*** Topic for #gurps: The Granite Madams Want Snow White's Head *** Topic for #gurps set by William on Friday, February 1, 2002 6:58:15 PM [bookkeeping notes -- starts evening Sat. 10/15/01, concludes afternoon Sun. 10/15/01] Will_GM: Okay, plan for tonight: I want to finish the scene we ended with last time at Ortleib's, and then move on to Sunday, wherein various people want to do various things. Fearless: heh... "Morning, Jack. Grace." :) Will_GM: Let us begin, then, at the end of the last log. Will_GM: -------------- Game Start -------------------- Fearless: Fearless: "Oh, and BA?" Fearless: BA: "Yeah?" Fearless: Fearless: "Don't answer the phone 'uttenutten'." Fearless: ;) Will_GM: Grace has started becoming uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. She announces, "Excuse me," stands up and... obviously looks around for the ladies' room. Jack points her over to them. Will_GM: She heads off in that direction, past the bar and a converted video game arcade. Will_GM: Layli waits until she leaves, then gives a low whistle. "The girl has *issues*." Jack: "Tell me." Jack: "But, then again, look at the rest of us!" :) Will_GM: "Don't say that! She sounds wonderful. It's nice to meet someone that still holds romance in their heart." Jack eyes her oddly. "Is this the same woman I was with making fun of the PDA's on South?" Will_GM: "Bah, you just never saw me in a romantic mood." Will_GM: "Jack, I didn't pick up on any of the paranoid ideation you mentioned, but it might simply not have triggered tonight. However, the perfectionism was obvious." Jack: "Well, you're right. It is kinda refreshing after all of us cyncial mooks." Jack nods at Layli. "She does seem calmer. She didn't mention that motorcycle guy at all." Jack: "Dawn, I kinda like the romantic thing. But she's so hung up on perfection, she's bound to keep getting her heart broken." Will_GM: "I wonder if he really existed. On the one hand, it sounds like the kind of relationship she might gravitate to. On the other, I could see her inventing someone as a foil to play you against." Jack thinks about what Layli just said. Jack: "You mean she's lying? Or delusional?" Will_GM: "Possibly. But, like I said, possibly not." Jack: "Hmmm." Will_GM: "An hour or so isn't enough to do a real evaluation." Jack grins. "Sure. I don't see how you do it in a year!" Jack: "But your instinct has always been really good. Everything you've said is useful, I think." Will_GM: Grace's voice cuts over the conversation, and even the music. "Jack? Jack?!" She's clearly in trouble.... Jack springs up. "What the Hell?" Will_GM: The players stop, even the diners turn to watch. She's at the bar, in the midst of three men. Jack heads to the bar. "What's the problem?" Jack nods at the bartender. Will_GM: A guy in a flannel shirt and jeans says, "Nothing's the problem. I don't know what the f-" Jack: "Grace?" Will_GM: Grace cuts in, almost sobbing. "Oh, Jack, I didn't think it would come to..." She comes closer, putting you between herself ant the men. Jack: "Come to what? What's the problem?" Will_GM: "Hey, look, mister, are you the boyfriend? I didn't touch her, I swear." His two friends back him up. Jack: Are they threatening her somehow? Will_GM: One if the friends, in a leather jacket, says "Chick was coming onto *him*, man. We were thinking it was a cool deal. Then all of a sudden she freaks and yells for you." Jack asks the bartender, since he would have been near. "What happened?" Will_GM: "Looked like a standard pickup, mister. I see a hundred of 'em a week." Jack asks the bartender again, not liking this very much. Jack: "Who was picking up whom?" Will_GM: "This is sh*tty, you hear me? What is this, some kind of scam?!" He's getting agitated. Will_GM: His friends are trying to calm him down. Will_GM: "I don't pay that much attention to 'em." Jack turns to Grace. "Are you alright?" Will_GM: Grace, in a sad quiet little voice, says "I wanna go home." Jack stands a moment, feeling corralled somehow. Jack leads her away from the crowd. "Why did you do that?" Will_GM: "I didn't do anything! He seemed like a nice man, and he wanted to talk to me when I passed by. Then he started... being... you know. Forward." Will_GM: "If you hadn't been around it could have been just awful. Thank you, Jack." Jack 's head is shadowed by cartoon storm clouds. Ellis: Coooool! Nicole: brb, dinner. Will_GM: If this were a cartoon, you'd have heard a slight sucking sound as you Came to the Rescue[tm]. ;^) Fearless: and turned into either a lollipop or donkey for a few seconds ;) Fearless: prolly the lollipop. ;) Will_GM: When you get back to the table, Layli catches your eye and mouths, "Triggered." Ellis: DON'T DO THAT Jack: "Your wel...are you serious? I am sure you can take care of yourself. I can tell you're not somebody who gets pushed around." Disagreeing with what he says as he says it. Jack nods at Layli. Will_GM: Grace blushes. "I don't like being involved in confrontations like that. I'm going to be uncomfortable the rest of the time we're here." Jack: "Are you alright now?" Jack: "Well, you want to go dancing?" Will_GM: "... Yes, that'd be nice." Jack thinks, like hell I'm gonna let Her Psychoness into my apartment alone! Will_GM: She really seems to brighten at the prospect. Jack: "Anybody else want to come?" Will_GM: Layli shakes her head. "I've gotta get home." The others are up for it, though. Jack tosses out some options. Zanzibar Blue is jazz with dancing space, Revival is open until dawn. And there are half a dozen kiddie clubs along Atlantic. Fearless: which would Jack prefer? Will_GM: "Do any of them have a orchestra with some good waltzes in their repertoire? And I've always liked a nice sarabande." Nicole: b Jack: "Waltzes?! I think the Black Banana has tangoes and latin club stuff. How about that?"" BA: Make her really uncomfortable! Take her some place that plays nothing but bluegrass! >:D Jack: "Just don't blink at all the cocaine mirrors in the bathroom." Jack: UL: lol Will_GM: "Tangoes? Ooh, they're so..." she giggles. "Sure." *blank look as you go* "What's a cocaine mirror?" Jack: "You know...little mirrors set horizontally in the sink for...well...nevermind." BA: o/~ When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do is sniff a little glue, and then I don't feel blue. Surely you can see, baby, you and me have a groovy kind of drug. o/~ Fearless: *snrk* Jack pays his bill, and Grace's. Says good night and thanks to Layli. Jack: lol Will_GM: Grace turns out to be quite a good dancer -- she's obviously unfamiliar with Latin, but she picks up steps quickly and seems to enjoy herself a lot more than she did at Ortleib's. Her long dress turns out to be apropos for some of the more formal dances. Jack enjoy himself too, once the bizarre incident at Ortleib's it pushed into memory. Will_GM: It goes on for quite a while -- Grace never seems to get tired. You, on the other hand, Jack, are feeling a bit woozy, although not in any sense you're familiar with. How long do you want to go for? And more important, once it's just you and Grace, what are the arrangements for the night? Grace is obviously assuming she'll be staying at your place for a while. Jack can't tango at all, but can fake a cha-cha. ;) Jack is hoping to stay out all night, leaving Black Banana for Revival's house scene and catch breakfast on Rittenhouse Square. Pretty sure he doesn't want Grace back at his place. Jack: Is it a good woozy or a bad woozy? Fearless: she's sucking your soul, man! :) Jack: I know that, but is it nice! ;) BA: The part of Grace will be played by the Bride of C'thulhu Will_GM: It's the kind of feeling you get just after you've worked really hard on something important -- a sort of emotional tiredness. Jack: Hmmm. Well that might change plans. Jack thanks about ways to leave without inviting Grace back to his place. Will_GM: She's not by your side every single second; she will sometimes be taking a quick lesson from one of the regulars in a new step, and she expresses interest about those mirrors in the bathroom. Jack: When they are taking a break from the rhumba, Jack will broach the subject. Jack doesn't want to just ditch her! That'd be rude! ;) Fearless: good going, Jack, she'll be a crack-whore in no time. *ducks*runslikemad* Jack: lol BA: Heh :) Jack: "Well, Grace it's been nice meeting you. You want to hook up tomorrow?" Jack: "I'm starting to feel kind of sick." Will_GM: "Oh, that's awful. We're out so late, that must be it. Let's go home -- you'll feel better in the morning." Jack: "No, I'm used to being out late. I'm not sure what it is. I was hoping to stay out all night!" Fearless: with the GM's permission, I'd like to have doubled-back, to "stake out" Jack's