[ Last time on Star Trek: DS9, Magellan was found in a repeating transporter pattern buffer by Theodore Riker... ] (HAW.) (Thought it was Thomas. :P) [ Actually what happened was everyone but Mark who was KOed by plot wandered around the ruined city and saw lots of stuff including a train station^W^W^Wmysterious building. Then they came home, had some fruit since there's all there is, and slept. ] [ Just now, Mark is fluttering his eyes and waking up after being out a day and a half, it's a lovely morning, and you can all decide your own levels of awakeness. ] [ Game: Start! ] * Theodore got up fairly early, as is his habit, and has been working on organizing his notes and adding observations and comments. * Khyra woke up a short while ago, went outside for a few minutes, attempted to make herself look slightly more presentable, then returned. She's currently munching on some of her travel rations and taking another look around the room. * Magellan is sitting in front of the fire or embers of it. A small coffeepot's stuck in it, percolating away. Mags, for his part, looks like he wasn't actually awake when he put it in there. or if he was, he fixed that quickly. [ The coffeepot smells delicious. Perhaps it's the water. ] * Mark sits up and holds his head with one hand and rubs his eyes with his other, "Ugh, what was IN that beer?" [ On that note, the water from the cistern IS damn good. It's certainly better than you'd find in any city in Mullenwald. ] * Maimun has been awake for a while, although made no great effort to get up early, and is currently eating more fruit. He's also lacking the 'Mullenwald' skin-tone that he had earlier, looking obviously Solarian. (Because he was fooling noone.) * Khyra takes a sip from her freshly filled canteen (only filled after someone else had drunk some and not keeled over) and looks over at Mark. "I don't believe it was the beer." (You never know. It could be slow-acting NINJA BEER.) * Magellan sniffs the coffee, and opens one eye slowly. Then, with a sudden motion, he grabs the pot out of the flames with his bare hands and has a go at chugging it down. Screw this mug business. (Body roll, Mags.) * Theodore looks oddly at Magellan for a moment. * Khyra raises an eyebrow at Magellan. * Maimun says dryly, "If it was the beer, I would expect Mr. Magellen over there to be sleeping until next week." 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6) and gets 9. (hah! no. Stupid dicebot.) * Khyra snorts softly. "Ever so true." [ Mags drops the coffeepot. Why? IT WAS METAL ON TOP OF A FIRE. Idiot. ] [ The precious percolation product is now all over the floor, and Mags has 5 damage worth of burns on his hands. ] * Magellan eyes the floor. "...ach." * Mark lowers his hands so he can see what's going on, "That didn't sound like somebody who was all the way awake." [ Considering how silent it is around here, the echoing reverb of coffeepot on floor has the potential to be unnerving. ] I'm highly doubting that it was. * Khyra takes another sip of cool, refreshing, not caffienated water. * Theodore flinches slightly at that and then leans back. "Well at least we don't have to worry much about being considered insane any more. Well, most of us." * Magellan ignores the peanut gallery, picks up the pot, and goes about the process of refilling. "That be what hurryin'll get ye." He doesn't seem overly concerned about the burns, but he's being light with his hands. * Maimun brings his hand up to his forehead, and turns to look at Theodore for a second when he makes his odd statement. * Maimun then turns to Mark, and says without actually sounding terribly concerned, "Was the rest a good one? You were asleep for quite a while." * Theodore looks to Maimun. "We've obviously got another Totenschloss here. Probably explains what happened to the miners. Only question is how much we can find before the government makes exploring this one illegal too." (What they don't know won't hurt you.) Who says we have to tell them anything? At least not right away. * Mark rubs his head again, "Yeah, have to get out first." Well, that is the Magister and his associate's problem, not ours. * Theodore smiles at that. "Oh, I wasn't intending to... right away. But once we get out I'll be better able to get the resources to mount a full fledged expedition if the family doesn't think I'm mad. [ Speaking of which there hasn't been a sign of Phillip or Luca since the incident at the bridge. ] One does generally get far better results when one is considered sane, yes. * Khyra puts her canteen away, stands up, and stretches briefly. "So. Is our next move to find the Magister and his associate?" * Magellan puts the pot on the fire. Carefully. Then he turns back to the group and takes a seat. * Mark stands up, "Next move is that I get something to drink." * Maimun smiles faintly at Mark's statement, then shakes his head. "How would we find them? We cannot even get inside of the city." Maybe whatever's keeping us out was simply waiting for all of us to wake up. Ach, now that's a daft explanation if e'er I heard one. Well, perhaps we should focus on the city next, and hopefully that will lead us to Phillip. [ In case Mark didn't read the logs, there is a cistern with cool water right inside the building. It is, in fact, in the shape of a little mermaid. The water pours out of a jug. It seems familiar. ] * Khyra looks over at Magellan. "What about this expedition *hasn't* been daft, Mister Drogg?" * Mark walks over to the cistern...and stares at the mermaid for a bit, "...Wasn't this a fountain?" (Everyone but Mark, mind checks.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Maimun (2d6) and gets 5. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (2d6) and gets 6. (Yup) * Magellan pulls the coffeepot out of the fire, carefully, this time, and using tongs he pulls off his belt. He pours a cup, and takes a nice, long, swig. "Nae much, lass, that ye'r right about." 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6) and gets 8. (I am that smart.