<GM> [SESSION START, HOBEASTS.]

<Eroles> ( .. Hobbeasts? )

<GM> Despite the weird goings on the evening before, including the threats
from a mysterious, dagger-wielding man, the night is actually pretty
uneventful. Nobody is eaten by a grue. As you may have noticed before, it
was almost too quiet. The word "idyllic" would spring to mind if it just
weren't so damn creepy.

<Abigail> (is it morning, then?)

<GM> In any event, early morning displays the Emerald Forest as an
invitingly cool shady path. Well, one that extends for miles in two compass
directions.

<GM> A perfect time for breakfast and reflection. A really BAD time to stalk
the forest, however, as it's still a little dark in there.

<GM> [ That means mingle, damn your hides. ]

* Magellan has a pot of coffee boiling on the embers of the fire, being as
his was the last watch. He's poking around inside his firestarter, checking
and doublechecking.

* Abigail stretches as she wakes up. The movements are slightly... off, as
if they have been practiced to look right, but even so, do not look right.

* Adam yawns, and reaches for his notebook.

<Abigail> Very quaint.

* Eroles is up and fooling around with his cards.

<Magellan> Morning, girl. Sleep well?

<Eroles> Quaint in that "spooky creepy" kind of way.

* Abigail shrugs. "It looks about like it did last night."

<Abigail> And well enough, thank you.

* Magellan pours a mug of coffee and holds it out. "Anyone for the first
cup? Always the best one."

* Abigail holds up her hand. "No, I do not indulge."

<Atom> No thanks.

* Eroles says that.

<Eroles> ( Moving Window. Gotta stop that. )

<Magellan> (Gotta watch that. ^^;)

<Adam> Yes, please.

* Magellan hands it over to Adam. "Careful, she's hot."

* Adam takes it carefully.  "Thanks!"

* Adam consumes the coffee with the speed of a seasoned journalist.

* Magellan pours a second cup and sets the pot back in the fire. "Best way
to start the day." He takes a deep sniff and then chugs the steaming liquid.

* Eroles gathers up the cards and puts them away, then goes to check on
Chance.

<GM> [ Cue theme music: "A Small Forest Path", Suikogaiden vol. 1 soundtrack
]

<Eroles> ( Wish I had that. ((_; )

<Eroles> ( So instead, I'll just put on "Green Forest" from Sonic. )

<GM> [ ...A very different kind of forest. ]

<Magellan> Sure was quiet last night. Don't think I heard a single sound.

* Adam nods.

<Eroles> Doesn't bode well.

<Abigail> Rather was, yes.

* Eroles finishes checking on Chance, then pulls out his Tarot cards and
sits down and shuffles them.

<GM> Birds start singing. Almost as if on cue.

* Eroles looks unsurprised. "Someone up there has a sense of drama."

* Magellan taps the bird in his ear. "Wait, now I hear them. Maybe the damn
thing's busted."

<Abigail> I am sure that the birds have a flair for the stage, yes.

* Eroles begins setting out the cards.

<Abigail> Busy so early in the morning?

<GM> A squirrel is watching you, from just within the forest. He is not Mr.
X, however, as he is not wearing a badge.

<Eroles> ( Perhaps it's Conker. )

* Magellan pours himself another cup of coffee.

* Eroles looks over the cards.

<GM> [ http://www.chaoticblue.com/main/mp3/A Small Forest Path.mp3 ]

<Eroles> We're in The Woods. The future holds... The Thread of Fate and the
Infant. The destruction and creation of life. .. the influences are... The
Spirits and Forgotten Memory. Spirits and memorys, as if it wasn't
obviously.

* Eroles checks. "And.. 5 cards with a single draw. The number 5 is going to
be important."

<Adam> Hmm...

<GM> Through the magic of television, by the time you've had some coffee and
Eroles has performed his reading, the sun is starting to rise to a decent
angle respective to the forest. Now it looks less foreboding than before; in
fact, it's not as densely wooded as it might appear. The sound of whatever
body of water runs through the thing is faintly audible.

<GM> It is also getting a tad muggy out.

* Abigail (gets called down for dinner. bbiab) *** Abigail is now known as
AbbyIdle

<Eroles> Shall we head in?

<GM> ( Can you bring a plate back or something? Meh. Pause. )

* Magellan pours out the last of the coffee and stores the pot in his bag.

<Eroles> ( Damn. )

<GM> ( I need to get up and get some water anyhow. )

<Magellan> (Oh, dear goddess. Damn Thoughtviper to hell. Just as I thought
I'd finished with all the Gonterman comics I'd ever have to read, he links
to more.)

<Eroles> ( I have managed to avoid the Gonterman comics so far. )

<Eroles> ( .. I really should read them sometime. Where are they anyway? )

<Magellan> (Pain lives here -> http://foxfire.twu.net/)

<GM> ( *hums* So, do me a favor. Can you describe yourselves for Remi? )

<GM> ( We have the downtime, now's as good a time as any. )

* Eroles is waring a rather generic travellers cloak with the hood over his
head. A tuft of brown hair pokes out from under the hood. He has a handsome
face, and the strangest yellow eyes you've ever seen.

