katster opens the betting pool on whether Aris and Kata will show up tonight. katster: ;) William: *sigh* Arsenal: is NHS gonna show, either? William: If they don't I have to figure out some way to move the plot ahead. The only real way I can think is to "assume" those scenes and move on to other things. Big chunks of story, but I can't wait any longer. UpLink: Will: Do what you need to Arsenal: *nod* katster: Will: keep in mind, I will have to disappear for dinner somewhere in the middle. William: Noted. William: Ars: You want to go with the "false alarm" kludge to get you back in the scene? Arsenal: well, whatever works WillGM: -------------------- Game Start --------------------- WillGM: Earliest things first. It is Shyla's tie-in scene; BA and Jack are talking with Shyla and Spitz near the True Connectedness Society. WillGM: Fearless, a few minutes ago a sheepish informant called you; the story was a false alarm. Fearless grumbles, and returns to the True Connectedness site... Fearless: BA's car around? BA: Yep. Parked just down the road WillGM: Fearless: nearer the site, you see BA and Jack talking with a young Amerind woman; a bruised-looking spitz is laying on the ground near them, apparently sleeping. Fearless: Gonna walk over to BA and co. WillGM: Which brings us back to BA and Shyla. WillGM: "I thought he wasn't supposed to talk to strangers; do you know him?" Fearless: "Turns out it was a false alarm, BA. Evenin', miss." BA: "Hey, Fearless. Meet Shyla and Spitz. The dog's one of Them." WillGM: At Fearless' entry, Shyla falls quiet. WillGM: The dog looks up at Fearless. Fearless: "I see." *offers Shyla a hand* "Welcome to the trenches." *nods to the dog* WillGM: Hmm... no Dicesuke... *digs out RealCubes[tm]* BA: "Shyla, Spitz, meet Fearless. He knows about the Business." WillGM: The dog whuffs, possibly in agreement, and lays its head down again. Fearless: "Anything on the Society?" WillGM: Fearless: Shyla brightens and shakes your hand. "Sorry to put you through the dog test, but if he likes you, I should." BA: "Just that they'll be wondering about a brief power outage and why anyone would do it on purpose." Fearless: "That's all right, miss. Johnny Ferrifous." BA: "And the salami swami is in residence." WillGM: Shyla looks back at the Society. "Spitz said he detected some 'echoes'. Some kind of supernatural sound, meant someone was doing something..." she waggles her fingers in the air... "...in there." BA: "My unplugging their lights must've interrupted whatever that was, then." WillGM: Jack cracks his knuckles. "You think somebody might be in danger? Maybe we should go in and bust up the place." BA: *to Jack* "You packing?" Fearless: *to BA* "Ah." *to Shyla* "Well, I was going to go in and ask a few questions. Care to come along, just in case?" WillGM: Jack makes a couple of fists. "Double barrel." BA: "Best I don't. I think they saw me coming out of the alley." WillGM: Shyla nods at Fearless. "Sure. We can see if they'll let Spitz in too?" BA strolls down to his car and get Rumblestrip ready to roll. Fearless: "Most of these places have a 'no animals' policy." *to Spitz* "No offense." WillGM: Jack follows BA; Shyla stays with Fearless. After a moment's thought, Spitz nods to Shyla and follows BA as well. BA zips RS down the curb to Fearless WillGM: "Allright..." She whispers to Fearless, "I got a couple knives in case things get hairy." Fearless nods. Fearless: Fearless heads inside. WillGM: Shyla follows. Fearless: "Evenin', gents." WillGM: The reception area is bare of people at the moment; there are some folks gathered in the main room. Go in there and say that? Fearless: *nod* BA keeps a watch on the building by moving RS across the street and parking it under a bench/mailbox/whatever's convenient WillGM: The reception area is lit by the streetlights outside; however, only a few glimmers cast a slight coloration over the main room beyond. That room is mostly bare in the middle, but furnished with TVs, radios, and computers around the walls. There are people gathered there, listening to one man talking softly. Fearless: in that case... forget the vocals Fearless: gonna slip near the door, if possible, and listen in a moment. WillGM: The speaking man looks up as you enter, anyway. Fearless: ah nevermind then. WillGM: "We have guests." WillGM: The speaker is a short man in thickly embroidered, silken Asian robes. *** Dicesuke (dice@155.92.101.82) has joined channel #gurps WillGM: The group he was speaking to turns around; they seem to be moving slowly, almost drowsily. Fearless: "Evening, gents, ladies." (if any) "I