Fractus Soror, Natus Lucis (Open RP)

[Ammie]

((Okay, this is gonna be the thread for the active, investigation (final) part of the "Ammie's Hitch-hikers" investigation quest. The "countdown" will soon be kicked off by a specific event, and afterwards Ammie will largely become an NPC-status character for the duration of the event, because her powers will be heightened beyond normal and she will not be of any help to the players.

Anyone taking part in the investigation can use this thread for collecting and sharing information, IC emails, OOC theories, and the like.

The goal of all of this is to figure out what's going on with her and how to fix it before she reaches a point beyond saving. Information on her condition has been spread around in interactions with a lot of folks over the whole course of her RP, and only by comparing notes and asking the right questions will the truth be uncovered. The more the players can dig up, the better the result will be.

Ammie will be available for IC questions for the next day or so at least, feel free to PM me here or on twitter. After that, she will be less and less reliable as a source of information, but there are other NPCs that will be around to help.

Please avoid clutter and tangents, and I encourage the use of PMs to ask smaller questions or clarify details, and use this thread towards posting the facts of the case.

If you have a character that you would like to bring into the process, but no IC way to become involved, PM me and I'll be glad to work out a way to do it through an NPC.

Thanks again for all of your interest, and I hope that everyone has fun with it!
Let's start the thread out by listing what we already know. I'll throw out some prompts to start you going!
-Tess has details about a ritual, and some medical info.
-Wanda has more medical info, and the ability to analyze things.
-Saki and Vi have clues about some of the things that set off the changes.
-Anyone who has been on a Hell run with Ammie has seen her change, and what happens.
-Rowan, Ken, and Shay have seen the personalities used toward good ends.
-Franc and Noel had clues as to the origins of the affliction, and that info can still be retrieved.
-The people who went with her to speak to her brother got some clues as well - the dialogue is copied down in another thread on this forum.

[Carl]

I walked quickly out of the Agartha portal under the Solvall in New York and headed to my Cadillac CTS-V sedan. No sooner had I gotten the key in the ignition and started the car's V-8 engine and cranked up the heater to fight off the cold November weather than I pulled a notebook out of the car's center armrest storage space. I was determined to write down as much as I could about what we had found out in London about Amaryllis Wicker while it was still fresh in my memory.

So, we had found out that she had been arrested in Valestone Cemetary in London regarding an "incident" in 1980. There were plenty of Wickers buried there but none that had seemed to have had a direct connection to her.

Then, I had looked into a connection her brother might have had in that Cemetary. A quick inquiry sent to the AEgir Investigations "PIT Crew" had yielded a result: Jordan Byrn. The man who had been a college professor while Wicker was an undergraduate was buried at Valestone and had been referred to by Theodore on more than occasion as his "inspiration and mentor." The Byrn family had a plot with many family members in that graveyard.

Jordan Byrn passed away in 1974, he apparently preceded his own son in death by four years. That son had a daughter named Amanda, who lived from 1963 to 1975.....

Ammie was also born in 1963....Vi recalled Ammie mentioning an "Amanda" by name while we were in London....that this "Amanda" needed to be protected from a "man" who was coming for them....or for her specifically?

I knew, it was a wild idea, that Amanda and Amaryllis could be closer than it seemed on paper....merely connected by a Professor and one of his best Students....but could it really be discounted?

Under what I had written down, I made a big note with large underlines. "Have the PIT Crew find whatever they can regarding the Wickers and the Byrns when I get to work tomorrow. Perhaps determine if Ammie had gone there directly back in '80 to try to track down the path to her brother."

I looked over the notes again, trying to determine if I had missed any detail. Satisfied that I had gotten all I could recall, I set the notepad aside. I reversed the Cadillac out of the parking spot, and then put the transmission into its forward gears, making the turn to head back east to Jule's home in Southampton.

