WillGM: To tie up the last remaining loose ends from the previous arcs: easy investigation will reveal that Sean Edwards (suspect #6 on the list) was arrested about two weeks ago for possession with intent to distribute. Carver has quietly shown up at the police station to show "he" is alive, and has dropped out of school to move across the country; and Election Day with the 'Works angels was low-stress, just a day of legwork in the War. No demons tampering with votes. :^) Fearless: No, they were all down in Florida. :) Fearless: still celebrating from the previous year's victory. :) Edward: Dark Humor? ;) WillGM: *Had* we run the game, Nicole would have encountered Pete's old gang and (hopefully) talked about Stone's support of less-legal institutions, as well as the ethic of violence and revenge; vote-security investigators would have found a human operation in one district. Fearless: sent WillGM: To give y'all some development time in between missions, I'd like about a month to have passed since Election Day. It's winding down Finals Week at the University, and the Christmas holidays are looming. Philly is patchwork-covered in snow. Don't eat the yellow bits. Or the black ones, for that matter. WillGM: During this time, what has been occupying you? WillGM: (Also, is a month a reasonable time frame?) Edward: Probably spending some time discussing Ed's sudden Awareness with Fulmeniel. Fearless: work, prolly doing off-hours research in the library (spending those points, y'know) Fearless: and how did Ed's Awareness originate? :) WillGM: Ed's been latent since sometime last year. Fearless: 'k Edward: Being next to ground zero when that jar of essence blew up. Fearless: ah... WillGM: Ed: your security classification is increased, and databases made available to you to help you learn to identify the sounds. You are offered a position as a Disturbance monitor, which basically means "report any Disturbances you hear, along with any information about them you can discern." Nicole: Nicole's prolly been studying and practicing her newfound skills in other realms. :) Edward: *nod* WillGM: Allright. Let's begin quietly. Nicole, how about we start with you, arriving at the place in the Marches you usually go to meet Annie -- the glade that used to be the top of the Tether Annie was guarding, near Grace's place. Edward will probably also be using the themes he "hears" to compose keyboard music... which he subsequently sends along in the reports. WillGM: Sound good? Edward: Gopher it. Fearless: *snicker* gopher. :) WillGM: ------------------------ Game Start ------------------------- Edward: Ed has "compulsive punner" on his charsheet. Time to live up to it. %) WillGM: Annie is examining the statue, which has been cast down from its pedestal. She looks up as you arrive. "Welcome." Nicole: "Hi." WillGM: "How well did you perform on your exams?" Nicole: "Good enough, I think, to make the Dean's List again. LinAlg was killer, though. WillGM: "Careful with the violent metaphors, remember." Nicole: "Right, right. Sorry." WillGM: She takes human form and comes over to greet you. "I thought we might try something new tonight. A jaunt into the Far Marches. Farther into them, at any rate... we stand on the border of them here." Nicole: "This ought to be interesting." WillGM: She nods and begins heading off along a path that appears beneath her feet. WillGM: "Have you anything in mind you might like to explore? Almost anything you can conceptualize has a strand out here somewhere." Fearless: revisit Grace? ;) Nicole follows carefully. "Hmmm..." Nicole: it's an idea, although one I was kinda sitting on at the moment. Nicole: "I don't know, there's nothing coming to mind relatively quickly." Nicole: "Just no poodles." Bruce: Mmm, poodles. :9 Fearless: *twitch* WillGM: "Allright... something easy then. A well-known landmark. These are called the Topaz Gates." Nicole nods. Nicole looks? WillGM: Annie turns slightly to her left, although this is quite relative. The mists start to thin and darken. Fearless: the only thing I got from UL when I asked him "why poodles?" was "poodles must die", so... WillGM: "It will take us some subjective time to arrive..." She begins describing the region: gigantic gates made of topaz, standing open in the middle of a great plain, continually singing the Theme of Time. Nicole follows, carefully. "What's the Theme of Time?" WillGM: "Everything in the Symphony has a theme... or, more precisely, is a theme. Intertwined, they become the basis of Songs. Alone, as an unending melody, we call them a Theme -- English would use a capital T -- and the Theme... oh... expresses the concept, though there's more to it than that." WillGM: "For example, one of the common theories about the Topaz Gates is that they are actually the source of Time itself, which flows into the universe through them." Nicole nods. Nicole: "In other words, if they were to cease to exist, there might be very bad juju for us all?" WillGM: Annie thinks about that. "Assuming the theory is true -- and it is rather fantastic, though not impossible, I suppose -- yes, I would imagine so. However, it fortunately seems to be one of those relics which seems unbreakable by any force known to celestials." Nicole: "Well, that's