CorpusMundum

DC Universe: Anarchy

A groan passed from the magician's clenched teeth as he made his ways through the disgusting streets of Gotham city, cigarette held tightly between the stained enamel. The comforting scent of burning tobacco soothed his nerves, while he tucked the lighter back into one of the bags he'd been carrying. Flying was always such a hassle, and stressful as hell. Magick or no, security was never something he got used to, but neither were cities for that matter. While they were a testament to the spirit of man, there was also something distasteful that Albert could never shake. Big, grimy, and often so out of touch from the world outside them, cities like Gotham proved to be even worse. Aside from the ever present criminal element and costumed maniacs, there was a very... fatalistic aspect about the monolithic buildings and sheer vastness of the sprawling metropolis. Seemed like no matter how hard you tried it would swallow you up, it was yours the minute you were born in the midst of its filth.

The magician pushed such thoughts from his mind as he walked, bags clenched tightly in his hands. Incense, charms, fetishes, ritual attire, and all manner of things that would never be let through onto a plain were carefully cradled within their leather embrace. Everything he would need to set up shop in that trash heap of a city. His new employers with their impressive resources, had secured him and his soon to be coworkers with a small, unassuming place from which to conduct their work within Gotham. Small was certainly the key word there. Standing on the sidewalk, Albert's frown stretched into a full blown scowl as his eyes scanned over the rather pitiful millhouse which stood before him. It was old, and though in decent shape far from attractive what with its peeling paint, broken shutters, and filthy windows. A man of middle years sat on the porch, cigarette clasped between his fingers as he glared at Albert.

"You Barton?" His voice was gruff, and his tone rather rude.

"Yeah, what the hell have you been doing here this whole time, thought you were supposed to get the place furnished and ready for moving day. Place looks like shit, man."

The man frowned and stood with a groan, motioning for Albert to follow him inside. "Yeah, we were and we did. Didn't say nothing about touching up the outside of the damn house."

With a sigh Albert tossed what little remained of his cigarette, grinding it beneath his foot before walking in to join the rather unpleasant man. The interior was admittedly much more well kept, the furniture new if simple and sparse. Another man was sitting inside on a laptop, mumbling softly to himself and not giving the two of them a glance.

"You've got heat, air, water, all the essentials. Rich boy's package is in the garage along with some old junker. Should work fine for your purposes right? Anyways, he can set up his own little network when he gets here if he likes, but you've got the plain old internet as well if you prefer."

"Thanks, now if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have work to do and little time to do it in. Jupiter is in a very delicate position that won't last another day or two at most, can't let that opportunity pass me up." He set his bags down and smiled at the two men, who simply looked at one another and shrugged before heading towards the door.

"We'll be in touch." With that the two were gone from the small dwelling, and Albert could breathe easily at last. Wasting no time, the magician began unpacking his ritual materials. One of the two bedrooms (if they could be called such) had been set aside per his request. After years of careful practice the ritual space was prepared within minutes, Albert dressed in the full regalia of his ceremonial garb and all the necessary tools on a table within his reach. So began a series of rituals which would seal and ward the dwelling against prying eyes both mundane and supernatural, a barrier through which only those invited spirits could pass in the astral plane. The smell of sweet incense and earthy oils permeated the air in the millhouse as the magician continued his work, ensuring the security of himself and those who sought refuge within the small home.