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Khyra (2d6) and gets 12, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "Your logic is faulty, your intelligence is doubtful, and your sumo is insufficient." (What the devil, you fricking dicebot.) (I am teh stoopid.) * Mark shakes his head and then takes a drink, cupping his hands. "Definatly the beer." [ Theo and Maimun realize that cistern was just a spout yesterday. Magellan is preoccupied with his coffee and sees nothing. Khyra thinks she sees gems in the water of the cistern. ] Hmm? What's this? * Khyra walks over to the cistern and peers into it. [ No gems. A loser is you. ] What's what? * Maimun shakes his head, but seems oddly concerned. "Not a fountain, but... it has changed." * Khyra frowns briefly, then nonchalantly refills her canteen. "Nothing. Just a reflection of the light." [ Khyra makes a successful save vs. Rod, Staff, and Embarrassment. ] * Magellan takes another drink of coffee. "Are ye sure ye've not become daft as well? It be just a cistern." (Hurrah!) * Khyra gives Magellan the Eye. "Positive." * Magellan is STRONG against Eyes. "As ye say, then." (You're strong against Eye because you are half-blind, you old jackass.) * Mark looks up and wipes his mouth on the back of his sleave, "Nah, just looked like something I thought I saw once." * Maimun stands, and looks around more carefully to see if anything ELSE has decided to be different while he wasn't looking. * Theodore cups his hands and takes a drink himself. "She's right. Interesting, it appears this place is still changing. I shall have to redouble my notetaking, and I would continue to appreciate it if everyone else would record their observations, much progress could depend on it. * Mark shakes his head, and then starts to walk around the cistern. * Khyra nods. "That I shall do." [ It's... just a cistern. Really. ] (This is just an ordinary well.) (It's wet. You may be drenched by a grue.) * Magellan finishes his coffee, and pours himself another cup. "Anyone want the last cup in the pot? I be tryin' te cut down." * Maimun shakes his hand at Magellan. "No, thank you." * Maimun smoothly drifts his way outside, as people continue to attempt to awaken, carrying a piece of fruit with him. Cup's back on the truck...didn't think I'd need it. * Theodore shakes his head. "Been awake for a while now. Well, perhaps we should take a look around and see what else has changed." * Khyra reaches into her traveling pack, produces a journal and a pen, and follows Maimun outside. * Magellan shrugs, and chugs all the coffee! (Somewhere, Mark's truck is lonely.) * Theodore organizes his papers. He takes one sheet of paper and puts it in his pocket while storing the rest in his briefcase. He then heads outside himself. [ Outside is outside! It is more or less as you left it. Idyllic, peaceful. More or less quiet. Calm, Oh, and the barrier around the city over the bridge is now a visible pulsing red. ] * Magellan then grabs his wrench and his toolbox, and heads out. "Places ain't supposed te change that fast," he mutters. ... Perhaps it is angry we are awake instead. * Khyra gasps slightly when she steps outside and sees the barrier. * Mark compleats his circut of the cistern and takes another drink, before following the others out. * Theodore looks over the barrier and walks up staying several feet away. "Wonder if it still works properly." He idly picks up a stick from the ground. * Magellan looks at it, eyebrow raised. "That dinnae bode well at all. Ye sure ye want te provoke it, lad?" [ Pulse. Pulse. I am merely a supernatural barrier glowing red. Move along. ] * Theodore gazes at the barrier. "No risk, no reward. I'm going to throw a stick at it and see what happens, if no one has a better idea." * Mark looks at it for a bit, "Go under?" [ The barrier extends into the water, for the record. ] * Khyra looks at Mark. "Unless you have a cleverly concealed shovel in your pack, I'm wondering how that would be possible." * Mark rubs his head, "Had a dream about falling in sewer." If need be I should be able to bring in a mining team, but... Oh, that might do it. * Maimun chuckles, then looks over at Theo. "Go ahead and throw it, if you like." * Mark rubs his head harder. * Khyra wrinkles her nose. "I'd save that for a last resort." * Theodore grins. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I doubt the sewer would have been used for quite some time." He then takes arcs his hand back to toss the stick. Wouldn't be anything down there. True. (Are you actually throwing or giving them ONE LAST CHANCE?) * Khyra watches Theodore. INTENSE STICK THROWING ACTION! (One last chance. :P) (Throw the damn stick.) * Theodore then actually throws it. He tries to time it for a time when the barrier isn't red. [ The barrier's irregular pulsing makes that tricky, but it appears to be irrelevant as the stick clatters to the ground on the bridge beyond in a flash of red. ] [ The Earth is not bulldozed. You must be in Zork, and not Hitchhiker's Guide. Aren't you lucky? ] (Very!) (Quite!) Well then, could someone hold my briefcase? * Magellan eyes the stick critically. I will. [ There is nothing unusual the stick. ] * Khyra walks over to him to take it. (Khyra is not kidnapped by aliens! She can take the suitcase!) I'd tell you to be careful, but... * Theodore smiles. "Thank you." He hands the briefcase to Khyra and then walks towards the barrier. "Well, only one way to find out really." * Khyra half-smiles and shrugs. * Mark fumbles for his glasses for a bit. * Khyra gains Briefcase x1! * Maimun watches the Flight of the Stick, then the long walk of the soon-to-be- dead man. "Very... gutsy." The Godspeeds didn't get where we are today by cowering before the unknown. ::Theodore tries to walk through:: [ As Theo gets close, the hair on the back of his neck rises. ] * Theodore stops as he gets closer. "Hmm..." * Mark blinks, "...I...don't think that's going to work." (Would he be familar with electricity?) (Yes. This isn't electricity.) (It actually feels like, for lack of a better phrase, "bad vibes". It's like solid antipathy.) (Red pulsing barrier wants you to take a dirtnap.) Ye thinkin' it over, lad? * Mark rubs his head again, "Call it a hunch." * Theodore nods. "Doesn't feel right here either. And a bit more detail would be helpful." (Has Mark given his last name?) (Not that Maimun has heard.) (I write that stuf down if I can. ^^;) (I think only to Mags) * Khyra hmmms softly. (Freak.) * Theodore takes a step back and glances at