a good thing." WillGM: "Their most common use is as a meeting place -- landmarks in the Far Marches being few and far between. Big sturdy ones become well-traveled." Nicole: "Ahh, that would make sense." Nicole: "Still trying to get used to how malleable things are out here." WillGM: You begin hearing a faint strain of music, a one-note melody. There are also the sounds of people walking, and quiet conversations. Nicole blinks a bit, and folds her right hand into a fist around her thumb. WillGM: Annie leans over and says quietly, "You may find some odd beings around the corner. Remember, they're all here on their own business, and probably don't want to harm us. If any danger occurs, try to waken." Nicole nods. WillGM: The mists begin clearing. Above a few low hills in front of you, you can see a great rectangular frame of translucent yellow crystal. Within the frame are constant ripples of color of all kinds, which seem to be keeping time with the melody you hear. Nicole: "Wow." WillGM: As you round a hill, things start appearing. You pass a tiny man with wrinkled brown skin sitting on a stump... a pair of birds pecking at the ground and chatting about the Asgard market... a pool of water slouching over a hill... a rainbow Slinky that stops to look at you and hiss at Annie before walking onward. WillGM: "Geek." Nicole grins at that last one. Nicole: "Geek?" WillGM: "I'm sorry -- isn't that the current American slang for someone of low character? Or is that a nerd?" She blinks. "Oh my. It's not a profanity, is it?" Edward: ooops :) WillGM: For a moment, she looks very much like a prudish librarian, despite being a feathered six-eyed snake... Fearless: *snicker* Nicole giggles. "Naw. Actually, it's kinda funny, 'cause neither a geek nor a nerd really is somebody of low character." Nicole: "I'd describe myself as a geek." Nicole: "So, naw, you were prolly looking for 'jerk'" Fearless: and that's being polite. :) WillGM: "Jerk. Ah. Thank you. I shall recall. My, how the language changes. I could have sworn that a geek used to be someone who bit the heads off chickens..." Nicole: "It was." Bruce: :9 WillGM: A passing chicken says, in an offended London accent, "Well, really," and flaps off. WillGM: You arrive at the base of the Gates. "Take a good look around," says Annie. "Try to remember the feel of the place so you can navigate back if you need to." Nicole looks around at everything, trying to take it all in and remember. WillGM: 3d6 Prozac throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 13. Nicole: "This place is pretty neat." WillGM: Nicole: You see something that gives you quite a start: a mass of eyes and wings and paws and mouths and fur, floating into the basin! WillGM: 3d6 Prozac throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 7. Nicole blinks a few times. WillGM: You feel the shocking start of a flashback coming on, but manage to suppress it. Bruce: Kyros are sooooo ky000t. Nicole closes her eyes and frowns a bit, trying to put herself back together. WillGM: "It appears we have another angel here. How odd." She waves at the thing, which lifts a couple hands to wave back and begins coming over. Nicole blinks a few more times and lets a long shuddering breath out. "That's an *angel*?" WillGM: "Indeed," chorus several mouths. "We're a Kyriotate. First time seeing one of us, huh?" Nicole: "Yeah." WillGM: A human-looking being follows him up. You notice that the inhabitants of the basin are becoming uneasy, and are beginning to move away, muttering about angels. Nicole: "Y'gave me a bit of a start." WillGM: "Yeah, we do that. Dunno why. Hang on a sec, I'll Vessel." Edward: Multiple angels together in the Far Marches usually means Tsayadim. Can't blame 'em for wanting to be elsewhere. Nicole whispers to Annie. "Why are they all so scared?" WillGM: S/he closes most of hir eyes, and begins to settle into a human form. WillGM: Annie looks over at you. "They consider angels outsiders here. Demons, too, but a gathering is usually something to avoid. You remember me telling you about the Purity Crusade... immortals have long memories." WillGM: 3d6 Prozac throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 15. Nicole nods. WillGM: Nicole: After a moment where it's dancing on the tip of your forebrain, you recognize the Kyrio as the officer who talked to Bruce back on the day before Election Day. WillGM: Annie looks the Kyrio over. "Serve you Dreams, my friend?" Nicole grins. "You're the guy Bruce met at the conference." WillGM: "I am. My name may be rendered Frizz by a single mouth, and I serve my Commander Laurence." Annie becomes slightly perturbed. "My companion here --" he indicates the gray-suited man beside him -- "is Liriel, Seraph of Destiny." The Seraph bows. Edward: *spittake* WillGM: Annie is very carefully polite. "I welcome you to the Marches, Swordsman, Shepherd. What brings the two of you to this place?" Nicole nods, with a slight smile, and flexes her hand. Edward: I've been reading the SSO logs too much. WillGM: Ed: Yes, that plot. Slightly altered. :^) WillGM: Oh... no, not SSO. Is there a Liriel there? Edward: Balseraph of Nobody, formerly The Media, originally Light. One of the first fallen, now with Shangri-La... And recently temporarily