DC Universe: Anarchy

Albert Barton

Name: Albert Barton

Age: 36

Super Name: Often goes by the alias Mr. Scratch

Powers: Albert is a practitioner of the hermetic sciences and ritual magick, mainly the arts of Alchemy, Astrology, and Theurgy. Alchemy, the Royal Art which has for the most part fallen out of favor compared to Chemistry and Pharmacology, is no less powerful because of the ridicule it receives. Spagyric elixirs and tinctures, the transmutation of base metals, the creation or perhaps the imitation of life, and the transformation of the immortal soul are all possible through this ancient and esoteric practice and the pursuit of the Magnum Opus.
Astrology in the modern world is often seen as the ignorant precursor to astronomy, and dismissed by the scientific community, as well as many 'serious' practitioners of the occult and arcane. Albert sees astrology as the study of the energies of the universe, radiated by the countless heavenly bodies which surround us. These energies influence our behavior and the world around us in subtle ways, in a sense creating a psychological outline of an individual the moment they become one with the universe at their first breath. Despite this free will is very much a thing in Albert's mind. Destiny is not the antithesis of free will, but rather the fulfillment of it. Aside from being used for divination or as a psychological tool, astrology can be used to note the times and locations in which certain rituals and rites will be their most potent. The energies of the spheres and stars working together with the will of magician towards a greater end.
Theurgy is the Operation of the Gods, the communing, summoning, and binding of spirits (typically elementals and angels). Goetia is the practice of theurgy to call upon low forces such as demons. This is not the same as making Faustian pacts (though Albert has been known to broker such contracts for others) or prostrating oneself before these entities, it is the use of true names, ancient oaths, and the power of the supreme creative force to bring these entities into submission and service. Much like Solomon did, Albert can use this art to bind spirits into objects as well, creating enchanted objects with power greater than the more common sympathetic tool or focus.

Technology: A .38 special, switchblade, and a cellular phone are the only items mechanical or electronic the magician keeps on his person.

Acquaintances: Irrelevant relatives, distant pen pals and business associates, Wally West, and Galatea.

Personality: Albert is a man with a deep urge to create, explore, and understand. This is what has lead him to study the occult and conduct so many experiments. To fuel his passions, Albert has become a shrewd businessman and negotiator, always looking to get the most out of any deal he might make. Looking to great men who came before, he has aspired to become a good if not great man himself. Mercy, integrity, dignity, and other such values are ones he aspires to have as an integral part of his being. Despite his effort though there are times when they come into conflict with his needs as a businessman.

Bio: Born to a middle class family in the American South, Albert Barton grew up with a great love of literature, legends, and all manner of folk and fairy tales. Coupled with a strong religious upbringing, this lead Albert to explore all manner of philosophical and religious texts and documents outside of school. When it came time to leave for college, these passions followed him as he studied chemistry. Using what little money he had from various odd and part-time jobs, the initiate began to build a lab of his own outside of the campus to pursue his own works in Alchemy. After a few years however, these experiments began to interfere with the lab work at the university. Due to various... setbacks in his work, and quite a few chemical fires, Albert was expelled. Taking his own equipment, and whatever resources he could, the young novice began to travel the country and continued his work. He began to delve into experiments with hallucinogens during this bohemian phase in his life, funding his way as he went by selling his wares where he could.
After years of such a simple existence, the alchemist had managed to scrimp and save enough to lease a living space and shop where he could properly sell and expand his merchandise. It was here that his focus shifted to the study of astrology and theurgy, subjects which he had known in some small way to augment the potency of his elixirs and the like. Countless hours were spent poring over grimoires, charts, and books filled with information on the movement of the stars. The first summonings were rough to say the least. Feeble, mindless spirits of hunger and spite were drawn to the new theurgist's inexperience and the possibility to claim his soul. But eventually with practice his rituals became grander, more effective, and more powerful. He learned the names and oathes of entities long forgotten by the world of man through the whispers that traveled across the astral plane. His mentors were angels, demons, and elementals alike, and each time he would draw more and more from the spirits till they would whisper no more.
Wanting to expand his reach further, the magician began to make contact with other magi and sorcerers through the country and abroad. He traded in trinkets, scrolls, tomes, manuscripts, anything and everything he could get his hands on that might reveal more of the nature of the soul and the glory of creation. As this continued his skills as an alchemist and in forging pacts and magickal contracts became the talk of the magickal community. Along with his regular contacts, the magician was flocked by new age posers, aspiring sorcerers, and rich folk looking for something that money can't normally buy. In one instance it was life, Albert signing a contract to cure a man's illness in exchange for enough money for him to retire comfortably. Along with an island to retire on. Using his new found fortune, the magician built himself a proper home, lab, library, and ritual space on his land. Within months the money dried up, Albert being free for the first time in his life to indulge in all manner of strange and costly experiments. For him money was merely a means to an end, one which he would share with mankind at its own pace, with those who were ready to learn.
Back to his old trade of selling, buying, and brokering contracts, Albert's business was shaken by the chaos caused by the death of superman and the collapse of the US government. Some big mess of politics and sophomoric ideological revolution or some such nonsense. Aside from personal distaste towards the whole conflict, it wasn't really his to join in on. At least not till he was approached, rather unceremoniously, by a representative of the Government in exile of the United States, and an organization called Cadmus. They offered influence, power, but more importantly: resources. The kind that would allow him to continue his experiments for the rest of his days, the kind that would surely hasten his creation of the Magnum Opus. Providing his services as a magician, and his home as a center of operations for a new task force, Barton now finds himself as a coordinator of sorts for all manner of heroes, metahumans, and hired guns.