* Adam is about 5'11", with brown hair and green eyes.  He's wearing
somewhat dishevelled city clothes, and sorting through a small stack of
notebooks from his backpack.

* Magellan (is a smaller man, about 5'1", wearing a blue oilstained jumpsuit
and a stocking cap. The cap is stretched over a blad spot, leaving grey hair
bulging out the sides to merge with his huge beard. A small bird appears to
be nesting in the beard right next to his ear. He's carrying a 4' pipe
wrench and a toolbox, and has several more tools hanging from his belt.)

<GM> ( That's good, Cham, but describe Magellan now. *DUCK* )

<Adam> (...)

<Eroles> ( /me SNERKS. )

<GM> ( I am envisioning Cham with a small bird in his hair. I am thinking of
Monsieru Rimbaud from 'History of the World, Part 1'. )

<Magellan> (Must see that sometime.)'

<GM> ( What, you HAVEN'T? )

<GM> ( Well, damn. )

<Remi> (Now we must taunt you.)

<Remi> (Not that we needed the excuse...)

<Remi> (Okay, so a creepy bishounen guy, an averagish geeky guy, and an old
mad-scientist guy?  Feared. ^_-)

<GM> ( Don't forget Abby. Mirror mirror on the wall, for she is the weirdest
of them all. )

<Remi> (Is that a challenge? :p)

<Eroles> ( Eroles is NOT bishonen. ((_Ź )

<Remi> (Just handsome, with strange eyes and the long hair falling over one
eye look?)

<Eroles> ( Yep. )

<Remi> (Ah.  Yes, I see the difference.)

<Remi> (/me grins.  Sorry, couldn't help it.)

<Eroles> ( I gotta take the trash out. )

<GM> ( Take your time. *whaps Jeff* )

<Remi> ( | "Did someone forget to plug her in overnight?")

<GM> ( *snicker* )

<Eroles> ( Back. )

<GM> ( That's one.  What the hell is he eating, a side of pork? )

<Eroles> ( No, no. He's busy leveling up his Dance of Death. )

<Eroles> ( .. or he's dead. )

<Adam> ...HyattRoc?

<GM> ( ... )

<Abigail> (Gah. Longer than expected. Sorry.)

<Abigail> (family conversations.)

<GM> ( It's them or us! You had a knife! )

<Abigail> (Umm... Can I get a log?)

<Abigail> (But... we had Thai Chicken Pizza!)

<GM> ( There is nothing to give to you. Nothing happened. We paused. )

<GM> ( *scrolls back to see what the HELL was going on* Ah. Eroles had
suggested going into the forest. )

<Abigail> (oh, okay...)

* Abigail is a short, young-looking woman of indeterminate teen age. She's
quite cute, and her dark hair frames her face in an attractive manner, but
her eyes don't look happy. Her hands are obviously not normal, but except
for her head, nothing else of her body can be seen through the rather baggy
(and plain) clothes she wears.

<Abigail> (since you wanted a description.)

<GM> [ *grabshakes* Play! Time grows short. ]

<Abigail> If we have all finished, shall we be off?

* Adam nods.

<Eroles> Sounds good to me.

<Magellan> Sounds like a good idea.

* Eroles hops on Chance and starts to ride.

* Adam stands up, collects his backpack, and follows.

* Abigail grabs her small bag of posessions and follows.

* Magellan slings his toolbox strap over his shoulder, and follows Chance.
He's whistling something, and badly.

<Abigail> You have poor control of the tune, you know.

<GM> ( Geroge Gerswhin hates you, and so do I. )

<GM> ( George, too. Anyhow. )

<Remi> 2d6-2

* Eroles rolls for Remi (2d6-2) and gets 3.

* Atom rolls for Remi (2d6-2) and gets 7.

<Remi> (Uh...)

<Abigail> (Better fix that... again.)

<GM> ( Errr. Atom? )

<Eroles> ( Fixed. )

<Abigail> (The Atom one is correct.)

<Eroles> ( I'm a bleeding moron, sorry. )

* Abigail (wonders if Atom is going to have these sorts of problems with
EVERY SINGLE SESSION! *whap*)

<GM> ( What, like being late? )

<GM> ( *whaps Jeff* Judge not, etc. )

<Magellan> I know it, but I can barely hear myself anyways.

<Abigail> (touche.)

<Abigail> Yes. *lightly rubs her ear* But we can.

<Eroles> ( I'm sorry, I'm dorry. I'm working on it. )

<GM> You get about ten feet into the forest, and that's when the
preternatural quiet is broken by one remarkably loud sound, moreso because
of the silence than anything else: *TWIGSNAP*. Behind you.

* Eroles quickly stops Chance and looks behind him.

* Adam turns around.

<Abigail> Large Squirrel. *turns around*

<GM> ( Enter the Remi. )

* Magellan spins, wrench in hand.