gone Malakite during an assault on the place by Nightmares. WillGM: ... freaky. Edward: courtesy of a Divine Intervention upside the noggin. :) WillGM: But no, not this one. %^) WillGM: The Kyrio turns, clearly letting the Seraph answer the question. WillGM: Liriel speaks in a high, hesitant tenor. "I... was not quite sure. There were so many places to start, and I have come here before, like many others, seeking to do research. I think I may have been simply putting off coming to the Corporeal Realm..." WillGM: "Forgive me, Shepherd, but that doesn't really answer the question." Fearless: Liriel == Lennier? Nicole listens quietly, frowning a bit. WillGM: "... Yes, of course. I have been permitted to undertake a project by my Lord Yves, and I was enjoined to seek support from those who would be best able to help. Since this entailed meeting people, and I was hesitant to go first to Earth, I brought my assigned bodyguard here first, since I have used this place to meet others before." Fearless: Yes. Liriel == Lennier. :) WillGM: "And, coming here, I met you. One wonders if this was perhaps intended. Are you two by any chance specialists at operating quietly in the corporeal realm, and perhaps able to guide an inexperienced angel about?" Nicole frowns s'more. WillGM: "I am not, or at least not especially so... but Nicole is a human, qualified for both tasks." Nicole: "I am?" WillGM: "A human's actions usually don't cause Disturbance, which is the kind of quiet he's asking about -- and Liriel is going to be very new to human society. He needs some real hand-holding on some of the day-to-day stuff. He's been doing Song research since just about the day he was created. Imagine someone born in a University science lab..." WillGM: Liriel, sounding a little miffed, says, "I have undergone the required training, you know, except for the internment." Nicole: "Hmmmm. Point. I'd have to talk to the group I hang out with, but we might be able to pull it off..." WillGM: Liriel looks at you. "You are volunteering your time?" Nicole: "I could probably do so. As I said, there's a group of folks I interact with on a regular basis who also might be willing to help and are familiar with what's really going on." WillGM: "Ah, I see. Then perhaps I could meet with them. It would be good to have a definite place in mind to begin my quest on Earth." WillGM: "You might find what you seek if you seek amongst dreams." WillGM: The Kyrio gives Annie an odd look. Nicole: "I'm sure that could be arranged." WillGM: "Excellent." WillGM: "What do you mean by that, madam?" WillGM: "Mean by what?" Nicole hmmms, makes a note to herself so she remembers to call Ed and Greg when she wakes up... WillGM: "What you just said about see... enh, never mind. Fantasist Seraphim are kooky. No offense." WillGM: Annie chirps brightly, "None taken!" Nicole giggles a bit. WillGM: "So, we will arrange a meeting?" WillGM: "Yeah. Miss, if you'll give me the address of a place where we could all meet tomorrow, I'll make sure to bring him there." WillGM: Nicole: Tomorrow evening, aren't you going to be on a plane to California?! Nicole blinks a bit. Nicole: "Oh shoot." WillGM: "?" WillGM: ^^^ A sound you can actually make in the Marches. ;^) Nicole gets the meaning, and answers, of course. :) Edward: A kyrio would more likely just *become* a question mark.... Nicole: "Tomorrow night isn't going to work, 'cause I'm flying home for a few weeks for the holidays." WillGM: "Hmm... well, if there is any help that can be arranged in the Marches, you can help from anywhere on the planet... as long as it's during the right hours." Edward: Or Frizz can introduce the guy via Bruce. :) Nicole: "Point. Let me get in touch with my friends, and we'll see if there's some way we can work this out." Nicole: "Frizz, is there some way I can get ahold of you on Earth tomorrow?" WillGM: "Robert Hunter, 3rd Precint, gang crimes. Phone book if it's after hours, though I put in overtime a lot." Nicole: "Okay." Nicole: "Let me call my friends and see what I can arrange for them, otherwise I might be able to do something in Sacramento." WillGM: "Very well. I await your communication." He turns to Annie. "In the mean time, may we have explicit permission to continue to explore in the Marches?" WillGM: "I am no Warden, but if you will accept my escort I think I may oblige." WillGM: "That would be well." WillGM: Annie touches you on the shoulder. "Why don't you get some sleep for the rest ofthe night? You have a busy day tomorrow." Nicole: "Yeah. G'night, Annie, Liriel, Frizz." WillGM: "Sleep tight." "Good night." "Don't let the bedbugs bite, and for goodness' sake call an exterminator and clean your sheets if you have any. Bedbugs, that is. Not sheets." Nicole laughs, and waves. Nicole then carefully makes sure that she can reconnect with herself (don't need any more Lilim encounters) and wanders out of dreamland. :) WillGM: Expanding your dreamscape in the Far Marches leads to some decidedly odd dreams, most of which have clocks and watches and open gates in them, but you wake up rested and alert the next morning. Nicole , after making breakfast, and making sure she's got everything she needs at home packed, and doublechecking the van ride to Philly Airport, calls