noticed your door was open. I saw your web site, and had a few questions for you." WillGM: The short man smiles. Edward: "One, do you have a hazardous material license for that site?" WillGM: "Wonderful to hear! Seekers are always welcome." WillGM: "Come, sit with us. Everyone, form a circle. Let us welcome our guests." Fearless shrugs, looks at Shyla briefly, then takes a seat where indicated. WillGM: People move to the clear space in the middle, draw up cushions, and seat themselves. You are seated across from the man in the robes. Fearless: first question... who designed that eyesore? :) WillGM: "Now," he says as he seats himself, "how may we enlighten you?" Nicole is away -- brb BA: A few more lamps in here would be nice :) Fearless: "Well, I've visited a lot of places in the past that offered pretty much the same deal, but they always turned out only to be after my wallet instead. Forgive my natural skepticism, but I do want some assurances that this is for real here." WillGM: "For starters, we ask for very little money. I myself am virtually ascetic..." he looks down, and chuckles... "except for a few vanities of accoutrement. Donations are as desired. For the rest --" he looks around. "Would anyone like to share some experiences with our guests?" Fearless: "Please." *** Mode change "+o Dicesuke" on #gurps by Fearless WillGM: A lady says, "I will." She stands and turns to you two. "I'm Anita Bevilacqua. I was feeling lost and confused, and especially alone. I was born and raised a good Baptist, but it wasn't the kind of life that was helping me. When I found the Swami and the Society, I realized that here I would never be alone. My new friends have helped me through some really rough times in my life. I think you're seeking that kind of connectedness too. I hope you'll find it here." Fearless: where's the suspect list again? WillGM: http://earl.of.sandwich.net/AnalyzerSummary.txt Fearless runs down his list from the suspect list... anyone here that looks in the college age group? WillGM: She sits, and a young man stands. "My name's Terrence Winkle. I've been one of the Swami's students since he first arrived in Philadelphia, and my life would be very different without him. I don't think I'd have made it into college without being enlightened by some of the things he showed me." WillGM: Yeah, Terrence does. WillGM: The Swami smiles. "Terrence is one of our best students." Fearless: "Please, go on." Fearless: that's right to Terrence WillGM: "Let's see. I've been here four years. When I was in high school I was looking for direction in my life; the Swami helped me see the kind of potential someone could have if they recognized that they were part of a greater whole, and could take control of their life through this realization. We even..." he pauses and looks at the Swami. WillGM: The Swami takes up for him. "Terrence has had some very spiritual experiences here in the Society. We share them among ourselves, but they are understandably private." WillGM: The others nod, corroborating this. Fearless: "No need to explain further. Is there a time I could come by for maybe a more personal session, sir?" Fearless: that to the swami WillGM: The Swami's eyebrows raise. "Personal session?" WillGM: What's Fearless' basic emotional state? Fearless: "Well, I would like to ask you a number of questions regarding my personal life. They are, understandably, personal." Fearless: right now, calm. Fearless: "I'd prefer not to discuss them openly. I'm sure you all understand that." WillGM: "Aaah. Actually, I suppose we can arrange it right now -- if you don't mind doing it in the half-dark. I fear our usual media session for the night must be cancelled due to a power outage." BA: :) Fearless: "Right now would be fine." He turns to Shyla. "Wait for me out front?" WillGM: The Swami interrupts. "Oh, but it's so cold out there. Terrence, keep the young lady company in the reception hall, will you?" WillGM: "I'd be glad to, if she wouldn't mind?" "Not at all." WillGM: The Swami dismisses the class with a ritual valediction, and people get up to go their separate ways. Shyla and Terrence head to the reception room in the front. WillGM: BA, you see people starting to leave. After a minute, they seem to be done, and a young man is in the reception room with Shyla; you can see both of them through the glass doors. BA moves RS closer and tries to get their convo on audio WillGM: Fearless, you are alone in the main room with the Swami. WillGM: BA: You get close enough to hear; we'll do that after Fearless is done inside. BA records everything RS sends him