Arc 0: Prologue

Ekur . o O ( If I am more needed at my current post, then I should stay 
there. If I am needed in this new experiment, I should go there.  I trust 
Blandine will send me where I am of most use to the Symphony. )

William [to Ekur]: You're in the celestial side of the Tower, having been 
called back by the Warden of your quadrant from routine demon watch in 
the no-man's land between the ends of the Vale.  A Reliever has brought 
you to a Vassal of Dreams you vaguely know, holding a small poster.  He 
dismisses the Reliever and addresses you.  "Have you heard of the Civis 
project?"

Ekur says, "Yes, Warden.  A quite fascinating idea."

The Vassal says, "A dream with potential.  Supervised by Stone, though -- 
some of us are a little worried what David envisions for it."

The Vassal says, "If this city is to be established, Our Lady has said 
she wants it to be something more than an armed camp for force projection 
in the Marches.  As you know, any center of activity in the Marches tends 
to attract human dreamscapes of similar inclination."

Ekur frowns slightly.  "Hmmm.  Certainly it would need to be watched 
carefully by Dreams.  Since he became a Malakite, David has been somewhat 
. . . focused."

The Vassal says, "Exactly.  You're an old and respected trooper with a 
lot of Marches experience.  We'd like you to join up.  Your familiarity 
with the Marches and the inhabitants thereof should prove most useful to 
the organizing staff, providing you a good chance for input on policy."

The Vassal says, "Consider yourself formally assigned to undertake any 
missions authorized by the Angel of Urban Planning and his staff, as 
related to the Civis project.  report to the Karsts in the Catacombs 
after you've made any necessary preparations."

Ekur nods.  "Understood."

William says, "He dismisses you."

Ekur bows slightly, and begins his walk along the Tether to Heaven.

William says, "The Tower debouches into The Dreamer's Winds above the 
Groves, well away from the Eternal City.  The shortest route to the 
Catacombs leads you to the landing beside the minor peak called The Place 
Where Wind Walks Through Stone."

Ekur considers, and grabs a Reliever along his way, and instructs it to 
inform his recent companions in the Vale that he has been reassigned.  
After all, they should be informed, and the Warden may have overlooked 
the detail.

The Reliever nods and sets off to comply.

Ekur stands on the landing, and looks around himself.

William says, "A bear-Cherub of Stone with flecks of jasper embedded in 
his wings greets you."

Cherub: "Welcome, stranger.  How may Stone support you?"

Ekur bows lightly. "Hello.  I have been instructed to meet Karsts, for 
the Civis project.  Can you direct me to him?"

The Cherub smiles a bit.  "The Karsts are a group, not an individual, 
though if you asked them they might differ on that."  He thinks.  
"Especially the Kyriotates.  At any rate, the Contiguous Karsts may be 
found by following the green tokens in the walls down twelve levels."

Ekur says, "Ah.  I thank you for your assistance, and for the 
correction."

Ekur nods slightly, and heads along, following the green tokens.

William says, "Once down the route, you find yourself in a massive 
cavern, filled with tables and dividers directing traffic.  It seems, in 
fact, rather like a city in miniature.  Blessed souls are running 
documents, Relievers are carrying equipment, and angels of Stone are 
organizing the flux of beings.  You're rather naturally directed to a 
group of volunteers being assessed and assigned to various tasks, along 
with...."

William says, "...and here we meet the next of our group.  Let's rewind 
time a bit and turn to Thais."

William says, "Thais, you've been doing the post-Fledging polishing and 
are in the training areas near the Church of the Sword when you come 
across one of the volunteer-seeking ads for Civis."

Thais reads through the ad carefully, and considers, tapping the hilt of 
her sword. "Marches work. I could probably do well there, and they 
haven't said anything about who /can't/ apply..."

Thais nods to herself. "And of course they'll need plenty of help." She 
looks around for any of her closer reliever friends.

William says, "You spot a training buddy down the way.  Tev is nearly 
ready to Fledge, probably Ofanite from the way he's glowing."

Thais dashes on down towards that corner of the room. "Tev! Could you do 
me a favor?"

William says, "HeyThaisWhatsup?"

William says, "(With Angelic overtones of 'I am capable,' 'I'd love to,' 
and 'what would you ask of me?')"