<Adam> (...)

* Remi is a small, willowy girl, about 5'2 and 18 years. She's got bright
flame-red hair, with a white streak running through it near her left eye.
She's wearing men's clothing -- a loose, long-sleeved shirt and pants in
earth tones, a long, voluminous coat, and a pair of well-broken-in shoes,
all of which are rather dusty at the moment. She's half-crouched over, and
grimacing at the sudden noise.

<Abigail> (Dramatic Pause!)

<Eroles> Hello there. Can we help you?

<GM> ( Apparently, she needed to consult her agent on what parts of the
costume were trademarked. I have to attend to some planning. Mingle. )

<Adam> Er, hello?

<Remi> Uh... hi.

* Remi mutters, "Stupid trees..."

<Abigail> Effective landing, that.

<Eroles> So, any reason you were sneaking up on us? Robbing us by yourself
would be difficult.

<Remi> Eheh.  Fun-ny.  No.  Actually, I was just planning on following you
for a little while, since I spotted your camp last night.  There aren't a
whole lot of travelers around here, y'know.

<Magellan> Should have asked us, girl. It must have been damn cold last
night.

<Eroles> You could have asked.

<Eroles> I mean, I understand the drama of sneaking up, but still.

<Abigail> Ah-ha. So you were following us around, skulking and hiding away
to see if you could trust us.

<Remi> Nah, I'm used to it.  Besides, I wasn't sure then whether you were
the priestess and her boytoys.  I know, they're supposed to be virile young
men, but some of these townspeople have lousy eyesight.

* Magellan lets out a cackle.

* Adam snickers.

<Magellan> Girl, I couldn't be mistaken for a virile man by a person as
blind as I am deaf.

<Abigail> Priestess. Right.

<Remi> Oh, you'd be surprised.  Anyway, if you're not them, what are you
doing here?  Haven't you heard how dangerous this place is?

<GM> ( Shoulda made y'all use one character sheet form *mutter* )

<Abigail> No. Pray tell us.

<Abigail> (Want some of us to reformat?)

* Eroles shrugs. "Everywhere is dangerous."

<GM> ( Nah, it's good. That's what I was idle for. )

<GM> Mind rolls, the lot of ye. Exceptional senses of hearing are a plus.

<GM> And a +2 penalty.

<Magellan> Actually, I don't rightly recall why I'm along in here.

<Eroles> 2d6

<Remi> Well, aside from the priestess chick, Luca the Wanderer's supposed to
have been seen around here.  Not sure that--

<Magellan> 2d6+2

<Adam> 2d6-2

<Abigail> 2d6+2

* Atom rolls for Eroles (2d6) and gets 7.

* Atom rolls for Magellan (2d6+2) and gets 9.

* Atom rolls for Adam (2d6-2) and gets 4.

* Atom rolls for Abigail (2d6+2) and gets 11.

<Adam> (^_^_v)

<Remi> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Remi (2d6) and gets 8.

<Remi> (I see nothink, I hear nothink...)

<Abigail> Actually, tell us while we walk. The day isn't getting any longer.

<Adam> (Made it by 4.)

<Magellan> (Didn't make it by 2)

<Eroles> ( No. )

<Eroles> ( Missed by 1. )

<Remi> You're still going in there?  Why?

<Eroles> The cards said we would, so we thought we'd get a head start.

* Abigail (missed by... 5)

* Adam blinks.

<Abigail> Because watching these three could be amusing.

* Adam makes a small gesture for people to stay quiet.

<Remi> Uh, yeah.  That's a... hm?

* Eroles hushes.

* Remi goes quiet.

* Magellan stays quiet.

* Adam looks around.

* Abigail purses her lips thoughtfully and waits.

<GM> Now that the lot of you have actually made the effort to stay quiet...
you can hear it to. The sound of chalk being scratched across a slate. It's
coming from deeper in the forest.

* Magellan raises his eyebrow.

<Adam> Hm.

<Abigail> Curious.

<Magellan> Sounds like someone's teaching class.

<Abigail> Shall we investigate?

* Adam nods.

<Magellan> Of course.

<Remi> I suppose you're all set on going in.

<Eroles> Sounds like a plan to me.

* Magellan adjusts the bird, and tightens his toolbelt.

<Eroles> ( ... I will not comment. I will not. )

<GM> ( Presuming that you actually MOVE... )

* Adam shrugs, and proceeds with care.

<Magellan> (um, yeah.)

* Eroles starts forward.

<Abigail> Adam? Would you prefer to lead?

<Adam> Why not, indeed?

* Abigail nods towards Remi. "Are you coming?"

<Adam> (Suicidal curiosity: It's a living.  Maybe.)

<GM> It's not difficult to travel in the forest. There's no path, but the
further in you go, the fewer twigs and random forest debris seems to have
accumulated on the forest floor. Everything is awash in green because of the
leaf canopy. As you continue toward the sound, you can hear not just the
scrape of chalk, but also the low murmur of what must be voices, although
it's impossible to determine what they're saying.