DC Universe: Anarchy

Albert Barton

Name: Albert Barton

Age: 36

Super Name: Often goes by the alias Mr. Scratch

Powers: Albert is a practitioner of the hermetic sciences and ritual magick, mainly the arts of Alchemy, Astrology, and Theurgy. Alchemy, the Royal Art which has for the most part fallen out of favor compared to Chemistry and Pharmacology, is no less powerful because of the ridicule it receives. Spagyric elixirs and tinctures, the transmutation of base metals, the creation or perhaps the imitation of life, and the transformation of the immortal soul are all possible through this ancient and esoteric practice and the pursuit of the Magnum Opus.
Astrology in the modern world is often seen as the ignorant precursor to astronomy, and dismissed by the scientific community, as well as many 'serious' practitioners of the occult and arcane. Albert sees astrology as the study of the energies of the universe, radiated by the countless heavenly bodies which surround us. These energies influence our behavior and the world around us in subtle ways, in a sense creating a psychological outline of an individual the moment they become one with the universe at their first breath. Despite this free will is very much a thing in Albert's mind. Destiny is not the antithesis of free will, but rather the fulfillment of it. Aside from being used for divination or as a psychological tool, astrology can be used to note the times and locations in which certain rituals and rites will be their most potent. The energies of the spheres and stars working together with the will of magician towards a greater end.
Theurgy is the Operation of the Gods, the communing, summoning, and binding of spirits (typically elementals and angels). Goetia is the practice of theurgy to call upon low forces such as demons. This is not the same as making Faustian pacts (though Albert has been known to broker such contracts for others) or prostrating oneself before these entities, it is the use of true names, ancient oaths, and the power of the supreme creative force to bring these entities into submission and service. Much like Solomon did, Albert can use this art to bind spirits into objects as well, creating enchanted objects with power greater than the more common sympathetic tool or focus.

Technology: A .38 special, switchblade, and a cellular phone are the only items mechanical or electronic the magician keeps on his person.

Acquaintances: Irrelevant relatives, distant pen pals and business associates, and Galatea.

Personality: Albert is a man with a deep urge to create, explore, and understand. This is what has lead him to study the occult and conduct so many experiments. To fuel his passions, Albert has become a shrewd businessman and negotiator, always looking to get the most out of any deal he might make. Looking to great men who came before, he has aspired to become a good if not great man himself. Mercy, integrity, dignity, and other such values are ones he aspires to have as an integral part of his being. Despite his effort though there are times when they come into conflict with his needs as a businessman.