Mark. (Did he get any farther than before?) * Maimun frowns. "It is possible that the stick is... a special case. We did not try to throw things yesterday." Done with that piece of fruit Maimun? Perhaps we should try something living. Aye, could be keyed te live things. I dinnae know as we can find a rabbit or bird... seems like there's nary here but us. (Fruit's not living, silly billy. It's just, uh... moist and delicious.) (The seeds are alive) (More living than a stick. :P) (Now you're arguing semantics. >_>) (SHUT UP AND PLAY. >_<) * Maimun tosses the fruit up and down in his hand. "I'm not sure this qualifies, but if it will help, there is plenty more." * Theodore catches it and nods. "A rabbit or bird would be ideal. Could find a better plant I suppose, but this is a start." Theodore tosses the fruit through. (Er, 'catches' it as in struck out for it? I wasn't _tossing_ it to you. >_>) [ The fruit has landed! Repeat, the fruit has landed. Fiery armageddon does not ensue. ] [ However, you did just waste fruit. Shame on you. ] * Mark looks at the city, "It was different." ( Misread. He reaches out for it, assuming Maimun's willing to oblige him. :P) (Eh, doesn't matter now. I woulda just thrown it anyway.) (Same end result no matter who threw it.) * Theodore nods and looks to Mark. "Yes, it was, we had a vision of it going in. So, Mr.." Theodore blanks. "I'm sorry, I can't seem to remember your surname." ("Bond.") * Khyra tilts her head slightly and eyes the barrier. "I wonder..." Stephensen...Wait you had a dream about that too? (Everyone did, to varying degrees.) * Khyra is paying partial attention to their conversation. "A dream, a vision... did we all have one?" (You basically remember: City shiny! Black.) * Theodore shakes his head. "Just a short flash Mr. Stephensen, of the city as it would have appeared in its prime, alive and full of wonderous mechanical devices." He takes a few more steps from the field. "As you were out longer perhaps you caught more." * Magellan peers at the barrier. (Hearing checks! 2 point penalty!) * Mark nods, "Wandered around for a bit, saw that rhyme everywhere." 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Khyra (2d6) and gets 7. 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6+2) and gets 10. (Yes.) 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (2d6+2) and gets 6. 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mark (2d6+2) and gets 8. (ha.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Maimun (2d6-2) and gets 7. (Huh, yes) (Oof, no.) (Nope) [ Mark hears, clearly, "Pactmaker, hurry." Theo and Khyra BARELY hear it, an almost-atonal female voice coming from inside the city. Maimun and Magellan hear Inna Gadda Da Vida. ] * Khyra blinks. "Did you hear something?" [ Correction: Mark and Khyra hear "Pactkeepers", not "Pactmaker". ] * Magellan cocks his ear. "Eh? What the devil be that?" It was a voice. * Mark shakes his head, "Ever since I woke up, I figured she was part of the hangover." Nae, was a song. * Theodore nods. "Pactkeeper I think. Was that what Madam Taros called you?" * Khyra looks over at Mark. "You've been hearing this all along?" * Maimun shakes his head. "I hear..." he glances over at Magellan. "Nothing." (Certaintly don't hear nothin' about no gardens!) * Mark nods, "She's getting a bit more insistant." Well, perhaps we should find those sewars and you should tell us of the rest of the dream and what this voice tells you as we work. Pactkeepers, yes. Not what the fortuneteller called any of us, though. Before we find the sewers, I want to try something. I think you all might want to stand back. * Mark shrugs and looks around at the ground, "It's all pretty fuzzy." * Magellan obligingly takes a step back. * Theodore lets out a breath as he takes another step away from the field and wipes his brow. "Certainly, I'll reclaim my briefcase if it'd help." * Khyra hands the briefcase back to Theodore, then takes a few steps towards the barrier. * Maimun has been standing back. He stretches slightly and pulls a small coin from inside his robe, holding it between two fingers. * Theodore goes through his briefcase and gets out a sheet of paper and a pen. "Perhaps you could record what you do remember Mr. Stephenson, it might help clear your head." * Khyra hums softly and points her left hand at the barrier. A slight breeze briefly swirls around her, rippling her hair and her clothes, then moves towards the barrier. * Mark nods at Theodore and accepts the pen and paper, but doesn't put one to the other yet, he's too buisy watching Khyra. [ It's zephyrtastic! But likely to Khyra's dismay, that's about all it is. ] * Theodore also turns to watch Khyra with interest. "Stormsinger indeed." (could be worse, it could be disasterific.) A rare talent, lass. * Khyra looks disappointed. "I was hoping that perhaps I could penetrate it. And I haven't quite worked my way up to storms yet." Ah, well. To the sewers, then? (Vision checks this time.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Khyra (2d6-2) and gets 5. Intriguing. And I'm afraid so. (Yes.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (2d6) and gets 9. (No) 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Maimun (2d6-4) and gets 5. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6) and gets 7. (Yeah.) (Finally) 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mark (2d6+2) and gets 8. * Maimun watches Khyra with a faint smile and says, softly, "A woman of the wind... " * Khyra smoothes her hair back down and gives Maimun a smile in return. [ Magellan notices that there are no manholes in sight. Khyra and Maimun notice this, *and* notice flickers of light from the tall central tower of the city near the top. ] * Khyra points at the tower. "Light, at the top of that tower." I dinnae know that there BE sewers. * Maimun smiles back at Khyra for a split second, then turns to look at the light at the same time Khyra is pointing. "Yes. I think something is happening." * Mark looks where Khyra pointed, "What? That poem I saw in my dream?" * Theodore looks up in the direction Khyra is pointing. Poem? [ If you squint, you can see it: occasional flickers of light from the top of the tower. ] * Maimun says in an aside-like manner. "But if there is no sewer, and this