* Remi sighs heavily and gives up on arguing, trudging after Adam. "I am the
one with the reason for being here, remember?" she grumbles.

* Abigail waits for Remi to pass, and takes up the rear.

* Adam blinks.  "I'm sorry.  What is it, may I ask?"

<Remi> Shh.  We're getting close.

<GM> (Mind rolls again. Sight, this time. If you're toward the front of the
formation, -1 bonus. if you're toward the back, +1 penalty.)

<Magellan> 2d6-1

* Atom rolls for Magellan (2d6-1) and gets 5.

<Magellan> (Made it by 2.)

<Adam> (Do awareness bonuses help?)

<Eroles> 2d6+1

* Atom rolls for Eroles (2d6+1) and gets 12.

<Eroles> ( ... No. )

<Remi> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Remi (2d6) and gets 8.

<Abigail> 2d6+1

* Atom rolls for Abigail (2d6+1) and gets 9.

<Remi> (Nope.)

<GM> (If you mean Heightened Awareness, yes, but I suspect you'd have failed
anyway. ^_^)

<Adam> 2d6-5

* Atom rolls for Adam (2d6-5) and gets 1.

<Abigail> (missed by 3)

<Remi> (Not even with Heightened Awareness.)

<Adam> (Made it by...quite a bit. ^_^;)

<GM> (Whenever I ask for a 'sense' type roll -- hearing, sight, bleh --
awareness applies. )

<Adam> (Okay.)

<Abigail> (Whee. This is falling into my standard pattern for rolling
nicely. ^_^;)

* Adam motions for silence again.

* Magellan squints a bit and adjusts his glasses. "Hey, it is a class."

* Eroles looks curiously.

<GM> The sounds of muffles voiced and chalkboard writing are starting to
fade. There's a moment of silence, and then a voice starts up... obviously
female, and to Adam, familiar. "Settle down, class. Now that you've been
born, it's time to start your education."

<Adam> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Adam (2d6) and gets 6.

* Abigail whispers, "

<Abigail> What is it?

<GM> As the rest of you come up behind the front of the party, you can sort
of see it: there are some desks visible, maybe 20 feet ahead. A portable
chalkboard is before them. At each visible desk sits a small, green-skinned
child. Before them stands a woman dressed as a schoolteacher.

* Eroles looks rather interested.

* Remi raises an eyebrow. She looks like she might say something, but (for
once) doesn't.

* Magellan squints through his glasses again.

* Adam considers...

<GM> As you wait, the woman is clearly beginning her lesson. "Now,
children... you were just recently born. Can anybody tell me what it was
like? I want to hear everyone's thoughts." It's hard to see from this
vantage point, but for sure, a few green-skinned hands go up.

<Adam> ...

<Magellan> Now there's a sight one doesn't see every day.

<GM> (Body, y'all. Stealth/Silent movement. )

<Eroles> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Eroles (2d6) and gets 3.

<Abigail> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Abigail (2d6) and gets 9.

<Adam> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Adam (2d6) and gets 6.

<Eroles> ( Made it. )

<Adam> (Missed by 2.)

<Magellan> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Magellan (2d6) and gets 3.

* Abigail fails by 5.

<Magellan> (made it by 3)

<Adam> (meep.)

<Remi> 2d6-2

* Atom rolls for Remi (2d6-2) and gets 7.

<GM> (... Well, DAMN, Remi.)

<Remi> (Made by 1)

<Eroles> ( by 2. )

<Remi> (I'm feeling average today. :p)

<GM> Keeping quiet is hard work; Abigail's awkwardness in particular is
working against her, and she stumbles from the brush with a loud pushing
aside of branches, snapping of branches, and general calamity. Adam,
engrossed in observing, also doesn't realize that his cover (Magellan) has
moved for a better view. This, of course, leaves four of you hidden and two
of you now being stared at by 9 little green children and one surprised
schoolmarm.

* Adam smiles politely.  "Please don't mind us."

* Abigail freezes, knowing she's visible, but unsure of how to act. She
shoots Adam a look.

<Adam> (What do you want me to do, pull out a rocket launcher?)

* Magellan tries very hard to look like a bush. It's not hard.

<GM> ( *cackles gleefully* )

<GM> ( These are the moments that make it all worthwhile. )

<Abigail> Umm... hello.

<Adam> (I have the Public Speaking skill! ;_;)

* Eroles somehow is hidden.

* Abigail looks down, as if noticing her hands for the first time. She
realizes WHAT said hands look like, and quickly hides them behind her.

<GM> The teacher smiles at Adam. "Oh, that would be silly. Class, this is
Adam, and this is Steel Who Walks." Her voice is ever-so-pleasant. And a
little bizarre. "Adam is a good friend of mine. Please, come join us, won't
you?" She indicates two desks, which erupt from the ground in a tangle of
vines and flowers into the shape of desks. Toadstools for chairs pop up with
a comical 'boing'.

<Adam> ...

* Abigail 's face suddenly becomes quite serious.

