The GM says, "You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all of which look like the seamy underside of the human subconscious..." William twiddles his thumbs and waits for fade and Jesdyn. fadethecat swings into the room on a bit of rigging. I hereby test the emit command! fadethecat has made fadethecat's local name Thais Jesdyn materializes out of thin air. The GM says, "Welcome." Jesdyn has made Jesdyn's local name Neil fadethecat has made fadethecat's local description A young woman with long black hair, wearing a sword on a belt at her waist. There are sparkly ribbons woven through her hair and around the belt and sheath. Neil . o O ( You know what -- Dominic's big on the dissonance-defusing attunements... so where's the Seraph's? "Hey, Dominic, did you devise an attunement permitting Seraphim to lie?" "No." ) William [to Jesdyn]: ...hee. Ekur . o O ( Okay, he answers "No." Is that "No, of course not," or, "Yes, here's a demonstration"? ) The GM says, "To recall the setup, someone is changing the skyline of Civis, against Jack's will and Matthias' desires. Tracing a couple of calls for help, you've picked up Bloom at his community center a couple of blocks northwest of a skyscraper that's just been dreamed out of a sleepy residential street." fadethecat [to StevenE]: Of course, if it's said in Angelic, that rather settles the issue... The GM says, "You are now in the basement below that center, having learned of some organically-grown layers of Civis -- to wit, a pedestrian tunnel system and a 'sewer' or other drainage system below that -- which has been quietly developing below the rader of the angels." The GM says, "radar, even" <> Fade asks, "Who's logging? Or should I? It's a little awkward, but I can manage if no one else is." Ekur is logging. The GM says, "There are tunnels to the south and west. Light comes in fitfully, with the passageways under the street dimly lit by reflections from the rooms they connect. You are assembled and may act at your convenience." Neil says, "My sheet doesn't have Marches skill bonuses on it -- do /all/ DX skills switch to IQ?" Arc 4: A Maze of Twisty Little Passages Thais [to Neil]: Only combat skills, generally. William [to Neil]: What fade said. Thais draws her sword, for easy access, and looks about. "Which way have the changes to buildings been going, so far?" Neil notes that he's got Tracking-15. William [to Neil]: are you attempting to employ it? StevenE [to fadethecat]: OOC I don't remember, but Ekur checked that. William [to Ekur]: You just recently checked out a pair of skyscrapers that had been erected a block or so south and east. Jesdyn [to William]: Yes, although mostly I bring it up to bolster Thais' checks and for opportunity rolls. William Tracking - succeeded. William [to Neil]: To your view from where you're standing, there are no obvious signs of traffic through this room recently. fadethecat [to William]: Thais has Tracking 16, though I assume she's getting the same results. :answers Thais, "South and east of here." Ekur answers Thais, "South and east of here." The GM says, "Yes. The room is not dusty enough to bear footprints, all is quiet, etc." Jesdyn [to William]: How difficult is it to dream up passages down here? Jesdyn [to William]: Can I just... cut across? Could we combine to manage it? Are any of these figments load-bearing? Thais looks around a moment more, and shrugs. "Might as well see what we can find to the south, then." Neil follows Thais, with his gun drawn but pointed down. William [to Jesdyn]: No one is likely to be opposing your rolls, so they're simple environmental changes. Something which is in character with the surroundings -- for example, something that appeared to be a dug stone tunnel rather than, say, a large plastic tube -- would have only minor penalties. Ekur takes up the rear, spending the two essence to summon his sword and shield. Jesdyn [to William]: Wait, does that mean I could get under someone's house and tunnel up without noise or Disturbance? The GM says, "Bloom follows along with the party. To the South, you enter a well-lit, luxuriously furnished room whose walls and floor have been dreamshaped as marble-lined, with bookshelves and grandfather clocks. All is a stylish American classic look. "This is Lamont's home," says Bloom." William [to Jesdyn]: Sure, dreamscaping creates no Disturbance. The GM says, "Tunnels lead off of this room in all four directions, with tasteful green marble floor tiles. A small sign indicates that City Hall is to the west, temple is to the East, and above is a private residence." Neil casts his eyes over the books -- any interesting titles? Thais nods to Bloom, and briskly paces out the room, looking for signs of disturbance (the non-Symphonic) kind. William [to fadethecat]: What's your Perception? fadethecat [to William]: 17. William [to Neil]: Pre-1950s American novels, mostly. Pilgrim's Progress, Gatsby, Twain. Some of them are simply gibberish titles, the books fake decorations. William Thais - failed. fadethecat [to William]: *boggles* William [to Thais]: The room has patterns of wear on the tiles mostly east-west. The only signs of anything out of place are the slightly lived-in shiftings of this and that small object. William [to fadethecat]: Penalized roll to catch something specific. :^) Thais drums the fingers of her free hand against her leg for a moment. "Further south, perhaps." fadethecat [to William]: Right, figured that out afterwards. It was just...briefly startling. Jesdyn [to William]: I'll give the room a once-over as well. Finding clues is actually my job. William [to Neil]: Roll your GURPS Perception with a penalty of 7. Jesdyn [to William]: Unmodified IQ? Bloom waits in the middle of the room as you look around. He picks up an open book on Taoism and reshelves it. William [to Jesdyn]: Yeah. Ekur asks Dr. Bloom what's to the south and what's to the east. Jesdyn [to William]: Does Reduced Alertness affect Perception? William [to Neil]: Yeah, by that number of levels. Jesdyn rolls a 6 and a 5, with a check of 5. Neil says, "Mother of -- failed." Bloom says to Ekur, "To the south, 'nother street of residences, then we hit the border of the wilderness sector. East, I think we hit a grocery store after a block or two. Some Plant spirit there. Does good fruits." Bloom says, "It stops being so interconnected after that, pretty much just a path to Temple." Thais says, "Residences sound like a likely target. I suggest we check there first." Thais pauses, and frowns. "Unless they intend to go after Temple itself... But probably not so soon." Bloom says, "Lamont was the student I told you about earlier. Who I think is walking the darker half of the Subsumer path. You wouldn't think it to look at this place, which is part of the point I suppose..." Jesdyn [to William]: A grocery store? Is this just angelic role-playing, or does it actually have commodities worth purchasing? Ekur nods. "More bolt-holes, traffic has a better chance to blend in." Neil . o O ( Just for reference, we're now playing a game about angels living in a city in which they're playing a game of being humans living in a city. ) William [to Neil]: Artwork, essentially. If you enjoy the taste of a nice fruit, a Plant spirit who has practiced for a while can dreamshape a better one than you can, most likely. Or one you've never tasted. Neil . o O ( Hmm. Wonder if they know what chance tastes like? ) Jesdyn [to Blue Map]: What's west? Neil frowns. Neil says, "What's to our west?" The GM says, "A series of variously lit and decorated residential rooms until the view fades with distance." Neil shrugs. He's got nothing; he'll follow Thais. The GM says, "As you've been examining the room, a group of footsteps comes in to hearing from the south. Nothing is in view in the room beyond." Ekur heads south with Thais and Neil. Thais stands up straighter (if such a thing is possible, given her usual posture), and strides forward towards the south and the footsteps there. The GM says, "In the new room you enter, there is only one possible path -- your entrance to the north, and a tunnel to the west, in the style of a mining cut, lit with a bare electric bulb. The room is filled with cardboard