barrier is still functional, there is very little in the way of options..." Perhaps some sort of lighthouse, like in Totenschloss. Every sign, every scrap of paper, every anything that had more than two words to it. (Are the flickers regular enough to be a lighthouse?) (Not really. They're pretty erratic.) * Khyra looks over at Mark. "How much of it do you remember?" * Theodore gestures at the pen and paper, offering the side of his briefcase if Mark wants a hard surface. All of it, it's stuck in my head. Write it down, then! * Khyra seems slightly annoyed that he didn't mention this sooner. * Maimun continues watching the erratic lights. (Khyra breathes fire!) (Ragh.) * Theodore nods, his look slightly also has a slight note of impaticence, but he keeps it out of his tone. "Considering how mystical things have been so far, dreams and portents are definately worth considering." Aye. * Mark takes the briefcase, and the pen and the paper and puts the three together, he produces a piece of paper with surprisingly clear handwriting, it reads, "Let the covenant be broken / old pacts honored, never more / Take this new soul as my token / Break the seal upon the door." (I am compelled by Mecha to point out that the lights from the tower and the barrier are not in synch in any way.) * Theodore looks it over as he reclaims his stuff, making sure the rest have the chance to read it. "Well, it would seem we need to find a seal. Do you have any idea what the new soul refers to?" * Mark shakes his head, "Her?" Pactkeepers... let the covenant be broken... But what covenant? * Maimun starts to flip the coin through his fingers, slowly. You know, hand tricksies. He looks at the poem and says, "And what door? We are still at a very non-door-like place." * Theodore nods. "Seems as good of a guess as any. And it seems any such pact likely long predates us, as does this city." * Magellan peers over Theodore's shoulder and scrunches his brow. "I'm nae much fer magic, lads, but that reads like an incantation to me." * Theodore looks over the bridge and surrounding area for any signs of crests, symbols, significant markings, and the like. An incantation? Well, it does have a certain rhythm to it... That's true, it may not be a literal seal, try reading it aloud in front of the barrier. * Mark eyes the flashing light in the city, "Is that what you want?" [ Pulse! ] Is that an answer? [ No pulse! ] Ach, now they be talkin' te lights. (I parsed that as [Pause!] ><) * Maimun looks back towards the light. "Probably not, but reading a poem cannot hurt us." Right then. * Magellan hefts his wrench and tries to look ready for anything. * Mark starts to recite, and proves that disguising the group as band of traveling preformers with him as a singer would be a very bad plan. Let the covenant be broken (Of course it would be. That's my job.) Old pacts honored, never more Take this new soul as my token Break the seal upon the door. (Okay.) (And thus did I prove that The Fool was the right card) (I am asking for one blanket visual check now. 2 point bonus.) 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Khyra (2d6-4) and gets 1. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6-2) and gets 3. 2d6-6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Maimun (2d6-6) and gets 2. (Yes.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mark (2d6) and gets 12, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "Maybe you should consider sacrificing some barnyard animals?" (NOW I get the good roll.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (2d6-2) and gets 9. (Nope) (Impressive, Snake.) (Thank you for taking the critfail for me!) (Gah, I've gone blinder!) (Give me a sec to type this all out.) (and developed a massive ammount of LAG ><#) (Crap, I'm 15 seconds back) [ As the last word falls from Mark's lips, the barrier stops pulsing, and becomes solid. The sound of silence becomes positively *oppressive*; it's hard to hear anything except the sound of blood in your head. ] [ The barrier then goes from red to a dark navy blue, and suddenly is alive with white tracings of light; huge, incomprehensible magic circles form *ALL* around it, from tip to tip around this huge city. ] [ You all hear, clearly in your head, "Welcome, Pactmaker. Welcome, Pactkeepers. Thy oath is accepted." ] [ Everyone who made the roll notices that THEN two small angel statues on your side of the bridge which you swear weren't there before shatter and fall to the ground. The barrier then also shatters with the sound of breaking glass. ] [ After a moment, your senses come back to normal, though everyone's mildly headachey. No more voices. ] * Khyra briefly closes her eyes and puts her hands to her head. * Maimun stops flipping his coin as the non-noise starts, and also closes his eyes for a second. * Theodore looks fairly fazed. "My, that worked. Excellent idea Mr. Droog." He shakes his head still trying to get his bearings. * Mark rubs his head again, "looks like it was." (Oh, I misread earlier, Mark and Khyra heard pactkeeper Theo heard pactmaker? Or was that wrong?) * Maimun muses, "Now, if only we knew exactly what pact we were keeping..." (Mark heard "Pactmaker". You and Khyra heard "Pactkeeper".) (We opened the software without reading the EULA. Now we're screwed. ;_;) * Khyra says,softly, "And I swear those statues weren't there before..." * Maimun looks over at Khyra and then back, saying, "They weren't." Statues? ::Theo looks around for a bit:: Oh.. well, things change, let's get a move on while the barrier is still down. (Yeah, I just sold my soul for a copy Mircrosoft Summoning 2.4.1) * Magellan reaches up, and stolidly adjusts his bird-aid. "Thank ye. Have ye perhaps a shot of alcohol on yer person? Man needs a bracing after a jolt like that." (Please register for more features.) * Theodore goes to step onto the bridge. * Khyra looks somewhat troubled, but heads for the bridge anyway. What satu....Oh when'd? (They're rubble, now.) * Mark rubs his head again and follows the others across the bridge. * Theodore gets out his smaller notepad to keep up the record, he also makes a personal copy of the poem. * Maimun heads for the bridge, because he might as well not be left behind when walking into the city. He goes back to coinflipping