Fearless: "Tell me, have you ever talked to people who have lost their faith, for whatever reason, or more to the point for no reason at all?" WillGM: "All the time, seeker. Faith is mankind's attempt to connect to God, but it fails because faith is a personal thing, and thus contained within a single soul. It is when we reach others that we being to see the Divine in a more holistic light." Fearless: "So, by reaching out to others, helping others with their problems, and receiving their help with yours, is the entire point of this Society?" Nicole is back -- wheeblah. Fearless: 're Nicole WillGM: "Connectedness consists of these things and much more. At the most fundamental level, all are one -- this is a truism which many religions have sensed and claim to understand. What they fail to grasp, however, is the consequence of this position -- that you, personally, are everything, and the extent to which you control your life is reflected in the extent to which you control yourself and those events you are part of." WillGM: "You've mentioned one's problems several times. Tell me, what troubles you?" BA: I can see... dead people! BA: :) Fearless: "My own lack of faith. I was raised Lutheran, but it seemed like a lot of fluff when I got older. I've read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Crowley's The Book of Law... strangely, that last one made more sense, but... as for knowing there's a God, goddess, creator, well... I've never met him. Her. Hir. Whatever." Fearless: Crowley's The Book of Law... the biggest pile of drug-induced ramblings ever published. BA: Unless you count Ozzy Osbourne's autobiography ;) Fearless: *snrk* Fearless: and for the record, Fearless was 95% honest in that case... he's omitting a lot WillGM: The Swami's eyes glint with understanding. "My child, my child. I *am* God. So are you. You *are* Him. As is everyone else; it is our whole that makes Him up. You seek the Society because you seek the lost parts of yourself. I cannot but think that the unforeseen event of a power outage brought you to me in just the right moment. We have been waiting for you." WillGM: He is breathing more quickly now, his eyes alight with fervor. Fearless: "Well, how often do you meet?" WillGM: "Always." He blinks, trying to regain control of himself. "Each evening... we come when we can. I am always here for you..." Fearless stands. "Thank you. I'll be in touch." Fearless shakes his hand, and leaves WillGM: He stands. "That is my hope for you. Return soon...." Edward: Item: One habbalah with a headache. :) Nicole is away -- dinnertime. Edward oocly opens #wet-bar Fearless: Once outside, Fearless slumps against a wall. .oO(Bunch of new age crap... yet... those eyes... Another Xav?) WillGM: On the way out, you pass Shyla and Terrence. They look up at you. WillGM: "Troubled, seeker?" Fearless: "Not at the moment." WillGM: "Should we go?" Fearless nods at her. BA waits for people to get to the car and or leave the scene before bringing Rumblestrip home WillGM: Quick note to BA: Terrence and Shyla were discussing Terrence's experiences in the Society. She asked how the Swami helped him get into college, and he glossed over something about true connections being very persuasive. Later, he got very mystical and waxed rhetorical about reaching connectedness with the very energies of the Universe, just before Fearless came in. BA: . o O (Whacked out Americanized Hindo-Buddhist crap. Don't these people ever check their history?) Fearless: *to Shyla* "What was he like? Persuasive? Almost too persuasive?" WillGM: You're outside now? Fearless: *nod* WillGM: "Mmm... no, just excited. I think he thinks there's there's really something to it, of course." Fearless turns right to Spitz. "And what did you sense from him?" Fearless: "If anything." WillGM: Spitz looks at you from atop the hood of BA's car, blinks once, and does nothing else. BA: Peeps are at the car? Fearless: BA: *nod* BA: "Got that bit at the front door on dvd. Think the Stoneworks boy'd be interested?" Fearless: *to Shyla* "I apologize for getting you involved, miss. The man you were talking to we suspect of being on the other side." BA stashes RS in the trunk BA: and shuts down his laptop WillGM: "I already was involved. This is exactly why Spitz and I were patrolling here, to catch this kind of activity. Why are you interested in it?" BA: "We're helping out a group who thinks they're 'angels'." WillGM: "... We'd better talk in the car. Spitz can breathe easier there, too." Fearless: "Yes." BA: "Don't eat the seats, pup." Fearless gets in. Fearless: back seat WillGM: Shyla