boxes marked with numbers in stencil. Approaching up the eastern hall are a group of six large (about 1.5 feet) rats. They catch sight of your presence and look at you collectively." Thais promptly resonates the first rat. They chitter. One pokes his nose up and speaks. "Go back to the surface. Dangerous things are happening down here." William Resonance - succeeded. Neil resonates the rats. William [to Thais]: Recent honorable act, doing what it has been hired to do -- keeping intruders away from its boss's doings. William Resonance - succeeded. William [to Neil]: All of them? Ekur resonates them, too. How would they react if he said, "We seek the danger"? William [to Ekur]: They would attack. Neil reaches up and tweaks his halo into urban camo colors. fadethecat [to William]: Angelic campaigns. Making GMs cry since the game was published... Jesdyn [to William]: Well, spot-check two or three, follow to the others if I see any really interesting links. Ekur says, "Danger has come here. Let us by; it will not avail you to stop us." William [to Neil]: The one who spoke is a real, sentient spirit, that has no real name: "Rat." The rest are a pack of figments. William [to Ekur]: They hiss and chitter. "You are outnumbered," says the speaker. "Begone or you will be sent away with force." Neil says, "Three of us, one of you?" Thais lets the others speak, but turns her sword about in her hands, letting its very sharp edges gleam in what little light is there. The rat says, "I see, you are either blind or crazy. I will eat you, then, this is proper." The pack surges forward. Neil shouts, "They're figments, all but the talker." The GM says, "The pack splits up. Two rats on Thais, two on Ekur, one each on Neil and Bloom. Bloom steps back and into a defensive crouch. The talker is the one who heads for Neil." The GM says, "You guys move first. Actions?" fadethecat [to William]: An all-out-attack can give me two attacks, right? Can I split those between two rats, or only use them on one? Ekur says, "Stab a rat. Standard attack, not all-out." William Oh, and give me your IQ, then any levels of altered Alertness and Will. With those three stats I should be able to calculate most of what I need from your charsheets for combat, other than skills. [ Note: the GM was gaming from a different location than usual, and lacked the characters' usual sheets. ] fadethecat [to William]: IQ 17, no alterations for Alertness or Will. Broadsword 18 is what she'll be using... StevenE [to William]: IQ 18, skill of 20 with this talisman shortsword and block 20 with this talisman shield. Neil shoots to kill; he's been threatened with murder. IQ 18, Reduced Alertness 2. Guns-17, Judo-19. William [to fadethecat]: Two attacks against one target. It's a screaming-and-swinging charge! fadethecat [to William]: Well, no screaming. But I can work with that! Let me know when you want a pose. William rolled 1d6 and got 6. William rolled 1d6 and got 2. The GM says, "Order is Neil, Ekur, Thais, Bloom, rats." William Guns - succeeded. The GM says, "Neil's pistol aims true. The alpha rat attempts a dodge..." William Dodge - failed. The GM says, "...which fails, albeit by the narrowest of margins. Neil's bullet-borne force of will zings him in the leg." William rolled 1d6 and got 1. The GM says, "...let's save time. Ekur, Thais, your attack rolls please." Thais succeeded. Thais succeeded. Ekur rolled 11 and succeeded by 9. Neil says, "Woo!" Ekur . o O ( My block is 10, of course; my shield skill is 20, and block's half that. ) William Dodge - failed. William Dodge - failed. William Dodge - succeeded. fadethecat [to William]: Her sword does 1d+3 cr / 3d cut. The GM says, "Thais hits both of hers in rapid succession. Ekur's rat twists and rolls out of the way of his slash." William rolled 3d6 and got 9. William rolled 3d6 and got 14. The GM says, "Thais' first rat takes a hit so strong that even from the edge of a blade it is *folded* around the steel and thrown backwards, screeching." The GM says, "The second rat isn't even that lucky. After Thais' backswing is complete, the rat isn't." William Consciousness - critically failed. The GM says, "It falls to the ground, dead, in a pool of coppery-smelling blood." Bloom waits for his rat to approach, hands up in a defensive stance. He doesn't have long to wait... William Brawling - succeeded. William Brawling - succeeded. William Brawling - critically succeeded. William Brawling - succeeded. fadethecat [to William]: This is a night for crits... The GM says, "Neil's rat is only slightly slowed by his graze, and leaps for the abdomen to claw. Ekur's two go for alternate kidneys, biting and scratching. Bloom's attacks those interposing hands. They all seem to know where they're heading (the attacks are true). Responses?" William [to Ekur]: Remember, you've got two. William Parry - failed. Ekur says, "Block one with the shield, parry the other with the sword." Neil says, "If I get a Judo-derived Parry with a gun in my hand, I'll take it. Otherwise, I'll Dodge." fadethecat [to William]: For the next round, or just people who get to defend this turn? Thais will be going after the rat on Bloom, next round. William [to Thais]: I'm asking for defenses currently. You've handled yours... you've one dead and one too stunned to move at the moment. fadethecat [to William]: Oh, okay. William Block - succeeded. William Parry - failed. William rolled 1d6-1 and got 4. William [to Neil]: You Dodge, Judo's explicitly if you're not carrying anything... William Dodge - failed. William rolled 1d6-1 and got 0. The GM says, "Ekur's shield pushes off one rat, but the other gets underneath his sword and starts chewing. It bites hard, for 4 damage." Neil . o O ( I've been hit in combat twice now, for one point of damage total. ) The GM says, "(It's chewing, that is, on Ekur. Not his sword.)" Ekur . o O ( Rats. If the block had failed and the parry succeeded, I'd be just as hurt, but the parried rat would have taken damage. ) William [to Neil]: Yes, you're really lucking out. King rat homes in on you easily, but his first pass merely tears your ethereal clothes and doesn't break skin. William rolled 1d6-1 and got 1. The GM says, "Bloom's hands are a little scratched up but it's nothing serious yet." The GM says, "New round. Everyone except Thais is in close combat. Remember your shock penalties -- Ekur 4, Neil 1, Bloom 1, Thais none, Thais' surviving rat 9, Neil's rat 1, Bloom's none." Jesdyn [to William]: Wait, I have a shock penalty? Jesdyn [to William]: I thought he did no damage. Minimum one? William [to Neil]: My bad, confused you with the rat. William [to Neil]: Which is not necessarily as uncomplimentary as it sounds... The GM says, "Actions?" Jesdyn [to William]: Okay, what's a Judo All-Out Attack good for? Thais will be going after the rat that's been attacking Bloom, but a standard attack, in case her woozy one tries to jump her from behind. William [to Jesdyn]: Nothing really, Judo doesn't teach punches or kicks! You can try to grapple and throw. StevenE [to William]: Shortsword small enough for close combat? If not, can I step away out of close combat and attack? William [to StevenE]: Yes, it has reach C. The GM says, "Made for it, really." William has disconnected. Neil says, "We win!" Thais snerks. William has connected. The GM says, "Re." Jesdyn [to William]: You would not /believe/ it -- Eli showed up! But he's gone now. Ekur slashes at the rat that gnawed on him. The GM says, "Sorry, restate your actions for the round?" The GM says, "Got Ekur's just now." Jesdyn [to William]: Does GURPS have an Attack-And-Step manuever that gives you a bonus to defense rolls? Thais will be going after the rat that's been attacking Bloom, but a standard attack, in case her woozy one tries to jump her from behind. Jesdyn [to William]: Shoot and withdraw from the rat for -- gosh, I think it was a +3 Dodge/Parry bonus, but I don't know if you get it with a firearm. William [to Neil]: You can combine a Retreat with any active defense, but there's no "cautious attack" sort of thing. William [to Neil]: Okay, yeah. Move and Attack, and the Move is one step back, a Retreat. Got it. Jesdyn [to Jesdyn]: I'll do that, then. The GM