Since she isn't often on the Web she gets to communicate with the new kid via regular old encrypted-up-the-ass email. Technology, ho!
Hey Grace: It was great meeting you, and talking about root causes of systemic ills.
I've thought more about it, and I thought since you've been here a while and have such good taste in soup, you would be able to help me not be a stranger.
(This is Samir, by the way. We met at Pho 95. You smiled at me. I'm not the most memorable person in the world so if you can't recall anything about me it won't hurt my feelings.)
So here's a bit about me: I've been on the Internet since my hands were big enough to use a keyboard effectively but I wasn't able to start fucking with the reality code until about seven years ago, when I was 16. My mother was teaching at Cairo University at the time, but things got weird after that so I left and moved into a house with a bunch of nerds in Giza. We were still there in 2011 when the crisis started, so we left and went to Los Angeles. That's where I've been the last 3-4 years, until the other day obviously.
That's all I can think of to start out but if you want to ask me any questions I don't have much to hide.
Hope to hear from you soon,
S.
Grace
Samir, I remember you. I remember meeting you, at least. You and I have similar issues being noticed/remembered yes?
Names I go by: Grace Evans, Chimeric01, L. Marshall
About me: I was going to school here in Denver when I woke up. That was about two years ago. I've been here ever since, so feel free to ask anything about the area -- chances are I know your answers. Also, you should come to the Office someday, I have presents. You'll like.
Aside from that, welcome to Denver, our little Hellmouth. Okay, I say that, but it's rare that someone just dies or disappears. We do deal with some weird shit from time to time, but as much herding cats as it might be to get people on the same page, we tend to stick together when it comes to battling the latest Thing. I haven't run into anybody here who are like: "Oh, fuck you, you are a Technomancer, might as well be a 'Crat" but there are also not a lot like us around.
Some things you should know: Stay the fuck away from a club called The Black Orchid. It's vampire hunting grounds. They are not, as far as we can tell, the most horrible of vampires out there, but still -- bloodsucking gross things. If you go in that area, go with mind shields up. There is also a bookstore owned by a vampire called "Ivy & Gold." Wesley is a threat in that he is a powerful supernatural being, but we don't think that he has violent ideas toward Mages. Worse, he seems to be rather enthralled by the very idea of Mages. Also best to stay away from there, unless you find the pressing need to ask a vampire questions. Tell him you know Kalen, and you should be safe.
Washington Park is known as an area where vampires have attacked, zombie dog monsters have attacked, and it's also the place where a friendly Umbral being likes to stop by and say hello (and drag you off to the Umbra) in the form of a scarecrow. The Message (scarecrow) is a nice guy, despite the dragging off bit. Because we're masochists, a lot of us just don't care that the park has proven to be dangerous, so we like to hang out there. Vampires found that out the hard way, lol. The ones who attacked are now dead, having been replaced by Wesley and his lot. So I wouldn't worry too much about vampires at the park anymore, our exploits there have been noted.
Lerna Laboratories is a burned-out husk out by the airport. Stay away from that place too -- there's nothing there of any value anymore, it got blown sky high.
Technocracy activity here seems to be very low. I've heard of a Transhumanist laboratory somewhere in the area, but haven't seen them doing anything. If they know of us, they're staying away from us. One of us has been contacted by a fuckhead called "White Knight" (I know, right?) but even he/she did so remotely and non-threateningly. And, they pretty much only said anything because that person started Googling 'Crat agents for shits and giggles (I know, right?).
Enough about Denver... So you're from Giza and Los Angeles? How is it there?
Samir
Halfway between their meeting at Pho 95 and his eventual surprise appearance at the warehouse comes this response:
Now that you mention it, I don't think I would have noticed you if you hadn't reached out to me first. It's hard to explain and I don't entirely understand it, but I think we do have similar issues. A friend of mine said it's supposed to be a sign that you're so enlightened few people can understand you enough to notice/remember you, but that friend smoked a lot of pot, so IDK how reliable his testimony is. As far as I can tell I'm so unremarkable that even when I have gotten pulled over for speeding or something, no one at the DMV can find any evidence anyone ever pressed charges against me. So it's nice that way, but not so nice when you meet a cute girl at the library or something and you try to chat her up later and it turns out she has no clue who you are.
Anyway: I will definitely stay the fuck away from Lerna Laboratories and The Black Orchid and Ivy & Gold. Even the idea of vampires kind of makes my skin crawl.
Googling 'Crat agents. I kind of want to ask, but I mostly don't.
Giza and Los Angeles are pretty similar, actually. They're huge and integral and crawling with creatures that are fighting over control of them. I'm surprised L.A. hasn't burned to the ground yet but it's mostly Hermetics and VAs out there anyway. I don't really leave the house at all, in general, but I didn't like leaving after dark ever, there. Giza wasn't much better. It doesn't sound like Denver is, either. That's probably less the fault of the city and more the fault of Awakened Life but I'm not trying to judge.
I'm working on freeing up my schedule enough that I can come by the office one of these nights, btw. It's slow going. I appreciate the invitation and the information, though. You're a huge help.
Grace
As for Denver, I don't know if there are a lot of power struggles going on here, aside from the vampires. In contrast, it seems to be that various supernatural things find Denver a nice quiet place to hide out or plan their world domination/vengeance against all mankind scheme. The lack of a distinct power base in the city means we get a lot of people and things thinking this place is a pushover -- a great starting point where they can avoid attention while setting up their evil enterprise.
The lack of a power base just means we don't have a structure to corrupt, and yet we maintain a flexible response. Our threats have been mostly really really dumb, in other words.
The lack of a power base just means we don't have a structure to corrupt, and yet we maintain a flexible response. Our threats have been mostly really really dumb, in other words.
You can come by the office any time, there is no need to apologize. You could come by never and not hurt my feelings any. Just, we like to make such offers, to keep people in the loop and provide some measure of safety, because we know how the world can get sometimes. Awakened Life is not always easy. And sometimes, you can't hide from it as well as you'd like.
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