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Dave calls everyone who he has a number for, except Sarah, and makes arrangements to meet at Greg's bomb shelter.  He explains that Colin sounded freaked out and asked for the gathering.  Once he has notified everyone and gotten a time worked out he calls Colin to let him know.  Dave makes sure to give rides as needed to make sure everyone that can be there gets there.

Donnie is at the public library, and is quick to reach the Bunker on his bike. He is puffing and red-faced, but excited over something. He gladly accepts Greg's offer of an ice-cold Coke and eagerly awaits the arrival of the others.

Sylvia is there to greet Donnie.  "Do you know what this is about?  What's going on?"  She's alarmed.  It could mean anything.  It could mean Emille Vandross is onto them.  It could mean snake spirits are coming to get them.  Anything.  It could be anything.

"I don't know Syl. I am worried too. But I finished what I have been working on for days. I hope it works. I will tell everyone about it when they all get here."

Kel arrives calmly and assuredly, he looks at the few people there already and says, "So what happened?"

When Colin arrives, everyone can tell there's something wrong with him. He's a little overdressed, and every now and then he's shivering visibly. He's very pale, and ha got bloodshot eyes. You can clearly see them, because he's wearing no glasses.

Colin stares at them all for a moment before speaking, looking at ther aura with his ghost sight, trying to make sure they are really who they are.
How long will it be before I can trust someone again? Those bastards.

"I'm sorry I dragged you all here on such short notice, but... something happened, and I need your help. Sarah... If you've seen Sarah today, that wasn't Sarah. Sarah spent the lunch break with her math teacher, the she felt sick and her mom came to bring her home. The Sarah that had lunch with us wasn't Sarah but... someone else. This false Sarah... lured me into a trap."
He stops for a moment and grimaces, this is clearly the most painful part for him.
"She made me follow her to the school's basement, and there... she did something to me, and I passed out. I woke up more than three hours later and... I was in a circle of some kind, drawn with chalk on the floor, half naked, with magical symbols written on my chest, candles and incense all around.
They... They have used me." he grits his teeth.
"They did this to tap into my magic, my sight. I think they wanted to get a glimpse of the future.. And then they left me there.
I need your help to find them and stop them. Not for vengeance, but because they can't be allowed to go on like this. What are they gonna do next? I... I took pictures" he shows them the prints "and I can take you there, if you want, but we have to find them."

Donnie puts his hand on Colin's shoulder. "Oh shit man. I have a feeling it was the same ones that used Rob. Let me see the photos and see if they match up with the witchcraft stuff I have been looking into." Donnie grabs the pictures and pulls out his couple of books on Witchcraft to figure out what the symbols meant or represented. There is a small snarl on his face above gritted teeth, and he looks very pissed.

The insensitive fourteen-year-old in Sylvia wants to blurt, "Sarah did something to you in the basement; you passed out and woke up half naked?  Dude!" but she manages to restrain herself.  Instead, she looks to Donnie, hoping he has some kind of anti-magic mojo.

Kel stares at Colin and then says, "So there's a group of people going around school, who are using magic to manipulate the students.  But, then why would they want to see the future?  Up until now it's been, well not necessarily harmless, but it seems alot of its been what stirkes at first just a testing of powers.  You could even consider bonding that snake-thing to Rob as a test.  What could they be planning that they'd need to know the future or be able to see magic on people?"  He looks around at everyone assembled and states the obvious, "This is not going to be good."

"It's just magic, right?  Just a bunch of kids with an old book?  Didn't someone say that anyone can do ritual magic?  Can we find them that way?"

OOC: Dinnie's Knowledge: Arcane to understand the purpose of the symbols on Colin and the area the spell was cast. (1d20+6=18) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=661990)

Dinnie?  Now I can't even spell my own character's name right..

Donnie slaps the pictures down onto the folding camp-table in the center of the room. "Ok, I know what these were for. The circle is a common imprisonment aid when used for summoning beings or powers to our reality. The symbols around the circle use the traditional sun/moon configuration, drawing power from the prime powers. Common in witchcraft. Incense and candles used for mental clarity and focusing. The symbols on your chest are most often found carved into crystal balls, bowls to hold water for scrying, etcetera. They are used to prime the object to be used as a lens, to see into the future, to spy on places or people. They used you and your magic to see. I am sorry man. That was like @&#ing rape. "

Kel smiles and cracks his knuckles, "I really have never been fond of rapists.  Especially when they do it in the head."  He then shakes his head, "So we know what we did.  And we know what we want to do: find out why.  And more importantly, get some payback.  People who do this don't deserve mercy."  He looks down at the symbols, it's a different kind but its still the same thing: forced entry.