says, "Everybody roll attacks." Ekur rolled 9 and succeeded by 7. Thais succeeded. Neil rolled 3d6 and got 6 Neil says, "Success." William Dodge - failed. William Dodge - failed. The GM says, "The rat Ekur is aiming for doesn't manage to get out of the way this time, and the king rat takes another bullet from Neil, this one squarer on. Damage rolls." Neil rolled 1d6 and got 6. Thais rolled 3d6 and got 6. Ekur isn't sure what his sw is. IQ-based, IQ minus shock? ST based despite it being the Ethereal? Neil [to Thais]: Depends on your point of view -- was a good roll for /me/... The GM says, "Thais, alas, misses her rat. Bloom and the figment, in the course of their dance, turn at *just* the wrong time. If Thais was even a little less skilled with that blade, she'd have cut Bloom." fadethecat [to William]: ...I missed? Despite the Dodge failure and succeeding on my roll? fadethecat [to William]: Or is a 17 a failure automatically at my skill level? I'm a little fuzzy on the details. William [to Ekur]: IQ minus 4-based. On 2d6+2, Ekur rolled 10. William [to Thais]: A 17 is auto-fail regardless of skill level. It is a *critical* failure for skill 16 or less. fadethecat [to William]: Oh. I thought at this skill level only an 18 was an auto-fail. Got it. Ekur says, "Er, sorry, should have just been 2d, for 8." The GM says, "Ekur and Neil both strike true. The king rat grunts and is shaken from the force of Neil's bullet, and Ekur nearly splits his rat from shoulder to thigh." William Brawling - succeeded. William Brawling - succeeded. William Brawling - succeeded. William Brawling - succeeded. William Bloom_Parry - failed. Neil . o O ( It succeeded on a -6? That's a determined rat-spirit. ) William Figments have the combative luxury of not fearing death... Jesdyn [to Jesdyn]: Sure, but the one trying to eat my face isn't a figment. Let's hope I can dodge. Neil snarls. Why's it doing that? The GM says, "Blood-crazed, the rat figments and their master continue to claw and chew. Two on Ekur, one on Bloom, and the king rat on Neil, though a new thought seems to dawn in its beady eyes. Defenses?" Ekur says, "Block the uninjured one, parry the hurt one." William rolled 1d6-1 and got 2. William Block - succeeded. William Parry - failed. Neil says, "Dodge with my retreat bonus." William Dodge - succeeded. Ekur . o O ( Maaaaaan. ) Neil valiantly backs away, tripping over rat parts and trying to keep a bead on the by-now enraged rat. The GM says, "Neil gets out of the way of the staggered king rat. Ekur manages to push off the still-strong rat, exposing himself only to the weakening grip of a hurt figment hanging on to its jaws' grip on his flesh." William rolled 1d6-3 and got 3. The GM says, "...which just happens to be at a touchy spot, for some reason, and does about as much damage as the little tyke could possibly have hoped to do." Ekur . o O ( Vunderful. How'd I survive a night in the Marches with luck like this? ) The GM says, "New round. You see the king rat backing off momentarily, sniffing the air. The rat-figments, though -- including Thais' previously-cut figment -- gather themselves for a final charge." The GM says, "Smelling weakness, the five survivors -- albeit two of them about to disperse from injuries -- converge on Ekur. The king rat himself retreats cautiously." fadethecat [to William]: Another two-swing AoA from Thais, then. Ekur slashes at his injured rat again. Gotta reduce the numbers. Neil says, "What are the HP (okay, MP) totals here?" Neil says, "I've literally never learned how many hits I've got." Neil says, "Or are we using GURPS HT?" William [to Neil]: GURPS IN Mind HIts equal IQ, plus any levels of Extra or Reduced Mind Hits specially bought for the purpose. fadethecat [to William]: Actually, second thoughts. Can I get close enough to touch the king rat before he scarpers? Jesdyn [to William]: Does it use -HT-style rules for Trauma/discorporation, or does that start happening at zero? William [to Neil]: If you choose to fire your gun, I should warn you that a miss when firing into a close melee such as this probably means you hit Ekur. William [to fadethecat]: Sure, he's within your reach in the fairly small room. In fact, he has to back past you, or at least around you, to reach the tunnel he came in from. fadethecat [to William]: Keen. Then instead of attacking the dying figments, I'll go for using CelAttraction on him. Insta-tracking when he runs for it, and we can follow at our leisure. William [to Neil]: When you hit 0 Mind Hits, you start making IQ rolls to stay conscious. If you fail one before you are healed back up to positive Hits, you are sent to Blandine's Tower with a shiny new Ethereal Discord. Jesdyn [to William]: I know, I'm waffling between moving in to defend his flank with hand-to-face or smacking Ekur with EthHealing. William [to Neil]: Decide fast, the rats know what they're doing... Jesdyn [to William]: Using a throw on a mook rat. Neil . o O ( Bloom can take the thing out, he's not engaged right now. Get them off of Ekur. ) The GM says, "Neil attempts to grab the uninjured rat as it climbs Ekur. Bloom, in fact, does the same, albeit less expertly." William Judo - succeeded. William Resistance_Allowing_For_Contest - failed. William Throw - succeeded. The GM says, "Neil hauls a rat off of Ekur before it has a chance to attack." The GM says, "Ekur, your attack to the injured rat..." Ekur rolled 4 and critically succeeded by 13. Neil . o O ( Thanks, God. ) roll 2d6+1 On 2d6+1, you rolled 5. Neil blinks. The Lord giveth... The GM says, "...completes the job you started earlier. Another rat corpse drops to the floor." William Bloom_Grab - succeeded. William Rat_Dodge - succeeded. The GM says, "Bloom's rat evades his clumsy grab and heads for Ekur." William mentally counts rats... two dead, one thrown, king retreating, okay, Bloom's and Thais' previously-cut rat get through. William [to Thais]: Song roll! Thais succeeded. William [to Thais]: The Song is charged; you'll need to lay a hand on the king rat before he gets away for it to go off. The GM says, "It's also made a Disturbance that's probably audible throughout the Domain." fadethecat [to William]: ...with only two notes of Essence? Huh. Okay. fadethecat [to William]: What should I roll to touch the king rat? You mentioned he had to squeeze by Thais to get out anyway. William [to Thais]: Got any unarmed attack skills? William (...he asked the Malakite...) Neil . o O ( Neil grabs Thais, shouts "Sparkly Angel Cannon!" and throws her at the rat. ) fadethecat [to William]: ...actually, yes. Sports (Free-Fall Tag). After all, she's only trying to /touch/ him... William [to Thais]: Also, Attraction has "Additional Disturbance equal to degree of success." William [to Thais]: ...Excellent! Roll it! Thais succeeded. William Dodge - failed. The GM says, "You make the tackle. Save further effects for next round..." William Brawling - failed. William Brawling - succeeded. The GM says, "Thais' previously-cut rat is wobbly and weaving. It doesn't even need to be dodged, its weak charge easily ignorable. Bloom's rat comes in from Ekur's side, aiming for a hamstring. Defense?" Ekur tries to parry, continuing to play for that chance to injure an unarmed attacker. William Parry - succeeded. skill 17 You rolled 7 and succeeded by 10. The GM says, "Success! Bloom's rat runs into your blade on its way to your leg. Roll damage." roll 2d6+1 On 2d6+1, you rolled 9. The GM says, "It tumbles backward, clearly in bad shape." The GM says, "What it does now will depend on what the king rat wants it to do... Thais, you've got a hand on a leg, and he's screeching in surprise. What now?" Thais lets go, sword out as if she's going to smack him in another instant. The GM says, "He scampers off down the passage to the east, followed by his surviving minions." Thais puts out a hand in case anyone else was about to send a few shots after them. "Got him," she says quietly, in a very satisfied voice. Neil says, "I heard. Celestial Attraction?" Bloom comes up to Ekur. "You're hurt pretty bad there... hang on." William Eth_Healing - succeeded. Thais nods, and looks back over her shoulder at Ekur. "How's everyone else doing?" Ekur says, "I am bloodied