place tonight. Jack: "You'd like Revival. It's a ball. You don't look tired in the least!" Will_GM: "Well, we could do that too. But if you're feeling bad -- which would you rather do? I'll go wherever you go." Fearless: partly to see if she shows up when Jack returns Will_GM: Fearless: one sec Fearless: 'k Fearless: (he was planning on being there a little earlier than the rest anyways) Jack: "Back to my place? Isn't that a little forward?" (Grinning inside. Maybe Jack can use her fuddiness against her.) Will_GM: Grace blushes. Will_GM: "Well.... can't a traveling maiden take shelter with a kind stranger? It's not like I have anywhere else to go in town, and I don't have any money for a hostel." Jack: "I wouldn't want to compromise your reputation. I can spring for a hotel if you'd like." Will_GM: "I mean... you're right about how it would look, of course...." Will_GM: She bites her lip, obviously torn. Will_GM: "A hotel. Yes, I suppose that would be for the best. I can come back in the morning." Will_GM: "How early do you get ready for services?" Jack nods. "I'm sure I can shake this if I can get some sleep. I'll take you out to breakfast at Rittenhouse Square." Will_GM: "That sounds like a nice place." She smiles, seeming more comfortable with the way things are going. Jack: ooc: is today Saturday? Will_GM: Yep. Late Saturday evening at this point, around 11 or 12. Maybe even 1, depending on how much dancing went on. Jack: "Let's get you set up. The Marriot is at 8th and Market. They have nice rooms." Will_GM: "Okay." She goes out with you. Jack says goodnight to everybody. and takes Grace to the Marriot Will_GM: Beats me what the Marriot's prices are. Probably $100 for a single on short notice. Jack: Sounds good. Will_GM: Okay then -- you pay for the room(subtract it from cash), and Grace bids you good night. Jack will drop her off and head home, mix a hot toddy and hit the bed. Will_GM: Right, then. Will_GM: Fearless, what's this? Fearless: well, staking out Jack's place, for when Jack arrives, to see if Grace is with him or not, basically. Fearless: standard investigative reporter stuff Will_GM: Okay, hang on a sec.... Fearless: roit Will_GM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (3d6) and gets 9. Will_GM: Okay, Johnny you find a place with a view of the front of Jack's apartment where your car is in the shadows across the way somewhat. Fearless: 'k Fearless: in that case, I see Jack arrive, sans Grace, right? Will_GM: Depends. How long do you wait? Fearless: As long as needed. ;) Jack: ooc: wish I had stayed out till dawn ;) Will_GM: Jack, you get back about 1. Will_GM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (3d6) and gets 11. Jack: SOunds good. Will_GM: Fearless, you're still awake at that time, and yes, see Jack coming back without Grace. Jack parks, locks and alarms, then heads in. Fearless notes that Jack's alone, gets out of the car after Jack enters his place, goes up to the door, and knocks on it. Jack had started making that hot toddie, hear's the door and thinks, "Oh no! Like T-1000, she ran after my car on foot!" Jack heads over to the door. "Who is it?" BA: "T-1000... uh, Avon calling!" Fearless: "Its Johnny Ferrifous. We met at the Stone Works earlier tonight. I think we need to talk about something." Jack: "Ferrifous? With the Inquirer?" Jack opens the door. Jack: "You want something to drink?" Fearless: "No thanks, I'm driving. Mind if I smoke?" Fearless enters, and takes off the hat, keeping it nearby, however. Jack: "No go ahead," Jack looks at him curiously. Jack: Here's some stuff in his apartment: [listing snipped for convenience] Will_GM: Fearless: It's a bachelor pad. ;^) Fearless sits on the couch, and digs out a few printed sheets from his trench's inner pocket. "There's something you need to know. This should help. And I swear its the truth, not like the article that got printed in its stead." Fearless hands him the True Account of What Really Happened to Xav. Jack sits down and reads. Jack: ooc: actually I'm not sure, that was before my time. Can I get a quick summary? Will_GM: Jack: It's the previous game logs, recounted from Fearless' point of view (so it doesn't have some of the stuff Xav only told to UL). BA: "BA shot him." :) Jack: Yipes, ok which one should I start reading? Edward: start at the start Will_GM: Short version: The guys you know at the Stone Works? They told Johnny & Co. that they're angels. Fearless: basically, "there are forces at work in the shadows, calling themselves 'angels' and 'demons'. Whether they are or not is a matter of debate, still, but they have some abilities to back up the claims, so I'll use the labels anyway. I still don't know if they are or not, though." Will_GM: The reason they told them this, they said, is that a local restauranteur who was befriending them was a demon. Fearless: that's the first paragraph [action /msg'd to GM, approved; snipped for privacy] Edward: Said demon confirmed this fact at one point. Will_GM: There was some display of power -- flaming sword, people disappearing and reappearing, speaking in tongues, possessing people, and (depending on how Johnny puts this) one of the Stone Works guys, Zeke, appeared to them in midair wearing a couple of wings and speaking in a language apparently inhuman. Fearless: *to Jack* "As it is, your new friend has attracted their attention. They claim she's a runaway from our dreams, the classic Damsel in Distress. How does she act?" Will_GM: Finish it off, there was a fight, and Xav lost. Jack reads through the material.eyeing Ferifous. Is he drunk? Edward: Don't forget Kronos. Ed won't for several years. Fearless appears totally sober. Jack: "Uh, she's alright. She's a little odd." Fearless: remember, Fearless is still skeptical. Fearless: "Odd how?" Fearless: "Look, I'm still trying to figure this out myself. Any details you can give me will help." Jack: "She tangoes really good and I don't know many people that can do that. Are you sure you don't want something to drink? Eat? I have cheese and bread in the fridge." Jack: "Damsel in Distress. Hah, that's funny." Fearless: "Thanks. And a pepsi or coke to wash it down?" Jack will go to the kitchen and fix something up for his guest. Jack says, from the kitchen. "So is she a demon? Or an angel?" Jack brings Ferrifous a plate of food and a Pepsi. Fearless: "According to them, neither. A third party in the mix. The only label they'll give is 'Ethereal'." *shrugs* "And apparently there's some sort of 'ban' in effect which she allegedly broke by being here." Jack: "Hmmm. A dream caught without her green card." Fearless: "Basically." Jack: "Well, she's wound a little tight, but she's all right, I think." Fearless: "And, well, you might be caught in the crossfire." Jack raises his eyebrows. "Crossfire? There's going to be shooting?" Jack: "What are they going to do to her?" Fearless: "I don't know. Send her back, apparently. Willingly or not." Jack: "I like those guys at the Stone works. They're good guys." Pondering. Jack: "She thinks there's somebody after her. Maybe she means you guys." Jack 's face is unguardedly sceptical of this whole conversation, but amused. Fearless: "Mostly. But the one specifically after your new friend.. what'd she say her name was? ... the one after her is not from the Stone Works, but an 'associate'." Jack: "Her name is Grace. This associate, is he a big stinky biker?" Fearless: "No. The 'associate' is a woman. 'Elena'." BA: She runs a brothel out of a brownstone, downtown ;) Jack: "Hmmm. I don't think there'll be any crossfire from Grace's side. She's not the most independent woman in the world. I can't imagine she could hurt anybody." Jack: "This has been one weird night!" Jack grins foolishly. Fearless: "I'd like to meet her, at least. I promise, I will not harm her." Fearless: "You've read how my month has gone." Fearless: *grin* Jack grins as well. Jack: "I'll ask her, but I have no idea what she'll say." Jack: "I can't believe you're serious about this! You're the guy who investigated the New Jersey Mafia! I mean come on, John." Fearless: Jack: "That's right. You're the guy who dug up all that dirt on Little Joey what's his name, the Prince of South Philly! Angel and demons?" Jack: "You work for the Philly Inquirer not the National Enquirer!" Fearless: "I know it seems unbelievable. But what did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have Sherlock Holmes say? 