"I just hope I haven't betrayed any of you while they kept me like that." he says looking down, to no one in particular. Then he shakes his head and get up.

"Donnie, Sylvia has the right question. Is this enough to find them? Otherwise we have to go back to school, before some janitor cleans it all up."

"Y'know, I always found the concept of boys being 'raped' by girls to be kinda funny, but now not so much." Matt shakes his head, he seems very upset over this. "We obviously need to stop these b/witches, but first; Donnie, the circle, do you think that there's any chance they could have summoned something and, uh, impregnated Colin with it, like Rob? Is there any way for us to find out? Do you think that these may be linked to Vandross or whoever it was that killed Rory? Because in that case I think I got a good idea as for the 'no mercy' part..."

"Oh, and can I just say that from now on I offically hate magic?"

Donnie seems eager, strange. He walks over to where heis bookbag lay beneath a folding chair and pulls out his beat-up notebook, laying it gently down atop the pictures. He looks around at all who had assembled. "I think I can find them. Using magic."

Raped.
The memory of the kiss overwhelms him again, and Colin visibly winces.
That's not far from the truth, I guess.

"No, Matt. I'm not sure they could do to me what they did to Rob, but even if they can, they didn't. Trust me on this."


"I'm listening."

Kel arches an eyebrow, "So you can do magic now Donnie?"  Kel starts to think he's missing a lot of what's occurring around him.

Donnie flushes. Damn you Kel. Why do you always make me feel foolish? "Well, I have been researching for like two weeks on this whole magic thing and have learned a lot. Anyone can learn how to do magic, as long as you understand the basic principles and have the determination to learn it."  He says this last part with a certain frustrated tone, trying not to look at Kel. "Anyway, I have gotten the framework of a spell written. All my tests with the various manuals, online formulae breakers, and a new pen-pal at Miskatonic U seem to show the craft as pretty solid. I have done most of the work already, and just need some ingredients to gather. Before you ask, it's not wing of bat and eye of newt. That shit is for hedge-wizards that read too much Crowley and Shakespear.

The spell will allow is to trace the magical 'signature' left on Colin by those that used-, er cast magic on him. I was originally writing it to cast on Rob to trace the witches, but now I can use it on Colin instead. I've worked hard at making it pretty subtle so they should not see us coming, and I can cast it so that anyone who wants to be able to 'see' the tracer can do so, as long as I maintain it. I will be the one holding the spell in place, and if I let it go, everyone's vision of the tracer will fade as well. I will be pretty wiped afterwards, if I don't go unconscious. Sorry Matt, you don't have to be in the group that get the vision." Donnie turns towards Sylvia. "Your parents are into all natural stuff right? Do they make their own cleaners and soaps? There is a few things I would need that are used in that kind of thing, specifically plain unscented talcum, peppermint or spearment oil, and the last thing which is a little more precious: Sandalwood oil. Evidently the supply from India has dropped to almost nil, but I would not need much of it."

"Mom has some essential oils she used when she was into aromatherapy.  I'll see what I can dig up."

Kel nods, "Sounds like a good idea.  So we just need this all natural stuff and then you can do it?"  He then thinks back to what Donnie just said, "And they won't have any clue we're coming we'll just be able to rush in on them without them knowing?"  Kel smirks, this was going to be very good.

Sylvia casts a worried look at Kel but keeps her mouth shut.

"Hey, I don't mind, by 'hate magic' I was talking mainly in a sense of it being used to kill and/or, uhm, rape my friends, not necessarily used by my friends. Let me know if there's anything I can do, besides offering my guts to be used for divinations and such..." he grins at Donnie.

At Kel's statement Matt can't help but smile. Man, Ninjas vs Witches, how cool is that?

"Look, man. It's utter shite what they did to Colin, but are we gonna just go in and beat them up? If my spell works, and it should, what are we going to do with the information? There is a good chance that it is a coven of witches. Girls. You gonna break some girl's nose without a thought Kel? I am not suggesting we let them get away with this, but what will we really do when we find them?"  