but unbowed. Lucky little figments." Bloom lays his slightly-bloodied hands on Ekur's side and sings quietly, adding a few notes of Disturbance to the clangor. Ekur's left side is better by 3 Mind Hits, though his injuries still partially remain. Neil tings Ekur with a second Ethereal Healing. William [to Neil]: Skill roll. Neil rolled 16d6 and got 68. Neil thumps Pyramid. Neil rolled 3d6 and got 8 Neil says, "Success." The GM says, "Ekur is now fully healed. If it hadn't been obvious to anyone on the surface that combat had just recently occurred before, it should be now." The GM says, "All of you except Bloom are now uninjured, and Bloom's wounds are very minor." Jesdyn [to William]: I wouldn't've been so quick to heal Ekur, but after the /second/ song... Ekur says, "Well, Thais, if you would lead us to them? They, whomever they are, should have heard us by now, and the rat will tell them we're coming. If we do not act quickly, they may well escape." Thais nods, briskly wiping figment-guts off her shiny sword with a black cloth. "This way," she says, heading down the corridor in the direction the king rat went. Ekur follows. Neil slips behind Bloom... The GM says, "The next room onto which the corridor opens is much like a New England cellar, with no turn-offs to either side. The room beyond, however, is a spanking-new subway station. Fresh tile, clean tracks, and a tunnel stretching into the darkness to either side. A sign on the wall proclaims this the Eastern Business District Station, with stops for City Hall and Temple adjacent on the line." Thais looks back at Bloom. "Quite the basement." The GM says, "It is brightly lit, with fluorescent lamps. Little sunlight leaks down from the covered stairwell above. A few gawkers are standing around observing. You are on the north platform, with a tunnel breached off to your north and a walkway arching above the train tunnels to connect to the south platform." Ekur says, "Well. Looks like someone has been going ahead with the subway project anyway. Anyone want to bet if they're the same people who are building skyscrapers?" "Damn straight!" says a voice across the way. "Make this a real city!" A discussion of the wisdom of the action springs up among the bystanders. Thais concentrates for a moment on which direction the rat king's run to, ignoring the discussion among the citizens nearby. William Perception - succeeded. Neil . o O ( A subway and a powerful rodent -- we could subtitle the arc "Ride of the Rat King!" ) William [to Thais]: The king rat is in the train tunnel leading back west. It's a few hundred feet away, and moving on at the best speed it can manage. It's injured, and is in danger due to your own current plans. Ekur shakes his head slightly. "Now, Ur, there was a real city. Not a subway or skyscraper in sight, either." William "in danger due to your own current plans." Things that would make a sane Cherub panic like a little baby.... Thais points. "West," she says, and drops down into the tunnel to head in that direction. fadethecat [to William]: Well, this is one reason Thais fledged /Malakite/, not Cherub. It's a handy Song! Ekur follows along. William [to Thais]: Do you try to catch up or stay back? Neil . o O ( Let me know if the rat is suddenly in danger due to a GREAT HUGE SUBWAY CAR. ) fadethecat [to William]: Staying back. Thais is more concerned with finding the real culprits quickly than the element of surprise. Thais . o O ( After all, God is on /our/ side. ) Neil . o O ( And guns. Fear is not the mind-killer. *I* am the mind-killer. ) The GM says, "The tunnel leads onward toward City Hall for about a half a mile before the rat stops ahead of you. The darkness beyond the fitful glow of safety lamps wavers and expands, and you see motion in their sulfur glow. The rat has stopped next to a man." Ekur auto-resonates the man. Thais pings too. The GM says, "He is swathed in an enormous black overcoat, black gloves, black fedora. The only splash of color on that entire outfit is a bright red scarf which covers his mouth and nose, leaving his eyes the only visible part of him." Neil resonates the man. The GM says, "Right, the three-note chord. Typing..." Jesdyn [to William]: And I'm taking extra time on it. Jesdyn [to William]: If I can do that with a resonance in under five rounds. William [to Neil]: I don't really think taking extra time is a factor for Resonance. William [to Ekur]: What question? fadethecat [to William]: Not so far as I know. Being very close or physical contact, yes. Time, not so much. William [to Ekur]: He is currently coolly calm, though purposeful. Under a productive amount of stress; working quickly. Motivated by ambition. StevenE [to William]: Hmm. How will he react if we /don't/ approach? William Thais_Resonance - succeeded. William [to Thais]: Most honorable act recently, obeying an order to bring a human criminal a message in his latest nightmare. William [to Ekur]: He'd suspect a trick, and try to see what you were up to. William Neil_Resonance - succeeded. fadethecat [to William]: Mmm, time to smite. William [to Neil]: This Ethereal is sentient but feels that he is in personal danger and seeks power to rectify that issue. Others around him do not currently regard him as powerful but this state is in flux at the moment. Jesdyn [to William]: I don't suppose I got a sense of the danger? That is, are /we/ the danger? William [to Neil]: Oh, and his most deviant act recently in the eyes of Judgment would definitely be what he's doing now. William [to Neil]: The danger is of long standing and is intimately bound up with his personality. The GM says, "The man turns to eye the king rat. He looks back at you four as well. He pauses for a long moment." Thais strides forward with the confident cheer of a Malakite with a sword in her hand. Neil says, "Save it. You and the rat are under arrest." Ekur runs forward. "Surrender!" The GM says, "He reaches in to his overcoat, one hand in each pocket. From one, he pulls out a black revolver. From the other, he pulls out a... whatever those things are. A roll of six bullets. All of the objects involved read as artifacts." Neil says, "Bandolier? Cartridge? Bullet cozy?" Thais [to Neil]: Great, now I'm picturing a little crocheted bullet cozy done up in glittery Fun Fur. William [to Neil]: Whatever you can use to fast-load six bullets into a revolver. Ekur . o O ( Double knit wool-cotton blend bullet cozy . . . ) Neil says, "Called shot to the ammunition-storage-device." William whistles. Tough shot. Thinks about the penalty for that... Neil . o O ( He's holding it in front of him. What's the worst that could happen, I miss and shoot him? Oh noes. ) Thais [to Ekur]: Dude. Never blend wool and cotton. That's just /wrong/. fadethecat [to William]: Thais will be jumping straight into the stabby part of this evening's entertainment, once we enter combat rounds and/or she's close enough to do so. The GM says, "Deuteronomy says so!" Neil says, "I'm kicking in two Essence for accuracy." StevenE [to fadethecat]: This is a guy who sends messages to criminals in their nightmares. He's all about the Wrong. William [to Ekur]: Didn't... *you*... used to send messages to criminals in their nightmares? William Called_Shot - succeeded. The GM says, "Sonuva..." William rolled 1d6 and got 2. Neil says, "WOO! WOO! OH YEAH!" The GM says, "Actually, he says that when you hit him. 