Rajani Misra had taken the train from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City. It was not the location she sought, that would be Moscow. But it was the best way for her to travel. A plane would need identification, something Rajani had never been inclined to offer. Especially as the most known River of Magic user, in her estimation, was a wanted terrorist. The train went from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City to Beijing to Moscow. Not a straightforward path or a short trip compared to the ease of flight, but she had dealt with worse in the past.

It was daytime. Only a few short hours before the moon’s rising, but Rajani had wanted to at least walk around the city. Even if it was briefly, while she was temporarily there. It was good to feel the sun as well, even if it felt of betrayal. Before leaving Malaysia, she had not in truth ever been to a city and now she had been to two in just a few days. Granted her stay in Bangkok was short, her stay here would be even shorter. Rajani did not like for it to be noted about her failings though and would much prefer seeming to have much experience with great cities than none. Short ventures like this would make it all the more easier to pass off being knowledgeable.

Rounding to enter a park within the city, there were trees and flowers maintained to look wonderful along the shaded path. There were chants coming from a clearing and open grass area. She supposed it was a rally of some sort, but could not be concerned with the politics of Vietnam anymore. Rajani wondered for a moment if it was still called Vietnam within the CCD. It was a realization of knowing she knew too little of it all. That would need to be corrected.

Shaking her head, Rajani stood in the background and listened as a speaker went on with speakers reverberating his voice. The man spoke of unity and greater purpose of seeing the message within the muddled mess. Rajani was not truly interested in the religious speech, but something held her there as if she should at least make note of it. The man went on, “The world is united and embracing the path. But the True Path is the lesson all religions speak of. The True Path that was given to us to be exemplary, to be what humanity can be. All we must do is embrace it. This light given to us is more remarkable than…
”

Rajani was interested of a sort. Not in the religious nonsense, that was droll. But in the opportunity these fools did not realize they had. The CCD would look to unite cultures and create bonds throughout their empire. Before long they may have invented such a religion themselves to do so, or maybe they already had? An interesting though, but not one she believed. It was too small scale and too shoddily done for the government to be backing it, even underhandedly. The government would have seen to more press being in attendance at the least.

No, these were just fools who may actually believe their drivel. It did not matter so much to Rajani, but she was interested in the potential influence this could lead towards. Once the government did catch wind of an unifying religion, they may very well support it whole hardily. And at that point whatever leader came forward for this religious movement would have the ear of the CCD. An interesting thing to keep an eye on.

Her obsidian eyes captured those standing before the crowd. It was not a large gathering, nor were many on the impromptu stage. But Rajani was sure to remember each of their faces in case they ever became noteworthy. Not a good chance, but still a chance. With that, she continued on. Her next train would be departing in only a few hours, then she would be in Beijing. A step closer to Moscow and finding out about the River of Magic. Closer to learning how to be stronger with it.

Rajani Misra stood upon the peaceful deck of the boat with the crescent shape of the moon glowing high above her. She had easily found a man willing to take her and all her things across the calm sea into the Gulf of Thailand. It was headed toward Bangkok. Firmly into the CCD, but that was hardly a problem. Half of Malaysia was already in the CCD, the richer half. But the eastern half that Rajani had grown up in was permitted some licenses because of this, dual citizenship without ever having been in the CCD government.

She hoped being a citizen already would make it more difficult for her to be tracked. Rajani did not plan on being caught up in whatever that foolish terrorist was doing. But, there was always a chance of some occurrence. The less they knew of her or where she came from, all the better. That was always an opinion she had. Even the british man, who had for all purposes given her his apartment, had never known her last name.

These thoughts were all distractions though. Rajani could sense the River of Magic as if it flowed and swirled around her at all times, waiting for her to embrace the river. And so she did. The euphoria of the River of Magic enveloping her brought a smile to her face as she watched over the railing. The gulf was peaceful this night, but Rajani would not pass up the chance to experiment. There were five currents within the River of Magic and she selected one of them. A somewhat, although to call it so would not be true, blue band of flowing current. Water.