gets in; so does Spitz. Once the doors are closed, Spitz turns to BA and says, "You're starting to get on my nerves, mouth." BA: "Cute trick." BA pulls out into traffic WillGM: "Meet one of the angels." Fearless: "He's gotten on Rath's nerves the same way. He's the overly skeptical one. I'm skeptical as well, over a lot of stuff. But who's right and who's wrong is one thing I've always guessed right." Fearless: "And the swami inside, as well as the man Shyla was talking to inside, are suspected of being on the side of demons, if not the faction that calls themselves demons themselves." WillGM: "Well, at least you're helping out the right side -- I saw that both of you had agreed to check out a possible demonic influence here, little though you are truly aware of the risk." He eyes you, Fearless. "I think I heard a Habbalah in there, though the Disturbance from a single Essence was very faint. How do you feel?" Fearless: "He seemed very convincing. Right now, though, I want to put as much distance between him and me as possible." WillGM: Spitz snorts. "That's promising, anyway." He looks up at Shyla. "It looks like we've found trouble on Walt's beat -- honor demands we help these guys take out their bad influence." Shyla nods, determinedly. Fearless: "I had to work on keeping calm. A little truth in his direction also seemed to convince him I was serious." WillGM: "What are your plans for dealing with him?" Fearless: "Well, we were going to let our friends at the Stone Works know, and go from there." BA: "Unless things change, sabotage their finances, get their building condemned, and get most of the people involved in legal entanglements." WillGM: "Ah, Marmarath and his company. Good solid allies." BA: "Always worked for Hoover." Fearless: *looks out the window* "BA, circle back and drop me off at my car." BA: "Right." *circles* WillGM: "How can I stay in touch with you?" BA: "Fearless and I have cell numbers, or you can go through the Stoneworks." Fearless hands Shyla a business card. "That's my office number and email address." WillGM: Shyla takes the card and jots down the cell numbers. "Okay. When's the meeting?" BA hands Shyla his computer business card WillGM: She takes that as well. Fearless: "Well, I was heading right over there." Fearless: Fearless never handed the cell number, just the office number and email WillGM: "Ah -- are we going in tonight?" WillGM: Okay. Fearless: "Not sure." WillGM: "Planning." Fearless: "Right." WillGM: "All right." When you get back to Fearless' car, Spitz jumps out and follows Fearless, followed in turn by Shyla. BA: "I'm heading back home to make copies of this dvd, Fearless. See you tomorrow." Fearless: "Cya, BA." Fearless gets in his car. "Need a ride, you two?" BA: "Anything happens to me before then, bury the remains ass up." BA drives home WillGM: "Got a motorbike, but we'll follow you there." Hang on a minute. Fearless: we can leave it there while the other scenes run. BA: 'k WillGM: Well, this would continue that evening, so note that. Fearless: just giving the others a chance to RP Fearless: ;) [pondering the next scene a bit] WillGM: We still have some time before the class starts; Ed, you wanted to do something further with your storyline before then? Edward: Yeah, picking up while I'm still on the phone with the 'works WillGM: You already hung up on that in the log; is calling them back okay? Edward: that'll work too. WillGM: Done then. WillGM: "Erath Stone and Tile Works, Zeke Leonard speaking." Edward: "Zeke, Ed again. There's one more thing I forgot to mention..." WillGM: "'S up?" Edward: "My supervisor's tracking one other strand in Laura's web, and chances are he's going to find out that the person who keeps rubberstamping her deferrals doesn't have any kind of explanation for why she kept doing that. And I can't lie convincingly enough to him to pretend I don't have any idea why." WillGM: "You're worried about the victim." Edward: "That, and I'm worried about how to explain what's going on to Dave. He's too sharp not to notice I know more about what's going on than I let on, and he's most likely going to ask." WillGM: "As to the latter problem, I recommend practicing your poker face. As to the first, I see the dilemma." He hmms. WillGM: "Would he already have talked to the person who did these 'deferrals'?" Edward: "By now, most likely yes." WillGM: "Then consequences are likely already in motion, and the question is how to keep unjust consequences from falling on her head." WillGM: "What was being deferred again?" Edward: "Her tuition fees. All of them. As well of the rest