as he walks too. * Magellan follows, eying the statues as he passes them. Don't suppose you have any ancient family traditions that'd shed light on this Mr. Stephenson. [ It is perfectly safe to walk across the bridge. The 'statues' are just pedestals, now. They used to be angels, but they crumbled. ] (Well, I really meant "the statue rubble.") * Maimun says, "It certainly seems that the flashing tower is attempting to draw our attention." [ Flashes are very intermittent now. Certainly less frequent than before. ] Now, how do ye know that? Mayhap it just likes te flash. But I don't believe it was before. Well, it'll make as good of a destination as any. [ Also, all of you can keep seeing things out of your periphery for a split second. Shiny city! People walking. Cars. Stuff like that. You clearly can't interact with any of it. ] Aye, true enough. [ It's a lot like the aftereffect Khyra and Maimun felt before. ] * Khyra jerks her head suddenly. "It's back..." * Magellan glances around. "I say truly now, if any of ye have ale or spirits squirreled away, now be the time te share 'em. Downright unnerving." * Theodore nods regularly trying to get a clear view of the pacing objects. "Remarkable." He frowns. "And frustrating." * Maimun's eyes keep flicking from side to side, as he tries to track the stuff. "I'm afraid I cannot help you there. But it appears everyone is seeing something, so you are in good company." (Are you all still walking aimlessly, or is there an aim now?) * Mark nods and rubs his eyes. * Theodore walks towards the tower, as best he can tell. (I think we're walking twords the flashing tower, but I could be wrong) (Yeah, I thought that was basically where we were going, lacking other landmarks or a trail of the two lost peoples.) (yeah.) * Magellan looks around. "If ye could get a good look at any o' this, Godspeed, we'd stand te make a mint." * Theodore sighs. "We could, but I've just got glances. If you want any paper I'd be happy to loan you some to make your own observations." It's like when I first woke up. I just can't get a good look at it. (do the windows still have glass? I forget) [ The road to the tower is pretty easy to find, as there's a wide boulevard lined by trees that leads up to it. The buildings here are more advanced than the ones outside; they're made of concrete and steel in some cases rather than mortar and brick, or adobe or wood. But they're all in considerably worse repair. ] Nae, I'm no good at free-handin'. Can barely do me own schematics. [ The windows are glassless, in a perfect sense. They're not broken out, but there's literally no glass there. ] (Engineer types, give me a phys sciences/chemistry check.) * Maimun nods. "It is much like when we woke up, yes. But it's not worth worrying about." * Theodore nods. If you're looking at what he's drawing it appears he actually does have some skill at it. "Well, perhaps we can find a poster or diagram or two as we search." (Well, anybody can, but it's no untrained check.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6-2) and gets 4. (Made.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (2d6-2) and gets 6. * Khyra tries to ignore the images as best she can and get a good look at her surroundings. (Made) (Can I get if off Architecht?) (Um...) (Not really. This isn't about building structure, it's about the nature of glass.) (Then he wouldn't know it anyway) [ Theo and Magellan both realize: this is what happens when glass is so old it returns to being a liquid. ] [ AS for the surroundings... try your best to envision the quintessential 80's post-apocalyptic abandoned city. It's not that it was destroyed. There's no marks of *violence*. It's just that there simply is nothing HERE anymore. ] * Magellan blinks. "Ach.... these buildings be older'n they look, lads." It shows superb engineering that anything still remains. (And that's a fact.) (Hearing checks!) It's so... creepy. Like it was simply abandoned one day for no reason. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Khyra (2d6-2) and gets 7. (Did the buiildings on the outside of the barrier seem less old?) 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Maimun (2d6-4) and gets 2. (Yes.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (2d6) and gets 9. (Oh yeah.) (No) Hmm. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6) and gets 7. (Made.) Too bad I can't see inside. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mark (2d6) and gets 9. (Dice hate you all tonight. Wow.) (and failed!) (Oh! That's everybody.) (I'm so used to 7 player games, only 5 rolls screwed me up.) [ Maimun, Khyra, and Magellan can hear noises coming from ahead. It sounds like... metallic clinking, for lack of a better word. ] Somethin' metal from ahead, lads. * Khyra stops. "Yes. Something like clinking?" Something made of metal all around, just can't quite see them. * Maimun nods slightly and tries to look into the distance. On the ground, as opposed to in the air. * Theodore looks fairly excited at the prospect. "Excellent, I'd hoped to see, hmm.. perhaps we should hide as it passes." Good idea. * Khyra looks for a suitable place of concealment. * Theodore tries to find a hiding place that'd offer him a fair view of whatever it is, and ideally a position that'd allow for sketching. * Mark looks around for something bigger than he is to hide behind. (a handy storefront perhaps?) [ From an alley maybe a block ahead, you can see forms ahead walking across your path. ] (There's plenty of places to hide. Behind the remains of doors, trees, etc.) * Maimun moves to the side so as to not be so seen, but makes sure he can still see them, since they're not actually coming this way. * Mark hides! [ It's hard to get a bead on them. They sometimes appear to be 'normal humans' with local dress... a few are soldiers, one appears to be a man in leather breeches, and another is wearing Magisterial robes. ] [ No, but wait. Now the Magister is wearing a pinstripe suit and wingtips. The soldiers all have McDonald's uniforms on. The one in leather breeches wears a policeman's uniform. ] * Khyra gets behind a tree and peeks out at the forms. [ No, wait. They're 'normal' again. ] [ The metal clinking is chains, which are constant: they're a chain gang. ] * Magellan