Ed. Edward: *click* "Nanu nanu?" Edward: (Ed having number recognition) Nicole: "Hey, Ed." Nicole: "Got a query for you. You have some time to show a newbie angel the works? Maybe with the rest of the gang?" Nicole: "I'd help, but I'm flying home tonight, and won't be in Philly for a few weeks." Edward: "Sounds fun. It's okay by me, I'll ask the rest of the gang next time I see 'em." Edward: "Have a good vacation. And don't forget to write!" You can almost see that smirk he wears when he's replying with a quote from somewhere obscure that Nobody Is Going To Get... Nicole: "Yeah, I just need to get ahold of folks today. I know Greg's number, and I think I know Fearless's, and I'm wondering if the Stonies would be okay with letting us use the Works for y'all to meet him." Nicole: "Some vacation. I mean, Mom and Dad love to see me, but I'm sure they remember what I used to be able to do." Edward: "Prolly. Might depend on who he or she works for primarily, but I don't think Stone would turn down a fellow in need regardless..." Edward: "Mmm." Nicole: "He's one of Destiny's boys, and is being sheparded around by Bruce's fellow cop." Edward: "Gotcha. Should be okay." Nicole: "I'll ring Greg and Fearless, could you ring the Stonies and ask them if using the 'Works is okay with them, and get Bruce's number?" Edward: "Rog. I'll get on it right away." Nicole: "Great. Call me back when you know." Edward: "Will do. Take care." Nicole: "Alright, you too." Edward: "Ta." Nicole: "Bye" *click* Edward hangs up, then calls the 'Works. Nicole dials Greg and Fearless in that order. (Will, pick the direction y'wanna go with?) WillGM: Greg is rung, and can meet tomorrow. He lives in Philly, Christmas is vacation for him too. WillGM: Nicole can call Fearless before Ed calls the 'Works, if that's what you mean. Nicole: Yeah. Nicole rings Fearless then. Fearless: "'ello." Nicole: "Hey, Fearless, this is Nicole." Fearless: "Yeah, what's up?" Fearless: sorry for the lag, also GMing my game, and looking up stuff in logs Nicole: "Got a situation brewing and wanted to know if you wanted to help with showing a newbie angel the ropes." Fearless: "Might be interesting. Sure." Nicole: "Okay. I've got Ed calling the works right now to see if y'all can meet there. I won't be there, I've got to go to Sacramento for a bit, Mom and Dad demand my presence for Christmas." Nicole: "I'll ring you to let you know when and where, though." Fearless: "Have fun, 'Cole. Happy Winter Solstice Festival and all that." Nicole: "Yeah, thanks. Anyway, I'll let you know." Fearless: "Right. See ya when ya get back." Nicole: "Alright. Bye." Fearless: *click* Nicole: *click* Bruce: Boom. WillGM: Ed's turn. Edward is slowly getting sick and tired of the John Henry song that's the Works' on-hold muzak... Bruce: *snrk* :) WillGM: Recommend them Leslie Fish! Hymn to the Breaking Strain, please, not Ishmael's Oath... Zibblsnrt: hee WillGM: *click* "Hello, Mr. Wong." Edward: "Heya, 'Rath. How's life?" Edward: er, scrap that. Bruce: Caller ID. Yeah, that's it. ;) Edward: "... let steel on do- Oh, hey 'Rath. How's life?" WillGM: "Better than half the alternatives. How may I help you?" Edward: "Just got a call from 'Cole. Apparently she met an newbie Shepherd the other night and offered to help show him the ropes around here, and we were wondering if you folks could also help out in that regard..." WillGM: "We are always glad to help out the angels of Destiny. What do you need of us?" Edward: "Not sure yet - don't have more facts than I just gave you. The impression I got is that he's really new, and needs to be shown around. We'll probably drop by once he gets here, and we'll see then." Nicole: meeting place, ed, meeting place. WillGM: "I will see to it that the area is cleared for an evening after work. Do you know which?" Edward: "nope, not yet. I'll let you know when I do. Is it okay if we use your place as a meeting place? Campus isn't exactly off-limits to non-university people, but unofficial guided tours tend to get odd stares by the security folks." WillGM: "Certainly. A few hours' notice would be appreciated, though." Edward: "Funny, that's what I keep telling my supervisors as well. Will do, nonetheless." WillGM: "Very well then." *click* Edward: "Oh, and do you have--... Ah well." WillGM: Oh, I thought you were hanging up too... what did you want to ask? Edward fires up the comp and accesses the public phone directories... What was Bruce's last name again? WillGM: Whitechurch. Edward: I was about to, when I remembered I also wanted to ask Bruce's number. Edward: Okay, looking up Whitechurch, Bruce. WillGM: His home phone number is available... of course, Nicole was calling everyone in the morning, so it's work hours right now. Bruce: [Yeah, call the precinct and ask for me. ;) ] Edward: Drat. Well, here's hoping he's got a useable answering machine message. Edward: Do I know which precinct he's with? Bruce: Do they? It's been a couple months now, you'd hope so. :) WillGM: Over the course of the past month in occasional encounters, it would seem a reasonable piece of information to obtain. Edward: Okay, precinct it is, then. WillGM: The call is forwarded to Bruce's desk. Bruce picks up the phone. "Whitechurch." Edward: "Wong." WillGM: At the same time the phone rings, that Kyrio comes up to you, some civilian in tow looking very nervous. WillGM: Bob signals he'll wait for the call. Edward: "Hey, Bruce. 