"Is there a way to stop them from casting spells?  Like ever again?"

Kel nods, "We have several options really: one is the violent response, just because they are girls doesn't mean they can't be cracked across the face like any other rapist deserves, they know what they did, it was obviously planned and thought out.  Then there is researching the laws, and we can see how this is classified, then its the matter of proving it.  Or there's the third, which involves gathering information on what they're doing, maybe roughing them up a bit, and stopping them in anyway we can."

"I can think of a way or two..." Matt's tone is utterly flat.

Sylvia's reminded of Matt's reaction to the news of Rory's death, and her worry deepens.  "We should find them first.  Just find them."

"Yes. Let's find them first. I need to have a talk with them."

Despite Colin's state, Syvia can tell a difference between his "talk " and Matt's "one way or two".

"While you gather the... ingredients, can someone come with me back to school? There is something I'd like to check there, and... I wouldn't mind some company."

T.J stays silent for most of the conversation then looks at Colin. "I agree with Kel, just because they are girls doesn't mean they don't deserve to be hit. They are dangerous and need to be stopped. I doubt proving them through the law will do anything though. We have to scare them or force them out of doing this."

He frowns and adds. "Hey do you still have your glasses? Or did they take them?" He sits back and wonders what they should do.

Colin fumbles with his pocket a moment and gets the glasses out.

"No, T.J. they didn't take them. Or anything else, I think. We can't use your tracer to find them."

He looks at the glasses with sadness and longing. Only yesterday he needed them, and they were his father's eyes constantly set upon him to guard and protect him, they were shields that let him see only the good in the world. Today Colin sees much more, and he doesn't like everything he sees. He runs his fingers upon them, remembering when his dad wore them, and his smile as they played together.

"It looks like we were both right to worry about each other. If you think there's some way I could help you I'd gladly do it."

He peels the tracer off the glasses.

"Do you want it back?"

Cal blusters in, obviously late "Sorry guys I had a thing" upon noticing the sombre expressions on everyone's faces his expression changes form good natured humour to curiosity "Woah, what's bin happenin' here? Y'all look like someone died"

Donnie explains quickly about what happened so Colin would not have to repeat it all again, concerned for the shadowed pain in his friend's face. He then explains the plan to use the spell he had been researching and what it would do. "Now we are just trying to decide what to do when we figure out which ones are responsible. It is likely a buch of girls around our age. Colin's mom's boyfriend is getting into the paranormal department for the police, but do we want to bring the into this?"

"No keep it. If they decide to capture you again for a longer time then we may need it." He looks at Donnie and shakes his head. "Not right now, first we need to know a bit more about what we're dealing with. If you can trace their spells then that should be a good start."

He pauses and looks around the room. "Oh, since everyone has seen each persons powers in action here's mine." He concentrates and abruptly explodes into a cloud of bubbles which just float in the air around a central point, like a solar system full of planets. The cloud suddenly reforms itself and T.J is back in the room, except with a bit of a nauseous look on his face.

Colin sticks the tracer to the inner side of his watch.

Colin is relieved that he doesn't have to explain it all again and gives Donnie a nod of gratitude.
"No, Donnie, I can't tell Chris now. It would only make him feel really bad because he'd want to help but he couldn't do anything, because we've got no proof. He would have his hands tied. Well maybe he could do something, but... really I can't tell him now. Just work on the spell, I'll go to the school and be right back. It won't take long. Anyone coming with me?" he asks one last time, making his way to the shelter's door.

TJ's not the only one who looks nauseated.  Sylvia, despite the horror of Colin's abduction, looks like she's just watched TJ turn himself inside out.  Her gaze falls to the floor and remains fixed there for several minutes.

"I'll go if no one else will."  Sylvia's in a rush to get out since TJ's sudden dis- and reintegration.  "Can we stop by my house first so I can grab those things Donnie wanted?"

"I will go as well. I need the stuff from Sylvia and I'd like to see if anything else can be gleaned from the, uh, place. I was thinking we should cast the spell at school tomorrow, so we can see which students were responsible. And TJ, that was totally wicked man." Donnie gives him a quick grin.