peers, but fails to do much in the way of hiding besides take a step or two to the left. * Theodore takes more active measures to hide once it becomes obvious that its a chain and not machinary making the noise. * Khyra draws back behind her tree when she realizes that they're chained. [ They don't appear to notice any of you or even turn. They are simply walking a perpendicular street... very, very slowly. ] (We don't recognize any of them in either form?) * Maimun isn't hiding much. They're not going this way. He chuckles a little, even. [ Clink. Clink. Clink. Cue "Volga Boatmen's Song". ] * Magellan walks forward a bit, squinting. [ The things continue to switch forms between one and the next, as if neither were particularly permanent. ] * Mark peers out of the storefront he dived into as the sound doesn't seem to be getting closer. * Maimun murmurs, "A solid vision." * Khyra doesn't seem inclined to go see if these are real or simply visions. * Magellan shrugs, and walks closer. Keeping his wrench resting on his shoulder, of course. * Theodore adjusts his position so if someone comes for the people who aren't hiding, he still hopefully won't be noticed. [ Magellan draws near enough so that the magister turns his head toward him with a dull expression, and speaks in a toneless voice. "There is a subtle magic..." Suit, now. "...to accounting, you see, but I..." Magister. "...have to be back in time for summoning..." Suit: "...my boss thinks I'm some sort of wizard with numbers..." ] Enh? [ Magister. "Really, I was never any good with geology..." Suit: "But that damned Phillip..." Magister: "...he got all the praise..." Suit: "The boss loves him so much." Both seem to flicker a bit, overlaying. "I can't... seem to find..." He falls silent, then walks on. ] [ A soldier asks, "The cordon would like to know, sir..." McD's suit. "...if you'd like fries with that." ] (*snerk*) Ach, it be enough te give a man a permanent headache. (heh) (it's certainly giving the GM a headache talking this way. @_@) (If Mark could hear you, he'd agree.) * Magellan looks back at the party, then back to the chaingang. None of them are Phillip or Luca, right? [ No sir. ] [ Another fast food zombie troops by. "All beef patty, special sauce, cheese, lettuce..." Soldier. "...a bastard sword, maybe a new hauberk..." ] * Khyra peers out again. * Maimun watches Mags not get eaten, and decide he probably wouldn't get eaten, so he walks out into the open and closer to Mags. * Magellan turns back to the group. "Ye've got te hear this. It be like hearing one thing in each ear." * Theodore edges closer sticking to the side of the road and the doorways of buildings. * Khyra cautiously advances, also making sure she's never far from cover. * Mark carefully steps out of the storefront, and tries to follow Khyra and Theodore's exaples...probibly making himself more conspicius. [ The one in the leather breeches is last; the others are plodding along. "I've got to crack... I've got to crack this lock..." Policeman. "Looks like someone just broke in. I'll have to..." Leather man. "Gut him, the bastard. He took my mark." ] (I hasten to add: ALL of this is totally toneless. It's like listening to Ben Stein.) ( He went to my high school, incidentally. ) They are all quite odd. But the most solid thing we have seen that... is not here. [ Leather. "Really, the law is just..." Policeman. "...my personal code. My firm belief..." He too seems to overlap, briefly. "I can't seem... to find my..." ] * Magellan rubs his chin. [ They walk on. Clinkety clink. ] * Theodore pauses once he gets close enough to hear, he makes a few notes in his book as he works. * Magellan mutters, mostly to himself, "Two sides 'o the same coin...." [ They're mostly out of earshot, now. The clinking is starting to fade. ] * Maimun watches them go, and stops the flipping, letting the coin rest in his palm. "Shall we continue?" * Magellan seems distracted. * Theodore calls out quietly. "Give them a minute, they may have an escort somewhere." * Mark rubs his head, "Does all magic give people headaches, or just these cities?" (Awareness checks!) * Mark shuts up. 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Maimun (2d6-4) and gets 3. (Yep.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mark (2d6) and gets 10. (ha ha ha, no.) 2d6 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (2d6) and gets 11. * Dicesuke throws the bones for Khyra (2d6-2) and gets 5. (Yes.) (Nope) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6) and gets 11. (hoo, no) [ Those who make it are painfully aware of the lack of any approaching plot^H^H^H^Hthings. The departing chain gang is all the noise there is that you yourselves are not making. ] (Imagines Theo in chains. [Current business suit] Have to figure out a way to [Modern suit] Capitalize on this opportuunity [old] I'm going to be so [new] rich!) * Maimun shakes his head. "I do not hear more phantom escorts, and their noise would be obvious here." * Khyra says quietly, "I don't hear anything, either." (Snerk.) * Theodore then steps out and comments quietly. "Well, let's keep moving, as I think it's quite obvious that was an earlier party, and I'd rather not share their fate." * Magellan still looks distracted. (Magellan is crushed by an orbital cow.) * Theodore moves towards the tower at a quicker pace. (*adds his junk to his own) (Mark is the Borg? "Your technological, uh... rubble will be added to our own.") * Maimun apparently doesn't want to be in chains, and after a glance over to his partner-in-perceptiveness, Khyra, hurries on. * Mark nods, "Yeah." * Khyra looks back at Maimun, nods, and hurries along with him. * Magellan blinks, seems to wake up, and hurries along after the others. [ The tower beckons! The buildings thin out the closer you get to it, until eventually it's just surrounded by trees. There were once wooden doors into it at the base, but those appear to be gone. It is white stone, probably sandstone of some form, and it is fairly tall by your standards. ] * Theodore keeps his voice quiet. "It seems as if we've ventured into another world, one with corresponding versions of ourselves." * Theodore does make a note to collect a sample or two of the steel and any unusual materials as he goes, in case they merit