[saki]

Saki sipped her coffee, listening in rapt attention as Ro recounted to her, Solomon, and Vi her side of what had happened the night Saki had watched The Man in The Dark Corner essentially possess Ammie and bully the nephilim in Ro down to submission. Ammie had been transposed, she remembered—her voice, movement, eyes...nothing like her own. It had frightened Saki to witness it, and she remembered that The Man didn't let go until Karen had done something to sooth Ammie. At least, that's what it had seemed like at the time.

She turned to Solomon, searching his eyes for a glimmer of inspiration. They were reviewing the facts of that night because he wanted to know what things triggered another one of Ammie's “personalities” taking over, in the hopes that maybe he could come up with something to help her keep them at bay. Saki, taking great stock in Sol's abilities, wanted to share everything she could with him... Hoping... Hoping that Ammie's difficulties could finally be put in the past and that she could focus on having a better future.

Tess, Sera, and Will showed up, all listening to them comparing notes with mixed levels of curiosity. Tess had just been in the midst of naming “The Man in the Dark Corner” and “The Woman Behind Me” when they all heard a terrible cry go up from the park around the corner. It reverberated all around them—one cry in more than one voice—full of anguish. Saki dropped her coffee cup on the floor without a second thought and ran, just a split second behind Solomon. There is no such thing as coincidence, she thought absently, knowing in her gut that this wail had come from Ammie.

They were all there. Even Jule and Carl had heard the cry from wherever they'd been. Ammie's eyes were fiery and her voice was not her own. They surrounded her, all sensing that she'd been taken over by something dangerous. Solomon challenged her as Saki knew he would... tried to beat the Other down. It was much more than he'd anticipated, and within an instant he was sprawled on the ground. Anger welled within Saki as she went to his side, healing him, but in so doing she realized that the damage could have been far greater. Ammie didn't want him to really be hurt, she thought, absently...

Ammie vanished in a shockwave that had pushed them all back from her. Sol had stormed off, with little more hurt than his pride. Jule had left. Saki had seen her rubbing her temple earlier and wondered if something Hellish about The Man had caused Jule pain. Tess left in a cloud of frustration with Sera close behind her. Ammie's Doctor, Wanda (Saki had heard someone mention that name before, and thought they might be one and the same), had shown up at some point and left again, saying she was going to get some tranquilizers ready and look for Ammie herself.

Throughout Will, although protective of her, had seemed somehow absent. Like his focus was miles away. As the remaining group stayed, unsure of what to do, he seemed to regain clarity. Weeks ago, he had told Ammie he'd do some digging into her past, since she didn't recall most of it, it seemed. He told them he'd found that she'd had an arrest in 1980 for trespassing, disorderly conduct, and intoxication at Valestone Cemetery in London. Saki watched him in admiration as he deftly followed their requests to hack into police records, death records... trying to determine why she had been there.

Did a Wicker in that cemetery die in 1980 or close to it? There were thirteen Wickers buried there, four had died between 1978-1980: an elderly couple, a middle aged man in a car accident, and at 25-year-old gunshot victim. Will checked their records, but couldn't find any connection to Ammie. Carl suggested he check for connections to Theodore, and Saki smiled at him. Carl was turning out to be extremely clever, she realized, looking back at the screen of Will's cell phone while Vi looked on from the other side. He discovered that the Byrn family had a plot there, and that Jordan Byrn was someone who had been very influential in Theodore's life while he was in college, if not after.

Jordan Byrn, dead in 1974. He had outlived his son and daughter-in-law by four years. They'd died in a house fire, leaving behind a daughter-- Amanda--born in 1963, the same year as Ammie. Died in 1975.

Ammie was arrested in 1980, Saki thought. Why was she at the cemetery drinking and behaving wildly a full five years after the last Bryn died? What's the connection there? A friend? A lover? She at least knew the Bryns... She was drunk... Mourning... Unless... it was something else?

As they all discussed it, Will suddenly said, “What if Ammie isn't really a Wicker?” The idea started to take root. What if Amanda and Ammie were one and the same? If her forgotten past had really been a different life that had ended in a fire? That didn't explain her powers or the Others within her. Or her behavior at the graveyard five years later. But they had begun to wonder if “Amanda” had really died at all. The cemetery was in London...