'Son of a...' he exclaims, as his hand jerks and the thing clatters onto the floor." Bloom says in surprise, "That's Lamont!" Your target growls. He raises his arm, and swings it in a great sweep between him and you. William Dream_Shaping - succeeded. Neil . o O ( "And that's Lamont's /gun/, and you have a hand free!" ) Thais continues advancing. "If you continue to resist arrest, I'll be forced to involve pointy objects in this discussion," she warns. StevenE [to William]: Point. The GM says, "Shadows curl and thicken between him and you, filling the passageway with visually impenetrable darkness. Sounds of footsteps and scrabbling occur." The GM says, "Shortly thereafter, a metal clang follows. Large, heavy. It is repeated." Thais tests against the Song she used earlier as she moves forward, to see if the rat is running further away. William [to Thais]: It is. West. Neil says, "I'm going to counter the Dream-Shaping with cheerful sodium-yellow lighting on the walls." William [to Neil]: Dreaming, please. Penalty of 3 -- you're being resisted by something dreamshaped with an affinity for darkness. Thais [to William]: Unless I have reason to believe this would be a Bad Idea, I'll be giving pursuit, though watching more for Lamont than the rat. Neil succeeded. William [to Thais]: Charging into the darkness, shiny sword held high? That's the spirit! fadethecat [to William]: Exactly! Ekur follows Thais. Worries internally that this has all gone wrong somehow. Thais [to Ekur]: What could possibly be wrong? We're attacking the darkness! Ekur tries to remember who Lamont was. The GM says, "Thais bursts through wisps of insubstantial opacity several meters thick, just as there is a click and Neil's bright emergency lighting hums to life in the tunnel, dispelling the unnatural darkness." Thais [to Ekur]: Bloom's student, seduced by the dark side. The GM says, "The king rat is running away ahead of you into dimmer railway tunnel. There is no sign of your man. There is also no sign of a container of bullets on the ground." Ekur . o O ( Oh! Okay. Worries gone. ) Ekur looks around for a hatch or sewer grate. William [to Ekur]: Well spotted. To your left in an alcove a manhole cover is slightly askew. William Just out of curiosity, has anybody yet identified our new foe? William That is, as a pop culture icon. Ekur says, "We heard a metallic clunk, right?" He points to the manhole cover. "Get 'im!" fadethecat [to William]: Don't ask me; I'm about as up to speed on pop culture as I am with biochemistry. Ekur moves the manhole cover aside and pursues. Thais dutifully goes to get 'im, leaving the rat for later pursuit. Neil runs after them all. William [to Ekur]: As you drop down to the next level, you find yourself in a bare brick passage running east-west as far as the eye can see, with flat floor and arched roof, lit at hundred-foot intervals by electric light bulbs. A series of large electrical switches lines the north wall, one beneath each bulb. Your quarry is fleeing back east down the tunnel. The GM says, "He stops, turns, raises his weapon, and takes careful aim." Neil STOMPS and Dream-Shapes the terrain up under Lamont's feet. The GM says, "(He's several hundred feet away.) Response?" Neil says, "That's about all I can do at this range." Ekur just chases, to close the distance. fadethecat [to William]: ...I'm horribly tempted to dream up rollerskates for quicker pursuit until near enough to stab. Thais really doesn't have any ranged weapons or skills for 'em. Neil says, "What's the range penalty for "several hundred feet"?" William [to Neil]: About 10. But you're not down yet when this happens, it's Ekur being aimed at. Jesdyn [to StevenE]: Try not to die. fadethecat [to William]: I guess Thais will be a-chasing once she gets down there, then. William Long_Shot - succeeded. Neil . o O ( Uh-oh. I'm /real/ glad I sprung for that second healing. ) William Passive_Defense_from_Shield - failed. William rolled 2d6 and got 4. The GM says, "The relic bullet rips through Ekur's ethereal shoulder with the never-familiar sickening feeling of infernal craftsmanship." The GM says, "The other two of you are down now. Ekur is ahead of you, closing, and your quarry is further ahead." The GM says, "Bloom follows." fadethecat [to William]: ...if I /do/ dream up roller-skates, can I get a bonus to my speed for closing the distance? William [to Thais]: Err, are you especially skilled at skating? Neil says, "Oh dear God, I'm actually going to get to /use/ the Sparkly Angel Cannon. I was kidding..." Thais [to William]: ...well, no, not very, though it's simple and Thais has decent dex and...okay, what about /wings/? I'm trying to think outside the box, here, when it comes to speed. Neil says, "/Transcend/ the box." Jesdyn [to William]: Can we manipulate space and time? Jesdyn [to William]: Make a /distance itself/ smaller with Dream-Shaping? Neil is pretty sure you can. Thais [to Neil]: Hey, if you dreamshape up a cannon for flinging Malakim, Thais is willing to give it a try, sword out as she flies through the air... but she'd kinda prefer this be tested under controlled circumstances first. The GM says, "(a) you're natively faster than him, (b) NCWings would work, it gives you a faster Move, I'd allow it in the Marches, (c) I'm not certain about roller skates and would have to think carefully about that, and (d) the space-time manipulation should work but would have serious penalties -- the Domain would fight back, it wants to act like Earth physics mostly." Thais will just run for it, then. Neil says, "I'm not going to run several hundred feet with no cover while he shoots unholy bullets at me! Besides, the trains will run /way/ faster." The GM says, "The lot of you begin pursuing. Bloom, not as fast as the angels, begins falling behind, calling out for Lamont to stop. Vice versa, the three of you begin closing the distance. In about a minute, you will catch up with him." William [to Neil]: Oh, trying the space-time bit? Thais [to Neil]: ...you want to dreamshape a train coming at him from the other direction? Jesdyn [to William]: I will if he stops and takes aim again. The GM says, "'k." The GM says, "As he passes the next bulb and its switch, his hand flies out and knocks the lever. The lights click off, plunging the tunnel into darkness. Suddenly, your quarry's steps take on an even, bouncing tone. As if the runner is counting paces." The GM says, "You *can* hear him in front of you. Still pursue?" Neil says, "Let's see him count after this! I'm warping the next 500 feet into 50." Ekur dreams up a powerful flashlight, and continues pursuit. Neil says, "I'm going to localize the effect to this tunnel." William IQ - succeeded. William Penalized_Dreamshaping - failed. Neil says, "You know, I was going to specify my Essence expenditure. d:" William [to Neil]: Okay, specify and we'll reroll. William [to Ekur]: Unpenalized dreamshaping. Ekur rolled 15 and succeeded by 3. Neil says, "All six. I'm trying to overcome a potential -10 or worse. 19 skill plus six essence for 25 before penalty." William Penalized_Dreamshaping - succeeded. The GM says, "Wisps of light flow from Neil as he pours Essence into his trap. They briefly outline the shape of wings and a halo as space wails, twists, and compresses into much smaller volumes than the design specs call for." The GM says, "Ekur's flashlight also comes in to being. It illuminates your quarry as he is suddenly, in the classical dream tradition, trying to run as fast as he can toward a large locked door that is getting further and further away." The GM says, "The remaining distance is closed quickly, and you are on him." Thais has her sword ready for smiting, as this subject is /definitely/ resisting arrest. William [to Thais]: You attack? StevenE [to William]: Let me specify -- flashlight mounted on a helmet. No hands needed; they were busy with the sword and shield anyway. Thais [to William]: Yup. AoA, two whacks. The GM says, "Your target is caught like a fly in jelly. Roll 'em." Neil pants with the effort, and rests for a second. He'll go for a Judo hold if an opening comes up. Thais succeeded. Thais succeeded. The GM says, "No defense. Damage?" Thais rolled 3d6 and got 10. Thais rolled 3d6 and got 11. Ekur says, "Thais, wait! We want to be able to ask him about any associates!" Neil notes Ekur's timing with deep suspicion. The GM says, "Thais charges in and slices. One slash... a second... and his outline begins shuddering." William Consciousness - succeeded. Neil says, "Bloom!" The GM says, "Bloom is far behind you, running to catch up." Ekur says, "How much essence does Eth healing cost?" William [to Ekur]: 1. Thais pulls back, sword at the ready, without going in for another stab now that the potential for interrogation has been pointed out. William Consciousness - succeeded. Ekur uses the Song to stabilize the guy. The GM says, "Your quarry groans and wavers." William [to Ekur]: Roll Marches skill. Ekur rolled 8 and succeeded by 11. Neil says, "While Ekur's singing, I'm going to find