* Remi facepalms.

* Eroles continues to watch in silence.

<GM> The green children, who are now visible as have scale-like skin in the
pattern of leaves, chorus "HELLO, ADAM! HELLO, STEEL WHO WALKS!" cheerfully.
One of them is taking notes on a large palm frond with an asparagus.

<Abigail> I... prefer to stand.

<Adam> Ah...me too, if you don't mind.

<Abigail> and my name is... not that.

<GM> The schoolmarm is still all smiles, in her own spooky way. "Well, if
you wish to stand, then feel free. We were just discussing being born," she
says solemnly. "Tell me, since you two are visitors... will you tell us what
it was like being born? What about you, Adam?"

<Adam> I'm...afraid I don't remember it well, ma'am.  It has been some time.

<Adam> 2d6-2

* Atom rolls for Adam (2d6-2) and gets 3.

<GM> She makes a tsk'ing sound and sighs. "Has it? My, my." She looks at
Abigail. "And you, Ste... 'Abigail'?" the schoolteacher asks. The students
look ESPECIALLY interested in Abby, asparagus spears scribbling furiously
across their palms. Well, palm fronds.

* Abigail blinks.

<Adam> ...

<Abigail> I don't... I... I... *she fidgets, kicking a foot into the
ground.* It's been...

* Abigail stops suddenly and looks hard at the teacher. "How do you know my
name?"

<GM> All eyes are on Abby.

<GM> (You people in the bushes? Same roll as before to stay quiet, ya?
</wakka> )

<Remi> 2d6-2

* Atom rolls for Remi (2d6-2) and gets 5.

<Remi> (Made by 3.)

<Magellan> 2d6

<Eroles> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Magellan (2d6) and gets 7.

* Atom rolls for Eroles (2d6) and gets 8.

<Magellan> (Missed by one.)

<Eroles> ( No. )

<Eroles> ( Missed by 2. )

<Magellan> (Er, by two.)

<Magellan> (Dammit, I mean one. I can;t count.)

<Adam> (I could, um, distract them with juggling.  Yeah.)

<GM> The teacher seems about to say something to Abigail to prompt her, when
Magellan and Eroles, paying too much attention to listening, come stumbling
out of the bushes too. Though with considerably less fanfare than the first
two. "Oh, my. More guests!" Two more desks pop up, complete with toadstools.
*boing*

<Eroles> 'lo.

* Abigail ignores the interruption, and continues to glare at the teacher,
waiting for an answer.

* Magellan sighs. "Times like these I wish I was still pumping bellows.
Hello, madam."

* Eroles is sitting on Chance still, in case anyone forgot.

<GM> "Dear, dear." The woman is apparently not paying any attention to
Abigail. Or if she is, she's being unflappable about it. "Welcome, guests.
Eroles? And Master Magellan." She turns to Adam. "Ah, perhaps we should ask
a new question. Sir Adam, tell me... why are we here?"

<Adam> Ah...well, ma'am, as you may know, I've gone into journalism.  My
friends and I are curious about the recent rumors regarding the forest.

* Adam is still holding a notebook, by the way.

<GM> She hmms, then glances at a child in the front row. "Is that true,
Inquisitiveness?" The child nods enthusiastically. "Yes, yes! That's why
we're here!"

<Remi> 2d6-2

* Atom rolls for Remi (2d6-2) and gets 4.

* Magellan scratches the back of his head.,

<Abigail> Why don't you introduce us... Adam?

<Adam> (Okay, now I have to think of a name. :P)

* Adam bows.  "My apologies.  Ms. Broen, these are my friends Abigail,
Eroles, Magellan, and...I'm afraid I don't know your name, Ms...?"

* Eroles looks around. "Interesting classroom you've got here."

<GM> Remi is long gone.

<GM> Well, long gone from where she was, anyway.

* Adam blinks, and turns to the rest of the party.  "This is Ms. Broen, who
was a teacher of mine at school."

<Abigail> Different school?

<Eroles> I'm guessing you didn't learn in the middle of the forest.

* Magellan eyes Adam. "Do them green things turn into people like you?"

<GM> Ms. Broen continues to smile the vacant smile of the all-knowing.
"That's right. Until he destroyed my career and my life." She says this
without a HINT of rancor. It's... kind of eerie how *not angry* she is.

* Adam smiles.  "Grade school, in Lucia."

<GM> ( *CRACKS UP* )

<GM> ( Damnit, Cham... I just took a sip of water )

* Adam winces.  "Er...once again, ma'am, I apologize."

* Abigail rolls her eyes.

<Abigail> Seems you have a good, stable job here. Plants to tend, minds to
nurture.

* Adam nods.

<Eroles> Seems a bit creepy to me.

<Abigail> A... bit.

<GM> Ms. Broen blinks at Eroles, and turns to her class, addressing the
student in the middle. "Are we creepy, Observation?" The child nods
enthusiastically. "We're very creepy! We're very creepy indeed!"

<Adam> (...)