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth'. I'm still looking for the truth, and I think Grace has a piece of it I'm missing." Jack nods, immediately biased for anybody who quotes Sherlock Holmes. Fearless: "And read the opening paragraph again. I'm only using the labels for convenience, not because I believe it." Jack: "Well, she's a peice of work. I have a lunch date with her tomorrow. You want me to call you?" Fearless: "Please." *gives Jack the cell phone #* [action /msg'd to GM, approved, results relayed back; snipped for privacy] Will_GM: 2 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (2 3d6) and gets 9 6. Jack: "OK. And maybe I'll get some material for my Holloween column yet! A good demon story oughtta do it." Jack: "Can I use some of this?" Jack refers to the papers. Fearless: "Yes, but be careful, though. Both sides read the papers, and want to keep their existence secret from the rest of us." Jack: "At least I'll boost readship amoung supernatural creatures!" Jack laughs. Fearless: "Just watch yourself. Elena might be subtle, some of the others are not." Jack: "What should I watch for?" Jack: "You think the boys at the quarry would mind if I chatted with them about this?" Fearless: "Anything that doesn't seem normal. And I don't know, ask them." Jack nods. "I will. This is too great not to play out." Jack: "I have to read this stuff. You think that they're dangerous?" Fearless finishes his food, and lights up another cigarette. "Just be careful, okay?" Jack: "I'm not sure exactly how to do that. I'll be polite. Hopefully that'll help." Fearless: "One last question before I go. Have you ended up in a situation tonight that didn't seem to make sense?" Fearless: "Other than our talk, of course." Jack: "Ahh, you beat me to the punch line!" Jack: "Grace is an odd one, that's for sure. She's the first woman I avoided bringing back here, because she was too weird. And I've dated some weird ones." Fearless: "As have I. The art major in college who attended only night classes, because she thought she was a vampire, for one." Jack: "She's obsessed with an unrealistic perfect love. She staged, twice probably, a victim act, for what reason I'm not sure. And she seems obsessed with me." Fearless: "Anyways, good night, Jack." Jack: "Good night. You're alright, Ferrifous. I wasn't sure at first." Fearless: .oO(Hrrm... fits the Granite Madams' profile.) Jack: "I'll give you a call tomorrow." Will_GM: What do each of you do after Ferrifous leaves? Fearless: "I'll be waiting. G'nite." Jack will lock the door and stay up reading those notes. Fearless: go back over to the car, set the watch alarm for pre-dawn, lean back, and sleep for a few. BA is hanging out at home until the morning Will_GM: Okay, it looks like we've finally made it to the next morning. All: plans, and the time for those plans -- timing will be important. Edward is coding and forgetting the time. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Jack will eventually go to sleep, setting the alarm for breakfast. Ellis: Umm... I was going to talk with Elena, I think... Nicole is going to church in the morning. Won't be done until whatever time she told Fearless. Fearless: planning on following Jack when he leaves the apt. [much messaging snipped, mostly in the way of information requests] Fearless: Nic: 1pm or so Ellis: Greg will *not* be going to church. It's a thing. Edward will get shaken out of his reverie by the alarm clock in the morning, then catch some sleep, then go to the store at oneish. Fearless: Ellis: excommunication. *nod* BA fiddles with the RC cars --this section added in from separate time-- William: Okay, describe what's involved in adding this. BA: Well, the taser will have an idependant power cell, and be a cord and contact type. BA: This will cut down Rumble Strip's run time due to added weight BA: The power cell for the taser will be large enough for only 3 shots William: Is that as much as the average hand taser can do? I figure it's basically mounting a store-bought model. BA: Adding it to Rumble Strip will involve rigging a mount, and tying the taser into the RC controls BA: Yeah BA: With minor modificatuons for the mount BA: Basic 40,000 volt taser William: Okay. Make two Electrical Engineering rolls; the first, regular, indicates you've properly built and mounted the taser, the second, at a +2, will successfully rig the remote. BA: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for BA (3d6) and gets 9. William: Pass... BA: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for BA (3d6) and gets 17. William: CRIT. BA: failure? William: You've mounted and tested the taser properly. And it *looks* like you've got the remote working. But there hasn't yet been time for extensive testing. William: So as far as your character knows, both components work. BA: 'k --end section-- Ellis: That and he feels that if he can't be absolved of his sins by the Church, he won't waste their time by trying. ;) Ellis 'll probably spend the morning praying, anyway. Jack finds it is easy, in the pale wash of morning, to forget Grace's psychoness and think that she sure is cute. Will_GM: Okay. Will_GM: Fearless: around 6am, *taptap* on your window. Fearless looks up. Fearless: hrrm.... 6am is still 'pre-dawn' in October, right? or is dawn earlier than that? Fearless: or later? BA: Gotta scram, folx Jack: ooc: I think it's predawn Will_GM: Pre-dawn. Jack: byba *** BA is now known as UpLink Fearless: cya, BA Will_GM: BA: Bye. Sorry for the delay. Nicole: bye UL. *** UpLink has left channel Fearless looks up. <-- that regarding the tapping Fearless: (right when the watch alarm goes off, too) Jack: 6 am: Jack dreams a dream of angels and demons with firey swords. One of the demons is his 4th grade social studies teacher Mr. Lydon. The dream seems quite real. Will_GM: Fearless: It's a cop, motioning you to roll down the window. Fearless rolls it down. "Morning, officer." *has press papers handy, just in case its needed* Will_GM: "Coulnd't make it home after last call? Or the missus kick you out?" Fearless: "It was either the car or the doghouse." *shrugs* "Car's warmer." Fearless: "And they're not letting us sleep at the office anymore." Will_GM: "Well, it's time to go home to kiss and make up." [snip messages: GM requests information] Fearless: "Right." *starts engine* "Be seeing ya." Will_GM: Cop nods and moves off. Fearless pulls out, then circles a bit, heading over to a nearby gas station for coffee and a fresh pack of cigarettes Fearless: trying to keep Jack's car in sight, at least. Will_GM: You see him take off in the morning.... Fearless follows, at a discrete distance. Will_GM: (You, by the way, are getting quite hungry, and suffering from mild lack of sleep) Will_GM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (3d6) and gets 7. Fearless: three to five cars back at all times Will_GM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (3d6) and gets 9. Will_GM: Jack, you do notice a car following you, though you can't tell the driver. Jack: Hmmmm. Well, that stinks. Will_GM: Fearless, you manage to keep him in sight, at least for the first bit. Fearless: *nod* Jack: I'll hike a couple of weird turns, not to lose him, but to really see if I'm being followed. Will_GM: 2 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (2 3d6) and gets 8 14. Will_GM: Jack: You're not sure whether you were being followed or not, since either you weren't being followed, or you lose him. Fearless smiles a bit as Jack makes that first turn. "What's down the way he was going?" Will_GM: Johnny: He was heading downtown when you last saw him. Fearless: "Hrrm... hotels, bars, restaurants, stores, almost none of which are open this time of day, especially on Sundays." Jack: After the adreniline dissapates, Jack figures he's spooked himself with Ferrifous' talk of "Be careful." Fearless: "Hotels, first." Fearless heads for the hotel district. which hotels are down that way? Fearless: other than the Marriot? Will_GM: Fearless: Downtown in a major city in the Northeast Corridor? *lots*. Fearless smiles, "After all, he has to go pick up Sleeping Beauty." Fearless: "And for breakfast, he's more likely to pick a hotel restaurant." Will_GM: Face it, Johnny, it's hopeless. Well, near-hopeless... Will_GM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (3d6) and gets 12. Fearless heads for the hotels, then remembers Jack's car's make, model, and license plate #, as well as some of the assorted dents, bruises, and other noticable features. Fearless: hopelessness has never stopped a determined reporter. ;) Jack: lol Fearless: he'll look at every car he sees that matches the make and model, to compare the plate. ;) Will_GM: Fair enough. You search through various hotels and hotel restaurants, at least during the breakfast hours. Meanwhile, Jack is having breakfast with Grace at Ecco in Rittenhouse Square. Fearless: *shrug* Fearless: Fearless ain't a mind-reader. ;) Will_GM: *nod* Suffice it to say, the search is fruitless. Jack: "You'll like this I think," Jack says to Grace. Fearless pulls over near the end of the breakfast surge into a Perkins. Will_GM: Okay, Jack. During breakfast, as you say, you tell her what Ferrifous told you. Fearless: "Gotta feed my own stomach, first." Jack: "So he says you're an escapee from dreamland and that some angels want to take you back." Fearless: sure, put a spin to it. ;) Jack: "Have to say you are dreamy," Jack says forgetting she doesn't do irony. Jack: ooc: lol Will_GM: Grace gives a nervous laugh. "Some people think up some pretty wild things." Ellis: See, now *this* is why none of us wanted Fearless to talk to Jack on his own... ;) Jack: Is it really nervous? Jack eyes her oddly. Fearless: pbbt! ;) Will_GM: She's picking at her food -- of course, she always does that. Jack: "He'd like to meet you. You want to?" Will_GM: "Sure, I guess." Fearless spends the remainder of the morning chasing down leads for legitimate stories. Jack: "Cool. He's apparently gone off his beans, but insane people can be fun too." Will_GM: She chuckles a bit at that one. Will_GM: Nothing as dramatic as last night happens at this meal -- she basically seems to assume you'll be heading out to church next. Jack: "I have his voice recorded saying there are forces at work in the shadows, calling themselves 'angels' and 'demons. I'm going to use it as an audio file on my computer. Fearless: that was the opening paragraph of the account, not verbally conveyed Jack: If she says so, I'll ask what church she wants to go to. Or if she'd rather wander down south street. Will_GM: She'd prefer a Catholic church, but isn't picky as long as it's Christian. Something within walking distance will do. Jack will take her to the Catholic Church on 15th. Will_GM: Okay, morning services will take up their time for a while. Will_GM: Ellis' morning is occupied as declared; Will_GM: as is Nicole's; Fearless: just hunting down leads for *printable* stories. ;) Will_GM: Johnny is out on his day job, then; Fearless: at least until the moonlighting steps to the fore. ;) Jack will telephone Ferrifous on way to church and set up a lunch meet at, say, the Market Street Station for lunch Will_GM: BA will remain occupied at his home / place of business. Edward: Ed's morning involves finally noticing the time, staggering across the room to his bed and collapsing. Fearless: Ed: *snrk* Fearless: as the sun peeks in the windows, right? :) Edward: basically. Will_GM: The main group did have plans to meet back at the Works at 1, to go and meet Jack / talk to Grace / whatever was going to happen. Fearless: *to Jack* "Meet you there." Edward arranged his room so that unless he closes the blinds, early morning sunlight causes backglare on his monitor making it hard to read. Fearless: Ed: *snrk* Edward: (Nth rule of programming: For absolutely critical events, never rely on any interrupt you can mask) Will_GM: Johnny, you'll be doing lunch instead of the main meeting, then? Fearless: unless lunch is over by 1 Will_GM: It can be, if you wish to leave by then. Fearless: Jack: figure lunch around noon? Jack: ooc: from what I know about Catholic services, CHURCH might not be over by one :) Jack: noon is fine, depending on the services Will_GM: You can get out by noon, yes. Fearless: depends on how long the sermon goes Fearless: some of those guys just love to ramble in a monotone Jack: We'll go and eat at a quaint little Amish resteraunt at the station. Fearless: ah. Scrapple. :9 Jack: lol Jack: fresh bread, apple pie, lamb stew Fearless: *to my dad* "What's scrapple?" Jack: It's like Snapple, only tougher Fearless: I think he described it in such a way that she asked, "and you *eat* that?" %) Jack: ooc: lol Will_GM: Any particular reason for the lunch date, Jack? Will_GM: Oh yeah, to meet Fearless and Grace. Jack: *nod* Fearless walks into the restaurant, and nods at Jack as he approaches. Jack stands and introduces Grace and Ferroufous *Jack* fresh tape in the recorder. this outa be good Will_GM: Grace stands and curtsies. "A pleasure, Mr. Ferrifous. Jack tells me you can paint quite a word picture." Fearless: "Hello, Grace. Jack's told me a lot about you. Call me 'Johnny', or 'Fearless'. Everyone else does." Fearless: "That may be true. May I sit?" Jack orders a pitcher of lemonade and settles in for the battle of the screwballs. Jack: "Please do." Jack: "You want anything? Their apple pie is bomb diggly, as my neice would say." Will_GM: Grace sits. Fearless places his order (some of which Jack wouldn't want because of its taste), then turns back to Jack and Grace. "I'll be brief. Some acquaintances of mine think that you're not what you appear to be. Grace. And, to be honest, I don't know what to make of their claims." Jack 's head moves back and forth, from Ferrifous to Grace like it was a tennis match. Fearless: "That's why I wanted to talk to you in person, before they get to you." Will_GM: "I don't know your acquaintances, Mr. Ferrifous," she says softly. "I just try to make my way in the world and not bother anyone." Fearless: "Please, call me Johnny." Will_GM: "I'd rather not." Will_GM: Johnny, you wouldn't recognize this, since you haven't heard her speak before. But Jack would notice that she seems to be speaking with a bit more forthrightness than she has been. Jack perks up at that development. He tries to catch a look at her eyes. Fearless: "Do you know of a group, and Jack, please don't laugh at the name, a friend of mine already has, called the Granite Madams?" Jack laughs anyway. "Heehee." Jack: "That's a great name for a band!" Jack writes it down. Fearless: "They're after you, for some reason. Do you know, or even suspect why?" Will_GM: "I've met them before. They are an uncouth, ill-mannered group of women overly fond of violence and... underly fond of men." Jack stops laughing and raises and eyebrow. "You've heard of them for real? You two are on the same page?" Will_GM: Jack: Grace is paying attention to Johnny at the moment. Jack gets creeped out. Eats some apple pie to cover the feeling. Jack: oO If these two know the same things, then it isn't just two screwballs. Something might actually be going on! Oo Will_GM: "I do not wish to meet them again, Mr. Ferrifous. Do you plan to lead them to me?" Fearless: "No. If I'd planned on doing that, they would already be here." Will_GM: "Then what *are* you planning?" Ellis: We're going to cut off your head and deliver it to them for the bounty, of course. Will_GM: Johnny: If you want to make it to the meeting, you're going to have to leave soon.... Fearless: "I came to talk with you, and see for myself what all this is about. To see if you're really what they claimed, and to see what you were like. To be honest, I'm still in the dark, but you don't appear to be the threat they claim you are." Jack: "Threat? How do they think Grace is a threat?" Will_GM: Grace smiles. "I'm glad we agree on that, at least." Fearless: "Word of warning, they know of your attachment to Jack." Jack feels like he does when he hangs out with programmers, they're speaking English, but he doesn't know what they're talking about Edward: I resemble that remark. Jack: ooc: hehe Fearless: "Think of how she described them, Jack, and see how she is. She's everything they dislike, and are working against." Jack: "So she's a symbol of what they dislike, but she's not a threat...you know, nobody's in danger." Fearless: "Except maybe her." Will_GM: Grace looks over at Jack. "I like being with Jack. He's supportive and giving. There's nothing wrong with that." She looks back at you. "If they want to try to break me and Jack up, Jack and I will have something to say about it." Jack sits stunned. Jack: "Break us up?" Fearless: "They may not stop at breaking you up, as you put it." Will_GM: Grace winces at that. Jack: "Who are the Granite Madams? Some leather and biker chick gang? Militant feministas? Escapees from Cell Block H?" Fearless: "Remember what I wrote?" Jack: "I fell asleep before I got there, sorry. The writing was good, but I was tired." Will_GM: She leans back and reiterates, "There's nothing wrong with what I'm doing. I want to be who I am and make a life here, and if I've found someone to help me with that, of course these women are trying to stop it. They're..." Fearless: "They're 'associates' of the people I wrote about, Jack." Jack: "They're what, Grace. You got to stop keep secrets." Fearless: "Yes, please, Grace. The truth." Fearless: "Who are you, really?" Jack: "If I'm going to get my head creased by some wacko Janet Reno, I'd like to know why first." Will_GM: She seems to almost savor the term. "They're persecutors, pure and simple. They're simply something I have to bear up under. Everyone has their trials