of her university-related bills." Edward does some quick mental arithmetic... How many years has she been enrolled again? WillGM: "And how would the University deal with malfeasance?" WillGM: Since last Fall, apparently. Edward: a year or so? what's the ingame date again? WillGM: Near Hallowe'en 2001. Edward: So that's a year of tuition fees.... Call it $3K? WillGM: At the graduate level? $30K, easy. Edward: Yowch. Edward: "... Call it thirty grand, more or less. Most likely more. How they deal with someone being careless with that kind of money and having no good explanation? I'm not sure. Sack her, fine her, all of the above..." WillGM: "But there's a process, right? I think we can work something if there's a trial or a hearing or a complaint procedure." Edward: "A hearing, most likely yes. She'll get to explain herself." Fearless: if she can WillGM: "Perfect." You can hear the smile in his voice. "You remember Isaiah?" Edward nods. "Yeah." WillGM: "University lawyers have *nothing* on him. And he /lives/ to make sure the guilty get what's coming and the innocent suffer no unjust punishment. I'll tag him on this and get him to contact you. Sound like a plan?" Fearless: *snicker* Heaven's legal department. ;) BA: :) Edward smirks as well. "Yea, verily." WillGM: Ars: Isaiah was the Seraph of Judgment who visited y'all back in the first adventure. WillGM: "That's my man. Aught else to speak of?" Edward inwardly congratulates himself on *NOT* responding with "I'd say yeah" Fearless: "Hand him over, or I'll sue!" God demanded. "Yeah right!" Lucifer cackled. "And where are *you* going to get a lawyer?" WillGM: God don' need a lawyer, He be de Judge. ;^) Edward: "Couple things, but nothing that can't wait until I drop by in the evening." BA: I told you that one. BA: :) Nicole is back -- I'm with him. Fearless: Someone emailed it at me, IIRC WillGM: "Okay. See you then." Edward: "Yokai. Stay strong." WillGM: "Stay strong." *click* WillGM: Take five, I'll see if I can SocEng Aris in here. Edward leans back. .oO(Hoboy. Well, one crisis down, one left. How in blazes am I going to bullshit Dave when I don't *want* to?) Fearless: get a renegade balseraph to do it for you? WillGM: Or an angel of Destiny with Divine Logic BA: Nah. Damage control would be too messy WillGM: Aris is pleading Columbia and doesn't want to be in tonight. She did say that if Ed (and presumably others) are there, she's okay with being NPC'ed. Fearless: 'k WillGM: People want to continue? Edward: okay with me, then. Give her a zen hug on the phone from us all, would you? WillGM: Hung up already, sorry. I did say I hoped she'd feel better soon, though. Fearless: well, I'm good for continuing. BA: I can keep going WillGM: Allright. Let's fire this puppy up, then. WillGM: Now, one of the things Shyla and Spitz would have been asking about last night was the context of the Society, so that would bring that up. Other than Ed, are there people who would want to be there today? BA: Yeah. I'll be there with copies of what Rumblestrip recorded WillGM: Where, exactly? Edward: Not at the works. At the campus sports halls. Nicole hmmms. Will: is there any plausible reason I *would* be there? Or is it more likely I'd be trying to do homework or something? BA: Stoneworks, probly Fearless: hrrm... is this a practice, or open to the public? WillGM: Nicole: Well, you know it's coming up, and you're on campus. It's in the middle of the day, it's easy to assume you don't have a class right now. Do you want to be there? WillGM: Fearless: A class. Some of the members are on an interscholastic team, though not everybody (Carver, for one, is not). Nicole: Hmmm. Nah, I'd assume we're going to get together to share info soon. WillGM: Dunst Gym, however, is open to the public during these sessions. BA: Oh, the fencing practise. BA won't be there WillGM: Nicole: Okay. WillGM: BA: Yeah, this is the scene where they're feeling out Carver. BA is at home working WillGM: Ed, you wanted to be there, or at least nearby. Where, exactly? Fearless: hrrm... well, I could probably push something past the Chief... local news. At least a promise of a few good photos of up and comers in the local sports scene. WillGM: Fearless: As long as you turn in a good story every now and then, you're pretty much free to go where you wish. Edward: Practising karate in the hall across. I don't know how the campus layout is so I'm going by my memories of the KUN sports campus which has several sports halls in the same building, one of which is used for fencing and another has a padded floor for karate/judo. WillGM: *nod* BA: Gonna scram folx, unless you need me here for anything Edward: Close enough to be around if something blows up. Not visible enough to make Carver suspect anything is up even if he knows about "us" Fearless: ponders a Lilim of Laurence as a backup character WillGM: Fearless: Where in Dunst Gym would you be? Edward: Ars: No fair, I'm already pondering one of Gabriel. Fearless: prolly walking around the front of the bleachers WillGM: Whew, good. You see, if nobody's actually in the fencing gym, then it all just runs in the background until Something Happens[tm]. ;^) BA: Later folx WillGM: Unmoo UL. *** BA is now known as UpLink Fearless: cya, UL *** UpLink has left channel Fearless is snapping a few pics here and there... Edward is facing off with the sensei, flowing through a paired kata. WillGM: The hour arrives. Students mill around in the main gym, getting equipment ready. Fearless, you are not much remarked. Ellis passes by and casually mentions a student with curly red hair as Carver. He is speaking with a young man with brown hair, but the big black guy you know as Wes is nowhere in sight. Len, however (the Ofanite), is, sitting back on an upper bleacher and flipping through a book. WillGM: 2:30 hits. Ellis moves to the front of the class and organizes students in lines. He introduces "Rex Black, a saber instructor," and says that they'll be introducing saber technique today. He steps off to the side, and "Rex" moves up. WillGM: Rex looks about and takes a deep breath. WillGM: "ALLRIGHT, YOU SLOUCHING, SOFT TEENAGE DILETTANTES!" WillGM: Ellis *eeps!* Edward: *sidestep low block move in high deflection turn backhand retreat snap kick low block high block counter* WillGM: "Today I'll be teaching you how to use a weapon that's more than a ball on the end of a wire, so pay attention! I don't want any man among you to leave this place injured!" WillGM: Some of the students are approving, others are shocked, but they are all listening. Ellis looks like he wants to bury his head somewhere, but is doing his best to be stoic about it. WillGM: Rex begins demonstrating the fundamentals of saber, assuming a basic knowledge of foil and epee. WillGM: (Now we find out how good Ellis' teaching is...) WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. WillGM: Rex does well, a convincing instructor with a thorough knowledge of his subject (if a bit on the drill-sergeant side). WillGM: Rex pays particular attention to Carver, criticizing his form and sloppiness at every turn. WillGM: Around 3, Ellis pairs off the class. Rex, of course, goes with Carver. They being practicing the simple techniques they have been taught. Ellis walks over to you, Fearless. WillGM: *whispered* "Good Heavens. Did you *hear* him?" Fearless: *whispered* "Yeah... reminded me of BA, in a way." WillGM: Ellis snrks. "I taught him how to fence, but I forgot to ask if he knew how to teach." Fearless: *whispered* "He's provoking Carver perfectly, however." WillGM: Ellis nods. ģIf Carver's going to slice something, he'll do it today." WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 13. WillGM: Carver turns a parry into a sabrewhip... a technique not taught that day. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 11. WillGM: The whipping sabre rings off of Rex's mask, and Carver scores a touch. With lightning speed, Rex's saber comes round and smacks Carver in the wrist. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 11. WillGM: Rex pulls off his mask. "I didn't teach that! You were supposed to be practicing blocks and counterthrusts!" WillGM: Carver pulls off his own mask. "So I already knew it. And you were pissing me off. I was doing just fine, you were just trying to irritate me." Fearless sighs, putting the camera in a trenchcoat pocket WillGM: Ellis strides forward. "Carver, that's enough." Carver begins to protest, and Ellis cuts him off. "I said that's enough. Go put up your equipment, you're done for today." WillGM: Carver stomps off. A few minutes later, the class ends properly. Ellis, Len, and Rex meet just outside the Gym gates. WillGM: Ed, your class is ending at the same time. Fearless heads with Ellis Edward bows to the dojo flag, bows to the sensei, and departs, meeting the rest outside. *** Mode change "+o Wizard" on #gurps by Fearless Fearless: "That went well." There's a touch of BA-ish cynicism in his voice WillGM: Rex waits until you're all gathered, and speaks quietly. "I sensed it. His most honorable act recently was fighting back a Discordant urge, because he had to maintain Role. I didn't quite sniff out whether he was a demon or