Gavin sauntered up, looking for amusement and instead finding himself volunteered to go with Vi to the cemetery to see if anything else could be learned there. Saki bit her lower lip nervously, hoping that they wouldn't need to dig anyone up...

[kovergirl]

"Your coffee, ma'am."

Vi looked up from her computer screen as a young man in an AEgir Security uniform entered her office, aforementioned cup of coffee steaming from a black mug with the company logo emblazoned boldly on the sides. She offered him a slight smile and a brief, "Thanks, hun," before her gaze shifted back to her work. A dismissal understood, the guard quickly took his leave after setting the mug down on the corner of her desk, just within arms reach. As the door to her office slid closed, she leaned over to pick up her coffee, her attention still glued to the screen.

A sip of coffee, then the gentle tap of the mug being set down once more as she continued looking through the image captures she had made the previous night. Amanda Bryn...Ammie had mentioned that name before, and Will had tracked her down to a cemetery located in London. So she and Gavin spent the night sneaking into the Valestone cemetery to find any information on the girl that had not been made accessible on a computer. They also verified that there was indeed an Amanda Bryn buried at Valestone, then broke into the offices where they made some interesting discoveries.

Vi pulled up the pictures she took of the records regarding Amanda's cremation. Her ashes had been signed for by Theodore Wicker. She had no next-of-kin at her time of death, and no record of who had ordered the cremation. On a hunch, she sifted through the police records for the area where the Bryn family lived after parting ways with Gavin, as well as asked the interns at the PIT to compile all available records on Amanda Bryn. She took another sip of coffee and yawned into her fist. Apparently, custody of Amanda fell to her grandfather, Jordan, but she appeared to fall off the grid after his death. No records appeared to exist for her until her death certificate appeared in 1975. The records available from before Jordan's death suggested an unremarkable, if short, life. A vexingly vague description of "cardiac arrest" being Amanda's documented cause of death.

She frowned thoughtfully at the images, then saved them all in a zip file and sent a copy to Saki. More pieces of the puzzle, but one doesn't solve anything until they have all the facts. Hopefully the others have had more luck.

Then one of her guards pinged her. Ammie had arrived at the Solvall. Vi stepped out into the Hub to watch the cams when Tess called.

"I heard you found Ammie, I'd like you to keep her confined to the AEgir Hilton for her own safety for the time being."

Vi smirked wryly to no one in particular, "I'll try, but it's probably gonna have to be voluntary. She's gonna get out if she or anyone else in there puts their mind to it."

She sighed softly after the call. She knew what Tess was thinking, hell, she even agreed with it. With her powers going out of control, Ammie was going to be dangerous, but confronting her now may even make things worse. When it was suggested that she bring a security detail, she waved them off. Best if she handles this one herself. It was going to be tricky, Vi decided as she made her way to the elevators, but Ammie needed their help, where she knew it or not.

[onlycore]

((this message is going up to a special discussion board Anna set up for this crisis she's mailed the address to everyone in AEgir with instructions to pass it on to people invovled who are outside the company))

From Annabell Winston-Smyth
Subject: Ammie's phone calls

Not sure if this is connected or not to the current problems but is everyone aware of the strange phone calls Ammie has been receiving?

If not this all happened a couple of months back now, Ammie was getting odd calls mostly just static or dial tones, we traced them back and it turned out they were coming from her brothers old office phone number, which i sorta impossible as it's a: not his phone anymore and b: it's actually not ANYONES number anymore, the number was changed back in the 80s while a lot of English numbers where being modernized.

All attempts the record the calls failed cutting out half a second after they started, and attempts to trace it just gave out rubbish information like a call duration of -9,999,999sec stuff like that.

[anokatos]

((Hastily scrawled in Solomon's notebook, then copied and sent to Saki, Vi and Tess))

Investigated dates of other Wickers who died around Ammie's arrest. No obvious signs, portents or omens. Nothing on file with the Templar Order. Scenes long dead of paranormal resonance. Dead end.