Bio: Born to a middle class family in the American South, Albert Barton grew up with a great love of literature, legends, and all manner of folk and fairy tales. Coupled with a strong religious upbringing, this lead Albert to explore all manner of philosophical and religious texts and documents outside of school. When it came time to leave for college, these passions followed him as he studied chemistry. Using what little money he had from various odd and part-time jobs, the initiate began to build a lab of his own outside of the campus to pursue his own works in Alchemy. After a few years however, these experiments began to interfere with the lab work at the university. Due to various... setbacks in his work, and quite a few chemical fires, Albert was expelled. Taking his own equipment, and whatever resources he could, the young novice began to travel the country and continued his work. He began to delve into experiments with hallucinogens during this bohemian phase in his life, funding his way as he went by selling his wares where he could.
After years of such a simple existence, the alchemist had managed to scrimp and save enough to lease a living space and shop where he could properly sell and expand his merchandise. It was here that his focus shifted to the study of astrology and theurgy, subjects which he had known in some small way to augment the potency of his elixirs and the like. Countless hours were spent poring over grimoires, charts, and books filled with information on the movement of the stars. The first summonings were rough to say the least. Feeble, mindless spirits of hunger and spite were drawn to the new theurgist's inexperience and the possibility to claim his soul. But eventually with practice his rituals became grander, more effective, and more powerful. He learned the names and oathes of entities long forgotten by the world of man through the whispers that traveled across the astral plane. His mentors were angels, demons, and elementals alike, and each time he would draw more and more from the spirits till they would whisper no more.
Wanting to expand his reach further, the magician began to make contact with other magi and sorcerers through the country and abroad. He traded in trinkets, scrolls, tomes, manuscripts, anything and everything he could get his hands on that might reveal more of the nature of the soul and the glory of creation. As this continued his skills as an alchemist and in forging pacts and magickal contracts became the talk of the magickal community. Along with his regular contacts, the magician was flocked by new age posers, aspiring sorcerers, and rich folk looking for something that money can't normally buy. In one instance it was life, Albert signing a contract to cure a man's illness in exchange for enough money for him to retire comfortably. Along with an island to retire on. Using his new found fortune, the magician built himself a proper home, lab, library, and ritual space on his land. Within months the money dried up, Albert being free for the first time in his life to indulge in all manner of strange and costly experiments. For him money was merely a means to an end, one which he would share with mankind at its own pace, with those who were ready to learn.
Back to his old trade of selling, buying, and brokering contracts, Albert's business was shaken by the chaos caused by the death of superman and the collapse of the US government. Some big mess of politics and sophomoric ideological revolution or some such nonsense. Aside from personal distaste towards the whole conflict, it wasn't really his to join in on. At least not till he was approached, rather unceremoniously, by a representative of the Government in exile of the United States, and an organization called Cadmus. They offered influence, power, but more importantly: resources. The kind that would allow him to continue his experiments for the rest of his days, the kind that would surely hasten his creation of the Magnum Opus. Providing his services as a magician, and his home as a center of operations for a new task force, Barton now finds himself as a coordinator of sorts for all manner of heroes, metahumans, and hired guns.

DC Universe: Anarchy

Hello all, happy to be aboard. I'll start working on a character, I'm thinking of doing a magic user or some sort.

~Chasers: Boundary of the Crimson Sky~

Louis let out a long sigh as he walked down the unfamiliar street. Japan wasn't quite his scene, lacked a lot of the charm Savannah, Charleston, and The Big Easy had. But work was work, pay was pay, and research was research. The magician figured it'd be easier to do his work in the Orient rather than in Prague, supposedly the spirits of the area were more partial to interaction with humans. Folks called them Youkai he'd heard, the word left a bad taste in his mouth, lacked a lot of the beauty other terms had. To be honest a lot of the way they did things around here he found dissatisfying. But needs must when the devil vomits into your kettle, and at this point he needed to buy a new kettle.

It took him nearly an hour of walking back and forth along the streets, but Louis eventually found his way to the place. It was a bar or something if he remembered correctly. The Dangeki was the name, or something similar, hell Japanese sounded all the same to him. But as he stepped inside, it was apparent that he'd found the right spot. All sorts of folks, spirits, all gathered in a single place to chat and sip some drinks. Par for the course half the folks dressed like some sort of cartoon character. Hell, the staff seemed to dress like something out of a low-budget skin-flick. Another weary sigh escaped his lips as he closed the door behind him and began to mingle amidst the crowd. He overheard a few conversations here and there, mostly small talk and the like. All the while he sipped some brown tea (with a little kick thanks to his handy flask), and stared at the job postings on the back door.