future study. Wait, what? ...Does that mean there's another me that draged along too? * Magellan looks at Theodore sharply. "Aye, lad. Two sides of the same coin. I wager these other visions are of the buildings as they once were. Stands to reason the shifting is between two times." * Theodore looks to Khyra and then Mark and then nods at Magellan's comment. "I wonder if those men lost their grounding before or after they were captured." (I should mention, none of *you* look or feel any different, even to each other.) Ahh. But all of us seem the same. Dinnae make sense, though, the part where they look the same. People cannae be that old. * Magellan frowns again. His beard bristles, and boy howdy is THAT scary. (KAWAII! *_*) * Khyra shudders involuntarily, but tries to hide it. (Beeeeeeeeeeeard!) * Maimun looks between Magellan and Theodore. "You make very strange assumptions." He looks at the tower and continues in. [ The tower itself is... lit. By what? Good question, as there's no visible source. All there really is, in fact, is a spiral staircase. ZETTAI! UNMEI! MOKUSHIROKU! ] (Aw, man, we totally need to hurry on to the next season so we can use the fucking elevator.) (I could go get my Utena CD and put it on.) * Mark shrugs, "It's probibly magic of some sort." * Khyra looks at the stairs. "Quite a ways to climb." * Magellan looks up. ".... aye." * Mark eyes the stairs, "all this and they don't have a windlass?" * Theodore heads in. "It's certainly magic, but I can't seek to explain this, beyond that. However, there seem to be two worlds in one place, the visions, the shifting forms and words, the utter strangeness of this city." (*points at Khyra* Wind lass.) * Theodore gets climbing, nothing for it really. * Maimun actually steps back outsie the building for a second and looks up for windows. A what? [ None! Well, except at the very, very tippy top. ] * Magellan follows Theodore. "Ach, yes. Had we a day or two we could rig one, but that'd involve the climbin' anyhow." [ There are occasional flashes of light filtering down from the top. You THINK, maybe, at one point there's a rumbling. ] * Khyra bites her lip briefly and climbs. Device for lifting things, you've got a rope and a pully or two or three and a moter or some cattle, they go one way and everything gets pulled up. * Maimun watches the others walk, looks up again, then back down and hurries after them in the climbing. Ahh. Yes, that would have been convenient. * Theodore looks to Maimunn as he catches up. "Decided to stick to the conventional ways as well?" * Mark sighs and he looks at the stairs and starts to climb them. [ There is a *CLONK* as Mark steps onto the first stair, and then the sound of a distant pulley in need of a small amount of oil. ] Ye have to wonder. They couldnae expect te climb these every day.... ach? * Maimun shrugs. "Unknown place, unknown magic. I can walk as well as I can fly." [ It's coming from above! DUCK! ] ....Or maybe they do. [ Well, no need to duck. But it's coming from above. ] * Mark looks up. * Khyra jumps back. "What's that?" * Maimun looks to where the sound is coming from... Our windlass, er... lass. Dunno yet. [ Floating gently down into the center of the staircase is... a steel gazebo, really. The classic old-style wrought-iron elevator, with a domed top. The pulley appears to be the SFX crew having a day, as there is no indication of wires. ] [ It hits the floor, then the door opens invitingly with a little creak. ] * Khyra eyes it suspiciously. "And that's going to get us up there? How does it work? Magic?" Nae. Physics! Please elaborate. (...no, actually, that's more or less magic.) * Mark climbs the stairs untill he can see the top, he's grinning like a kid with a new toy. (The top of the elevator, not the tower >_>) * Magellan follows Mark. [ Nothin'. Not so much as the shadow of an invisible wire. There is a flywheel on top, though. ] Or perhaps she is done by magic, lass. * Theodore heads to the elevator. "If it was technology, I'd love to know how." Part of it anyway, unless they have invisable rope. * Mark tries to look up the shaft. [ Up the shaft is Dark(tm). ] * Maimun looks at the 'lift'. "Well, it seems that our walking effort can be saved, if it works as you advertise." (Well, as in "lack of light", not "winged bishounen thief".) Well, ye'd have a winch at the top. If, uh, there were a rope fer it. * Magellan boards! Or at the bottom, if you couln't lift it up there... * Mark seems slightly disapointed as he walks back down the stairs and gets in. Aye. Ye could rig a pulley system, mayhap with a counterweight, if ye got into it. * Magellan 's eyes glaze over slightly. * Khyra still seems a bit uncertain, but she gets on anyway. [ The thing is more than roomy enough for all of you. There's a little wooden rail inside to lean on, and when the door is shut it gets moving! ] * Khyra makes a startled noise when it moves. * Maimun looks around when he's inside, since getting left behind is bad. [ It's not, like, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fast but you move better than walking. The walls along the caracole are painted with frescos that take up multiple floors in a sort of scroll-like string. ] [ The first ten floors are dominated by an unfamiliar map. Your players recognize it as a Mercator map of Earth. ] * Theodore smiles slightly. "Well, if you figure out how to get one working, be sure to write it down." He takes advantage of the rail and looks at the frescos for anything of note, he sketches a quick map of the map. (map of the map?) [ After that are some stylized depictions of Heaven and Hell, concepts which are familiar to you as they're part of the 'Christian-like' religion of Mullenwald. ] * Khyra closely examines the frescoes as they go up, although she can't sketch that fast and just tries to commit things to memory as best she can. * Mark pays a lot more attention to things like how the corners of the elevator are made, but he does glance at the murals now and again. * Magellan is still glazed over. Fine art? pshaw. Thinking about motors now! * Theodore 's sketches aren't detailed at all, he doesn't bother with the religious stuff, not his business. * Khyra resists the urge to poke Magellan. But barely. * Maimun just sorta stands there looking