Jordan Bryn. Mentor to Theodore Wicker. taught para-scientific studies. Wicker was his TA. Obviously close. Died in 1974.

Had son and daughter in law. Died in house fire, 1970. Investigate fire.

Had granddaughter Amanda. Born same year as Ammie (63). Jordan given custody after parents' death. Died 1875. Investigate cause of death. Remains cremated. No next of kin. Ashes claimed by Theodore Wicker. Investigate Amanda Bryn gravesite.

[onlycore]

((Wanda has Ammie's dna on file most likely since she ran blood tests on her, if anyone dose exhume Amanda and wants to run a check to see if they are related at all))

[kovergirl]

((Vi's going ahead with exhuming either Amanda's parents or her grandfather, since Amanda's body was cremated. Sera will be coming with. And Maybe Saki? :3 Anyway, she'll have investigations draw up the necessary paperwork to do this without resorting to shovels in the dead of night.))

[Carl]

((Carl's doing legwork in London today at the Hall of Records and at where Wicker went to college (Oxford? Can't remember for sure without trying to find it in game). He's specifically interested in finding a picture of Amanda Byrn and seeing if there's anything in Wicker's writings related to Ammie's situation...although as I think about it Jordan Byrn may have written on the subject as well. Lots of theses and essays to go through!))

[anokatos]

((Sol is hauling ass to Amanda Byrn's gravesite. He's going to attempt to summon her spirit, which would be much easier to do before she gets dug up. :3 ))

[kovergirl]

((Considering Amanda's body was cremated, Vi decided to go ahead and exhume Jordan Byrn instead. Since the parents died in a fire, she assumes there'll be less chance of getting a useful DNA sample from them as well. (That is, unless she is informed that their bodies were not damaged by the fire itself) Once she has the go ahead and paperwork from Investigations (Or from Tess or Carl) she'll head over to the cemetery with an investigations team. Saki, Sera, and Sol will also be there, I think.))

EDIT:

((By the end of the day, the cemetery team will have obtained a DNA sample of Jordan Byrn. The sample will be sent to Wanda for analysis, but it will take time.))

[anokatos]

((again, hastily scrawled, then copied and sent to Vi, Saki and Tess))

Attempted to contact Amanda Byrn's spirit. Did not have the time to prepare proper ritual or gather proper items. Was not as fruitful as I had hoped.

Byrn passed feeling loved and content. Does not wish to walk the world.

Investigated Amanda's death. Cardiac failure at age twelve. Unusually young for such an ailment. Investigate medical history for prior conditions.

Investigation into the fire that killed Amanda's parents also less than fruitful. Official statements declare it entirely accidental. Conclusion corraborated by three subsequent insurance investigations as well.

Investigated new residence personally. Minor spiritual resonance: Panic, fear, pain. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Worth noting, Amanda was not home at the time of the fire. and her parents died knowing she was safe.

[onlycore]

From Annabell Winston-Smyth
Subject: Wicker's Journals

Guys had a thought I recall Ammie mentioning that there are a few of her brothers old books, possibly even some diaries and journals hidden away in her library, she didn't add them to the digital archive I helped her set up but I'm fairly sure I know where too find them, would appreciate it if someone would distract Ammie while I'm rummaging around her place however, not sure given her current state how she would react.

[Ammie]

((So!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend full of family and turkey and so forth!
IRL drama having likely concluded for the most part, it's time to tie this story up!
There have been two MAJOR discoveries put out on the table since the last time people have posted! Wanda has the results of her DNA analysis done, and some of you have that info already. Also, Lilith did some stuff, and knows some stuff.

You guys are really doing well putting it together so far! At this rate i think we can tie it all up by this weekend. Thanks again for your interest, and participation so far!))

[saki]

((I can be around tomorrow if people want to start meeting up again. A few of us heard what Wanda had to say, but we need to pass it on! And I don't think Lilith has shared her stuff with anyone yet...))