Focusing on the current of water, Rajani swept the blue band out further from the ship but still easily within sight. Her ability did not expand too much further even with a full moon. This would be safe. The ship’s crew would not know it was her or anyone onboard. And so she began to create waves, rushing water upwards even, and then have bursts of water shoot up. All using the same band of current. It was like the River of Magic could run with the natural world or it could alter it. But the magnitude of the changes were greater than her limited tests in the Malaysian town had shown. The River of Magic was far greater than she had imagined.

In the distance, she could see the beginning flickers of light on the horizon. Recently, she had learned the moon still held some sway during the hours of dusk and dawn, but her ability was weakened. During the day, there was no ability at all until the moon rose again. With a sudden feeling of loss, Rajani released the River of Magic. It would be good for her to take advantage of this. The River of Magic was the not the only trait she had been gifted.

Going to her cabin below deck, Rajani sat with her legs crossed on her bed. The door was locked and barred. She meditated. Entering the Waking Dream when tired was possible, but not always a guarantee. Through meditation though, there was a more direct link to the Waking Dream. Even more, in her mind at least, meditation was a more accurate view of its effect on the body as the Waking Dream did little to restore the body or make her feel rested. In time, Rajani could feel herself slip from this physical world and entering the Waking Dream…

The Domovoi task force had been slow to find it's feet. The team members had been gathered from across the breadth of the CCD, and had only a few relatively quiet days to sort themselves out before their first case had emerged. A serial rapist, suspected to be using 'magic' to lure and render unconscious women at night along the river parks areas. With so little physical evidence at the scenes of the crime, and no reliable information provided by the targeted women, it had proven a challenging case for the newly formed task force.

Detectives Favager and Köhl had worked tirelessly to track down the suspect, whom they had become certain worked in some capacity with park maintenance and security; the attacks all happened out of sight of cameras, and whomever the attacker was had proven quite adept at avoiding them elsewhere in the park; the most they had was movement, obscured by trees and other obstacles, moving off the main paths.

That investigation was called short, when the two detectives, working in tandem to question city park staff, received an all-hands-on-deck call moments before the news broke and chimed on their Wallet feeds.

The pair of detectives arrived at the site of carnage along Garden Ring Road quickly, having fallen in with a veritable motorcade of police and first-responder vehicles. Nearly half of Domovoi was already on scene, with the rest either remaining at the task force's HQ or still making their way in from where ever they had been on their off-duty hours.

The scene was chaos, and would be for hours to come as wounded were treated and witnesses gathered, damage cleaned up. The Garden Ring Road was too important to the daily functioning of the city to be allowed to be treated as a sealed crime scene forever; even if officially it wasn't one. There would be scientists and their like on the scene once the bodies were removed to take atmosphere samples and come up with whatever excuse they would to cover the event, while Domovoi would work more quietly to piece together the picture. Questioning witnesses was proving a challenge, when saying things like 'did you see the evil warlock that did this' wasn't allowed.

By early afternoon, the scene was under control, portions of the important thoroughfare already reopened to the public, and the city's hospitals were already discharging some of the day's more mildly injured.

Then the plane crashed. It wasn't the first to go down under mysterious causes in Moscow, and surely wouldn't be the last. This time though, while most emergency personnel rushed towards the downed plane, Detectives Köhl and Favager were rushing to the airport, there to question people regarding the sudden arrival of a fog bank dense enough to confound modern aircraft equipment enough to bring down a plane. A series of questions that brought up little of interest, and a lot of stone walls, as airport staff clearly suspected the police investigation was in regards to criminal negligence on the airport staff's part.

The breakthrough came with the deaths of comrades. Another rush across the city, to where a number of officers had been cut down in a blatant attack. There would be cameras, there were witnesses, and there was a direct, visible human involvement in the attack. An attack that could be spun as the use of some new-age tazer weapon on steroids, perhaps.

The weight that Domovoi could bring to bear was finally turned onto finding leads and evidence, while Captain Aleksandrov petitioned to the Chief Inspector for warrants and mandated cooperation of various city departments. The man's bad luck, being stopped as he had been in what would likely have been a simple search and release, would be his downfall.