that damn gun and then immobilize him -- without harming him." The GM says, "Fortunately, the Disturbance from earlier has died down during your pursuit, though this is still a bit of a racket." William [to Neil]: The gun is in his hand, and he gives it up without resisting... having other things on his mind at the moment. "Oh, you meant the Song skill in the Marches, not Area Knowledge (Marches) . . . well, then I succeeded by 13. Ekur says, "Oh, you meant the Song skill in the Marches, not Area Knowledge (Marches) . . . well, then I succeeded by 13." The GM says, "He kneels, right arm twisted behind him in Neil's grip, panting from the shock of injury and Song." Neil . o O ( Hey, is it /dissonant/ for an angel to use unholy weaponry? Are they corrupting or malevolent? Because if it's a question of /style/ I can always just shoot the critics. ) William [to Neil]: Hmm, let's ask Dominic whether it's a good idea to start using infernal relics. William Anyway, things that are malevolently corrupting don't advertise the fact, so how would you know until you were under the influence? Ekur resonates him while beginning a line of questioning. "I have a Malakite here who would very much like to not let you live. I probably have enough rank and authority to have her let you live. Now, why should /I/ let you live?" Jesdyn [to William]: I suppose they could /be/ evil at that. Oh well. Maybe Dominic will buy my a holy pistol for my birthday. Jesdyn [to William]: I'm going to maintain the hold -- I can't imagine he's actually going to resist right now -- and start slowly undoing my Dream-Shaping. William [to Ekur]: He is disappointed, angry, in lingering pain and slightly fearful. His eyes meet yours momentarily, then look away. Thais cleans off her sword yet again, but doesn't sheathe it yet, waiting politely for Ekur and Neil to handle the questioning. And resonates Lamont again, to see if she can pick up anything more useful. Lamont says, "In retrospect, I suppose it was a bad idea to shoot at you. Then again, Assumption combat is supposed to be between me and him, not me, him, and his legion of Jehovan bodyguards." William Resonance - succeeded. William [to Thais]: Resonance is strongly colored by recent combat. Nothing that wasn't obvious. Ekur says, "Assumption combat?" Thais says quietly, in a very mildly offended tone, "Three angels hardly constitutes a legion. It's barely even a squad." Neil . o O ( Aw, /nuts/. Alright, what're the laws on Assumption combat? TELL me it's assault. ) Lamont says, "For the city. This city could be so much better. We were *making* it better. *I* was. Jack is a dinosaur, desperately clinging to a city that resembles the one where he was born because it keeps him in power." William [to Neil]: Of course. Also an attack on a military ally of Heaven, armed revolution against Civis... Ekur says, "We? Who's the we involved?" Thais [to Neil]: And we already have him for attempted murder of an officer of the law, conspiracy to commit murder... Lamont pauses. "Me and my men. I'm not alone in the populace here. The Neon Metropolis *will* come to pass." William Kindly don't mix Player and Character knowledge but does anyone have a skill that would aid them in detecting lies? Ekur says, "Mmm-hmm. More specific. I want names, I want locations, and I want to know who gave you your little gun there. And then we're going to take you in, and you're going to repeat it all to a Seraph, so we can be sure." William Man, forgetting character sheets sucks... fadethecat [to William]: Not I. Thais still finds the idea of lying faintly Icky. Neil says, "Detect Lies-17." StevenE [to William]: Interrogation 17 (1); Intimidation 18(2); Psychology 17 (2) William Detect_Lies - succeeded. William Interrogation - succeeded. Thais resists the urge to suggest the Neon Metropolis come to pass in someone /else's/ Domain. Interrogation is not her line of work. The GM says, "Ekur can tell that Lamont's not psychologically beaten yet, and Neil's pretty sure that Lamont was caught in a word there and is lying about it being 'him and his men.'" Ekur says, "You know, this is the easy way. The hard way can be very, very hard. One of the problems with torture on the Corporeal is that people will make stuff up just to satisfy their tormentors. But Seraphim can sort that sort of clutter out." Thais . o O ( Must stay out of the interrogation. My job is not psychological beatings. Now, physical beatings, on the other hand... ) Neil says, "Better idea." Neil says, "Bloom caught up yet?" Lamont says, "Yes, torture can have some pretty severe problems associated with it. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just put the fear of God into me, eh? William [to Neil]: Yeah. He's standing behind you with a sad look on his face, listening to the exchange. Neil says, "Bloom, what was this about Assumption? Had he actually challenged you?" Bloom says surprisedly, "Me? Assumption means he was challenging Jack." Neil says, "Oh. I thought -- hmm. Serves me for thinking." Neil says, "Lamont, we need answers in a hurry." Lamont cranes his head to look back at Neil. "New in the Marches, are you?" He turns his head back forward and laughs smugly. Neil says, "So you can tell us what we need to know, or we can turn you over to the temporal authority of Civis -- /that would be Jack/." Lamont says brightly, "Really? Maybe it could be just him and me for a bit? That'd be ever so nice." Thais says, mildly, "I wonder who put him up to it. I wouldn't think most spirits would be so stupid as to try to attack a city with the backing of Heaven, but demons are good at convincing the weak-willed and ambitious." William [to Ekur]: In fact, this cheerfulness is real. He's cautiously feeling out a sudden opportunity. Neil locks down the hold. Neil says, "You won't be in the best of shape, Lamont." Neil says, "I'm not going to enjoy injuring you until you pose him no danger, but I will." Neil says, "Tell me about your infernal support." Thais says, mostly to herself, "He didn't seem stupid, but doing this was obviously stupid. Hell backing is the only way that makes sense." She smiles suddenly, and brightly. "I'm very fond of meeting demons." Lamont says, "And quit calling me that. Nobody knows that name. It's bad enough that I'm Fading from human memory as The Shadow." fadethecat [to William]: Hee! Oh, /that/ makes sense. Thais blinks. "The what?" Neil . o O ( AW, HECK. I was /kidding/ when I mentioned Batman! Augh! Augh! Aaargh! ) Ekur says, "Okay, Mr. Cranston, I only have patience when it's objectively useful. And it isn't, anymore. The only question in my mind is whether you have enough objective use to keep alive. Anybody else have an opinion on that?" William [to Neil]: I swear I had the idea to do this before you mentioned Batman. Come on, he's a 1950's radio drama detective slowly losing headspace to the others of his kind. He bloody well *hates* Batman and the rest of the tights-wearing crew... Thais shrugs. "It's a sad thing to see one's livelihood fade. But I have no sympathy for collaborators with Hell." Her sword's still drawn. Lamont weighs Ekur's proposal. "...you make a fair point. And I'd rather not go through Trauma. If I talk, though, I want let go." Lamont says, "Otherwise, what's in it for me, right?" Neil says, "... I think we can swing that. Your crimes don't merit death, if you talk." Thais looks to Neil for an opinion on that. It doesn't seem very Just to her, but he's the Judgment Servitor. "I do believe not hitting Trauma is one thing in it for you," she says. Thais . o O ( What, we're not going to assign him a few weeks of community service dreamshaping things back into their proper shape? Ah well. ) Neil says, "But if you ever return to Civis, or threaten Heaven's goals --" Neil smiles. Neil says, "I'm going to make it a special point to buy costumes for a few hundred children this Halloween." Lamont shrugs -- then winces, as shrugging is not something he can comfortably do from this hold. "What exactly do you want to know? I've been with Nightmares for twenty years. I got assigned to this project." Ekur makes an acting roll: skill 18 Ekur rolled 11 and succeeded by 7. Ekur steps back. "If you think so, Neil. Me, I