Kel nods as the group begins to head off their seperate ways, he then says, "I'm going to do some research.  Just because initially, we don't want to go in guns blazing..."  He then stops and clarifies, "Figuratively, guns blazing figuratively.  It doesn't mean that first off, they won't be planning on dealing with us more directly, or that we won't want to at some point or another.  So I'm going to look up tactics on dealing with witches and wizards, and all that stuff."  He gets up and heads out.

Colin looks fascinated, but he's worried by the look of T.J. when he puts himself together.
"Wow. It's amazing. It's way better than when you did it at school. But you shouldn't do it, if it feels wrong. And you really should ask your dad about it."


"Ah, I misunderstood. I thought you were going to cast it later today. Then you can all come, I guess."

OOC: Do we remain in this thread, for the scene at the school?

"Thanks Donnie. Don't worry Colin I'm just getting used to the feeling, it is quite weird." He stands choosing to not reply to Colin's last question, he still needs to think about where his Dad is right now in terms of sides.

“Let’s get going, the sooner we finish this the better.”

Cal looks stony faced Why in the hell would they wanna do that to Colin? he wonders, he's clearly disgusted by this whole thing, he then pipes up "I'm comin', you're gonna be protected from this sorta thing, cause i'm gonna be there to help ya, and no, snake demon or crazy witches are gonna stop me from makin sure you're okay.No-one deserves what you just went through, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, and it certainly ain't gonna happen again to my friend" and with that, he walks over to Colin's side and remains there.

I'll launch a new thread for the next day.

With Dave's help gaining access to the school to look over the crime scene is not hard.

The schools basement is a warren of pipes and hallways that require several entrances to get to all the areas.  Colin is able to lead the group back to the place where he woke up.

The circle is still there, and the candles.  The smell of incence is still in the air although they have long since burned out.

"This is so messed up..." Matt glances over at Colin. "Sorry, doubt I'll be of any help here, don't got any fancy powers, karajutsu or hoodoo skillz... sorry. But still, I'd appreciate it if you let me know if you figure out anything about this, and at least let me, like watch and stuff. I could try taking pictures, since you would probably be up there zapping them? Nah, never mind, my hand's aren't steady enough for that when snake-gods aren't being summoned and no bolts are coming out of the sky or anything..."

"Matt... I don't zap people."

There's some weariness in Colin's voice, but it isn't directed at Matt.

"Please, take a look around." he asks his friends "There may be some clues I missed. I... wasn't exactly clear-headed before."

He kneels beside the circle, and puts just a finger on the chalk markings. He closes his eyes, and opens them again to see the scene with his ghost light.

Please. he asks the blackbird Please show me what happened after... when I passed out. Like you did with Kirby's ray. Please show me.

"No."  The blackbird's voice is clear to Colin, but no one else can see of here him.  "To many answers can cloud your path."

As everyone is looking around Matt stays a little back, thinking he'd just be in the way.  Looking around at the scene he sees one of the many junction boxes on the wall, one for power cables.  Something about it strikes him as odd.  He stares at it for a moment, and feels his vision shift slightly, and everything takes on an erie pal look devoid of color.  He realizes after a moment that he can see through the metal cover of the box, and inside he sees a number of canldes and incense cones in a box.  There is a gap in the bax that sort of forms a shelf, and the box is sitting there.  There is also what looks like somekind of ceremonial knife in the box.

Donnie examines the circle and realizes that there have been a few drawn here before.  They keep going over the lines each time they use it, which is not a good practice.  He's not sure but he thinks the symbols were drawn by a left handed person, based on a few pictures he's seen that show the subtle differences between left and right handed circle formation.  Lefties are usually oracles in the Sun/Moon tradition.

What?! But-

Colin stops. It would be no use to argue with the bird. As Bobby told him, he has to get used to this. He shakes his head sadly, covering his faces with his hands.

Ok. I rallied them. What now? I just wait?

He gets up and begins to search too.

OOC: search roll (1d20+1=12) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=668129)

Sylvia's also doing her best to find something, but she knows nothing about magic and couldn't tell you if the dessicated rodent corpse behind the crate full of moldy rags is a fetish or merely a dead rat.  Mostly she keeps a look out for the witches' return and hopes to cloak the Usual Suspects' presence in the event.