A second team was tasked to investigating Theo Andlain, who claimed both responsibility for and leadership of the group behind the attacks. In a world powered by social media, it was entirely possible Andlain was just claiming responsibility to glean extra followers on his video blog or some such, but Captain Aleksandrov was not so arrogant as to simply turn a blind eye.

They had the man's name and image. They would have the same on the one who had struck down those officers within the day, god willing. Bank accounts, family members, friends and more would follow suit.


Edited by Drayson, Aug 4 2015, 08:55 PM.

The water rolled over the back of his neck and washed down shoulders slowly releasing their stresses from the morning. Taking a breath every three strokes was the extent of concentration needed to reach the end of another lap. Breathe. Stretch. Glide. The weightlessness of water rendered the image of one soaring through open sky.

A thousand stresses delegated to a thousand people flickered in his mind like lightning. Another stroke, another wash of water rinsed them away. Another lap gone, another minute worn. But what was time to a man whose decades were as other men's years? Sixty-one years old and he appeared thirty, if that. What were minutes, even decades, to the immortal? Nikolai was unwilling to test the theory of murder, but even the ancient gods could be killed. The Atharim knew as much, but for the patient, time immeasureable was his gift. He began with molding the world into a new map, but the memory of the ruin on which he built his power faded in mortal minds. New calamities were needed to draw the remaining nations beneath his banner, but the decay of economic ruin was slower to be felt than that of earthquakes. There was no hurry for Nikolai.

One last deep breath and the surface of the pool moved on smooth ripples as he dived for the turning of a lap. He stretched, eyes closed, and flew far through the water when the loom of a distant power caused his form to break. His arms and legs bent, slowing him. The water suddenly grew too heavy and he raced for the surface, sputtering and coughing as he found air.

He was in the middle of the pool. Humidity filled his lungs even as his throat burnt from swallowing water forcefully. He was alone, but a menace bred of pure darkness crept along the walls, threatening to smother him with its presence. Solitary and darkness were his domain. His. He focused on steady breaths, and alarm subsided into demand.

"What's happening!"
He spoke to the rocky ceiling. The Ascendancy was never truly alone. A Barrier Preator agent hurried in. The entireity of his focus fell upon the Ascendancy in the center of the water. "Sir?"
He asked, but Nikolai knew the pursuit of answers from such as he was useless. "Alric! Now."
He ordered for the presence of the former GSG9 and a god in his direct employ.

Going to the edge, he pushed himself from the water and wrapped a towel tight around his waist. "And track down Commander Vellas. I want to know exactly where he is."
His voice hissed of anger. Michael was the only one Nikolai was aware that was capable of power of this magnitude, but if he were responsible for summoning it so near the Kremlin, he better have a damned good explanation.

She awoke.

Rajani Misra stretched her arms and scratched the sleepiness from her eyes. Her room had windows overlooking the harbor and sea. A room a british man had offered for her to stay in for however long she liked. A smile wisped across her face at that thought, men seemed so easy to convince of such things. Her dark obsidian eyes took in the scene of the sun beginning to set along the horizon in the west. The last glimmers of sunlight made her caramel skin grow duskier and painted a silhouette around her gentle curves.

The sky outside held the clash of fleeting colors among the clouds as the pure yellow slid away give rise to a flash of bright red; the sea greens of the sea and brown of the docks faded and faded of their tranquil colors; the slivers of blue were swept away as the white clouds turned grey; and the sun finally succumbed to the horizon. Above the ocean now in the darkening landscape outside, the singular orb reflecting pale light down shined above before the stars had time to reveal themselves. This was the time of the moon and Rajani had learned enough to know the ability it offered her.

Most days she slept during the later part in the day. The daytime hours had less to offer her and her dreams…well that was a part of the gift. Six years ago she had found herself able to have Waking Dreams. A world similar to the physical one, but of dreams and seemingly of dreamers. She had been too curious too quick in that world. Lack of caution had found her chased by nightmarish creatures in situations that felt too real for a dream. Eventually she learned to control this. And once she had control, confidence grew. More and more, the secrets behind these gifts would reveal themselves.