'Cole seems to have met this newbie Shepherd somewhere and wonders if we can help out showing him the ropes. You willing to help?" WillGM: The Kyrio points at the civilian and nods. Nicole laughs! WillGM: The civilian blinks at him. "What? What?" Bob puts a finger to his lips. Edward: the Kyrio has good hearing? Bruce looks at "Bob", and then the phone, and then back at Bob. "Uhh, sure. In fact, I think he just walked in." Fearless: Bruce have it on speakerphone? WillGM: Naturally high IQ means naturally good perception, even if Kyrios do focus on Will. WillGM: Bruce: Remember, Bob's a fellow cop, so you've been meeting with him a bit. Edward: "Most excellent. I already talked to the 'Works folks, and they're okay with using their place to meet. How's after work sound?" Bruce: "Sounds good. See you then?" Edward: "Sure thing. I'll call the 'Works and let them know when to expect us." Edward: "See you then - and tell the new guy 'welcome to earth' from me." WillGM: ID4 flashback! Bruce: You want me to punch him in the face? :) Edward: I haven't punched him yet, so it doesn't cou-- You. Head. Mine. OUT. Bruce: "Alright. Later." Bruce hangs up and stands from his chair, nodding at the nervous guy. "I take it you're the new guy in town?" Zibblsnrt: hee Fearless: *snicker* Edward calls the 'Works to let them know 'tonight, after work hours' and yields the stage to Bruce. WillGM: "Statistics on urban immigration suggest I am no longer the latest arrival, but I understand you to mean to ask whether I am the expected visitor... the answer is yes." Edward: ooo, he *is* new. :) WillGM: "See?" *quirky smile* Bruce stares blankly for a few moments. "Yeah, this is going to take some work." WillGM: Further arrangements are made to make sure everyone knows to be there: that evening, everyone arrives at the 'Works. Fearless walks in, smoking his everpresent cancerstick, and takes a seat at the main table. WillGM: Greg is also there. Edward arrives, walks in, greets folks, gets a seat. WillGM: Ellis stretches. "Mm. They pay my salary, but man, campus minus students equals a really pretty, gigantic playground." Bruce discards his cigarette before entering the building. Presumably, "Bob" and friend aren't too far behind. WillGM: Indeed, they arrive with you. Fearless slumps down, and takes a long drag. "I hate deadlines." Edward: "I read ya... And it's *lovely* not to have to send out one of the interns to do a reinstall of half the public terminals every other day for a while..." WillGM: Bob makes a small bow to Rath, thereafter copied by Liriel. WillGM: They seat themselves at the table. Liriel deliberately sits on the opposite side from the bas-relief, examining it. WillGM: Rath and Pete are the only two representatives of the 'Works staff present. Fearless: "I just need to make sure the next time someone wants to interview a jumper, the Chief doesn't spot me." Despite being below ground, the thought alone makes him start to shake. "Every time, I freeze." WillGM: Rath smirks. "You did allright with Len." Fearless: "As long as I kept my eyes closed. But I've had to interview two more jumpers since then." Edward: "The risk of doing a good job - they'll ask you to do it again." WillGM: "Well. If Burgess is not coming..." he frowns at that... "... and Nicole is in California, it appears we are all here. I suppose our guest could best inform us all of why." Edward: "Haven't seen BA since the party." (unspoken addition for the Seraphim in the audience: "... and I still need to viciously beat him for what he pulled there, but that can wait.") Bruce leans against the wall rather than sitting, habitually flipping the lid of his lighter while he waits for Mr. Statistics to fill everybody in. Fearless pauses at the lack of BA being mentioned... "I haven't seen or heard from him either. Very odd." Nicole: Well, Nicole is prolly in the air somewhere over the Midwest at the time, but...on her way to CA, right. ;) WillGM: Liriel looks up from the mural, meeting each of your eyes in turn. "My angelic name may be reasonably pronounced Liriel in corporeal tongue; my Role name is Larry Jameson. I have come to Earth as one of the few experts on... a certain issue. I regret that I cannot be frank with you about this, but it has been decided that matters are best all around if I delay as long as possible in exposing the heart of the matter." Fearless nods slowly... Edward nods, listens. WillGM: "It has been deemed that I require help, and I am grateful to my comrade of the Sword for volunteering his services as a direct physical guard. I am also aware that there are a great many complexities to corporeal existence of which I am not fully apprised. I expected experienced angels to be my guides here, but I can see the wisdom in choosing humans instead..." WillGM: "...especially when I consider that my quest works best when the least amount of metaphysical -- Œjostling,¹ to use an analogy; it is more than just Disturbance -- is applied to the Symphony. Humans being native to the realm where I expect to do most of my work, they make the obvious choice, now