in life, and the Granite Madams intend to be mine." Jack shakes his head, hoping that by doing to everything will fall into place and it'll all make sense. Will_GM: "The truth is as I said it, Mr. Ferrifous. I'm a girl in love and I want things to stay that way. They think I'm weak, for wanting a strong man to be there for me in life." Fearless: "What kind of persecutors, Grace? We need to know." Will_GM: "They *hate* weakness. You know what kind of people pick on weak people, Mr. Ferrifous? We call them bullies." Jack: "I know feminists and, ok, they hate Barbie and her dream house, but they dont go around breaking people into bits over it. Why are they bullies?" Edward: hating weakness != picking on the weak, not by default. There's also those who fight weakness by teaching strength. Will_GM: "They're not *rational*, Jack. Do they need explanations?" Will_GM: Ed: Welcome to the Ministry of Ethereal Propaganda. Jack: "Well, let's call the police and get them locked up, if they're harassing you." Fearless: "Its one thing to be self-reliant, Grace. Another to be completely and utterly dependant on someone. And a third thing to go beating on people. I, and I think Jack, as well, tend to be self-reliant." Fearless: "As are half the women I know." Edward: And the propaganda would probably work better against people who don't make a living looking for the truth between the lines. Fearless: *exactly* :) Will_GM: Grace shrugs. "Lock up what? An organization? An idea? There'll always be another one." Fearless: "What idea, Grace?" Jack shakes his head. "By that logic, we should never lock up a murderer, because there will always be another one." Fearless: "What about them makes you their target?" Will_GM: "Jack, let's get out of here. He's telling weird stories and I don't want to be involved in this." Jack looks shocked. "But these Granite Ladies, you know them! If they're a threat to you, shouldn't we figure out what he knows?" Fearless places a hand on Grace's hand. "Look, Grace. I don't want to see an innocent person hurt. And you know more about these Granite Madams than I do. If I can figure them out, I may be able to help you." Will_GM: "If you want to help, keep them away from me." She leans back and looks out the window. Jack: "So...Grace," Jack starts slowly, "That motorcycle guy, that was a line wasn't it? It's these Granite Madams that are after you?" Fearless: "To do that, Grace, I need the truth." Fearless: "Total, unbiased by opinion truth." Edward: YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE-- naah, too obvious. Jack: "If you don't tell him, he'll tell these Granite Grrrls where to find me and they'll get you. You need his help." Fearless: *heh* Will_GM: "No, Jack." Her voice is very soft now. "I would never lie to you. He was real, and the woman I mentioned was one of the Madams." Will_GM: "The truth." Fearless: "Jack, they already know where to find you. They know where you live. Its just a matter of when." Jack thinks, "Great Ferrifous. She might have bought that. Whose side are you on?" Will_GM: "Look. The Madams are self-appointed moral policewoman for their entire sex. Think of a cult, if you want. The Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and the Promotion of Virtue. They don't let go on a case, and I'm one. Clear enough for you?" Fearless: he's not sure he knows himself. Fearless: "Why, Grace? There are other women like you who are a lot more noticable. Why you?" Jack: "Yeah but, but, if they're a cult, let's get the cops to round them up." Will_GM: "Because they ran across me. It's not a matter of finding the worst cases, it's a matter of the principle involved in 'handling' every one they find." Will_GM: "And they don't 'handle' very gently. I'd rather stay quite far away." Fearless: "Start from the beginning, Grace. How did they find out about you?" Will_GM: She looks at Jack, and turns up a corner of her mouth wistfully. "'Oh, Mr. Policeman, there's a cult of girl athletes after me for being a hopeless romantic. I don't know any of their names or faces. Could you please help me?'" Jack grins. "Now that's sarcasm! I knew you had it in you!" Fearless chuckles at that line. Nicole: QOTW! %) Jack: "We say you're being stalked, we set up a meet with the Granite Grrrls and the cops grab them when they show." Fearless: *hee* Nicole: yeah, I *suppose* we can give it to the GM every once in a while. %) Fearless: "The cops are ill-equipped to handle them, if what I suspect about these Granite Madams is true." Will_GM: "I don't know how they found out about me, Mr. Ferrifous. I don't know who they are, where they get their funding, who leads them, or where they come from. If I did, my life might be easier." Will_GM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (3d6) and gets 14. Fearless: "Okay, let's start at the beginning. When did you first learn of them?" Ellis: They're *angels*. They don't need a FAFSA or anything. ;) %) [snip /msg -- GM provides information to player] Jack: "This is America, home of the brave and whatnot. You get to chose your path, even if it is one of weirdness and dependency. I'm with you, but I don't know what to do." *Fearless* *nod* Jack: "If the cops can't handle the Madams, who can?" Fearless: and, of course, Fearless' cell prolly goes off, asking where he is. Will_GM: Johnny: You won't be late for a bit, but you do recall that if you don't hustle, you *will* be late. Ellis 'll take responsibility for calling him? O:) Will_GM: Sure. Jack gets all excited. "You said there was some other group opposed to the Granite Grrrls! Can we get them to help?" Jack: ooc: bad idea alert! danger! danger! Ellis: Oooooooh, you're all so dead when Greg finds out about this convo %) Will_GM: "They have enemies, Jack. But their enemies aren't much better. In fact, I'd generally say they were worse. Moral policewomen are generally opposed by amoral criminals." Fearless: "I'd rather not go there, Jack. I've seen the forces at work that would be willing to take them on, and I'd rather not go there." Ellis: Well, I guess that's averted. :( I wanted an excuse to go postal. %) Jack slumps back, another bad idea roundly defeated. Nicole: I take it Greg *believes*? Jack: "Well, if they're moral, maybe we can reason with them. I mean, come on, that's nuts!" Jack: "They already know I'm with...I'm in the equation? Maybe I can talk to them, get them to lay off." Ellis: Oh, Greg *believes* all right. ;) Fearless: "I agree with the reasoning. Our best bet is for Jack to present Grace's case for her to their 'agent', Elena. Without you present, Grace, I do believe they'll listen." Edward: maybe with, too, as long as she doesn't make any stupid moves. Jack: "So Grace, you got to come clean. Wha do you know about these women that might make them lay off?" Will_GM: "Jack? Are you willing to do this for me?" Jack: "Sure. This is America, like I said. You should be free to make your decisions without fear of violence." Will_GM: She smiles brilliantly at you. "Thank you, Jack." Jack blushes. Thinks, "That is a nice smile." Fearless checks the time. Will_GM: "Just tell them what I told you about me, and try not to believe the stranger kind of things they might try to convince you of. I don't know what could ever convince them to stop hounding me, but if anyone can do it, you can." Jack: "If you'd substitute the philosophy of democracy for idealized romance, then we'd have something cooking." Will_GM: Fearless: Pushing late very fast... Fearless: okay, Ellis, buzz me. ;) Ellis looks around for Johnny's car one last time, sighs, and calls him up. *RING!