Thais says, "Did you see the ad about that Civis project? I'm going to 
head down that way and volunteer. Could you let the practice group know I 
won't be making it? I mean, assuming I'm accepted, they might want 
someone with different skills than I have to offer."

Tev rotates in place.  "Sure thing.  Better get the order made official 
if ya wanna volunteer, now you're officially Laurencian and all."

fadethecat [to William]: I don't imagine it would be proper to go ask 
Laurence himself what to do, when there's an obvious opportunity to 
assist other angels. Who's my supervisor, to clear this with before 
heading out?

William [to fadethecat]: Hmm.  A serious-minded Seraph Vassal nicknamed 
Sarge that oversees the Sword's post-Fledging polishing and makes 
new-angel assignments when he judges an angel ready for work.

William says, "Tev waves and zips off."

Thais says, a little indignantly, "Of course, I'm going to--" She shakes 
her head as Tev disappears. "Ofanim." And then dashes off nearly as 
quickly to where Sarge is likely to be at this time of day.

Sarge looks over from the squad of Mercurians doing judo forms he's 
supervising.  "Thais.  Your lessons were comp..." his Distinction kicks 
in almost visibly.  "You have some errand?" he says with considerably 
more humility.

Thais bows quickly. "Not an official one, no. But I would like to request 
permission to be assigned to the Civis project. They've asked for 
volunteers, and as I've been given no other assignment yet, I believe I 
might be able to help there." She does not quite bounce from foot to 
foot, through some effort. "They're taking even relievers, so I should be 
able to help! Unless I'm better suited elsewhere, or unprepared for this, 
of course."

Sarge cocks an eye ridge.  "Marches work... hmm.  I think that would suit 
you.  Very well.  By the power vested in me by Archangel Laurence, I 
approve your volunteer request and assign you to assist the Civis project 
as directed by the angel Matthias and such lines of authority as he shall 
set."  For the first time since your Fledging ceremony you feel the 
presence of a real mission defining your actions (and Dissonance 
condition).

Thais beams. "Thank you. I'll get right to that. And I'll do my best, of 
course." She dashes off towards the nearest route to the Catacombs.

Ekur . o O ( It's a good think Elohim don't die from insulin shock . . . 
. )

William says, "The ground entrance in the Groves is much closer to the 
cavern Matthias has been assigned, and the traffic pattern is obvious.  
You shortly find yourself in the same knot of angels with Ekur.  20,000 
year old Elohite, meet month-old Malakite."

William says, "Well, one month since Fledging.  Thais was a Reliever for 
a long time."

Thais tries to look Serious and Focused and Responsible.

Ekur sees the Malakite.  "Those ribbons quite suit you."

Thais says, "Thank you." She flutters her wings self-consciously. "Black 
alone seems so stark. Almost unfriendly."

Ekur chuckles slightly.  "There are Malakim who find stark and unfriendly 
suits them, of course."

Thais says, "This is true! Though it seems it gives their--our entire 
Choir something of a negative reputation, sometimes. There's no reason 
one can't slay evil in a /polite/ manner, is there?" She frowns. "I 
suppose I might feel differently if I'd dealt with actual evil before. I 
haven't run into any yet. I mean, sometimes a few blessed souls who 
weren't always entirely virtuous during life, but that's not really the 
same thing, is it?"

William says, "A Mercurian beside Thais gets a very bemused expression."

William says, "After a few minutes making small talk, a Mercurian with 
the Vessel-seeming of a young man in an expensive suit and wings 
patterned with shifting lines that appear to be plans for street maps and 
utility webs comes up to the front of the group, shuffling some of the 
self-description papers you filled out.  'Yes, then.  Ekur, of Dreams; 
Thais, of the Sword; Neil, of Judgment.  Please follow me.'  He turns and 
enters a small chamber off to the side."

Thais straightens her blouse, stands up straight, and follows behind. At 
a very careful walk. No running. Really.

Ekur follows briskly.

William says, "The Mercurian with the bemused (now clearing) expression 
follows you.  The one with the patterned wings stands behind a simple 
table."

Ekur says, "Certainly Blandine would tend to agree with you, Thais.  The 
more brusque Malakim have a tendency to send dreamers into Beleth's 
realm.  Though, yes, evil is quite different from those blessed souls.""