think we should let Thais get in some behading practice. I don't think he's worth making a deal with." Neil . o O ( Hey, I get to be the good cop for a change. I'm just about to set one of my Placeholder quirks as it is. ) Lamont looks quickly at Thais. "He's beyond the room ahead, where did you think I was going? Key's in my pocket, past the room out the door on your right, down the cavern system. If he hasn't heard all the disturbance and bolted by now, at any rate." Neil says, "We'll see. Who's your contact, what exactly was your assignment, and what does Hell know about Civis?" Neil . o O ( And while you're at it, what evil lurks in the hearts of men? ) Neil resonates Lamont again as he answers, hoping for one to supply context for the other. "Oh, I /hope/ he hasn't gone yet," Thais says, in all sincerity. Lamont says, "I don't know his name, he's some oily Baalite whose mission is seeing Civis down. We called him sir, or whatever else he wanted that day." Thais perks up further. William Mercurian_Resonance - succeeded. William [to Neil]: He is, of course, Lamont Cranston, a.k.a. The Shadow, an icon of pulp fiction and radio drama some decades ago but no longer given much play. He stabilized in the Marches a while back, then started Fading due to some reason or another -- who really knows how these things start. He maintains a professional relationship with Nightmares which keeps him relatively stable, Fading-wise at any rate. William [to Neil]: His opinion of himself has recently deflated noticeably. The GM says, "(i.e., in the last five minutes.)" Ekur says, "See? He doesn't know anything, and like he said, his contact's probably bolted. At the very least, we don't want to leave him alive behind us, to stab us in the back or make another attempt on Jack." Neil . o O ( Gosh, I'd /love/ to turn him. ) Thais tilts a hand ambivalently. "Pity we don't have a Trader or Bright handy to make a binding contract. We could set him to undoing the damage he's caused." Thais . o O ( Good cop, bad cop, neutral cop with shiny sword of death-dealing. It works. ) Lamont, slightly more frightened now, says, "I've got nothing else. What more do you want? What part of the plan is not screamingly obvious at this point? We make it my kind of city and I have the advantage challenging Jack for Mastery, Nightmares gets the city and I get my power base." Ekur says, "Well, Neil, you offered him a deal. If you think he's satisfied it, fine. I don't know why Nightmares would work with this sort, though. Back when I worked for Beleth, she had better taste." Lamont says "I'm sure more stupid minions are running around *as we speak* changing the city into something more like what humans really make, with a skyline and alleys and docks and litter and shadows and crime. That's *life*. That's *real*. And if you want to stop it... that's very Heavenly of you. But the Shadow has no place in the Light of Heaven, does he?" Thais says, "I don't know. Something about the dark avenger stalking the cities to cut down on crime strikes a chord for some reason..." Thais smiles. Brightly. Bloom murmurs, "What evil lurks in the hearts of men. Malakim know. Mercurians of Judgment know. Elohim of Fear knew. Lamont, my friend, you are surrounded by examples from Heaven you could aspire to..." Neil says, "Well, we can let you go, but honestly, your only prospects are more Nightmares assignments, and now we know your name." Neil says, "The terms would probably be harsh, but I'll just bet we could offer you a position here." Neil says, "As we learned to trust you, they'd grow less so." The Shadow looks up at Neil incredulously. Neil shrugs. "You didn't kill anybody. We're understaffed." Neil says, "Match made in -- ah, no, sorry." Neil says, "Still." Neil says, "Interested?" Thais coughs politely. "Not to interrupt the recruitment speech, but if there's a demon nearby... I /do/ have more appropriate targets to go stick sharp pointy things into." Lamont blinks. "That depends. Are you guys willing -- or even able -- to..." he pauses for Thais. Thais waves Lamont to continue on in what he was saying, but wanders nearer the door, sword still out. And shiny. Neil gives Lamont /his/ gun and shapes another one. William has disconnected. William has connected. The GM says, "Argh, re again." Jesdyn [to William]: Last line you saw? The GM says, "You gave Lamont your dream-shaped gun?" Lamont shakes his head as if to clear it. "Uh. I'm not sure where the bejeezus this is coming from, but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth. What are your terms?" Neil says, "Agree to serve Heaven as it pleases and abide its laws for a term of service not unjustly long considering your crimes. You'll be free to choose to stay after that." Lamont quickly says, "Okay." William [to Neil]: At this point I definitely think you qualify for the Quirk "Merciful Faction of Judgment." Jesdyn [to William]: With those loopholes? Jesdyn [to William]: /As it pleases/? A term of service /not unjustly long/? StevenE [to William]: Any indication he's lying from my resonance or skills? Jesdyn [to William]: I'm going to make him sign a Divine Contract anyways. William [to Ekur]: He's surprised and cautiously optimistic. Jesdyn [to William]: I could drive a Bobcat through the holes in this thing. Thais is by this point eyeing the locked door with an expression akin to a small child staring at a large wrapped present two days before Christmas. Ekur says, "How hunky-dory. Now, can we get through the door here and clean out the source of the infection?" Neil says, "Sure. Unlock the door or blast it away?" William [to Neil]: He's *not* going to jail, getting sent to Trauma, or even being exiled from his anchor. Loopholes? He switched bosses and moved up in the world. Lamont calmly takes a large iron key out of his pocket and holds it up for whoever wants it. Thais takes the key. "Thank you," she says, and heads for the door. Ekur follows Thais. Thais [to William]: We'll have to make sure he does some suitably odious community service to make up for some of this. Lamont looks after you. "Much as I wouldn't... err. He's not in there, that's just my lair. Head out the door on the right to the cavern system, we were all meeting in a big cave under the Wilderness sector. And don't be fooled by the anglerfish." Jesdyn [to William]: He's signed himself up for an indefinite length of slavery and I managed to tie him up in a code of conduct that's literally going to get him killed if he strays from it. Restitution is part of justice, and we're going to skimp on the punishment this time around because of the vast, limitless bounty of his true and noble heart. Jesdyn [to William]: And I'm going to soul-kill him if he screws up. Thais nods, and pauses at the door. "The anglerfish?" Ekur says, "How about you come along and guide us, as the first bit of service to Heaven?" Neil says, "When is your next meeting?" Lamont says, "Hard to explain. Just don't fall for any... yeah, sure." Thais steps aside to let Lamont lead the way. The GM says, "He takes the key, unlocks the door and enters the room." Lamont says, "Welcome, gentlemen, to the lair of The Shadow." The GM says, "Tesla coils and voltaic ladders sit scattered around the large, octagonal room, walled in brick and with floor tiles of black marble under its vaulted brick arches. Speaking tubes communicate with unknown distant rooms; a collection of investigative paraphernalia, such as lenses and a forensic chemistry kit, sit on one side of the room. Another is dominated by a large, old-style cabinet radio, currently off." Neil . o O ( Cool. We need to go back and get Jane -- oh, and Yazz. And maybe my Two Best Friends. If we get William to play the entire session we can log off and go catch Robot Chicken. ) William [to Neil]: Eh? fadethecat [to Jesdyn]: o_O Jesdyn [to William]: The party NPC count is up to two. fadethecat [to Jesdyn]: ...and? Jesdyn [to William]: I'm just worried we're overloading you. William shrugs. It's not like Bloom is doing much. William [to Jesdyn]: Actually, your comment suddenly had me worried that I was monopolizing the action or something. Jesdyn [to William]: Nah. Thais steps inside, and looks around. "I