A Meeting of Witches

September 29, 2016:

Dr. Strange takes Talisman to meet Rain, and they talk about solutions for Steel City

Moontree Manor, NY

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

A couple weeks ago Talisman asked about Steel City, but Doctor Strange was somewhat vague. Talking about gathering more information and waiting for the response of some of his contacts among the undead and other shady underworld types. Probably not what Elizabeth expected, and definitely not what the DEO needed to hear. They are talking of sending the Sentinels to raze the city. Or even nuclear weapons. Someone killed a quarter million Americans on American soil and the news blackout can’t hold this long.

So it is good news for some that Strange has asked Talisman to come to New York to talk about Steel City. Specifically to Moontree Manor and its witch. He called Lunair beforehand, of course. Mostly a social visit, but Strange will introduce to her another magic user, one from Canada. And yes, they will talk about the ‘troubles’.

So at the witching hour, as it is proper, the bell of the manor rings.


Rain lives in New York. But fall is totally Witch's season. Captain is snoozing in the yard, near a pile of leaves being raked by a goat headed man in a butler's outfit. Rain herself has a small bonfire going in the front yard. For now, they await their visitors.

And when Rain gets her guests, they all greet them. "May we get you anything?" Yes, Moontree Manor definitely feels fall.


Talisman is brought to new grounds, and with them comes the defenses as well as the inability to defer to human guise. Smoke and Mirrors…

Dirty Magik

"If you had only told me, Supreme…" Talisman's voice echoed over the aether before they formulated on the 'Welcome Pad', but where a normal tanned human would appear beside the Doctor, bare feet clad and entrapped in silver anklets chime a cadence against topaz, licked by tassled hide of sinew and skin.

Beside them a staff plants, the firm affirmation ringing a caucohany of chimes and empty gourds to coalesce with that of the 'Halloween' decorum.

Around her the leaves lift and spin, basked in the winds cast by a gods' wings in reminisce….
An elerical field swins in the depths of mahogany eyes and Talisman smiles, calming them… Albeit…

"Information."


“And some tea would be nice too, Ms. Moontree,” interjects Strange with a faint smile. “Elizabeth, this is Rain. A brilliant sorceress of the Wiccan tradition. Winter, this is Talisman, the Binder of Spirits.” Introduction done, he follows Rain whenever she takes them. “Talisman is staying in our city for a while. I thought it was time you meet each other.”


"Sure, we have earl grey, english breakfast and some blueberry white," Rain remarks. The butler is heading towards the kitchen now, it seems. "Sorry, normally he appears human, but it's fall, so we all cut a little loose," Rain admits.

Rain smiles politely to the new guest. Se seems pretty shy and retiring. "Wiccan? Kinda. We use that as a good cover," She admits wryly. "Can we get you anything to eat? And here, the fireplace and living room are this way. Welcome to New York! We have a lively spirit culture here," Rain remarks.

She leads them to the living room, Captain in tow. his tail is a ? as he bobblewalks along. Cats. He claims the warmest spot, of course. "Heeeeey," The baritone voiced Gotham-accent having cat greets them.


“Earl Grey for me, please,” requests Strange. The odd appearance of the butler barely got a second glance. Staff is odd at magician residences, he is lucky to have Wong and not some three headed flying pig from the Seventh Dimension. Or a talking cat.

“Our lively spirit culture is maybe part of the problem,” adds the magician. “Many entities are migrating to Steel City. And this is a major mistake, in my opinion. Setting the supernatural against humankind like this will bring great harm.”


"Of course," The butler offers in his rich, refined voice. Rain motions to the couch, across from the fire place. "Please, sit if you like." Then Rain goes quiet to listen. "Is it because non-magical entities kind of just get the old pillar of salt treatment? How sad," Frown. "I think you're right. We've been doing some research on it."


"The Most Beautiful Thing We Can Experience Is The Mysterious…"

Beside that of the figure of Talisman an ethereal figure of a lithe black cat descends, pulling from her very ether to come along side that of 'Captain' and watch him, a cock of a single ear shows the query and the inquisitive nature of the large beast descendent from Talisman's being.
"Salt?" A moment of reverie and Elizabeth comes back, but still staring at the cats, entity and non…

"It deters the evil, makes broken ground sacred… How does it stop you?" A shift of eyes finally and she looks between Rain and Strange, the coronet upon brow settling into visibility finally..


“Most of the human citizens of Steel City were killed and transformed in pillars of salt,” explains Strange, settling down. “The city area was poisoned, rendered inhabitable to human life. I have researched the effects and it is not a spell that can be lifted or negated. An artifact was shattered and the deaths of many thousand poisoned the aether. It needs to be countered, perhaps through a healing ritual of… well, the magnitude is difficult to grasp. We are in a hurry, though. The US army will act soon, and when they do they will be merciless. The current inhabitants of Steel City, many of which were not involved in the atrocity, will die in large numbers, creating an even wider wedge between the supernatural and the mundane and perhaps igniting a cycle of vengeance and terror.”


Rain listens. She frowns, nodding.