* Jack: "I'll try, I promise." Edward: Whoops, always a bad move to tell someone not to believe rumors you might be told without specifying them... Fearless: "And speak of the devil." Fearless: "Yello." Ellis: "Johnny? You on your way?" Fearless: "Got sidetracked a bit, following a lead for something else. I'll be there shortly." Fearless: "Wait for me, though, okay?" Ellis: "All right. BA isn't here either, but I figured I'd call you first." Fearless: "He's prolly playing with his toys again." Ellis: "Well, you know him best." Ellis: "See you in a while." Fearless: "And if I know him, he can't hear you over the Mozart CDs he has." Fearless: "Right. At the Works, right?" Ellis: "Yeah. Elena has an idea for how we can fix this problem without anything drastic and painful on either end. I'll explain more when you get here." Fearless cocks an eyebrow, looking at Jack and Grace. "Right." Fearless: *click* Ellis: *phoneputaway* Jack: "Grace, here's my cell phone. I'll call you, wherever you are." Fearless: "Grace, did you hear that last part?" Will_GM: "No." Ellis: You're on a cell phone in a crowded restaraunt. I doubt her hearing's *that* good. ;) Will_GM: Grace takes the cell phone. "It will ring, and then you hold it to your face and speak and listen, right?" Fearless: Ellis: you can never tell. Jack: "uh, yeah. That's right." Ellis: True. Will_GM: "Okay." Jack: "Well let's go meet the Granite Grannies." Fearless: "That was Greg. The one that believes, so to speak. He said, and I quote, 'Elena has an idea for how we can fix this problem without anything drastic and painful on either end. I'll explain more when you get here'." I wonder what they have in mind." Jack has the urge to go comb his hair. Will_GM: "It... sounds promising." Will_GM: Grace gets up to follow Jack. Jack: "I'm going to go with Ferrifous to the Granite Grrls. I thought you didn't want to come?" Fearless: "Its best if you wait for us someplace, Grace. Your hotel room, perhaps?" Nicole: and all hell is about to break loose. Nicole: possibly even literally. Fearless: depends on if someone rolls an 18 Jack: "I want to tell you I am proud of you, standing up for yourself with Ferrifous. I like a woman who has some backbone." Fearless: .oO(o_O?) Edward: *wince* Jack: "I think there's more to you than just some lost milk maid, and I think you showed us that a minute ago." Will_GM: Jack: Grace blinks at you. "I have to get back to the hotel, I suppose. I'll wait there." Jack: "I can reach you wherever with that phone." Will_GM: "You can reach me wherever, Jack." She goes. Jack: When she is out of earshot, Jack says,"That's one loopy woman. But she's got a brilliant smile." Will_GM: *ticktock* Jack: we go Fearless: separate cars, prolly. Jack: ill follow Fearless: 'k Jack: we're there Edward is also unpresent for the meeting, and not responding to his normal pager or his cell phone or his answering machine. Ellis is practicing swordplay with his new shiny implement of death, trying to get the feel of its balance in case he has to use it for something. Fearless pulls up to the Works, and gets out. Jack's car pulls in right behind him. Jack: That concerns Jack a bit. Jack: Jack'll lock and alarm. Ellis puts it away when he sees Fearless' car pull in Nicole is watching Ellis for lack of anything better. Nicole: "Two cars?" Jack is wearing a dark blue Jones of New York suit with a lighter blue silk shirt and a Black tie. Edward: bbias. Ellis: "Hmmmm." Fearless comes up to Nicole first. "Sorry I'm late, Nicole. Got a present for you." *hands her the lockpicks* Nicole blinks. Jack: "Hi, I'm Jack," Jack says to Nicole. "I saw you at the party yesterday." Nicole: "Uh. Hi." Fearless: "They may come in handy, if you stay on as my assistant." Nicole: "And, uh...thanks, Johnny." Fearless: "Oh, this is Jack. Jack Creely." Ellis holds onto the sword in his left hand, joins the group. "Hi, Johnny... Jack. Edward's still missing, and so is BA. Haven't been able to reach either of them." Jack: "Hi. So you all look normal enough." Fearless: "If I'm as good a judge of people as I think, Ed's probably asleep, and BA's stubborn enough not to come." Jack thinks "except for the sword and the lockpicks of course." Ellis: "Normal? I suppose so. I teach fencing at the University, depends on how normal that is." Jack: "Oh which! I teach writing at U of P." Fearless: "Its okay. Jack knows everything I know right now." Ellis blinks. Ellis: "And... what do you mean by that, Fearless?" Nicole shakes her head. "'Something tells me the Ranger isn't going to like this, Yogi...'" Fearless: "He knows." any angels walking around? Jack grins. "I am here to meet a Granite Madam to talk about an escaped dream." Will_GM: Elena emerges from the Works, accompanied by Zeke. Fearless: *muttered* "and speak of the devil, or a reasonable facsimile thereof." Will_GM: Zeke points out Jack, though Elena had already latched on to him as the unfamiliar face. Ellis eyes Jack for a moment, looks back at Fearless. "This *is* the same man whose house we were standing outside last night, no? The one who's had contact with the... Etherial?" Fearless: "Yes." Jack: "Outside my house?" Ellis: "And you thought... you *somehow* thought it would be a good idea to go up to him and *tell* him... *everything*?" Fearless: "They wanted to see if you were home. You weren't." Will_GM: "We decided against breaking and entering. It is good to meet you face to face, Mr. Creeley." Jack: "Good to meet you as well. I take it you are Elena?" Fearless: "It wasn't done lightly, Greg." Jack extends his hand. Nicole looks at Ellis and just shakes her head. Fearless: "But, he's involved. And those involved deserve to know." [snip /msg: information requested of GM] Will_GM: Jack: Elena is a solidly-built woman in a business-class suit/dress and low pumps, She wears little in the way of accessories except for a ring set with a semi-precious stone of some sort. Ellis nearly hits Fearless in the face with the hilt of the sword. "What sort of game do you think you're playing, Fearless? We're talking about demons! Angels! The Word of God incarnate and your immortal soul hanging in the balance--or at the very least a dangerous entity that an entire troop of *angels* are wary of confronting!" Will_GM: Elena shakes your hand. Jack eyes Ellis, oddly. Jack: "I was wondering if I could speak with you, Elena." Ellis: "I was wondering if I could speak with you... away from psycho man over there." ;) Fearless: "And knowledge is a double-edged sword, Greg. Its what you do with that knowledge that makes it as such." Jack: lo Will_GM: "Of course. I was hoping the same." She makes no move to go elsewhere. Nicole blows her hair up out of her eyes. Looks at the set of tools in her hands. Will_GM: Nicole: You can just read the faded letters, "For use by bonded locksmith only." ;^) Jack: "Am I to understand that you are interested in Grace?" Fearless: "But I'd rather go into something with as much knowledge as possible, than to go in blissfully ignorant." Ellis: "And you'd spread it around to every citizen of this town, I see. Especially ones we're trying to help *without* throwing their entire life into a tailspin." Will_GM: *to Jack* "Yes." Ellis: "There are *reasons* for secrecy, reasons that some knowledge is kept in the hands of very few. What if every man and woman in America knew how to make nitroglycerin?" Fearless: "Not every citizen. There is one article I wrote that I know will never see print, because it does contain the truth." Ellis: Of course, thanks to the internet, they *do*... Jack: "May I ask what the nature of your interest is? There seems to be some concern that your interest might involve...denying Grace of some of her liberties. Would that be correct?" Nicole stares at them s'more, debating. Mutters to herself, "And he's going to want me to use 'em, too." Fearless: Nic: you *did* mention you knew how to use 'em. ;) Ellis clenches the scabbard of his sword so hard his knuckles turn white, then takes a deep breath or two. "We'll discuss this later." Fearless: "Yes." Nicole: Yeah, but she didn't expect somebody to actually *come* up with a set. Will_GM: Elena hesitates a moment. "One does not have the liberty to commit crimes, Mr. Creeley. Theft and trespassing are components of the 'crime' with which we charge Grace." Will_GM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (3d6) and gets 9. Fearless: "Theft?" [snip /msg -- GM requests information of player] Jack: "That's new. What has she stolen? She doesn't seem to have much." Nicole puts the tools away for right now so she doesn't have to think about this complication, and can sort of pay attention to Jack and Elena. Fearless: And Fearless told Jack because he's a player-character, not an NPC! ;) Will_GM: Zeke actually answers this one, his mouth twisting with some emotion. "What she steals, we call Essence. It's a difficult concept to explain. And I'm sorry for butting in on Elena with this one, but it's a crime rather repellent to me personally for various reasons." Jack ponders puzzled. "Perfume?" Fearless: "Could you try and explain it?" Ellis: *snicker!