"Whoa..." Matt whispers, though anyone standing close can hear him. He moves up to the junction box and tries to open it, and unless it's locked takes the items out, studying the knife in particular (no, obscuring fingerprints is not something he even conciders). "Hey guys... check it out. Looks like zapping boy here got off lucky after all. Man, I suggest we bring back my previous suggestion about one or two things, starting with checking if these witches can float..."

"JESUS, MATT! Put that back down! Let Colin take a look at it first! He might be able to get another vision about it. Besides, who knows if that has been used for something terrible."  Donnie shivers, and waves his hands a bit in the air, regaining his composure. "Sorry Matt. I'm a little hyped up here. It looks like these witches have used this room several times before. This circle has been redrawn a number of times. Bad mojo. Plus, the sun and moon usage implies the presence of an Oracle. Perhaps they used Colin to heighten a Witch Oracle to greater powers."  

Donnie walks over to see what else is in the box. "Nice find."

ooc: What do you mean by 'not a good practice? Is it that the lines should not be redrawn, but a new location used, or that they may not really know what they are doing?

"What's an Oracle?  A person?  A spell?  Is it a who or a what?"

You should remove the lines and redraw them from scratch.  Drawing over them you might not do them completly.

"Oracle. Like, Oracle of Delphi? People who can see into the future. SOmetimes reliable, other times not. Colin is an Oracle because he can see into the fuure sometimes. That is what he was used for. Raped for." Donnie grimaces whan he says that word, but it is the truth.

"The witches are sloppy. The circle they redraw may not be complete, allowing whatever they summon or try to bind escape before they can bind it. We might be dealing with some inexperienced ones here, which is good for us. "

ooc: Forgot to ask, did Sylvia's mom have the ingredients I needed?

Sylvia grimaces, too, but only because she'd very much like to blurt something about how she knows what an oracle is.  Donnie and Matt have their expertise.  Colin has his amazing memory.  She hates to be the bimbo.


"Does that mean they've already let something escape?"


[I'd guess Mitzi does have the stuff on hand, but I understood this was the same day, immediately after the meeting at Dave's house.  I think Sylvia's headed home after this to pick up the goodies.]

ooc: Ah, thought it was on the way to the school.

[Really I'll go along with whatever you guys and Darren say about the scene.  I'm easy that way.]

OOC: Assume Sylvia has a list.  She will check when she gets home and give Donnie the stuff he needs tomorrow.

Colin groans at being called zapping boy again, but then he turns and sees the knife. He shudders and it takes him some time to register what Donnie is saying.

"Donnie, wait a minute. They used it several times? You said that it's meant to imprison spirits... into people? Like with Rob? And they used it several times?!"


"I am... I do what?" Colin has seen and done many things, but seen the future? He tries to think when it could have happened.


"Does that mean it let *me* escape? I was just in the middle of that when I woke up."

"Oh," Matt looks at Donnie. "Sorry, forgot about that. Here you go Colin..." He starts handing the knife over to Colin, blade pointed towards Colin before he realizes what he's doing, then he makes a move to grab the blade of the knife and hand it over proper-wise, but remembers what Donnie said about what the knife could have been used for, let's out a slight 'eugh' and keeps a hold of the handle, handing it over to Colin while grasping the handle with three fingers, then simply dropping it into the other boy's hands.

"Uh, about the circle... maybe if it's messed up it means they failed whatever they were trying to do? Wether using Colin as a scrying bowl - lucky for you they never got to the entrails part by the way - or impregnating him with another snake-thingie..."

"Ok, that's it. Now what about everybody stops talking about 'rape' and 'impregnating' before I find some use for this knife?" Colin blurts out in exasperation, but not really meaning it.

He takes a look at the knife with his ghost sight.

Blackbird, what about this knife? Can you tell me anything about it, or it's not safe either? You know, you and I some day should have a long talk about this path of mine.

"Well, you have had visions, like the day you saw the two guys who stole Kirby's  death ray machine. I assume they used you for divining the future, since that is what oracles do. All the drawings indicate a Sun/Moon path Oracle divining. I don't think they let you escape. It was already done with. Circles are meant to control powers as well as magical beings.

Yes, this could have been the spot where they put the snake-spirit in Rob."

"Colin," Sylvia says, thinking things through, "have you ever shaken Laura's hand?  The girl from Rob's math class?"

"No, I don't think so. I'm not sure I'd need to do that anymore either. If she has magic on her, now I'm able to see it."