He says, "I am Matthias.  Welcome to the Civis Project.  I wish to thank 
you for volunteering at this early stage, or at least express my 
appreciation to your assigning Superior.  Our coordinators have suggested 
that the three of you might form a team with complementary skills."  He 
glances at briefings...

Matthias says, "The Elohite here is Ekur, of Dreams, much experienced in 
the Marches.  Our young Malakite here is Thais, with well-rounded combat 
skills.  And the Mercurian is Neil, whose experience as a civil servant 
in the past should prove useful in planning."

Arc 1: Location, Location, Location

Matthias puts the papers down and addresses you directly.  "One of the 
earliest lessons one learns in the Catacombs is the importance of good 
ground.  To build a strong city, we must have a strong foundation.  Much 
of the marches is shifting sand... we must have a suitable Domain."

Matthis says, "Our standards for suitability are exacting and cannot be 
relaxed.  We need you to find a Domain with sufficient internal size for 
a city -- preferably infinite, though multiple apparent square miles will 
suffice.  It must be masterless, and preferably unpopulated.  It must not 
adversely alter spirits that take up residence within its borders, or 
have dangerous external effects such as close proximity to Beleth's side 
of the Vale or time-bouncing."

Matthias says, "We could construct such a Domain piece by piece, paying 
ethereal artisans for their work, but the average micro-Domain has an 
apparent internal size of some 400 square feet and takes months of work 
to create; it would take a thousand of them a century to produce a Domain 
of suitable size."

Matthias says, "Quality is more important than deadline, and we don't 
have the staff to supervise you microscopically, so methods are up to 
you.  When you find a good candidate, report back here.  Any questions?"

Thais says, "No, sir."

Ekur frowns slightly.  "No, no questions."

William-playing-Neil shakes his head as well, and Matthias gathers up his 
papers.  "Very well then.  May your feet find firm footing, as we say 
here."

William says, "(Angelic overtones of a valedictory, though it's sincere 
hope as well.)"

Ekur . o O ( No questions.  Yelling, "Are you out of your mind?  Every 
Ethereal of reasonable power is already looking for them, the odds of 
finding one are such that it would be better to hire the craftsmen!" at 
your boss is a rather un-Elohite thing to do. )

Thais bows, and turns to leave.

Ekur nods, and follows Thais.

William-playing-Neil turns to Ekur.  "So... he said you know the Marches.  
Where do we start looking?"

Ekur makes an Area Knowledge roll.  After all, he does have the job to 
do.

On 3d6, Ekur rolled 9.

Thais chooses to ignore gravity for a moment, and sits cross-legged in 
mid-air. "The job we've been given sounds a bit, um, momentous. I hope 
they've assigned several teams to this particular type of search."

"Yes, domains like the one desired are rare, and highly sought after by 
the Ethereals.  Where to satart looking . . .

Ekur says, "Yes, domains like the one desired are rare, and highly sought 
after by the Ethereals.  Where to start looking . . ."

William [to Ekur]: Nothing immediately comes to mind, but there are a 
couple of possible types that come to mind -- a young Domain of recent 
creation, and a Domain that, perhaps, might be inhospitable to Ethereals 
but not to angels.  The ones who would know about these would most likely 
be the Ethereals themselves, in an established Domain.

Ekur says, "Well, the obvious thing would be to travel to a Domain, and 
ask the Ethereals there about one.  Of course, unless you two have both 
been to a domain before and know Ethereal Projection, we'll have to take 
the long route.  I think I know one where a local owes me for saving him 
from some of Beleth's toll collectors."

Thais says, "The long route?" Her feathers ruffle up. "Would that be very 
dangerous?"

Thais . o O ( With a slightly hopeful tone. )

Ekur says, "Of course, it has been three hundred years, he might be dead, 
or have decided he doesn't owe me anymore.  And, Thais, perhaps not 
/very/ dangerous, but the Marches are certainly full of dangers."

[some paging snipped]

Thais says, "How long have you been working in the Marches?"

Ekur says, "Well, let's see.  I was created by Beleth in 41,222 BC, spent 
some time on the Corporeal . . . forty thousand years is a pretty good 
estimate, I think."