vaguely casual as the elevator moves. He is looking at the frescos as they pass. (The soundtrack, if you're keeping track, is FF:CC -- "Mag Mell".) [ The next ten floors are... fairly weird. But the general gist is this: ] (as elevator Muzak? @_@) [ There are eight figures in robes. They all seem to come from different 'environments', though they're not places you'd recognize. At the end, they form a circle around a giant magic seal. ] (For the record: The 'environments' are all major European cities, like Rome, Moscow, Athens, London, etc.) * Theodore doesn't actually try to sketch the eight, he just notes that there are eight and writes a descriptive sentence or so on each of them, but lacking a frame of reference he doesn't have an easy time describing them. ("THIS one came from a city of onions!") (Okay, barring any comment on the sages sealing the Triforce, I move on.) * Maimun mms at the Seal, but doesn't pipe up saying, "It's a seal!" (...I have the intro music from Lufia and the Fortress of Doom in my head. Why?) [ The next ten floors are... abstract. The first two are miniature versions of the map, but with a second map overlaid on top of it in a different color. ] (Mind checks! Uh... well, fuck. Give me a sec.) (Navigation counts. No specialty.) (dX lacks "cartography".) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (2d6-2) and gets 6. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Magellan (2d6-2) and gets 3. (Make) (made.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mark (2d6) and gets 9. 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Maimun (2d6-1) and gets 2. (dicy doesn't like my new chars at all) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Khyra (2d6) and gets 6. (I am master navigator!) (Yes.) [ Those of you who succeed notice that one of the continents looks damn familiar, mainly because it's at least in part the one you happen to live on, though it extends farther than either country has mapped. ] * Magellan blinks, and his eyes come unglazed. "Say, isn't that..." [ Your players might recognize that Mullenwald is over South Africa, a bit. To the north is the Sahara where Solaria would be. ] I think it is. Our home. * Mark stops admiring the welding, "Isn't what what?" * Theodore eyes widen and he desperately tries to chart the more details as to the larger world. "This is amazing." Now I wish I actually had some skill at speed drawing. That's a damn sight more world than ever I've seen. * Maimun blinks, and nods, saying, "It looks like... that piece is similar to a map of Solaria I saw once." It is. Far more than I knew of... [ The next floor is blank, oddly. The last seven floors are images of each of the robed men from before holding what appears to be a key, and each key's ring is set with a gemstone of a different color. ] [ After that, the elevator comes to a stop at the top, and opens. There's a platform for you to step off onto, and the walls at the top are bare. Some stairs to the north lead up. ] (Exits: elevator, down) * Maimun says, almost warmly, "Well, if you would like to review it, Khyra, you can always climb down the stairs." * Theodore has an odd smile. "I wonder if my explorer ancestors would consider that cheating." * Magellan steps off, and looks up over the elevator for a winch or a horse or a gnome or something. Perhaps on the way back. I have a feeling we're supposed to go forward. 3 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Theodore (3 2d6-2) and gets 7 6 6. * Mark walks out and joins Mags in his search for the other half of the mechinism. (Tell me how much any successes were by.) * Maimun step off as well. (We'll be wrapping up with our semi-cliffhanger shortly, BTW.) * Khyra steps onto the platform. (Yah cliff ha...wait.) [ Theo, in reviewing his notes, finds this: ] [ The 'map' of the first ten floors is useless, smudgy blobs. ] [ The drawings of the second ten floors are more or less alright; you caught the essence of stuff like onion domes and Big Ben and whatever. ] [ The third map at least captures the essence of "your world is bigger than you thought", but since the FIRST map is useless, it's not much help there. ] * Theodore steps out while reviewing his notes. "Damn... I think I'll take advantage of those stairs." [ A STAIRS approaches. Command? ] (Nothing on the mechanism?) * Khyra heads for the northern stairs. (Oh!) (Sorry.) [ There is another flywheel at the top which would presumably have cable for this thing, but it too lacks, uh... cable. Or a motor. ] * Maimun chuckles very slightly and walks onward somewhat cautiously. They are approaching the core of weirdness. (It's powered by love.) Ach, Mark, we be out of luck. That's cheating. [ As for the stairs... ] I don't think any of this was meant to follow rules. * Magellan sullenly walks up the steps. * Mark shoves his hands in his pockets and heads for the stairs. Still. A shame te tease an old man such. [ The first thing that strikes you upon climbing them, and there are very few, is the view. You can see the entire city; nay, the entire valley, for that's what it is, from here. How such a thing was hidden inside a mountain range for so long defies geological description. ] * Theodore sighs and as he walks tries to redraw the map from memory, likely to little success. "My..." [ The second thing that strikes you is that Phillip is lying on the floor in a heap, with Luca on top of him and that obsidian dagger of his placed squarely in Phillip's chest. ] [ There are blood and pockmarks EVERYWHERE. Luca's black clothes are cut in many places. You don't have to be Dr. Quinn to note that Phillip is quite dead. ] * Magellan goggles. * Khyra gasps and her eyes widen. (Last commentary.) What the devil is this, then? Gaah! * Theodore looks away from the view and over to Phillip. "That's not good at all." Oh god... * Maimun reaches his hands into his robe, as if reaching for something, and eyes Luca with narrowed eyes. [ Luca turns around to look at you, eyes wide with either surprise or fury or maybe both. "How did you..." He actually gasps. "You can't be! Not so soon!" ] [ What does Luca mean? WHy did he kill Phillip? Will the obcultrefs in the narration ever end? Will this game ever actually get interesting? ] [ Find out tomorrow! Game: Suspended! ]