not, but he's definitely celestial." Edward tries to remember... "Discord-?" Fearless: "A tremor in the Force, Ed." Fearless: "So to speak." WillGM: "Calabim are broken. Discord is... well, it's like madness, except it's a lot more permanent. All Calabim have it, except for those of Fate." WillGM: "Whatever it was, he knew he had to fight it, because he was under orders to maintain a human facade." Edward nods. "And other demons or angels don't? Or do they?" WillGM: "Not usually. A fair number of demons do -- they can get it through metaphysical backlash. God doesn't *like* demons doing that stuff. Angels..." he pauses. "An angel with Discord is in trouble." WillGM: "At any rate, the question is, what now? We've confirmed he's a celestial." Fearless: "We keep an eye on him, at least." Edward nods. "And most likely a demon. That makes two -- *turns to Fearless* or three, depending on what you found..." WillGM: "We watch for a little while, at any rate. If he was under orders to maintain Role, it's doubtful that he was keeping contact with any other demons in the area." Fearless nods. "A Habbalah, most likely." Fearless: "Working with a Balseraph, no less. They didn't try and force things, mainly because I told them what they wanted to hear." WillGM: Rex looks at you. "The Swami is another one we're going to have to deal with -- but as such a figure, he'll have contacts that Carver doesn't. We'll have to exercise care in removing him without wounding the surrounding city." WillGM: Len looks to Rex. "We should get going." Edward nods. "Lieder's a balseraph -- she jedi mind tricked me and I didn't even notice until five minutes after I'd hung up. Fearless: "Unfortunately, the swami doesn't leave the Society headquarters. I'll need more information to print a truly damaging story, however." WillGM: Rex sighs. "Either Lightning wrote an amazingly good program, you're a really good programmer, or there are a lot of demons around UPenn... let's hope it's the first two." Fearless: "And let's prepare for the last." Edward turns to Len. "One more question: How much do demons working for different factions cooperate and share info?" Fearless: "And do they have any weaknesses?" WillGM: Len grins. "Look up Factions in that handy database of yours." Edward: "More to the point, if we delete the Roles of several of them at once, would they notice?" WillGM: "Ah..." WillGM: He and Rex think. WillGM: "They'd put it down to the vicissitudes of the War, I'd hope. Unless they're all working on the same project or all serving the same Prince, it's unlikely to be noticed." Edward: "There's a saying. Once is coincidence. Twice is happenstance. The third time is enemy action." Fearless: "First time's an accident, second time's a coincidence, third time's someone's trying to kill you." WillGM: "The Prince most likely to notice is Kronos, if he's paying attention to this area. A big statistical spike in the number of dead demons is something he would be catch." Fearless: "As MacGuyver once said." Edward shrugs. "It doesn't really matter, I guess. Better or worse, we're involved and they'd find out we're putting spokes in their wheels sooner or later anyway." Fearless: "Kronos...." Edward very carefully doesn't twitch at the mention of that name. WillGM: "The alternative, though, is *not* doing it, which is unacceptable. There's another saying, which is, 'advantages bring escalation to conflict.' They're here, we have to deal with them and accept the consequences." Edward: "The one we met." Edward nods at Rex. WillGM: "Allright then. Len and I will be off to keep watch for a while. Ellis, thank you for your help. Johnny, Edward..." WillGM: Rex and Len head off, leaving you three. Fearless: "See ya." Fearless hrrms to himself a few minutes. Fearless: "I'm going to need to stake out the Swami a while, to get his schedule down." Edward nods. "I need to compare notes with my supervisor and see what he found out -- and somehow avoid telling him *what* he's found." WillGM: "I need to convince my kids I haven't hired an ex-drill sergeant to teach them fencing...." Fearless: "No, Greg, I think that's exactly what they'd expect." WillGM: And I need to hit the sack. :^) WillGM: ------------------------ Session End ------------------------ WillGM: So I just want to say this: if Carver had failed any of a number of Discord (Berserk/2) rolls, this would have all gone pear-shaped in no time flat. :^) Fearless: prolly. Edward: Ouch. Fearless: even worse if it had been a natural 18. *** WillGM is now known as William Fearless: why'm I thinking the Swami works for Nybbas, though?