There is blood on the tip.  Colin sees a flash from several girls points of view, they are cutting their palm slightly.  The flashes are brief and show nothing else.  It has a soft glow from it's use as a tool in various ceremonies. 


"It is called athame and is the tool of witches.  It in itself is neither good nor evil, it is only a tool.  As for your path, we will talk about it often.  You will not like it, I will be unmoved.  What more is there to know."

Those searching find one repeating clue.  Most of the candles and magical paraphinalia have stickers that say Dark Corner.  Donnie knows it's a magic shop in Chicago.  Pretty hard to find, but supposed to be very well stocked.

Something about women and shopping--Sylvia is the first to say, "We should go and check it out!"

"This was not meant for... victims. It was mant for themselves. This is their blood. There are likely rites that require them to shed some drops of their blood. I am told it's called athame." he reports to his friends.


Colin's first reaction is to frown, then for the first time since he woke up, a slight smile appears on his face.

Ok. I can deal with that. But I think I may be able to surprise you. I may not be the fastest learner, but I never forget anything I'm taught. Don't you think you could teach me, train me, and save us both many aggravating discussions in the future?

"We probably should. But all of us? Don't you think we may be too obvious? Also, should we go before or after Donnie tries his spell."

Colin looks at the athame in his hand, and decides to keep it. He wraps it in a plastic bag and puts it in his schoolbag.

Sylvia shrugs, looking Donnie's way for confirmation before she says, "Maybe one or two of us could visit the shop, just to scope things out?  You know, like a scout?  That way we don't go in blind if that's like the witches' secret headquarters or something."

Donnie looks inside the box and the hidden area to see if there is anything else of interest in there.

"I'd like to do the spell first. I can do it over lunchtomorrow when many of the students are close by, as long as we have the ingredients. If we don't have them, then that is the perfect opportunity to visit the Magic Shop, right? Lunch gives us the largest number of the Ususal Suspects there and we can all see who is responsible for this. I can even include Cal, if he can stop by the table long enough for the spellcast."

"You're going to do it right at the lunch table?  You don't need a dark room and lots of incense and, like, wet-naps for the chicken blood?"  Everything Sylvia needed to know about magic she learned from watching late-night Sci Fi.

Donnie laughs. "No. Most of the work for casting the spell has already been done, in the week I spent creating it. I already have it swirling around in my mind, and only have to mutter a trigger phrase in order to release it. What I intend to do is apply the mixture of natural substances your mom hopefully has to the eyelids of all to be affected with the magic tracer. As long as I maintain the spell, you will all be able to see the lines of power going from Colin to the witch coven that cast their spells on him. Then it is up to everyone else as to what to do about it."

"So you created it to use it on Rob, I guess. How long it's supposed to last? If you cast it at lunch tomorrow, and we don't find them, would it still be active if we later go to the magic shop to look for them?"

"Nope. I have to concentrate to keep it going. That's why I want to do it over lunch, with the greatest likelyhood of them being near. I am going to be wiped and useless afterwards, so whatever you all do with the information gleaned, I will have to bow out."

"Are you going to be in danger, Donnie?  Will they be able to tell it was you?"

"I hope not. It is a subtle spell, and hopefully they aren't powerful enough to detect it. I think it's worth the risk. They have $%#&ed with two of my friends, and in all likelyhood other people we don't know about. Lots of circles drawn here. I am willing to take a chance to put these witches down."

"Then I guess we should go home, get some rest, and be ready for whatever happens tomorrow. Unless you can't wait to go to the magic shop, Sylvia. If you want to go now, I think I should come with you. There may be dangers you can't see."

"Just a quick look," Sylvia says.  "Just so we know what we're dealing with."

Let Sylvia go without me? No way..
"I'll tag along. See if there are any books or whatever I could use."

Colin rolls his eyes. "Then let's go, but make it real quick."

Dave drops everyone at home that will not be going to the Dark Corner and then takes those that are into town.  It takes a couple of tries to find it, but you eventually find the right door.  The shop is on the second floor across from a tatoo place called Inktastic.  A bell rings when you go inside.  The shop smells or pungent aromas and there is a humid warmth to the place.  All manner of strange objects fill the shelves.  Bird heads, feathers, feet, jars with powders and liquids.  In a glass counter near the register there are ceremonial knives and other paraphenalia.