<Magellan> Man, the things you see out traveling. When did they start
growing kids on trees?

<Adam> (Puuchuu.)

<Eroles> Quite. Well, I'm going to say that we get out of here. These nice
pod children and their drugged-up teacher are scaring me.

<Adam> (They're Puuchuu.  We're all gonna die. @_@)

<Magellan> I mean, I'm kinda behind on the whole business, but I always
thought they came out pink as well.

* Eroles begins looking for a nice escape route that keeps him away from
those creepy children.

<Abigail> Maybe you can pick and choose, now.

* Abigail shrugs. "I do suppose we had best be going. You have your class to
get back to, and we have our own business to attend to."

* Adam bows to Ms. Broen.  "We should probably be off...my apologies for
disrupting your class, ma'am."

* Magellan hefts his wrench and starts to walk off.

<GM> The teacher tilts her head. "Are you leaving so soon? But we were just
born!" The children get teary eyed and rush you, grabbing for legs and
clinging.

<Eroles> I'm going to vote we run now.

<Adam> I'm afraid we must, ma'am...I'm sure we'll see you soon, however.

* Adam pats a child vaguely on the head and then starts off, back the way we
came.

<Abigail> Yes. Maybe we can stop by on your way back for a salad or
something.

<Magellan> Aghck! Away from me, boy... girl... whatever the devil you are.

<GM> The children continue to bawl, clinging like... well, vines. Their feet
start to take root.

<Adam> ...

* Abigail turns, deliberately oblivious to any children who might be holding
on to her, and leaves.

* Atom trys to kick the children off and get away.

* Eroles does that too.

<Adam> (Okay, I don't want to go assaulting innocent little...uh, trees,
here...but...)

* Adam as well.

<Eroles> ( Ignore the dicebot in the corner. )

<GM> "Oh, dear... we were just born, and now you're going to abandon us.
Because we scare you?" Ms. Broen has not moved.

<Abigail> (Gah! Active dicebot!)

* Magellan does too.

* Remi steps out of the forest from a quarter of the way around the
clearing, behind the now-empty descs. "'Scuse me, ma'am, but I just have to
ask. Who's 'he'?"

* Abigail continues to walk away, hauling rooted children along, apparently.

<GM> (Abigail walks clear off the world.)

<GM> (Will you just chill yourself for a second, Miss Thing? :P)

<GM> (Body rolls, people trying to break free. But you get a bonus for the
Unarmed Defense skill. Abby, you can just start to walk off because of your
strength, but it's still slow going.)

<Abigail> (My goal is to walk. I walk, trailing the salad-people behind me,
so that I may feed all the real little boys and girls who are starving in
the streets.)

<Adam> 2d6

<Magellan> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Adam (2d6) and gets 8.

* Atom rolls for Magellan (2d6) and gets 3.

<Adam> (Fail by 2.)

<Magellan> (Made it by 3.)

<Eroles> 2d6

* Atom rolls for Eroles (2d6) and gets 7.

<Eroles> ( Nope. )

* Adam says (politely but firmly), "Ma'am, I'm afraid that there are other
parts of the forest we need to explore.  Could you please ask these children
to let us go?"

* Magellan rips free, arms trailing after him. He looks vaguely ill. "Now,
that's just not right."

<GM> Ms. Broen should, presumably, turn to face Remi, but doesn't. "Adam, of
course."

<Adam> Please do.

<GM> The children holding onto Magellan lose their arms as he rips free...
and the arms are hollow, despite the strength. Both arms and children
flutter into leaves afterward.

* Remi reaches up with one hand, as if to push a hat back on her head.
Except that she's not wearing a hat. "Adam ruined your career and your
life?"

* Abigail sighs, stops, turns and goes back to Adam and Eroles, to help them
extricate themselves.

<GM> Ms. Broen smiles. She still doesn't turn. "Oh, yes. He certainly did!"
Not a drop of hatred in her voice. "Why did you do it? So we would be born?"

<Adam> Er...me?

<GM> The teacher nods. Abby can free the others one at a time, and only then
by basically tearing the crying children apart. Which isn't hard, but...

<Remi> Huh.  This is just too weird.

<Adam> I truly didn't mean to mention it, but I suppose I wasn't too
careful...it wasn't my idea to use the information that way.

<Adam> I...am to blame, though.

* Magellan tries to extricate the others as well, making faces as he does
so.

* Abigail is about to rip the children off of Eroles, but pauses.

<Eroles> You ruined her life, and seems like you drove her insane Adam.

* Remi raises an eyebrow.

<Remi> Okay, so it was your fault.  Why a plant?

<GM> The teacher nods. "Then what should we use it for? Information." She is
all smiles, leaves piling up around her legs. "What is it for? Why were we
born?"

* Adam continues trying to get free.

* Eroles notices this and tries harder to pull away from the children. "Self
pity later. Away from creepy pod people now."

* Magellan starts batting at the kids with his wrench. "I can't make out a
damn thing from this lady."