There would have to be names. She thought leaving the bedroom to head towards the modern living room. The british man was wealthy somehow and normally lived in Britain. All the better for her. Rajani had begun to think of herself as a witch. Not because of the Waking Dreams, although they were a part of it. More because of the other gift. The one given to her directly by the moon. When she was sixteen, it had first been there. A River of Magic. It was weak then. But has grown, every day it seemed to grow more powerful. And it was only through the moon, only at night that Rajani could embrace the River of Magic.

Turning on a laptop, Rajani closed her eyes. There were Taoist practices, her father’s religion, that dealt directly with such rivers of life such as the River of Magic took on, “Water is one of Lao Tsu's principle symbols for the Tao...He who lives the Tao acts in his life and dealings as water acts in nature. Water does not resist, yet it conquers all; it is tasteless - suggesting the invisibility of the Tao - yet life-giving. It moves through all that lives and in movement remains clear and pure. It is supple, flexible, and humble; it does not compete.”

And so Rajani embraced the River of Magic, feeling the pure pleasure of the moon’s blessing coursing through her. It had taken her some time to identify the various currents within the River of Magic. There was Fire and Earth, though both seemed more difficult to grasp when she attempted to. Water and Wind worked better to her cooperation. And the last was something she suspected would be the Void, but her four years of puzzling had given her little surety in all this. There was still some she had been able to uncover though and she spent many nights trying to master what she knew, while also having trials at what she could only fathom.

Still embracing the River of Magic, Rajani’s eyes of pools of midnight glanced across her screen as she searched for something. This gift making her into a witch could not have only touched her, there had to be others. In many days past she had heard rumors and discussion, random people speaking of magic and even a video but few centralized. Few that she could go to. She had to learn much and more about these abilities, had to uncover all of their secrets.

Moscow.

A man there claiming to use magic. A survivor of the Sickness. Calling for those like him to rally to him. Rajani pursed her lips, a fool. Like to be dead months before she would arrive, but the attention he would bring upon himself might give opportunity. She would have to be subtle, have a plan, but all this would need to be sorted from much closer. Glancing around the rich apartment that was not her own, she decided such elegance could be found elsewhere too. And a journey to Moscow perhaps could provide her with the knowledge she desired.

Name: Rajani Misra

Age: 20 (born 2026)

Whereabouts: Daro, Malaysia

Rajani was the daughter of a councilor in the small town of Daro in Malaysia. She is a dreamwalker and her wilder block is/was that she could only channel at night. Her ability to Dreamwalk began when she was 14 and has been the focus of her attention. Unwittingly (this is still not known to her) she began using small doses of compulsion on men to get what she wanted. But she assumed this was due to her beauty and not channeling. It was only when her mother confronted her about this two years later that Rajani threw her mother across the room without even touching her. That was when Rajani learned she could channel.

Leaving her home that night, Rajani took advantage of her beauty (and compulsion use) to be treated well and get by on her own at 18 years of age. From then Rajani devoted herself to studying Dreamwalking and the Power. Her father was Taoist and Rajani favoring her father (who had been overly generous to her because of her compulsion use), concentrated on using Taoist practices to open herself to the Power. She has begun to erode her block, being able to channel in dusk/dawn. But she is weaker channeling during the day than she is at night. Often she sleeps during the day, Dreamwalking, then uses the Power at night.

Rajani is ambitious and interested in learning more about the Power as well as Dreamwalking. She is a goddess reborn. Mani from norse legend: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1ni . I would like her future potential channeling ability to be Level 38, but she is currently weaker at the age of 20 and not at her full potential yet. I'm not completely sure what year it is, haha. But Rajani is twenty now!

Continued from Looking glass


Sierra was right. There wasn't a real road for at least a kilometer off the river. Luckily, Stanislav brought snowmobiles. There weren't real paths per say to cover the distance, but experienced drivers maneuvered Jaxen, Elias and Sierra through the trees by riding second seat.

Comfortable SUV's with blacked out windows and generic markings waited to carry them to the city. Stanislav ceased his interrogation of Jaxen along the way, but the narrow suspicion in his eyes sent a chill through Jaxen. That look might as well be transplanted off his father's face, and when he met it, he wans't sure he'd be able to hold back the truth. Scion was likely to have his son sent to a mental hospital, or else banished to some dark room until he gave up the truth of where he'd been.