like it," she says. "The marble and brick look is nice." Jesdyn [to William]: What does the room say to my training? Jesdyn [to William]: I note anything interesting? Thais peers at her PC. Well. Thais /does/ like it, and thinks The Shadow is a neat guy when he's not serving Hell or shooting at people, and is, really, more interested in demon-smiting than him at this point. William [to Neil]: Rich, antiquated, old police or private-eye methodology. Ekur says, "Saw a few places like this in dreamscapes. Recent ones, of course; nothing like this back in even the Eighteenth Century." Lamont looks around casually and heads for the second door on the right, facing southeast. He shrugs. "It's what they wrote for me." He points to an iron ladder on the north side. "Secret door there to my drawing room upstairs. Probably my favorite bit." Lamont grabs an electric lamp by its handle, turns it on, and heads out. "This way," he says. Ekur follows. Thais follows along, with one last glance for the secret door. Neil follows. Jesdyn [to William]: Housekeeping -- I mentioned I was reversing the Dream-Shaping of the corridor and building myself another gun. Did I do that? Lamont closes the door behind the lot of you and heads forward. This is a natural-seeming cave system, with only a flat footpath to follow, broad enough for one. It is wet and dark, the lamp's beam cutting a swatch of brightness through the gloom. William [to Neil]: Yes to both. Lamont says, "Watch yourself. This part of Radz is older than the settlements that predated Civis. Dark and secret things find this cave system commodious. I understand Temple ministers to them some times...." Neil is starting to regret emptying his tank. Didn't think we'd get such a good lead so quickly... The GM says, "He moves on. A few hundred yards later, he comes to a T-intersection. A footpath leads off to the left, and a small iron bridge arches over a stream of water that gurgles swiftly. He crosses the bridge, sparing a glance to the left before turning right down a footpath on the other side." Neil murmurs, "What's to the left?" Thais follows closely. Lamont says, "Cavern. Lake system. Stream comes down from Temple area, another from beneath the northern mountains. The acolytes at Temple say those with the knowledge can walk that path out of Civis and into subterranean realms below other Domains. I've never heard of anyone able to do it, though." The GM says, "A skittering sound comes from the tunnel ahead of you. 'Shut off your light,' a high voice calls. 'Shut it off or you will not pass.' Lamont turns to you for your wishes." Neil says, "Is that a good idea?" Lamont says, "It's part of the standard procedures to pass this guard post." Neil says, "/All/ light or just bright ones?" Lamont says, "I told you, the things down here find dark commodious." Ekur clicks off the helmet-light. The high voice calls out, "Assumptor? I recognize your voice, but who are you with?" Another high voice says, "We heard noise of battle. Are you victorious?" Lamont takes Ekur's cue and turns off his light. The darkness is nigh-absolute, though faint gleams break the spell. Ekur says, in a low voice, "Well, can you get us through here?" Thais peers into the darkness where the voices come from, curious. Neil . o O ( How far off is dawn? ) Lamont leans in very close to Ekur. "Probably. Are you willing to pretend vulernability?" William Perception - failed. William [to Thais]: Nothing but shadows where you peer. Ekur whispers "Yes." Neil pings Lamont again. What's his relationship to Heaven and its agents? Lamont says louder, "New recruits. The angels eliminated some of our city-shapers, so I've replenished our numbers. Let us pass." William Resonance - succeeded. William [to Neil]: He estimates himself as beaten and in your power. The high voice says, "You are wise, Assumptor. We will be glad when you are Master. Go through." Lamont says, "Put a hand on the shoulder of the one in front of you and walk slowly. The path is narrow and slick." Ekur is keeping his resonance on Lamont, looking for emotions indicating a betrayal or the like. Thais follows the instructions, still looking about her in the darkness. It's a little like visiting the caves of Stone in Heaven. But not much. William [to Ekur]: The temptation exists, but at present ambition is playing a much smaller role in his motivations than earlier. William Perception - failed. Lamont slowly walks foward, stepping deliberately and carefully. After several minutes, his foot scrapes sandy gravel. At this point, all of you become aware of a faint glow in the darkness high and to your right, across the stream. The GM says, "What appears to be a small child is clutching a glowing stone, and sniffling. He sits on a ledge about twenty feet up." Thais resonates the child, cautious of traps from what Lamont said earlier. William Resonance - succeeded. William [to Thais]: This being has no particular sense of honor or dishonor. It hunts and eats, defending itself when necessary. Neil pings, but doesn't expect much. Thais continues on, then. Lamont turns his lamp back on. He shines it over in that direction, and you can see that a path leads -- if you're a good climber -- up to a ledge just above the child's. William Resonance - succeeded. Neil turns off his halo. William [to Neil]: Most people call this thing the Anglerfish. Most people who still regard it in any fashion know that it is deceptive. Neil says, "What is the stone, bait?" Lamont says, "The stone, the child, whichever. Some spirits speculate that the Angler was designed to capture angels who intended to comfort the poor kid. Not very effective, given most Angelic resonances." Lamont shines his lamp directly on the child. This causes it to be pulled backward into a shallow cave behind it. A large mass -- several times the size of an adult human -- moves back slightly. Thais says, "More effective against dreamshades, I'd think." Lamont turns his lamp back to the path and forges ahead. Lamont says, "There's not really anything more of interest until we get to the central meeting place. Do you have any kind of a plan in mind?" Thais considers this. "I figured I'd start by stabbing the demon until he dies," she says, "and then work out an appropriate response to the ensuing circumstances from there." Neil says, "She's got the grasp of it. Strike fear into the enemies of Heaven, kill demons, probably a panicked flight to the surface." William And since it's nearly midnight and I really ought to get to bed, why don't we call it here for the night? Neil says, "If I still had any Essence I'd ask Jack for a sunbeam." fadethecat [to William]: Probably wise, if we're about to jump into complicated chase/combat stuff. The GM says, "Yeah." Neil says, "If we don't play for two weeks do I get my Essence back?" StevenE [to William]: Yeah. I just caught myself waking up, and was going to ask for an end to the session. This cold has really drained me. Thais says, "When do we meet next? Thais wants to go stabby-stabby!" William [to Neil]: No, Civis is suddenly struck by backlash from your space-time manipulation earlier. For every two weeks that pass on Earth one second will pass there... Neil has NEVER in his life made a called shot before today. The GM says, "Let me think. Normally, next game would have been... December 32, i.e. January 1, no, that's not happening." Thais . o O ( And if it turns out to be the demon Thais hopes it is, she'll be stabby-stabby-ing even /more/ gleefully. He's so cute and charming and intelligent and witty and evil and in need of death! ) Thais Aww. The GM says, "And two weeks from today is no good either since I'm traveling on the 5th." The GM says, "How about a week from today, on the 29th, and then we skip back to regular game on the 15th?" Thais says, "Could we maybe do another midweek session next Thursday or something? I'd really like to see the end of this--heh. Works for me!" Neil says, "Sounds good." The GM says, "Always nice when GM and players are on the same wavelength." Ekur says, "Okay, sounds good." The GM says, "Cool. See you all then. Steven, hope the cold's better." Ekur falls over dead, will send log. The GM says, "Thanks for logging, too."