Behind the counter is a boy, teenager maybe.  He's fairly clean cut and wearing a black t-shirt with the store name and logo on it.  He seems to be doing his homework as you guys come in.  He glances up at you, nods, then goes back to his text books and papers.

At first Colin looks around for athames and candles like the ones the witches left behind. If there are other customers he tries to study them without getting noticed. He gets into a corner and opens his ghost eyes to see if there's anything actually magic in this place. Then he gives in to curiosity and looks around for eagle (they should be illegal), crow or blackbird feathers, and anything else that would strike his attention.

I can't help but notice you didn't answer my last question, blackbird. Now, what about this place? Is there anything I should buy, or I should tell my friends to buy?

Sylvia cruises past the books and shiny things, touching and browsing like she's feeling out the ley lines before she wields the devastating sorcery of her credit card on the unsuspecting land.  She strolls up to the counter and waits there expectantly until the clerk feels moved to address her.

His ghost sight sees the glow of magic from a few items in the shop.  There are also marks on the walls, floor and ceiling that are invisible to the naked eye but shine with the erie glow of ghost light.

OOC: Eagle Feathers aren't illegal if you have a permit and they are collected free (they fell out of the bird).

There are plenty of feathers from a variety of birds including Crow, Blackbird, Raven, the list goes on and on.


"I gave it the answer it deserved.  Patient silence.  As for the totems and fetishes of this store, they know what they need.  You do not need anything yet."

Sylvia isn't standing there long before he looks up and smiles, "Can I help you?"

While Sylvia talks with the clerk, Colin makes gestures at Donnie to come near him and takes out his notebook. He begins to draw some of the invisible marks on the wall, hoping that he could recognize them.


Colin this time really frowns.
You know, I'm trying, I'm really trying. I do everything you tell me to do. I always ask you before doing something, because I can't tell yet what's stupid or not. I did everything Bobby told me to do to learn to use my gifts. I try not to complain, even though I think I would have every right to do so, because I don't want to annoy you. I could have asked you what you were doing that was so bloody important that you couldn't tell me they were about to sucker me into being their crystall ball, but I didn't! And yet nothing I do seems to please you. You really don't know how hard all of this is for me, or you just don't care? It's this job, you don't like, or being stuck with me? Is it because I live in a city? Because I'm only half indian? Because of something I've done or will do? I'm sorry if I'm a bloody idiot that makes you roll your eyes, I'm really trying my best here! I really hoped we could be friends or at least get along. I don't have anyone else I could talk with about this.

"I'm not stuck with you Colin, I chose you."  The blackbird says from his perch on the bell over the door.

She flashes the clerk a smile and says, "Yeah.  Please?  I was wondering if you offer any classes here.  Ritual magic, that kind of thing?"

Donnie is perusing the magical tomes, books, manuals and grimoires. He sees Colin wavng him over and he goes over to see what he has to say. Looking at the symbols, he tries to remember their meanings.

Arcan Knowledge check to recognize Colin's sketcjed symbols. (1d20+6=26) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=671465)

OOC: Woot! Nat 20!

Once again, my crappy typing skills leave me astounded.. sketcjed?

The symbols are wards and protective sigils as well as what amounts to good Feng Sui type of magic.  Standard magical stuff.

The store has copies of some of the common traditional texts as well as stuff like "Understanding your magical partner" and stuff to help people who don't know magic understand what it's all about.

"Oh, sorry no.  Just the paraphenalia, ingredients and some books.  If you're interested in classes the University of Chicago has a degree program, but it's usually crowded."

"You have to be, like, the right age, though.  I mean, there aren't a lot of girls my age practicing, are there?"

"Well, it's more popular for teens.  I'm a Freshamn at U of C.  We get a few in here picking stuff up, mostly just shopping around.  Not many that are serious though."

Colin turns toward the bird only he can see. He opens his mouth as if he was about to say something but he canges his mind and turns away, squinting. He seems to chase something away, then his shoulders fall and he turns back to his spirit guide.

Then why are always so you so disappointed in me? I give up. What should I do? What else should I do?

"I'm not disappointed in you Colin.  What makes you think that?"