As such he was relatively quiet as they returned to civilization. In Jaxen's mind mere hours had passed, and it should be early morning after a night pissed away at Manifesto. Yet the trees had changed season, the sun was in the wrong place in the sky, and as he scanned a Wallet delivered by Stanislav, he found the headlines surprising.

"What's the deal with this Theo Andlain guy?"
He asked of the car. He glanced at Sierra, but ended up looking for answers from Elias since she made it clear she wasn't up on the latest breaking news story.

continued from here

20 minutes later they were on the road. 30 minuites after that everyone had their positions. Martin waited outside the rear entrances with Gunnar. Yoshimiro and Cross were out front taking up positions to make the surprise attack. Annemarie was in the comms van a few blocks away from the gentleman's club the man was sighted at. Martin hadn't been to this particular one, but it was high end and he made a note to check it out for other possible godlings. Surely if one frequented here there were others as well.

Fai was standing by in a near by safe house. She would only be called out if there were injuries. Hopefully today they would take out a god. It would be a spectacular day!

Martin sat in the shadows of the alley way. He could see the rear door. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up as he stood nonchalantly against the wall. He was dressed in meager gear on the outside, but he wore his thin armored suit underneath. A man like Volodin was likely to have a gun - he was a mobster after all. The armor would do nothing for power blows, but Martin hoped it could stop even projectiles from the godling from killing him. At least prevent them from piercing his body like they had that cop.

Now all they could do is wait and pray that no civilians got in the way. They apparently didn't have to wait long as Martin's wallet buzzed silently against his chest. He glanced at it and saw that the target had left their eyes and ears inside. It was only a matter of time now. Martin whispered into his coms, "Everyone be ready. He could show any time now."

News runs wild about a young MSU student named Theo Andlain, who claims to be a user of magic, survivor of the Sickness, and terrorist laying waste to Moscow life and property recently. His bold claims come on a private internet channel that has thus far been unable to lead to exact whereabouts. However he is not hiding. In fact, he calls for those of his kind to rally to his position - that he can save their lives, teach them their magic, and work wonders.

He, and those in his group thus far, won Moscow's attention this week when they coordinated public displays of their power, first on a city highway, at the airport, and finally directly in front of Custody police. Theo regrets the loss of life and property, but claims the extreme acts were necessary to win the attention he needed.

He says he will continue to organize terrorist acts until the government acknowledges the truth. Until then the entire Custody argues whether he is a villain or a hero.

PC's may encounter members of his group in play, and certainly encounter the results of their actions. The Atharim and Custody intelligence are certain to be hunting him down meanwhile.

Scroll article: Supernatural rattles Moscow, ends in violence

Scroll article: Fire tears through Moscow

<big>Fire tears through Moscow, local man claims responsibility
The Report, 2046

</big>

Today a man posted on a private internet channel claiming responsibility for the fiery vortex that surged down the Garden Ring road yesterday. He has been identified as Theo Andlain, twenty-three years old, originally of St. Petersburg and currently a student at MSU.

<table>
<thead><tr><th colspan="1">Theo Andlain</th></tr></thead>
<tr><th></th></tr>
</table>


In his statement, he claimed the vortex was a sign of coming plagues he would unleash upon Moscow for every day the government denies the existance of magic-users. According to Andlain, young people of his kind are killed or kidnapped on a daily basis although he does not directly blame the atrocities on the government. He says he can be the hope for those who are afraid of what they are.

As apparent proof of Andlain's allegations, the video shows a small vortex of fire whirl above one palm, a miniature of what tore through the streets of Moscow yesterday. He claimed to regret the deaths and injuries caused by his actions but was forced to make a profound statement in order to be taken seriously. He warned additional scenes will follow in the coming days.

Theo Andlain's whereabouts are unknown at this time. Custody Police say the threats are being taken seriously and any act of terrorism will be dealt with accordingly. The public is asked to provide any information that may lead to his arrest or capture.

Comments on magic go unacknowledged.