that I consider it." Fearless makes a mental note to figure out what this guy's hiding. WillGM: "I am therefore asking for your help. I need... well, I am not certain what I will need. But eyes and ears, and quick wits, will be certain. Possibly quick blades, as well. Beyond that, I must trust to the flows of Destiny." WillGM: "We must guide each other. I do not plan to remain in Philadelphia, and since I cannot know the details of every human culture, I must rely on you, who are steeped in those thigns common to all humanity." Fearless: "Well, first thing I think you'll need is to get acclimated to being human, so that you don't stand out like a sore thumb." Bruce files the word "Disturbance" away, because frankly, he hasn't taken the time to actually ask about all of this metaphysical crap he's been exposed to. :) "*flick-CHING* So, just plain ol' physical jostling rather than metaphysical." WillGM: "Err... I think you speak of violence? That too is to be avoided if at all possible; but it is more acceptable, on some levels, than too much metaphysical activity." Bruce: "Right." Bruce pockets his lighter. "Fearless is right. S'probably a good idea t'get ya broke in on living on the earthly plane." WillGM: "What do you mean, you don't plan to remain in Philadelphia?" WillGM: "I must go wherever the quest takes me. I fully expect it to cover a substantial set of longitudes." Fearless: "As a reporter, I have very flexible hours, and can go nearly anywhere and interact with anyone in the course of my job. So long as I meet the Chief's weekly deadlines for articles." WillGM: "No problem for me. For the next few weeks, at any rate." Edward: "With no students to screw up the public systems and half the professors doing vacationish things, I think the network can handle some time without me if it becomes that important." WillGM: Bob turns to Bruce. "Me, I've signed up for a few weeks of vacation time..." Bruce chews the inside of his cheek. "Yeah. Guess I could do the same... so basically, you're on this quest, and we're going to help you, but we can't really know what we're helping you with? Sounds like a winner to me." WillGM: Liriel actually blushes. "I expect you will learn it eventually. Releasing.. umm, *dumping* it all on you immediately goes against much of my training and personality." Fearless looks over Liriel... what's he wearing? WillGM: Gray suit, white shirt, black shoes, black tie. Could pass just about anywhere. Edward nods. "Understandable. On the other hand, you'll find out that most humans prefer not being kept in the dark as to what they're helping with." Bruce: "'specially ones that will be tempted to try to figure it out, anyway, but whatever floats your boat." WillGM: Liriel muses. "I have no wish to cause you distress..." He falls into thought. Fearless: "I think its best if he starts by observing how people interact with each other, both in the workplace and socially." Edward: "Does your Role have a job of some kind?" WillGM: "I am credentialed as a professional singer, and have a college degree in musical performance and membership in a local professional organization. However, I do not have any current employment. I didn't expect to need any." Fearless raises an eyebrow. "Singer? What style?" WillGM: Liriel smiles. "All." Edward nods. "Actually, I was musing on how to arrange reasons for you to hang out in places we go to. Prob is campus isn't *exactly* off-limits to non-personnel during vacation, but there's usually explanations involved when people wander around." Fearless: "Well, in your search, you'll probably need some money for basic necessities. That's where the job comes in." WillGM: "... you make a good point." WillGM: -------------------- Pause ---------------------- WillGM: Brb, sorry. Take five. WillGM: I gotta stretch. Fearless: *heh* Nicole should be cleaning up her living room as opposed to watching. ;) Fearless: *snicker* Nicole: not that anybody's going to be coming in anyway, but... Fearless *YAWNS* Bruce: Wouldn't want any would-be catburglars to find a messy living room. Nicole: yeah. Bruce: It's the household equivalent of makign sure you've got clean underwear on when going out! :P ;) Fearless: I gotta split... I'm ubertired. :/ WillGM: Blood on the floor, blank 911 call, missing body... Fearless flees for the night... cyas Bruce: Heh. WillGM: Unmoo Ars. Bruce: Seeya Edward: 'nite ars. Fearless: Will, feel free to NPC Fearless... *** Signoff: Fearless (Quit: o/~ I feel SCSI / oh so SCSI / I feel SCSI and covered with grime! o/~) WillGM: ---------------------- UnPause ------------------------ Prozac: want me to keep the bot open? WillGM: "I hadn't really considered that I might have any expenses. I don't have any costly physical needs, after all." *** Inviting Dicesuke to channel #Gurps -herring.sandwich.net- WillGM invited Dicesuke into channel #Gurps. *** Dicesuke (akodomakot@ip68-13-175-200.om.om.cox.net) has joined channel #Gurps *** Signoff: Prozac (Quit: It's not easy being Evil. But Evil's what I be. Choke on it.) Edward: "Travel expenses can get irritating." WillGM: Liriel grins. "I generally expend Essence to go where I need to. Celestial Motion." He thinks. "Or Synchronicity... though neither of those is necessarily efficient