<GM> The kids are, despite their wailing and iron grip, quite susceptible to
outside force. They dissolve into leaves with a final cry whenever someone
finally hacks through one. Likely, if they actually work together, Abby and
Magellan can have the others free in a jiffy.

* Adam produces a knife from his belt, and carefully starts sawing at the
vines holding him.

* Magellan moves over and aids Abby. "Like ivy, these things."

* Abigail swallows, grasps the children holding onto Eroles, and hauls.

<GM> For the first time, the teacher seems disappointed, and shakes her
head. "Hopefully you can answer that question someday, Adam. What is
knowledge for? What is information for? And, thus..." Her dress falls away,
and underneath it, except for the human head, is a sapling tree. "Why were
we born?"

<Adam> ...

* Eroles does his best to help Abigail get the freaky vines off him,
redoubling his effort after seeing that.

* Adam attacks the vine outright, at a point some inches from his leg.

<Remi> Okay, that settles it...

<Eroles> Ok, was she a tree when she taught you Adam? Is that how you ruined
her life?

<Adam> ...no, I can say with some certainty that she was normal.

<GM> ( As far as you know, no, she was never a tree. )

<Eroles> Right.

* Abigail pauses and looks at Adam.

<Abigail> HOW sure?

<Eroles> Now is NOT the time to be talking!

* Adam coughs.  "Very sure, I should say."

* Remi moves lightning-fast, drawing a gun out of nowhere... an odd-looking
silvery one. In the same motion, she points it toward the chalkboard, and
squeezes the trigger.

* Abigail snaps vines/arms/heads with rather pointed rhythm.

* Eroles pulls his own sword out and tries to hack the damn vines off as
carefully as he can.

* Magellan starts laying about him left and right with the wrench, trying to
get Eroles free.

* Adam keeps sawing.

<Eroles> ( We free yet GM? )

<GM> The teacher begins weeping, drooping her head. Now that you think about
it, she does sort of look like a small weeping willow. Remi's shot goes
clean through the occult sign etched on the chalkboard; the slate shatters
and clatters to the ground in pieces, turning into small river-skipping
stones as they hit the ground. The teacher's head vanishes, becoming a mere
knot in the wood.

<GM> Likewise, the children stop moving, making hacking out to freedom a
hell of a lot quicker.

* Adam whistles.  "Good idea."

<Magellan> Quick thinking, girl.

<Eroles> Nice shot.

<Abigail> That was educational.

<Remi> Yeah, I figured the big occult 'rebirth and life' symbol might have
something to do with that.  You're in a bit over your heads, huh?

* Abigail ignores REmi and looks at Adam. "You slept with a tree."

<Adam> ...no, I did not.

* Eroles cracks up.

* Magellan cackles.

<Eroles> The Thread of Fate and the Infant. Rebirth and Life.

<Magellan> And girl, I'm usually in over my head. That's the fun part of
being as old as I am.

* Adam looks rather irritated.  "I have not, in fact, slept with anyone."

<Adam> ...

<Adam> ...

<Abigail> Was she as good at making things grow before?

<Adam> I'll forget you mentioned it.

* Eroles almost falls off the horse laughing.

<Magellan> Oh, that's a good one.

<Remi> ...

<Eroles> ( Damn you DR. I was drinking water. )

<Remi> I'll bite.  How did you ruin her life?

<Abigail> Any other mysterious girlfriends you've got to tell us about?
Perhaps Rebecca the Rock will be dropping in for tea later?

* Adam sighs.

* Eroles thinks. "Well. The Cards told the truth. Wonder what else this
place has in store for us."

<Magellan> Hush, Abigail. Let the poor boy speak.

<Adam> If you must know, I discovered a rather illicit relationship of hers,
and regrettably, I wasn't careful enough about keeping it a secret.

<Adam> Just that.  No trees, no...

<Adam> Oh, never mind.

<GM> From high above, there is the sound of clapping.

<Eroles> Well, she's some sort of creepy tree creature now, so let's leave
it at that and go somewhere else.

* Abigail looks up.

<Adam> ...

* Magellan grins. "That's the way of things, it seems."

<Magellan> Although, that may not have been your teacher after all.

* Eroles peers up.

* Magellan looks up.

* Adam peers up as well.

* Remi looks upward. "More company. You people are popular."

<GM> High up in a tree, hanging upside down by his legs from a long branch,
is the wild red-haired youth from the previous evening.

* Adam waves half-heartedly.

<Abigail> Oh. Him.

<Magellan> Ahoy, lad.

<GM> He claps a bit longer, then grins down at the lot of you. "Having fun
in Birthplace?"

<Eroles> We're having a ball.

<Adam> Birthplace?

<Magellan> Haven't had this much fun since I can't remember when.

<Abigail> Must be easy to do for you.

<Eroles> Of course, you can't remember yesterday.

<Magellan> Course I can. Just not very well, is all.

* GM laughs. He seems... well, at least more amicable than he did before.
"Birthplace. Here, things are born! From first twig you break, things born
here. So, it is Birthplace."