Thais says, "It sounds as if we're all in quite good hands, then. I look 
forward to learning from your experience."

William-playing-Neil says, "I have no further preparations to make before 
we set off."

Ekur says, "Unless one of you has another idea, I think we should head to 
Pfluviak's.  It's a bar with an . . . unusual menu.  Just beyond normal 
border patrol range, or at least it was last time I was there.  This is 
the Ethereal, so it should be just one night's journey."

William says, "It's a short trip to the Tower.  What icons do you take 
when entering the Marches?"

Thais takes on the appearance of the vessel she's not yet had a chance to 
use, but in the clothing she prefers to wear in Heaven.

fadethecat has made fadethecat's local description A medium-sized woman 
dressed in a white blouse and black leather pants. She wears sparkly 
ribbons in her black hair.

Ekur is now locally described as A somewhat grizzled, short, decently 
muscled man with work-hardened hands, dark eyes and dark hair.

William says, "Neil wears the shape of his last Vessel, starting out as a 
woman but altering it to a similar-looking male.  You see him blink at a 
bullet hole in the chest before dream-shaping it away.  'Don't have to be 
quite *that* faithful to the last shape of the Vessel,' he says."

William [to Ekur]: Roll Area Knowledge (Marches) to navigate.

On 3d6, Ekur rolled 5.

William says, "Woo, crit!"

William says, "As you exit the vicinity of the Tower, you locate a 
straight road that is known to occasionally pop up nearby.  If followed 
to the end, it would take you into the heart of Beleth's Vale, but you 
follow it for only a couple of hours and step off to the side, within 
shouting distance of the moat that surrounds Pfluviak's."

William says, "You are in a true no-man's land, inhabited by few human 
dreamscapes floating sleepily in the distance and held by the forces of 
neither Dream, nor Nightmare, nor Ethereals.  The mist is thin and cold 
here, the gray sands crunching underfoot beneath pale, unreal stars."

Ekur says, "Well, that went rather well.  Though," and he looks over at 
Thais, "certainly danger doesn't seem to have decided to meet us on the 
trip."

William says, "A small sign sits beside the drawbridge over the moat, 
manned to either side by a large pig-snouted thing with an enormous club.  
The sign, written in some unknown language but automatically translated 
by the nature of the Domain, reads, 'Enter safely.  The staff will take 
care of the moat monster.'"

Thais says, "Well, it would be wrong of me to wish for evil to occur. 
However, given that evil is bound to be around here somewhere, I rather 
wish it would encounter me."

Thais shrugs philosophically. "Maybe later."

Ekur says, "I would suggest keeping your eyes peeled.  Pfluviak generally 
runs a peaceful bar, but all sorts of Ethereals have been known to show 
up."

Ekur walks on forward across the bridge.

Thais follows along behind, watching closely.

William says, "The staff obligingly employ the clubs to beat down several 
unrefined tentacles which reach up menacingly out of the moat.  They 
don't get anywhere near you."

William says, "Inside, Pfluviak's is to all appearances a medieval bar 
with a large common room, capable of holding perhaps a hundred people at 
its series of tables but currently only containing perhaps 10, most near 
the blazing fireplace.  Pfluviak himself, all six blue-scaled hirsute 
feet of him, holds court behind the bar near racks of small newts hanging 
by their tails."

Thais looks up at the blue-scaled ethereal, and, curious, pings for 
honor.

Ekur walks over to the bar and sits on a stool.  "So, Pfluviak, you old 
scoundrel, still watering down the mead?"

William [to Thais]: Roll it.

[snip dice command stuff]

Thais succeeded.

William says, "Msg'ing..."
[snipped] 

William says, "Msg'ing..."

[snipped]

Pfluviak looks you three over.  "...wait, I think I do remember you.  You 
used to hang out around here a lot.  Tangled with Beleth's kids.  
Dangerous."

William says, "The last part is addressed to Ekur alone."

[msg'ing snipped]

Ekur smiles.  "Aw, dangerous is a matter of position.  Dangerous to 
nightmares, sure, but it was a good thing for you I showed up when I did, 
right?"

Ekur says, "Anyway, I've got a new job at the moment, and I could use 
your advice.  You know of any large masterless domains in the area, safe 
for an angel to hang out in?"