* Fearless: *lights up* Will_GM: "How have you felt recently? Energetic? Tired? Listless? Inspired?" Will_GM: (This is addressed to Jack) Jack: "Um, mostly confused and curious I guess." Jack: "Grace is really scared of you." Jack: "But you seem like reasonable people. What is this essence she has stolen?" Will_GM: "Essence is... the energy that gives a sparkle to life. The uplift in your spirits when you see a bright noon, or a glorious dawn. The rush of satisfaction you get when you achieve something uniquely yours. It comes from the Symphony, is returned there when you need something, say, 'sympathetic' from reality. It is the cycle that moves the Universe." Ellis is calming down just listening to Elena talk. Will_GM: "Ethereals desire this energy as you do food -- except that they desire it not to survive, but for power, to increase themselves." Jack smiles. "Wow. That was beautiful." Fearless: "Its an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, and penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together." Jack: "To increase themselves?" Jack: "Grace doesn't seem to be very power hungry. She's about as meek as they come." Will_GM: "The most powerful of these Ethereals set themselves up as gods. Their worshippers willingly channeled Essence to them. They fought for worshippers, for the energies they gave. That is what an Ethereal can become, if they get the chance to affect the Earth." Ellis: "She is an idea. The Damsel in Distress. She doesn't have to seem power-hungry to gain power." Jack looks down. "I'm afraid that's all a bit beyond me." Fearless finds an outcropping of stone to sit on. Will_GM: Elena shows a wry face. "Not every god was happy and attractive. Men worshiped dark powers, hurtful things. Meekness can be as much a focal point of energy as fire or death." Jack: "Let's say that that is all true, for the sake of argument. So, she gets a rush off of people who are excited or impassioned. I do the same, metaphorically at least. What's the harm?" Fearless thinks back. "When I met you last night, Jack, you looked tired. More than just physically tired." Will_GM: "Think of it this way. In Grace's ideal world, men go around rescuing women from storybook dangers and little mishaps. The women are then suitably grateful. The whole world is a fairy tale. To a certain kind of mind, it is Utopia. And she would be a great power in that world -- for power is nothing more than the ability to shape the world as you wish." Fearless: "And you mentioned a few odd incidents." Jack: "I can agree with that. And the world is shaped by each of our dreams and desires. So she picked a naive and silly one. I shape my world by the tenets of friendship and democracy." Will_GM: "Except that you do not go about the world stealing luck and gifts from innocent people who only desire to help you." Jack: "She thinks and she feels. What if she changes and choses a less two dimensional philosophy?" Will_GM: "I would consider that among the best of all possible outcomes." Ellis butts in. "That's the solution we were trying to put forth." Jack: "Stealing luck? I am afraid you lost me. Is that essence? And the people never get the luck back?" Fearless: "And she does have a strong side to her. I've seen it in her." Jack: "Yeah she was really great over lunch. Not that lost milk maid routine." Will_GM: "In one sense, yes. You would also replenish your blood if I decided to spill a pint or two of it, Mr. Creeley, but the experience would be neither healthy nor pleasant. It would be a criminal act." Jack ponders that. "Can she control it?" Fearless 's mind is in overdrive right now. "She seemed to equate personal strength with being a bully. She seemed oblivious to the idea of self-reliance." Fearless: "But... forget I mentioned it." Will_GM: "Control it? That depends on her true level of sentience. I would have to meet and examine her for some time to make the decision. If she is a mere facsimile of sentience, she acts solely on instinct. If she has a higher awareness, she knows what she is doing and can stop." Jack: "I would notice it if I lost a quart of blood and if I lost too much, it could kill me. Can she kill somebody with her draining of essence?" Will_GM: "No, not directly." Jack: "She was pretty aware last night. We had a long conversation about love and philosophy, jazz and literature." Will_GM: "She would not be stable for long if she was a *poor* facsimile, Mr. Creeley." Jack: "So I could volunteer that she could give me a essence hickey and then she wouldn't be stealing any more." Will_GM: "And what about the other side of things? That of influencing people? Tell me, Jack, have you come to her rescue since knowing her? Publicly, where people could see and applaud your actions, and perhaps decide to emulate you? Has she met a young woman, spoken to her of the advantages of patience and hopefulness and waiting for her ideal man?" Fearless stands up, and passes a note to Zeke. [note's contents in /msg] Jack: "Hmmm. To answer that, I'd like to say that that is what we all do. Try and win people over to our side. Convince people we are right about things. Look for love." Fearless: "You discussed love and philosophy with her? In what way?" Jack: "Aren't you trying to win me over to your way of thinking? It's what we do." Will_GM: "But, again, you do not have the same resources she has to do this. You can speak, and write, to convince people. She can, instead, take control of people supernaturally. And the longer she is here, the more easily she will be able to do this, as she becomes more accustomed to the nuances of her role in this world and gathers essence from her targets." Jack grins. "It's one of the most beautiful things we do. We try to touch one another, we try to be affirmed, we try to love." Fearless: "Jack, you didn't get to be a columnist without being a reporter first. What does the reporter part of you say?" Ellis: Woah, okay, I just lost the window. Fun. Jack: "Actually I did. Hehehe." Fearless: Ellis: phun. Nicole rolls up behind Ellis. Ellis stands aside so he isn't in Nicole's way Jack ponders what Elena said. Fearless mutters to Zeke, "Literature majors." Soft enough that Jack doesn't hear. Fearless: with proper inflection Jack: "I can't say that I've seen her control anybody's mind. I've seen people agree with her, but shoot that wasn't supernatural." Will_GM: It's about 2:30 here, and I'd like to spend some time with the one remaining player who hasn't been in any of the scenes yet tonight. Fearless: leave it here? yeah Jack: ok Jack: im sleepy....mys essence must have been drained through this game! Nicole: sure. Fearless: Jack: *heh* Ellis: Okee Will_GM: --------- Scene Switch -------- Jack: gnite! Ellis: Jack: Yes, and it was... ELLIS!! He's the evil one draining you of your life force! Fearless: Ellis: you never caught Fearless' first person accounts of Grace? Ellis: I caught them, but it took me some scrolling. Will_GM: Ed? Edward: mrryeah. Will_GM: You awake? Ellis: Ed has four increasingly disturbed messages from Greg on his answering machine, if he checks. ;) Edward: Heading there. Nicole goes back to boringnick, if we're not on anymore tonight. Edward blearly opens his eyes, awareness filtering in. *** Nicole is now known as katster *** Jack has left channel #gurps Will_GM: It's around noon. Edward gets up, walks to the computer, sets playback, then walks to the espresso machine. Edward listens to the messages, nodding, while the espresso boils. Edward drinks, then wakes up. Edward: .oO(... Oh yeah. Oops.) Will_GM: *hunger* Edward calls Ellis while he walks over to the fridge for something edible. Ellis: What time, about? Will_GM: If Jack takes Grace out for enough meals in a row, eventually I hope he'll notice that she never seems to eat enough to sustain her unflagging energy. ;^) Edward: Precisely about noonish. Ellis: Oh. 'Cause the meeting's at one, and you'd... hmm. Ellis: I wouldn't be calling you before noon. Edward: Make it twoish then. Will_GM: Sure. Ellis: Okee. Ellis: "Hello?" Will_GM: (I would imagine that "negotiations and discussions" are still underway back at the Works at twoish.) Edward: "*still slightly off* Ellis? It's Ed..." Ellis: *nod* Probably. Ellis: "Ahh! The sleeper awakens!" Edward: "Not quite yet, but I'm working on it." *sips some more espresso*" Ellis: "How are you doing, Ed van Winkle?" Edward: "Still bringing my sarcasm parsers online.... I'm sorry I'm late. I sort of lost track of time last mor-err, night..." Edward downs the last of the espresso, very slowly blinks and shakes himself fully awake. Edward: "So what's up?" Edward: "Caught the damsel yet?" Ellis: "Not...really." Ellis: "The situation's become a little complicated, thanks to Fearless. The guy Jack is over here, and we're trying to get the entire situation sorted out." Edward parses the ellipsis as "It hit the fan"... "what w-ahh. Okay. Anything I can do to help?" Ellis: "Well, you can get more caffeine into your system and come over. The more minds working on this the better." Fearless: yeah, Jack's mind is smoking. Edward: "I'm working on that... 