A grin crept across his pale face at the reward for the second job. "Lord above... that alone could pay the rent for a- wait, damnit it's probably in yen or some such bullshit." In an instant the smile was gone and a scowl in its place. "Well, better than nothing, ain't too bad to track down some girls. Might be human trafficking... doubt it's ghouls though." The magician began to scratch at his chin as he thought on who or what might be responsible for the disappearances.

~Chasers: Boundary of the Crimson Sky~

Name:Louis Kingsland
Title/Alias: Optional.
Age: 34
Gender: male
Height: 6'5
Weight: 200
Appearance:
Powers:

Astral Projection

Many magickal traditions and societies in the west refer to the Crimson Sky as the Astral Plane. The relationship between the human soul, spirits, and the Astral Plane is one magicians have been studying for millennia. Those who have gained great knowledge of the nature of the soul and this realm which intermingles with our own, may be able to project their conscious self into it. Slipping from flesh, but tethered to the body, the magician can create an echo of their physical form with which they can maneuver the Astral Realm. Here the cold physicality of the material world are but grey shadows to the magician, and the truth of his surroundings is apparent. Though in this realm of space without time the magician can travel across great distances and see many things, his body is left vulnerable in the meditative state and must be undisturbed. What's more, while the tether between body and soul is too great to be severed by violence within the astral realm, it does not mean the magician can't be left untouched by an assault.

Wards

Words have power in the sense that they give us context, they shape the world around us through meaning, and the meaning we put behind these words is a power in itself. Wards exemplify this better than any other form of magick, as the meaning of the runes, sigils, and diagrams used in them hold a power that goes beyond the physical world. A simple ward of holding for instance, would be nothing but pictures on the ground for a human, but to a spirit they're as real as a brick wall. The same is true for magickal or extrasensory assaults upon a ward, the meaning of the ward causing the vibrations of the energies of the astral plane to adjust and conform as it dictates.

Theurgy

The operation of the gods. Theurgy is the art by which a magician might summon a spirit from the Astral Plane, and then command it by use of its true name, the name of god, and other various ritual methods. Typical theurgy deals with the summoning of elementals, angels, benign gods and similar celestial entities. Goetia lies on the other spectrum of theurgy, dealing with demons and similar low spirits. A magician may also use this art to bind spirits to physical vessels, in a sense creating enchanted artifacts. Djinn lamps, seven-league boots, in truth what can be created is limited only to the magician's resources and the strength of the spirit bound.

Weapons: .38 special and a stiletto.

Equipment: Backpack, whiskey flask, incense, chalk, Ars Goetia, The Corpus Hermeticum, Initiation into Hermetics, The Practice of Magical Evocation, Key to the True Kabbalah, Book of Enoch, Tarot Deck, Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Dictionnaire Infernal, and ritual attire.

Other: Anything else you can think of, like a theme song and whatnot.

Sample Post/Introduction:
A banging at the door woke Louis, and nearly caused him to jump from the seat he'd passed out in the night before. Groaning as the horrid sound came again and again, he rose on stiff legs to answer the door. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair unkempt, face in need of a shave, and breath smelling like fine Kentucky straight. Fumbling with the latch and the lock, the magician opened the door just a crack. A scowl stretched across his face when he saw the face behind it.

"What do you want, Gerard?" He groaned, head aching and stomach turning at the sight of the man.