* Remi clears her throat, and points upward. "None of you is a little bit
surprised or concerned by this?"

<Eroles> Not really. Once you travel long enough, you find out things like
this tend to happen.

<Eroles> Being surprised just gets.. boring after a while.

<Adam> After a certain point, surprise and concern tend to be constant.

<Magellan> And besides, we met him last night. I think.

<Remi> Uh huh.

<GM> The boy does a flip and ends up standing on the branch. "Remember, when
travelling, all you have is what you bring with you, nothing more."

<Remi> . o O (How'd I miss that?)

<Eroles> See, if that wasn't common fact, it would be a lot more mysterious
and dramatic.

<GM> The boy shrugs. "Many people forget. For some reason, I feel like
sharing."

<Eroles> Awful nice of you.

<Eroles> What's your name anyway?

<Remi> Yeah.  I don't suppose you feel like telling us where to find the w--
priestess?

* GM shakes his head, grinning. "When I come into Birthplace, I didn't bring
a name." With that, he bounds off across the branches.

<Remi> ...I'll take that as a 'no'.

<GM> (The boy did that. Really.)

<Adam> He hinted last night that his name was Luca.

<Abigail> Or that he knew Luca.

<Magellan> No one ever sticks around for conversations any more.

* Remi doubletakes. "Luca? HIM? ...No way."

<Magellan> I tell you, the world is going to hell.

<Adam> Well, that was certainly surreal.

<GM> (Mingle away. No more plot for tonight.)

* Adam turns to Remi, and bows.  "I'm afraid I never caught your name."

<GM> The clearing, now free of children, desks, and other obstruction, would
actually make a decent camping spot. There's another forest clearing about
50 yards away that would be much the same.

<Remi> Remi.  Remi Harmon.

<Adam> I'm Adam Scherer.  Pleased to make your acquaintance.

<Eroles> Eroles Teros. Nice to meetcha. This is Chance.

* Eroles motions towards his horse.

<Magellan> Magellan Drogg.

<Abigail> Abigail. Tesla.

* Remi nods to each in turn, and gives Chance a funny look. "You named your
horse 'Chance'?"

<GM> ( "Hi, I'm Angel." "Tom. Collins." "I'm Paul. Let's begin." )

<Abigail> I suppose this has been enough adventure for one day.

<Abigail> However. *gestures towards the other clearing* For comfort, that
may be a better place to rest.

<Adam> It's starting to look like most of us are here due to suicidal levels
of curiosity...

<Eroles> Actually, his first owner named him Chance. I took it as an omen
when I won him.

* Remi looks surprised. "You're a gambler?"

* Magellan grabs a couple pieces of logs and some kindling, and makes
something approximating a fire.

<Adam> Actually, I agree with Abigail...let's not stick around this
particular clearing.

<Magellan> (Oop. Retcon, then.)

<Eroles> Gambler and fortune teller.

<Eroles> At your service.

<GM> (Lemme know when to stop the log. ^_^)

<Adam> The next thing you know, my editor's going to turn out to be an oak,
and will start waxing philosophical about my deadlines.

* Adam shudders.

<Remi> I'm surprised people are willing to play against someone who does
card tricks for a living, that's all.

* Magellan idly wanders over to the other clearing.

* Adam follows.

* Remi heads off with the others. "But father always said, 'There's no
accounting for stupidity.'"

<Abigail> If you aren't playing for anything, what's the loss?

* Eroles shrugs. "I don't cheat, and I've got no tricks."

<Remi> Sure, but he said they were playing for the horse.  And presumably
for money, sometimes.

* Remi appears to completely miss what Eroles just said.

* Abigail shrugs. "Hasn't happened to us... yet."

<Eroles> Believe me, if I was going around cheating people, I would be a lot
richer then I am now.

<Remi> I guess you don't need the excitement, if you're doing things like
this for no reason but curiosity.  You realize you're all going to get
yourselves killed, right?

<Adam> Probably.  I hope to avoid it, though.

<Magellan> If I were in the business of staying safe, girl, I'd be in a
forge somewhere.

<GM> ( I hate to say this, but I have a store errand to run before bed. CAn
we cut this short soon? )

* Eroles shrugs. "If that's Fate, how can we hope to change it?"

<Eroles> ( Sure. )

<Magellan> (z_Z Sure.)

<Adam> (Sure.)

<Abigail> (I'm cool.)

<Remi> (Okay, then.)

<Adam> Well, in any case, I'll take the first watch.

<Eroles> Fine with me. I'll take second.

<Abigail> I'll take last, again.

<Abigail> (Wait. Second, I mean.)

<Remi> I'll join in on first, then.

<Magellan> I'll take last. I've got the coffee.

<GM> ( Hurry, Jeff. :P )

<Adam> Okay.

<Abigail> (Hurry what. I'm done.)

<GM> ( Ah. )

<GM> [ AND THUS NIGHT FELL. IF A TEACHER FALLS IN THE WOODS... OH, SCREW IT.
SESSION END. ]