William says, "At the word 'angel', several patrons look up at you three.  
One of them hastily exits through the front door, to the sound of muffled 
thumping from the gate guards."

Thais waits quietly behind Ekur, listening.

Pfluviak stops fiddling with tumblers.  Then he laughs.  "Oh, yeah, sure, 
I've got one in my back pocket.  We're loaded down with them..."  He 
looks after the departing customer, and thinks.  "Radz, maybe.  They 
don't have a master yet.  Or at least not one that's managed to keep the 
post."

"Safe?" he asks rhetorically, and shrugs.  "Lotta fighting."

One of the customers comes up behind you.  To appearances, he is a short, 
bespectacled man in a white coat.  "Pardon me... are you... angels?"

Ekur nods.  "Thanks.  Oh, if a Triad comes along, you haven't seen me.  
They've been pestering me about Hephaestus again."

William-playing-Neil looks vaguely offended.

Ekur turns to the customer, and pings him.

William rolled 3d6 and got 5.

William [to Ekur]: Happily excited and a little nervous.  Action to 
predict?

Ekur [to William]: What if I say yes?

William [to Ekur]: He'd ask if any of you are a Seraph.

Thais eyes the man, but lets Ekur, who knows how these things work, do 
the talking.

Ekur [to William]: Is Neil a Seraph?

William [to Ekur]: The motivation is that he's a Subsumer, a sort of 
ethereal cult that takes angels as models of behavior.  They literally 
try to reshape their Image with the intent of being subsumed by Heaven.  
Other ethereals consider them something of a suicide cult.

William says, "And no, Neil's a Mercurian."

William says, "Thais, roll anthro to see if you've ever heard of this 
group."

Thais succeeded.

William [to Thais]: If Ekur mentions it, you have.

Ekur smiles at the bespectacled man. "Well, yes, we are.  Unfortunately, 
none of us are Seraphim, so you just have to take our word for it."

The little guy blinks at you.  "Uh... uh... that's too bad, but of course 
I hardly think an angel would lie if it didn't have to.  It's not right."  
He swallows.  "I overheard that you were looking for a valuble sort of 
Domain.  Have you ever heard of Selkirk and Roxburgh?"

skill 19

You rolled 14 and succeeded by 5.

Ekur [to William]: That was the Area Knowledge check to see if I had 
heard of them.

William [to Ekur]: Vaguely.  They went to war a couple millenia ago, kept 
at it for centuries, then dropped off the face of Ethereal politics.

Jesdyn walks in from the Gaming Floor.

Jesdyn had a dead net connection and has been tearing his hair out.

Jesdyn says, "I'm sorry. I'm /furious/, in fact."

William [to Jesdyn]: We're currently in a bar in the Marches and are 
looking for leads on a Domain to site Civis in.

Ekur says, "Yeah, though nothing in a long time."

Jesdyn has made Jesdyn's local name Neil

William [to Jesdyn]: Your icon is currently a male-ish version of 
Patricia, nothing fancy.

Jesdyn has made Jesdyn's local description Neil, Mercurian of Justice.

The little guy says, "There's a good reason for that, which I heard 
from... an unsavory source, if you take my meaning..." he makes little 
horns above his head.  "He said the Black Oaths are the only things that 
live there now.  He seemed to enjoy saying it."

Neil asks, "The Black Oaths?"

Thais quietly waits, and pings the little man as long as he's talking. 
People outside of Heaven are so /different/, and she's barely started 
meeting them.

The little guy says to Neil, "I asked him that too, and he just said if I 
valued my life and didn't want to get drafted I'd better not anchor 
there."

"I was a little curious -- maybe a bit too curious -- so I visited there.  
The outskirts, anyway.  Once I started stepping on bloody corpses I ran.  
Anyway, I was thinking, angels don't have to anchor, so, maybe you could 
survive whatever's there, deal with it maybe?"

Ekur nods slightly.  "Iiinteresting.  Thank you."

Jesdyn has made Jesdyn's local description A well-dressed but 
unremarkable man.

William  <ooc> We have reached a decision point, and Jesdyn I'm very 
sorry especially since you just got here, but my other gaming group has 
assembled.

William has cleared all local names and descriptions.