Gerard simply smiled, a small spot of red amidst a canvas of alabaster. He brushed lint from his suit, a gaudy pin-striped thing with tails and all manner of extravagances. It fit the man rather well in that regard."Mon amie, I merely wished to speak with you and wish you well this fine morning. Is that so wrong of me?" The man's voice was soft and light, every word dripping with a sort of cruel playfulness. His bastardized Parisian accent didn't help the sort of bourgeois air he carried about himself. Despite sharing the building, Louis could never get used to the man's presence, the aura around him. Despite his finery it was... filthy, decayed. It was certainly never the whiskey that made his stomach churn.

"No I suppose not, but then again it isn't a thing like you. Now tell me, what do you want?" Blue met bright hazel as their eyes locked, that same arrogant and playful smile upon the other man's face. Finally closing his eyes and chuckling in defeat, Gerard's smile turned into a amused grin, yellow teeth, small like a doll's peaking through his luscious lips.

"Very well, you caught me. I was wondering if you would like to join me and my associates tonight, I've told them about you and they're rather impressed by your... dedication to your craft. We could have great use of you in-"

"No. I've seen you and your 'associates', Mr. Berger. The masks, the filthy golden vestments. All those girls, I see them go up with you and when they come back down they ain't right anymore. Hell, you probably ain't right. It comes off you like heat, radiating and fouling everything around you. If I've insulted you, I apologize, but if you'll excuse me I have to get ready for my next job."

"Louis, I would greatly advise that you reconsider my proposal. My associates are influential and powerful individuals, outside even this low realm. I know you to be a theurgist of great skill, and the rewards for you work can be great! What's more, think of what you can learn, what my masters can show you of the Astral Realm, and what lies beyond. He will come soon, descending from the dark places between worlds, he will-" Louis shut the door before Gerard could finish, the man's pale features now resting on a disinterested frown. Sighing, Louis went to the window of his office, peering out onto the street's early morning traffic. His sign swung lazily in the wind.

Louis Kingsland: Occultist and Paranormal Consultant

Just a floor above, another sign hung. The gold paint of its letters had faded and chipped, and Louis scowled while reading it.

Gerard Berger: Repairer of Reputations

~Chasers: Boundary of the Crimson Sky~

@KoL That's perfectly fine! In truth I was mostly going to stick with Goetic daemons, Kabbalastic angels, and general Elementals (gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, undines). I have the materials available to me to represent these entities as they should be, though with elementals there is much leeway in their exact nature, seeing as some debate whether they are actually wholly of one element, or just have a dominant element and are composed of all five (Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Spirit/Akasha), just as humans are. But again, I'm more than happy to discuss all this with you!

~Chasers: Boundary of the Crimson Sky~

@TheWindelAlright, if I can help to explain anything or you need to discuss anything with me I'll be happy to do it!

~Chasers: Boundary of the Crimson Sky~

Name:Louis Kingsland
Title/Alias: Optional.
Age: 34
Gender: male
Height: 6'5
Weight: 200
Appearance:
Powers:

Astral Projection

Many magickal traditions and societies in the west refer to the Crimson Sky as the Astral Plane. The relationship between the human soul, spirits, and the Astral Plane is one magicians have been studying for millennia. Those who have gained great knowledge of the nature of the soul and this realm which intermingles with our own, may be able to project their conscious self into it. Slipping from flesh, but tethered to the body, the magician can create an echo of their physical form with which they can maneuver the Astral Realm. Here the cold physicality of the material world are but grey shadows to the magician, and the truth of his surroundings is apparent. Though in this realm of space without time the magician can travel across great distances and see many things, his body is left vulnerable in the meditative state and must be undisturbed. What's more, while the tether between body and soul is too great to be severed by violence within the astral realm, it does not mean the magician can't be left untouched by an assault.

Wards

Words have power in the sense that they give us context, they shape the world around us through meaning, and the meaning we put behind these words is a power in itself. Wards exemplify this better than any other form of magick, as the meaning of the runes, sigils, and diagrams used in them hold a power that goes beyond the physical world. A simple ward of holding for instance, would be nothing but pictures on the ground for a human, but to a spirit they're as real as a brick wall. The same is true for magickal or extrasensory assaults upon a ward, the meaning of the ward causing the vibrations of the energies of the astral plane to adjust and conform as it dictates.