'k, but I need to check with that store Rath pointed me at the other day sometime today as well..." Ellis: "Well, all right. If something really big comes up I can always page you. Right now we're still trying to get all our facts straight." Edward: "Always a good plan. I'll check in afterward, 'k?" Ellis: "All right, Ed. Talk with you later... oh, and if you happen to meet some random pedestrians on the street," *said very loudly away from the phone microphone* "DON'T GO TELLING THEM EVERY DETAIL OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AND WHO WE'RE WORKING WITH, ALL RIGHT?" Ellis: Ellis: %) Edward winces and holds the phone away from his ear. "I'll try to remember." Will_GM: bbi60s, sorry. Ellis: "Good!" Ellis: "Have a nice trip." Edward: "You too." Fearless: JACK IS NOT A RANDOM PEDESTRIAN! Ellis: Of course he's not. Ellis is still bitter. ;) Fearless: *heh Fearless: y'know, Jack's read one thing of Fearless' that Ellis hasn't yet. ;) Will_GM: b Fearless: the True Account of What Really Happened to Xav. ;) *** Signoff: Fearless (Read error: Connection reset by peer) Edward disconnects, winces again. "Smooth going, Ed. Reeeeeal smooth." Edward then grabs food, showers, dresses. [snip /msg: giving information to player] Edward after another dose of caffeine, heads off to said store. Will_GM: Traffic's light on a Sunday afternoon; you get there pretty quickly. The place is, as advertised, open. Edward looks at the sign. .oO(Well, here goes...) and walks in Will_GM: Inside, the place is brightly lit. There are rows of shelves of the parts that your average user could, presuming he had read the manual, use to fix sundry hardware problems himself, as well as a selection of software. To one side of the front is a cashier's desk, and behind it a way into a repair room. Through the door you can see operating desks with a wide array of equipment. Edward is instantly at ease. Will_GM: Everything, from customer areas to the parts that you can see of the cashier's realm and the workbench, is scrupulously clean and organized. Will_GM: A guy in a T-shirt, larger unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, and jeans is behind the counter. "Good afternoon!" he waves. Edward nods. "Good afternoon. I was looking for a mr. Munroe?" Will_GM: He's a white guy looking to be in his late twenties, with short(~2-4 cm) dusty blond hair, and round wire-rimmed spectacles. Will_GM: "That's me. How can I help you?" Edward nods. "Edward Wong. I recently came across some problems that an acquaintance mentioned you had a solution for... Something about.. 'force catchers' ?" Will_GM: His expression grows a good deal more serious. Will_GM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Will_GM (3d6) and gets 8. Will_GM: "Yes, Mr. Wong. I've been expecting you. Please, step into the workroom." Edward nods and follows. Will_GM: He lifts the latch on the underside of the gate. Will_GM: "Rath said you were interested in something to defend against possession. He also intimated that you would be interested in learning about the principles of such devices?" Edward nods. "I'm sort of feeling way out of my depth, and my usual response to that is learning to swim them." Will_GM: *small smile* "I know the feeling." Edward grins. Will_GM: He lays his hand on an unassuming gray box that's much like the rest of the gray boxes in the row it inhabits, and pauses a moment. "In case you are wondering, the box itself is a relic -- the technical term for an object that we have in some sense empowered. Its function is enormously simple -- be indestructible and open only on commaned of the owner." Edward: "Sounds straightforward enough." Edward: "Then again, the trick usually is in the implementation..." Will_GM: "Simplicity sometimes works far better than complexity. A lesson we are often pleased to see that Hell has yet to learn..." Will_GM: He reaches inside the box and pulls out a smoky quartz crystal, bound in copper wire, dangling from a leather cord. "This," he pronounces, "is a Force Catcher." Edward looks at it. Will_GM: "Of course, the mere material object is relatively uninformative. You desire to know the process." Edward: "Yeah." Will_GM: He sets down the Force Catcher on the table and pulls up a chair. "Please, take a seat." Edward takes a chair and sits down. Will_GM: "The study of Force physics and metaphysics," he says once both of you are sitting, "is a matter of several human lifetimes if one desires truly expert standing. However, specific applications are reasonably straightforward, and humans often have surprising insights into the field." Edward nods, into full information-absorbtion mode. Will_GM: "The Force Catcher has two functions. The first is to falsify the target that a would-be possessor seeks. Once properly aligned to an individual, it replaces that individual in the sensory range of possessors." Edward: "Like a honeypot jail." Will_GM: "Yes, with the additional ability to keep the intruder in the area of interest. You see, the second function of the Force Catcher is to act as a sink or trap for the actual Forces, the component Symphonic 'parts,' of the possessor. The possessor thinks to approach their target, when in actuality they approach the Catcher and are unaware of the replacement until already bound." Edward: "At which point it's too late to break away?" Will_GM: "This depends on the strength of the possessor. A quick enough move can prevent being trapped -- however, the device continues to fulfill its original purpose, as the only way to avoid being trapped is to head 'outward,' away from the target." Edward nods. Edward: "And it's not possible to--" Edward stops himself, rephrases. Will_GM: *inquiring look* Edward: "And it's so far not known to have happened that a Catcher was evaded and the actual target hit?" Edward: Sysadmin's credo: "there's no such thing as 'impossible to evade' where security measures are concerned." Will_GM: "Only by destroying the Catcher itself, or convincing the owner to willingly give up his protection." Edward nods. Will_GM: "Of course, I am afraid that certain Bands of demons are farly good at that -- Balseraphs particularly." Edward: "Balseraphs?" Will_GM: "The Liars. They can make you believe what they say." Edward: "Urk. Pleasant thought, that." Edward: "Out of curiosity, is there something equivalent for computer networks as well? Or can't computers be posessed?" Will_GM: "A Force Catcher can be aligned to work with any object, including computers -- however, the only beings capable of possessing computers are my fellow angels of Lightning, Kyriotates particularly. The sole exceptions of which I am aware are computers made specifically for a single user." Edward nods. "No demons out on the Internet then? That's a relief, at least." Will_GM: "Depends on what you mean by 'out on the Internet.' They are certainly doing their best to influence the Internet, in all its various guises, and we are trying to stop them. But no, you need not fear that a demon is going to be in a computer whose provenance you are aware of." Edward nods, takes the correction and files it away in memory. Will_GM: "Now, then, we should see about actually getting you a useful Catcher." Edward nods Will_GM: He ponders. Will_GM: Which he does while I look up something real quick. ;^) Will_GM: "Very well. I don't think you'll need a large one -- you simply wish to be protected from possession, not actually trap full-grown Shedim." Will_GM: OOC: How many character points do you have free? Edward: counting the CP for the ally, five. Edward: s/counting/deducting/ Will_GM: "Still, it will take time to properly align a new Catcher. I'll need to see you for at least a few hours a week, most likely for several weeks. The positive side of this is that we can being laying the groundwork for your future education in things immaterial." Edward nods. "I can deal with that. When can we start?" Will_GM: "Soon. This week, almost certainly." He gives you a measuring gaze. "There are certain security precautions that have to be taken, of course. You've been recommended to us by a Vassal of Stone, which is a plus, but I would be able to speed the process up if you were willing to submit to a broader checkthrough and devote some time to our organization." Will_GM: In OOC terms, if you want to take a light Duty, it will defray the point cost of a Catcher. They work really well, but they're proportionally rather expensive. ;^) Edward nods. "As long as it doesn't interfere with my obligations to UPENN ICT, I can do that." Will_GM: "Oh no, far from it. Your position there may be valuable to us." Will_GM: "I will put the report and request through to my supervisors, and get back to you with the response shortly. Your contact information?" Edward: "edw@ict.upenn.edu or $pagernumber" Will_GM: "Thank you. You already know mine, of course." The doorbell rings as a customer comes in to the shop. Will_GM: He stands. "I look forward to working with you, Mr. Wong." Edward stands as well, extends a hand. "Likewise." Will_GM: --------------- Session End ----------------