Sylvia has no idea what Colin and Donnie are doing behind her back, but she figures, if she can't do anything else, she can keep the clerk preoccupied.  "Is it dangerous to just pick up a book and try to work things out on your own?  What keeps people from casting curses on each other and stuff?"

"Well, if you do it wrong it can backlash on you.  We get people in here sometimes who just want to cast a spell to win the lottery or something like that.  Don't know that any of them have been too sucessful.  I guess the vast majority of people still don't really beleive in it, and that's the part you really have to have for it to work."

"There's no way to protect yourself from getting magicked?"

"Well, magic isn't persistent like that usually.  If someone were to throw a curse on you, then it wouldn't be something that would last long.  Also, magic that does that takes it's toll on you after a while.  There are some charms and stuff that can help protect you, we sell a few if you're worried about someone trying to hex you."

"I kinda am," Sylvia admits.  "Do you have to get a certain kind of charm for a certain kind of magic, or does whatever work?"

"Well, it's sort of generic."  He gets up and comes out from behind the counter to point to the various items as he explains them.  "These are to help protect from spells that would affect your mind, and these are for protection from someone trying to hurt you physically, and these are for protection from someone trying to affect your health which is different from trying to hurt you physically.  We have some for good luck and prosperity, but magic like this is really subtle.  You might not win the lottery, but maybe you find your lost ATM card or soemthing.  Most magic is subtle."

"What does it take to make magic unsubtle?  I mean, it happens, right?  Do you have to be someone special to do wild things with magic?"

"Sort of.  It's like a light bulb.  Run too much electricity through it and it'll explode.  So you have to be careful not to push yourself too far, otherwise you might end up hurting yourself."

"Is there a way to tell your wattage before you plug yourself in?  I mean, how can you tell who's gifted from who's not?"

"My arcane studies teacher says that you get a feel for it as you go along.  also they say that some of the harder texts can only be mastered and understood by people with the apptitude.  The problem is that sometimes they rewrite teh therums in a dumbed-down way so that other people can understand them.  That can be dangerous."

"Is there a way to keep a dangerous person from doing magic at all?"

"Not really.  I suppose there might be some spell somewhere, but it would certainly be illegal to do it, like murder or something along those lines."

You're not?! But...

Colin sighs.

"Sylvia, I'll wait for you outside."

He gets out of the magic shop and takes a deep breath.

"Look, " he whispers to the blackbird "today has made the top ten of the worst days of my life, so bear with me if my judgment is a bit off. Sometimes you sound like you can barely hold your contempt in check. If that's not true, well, I'm sorry, but I'm also worried, because it means I don't really understand you. And I really want to. If I have to do... whatever it is you've chosen me for, I may as well do it well, and I have a feeling that that involves understanding and learning from you as much as I can. I know you can't tell me everything. That sometimes knowing too much in advance would only make things worse. I understand that. It's just that... Maybe it's 'patient silence' I don't understand. Maybe I just need to be told when I'm doing good and when I'm screwing up. Maybe I just don't understand anything right now, and tomorrow everything will make more sense. I'm sorry. Are you sure you chose well? That this isn't too big for me?"

The blackbird is outside with Colin, sitting on the nearby street sign.  "You are young, you will learn in time.  First, know that language will always be a barrier for us.  It conveys too little information.  Eventually you will come to master an understanding of events around you that will amaze and terrify those you choose to share that understanding with.  Second, I have faith in you, and I believe in you.  You should do the same."

"So why is it that someone really bad hasn't come along and taken advantage of this?  Can the police do something?"

"Too dangerous I'm guessing, or there really is no way to do that.  I'm still just a Freshman though.  So, why did you guys come in here anyway?"

Have we mentioned Sylvia's a horrible liar?  "We, uh . . . we need some of those, uh, protective charms.  Are they expensive?"

"Five bucks a piece."  he says, going back behind the counter.  He reaches under the counter and comes back up with one of the store's business cards.  "Here, in case you need the number.  We have odd hours, best to call first if you're not sure."

Sylvia shells out the cash for five of them.  (Twenty-five bucks is all she has on her, plus change.)  "I'm Sylvia," she tells him and waits in the hope that he'll give her his name.

He smiles as he gets her a receipt.  "Carter Horton.  nice to meet you Sylvia."

Colin ponders this for a long time, while he slowly begins to feel a little better.

"I'll try. Thank you."