Theurgy

The operation of the gods. Theurgy is the art by which a magician might summon a spirit from the Astral Plane, and then command it by use of its true name, the name of god, and other various ritual methods. Typical theurgy deals with the summoning of elementals, angels, benign gods and similar celestial entities. Goetia lies on the other spectrum of theurgy, dealing with demons and similar low spirits. A magician may also use this art to bind spirits to physical vessels, in a sense creating enchanted artifacts. Djinn lamps, seven-league boots, in truth what can be created is limited only to the magician's resources and the strength of the spirit bound.

Weapons: .38 special and a stiletto.

Equipment: Backpack, whiskey flask, incense, chalk, Ars Goetia, The Corpus Hermeticum, Initiation into Hermetics, The Practice of Magical Evocation, Key to the True Kabbalah, Book of Enoch, Tarot Deck, Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Dictionnaire Infernal, and ritual attire.

Other: Anything else you can think of, like a theme song and whatnot.

Sample Post/Introduction:
A banging at the door woke Louis, and nearly caused him to jump from the seat he'd passed out in the night before. Groaning as the horrid sound came again and again, he rose on stiff legs to answer the door. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair unkempt, face in need of a shave, and breath smelling like fine Kentucky straight. Fumbling with the latch and the lock, the magician opened the door just a crack. A scowl stretched across his face when he saw the face behind it.

"What do you want, Gerard?" He groaned, head aching and stomach turning at the sight of the man.

Gerard simply smiled, a small spot of red amidst a canvas of alabaster. He brushed lint from his suit, a gaudy pin-striped thing with tails and all manner of extravagances. It fit the man rather well in that regard."Mon amie, I merely wished to speak with you and wish you well this fine morning. Is that so wrong of me?" The man's voice was soft and light, every word dripping with a sort of cruel playfulness. His bastardized Parisian accent didn't help the sort of bourgeois air he carried about himself. Despite sharing the building, Louis could never get used to the man's presence, the aura around him. Despite his finery it was... filthy, decayed. It was certainly never the whiskey that made his stomach churn.

"No I suppose not, but then again it isn't a thing like you. Now tell me, what do you want?" Blue met bright hazel as their eyes locked, that same arrogant and playful smile upon the other man's face. Finally closing his eyes and chuckling in defeat, Gerard's smile turned into a amused grin, yellow teeth, small like a doll's peaking through his luscious lips.

"Very well, you caught me. I was wondering if you would like to join me and my associates tonight, I've told them about you and they're rather impressed by your... dedication to your craft. We could have great use of you in-"

"No. I've seen you and your 'associates', Mr. Berger. The masks, the filthy golden vestments. All those girls, I see them go up with you and when they come back down they ain't right anymore. Hell, you probably ain't right. It comes off you like heat, radiating and fouling everything around you. If I've insulted you, I apologize, but if you'll excuse me I have to get ready for my next job."

"Louis, I would greatly advise that you reconsider my proposal. My associates are influential and powerful individuals, outside even this low realm. I know you to be a theurgist of great skill, and the rewards for you work can be great! What's more, think of what you can learn, what my masters can show you of the Astral Realm, and what lies beyond. He will come soon, descending from the dark places between worlds, he will-" Louis shut the door before Gerard could finish, the man's pale features now resting on a disinterested frown. Sighing, Louis went to the window of his office, peering out onto the street's early morning traffic. His sign swung lazily in the wind.

Louis Kingsland: Occultist and Paranormal Consultant

Just a floor above, another sign hung. The gold paint of its letters had faded and chipped, and Louis scowled while reading it.

Gerard Berger: Repairer of Reputations

~Chasers: Boundary of the Crimson Sky~

@Punished HomuraI believe it might be from the old Age of Reckoning game, but perhaps. I've never been quite sure where this one came from, but I see it all the time.