for a short trip to a specified locale." Edward: "Not to mention that both are Noisy." WillGM: Liriel nods. WillGM: "You've been studying." Edward tilts his head in an almost Seraph-like manner. "True." Bruce stares blankly at concepts that fly over his head. WillGM: Liriel sighs. "Complexities." He spreads his hands. "You see where I need your help. I was planning to invoke Synchronicity to begin my quest, and then Celestial Motion to retun and travel with the group I needed. But that too would be expensive." Bruce: "Ah. So you need us to help you get around like us mere mortals, so things are less... Noisey?" WillGM: Rath coughs. "The brotherhood of the Contiguous Karsts owes the Trogloxenes a favor -- and several of them know the Celestial Song of Unity. If you really need a boost to Celestial Motion, we can come together to provide enough for you to take the first shot. After that, though, you'd be on your own." WillGM: "Among many, many other things, I am sure, Bruce. Just the potential need of money, for example, is something you picked up on before I did. I think you may expect that future oversights on my part that need rectification will be similar." WillGM: Liriel takes a deep breath. "Well. I am not certain how I would obtain any money at the moment, short of contacting a Trade representative. I had come here planning simply to travel to my destination to begin the search tonight. I see now that some preparations might be in order. What are your suggestions?" Bruce pinches the bridge of his nose. One of these days he'll have to invest time into learning the lingo. "Well, it might be helpful to know where you need to go." Edward: "Well, you can hitchhike, which is something an unemployed singer might be found doing anyway, but it's rather unpredictable..." WillGM: *to Bruce* "I don't know. The point of the step we call "Synchronicity" is to allow me to move where the Symphony needs me. I surrender my Will to potentiality and end up in another physical location." He cocks his head. "Intellectually, I expect I will arrive somewhere around the Holy Land. Or possibly the isle of Britain." Edward raises Ye People's Eyebrow. "At this point it might be helpful if you explained at least a bit of the backstory..." Bruce: "That's a pretty big margin of error." WillGM: Rath furrows his brows. "Now what do those two have in common," he mutters. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 11. WillGM: 3 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3 3d6) and gets 10 14 13. WillGM: Carry on... Edward goes into Thinking Furiously mode. WillGM: Liriel chew his lip. "Perhaps... I... no, I hesitate to prejudice your thoughts. It is a delicate matter." WillGM: He grimaces. "It bothers me that I play the enigma. I apologize." Edward: "How about just some of the background?" Edward: Translation: "Gimme something to work with before I drive myself crazy theorizing in the dark please?" WillGM: "I seek an artifact. A... holy object. But probably much, much more than that. The reason is technical, and essentially... oh this is nonsense. England and the Holy Land are connected by the knight Bedwin, Marmarath. And the knight Galahad. I pray that I am not being too hasty in this." WillGM: Rath's eyes widen noticeably, and he takes a minute to calm down. Greg freezes. WillGM: 3 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3 3d6) and gets 10 11 8. Edward twitches. Edward resists the sudden urge to facedesk. WillGM: Liriel calmly says, "I see that several of you understand the reference." Edward: "... Don't tell me that that's real." Bruce jaw hinges loosely. WillGM: "Quite. Elusive, but real." Bruce fights the urge to say it. Edward fights the same urge. Let's see who cracks first? WillGM: "I've heard of Galahad, but who's Bedwin?" WillGM: Pete looks around at you all. Bruce figures Edward will crack first. After all, that's more his sctick anyway, right? ;) Edward looks at Greg. "I'm sure you'd look smashing wth a Fedora and bullwhip..." Bruce cracks, and says it. "You seek,,,, a grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrail?" WillGM: "Your choice of terminology is interestingly and unexpectedly accurate, Detective Whitechurch." Bruce: "You're shitting me." WillGM: "Following what I believe to be the true Grail has for many centuries been an object known as the Judas Grail. I have not laid eyes on it; I fear to do so. It is nearly as dangerous as the Grail is holy." WillGM: "I should impress upon you that I do not intend to capture the Grail, to dig it up from a cave and place it in a Heavenly vault. It is not quite so... inanimate. I plan to listen to it. The explanation is technical, but suffice it to say that... it is reputed to be a better singer than me. I wish to learn." He smiles. Bruce: "Well, this should be... interesting." WillGM: Liriel looks at Bruce, and resonates him. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 8. Edward: "Could be fun. I've always wanted to try an intercontinental scavenger hunt..." WillGM: What's Bruce really feeling about this notion, and why? WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 10. WillGM: Same question for Ed. WillGM: Greg breathes, "The *Grail*..." WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 11. WillGM: ...and gets the same question, which we should probably let Aris answer. :^) Bruce: hmm Edward: Ed's brain is temporarily on strike while Too Many Questions all at once clamor for attention. He's mainly joking about the 'always wanted to try...' part, which is the sort of weak humor he throws out when he's frantically buying time to get his mental equilibrium. WillGM: Bruce: As Ed just pointed out, confused is an okay answer to the question. :^) Edward: Weak humor is Ed's way of going "HOLY SH... *gape* *gasp for air* *gape* ghuh.. *gape* *etc*" Bruce: Bruce is in much the same state of bogglingness, as one might be when one learns that certain myths turn out to be quite real. He's actually a bit excited by the prospect, beneath the "....what?" WillGM: Liriel smiles bleakly. "You are in understandable turmoil. And who knows how the coin may fall? You see know why I wish I had not given in to pressure." He sighs. "I am inexperienced at dealing with earnest requests for information I am told I should not fill." Edward pulls himself back to coherence. "Nah, that's okay. I'd rather find out here and now than halfway to wherever." Bruce: "Well, hey. Angels are real, God is in His Heaven... why not the Grail? Suppose we shouldn't be that shocked." Edward: "Shouldn't ain't Wouldn't." Bruce shrugs, and grins. "It only gets weirder." Edward: "True." WillGM: "Okay. Okay. If we're going to foreign countries, we'll need passports. Though if we skip over the borders, we won't have the visas. And we'll need currency. Yeah. American greenbacks to start with, and find an exchange if it's civilized." He tousles his hair. "Do you think we're more likely to be in the outback, or in town?" Bruce: "Yeah, I was gonna say that. You'll need papers, if you ain't got 'em. And it comes back to money. 'cause if you need it and ain't got it, chances are you can buy it." WillGM: "...you can buy money? Doesn't that defeat the point?" Edward: "Skipping borders is going to cause trouble if we get caught. Getting visas is going to cause trouble *when* we're asked why in blazes we're traveling the places we do, and 'To Seek The Holy Grail' isn't going to satisfy customs officials.." WillGM: "Religious pilgrims" is close enough to the truth, and would be satisfactory for almost anywhere in the Holy Land at least..." Bruce snickers at Liriel. "Not all countries use the same currency. So technically, yeah, you're buying other money." WillGM: "Interesting." WillGM: "I meant supplies-wise. If we're going to be in a town, ID papers are more important, as is cash and maybe luggage... if we're going to be hiking the West Bank, I want to pack light in a backpack, see?" Edward: "Mmm. Also let's not forget that that whole area is one big powder keg with half a dozen idiots throwing matches at each other." Bruce nods, and shoves his hands in his pockets. "Might be good to pack light, anyway. Who needs a change of clothes?" WillGM: Bob snickers at that. Bruce generally looks as though it's optional for him, anyway. WillGM: "You're right... not about the change of clothes, but come to think of it passport and cash can be carried in a pack anyway. Most of the pilgrims I saw at the Vatican carried everything anyway. Everything they owned, some of them." He smiles. "We'd be like the Friars Minor, only for three weeks instead of for life. I seriously thought about taking their vows...." Edward: "The Who?" Bruce: No, The Band. WillGM: Greg gets a far-away look on his face. "The Friars Minor are an order devoted to the three basic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Their Rule calls for community service. They take the poverty part seriously... none of them owns anything, just wears the robe on his back. The Order is communally poor, too -- the Church at large provides them with basic needs." He grins. "In the old days, we carried begging bowls." WillGM: He comes back to Earth. "A focus on the spiritual instead of the material, basically. All the Orders have that; the Friars Minor just choose to express it with these beautiful simple vows." Bruce: "Hmm... I'm rather attached to the material." WillGM: "We can fix that, if you like. We're *good* at that." He favors Bruce with a wolfish grin. Bruce smirks in Rath's direction. "I think I'll take a raincheck on that." Edward: "I'm more cerebral than either. I guess you could say I'm attached to the virtual." WillGM: "The good news about virtual is that you *can* take it with you. The Archangel Marc has been enthused about the information economy -- he has been repeatedly heard to refer to information as 'the new gold.' " WillGM: Rath coughs at the mention of Marc. "Well. Perhaps we should allow you some time to make preparations. I can summon the Karsts here by tomorrow evening, and get advance permission to raise the racket we're going to raise. You can also contact Nicole, since it seems unfair to leave her in ignorance of such a weighty matter." WillGM: And if that sounds to you like a request to end it here for the night, you're correct... Edward: "He's probably right about that. As good a time as any to treat myself to that Palm anyway. Hmm. Must remember to ask Fulmeniel about that.." WillGM: ---------------------- Session End ------------------------