"Anyone who does not have magic in their veins is eventually irradiated and killed. It is a no man's zone for mundanes," She remarks. "I've started some research on it, but lately, it's been difficult to make breakthroughs."

Captain peers at the black cat. "… too bad I'm neutered," He sighs and curls up into a ball. "CAPTAIN!" "What? It's a joke," The orange tabby protests. "Heey," He finally greets the other cat.


"That is what I am here to stop." Talisman may have licked her thumb and turned a page while speaking. Just as non-chalant.

Just as Tal meets the table in a brush of hide-clad thighs against wood the feline keeps on, sniffing Captain, exceptwhen he makes his statement a 'chirrup' omits and a large bat of paw sweeps thrugh the real feline.

"Hey! TSSS!" Tal speaks between teeth to the Spirit, a hand coming down to call for calm."…Spirits will what they want…" A look from Cap to Rain from Talisman and a quirk of brow tells all, despite what yarm spins about this City.

"I am here to promote peace and give a show of how the mundane can abide with the … with **us*. Strange??" Little did they know, Elizabeth needs reigns…


Strange nods, “we are both human and well-aware of the supernatural. Our duty is to protect the one from the other.” Well, his duty. But most responsible witches and shamans would agree with him. Talisman is a rare unique case, but Strange does hope she remembers enough about humankind.

“This is what I propose,” he starts, “Talisman will try to restrain the DEO and explain I have a plan to undo the damage done to the city. This is a bit of deception, as I only have a shadow of a plan. We need to gather powerful purifying artifacts and those are rare indeed. We also need to deal with the “Shadow Queen” of Steel City, which I suspect is one of the Gorgons of Greek legend. With both those gone, we need to convince the supernatural to leave Steel City before the army moves in. We should maybe find an alternate place for them. I had not realized they had this need for a community.”

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

"You would surmise, leaving me in charge of some governmental mundanes or… muggles is best for my position?" A waver of hand into the air send baulbled and tassles a-clatter, the simple wave skirting winds to blow, but only enough to flicker a small flame.

"Other-Gods do not bring me to a level of fear that it should, as the air of conversation emits. This is not their lands, nor ruled by their Spirits." And in saying as much the lion turns its head and chuffs. Laying ears back.

"Let the DEO, Army, whatever you call them, come. Gods and Spirits, they have their wars and we are but vassals!" Another chilled gust of sub-arctic and the staff comes to land tip nealty upon table.

"They cannot stay, all they love and seek to sipon through will die or shy away if they remain. This makes no sense…" Elizabeth speaks through tones.


Rain listens. She rubs the back of her head. "See, the thing is, this is sort of a huge imbalance and upset in the balance of thing."

Captain hisses at the swipe and is now floofed up and alert. "Actually, I've been tasked to start investigating. This really isn't healthy for either side, I don't think," Frown. Rain is annoyingly true neutral. "And yea, it doesn't make sense. Hence, our investigation to help out."


“No, many of the creatures now in Steel City aren’t malevolent, Elizabeth,” protests Strange. “Some were allies of man when there were only nomadic tribes in this area. Some come from deep underground, some came from other realms as refugees or adventurers or are the children of those who did. Some are living, some are undead, some are spirit. Destroying them would be a great loss for the world.”


The 'floof' is met with a sniff from the 'Lion' and then a lick of maw that preluded…
"No!" A single word stopped the Spirit and her own volition on its toes. A sweep of hand had her hand to the side and fingers going broken, cripple, the tiny carpals re-aligning and tweaking life to that of an anomaly… Claws…

Those copper colored eyes whorling inclimately as she looks between Rain and Strange. Crippled and bent fingers retracted, drawing to breast as the Lion did so… Disappearing and making Talisman draw another deep breath not her own. "Then let me help guide the spirits. As destroying these others is of no benefit."

…And she has to show the DEO this is 'capable', afterall….


Rain looks amused at Captain's staring. Rain nods at Steven. "It's not fair to them, nor to the people," She remarks. "We'd love to have your help."


Strange nods to Talisman, “the spirits will obey you, but it would be better if you can convince them without resorting to force. Otherwise there will be more resentment in the future. I will seek help among the heroes of the Justice League to track down certain artifacts. Rain, I have some research for you, if you would help.” He conjures a few books for Rain to peruse some lines of investigation. “Lets meet again in a week time, ladies, and see what we have learned.”


A flex of fingers that had gone rigid. "The spirits only act on will, I can only restrain against…" Joints ache but even then, the only sign is the recoil of her own fingers set to claws, the Lion would have liked to have lain…

Play or not the sweep of those lax'ing appendages pulls through raven locks of sleek and plaited masse. "Learned from scrawl? Or from walking over the land of salt pyres?" A sweep of her other hand across the table that affronted them with what Strange offered and then the 'lack thereof' in Steel City itself.

A deep electric blue flickers in her eyes to Rain, Captain, and then Strange. "One week. e will meet." No promises.


Strange's tea is brought by the butler. Who is thoughtful enough to use a bottle, as it seems they are not staying long. "Sounds good," Rain offers. "And of course." Smile. "I'm still perfecting my magic GPS."

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