Err... I understand why he had to watch for the inquisitors, and why he didn't tell he is one, but I have to know... Was he just acting nice? Are they so paranoid they need to have a spy play a girl's confidant?"

"What sorts of stuff is heresy?" seems like a safe enough question with this girl.

>>423639
>"You know, I wasn't supposed to know he's an inquisitor. Now they'll be all in a tizzy about him being discovered
There is no reason to show our hand like this.

Instead it would be better to sort of defend him, and potentially elicit more warnings. Something like "he seems nice though" should probably be enough.

Hmm. We've now had Owen's inquisitor identity revealed twice.

When we meet back up with him, and he inevitably tries to apologize, smooth things over, and/or cover things up say something like-

"It's alright. I kind of guessed you were from the way you were talking before."

This should ring true, since it partially is (no need to reveal our real sources). He'll be less mad at Rosemary for spilling the beans (since you already knew), and he might be impressed by our deductive skills, or that we were willing to befriend him knowing what he was (he doesn't need to know about our near homicidal flip-out either).

It's manipulation, but a sympathetic spy set over us is more useful than otherwise.

Tiffany 2012/06/18(Mon)17:05 No. 423907 ID: c44286
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"What's a minor, exactly?"

>Rosemary: "Anyone under eighteen."

"Just physical age then?"

>Rosemary: "On some issues they consider your rank, rather than your age. Student, apprentice, magician, so on. If an apprentice makes an infraction of some kind, the master usually has to answer for it in some way. I understand you've been made an apprentice now."

"Yeah. I don't have a master yet though."

>Rosemary: "Oh? Oh of course, you missed the graduation didn't you. Well, I hope you find good one."

"Thanks. Haven't really had time to think about that."

>Rosemary: "Understandable."

There's a pause.

"If I don't have a master, but I'm an apprentice, what happens if I mess up? I mean, I don't even know the rules yet."

>Rosemary: "Keep away from the inquisitors, and you should be fine. I hear you've got a friend on the council."

"Why are you so pissed off at inquisitors?"

>Rosemary: "Well, the whole idea is repulsive to me. We're UK citizens, we should all obey the same laws. But the inquisitors are a law onto themselves, and the clan goes along with it. It's backwards and barbaric. It turns my stomach. On top of that I have a bone to pick with some individual inquisitors, but that's a personal matter."

"Oh. Were you accused of heresy?"

Rosemary let out a clear laugh.
>Rosemary: "Good heavens no. I'm not a member of the family proper, haven't got a drop of Kinsley blood in me. I'm out of their jurisdiction, if you can call it that. They do love their little rules."

"Oh ok."

There's a longer pause. The ECG slices time into even moments. Tiffany sinks her head into the side of the bed.

"... can you do something to make sure we're not scried?"

>Rosemary: "Sorry, not a wizard, just a lawyer. Owen would do it if you asked I'm sure."

"... No thanks. I'm just... so tired of it. Not knowing who to trust, not knowing what I can say and to whom and it's just becoming a big mess and I don't know what to do anymore."

Rosemary hesitates for a moment, then pulls her chair closer and awkwardly pats Tiffany's back.

"I mean... Everybody I meet is trying to use me or thinks I'm a Rothwald spy or Alexander's minion or god knows what else. I can't trust anybody to tell me the truth, and I don't dare do or say anything because I'll just break some rule nobody told me about and I almost got dad killed and it's all my fault."

>Rosemary: "There there. It's not that bad."

By now Tiffany is openly bawling.

>>423907
Don't forget what happened to your mother.

>>423907
"Whenever it's something bad they act like it's all my fault, but they don't tell me anything or listen to anything I say. They don't care about any of things I'm worried about, even the really important ones.
They don't care about mom! I could save her if I only had a little help, I know I could! I know I don't know much but it's almost enough!
I've lost so much already, I can't lose any more..."

you should be able to find a scalpel in here if you want to slit your wrists. otherwise, man the fuck up already because you're goddamn wizard and that's sweet.

>>423907
It IS that bad! These things are IMPORTANT!

Tiffany 2012/06/19(Tue)12:26 No. 424103 ID: c44286
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It was a strange feeling. Tiffany could feel the emotions, the tears, the guilt, but some part of her was set apart. Distant.

Tiffany could still genuinely feel the grief and fear and everything else. She was crying on her father's bedside, being consoled by Rosemary. She was on the verge of emotional breakdown.


But there was another Tiffany.

That Tiffany was observing her crying self, analyzing the situation. That's what that Tiffany always did. Always watching, looking for the angle. This could be good, a few more tears and I can ask her for anything.

It was a strange feeling. Her feelings were genuine, despite her calculating side. It was as if there were two Tiffanys, yet there was only one. Both sides were just as much Tiffany as the other.

An epiphany came to her. She could let either side become dominant. She could be the emotional young girl, or the cold, calculating magician. She could deaden her emotions, should she wish to do so. The question is, should she?

>>424103
Emotion without a clear head is ineffectual; the emotionally dead aren't living.

Neither should be dominant to the exclusion of the other, but if you are forced to chose there is a single decisive factor:
Alexander chose cold and calculating, while your mother chose emotion.

>>424103
No. Keep a balance going. Without emotion you lose the ability to relate to others and edge towards evil thoughts, but without detachment you lose the ability to think clearly through your emotions.

A duality of mind can be very useful, as well.

You should turn your back on neither- embrace both.

You cannot complete your quest- or likely even survive- if you ignore calculation, or your darker gifts. These are not waters in which little girls can safely swim. At the same time, you cannot forsake your humanity. Alexander has already shown you what lies down that path.

A dead child, or a Bone Queen- you do not want either fate.

Walk the middle path. Your strength lies in superposition. You must juxtapose that which makes you human with that which marks you as other. Balance will be your salvation, and your survival.

Emotion is very useful and should not be forsaken. But if one should rule, it should be logic.

>>424103
Maintain the balance. Living in pure emotion is foolishness, but suppressing it is madness. When you lose touch with emotion you can't gauge the emotions or actions of other and everything will quickly spiral out of control.

Hey, did we ever learn who Alexander's master was here?
And mom's? (Maybe Alexander taught her, but I dunno, I feel like maybe she could have learned here)

These might be additional questions to think about if unanswered.
But girl, yeah, keep the balance. I mean, since when has moderation ever been bad?

>>424103
You need both. Without ruthless logic, you'll get yourself killed by Alexander and these scheming bastard Kinsleys. Without true emotion, you won't be able to effectively imitate the young girl that you have to be in order to gain sympathy and affection from others- and it would be a betrayal of your family, who would be crushed to discover that you destroyed your emotional side in order to pursue power even on their behalf.

>>424140
Yeah! You don't need to choose one, you got SIX OUT OF FIVE on a Magical Potency test. That doesn't even make sense, so you can handle something as simple as having a two facet personality.

why the hell would you want to get rid of either? they're both useful. learn to switch quickly.

One of Six Tiffany 2012/06/20(Wed)14:17 No. 424429 ID: c44286
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No. I can't let myself die inside. But I can't let my emotions get the better of me either. There has to be another way. I have to find balance.

I don't think I have much of a chance with the Kinsleys if I don't keep my guard up, though.

I have to hide my feelings.

Bury them deep.


I'll have to-

Six of Six Tiffany 2012/06/20(Wed)14:18 No. 424434 ID: c44286
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Tomorrow.


I'll do it tomorrow.

>>424434
Burying your feelings would make you like Alexander. It's fine to bury your feelings Tomorrow; Tomorrow is always a day away.